The Education Policy Hotlist
Top News in US Education Policy for the Week of May 30th
Memorial Day is one of our nation’s most meaningful holidays. We can spend our extra time with family and friends honoring those who served and made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our country. With this in mind, I hope you all are enjoying your weekend and remembering those who courageously gave their lives for our freedoms.
I spent my long weekend with my kids on our first Forest Park hike since our youngest was born in 2019. We made it about a mile, splashed in the mud, and enjoyed a fun car picnic. My goal is to get everyone up to 4 miles by the end of summer to plan longer overnight hikes, as soon as possible.
THE WEEKS AHEAD
Wednesday, June 8th (1:00 PM MST), ECS and SAS will host a webinar with Senator Ballard (NC) and Commissioner Vandeven (MO) about their state plan to address unfinished learning. Register here.
FEDERAL EDUCATION POLICY
White House | The White House released a fact sheet detailing the equitable pandemic recovery due to the American Rescue Plan.
USED | The Education Department announced new resources for student mental health and student with disabilities supports, including a new effort to review state and local digital accessibility compliance.
NSBA | A review of the NSBA letter sent to the White House in the fall requesting support from federal law enforcement to protect threatened school board members was released. The study identifies a detailed series of events before the letter is sent.
“Counsel did not find direct or indirect evidence suggesting the [Biden] Administration requested the Letter….”
HHS, Ed, & Related Agencies | A subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee met to discuss tackling teacher shortages.
ED&Labor | Secretary Cardona testified about the FY23 budget for the Education and Labor Committee.
STATE EDUCATION POLICY
WI | The Wisconsin Policy Forum released a report that outlines the financial health of Milwaukee and Madison schools.
MN | A new Minnesota bill will create a pilot program for mental health urgency rooms, mobile crisis units, and loan forgiveness programs for mental health professionals.
MO | Multiple districts near St. Louis are taking advantage of a new federally funded grant program to expand summer school access for students.
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
CA | California education chief’s latest literacy plan includes increasing access to library cards, e-books, and online readers. This plan is missing a pivotal piece to advancing literacy equity: statewide phonics-based instruction.
NASBE | NASBE released the latest State Education Standard journal on the latest research and policy for math and science learning.
VA | Charlottesville City Schools is wrapping up its virtual learning program.
POSTSECONDARY SUCCESS
AL | Alabama requires high school seniors to complete the FAFSA before graduating, potentially supporting more high-schoolers to postsecondary success in college.
Georgia Policy Labs | A new study examines how CTE participation relates to high-school outcomes for students with disabilities. For students with disabilities, participating in CTE programs is associated with a higher likelihood of high school graduation.
ADDRESSING SCHOOL SHOOTINGS
The74 | A new book written by journalist Mark Follman suggests that community-based violence prevention is one path to addressing mass shootings.
“The idea that all shooters are crazy, that this can all be blamed on mental illness — that’s all wrong. In a basic sense, no mass shooter is mentally healthy. But the way that these attacks occur is through a process of planning, involving a complex set of factors, and there’s often a lot of rational thought involved. Extensive case research shows that mental illness is not fundamentally a cause of these attacks.”
LiberatED | A thoughtful resource on addressing school shootings in schools and the workplace from the remarkable Dena Simmons and LiberatED.
ASSESSMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY
Fordham | Virginia Education Commissioner Amy Guidera spoke with Mike Petrili on this week’s Gadfly show about their latest state plan for high expectations and individualized learning plans.
MS | The Mississippi Department of Education released the initial results of the 2022 third-grade reading summative assessment this week. A similar percentage of students passed the exam on the first try compared to 2019.
TX | Schools across Texas will experience an adapted rating protocol for accountability purposes. Schools will receive an A, B, or C rating, with schools rating below those levels receiving a “not rated” label.
NC | A new report from the North Carolina Department of Instruction estimates the additional school months necessary for students to recover from missed learning during the pandemic.
ICYMI
Pondiscio interviewed Kate Walsh as she left her decades-long post leading NCTQ. They dive into a no-B.S. conversation about wins, losses, and how men may need to be more proactive, stepping down when it’s time (e.g., realizing when you’re not as relevant as you once were). You don’t want to miss this fantastic, reflective conversation.
Dr. Christine M. T. Pitts serves as Director of Impact and Communications at the Center on Reinventing Public Education, overseeing policy leadership and external affairs. A former teacher and administrator, she previously led research and evaluation for Portland Public Schools. She also served as Policy Advisor at NWEA, where she oversaw state and federal policy to advance equity and innovation in educational assessment. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @cmtpitts.