The Education Policy Hotlist
Top News in U.S. Education Policy for the Week of January 16th
THE WEEKS AHEAD
On Tuesday, January 17, from 3:00-4:30 PM ET, New America is hosting Learning How States, Districts, and Educators are Strengthening Kindergarten [Register here].
On Thursday, January 19, 2023, at 3:00 PM ET, Wallace is hosting Playing the Policy Change Long Game: Insights from OST Intermediaries [Register here].
EDUCATION FINANCE
Chad Aldeman writes about the good, bad, and ugly when Covid-19 relief funds head out the district door to education vendors [Edunomics].
Everyone should watch for gubernatorial budgets emerging this month that may have significant implications for schools, students, and families recovering from pandemic learning and social setbacks [Plurbius].
CA: Governor Newsom includes anti-overdose drugs for middle and high school students and continues state funding for kindergarten.
IA: Governor Reynolds’ proposal may allow students to use $7,500 of public funds for private school expenses.
MS: Lt. Governor Hosemann is backing a bill to incentivize modified school calendars that follow a 9-week-on and 2-week-off pattern.
GA: Kemp urges legislators to add $2K pay raises for teachers and state employees this year. He proposes spending $150M on school security and helping students with unfinished learning needs.
SHAKE-UPS
NWEA will become part of HMH moving forward. The acquisition will move NWEA’s MAP tests closer to teaching and learning [NWEA].
Education Board Partners is joining Bellwether to grow their reach and impact through governance [Bellwether].
FEDERAL EDUCATION POLICY
Secretary Cardona urges states not to use Covid-19 relief funds as a “patch on the lack of education funding that we’re seeing in our states.” [EdSource].
USED’s latest pulse panel reveals that a rise in acute behavior disruptions in schools may be due to “…inadequate training in classroom management, pushback from parents, and fear of student retaliation,” as cited by teachers [The74].
ENROLLMENT CHALLENGES
Tim Daly urges cities and districts facing enrollment decline to plan for action, now [Fordham].
Utah faces a declining school-age population [UT].
STUDENT SAFETY
Gun violence in elementary schools means schools face debates over metal detectors and random checks [Axios].
Via Axios
CHARTERS AND CHOICE
Oklahoma may become the first state to approve a charter school focused solely on a religious curriculum. This comes after the latest supreme court rulings require states not to prohibit religious school choice programs [The74].
TEACHER WORKFORCE
Wyoming is implementing a program to support preservice educators in getting their footing in the field alongside other peer states in a new teacher preparation network [The74].
ICYMI
Andy Rotherham writes his annual “in and out” list for 2023. Here are a few of my favorites:
In 2023, what’s out > what’s in…
Quiet Quitting is out > Quiet use of the SAT is in
Savings rates are out > Education savings accounts are in
Twitter is out > Twitter is still in
Retreats are out > Resorts are in
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 teacher and researcher by training, she previously led research and evaluation for Portland Public Schools. Pitts also 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.