The Education Policy Hotlist
Top News in US Education Policy for the week of January 24th
This week I started tracking gubernatorial state-of-the-state speeches. Then, I opened Twitter and saw that FutureEd beat me to it. If you read one thing from the hotlist today, it should be this informative spreadsheet.
Find your state or region and explore the highlights. Do you think it meets the concerns you hear about in your community? Does it reflect the ongoing pandemic challenges facing your students and families? If not, I’d love to hear more about the disconnect.
We need bold state leadership to achieve recovery, and how governors choose to address education challenges may nod to where we are headed and what more we need to fight for. It is also essential to consider that in November 2022, 36 states will hold gubernatorial elections. For reference, there were gubernatorial elections in 11 states in 2020.
These campaigns will influence the public narrative on educational recovery in the near term. The question is: Does it reflect the things that you think students, teachers, and schools need in the immediate and long term?
COVID-19 UPDATES
CDC | The CDC released Dr. Walensky’s briefing on guidance for K-12 school operations.
CNN | Do you think the CDC suggestion to cancel football and band for all US schools is realistic? This tension is playing out in districts across the country.
FEDERAL POLICY
USED | The Department of Education released their accomplishments during year one of service.
USED | The US Department of Education noted that SEA plans would be updated on their webpage. There is also a column to document local spending plans. Let me know if you have more information on local spending plans for each state.
S. 3037 | The Empower Parents to Protect Their Kids Act of 2021 would require “parental notification and consent for any gender-transitioning actions in a public school.”
The74 | Last week marked the 20th anniversary of No Child Left Behind. Creator Joel Rose reflects the accomplishments and lessons for future accountability policy.
The White House | Biden answered questions about how the White House will address learning loss moving forward.
GAO | According to a new study from the Government Accountability Office, vulnerable students are more likely to face natural disaster challenges.
USED | As of last week, the Department of Education has distributed all $122 billion of the American Rescue Plan ESSER funds to the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. This is an enormous accomplishment.
STATE AND LOCAL POLICY
OK | Oklahoma addresses staffing challenges by allowing state employees to work as substitute teachers.
IL | The Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents, reported that 96% of districts faced substitute teacher shortages. As such, many states are removing requirements for substitute teacher hiring.
PA | Philadelphia schools partner with Black doctors to increase vaccination coverage for Black and Latino students.
DE | Delaware State Education Association asks local leaders to evaluate whether they can keep schools open.
Axios | Pressure from conservative groups to ban books across the US will be central in 2022 campaigns.
CO | Governor Polis outlined education investments during the state of the state speech.
TEACHERS & STAFFING
The74 | Chad Aldemen describes how the teacher labor market steers clear of the “big quit” affecting other industries.
CALDER | A new study provides real-time school staffing data.
ASSESSMENT & ACCOUNTABILITY
Leach & Yan | Academic Return on Investment (AROI) helps districts evaluate the influence of investments on student outcomes.
ECS | The Education Commission of the States aggregated a list of accountability waivers for 2021.
Fordham | Mike Petrilli argues that if we redesigned NAEP from scratch today, it would include a kindergarten assessment.
“If NAEP were being designed today from scratch, it’s hard to imagine that kindergarten assessments would not be included in the package. We’ve been operating in the dark around early childhood long enough. It’s time to turn on the lights.”
INNOVATION AND NEW SCHOOL MODELS
The74 | Some states consider incentivizing school calendar changes to address lost instructional time.
EDUCATION FINANCE
EdDive | Vermont and South Carolina are two of many states revising funding formulas to address lower enrollment.
Annenberg | A new study finds that social spending leads to benefits for infants due to increased prenatal access and improved health behaviors.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Wednesday, January 26th, 2 PM EST | Education Reform Now and Phillos are hosting a webinar titled Driving Towards Equity: A Conversation About American Rescue Spending Plans.
Wednesday, January 26th, 3 PM EST | EduDream hosts a webinar on standards-based reform and the US public education system.
Friday, January 28th, 2 PM EST | CASEL is hosting a webinar on The State of Social and Emotional Learning in 2022: A Conversation with Dr. Aaliyah A. Samuel, CASEL’s New President, and CEO.
Dr. Christine M. T. Pitts serves as Resident Policy Fellow at the Center on Reinventing Public Education, overseeing policy leadership at the intersection of research, advocacy, and government relations. 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 @cmtpitts.