Author: BelieveAgain

Clear K-12 themes dominated governors’ state of the state addresses this year, with one issue dominating priorities across party lines: workforce readiness.That’s the finding of analysts from the Education Commission of the States, a research group, who worked with the National Governors Association to review addresses made by governors in 41 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands for a report issued March 14. (Some governors only give the speeches biennially, in the years their state legislatures convene.)Thirty-seven of those speeches called for a focus on career and technical education and workforce development, an issue that has won the support of…

At least one state has begun using artificial intelligence to determine the number of students who are at risk of failing to graduate on time and thus eligible for additional K-12 funding for their districts. More could follow.But will AI serve as a game-changing tool for streamlining and refining the messy process of determining how much money schools need and receive? Or is it destined to further heighten the often inscrutable chaos of school funding formulas?Nevada education officials since last year have been working to develop a more precise calculation of the number of students in the state who aren’t…

The death last month of a nonbinary Oklahoma student following a fight with other students in a high school restroom, while still mired in questions about what exactly transpired, is drawing renewed attention to school responses to harassment and bullying.It remains challenging for teachers and administrators to prevent and respond to bullying. But it is also difficult for students and parents to hold schools and districts legally responsible for any failures. Laws in most states require schools to have anti-bullying policies and procedures, but most do not give families a right to sue over ineffective responses. There is a dichotomy…

David Blanchard, superintendent of the Schoharie schools in rural upstate New York, has been hard at work with his team preparing two versions of his district’s operating budget for next school year.One assumes the 800-student district will get the same amount from the state in the coming year as it did this year. The other incorporates Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposed cuts and tweaks to state school funding, including an adjusted calculation of the inflation rate and the loss of pandemic-era protections meant to ensure schools don’t see steep, year-over-year funding drops.The latter plan would result in the district, which is…

President Joe Biden included his administration’s K-12 education priorities in a State of the Union address focused on American resilience Thursday.In a high-stakes appearance in the lead-up to the November presidential election, Biden echoed his past support for raising teacher pay and increasing access to early childhood education, and he highlighted his administration’s efforts to promote tutoring, summer learning, and career and technical education.“To remain the strongest economy in the world we need the best education system in the world,” Biden said.He pushed for high-quality tutoring and summer learning time and said he wants to “see to it that every…

Alabama on Thursday became the first state in 2024 to establish a new private school choice program, extending the momentum of state-funded education savings account programs that have become commonplace in Republican-led states nationwide.Education savings accounts are state-funded offerings that parents can use to pay for private school tuition, fees, and a wide range of other related expenses. Parents can use them for a wider variety of expenses than they can private school vouchers, which are similar but exclusively cover tuition.Gov. Kay Ivey, a Republican, made private school choice her top priority during her State of the State address in…

President Joe Biden hopes to secure more money for high-need schools and students with disabilities, and to make free preschool universally available to 4-year-olds in the next fiscal year.Biden released his proposed 2025 budget on March 11, requesting $82 billion for the U.S. Department of Education. The budget announcement came days after Biden’s State of the Union address, in which he called for teacher pay raises and expanded access to preschool, tutoring, summer learning, and career and technical education.The budget document puts many of those priorities on paper. Though there’s virtually no chance it will take effect as proposed, with…

In a closely watched case involving school board members and other public officials who block critical comments and users from their personal social media pages, the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday ruled that officials may be sued in some circumstances but set a test that will shield many posts and actions by the officials from First Amendment scrutiny.The justices ruled unanimously that officials would be engaged in “state action” only if they have the authority to speak on the government’s behalf and are exercising that authority in specific posts on their personal social media pages.The question of whether the officials…

A surge of state proposals would allow school districts to use religiously affiliated chaplains to counsel students during the school day. Texas became the first state to pass such a bill last year. Fourteen states have followed course since, weighing legislation with similar language. They include Florida, where legislators passed a bill March 7 that will soon head to Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ desk.The bills come as educators struggle to address a youth mental health crisis. They also come as states weigh actions—like the approval of a religious charter school in Oklahoma and bills pending in several states that would…

To kick off the end-of-year holiday season and wrap up Thanksgiving, we reflect on the importance of gratitude and why and how we should cultivate it. We might even warm some cockles along the way. Mike explores the neuroscience showing gratitude boosts dopamine, serotonin, and mood based on an article by Kayla Barnes. We feature sound from Matthew Palmer and Robin Naughton to make it a real family affair. We are grateful for the opportunity to engage with thought-provoking conferences and have rich conversations with guests throughout the year. Then Mike refers back to teacher Rebecka Peterson’s “one good thing”…