The Education Policy Hotlist
Top News in US Education Policy for the Week of October 10th
THE WEEKS AHEAD
Tuesday, October 11, 2022, 12:00 PM EST, join a webinar on Inclusive Civic Engagement about how schools can equip students with the skills and opportunities to engage in civic dialogue, encouraging authentic conversation on college campuses across dimensions of difference. Register here.
Wednesday, October 12, 2022, 10:30 AM EST, AFSA, NAESP, and NASSP are hosting an in-person event for the 2022 National Principals Month briefing in Washington, D.C. Register here.
FEDERAL EDUCATION POLICY
The US Department of Education awards $110 million to 19 Magnet School Assistance Programs (MSAP) [EAC].
Jim Cowen writes a statement about the ESSER I spending deadline and urges schools to use this moment to ensure “the $176.3 billion from ESSER II and III are used wisely and expeditiously” [Collaborative].
Secretary Cardona releases a statement on Biden’s appointees to the Commission on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Hispanics [USED].
The US Department of Education is inviting applications for two grant programs totaling $280 million that will increase access to mental health services for students [USED].
The Department will host a series of grant webinars for interested applicants later this month [K12Dive].
ASSESSMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY
A new research brief explains how competency-based education practices are implemented and examines progress toward the intended intermediate and deeper learning outcomes [EPIC].
Chad and Marguerite from Ednunomics argue that “In public education, we lack timely information on what should be the most basic of metrics” [The Hill].
NASBE shares how states are building graduate profiles or “portraits [that] lay out a handful of high-level knowledge, skills, and characteristics that a variety of state stakeholders and educators have said they believe each student should attain before graduating” [NASBE].
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT
A proposed law in New Jersey schools would require schools to immediately notify parents if a student is kept in an isolated room [NJ].
Nebraska uses federal relief funding to invest in social and emotional skill development; for example, some classrooms are implementing morning meetings and listening sessions to allow students to check in with their feelings [NE].
Phyllis Jordan explains the importance of student engagement for pandemic recovery [NYT].
SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION
Arizona school transportation grant program returns for its second year [AZ].
The Environmental Protection Agency is increasing the money available for higher demand for electric school buses [AP].
POLITICS IN EDUCATION POLICY
Georgia Association of Educators endorsed all Democratic candidates for state school superintendent except for one Republican: Superintendent Richard Woods [The74].
COVID-19 IN SCHOOLS
New data about the rates of children's COVID-19 vaccines [Monitor Survey].
TEACHER WORKFORCE
The number of teachers with temporary or no certifications has increased [The74].
"In Maryland, the number of teachers with conditional certifications — good for two years as new teachers gain classroom experience and work toward full licensure — had doubled in under five years.”
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
According to a new policy brief from the Bipartisan Policy Center, COVID-19 led to new childcare configurations [BPC].
“A majority of child care centers (57%) reported combining classes of different age groups during the pandemic. The most common reasons for combining age groups were the loss of enrollment (52%) and the loss of teachers with the inability to hire replacements (29%).”
ENROLLMENT
Schools in New York City are facing the financial consequences of declining enrollment for the first time since the start of the pandemic [Chalkbeat].
ADDRESSING LEARNING LOSS
Tutoring is an important strategy for addressing learning loss, but all tutoring is not created equal [NYT].
ICYMI
A new resolution proposed by a parent coalition in Oakland, California, including the Oakland REACH, asks school board members for the opportunity to allow parents to provide input into labor negotiations and collective bargaining agreements [The74].
Dr. Christine M. T. Pitts serves as Director of Impact and Communications at the Center on Reinventing ic Education, overseeing policy leadership and external affairs. A teacher and researcher by training, she previously led research and evaluation for Portland Public Schools and served as Policy Advisor at NWEA, overseeing state and federal policy to advance equity and innovation in educational assessment. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @cmtpitts.