The Education Policy Hotlist
Top news in U.S. education policy for the week of May 22 - 26
Welcome back to the Education Policy Hotlist!
This week’s newsletter includes federal policy updates, new state efforts to support the teacher workforce, updates on the latest research and evaluation efforts, and more. I also wanted to highlight a new resource I discovered yesterday: The Wonky Folk podcast with Andy Rotherham and Jed Wallace.
The Wonky Folk podcast provides a forum for learning about the latest education policy news. It features engaging and thoughtful dialogue, especially regarding reform and equity across America. Here’s what I loved about it:
Andy and Jed introduce a lot of viewpoints in a short amount of time. While they have their own opinions, they also present what other thinkers and leaders say about a policy. As a result, the podcast is more expansive than your typical dialogue.
Wonky Folk creates space for disagreement and discussion. During their back-and-forth, they explicitly call out how their viewpoints may differ, justify their take, and suggest what others may consider when trying to understand an issue.
The resources are linked in the podcast notes. The team does an excellent job of connecting the resources they reference in the notes section so that listeners can follow up.
Overall, the podcast is more than just dialogue because Andy and Jed unpack big ideas and elaborate on nuances often missed in other education policy venues.
THE WEEKS AHEAD
Thursday, May 24, 2023, at noon (PST), REL Northwest is hosting High Response Rates Through Collaborative Survey Practices: Lessons from Alaska’s Trauma-Engaged Schools Partnership with REL Northwest. Register here.
May 24, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. (EST), join the virtual White House briefing about the National Partnership for Student Success initiative and how organizations may join this effort. Register here.
Wednesday, June 14, 2023, at noon (PST), the Education Commission of the States is hosting Shifting Formulas for Student Success. Register here.
FEDERAL EDUCATION POLICY
The U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced over $95 million for 35 states to increase access to school-based mental health services and improve the mental health professional pipeline [USED].
The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) released per-pupil expenditures for the 2020-21 school year. Total revenues increased by 3%, and spending per pupil for public elementary and secondary school operations rose 3.5% from 2020 [IES].
Secretary Cardona testified at the House Education and the Workforce Committee hearing to examine the U.S. Department of Education’s fiscal year 2024 budget request [Committee on Education and the Workforce].
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee about ChatGPT and safety [OpenAI].
The U.S. Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued joint guidance for schools about Delivering Services in School-Based Settings: A Comprehensive Guide to Medicaid Services and Administrative Claiming. The new document explains how schools can leverage students’ Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to provide services in school [CMS].
TEACHER WORKFORCE
Governor Desantis signed into law a teacher apprenticeship program as an alternative pathway into the teaching profession [FL HB1035].
A bill in Delaware would establish a paid apprenticeship program for teachers. The bill is currently being considered in the House [DE HB138].
Connecticut’s education and labor departments unveiled a plan to create a new teacher apprentice program to expand recruitment efforts and grow-your-own programs [CT].
The National Center for Teacher Residencies (NCTR) recently published its annual impact report, which shows that teacher residency programs are preparing an unprecedented number of teachers of color. NCTR Network teacher residency programs are more diverse than ever, with 69% of teacher residents and 49% of mentor teachers identifying as a person of color [NCTR].
RESEARCH AND DATA
The Results for America and Annenberg collaboration underwent rebranding and refocusing. EdResearch for Action (formerly EdResearch for Recovery) will provide practical, research-based insights for education leaders [EdREsearch].
Connecticut prioritized rapid research to track pandemic recovery, and their communities are benefiting from this early information [ECS].
To rethink the Carnegie Unit, Carnegie and ETS are preparing to conduct a multi-state pilot where students can access personalized data about their growth in academic and other inter- and intrapersonal areas [The74].
A coalition of national and state partners submitted comments and recommendations to the U.S. Department of Education about the Innovative Assessment Demonstration Authority (IADA) Pilot program [AssessmentHQ].
ACADEMIC SUCCESS
The CEO of Accelerate writes that ed tech leaders and other tutoring providers should anticipate a public marketplace in the years ahead that relies more heavily on outcomes-based contracts and is willing to cut loose programs that do not meet goals [The74].
According to new data, students’ social lives outside of school influenced their academic outcomes. “The pandemic was a public health and economic disaster that reshaped every area of children’s lives, but it did so to different degrees in different communities, and so its consequences for children depended on where they lived,” [NYT].
At a time when tutoring may or may not be reaching enough students, educational software may be a cheaper, more accessible alternative [Hechinger Report].
EARLY LITERACY
Indiana is the latest state to mandate science of reading instruction and ban schools from using balanced literacy and three-cueing [The74].
California is one of only a handful of states that do not screen students for dyslexia. After years of resistance, Governor Newsom finally called for unions to reverse their opposition. The legislation has been stalled for multiple sessions [Politico].
ENROLLMENT AND ATTENDANCE
The COVID-19 and Equity in Education initiative released a new data visualization tool that includes school-level enrollment data disaggregated by school type, level, locale, percentage of reported Covid-19 cases, and other societal shifts [CEE].
In response to the post-pandemic absenteeism crisis, FutureEd and Attendance Works expanded their attendance playbook with new evidence-backed and scalable approaches to family engagement, incentives, and social, emotional, and learning supports [FutureEd].
POSTSECONDARY SUCCESS
A new bill in Texas would establish an outcomes-based funding formula for the state’s community colleges and improve dual-credit coursework. The bill is currently awaiting a vote in the Senate [TX HB8].
HIGH SCHOOL SUCCESS
The National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) released its latest State Education Standard about reimagining the high school experience. The issue sheds light on the data, policy reforms, and engagement that policymakers and leaders must consider to align and redesign the high school experience [NASBE].
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
The National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) released its 20th report tracking preschool enrollment, funding, and policies for 44 states, D.C., and Guam. The report highlights unprecedented teacher shortages and increasing enrollment that doesn’t meet pre-pandemic levels [NIEER].
ICYMI
Last week marked the 69th anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court ruling, which established that racially segregated schools are unequal and unconstitutional. In response to a congressional directive to “examine and publicly release information on racial and economic segregation within the United States’ K-12 education systems,” the U.S. Department of Education released a new report on school diversity. According to the report, students of color disproportionately attend schools where the majority of students are also students of color. The report also details the history of segregation and the current landscape of school attendance by race [USED].
Dr. Christine M. T. Pitts serves as Senior Policy Fellow at the Center on Reinventing Public Education, overseeing policy leadership and external affairs. With a teacher and researcher background, Christine previously led research and evaluation for Portland Public Schools. She served as Policy Advisor at NWEA, overseeing state and federal policy to advance equity and innovation in educational assessment. Follow her on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter for updates.