The Education Policy Hotlist
Top News in US Education Policy for the Week of June 13th
Don’t miss the latest education spending trends in The Route K-12 Podcast with the Collaborative for Student Success. The first episode is out today, and you can listen here. Make sure to subscribe to receive future episodes.
THE WEEKS AHEAD
On Thursday, June 23rd (10:00 AM PST), join Checker Finn in a discussion about his newest book and related thoughts for policymakers on improving NAEP in What you may not know—but should—about the Nation’s Report Card. Register here.
On Thursday, June 30th (2:00 PM EST), join Foresight Law + Policy for a webinar on Leveraging Modern Technology to Integrate Early Childhood Data. Register here.
FEDERAL EDUCATION POLICY
USED | The Department of Education appointed their first-ever Chief Economist, Jordan Matsudaira, who will continue in his current role as Deputy Undersecretary.
USDA | The Department of Agriculture is investing $100 million into the Healthy Food Incentive Fund for school meal programs that innovate and advance healthy school meal options.
SOLD | The Science of Learning and Development Alliance sent a letter with 50 individual signatures from key education advocates asking the federal government to back a whole-child approach to pandemic recovery.
GAO | A new report examines the pandemic’s impact on academic progress during the 2020-21 school year. The study includes a survey of K-12 public school teachers and their perceptions of learning loss and academic achievement among their students.
TEACHER WORKFORCE
USED | Secretary Cardona addressed the nation at Bank Street College of New York last week, where he highlighted how the Department is supporting teachers and their three areas of focus: (a) recruiting diverse, high-qualified teachers into the profession, (b) supporting professional development, and (c) investing in strategies to retain high-quality teachers in the long-term.
NYT | The Ulvade massacre may be a tipping point for educators across the US.
EdWeek | Alternative teacher licensure programs are seeing declines in completion rates.
AR | Arkansas Governor, Asa Hutchinson, is proposing a boost to teacher salaries in this summer’s special session.
IN | A teacher bonus with an attendance requirement meant that teachers missing school due to Covid-19 quarantine will miss out.
GOVERNANCE
NYT | Two of the five supreme court rulings released this month will cover the Intersection of religion in schools.
NM | The New Mexico Public Education Department voted to approve a new regulation regarding suspending a school board suspected of putting a district at risk, such as by fraud or abuse of school personnel.
STUDENT WELL-BEING
NYT | A school board in Connecticut, is shutting down school-based mental health centers.
Brookings | Jon Valant argues that mid-term Democratic nominees should get clear on their education policy agendas so that students aren’t dealing with the messy aftermath in schools.
“I’d like to see Democrats actively make the case, now and in November, that we owe it to kids to keep grown-ups’ messes from spilling into their lives—and that it’s Republicans who are using schools to wage culture wars.”
ENROLLMENT
AL | Alabama will see decreased teacher funding due to enrollment declines.
Burbio | Burbio releases state-by-state kindergarten enrollment. Remember, kindergarten is an essential year for school districts to capture incoming students that will increase enrollment for the long term.
TEACHING AND LEARNING
OH | Vladmir Kogan at Ohio State reports that overall achievement gaps due to unfinished learning are shrinking, yet subgroup data reveal consistent concerns about whether all students are receiving the opportunities they need to achieve academic recovery.
Chalkbeat | Matt Barnum summarizes some of the research on class size. I am still mediating variables like teacher quality, curriculum, school climate, and others matter a lot, too.
The74 | Beth Hawkins covers the Great Hearts model of learning pods and a new approach to micro-schools that may be growing post-pandemic.
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
LAist | By the time school starts in 2025, every 4-year-old in the state will have a spot in transitional kindergarten (TK) if they want it.
POST-SECONDARY PATHWAYS
CAP | The Center for American Progress reports on growing alternative teacher certification programs among non-higher education programs.
NYT | HBCUs are now the first choice for many high school graduates of color.
TX | A new study in Texas reveals college graduate earnings over time.
ASSESSMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY
Knowledge Works | Knowledge Works released two new reports on the future of assessment and accountability, with the goal of establishing common ground towards reauthorizing ESEA.
ICYMI
Bellwether Education Partners released a new guide for designing and measuring for impact across different types of non-profit organizations and service providers.
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.