Podcasts about Every Student Succeeds Act

In this episode, Jethro Jones interviews Dr. Kate Anderson Foley, founder and CEO of the Education Policy and Practice Group. They discuss the integral role of special education in school improvement, the double helix approach to support systems, and the importance of tailoring instruction to student needs. Dr. Foley shares insights on the necessity of breaking down silos in education and promoting a student-centered approach that prepares learners for adult life.Tight instruction specifically for special education students. Double HelixDesigning lessons that are comprehensively situating the adults and students.Almost half a million students are identified as special education. Ban the Tiers! Nimble and responsive instruction. Not working in isolation anymore. Double Helix as a replacement for the RTI/MTSSStrength-based system - foundation of school improvement process. High expectations of staff. Accountability is measured by evidence of impact. Data that is used to inform and adjust. Shared accountability. Collaboratively working on improvement. Discussion about explicit instruction vs. non-explicit instruction. Blooms and scaffolding. The scaffolding needs to be doneHow do we scaffold that skill so they demonstrate it in novel ways? Explicit instruction is 15 minutes and then you transfer that skill. Understand the concept of AM & PM. About Dr. Foley:Kate Anderson Foley, Ph.D.Founder & CEO of the Education Policy & Practice Group, International Keynote, McLean Affiliate of Harvard Medical School Institute of Coaching Fellow, Thought Partner, Author. Kate Anderson Foley is a transformational leader with significant experience leading public school districts and states toward equitable and integrated services for all learners. Her work has been grounded in social justice and breaking down barriers for children who have historically been marginalized. She has led organizational change utilizing a strategic framework that ensured guaranteed and rigorous learning leading to college and career readiness for all students.Kate began her career as a special education teacher pioneering inclusive practices for students at risk and with disabilities. Her work focused on creating conditions that fostered high expectations of adults for students and innovation which catalyzed equitable opportunities for each learner. Kate's deep commitment to creating nimble and responsive systems that supported the whole child led her into administration where she advocated for local, state, and federal reform. That experience with large-scale reform led to improved academic and social-emotional outcomes for students, fair funding models, innovative healthcare models, and efficient operations. As a senior educational leader for the State of Illinois, Kate's vision of fulfilling the promise of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act was nested within the Every Student Succeeds Act. She was an expert contributor to the State Plan where the deficit-based system was interrupted and a preventative and nimble system was created that intentionally addressed opportunity gaps of all learners, regardless of background or circumstance. Her deep understanding of equity-based school funding also contributed to a legislative reform model for the state of Illinois. As the founder and CEO of The Education Policy & Practice Group, Kate partners with local, state, national, and international organizations, education agencies, and various industries providing her expertise with the improvement process, professional learning communities, strategic planning, asset-based education policies and practices, special education, coaching, and consulting. Kate is a Roslyn Wolf Lecturer with the Levin College of Public Affairs in Urban Education. Kate teaches a graduate-level Special Education Law course to aspiring superintendents and principals. Kate works closely with senior leadership across various sectors providing executive coaching aimed at creating growth-minded organizational cultures (www.edpolicyconsulting.com). Kate is the author of numerous articles and books including Ida Finds Her Voice and Fearless Coaching. Kate's new book, Radically Excellent School Improvement: Keeping Students at the Center of it All presents a model for ambitious improvement and tireless focus that ensures every student grows, thrives, and achieves to their fullest potential. It provides district and school leaders with a bold blueprint for designing,implementing, and monitoring a comprehensive school improvement process for radical excellence (https://us.corwin.com/books/radical-excellence-289045).

The Ohio Education Association's podcast is back for a new season, and back to shorter weekly episodes to make sure we're delivering the most impactful conversations to our listeners. In the Season 5 opener, OEA President Scott DiMauro provides valuable insights on the key issues facing public education in Ohio as the new school year begins, including educator shortages and the growing trend of new hires who are not new educators, plus the importance of political engagement, school funding challenges, the power of union organizing, and more.SUBSCRIBE | Click here to subscribe to Public Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to listen on Spotify so you don't miss a thing. You can also find Public Education Matters on many other platforms. Click here for some of those links so you can listen anywhere. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here.SHARE YOUR FEEDBACK | OEA members have been weighing in on the Public Education Matters podcast and on podcasts in general to help shape the future of OEA's podcast. More feedback is always welcome! Please email educationmatters@ohea.org or complete the podcast survey here.Featured Public Education Matters guests: Scott DiMauro, Ohio Education Association PresidentScott DiMauro, a high school social studies teacher from Worthington, was elected President of the OEA in 2019 after having served as vice president for six years. Over his 34-year career as an educator, Scott has worked to provide students the critical thinking and decision-making skills they need to be successful citizens in our democracy while advocating for students, educators, and strong public schools at all levels of his union.Scott's priorities as president have included strengthening local affiliates, enhancing professional supports for members, and elevating the voice of educators in public policy to ensure all students are given access to a high-quality education that inspires their creativity, imagination, and desire to learn. As OEA President, he helped lead a successful coalition effort that resulted in the historic passage of the Fair School Funding Plan along with an increase in the state minimum teacher's salary as part of the most recent state budget bill.Scott has facilitated OEA's Board and leadership team in educating and organizing members to advocate for social, racial, and economic justice. That priority has framed OEA's advocacy on school safety, resistance to attacks on educators' freedom to teach and students' freedom to learn an honest education, and a comprehensive strategy to attract and retain caring, qualified educators—both licensed and support professionals—in every community across Ohio.As vice president, Scott was proud to guide the OEA Commission on Student Success to lay out a comprehensive vision for high-quality education for all students and lay the groundwork for positive implementation of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act in Ohio. He also led an initiative to increase student access to breakfast in high-poverty districts and served as national spokesperson for the Partners for Breakfast in the Classroom. At the national level, he currently serves as president of the National Council of State Education Associations.Connect with OEA:Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Public Education Matters topicsLike OEA on FacebookFollow OEA on TwitterFollow OEA on InstagramGet the latest news and statements from OEA hereLearn more about where OEA stands on the issues Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative WatchAbout us:The Ohio Education Association represents nearly 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio's schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio's children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio's schools.Public Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May 2020, after a ten-year career as an Emmy Award winning television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children. This episode was recorded on August 14, 2024.

The Grants Pass School Board is updating its policy on parental rights to align with the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 (ESSA). The revised policy, which was discussed in a second reading and vote, ensures parents can request educational materials, excuse students from specific activities, and access syllabi and reading lists. Additionally, the board will host annual "listening sessions" to foster communication with parents.Call to Action: Call the board and tell them you approve of their efforts to communicate with and represent parents! 541-474-5700SHOW NOTES: https://www.grantspass.k12.or.us/our-district/contact-usIn Temecula, California, the local school board faces division over curriculum and parental rights ahead of a recall election for School Board President Joseph Komrosky on June 4. Tensions rose after the 2022 ban on teaching Critical Race Theory (CRT) by three newly elected conservative board members. A lawsuit by students, parents, and the teachers' union seeks to overturn the ban. Supporters of the ban, like parent Daniel Molina, argue for local control, while opponents, including father Dave Berry, worry about the restrictive impact on teachers. The district approved new textbooks after state intervention to ensure compliance with educational standards.Call to Action: Email the board members and tell them you approve of their efforts to communicate with, and represent parents! SHOW NOTES: https://www.tvusd.k12.ca.us/domain/8346Start a Parents' Rights In Education Affiliate group!Connect with local parents to fight the recall. Write Op-Ed's and LTE's in support of Joseph Komrosky, and against the recall. Wave the banner Stop Messing With our kids, available here: https://parentsrightsineducation.com/shop/The Lakeside Union School District in California unanimously approved a new "Parents Bill of Rights," sparking debate among attendees. The policy grants parents the ability to restrict book access, opt out of certain topics, and receive notifications on bullying, suicidal intent, academic achievement, and sexual transitioning. Concerns about LGBTQ student safety and potential lawsuits were raised. Board President Andrew Hayes emphasized the need to represent local constituents rather than follow state mandates, advocating for increased parental involvement in education.Call to Action: Support Andrew Hayes and his board. Send emails to Andrew! ahayes@lsusd.net The Biden Administration's Department of Education Office for Civil Rights is investigating Katy ISD's policy on parental rights regarding gender transition notifications. Katy ISD's policy requires staff to inform parents if their child requests a gender Support the Show.DONATE TODAY!www.ParentsRightsInEducation.com

On this week's Education Gadfly Show podcast, Adam Tyner, Fordham's national research director, joins Mike and David to discuss his latest study on advanced education policies across the country. Then, on the Research Minute, Amber examines new research on how the decentralization of teacher accountability under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act affected student achievement.Recommended content: The broken pipeline: Advanced education policies at the local level —Adam Tyner, Fordham InstituteBuilding a Wider, More Diverse Pipeline of Advanced Learners —The National Working Group on Advanced Education, Fordham Institute“Teacher evaluation reform was very successful—on paper” —Tim Daly, Fordham Institute“Jayden Daniels to Commanders with No. 2 pick in NFL draft” —ESPNEric A. Hanushek, Patricia Saenz-Armstrong, and Alejandra Salazar, Balancing federalism: The impact of decentralizing school accountability, National Bureau of Economic Research (April 2024).Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Daniel Buck at dbuck@fordhaminstitute.org.

State regulators encounter resistance as they craft plans to manage forests along the Worcester Range. Plus, a bill that could make middle- class Vermonters eligible for government-subsidized health insurance, a coalition of Vermont-based businesses pushes for action on three climate bills, a state's attorney arrested for alleged drunk driving declines an upcoming meeting with Addison County police chiefs, Vermont gets poor grades from federal education officials for violating the Every Student Succeeds Act, and school board support for educators choosing to discuss the ongoing violence in Gaza.

MDJ Script/ Top Stories for Jan 12th            Publish Date:  Jan 11th    Commercial: Henssler :15   From the Henssler Financial Studio, Welcome to the Marietta Daily Journal Podcast.    Today is Friday, January 12th and Happy heavenly Birthday to boxer Joe Frazier. *** 01.12.24 – BIRTHDAY – JOE FRAZIER*** I'm Dan Radcliffe and here are the stories Cobb is talking about, presented by Engineered Solutions of Georgia. 12-year-old Hospitalized After Being Struck on Sewell Mill Road Pope High Student One of Two Killed in Crash Marietta Teachers to Receive Bonuses Friday   All of this and more is coming up on the Marietta Daily Journal Podcast, and if you are looking for community news, we encourage you to listen and subscribe!    BREAK: ESOG   STORY 1: 12-year-old Hospitalized After Being Struck on Sewell Mill Road A 12-year-old Marietta boy is in serious condition after being hit by a car while crossing Sewell Mill Road. Maria Murray, 61, was driving a 2017 Mazda CX-5 when the boy, outside a marked crosswalk, entered the road. The incident occurred around 4:20 p.m. Emergency services transported the injured boy to Scottish Rite Children's Hospital of Atlanta. The driver stopped after the collision. Authorities urge anyone with information to contact Cobb County Police at 770-499-3987. STORY 2: Pope High Student One of Two Killed in Crash Two teens, including a Pope High School junior, died in a single-vehicle crash on Towne Lake Parkway in Woodstock. The Cherokee Sheriff's Office reported that a Mazda 6, carrying five occupants, left the road and hit a tree. Gabriel Escandon, 17, from Marietta, and Esteban Cortez-Rendon, 18, from Woodstock, died in the crash. Three others were injured, with one in serious condition. Speed is considered a contributing factor. The Cobb County School District expressed condolences, providing additional counselors for support. The Cherokee Sheriff's Office stated that the investigation into the tragic accident is ongoing. STORY 3: Marietta Teachers to Receive Bonuses Friday All eligible staff in the Marietta school district will receive bonuses this Friday, as approved by a unanimous 7-0 vote during a school board meeting. The bonuses are an extension of Gov. Brian Kemp's teacher retention bonuses, with the state covering most of the costs. The district is contributing over $400,000 to ensure bonuses for most staff. Full-time employees will receive a $1,000 bonus, while part-time staff will get an extra $500. The bonuses, a token of gratitude for staff dedication, will not apply to contracted or temporary workers. The Cobb school board also approved a similar bonus extension on Jan. 3.     We have opportunities for sponsors to get great engagement on these shows. Call 770.799.6810 for more info.    We'll be right back    Break:  CU of GA – GCPS   STORY 4: 'They Keep Us Safe Too': New Cobb Police K-9 Kennel Honors JoAnn Birrell At the Cobb Board of Commissioners meeting, Commissioner JoAnn Birrell received a surprise as a new Cobb County Police K-9 kennel was named the JoAnn K. Birrell Police K-9 Annex. Funded by $130,000 from Birrell's contingency fund, the state-of-the-art facility will house up to eight of the department's 11 dogs and features climate control and a dog-washing station. Birrell, a dedicated supporter of the K-9 unit, also used $15,500 for a new K-9 named Chief. The kennel's dedication recognizes Birrell's two-decade commitment to fundraising for the Cobb Police K-9 unit and her ongoing support for these vital law enforcement partners. STORY 5: Three Cobb Schools Identified as Underperforming by State Three Cobb County School District schools were identified as needing additional support by Georgia's Department of Education. City View Elementary in Mableton is in the bottom 5% statewide, Cobb Horizon High School has a graduation rate at or below 67%, and Brumby Elementary in Marietta has at least one consistently underperforming student group. The list is mandated by federal law under the Every Student Succeeds Act, categorizing schools as Comprehensive Support and Improvement, Targeted Support and Improvement, or Additional Targeted Support and Improvement. The goal is improvement collaboration, not stigmatization, and the district is committed to enhancing education for these students.   We'll be back in a moment    Break: DRAKE – INGLES 5   STORY 6: Fire Damages Marietta Restaurant A fire broke out at a Cook Out restaurant on Austell Road in Marietta, with no reported injuries. The cause is believed to be electrical, as per Chris Smith, spokesman for Cobb Fire and Emergency Services. The restaurant suffered minor damage, and cleanup and repairs are expected to take a few days. Upon arrival, small flames were observed on the building's roof, prompting the evacuation of the restaurant. Two fire engines responded to the incident. STORY 7: Little Free Library in Marietta The Cobb Collaborative organized a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new Little Free Library (LFL) at North River Church of Christ in Marietta. The event was attended by Executive Director Irene Barton, Marietta City Ward 1 Councilwoman Cheryl Richardson, and leaders from various organizations. Little Free Library, a nonprofit, aims to provide books to communities globally. The LFL operates on a "Take One, Leave One" principle, promoting free 24/7 book accessibility. Cobb Collaborative, a community partner, continues its mission of establishing LFLs in Cobb County. North River Church will steward the Park Street LFL, contributing to literacy initiatives in Marietta. This marks the 56th LFL placed by the Collaborative since 2021.     Break: Henssler :60  Signoff-   Thanks again for hanging out with us on today's Marietta Daily Journal podcast. If you enjoy these shows, we encourage you to check out our other offerings, like the Cherokee Tribune Ledger Podcast, the Gwinnett Daily Post, the Community Podcast for Rockdale Newton and Morgan Counties, or the Paulding County News Podcast. Read more about all our stories and get other great content at MDJonline.com.     Did you know over 50% of Americans listen to podcasts weekly? Giving you important news about our community and telling great stories are what we do. Make sure you join us for our next episode and be sure to share this podcast on social media with your friends and family. Add us to your Alexa Flash Briefing or your Google Home Briefing and be sure to like, follow, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.   Produced by the BG Podcast Network   Show Sponsors: henssler.com ingles-markets.com cuofga.org drakerealty.com esogrepair.com gcpsk12.org/jobs     #NewsPodcast #CurrentEvents #TopHeadlines #BreakingNews #PodcastDiscussion #PodcastNews #InDepthAnalysis #NewsAnalysis #PodcastTrending #WorldNews #LocalNews #GlobalNews #PodcastInsights #NewsBrief #PodcastUpdate #NewsRoundup #WeeklyNews #DailyNews #PodcastInterviews #HotTopics #PodcastOpinions #InvestigativeJournalism #BehindTheHeadlines #PodcastMedia #NewsStories #PodcastReports #JournalismMatters #PodcastPerspectives #NewsCommentary #PodcastListeners #NewsPodcastCommunity #NewsSource #PodcastCuration #WorldAffairs #PodcastUpdates #AudioNews #PodcastJournalism #EmergingStories #NewsFlash #PodcastConversations See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this new episode of Dad Is Not A Noun I dive into the conversation with Dr. Stephen Owens on what is White Flight? And it's impact on policies decisions which impact student's civil rights for better education. https://linktr.ee/stephenjowens_ Dr. Stephen Owens is the education director at the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute. Stephen advocates for diverse, inclusive and excellent public schools through research and data analysis. Prior to joining GBPI in 2018, Stephen was a research and data analyst at the Georgia Department of Education. He created data visualizations to help district and state policymakers better understand school outcomes, assisted in the creation of Georgia's plan to implement federal education legislation (the Every Student Succeeds Act), and produced analyses that shaped public policy for Georgia's schools. Stephen graduated from the University of Georgia, where he holds a doctorate with a focus on education policy. His dissertation centered on state-level agenda formation. Artwork by Herblock,"... One nation...indivisible…",  Washington Post,  February 22, 1977.

Education Headline RoundupWe cover the following stories in our education headlines this week:The US Department of Education is penalizing the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority (“Mohela”) for failing to send timely bills to 2.5 million student loan holders.Teachers in Portland, Oregon have gone on strike over increased teacher pay, smaller class sizes, and more resources.A study by the Washington Post finds that the number of families homeschooling their children has increased by 50% over the past 6 years.Nurturing Resilience: Supporting Foster Youth in the Public Education SystemOur episode this week takes a look at the complexities of the U.S. foster care system and its intersection with public education. We explore the historical roots of foster care, tracing an evolution from English Poor Law in the 1500s to the modern-day child welfare system, which was shaped by the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act and the Obama-era Every Student Succeeds Act. We examine the challenges that are unique to the foster youth population in the educational setting, including frequent school changes, a lack of legal and medical advocates, and the need for a post-emancipation plan.Sources & Resources:Episode 66 - Columbus Teachers on StrikeFounders Online - From George Washington to Benjamin Harrison, 18 January 1784 To Benjamin HarrisonOhio Department of Education & Workforce - Students in Foster CareIndependent - Judi Dench renders Graham Norton Show speechless with ‘spellbinding' Shakespeare reading by Tom MurrayOhio Department of Education - Every Student Succeeds Act: Foster Care OverviewThe Annie E. Casey Foundation - Child Welfare and Foster Care StatisticsCivil Rights Litigation Clearinghouse - Case: L.J. v. MassingaVeneable LLP - Venable and Disability Rights Maryland File Lawsuit Against State Officials Over Long-Term Placement of Foster Children in Hospitals by Mitchell Y. YirvissCivil Rights Lawsuit Concerning Maryland Foster Students - Baltimore SunWikipedia - Library of AlexandriaNational Foster Parent Association - History of Foster Care in the United StatesFosterED - Every Student Succeeds Act Foster Care ProvisionsOhio Department of Education & Workforce - Ensuring the Educational Stability of Students in Foster CareCNBC - Education Department penalizes Missouri lender for error that made 800,000 student loan borrowers delinquent by Annie NovaThe Washington Post - Home schooling's rise from fringe to fastest-growing form of education by Peter Jamison,  Laura Meckler,  Prayag Gordy,  Clara Ence Morse and  Chris Alcantara

On this week's Education Gadfly Show podcast, Kirsten Baesler, the superintendent of North Dakota, joins Mike to discuss her state's new teacher and principal apprenticeship programs. Then, on the Research Minute, Amber reports on a study that examines the accuracy and efficacy of school rating systems.Recommended content:“North Dakota to launch principal apprenticeship program” —The Bismarck Tribune“An overview of Ohio's new teacher apprenticeship program” —Jessica Poiner, The Fordham Institute“Why states should use student growth, and not proficiency rates, when gauging school effectiveness” —Michael Petrilli and Aaron Churchill, The Fordham InstituteErica Harbatkin and Betsy Wolf, “State accountability decisions under the Every Student Succeeds Act and the validity, stability, and equity of school ratings,” Annenberg Institute at Brown University (October 2023).Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our podcast? Send them to Daniel Buck at dbuck@fordhaminstitute.org.

As the new school year gets underway, the Ohio Education Association is unveiling a new sound and new format for its podcast, while reaffirming the unwavering commitment of its 120,000 members to creating the excellent public schools every child deserves. Ohio Education Association President Scott DiMauro kicks off season 4 of the podcast with an insightful look at how educators are using their united voice to demand the supports and resources Ohio's public schools, students, and educators need to succeed. OEA Manager of Communications and Marketing Valancia Turner also joins this episode to highlight how OEA's app can be a useful tool for members!SUBSCRIBE | Click here to subscribe to Public Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to subscribe on Google podcasts so you don't miss a thing. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here.Featured Public Education Matters guests:  Scott DiMauro, Ohio Education Association President A high school social studies teacher from Worthington, Scott DiMauro was elected President of the OEA in 2019 after having served as vice president for six years. Over his 32-year career as an educator, Scott has worked to provide students the critical thinking and decision-making skills they need to be successful citizens in our democratic society. He has likewise advocated for students, educators and strong public schools at all levels of his union.Prior to becoming a full-time OEA officer, Scott served for nine years as President of Central OEA/NEA, and has experience as president of his local, as a member of his local bargaining team, chairperson of Central's leadership and professional development programs, and political action coordinator. He also led the NEA Standing Committee on Legislation for three years. As vice president, Scott served as co-chair of the Healthcare and Pension Advocates for STRS and represented OEA's members on a variety of coalition boards and steering committees. He chaired the OEA Legislative Committee and continues to work with OEA's Government Relations staff to represent educators in the legislature and State Board of Education. He was proud to help lead efforts of the OEA Commission on Student Success to lay out a comprehensive vision for high-quality education for all students and lay the groundwork for positive implementation of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act in Ohio. He also led an initiative to increase student access to breakfast in high-poverty districts and served as national spokesperson for the Partners for Breakfast in the Classroom. Scott's priorities as president include strengthening local affiliates, enhancing professional supports for members, and elevating the voice of educators in public policy issues to ensure all students are given access to a high-quality education that inspires their creativity, imagination, and desire to learn.  Valancia "Val" Turner, Ohio Education Association Manager of Communications and MarketingAt OEA, Val Turner leads the development, alignment, and implementation of OEA's strategies in the communications, media, public relations, and marketing areas. Val previously worked with Franklin County Children Services as the Director of Public Information.  Prior to FCCS, she worked at iHeart Media as a Senior Account Executive where she presented campaigns, created multi-platform campaigns, analyzed campaign results, and provided services to a client base ranging from small to large organizational sizes.  She also owned and operated a media consulting company, and has had extensive involvement with various community organizations in Central Ohio.  Val holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Marketing from University of Phoenix and an MBA from Franklin University.   SHARE YOUR PERSPECTIVE | If you'd like to add your voice to the many others who are telling the world why Public Education Matters in Ohio, please record a short video on Soapboxx to share your thoughts. You can do it from your mobile or desktop device, and it's as easy as clicking on the blue 'Record Your Video' button and saying a few sentences about why Public Education Matters to you. Click here to get started.Connect with OEA: Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Public Education Matters topics Like OEA on Facebook Follow OEA on Twitter Follow OEA on Instagram Get the latest news and statements from OEA here Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues  Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch About us: The Ohio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio's schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio's children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio's schools. Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May 2020, after a ten-year career as an Emmy Award winning television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children. This episode was recorded on August 22 and August 31, 2023.

Public Education Matters; it's the heart of it all. In the Season 3 finale, we reflect on the challenges and victories over the last school year as well as the opportunities that lie ahead as educators across the state join with parents and community leaders to show the world why Public Education Matters in Ohio. Ohio Education Association President Scott DiMauro shares his thoughts about why Public Education Matters to him, and how the issues of equity, educator recruitment and retention, collective advocacy, and access to a high quality-education for every child without exception all tie back to that important central theme. SHARE YOUR PERSPECTIVE | If you'd like to add your voice to the many others who are telling the world why Public Education Matters in Ohio, please record a short video on Soapboxx to share your thoughts. You can do it from your mobile or desktop device, and it's as easy as clicking on the blue 'Record Your Video' button and saying a few sentences about why Public Education Matters to you. Click here to get started.Featured Education Matters guests:  Scott DiMauro, Ohio Education Association President A high school social studies teacher from Worthington, Scott DiMauro was elected President of the OEA in 2019 after having served as vice president for six years. Over his 32-year career as an educator, Scott has worked to provide students the critical thinking and decision-making skills they need to be successful citizens in our democratic society. He has likewise advocated for students, educators and strong public schools at all levels of his union.Prior to becoming a full-time OEA officer, Scott served for nine years as President of Central OEA/NEA, and has experience as president of his local, as a member of his local bargaining team, chairperson of Central's leadership and professional development programs, and political action coordinator. He also led the NEA Standing Committee on Legislation for three years. As vice president, Scott served as co-chair of the Healthcare and Pension Advocates for STRS and represented OEA's members on a variety of coalition boards and steering committees. He chaired the OEA Legislative Committee and continues to work with OEA's Government Relations staff to represent educators in the legislature and State Board of Education. He was proud to help lead efforts of the OEA Commission on Student Success to lay out a comprehensive vision for high-quality education for all students and lay the groundwork for positive implementation of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act in Ohio. He also led an initiative to increase student access to breakfast in high-poverty districts and served as national spokesperson for the Partners for Breakfast in the Classroom. Scott's priorities as president include strengthening local affiliates, enhancing professional supports for members, and elevating the voice of educators in public policy issues to ensure all students are given access to a high-quality education that inspires their creativity, imagination, and desire to learn. Educators whose voices were featured in the introduction to this episode through Soapboxx videos they recorded sharing their thoughts on why Public Education Matters include: Stephanie Myers, Pandora-Gilboa Education Association Dan Greenberg, Sylvania Education Association Shelly Ahleman, Liberty Center CTA SUBSCRIBE | Click here to subscribe to Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to subscribe on Google podcasts so you don't miss a thing. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here.Connect with OEA: Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics Like OEA on Facebook Follow OEA on Twitter Follow OEA on Instagram Get the latest news and statements from OEA here Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues  Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch About us: The Ohio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio's schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio's children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio's schools. Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May 2020, after a ten-year career as an Emmy Award winning television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children. This episode was recorded on June 1, 2023.

With technology evolving rapidly in education, investors are taking a closer look at how it will financially impact the global education market. Stephen Byrd and Josh Baer discuss.----- Transcript -----Stephen Byrd: Welcome to Thoughts on the Market. I'm Stephen Byrd, Morgan Stanley's Global Head of Sustainability Research. Josh Baer: And I'm Josh Baer from the U.S. Software Team. Stephen Byrd: On the special episode of the podcast will discuss the global education market. It's Friday, May 12th at 10 a.m. in New York. Stephen Byrd: Education is one of the most fragmented sectors globally, and right now it's in the midst of significant tech disruption and transformation. Add to this, a number of dynamically shifting regulatory and policy regimes and you have a complex set up. I wanted to sit down with my colleague Josh to delve into the intersection of the EdTech and the sustainability side of this multi-layered story. Stephen Byrd: So, Josh, let's start by giving a snapshot of global education technology, particularly in this post-COVID and rather uncertain macro context we're dealing with. What are some of the biggest challenges and key debates that you're following? Josh Baer: Thanks, Stephen. One way that I think about the different EdTech players in the market is through the markets that they serve. So in the context of education, that means early learning, K-12, higher ed, corporate skilling and lifelong learning. The key debates here come down to what it usually comes down to for equities, growth and margins. So on the growth side, there's several conversations that we're constantly having with investors. Some business models are exposed to academic enrollments as a driver. To what extent would a weaker macro with higher unemployment lead to stronger enrollments given their historical countercyclical trends? And enrollments have been pressured as current or potential students were attracted to the job market. And on the margin side, some of the companies that we follow in the EdTech space, they're the ones that were experiencing very rapid growth during COVID and investment mode to really capture that opportunity. And so investors debate the unit economics of some of these business models and really the trajectory of margins and free cash flow looking ahead. One other more topical debate, the impact of generative A.I. on education, and maybe we'll hit on that topic later. Josh Baer: Stephen, why do these debates matter from the point of view of ESG, environmental, social and governance perspective? Why should investors view global education through a sustainability lens? Stephen Byrd: Yeah Josh I'd say among sustainability focused investors, typically the number one topic that comes up within the education sector is inequality. So higher education is a key pillar of economic development, but social and economic problems can arise from limited access. Unequal access to education can perpetuate all forms of socioeconomic inequality. It can limit social mobility, and it can also exacerbate health and income disparities among demographic groups. It can also restrict the potential talent pool and diversity of backgrounds and ideas in different academic fields, leading to all kinds of negative economic implications for both growth and innovation. While progress has been made in increasing enrollment among underrepresented students, significant disparities remain in admission and graduation rates. For investors and public equities, I think one of the more useful tools in our note is a proprietary framework that measures sustainability impact. Now that tool is really primarily rooted in the United Nations Sustainable Development goal number four, which lays out targets in education. This framework is rooted in the premise that I mentioned earlier. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated multiple challenges in education. So when we think about business models that we really like, we're focused on models that can improve the quality of student learning, enhance institutions' operations and increase access and affordability. And we think our stocks that we selected really do meet those objectives quite well. Stephen Byrd: Josh, what is the current size of the EdTech and education services markets and why invest now? Josh Baer: First, on the size of the market, we see global education spend of 6 trillion today going to 8 trillion in 2030. So that's a CAGR below the growth of GDP, but we do see faster growth in EdTech. So there's really compelling opportunities for consolidation in the fragmented education market broadly and for EdTech growing at a double digit CAGR, so much faster than the overall education market. Why invest in EdTech? Well, as just mentioned, EdTech addresses these very large markets. It's increasing its share of education spend because it's aligned to several secular trends. So I'm thinking about digital transformation of the entire education industry. The shift from in-person instructor led training to really more efficient or economic online or digital learning. And positives from this shift, as you mentioned, include better scalability, affordability, global access to really high quality education. These EdTech companies are aligned to corporate skilling, which are aligned to companies, strategic goals, digital transformation initiatives. And then from a stock perspective, there's really low investor sentiment broadly and of course, the exposure to ESG trends around inclusion, skilling, education, access. Josh Baer: And Stephen, what is the regulatory landscape around global education and EdTech, both in the U.S. and in other regions? Stephen Byrd: So education policy is not really featured heavily in recent sessions of Congress in the U.S., as it tends to develop at more local levels of government than really at the federal level. The federal government in the United States provides less than 10% of funding for K through 12 education, leaving most of regulation and funding to state and local governments. Now, that said, there have been a few large education policy focused bills enacted into law since the establishment of the U.S. Department of Education in the second half of the 20th century. The most recent was in 2015, when President Obama signed the Every Student Succeeds Act, which granted more autonomy to states to set standards for education that vary based on local needs. In Brazil, there's some really interesting developments that we're very focused on. The Ministry of Education began loosening the rules for distance learning in 2017 to compensate for the lack of public funding and affordability. This was a new modality that didn't depend on campuses and was much cheaper for students. So companies saw this as the next growth opportunity and started investing in digital expansion, especially after COVID-19 lockdowns forced the closure of campuses. Distance learning grew rapidly and surpassed the number of on campus enrollments in 2021. Despite the increase in addressable market, this potential cannibalizes is part of the demand for in-person learning and reduces average prices in the sector. Lastly, in Europe, the European Union has set seven key education targets that it is hoping to achieve by 2025. And by 2030 on education and training. Let me just walk through a couple of the big targets here. By 2025, the goal is to have at least 60% of recent graduates from vocational education and training, that should benefit from exposure to work based learning during their vocational education and training. By 2030, the goal is for less than 15% of 15 year olds to be low achievers in reading, mathematics and science, as well as less than 15% of eighth graders should be low achievers in computer and information literacy. Stephen Byrd: Josh, how are emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and virtual reality disrupting the education space, both in the classroom and in cyberspace? How do you assess their impact and what catalysts should investors watch closely? Josh Baer: Great question. Investors are hyper focused on all the generative A.I. hype, all the risks and opportunities for EdTech. And it's important to remember that all EdTech companies serve different markets and they have different business models and they provide varying services and value to all those different markets. And so there's a wide spectrum from risk to opportunity, and in actuality, I think many businesses will actually have both headwinds and tailwinds from A.I. At the core, the question is not, will generative A.I. change education and learning, but how will it change? And from the way it may change, from the way education content is created and consumed, to the experience of learning and teaching and testing and studying. And on one end of the spectrum, investors should also look for signs of disruption, disruption to the publisher model or tutoring services or solutions, look for signs of students that may meet their learning needs or studying needs with generative A.I. instead of existing solutions. But from an innovation perspective, I think investors should look for new entrants and incumbents to leverage generative A.I. to really enhance the future of education, from personalized and efficient content creation to more adaptive assessments and testing, to more customized learning experiences. And these existing platforms, they're the ones that own vast datasets, really rich taxonomies of learning and skills. And I think those are the ones that are well-positioned to use A.I. technology to vastly improve their capabilities and the education market. Investors can also look for a more direct revenue opportunities, as the EdTech platforms are the platforms that will be teaching and reskilling and upskilling the whole world on how to use these innovative technologies, today and in the future. Stephen Byrd: Josh, thanks for taking the time to talk. Josh Baer: Great speaking with you, Stephen. Stephen Byrd: And thanks for listening. If you enjoy Thoughts on the Market, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, and share the podcast with a friend and colleague today.

In today's episode, Chad takes us back to President Obama's major education initiatives that forced schools to embrace woke, equitable, race-based, and LGBTQ propaganda by manipulating funding. A race to the top and the Every Student Succeeds Act were both put in place as funding carrots to create this more radical indoctrination. 

Guests featured in this episode:Ronald Daniels, the President of Johns Hopkins University, as well as a board member of the Central European University. His numerous accomplishments include the Order of Canada awarded to him in 2016 and his election as a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. During his tenure as President, Johns Hopkins University has consistently ranked at the top for its interdisciplinary research and innovation, enhanced student access, as well as community engagement. It thus serves as a true model for a research university in the 21st century.Last year, Ron Daniels published an agenda-setting book, "What Universities Owe Democracy." It makes a compelling and a passionate case for universities to be engaged in preserving and strengthening democratic achievements that are under threat, both in the U.S. and elsewhere.  Glossary:What is the Pell Grant program?(11:34 or p.4 in the transcript)The Pell Grant is a form of need-based federal financial aid awarded by the U.S. Department of Education to help eligible low-income students pay for college costs, including tuition, fees, room and board, and other educational expenses. The Pell Grant is the largest grant program offered by the Department of Education to undergraduate students. Created in 1972, the federal Pell Grant program has been awarding grants to students since the 1973-1974 school year. It was named after Sen. Claiborne Pell of Rhode Island, the chief sponsor of the program. To be eligible, students must demonstrate exceptional financial need, be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen and have not yet received a bachelor's, graduate or professional degree. While graduate students are not typically eligible for Pell Grant aid, in some cases students seeking a post-baccalaureate teacher certification may be eligible. The Pell Grant generally does not need to be repaid, but there are some exceptions, such as in case of withdrawing from courses or changing enrollment status after a Pell Grant award has been disbursed. Students may lose Pell Grant eligibility entirely if they withdraw from courses, do not maintain enrollment status or fail to continue making academic progress, which can include GPA requirements set by individual institutions. source What is the K-12 education?(14:43 or p.4 in the transcript)The K-12 system stands for ‘from kindergarten to 12th grade'. This equates roughly to a school starting age of around five through to Grade 12 at around the age of 18. The system is broken down into three stages: elementary school (Grades K–5), middle school (Grades 6–8) and high school (Grades 9–12). In the United States, education is primarily the responsibility of state and local government. Every state has its own department of education and laws regarding finance, the hiring of school personnel, student attendance and curriculum. States also determine the number of years of compulsory education – in some states, education is only compulsory until the age of 16. In December 2015, President Obama signed the Every Student Succeeds Act, which pledged to offer the same standard of education to every child in the US “regardless of race, income, background, the zip code, or where they live”. The act replaced the No Child Left Behind Act of 2002 and, among other things, is an attempt to bring back some element of control with the recommendation for having fewer tests. source

Culture to the Max   Dr. Shontoria Walker is a graduate from the University of Houston in Houston, Texas with a degree in Professional Leadership with an emphasis in Literacy. Her research focuses on using culturally relevant pedagogy to influence literacy achievement for middle school Black Male Students based on her experiences as a former 8th grade English teacher at an all-boys preparatory academy. She has also served on the Texas Teacher Advisory Board, a Teach Plus Policy Fellow as well as a Senior Policy Fellow with Teach Plus Texas from 2014-2019. During her time and beyond she has advocated for educational policy laws that directly impacted the classroom as well as contributed to policy briefings for the revision of The Every Student Succeeds Act and national policy reports such as If You Listen, We Will Stay: Why Teachers of Color Leave and How To Disrupt Teacher Turnover and more recently To Be Who We are: Black Teachers on Creating Affirming School Cultures.     Show Highlights   8 minutes you must hear if you believe in tapping into cultural responsiveness in your schools. Do something different with your teacher prep to provide a voice to your new teachers with learning opportunities, not just survival techniques. Stop putting a bandaid on students falling through the cracks and give them authentic engagement opportunities. Tips to create culturally relevant content that transfers ownership of understanding to provide opportunity to make meaning from the complex process. 4 domains to form strong community partnerships and responsive teaching to achieve Culture to the Max. “Real Talk Friday” gives students the opportunity to elevate their voices and actually see each other. Not classroom management, but culture management. Gaps in preparing teachers for their students and building connections that transforms the learning process.    Get the episode transcript here!!     Shontoria Walker's Resources & Contact Info: Education PowerEd Website  Twitter Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Read my latest book! Learn why the ABCs of powerful professional development™ work – Grow your skills by integrating more Authenticity, Belonging, and Challenge into your life and leadership.   Read Mastermind: Unlocking Talent Within Every School Leader today! Apply to the Mastermind The mastermind is changing the landscape of professional development for school leaders.    100% of our members agree that the mastermind is the #1 way they grow their leadership skills.   Apply to the mastermind today!   SHOW SPONSORS: HARVARD GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION Transform how you lead to become a resilient and empowered change agent with Harvard's online Certificate in School Management and Leadership. Grow your professional network with a global cohort of fellow school leaders as you collaborate in case studies bridging the fields of education and business. Apply today at http://hgse.me/leader.   TEACHFX Imagine providing feedback for every teacher, as often as they'd like, without relying on classroom observations.   TeachFX is an app that supports both student learning and teacher learning. With instructional support at the push of a button, our app provides teachers with objective, personalized, non evaluative feedback about the teaching and learning happening in their classrooms.   From student talk and teacher talk to insights into research-supported teaching practices like questioning technique, wait time, and more, TeachFX provides teachers with new insights into student engagement, academic dialogue, and equity of student voice.   Learn more about TeachFX and find out how to get a free TeachFX account for one of your teachers. Visit TeachFX | BLBS     ORGANIZED BINDER Organized Binder is the missing piece in many classrooms. Many teachers are great with the main content of the lesson. Organized Binder helps with powerful introductions, savvy transitions, and memorable lesson closings. Your students will grow their executive functioning skills (and as a bonus), your teachers will become more organized too. Help your students and staff level up with Organized Binder.   Copyright © 2022 Twelve Practices LLC          

Imagine that you are hiring a new English teacher. None of the people who apply have any of the qualifications to teach English. No teaching degree. No English degree. No experience in the classroom. Would you hire any of them? Probably not. Now here is the irony. Many of the people making curricular and legislative decisions about education don't have the qualifications to be hired within education. This is a problem. In this episode, we hear how standardization, high-stakes testing, and policy decisions made by non-educators may be contributing to teachers' decisions to leave education. Music:  Theme Song By Julian Saporiti  “So Stark (You're a Skyscraper” by Matt LeGroulx is licensed under a CC BY-NC-SA license. “Cat and Mouse” by Scott Holmes Music is licensed under a CC  BY license. “Space (Outro)” by Andy Cohen is licensed under a CC  BY license.   “Home Fire” by Nul Tiel Records is licensed under a CC BY-NC-SA license. “Press Conference” by Blanket Music is licensed under a CC BY-NC license. “Things Change” by HoliznaCC0 is in the Public Domain.  “Living Life” by Scott Holmes Music is licensed under a CC BY-NC license. “Boulevard St Germain” by Jahzzar is licensed under a CC BY-SA license.  “Hungaria” by Latche Swing is licensed under a CC BY-NC-SA license. “Business Getaway ” by Scott Holmes Music is licensed under a CC  BY license. Transcript: I used to listen to the Dixie Chicks's song “Wide Open Spaces” before wrestling matches because I would get too wound up. It helped me slow down my breathing and relax.  In junior high and high school, I was fixated on winning and losing. I'd get a pit in my stomach, psyche myself up and out, all to my detriment. I was terrified of failing, of being a disappointment or an embarrassment.  Then I went to college. I walked-on to the University of Wyoming's wrestling team. During my meeting with Steve Suder, the head coach, he told me, “You know, you'll be walking into a room with a bunch of state champs. Are you worried about that?” I told him, “No, I'm not” because those were the guys  that I wanted to be wrestling against. I was a two-time state placer and I had nothing to lose. Suder said, “Good,” and then told me that he never won state either, but he ended up being an All-American for the University of Wyoming, so there was hope for me.  During our conversation, in between adjusting this chewed up yellow cushion he used as a back support, he told me that I was like the pretty girl's funny friend at a party. I'm not someone he noticed right off the bat, but once he got to know me, he was happy to have me around. He meant this in the best way possible, and I didn't mind.  I made the team, worked my butt off, won some matches, and lost more than I won. And I hate losing, but it felt different. I was excited to be wrestling, not nervous. Suder made it clear that his expectations were low, but he was happy to have me. I focused on gaining experience and the process and growing as a wrestler and a person. And I got to wrestle a guy named Brent Metcalf, who is the only person I wrestled that had a documentary made about him. When someone asked Metcalf why he didn't celebrate wins, he said, “I don't want to give my opponent the satisfaction of watching me celebrate, which would make it look like a big deal that I beat him.” This dude is a monster.  It was an extraordinarily humbling match. I had no control of my own body - his fingers were in my mouth at one point, but I learned what it was like to wrestle the best. It was eye-opening.  My tenure as a collegiate wrestler only lasted that year,but I remained in contact with Coach Suder off and on until his passing in 2019. And I had changed. My priorities shifted from valuing product to process.    When I became an assistant high school wrestling coach, the head coach had also wrestled for Coach Suder, and so we continued his tradition of emphasizing process. And what I noticed is that the wrestlers felt less pressure. They only tried being better today than they were yesterday. And when they have that mindset, success, though not guaranteed, is more likely. They are wrestling to compete and to score points. And even if they don't have success, they do the best they can do at that moment, and that's always worth being proud of.  In education, we focus on the product, on assessment. There is an obsession with passing or failing and we seem to have forgotten the value of process, which is where many teachers live. So today, we are going to look at how a structure of education that values standardized assessments could be contributing to teachers deciding to leave the profession, and because some of the frustrations with standardized assessment is a federal issue, which is too much to address here, we'll explore a possible solution to the high stakes assessment issue in Wyoming, which would hopefully keep teachers in education.  This is Those Who Can't Teach Anymore, a 7-part podcast series exploring why teachers are leaving education and what can be done to stop the exodus. I'm Charles Fournier. Here is part 5: “Education has a Tourist Problem” Mark Perkins: I do think that for a lot of teachers who are leaving, and this is speculative, but I think it's reasonable to assume that if you alleviated some of the assessment requirements within their schools, their satisfaction would increase. I don't think that that's a jump.  This is Mark Perkins, he is an Assistant Professor of Education Research Methods at the University of Wyoming and he is talking about the survey results he gathered about teacher attrition in Wyoming. So many teachers, both teachers leaving and teachers staying, reported that they were not happy with assessments. As we've heard from teachers that left teaching, there wasn't one thing that pushed them out of teaching. It was the layering of factors. And if we want to keep more teachers from leaving, it would be worth trying to address some of the most consistent factors. Aside from overall well-being and feeling supported, assessment is one the most consistent teacher frustrations. Now before we get into what specifically teachers don't like about assessment, I think it's important to think about why education currently has assessments, and this goes back to what we talked about last episode: the purpose of education and needing to be able to measure success for whatever that purpose is. Simply put, we need to reflect on what we want kids to know and how we can measure what they know. Mark explains. Mark Perkins: And so what does school success really look like? That sounds like an interesting, easy question. It's like, Well, kids know how to do math. Well, okay. What does that look like? Well, they can add, subtract, divide. All right. So what? When you start drilling into the actual requirements to exist and inhabit the world, the factors become much more latent than what we measure. But we fixated ourselves purely on content. During our conversation, Mark explained that there are a ton of other things that we want for students: self-awareness, identity development, civic consciousness, the ability to have some gumption and as Mark phrased it, drag a horse through the mud. But none of those qualities are easy to measure, which means it's more difficult to measure a teacher's overall effectiveness. This brings us back to the focus on content.  Mark Perkins: But all of the focus has been on reading math, science and somewhat government. How does a teacher who navigates let's call it the multivariate universe of being an educator. How do you evaluate teaching for the holistic aspects of the job? While we don't?  It would be difficult to assess students and teachers in the Multivariate Universe of education, as Mark puts it, so we assess a few content areas, and only a few things in those content areas. Many mission statements want to acknowledge the whole student, but we only assess a fraction of the student.  For example, I have a grant application unit for my sophomores. They do research and write a grant to receive hypothetical funding that they can use to address a real problem within our community. I don't limit students on what kinds of problems they want to address, so students have looked at drug use or homelessness or access to sports or social justice issues.  When students submit their grant applications, we go through a selection process. Students read each other's grants anonymously and identify ones that meet all of the grant requirements and would, in their minds, best serve our community. By the end of the process, all of my classes vote on the one grant that should receive the hypothetical funding. Every year I've done this, the grants that make the final vote, the ones that all of my students have pushed forward, are philanthropic and genuinely kind. And I tell my students this, usually as I tear up, that this project gives me hope for the future because through their research, writing, discussions, and voting, they prove that they are empathetic humans. I learn much more about what my students can do through this project than any standardized assessment that I've been required to administer. And this is a frustration echoed by teacher after teacher. If the thing that is used to reflect a district's success is a bubble-sheet test, that can feel pretty disheartening. Because from the teachers' perspective, the results of those tests, the results that are reported in the paper and raise community questions like, “What are they even teaching kids in school?” those tests lack validity. They're not the best way to measure whether the kids are alright, and Mark has questions about how well these tests show what kids know and how well they predict the future success of students, which is often how standardized tests are used. Several teachers pointed to the frustration that rather than getting students ready for life beyond high school or to be a life-long learner, they are forced to think that the be-all-end-all was the ACT or SAT.  So engaging and authentic instruction gets replaced with teaching to a test. From Mark's research and work in assessment, he sees that those assessments might not be worth the time we are putting towards them. Mark Perkins: And I have a suspicion that the predictive validity of these tests is not that good. And my suspicion comes from a very large body of literature that has looked at ACT/SAT versus high school grade point average and college level English math and general college grade point average. And yet, we invest an amount of time, pressure and money on these measures. What this means is that a grade point average, though imperfect in its own right, is a better predictor of future student success, whether they are college or career bound, than a standardized assessment. So what a teacher measures in their classroom is a better indicator of future success than what a standardized assessment shows.  And if this isn't enough, the amount students are tested is tremendous. This saps their energy and the energy of teachers who have to say, “I know this is the 573rd test, but you've got this.”  Mark Perkins: We need to simplify and make assessment parsimonious. We do need to assess, but we certainly only need to take our temperature one time and evening, maybe two, when we have a cold because we know that it's going to say the same number every time. Measuring is not teaching. I want to reiterate what Mark just said - measuring is not teaching. I also want to clarify something about assessment. Teachers use informal assessments all of the time. And these are different than the high-stakes standardized assessments.  Good teaching makes use of valid and authentic assessments often. When I was writing this episode, I got talking with my wife, Jennie,  about assessment, because this is what you do when you marry another teacher. When she taught Advanced Biology, she created these elaborate group tests that students would get excited about. She used assessment as a learning tool. Her thought is that you don't know what you know until you need to apply your knowledge.  This is why I like the writing process because it's an act of creating and synthesizing. It's a great form of learning.  So the right assessment can be an informative learning tool, but the high stakes, fill-in-the-bubble, standardized assessments that teachers are frustrated with are not that. Mark explains that in order for those standardized assessments to be more valid, there should be some adjustments.  Mark Perkins: I think that we could more wisely use measurement, and education. I think one of the first problems with high stakes testing, is the fact that the majority of these tests have no impact on students. Now. You don't have to be draconian about it .But we make intelligent decisions based off of test scores. And we provide students with logical and rational incentives.  From the teacher's perspective, it's hard to convince students that the tests matter because students don't see how they are relevant to their lives. I try to give students some perspective before tests, like “No it doesn't impact your grade, but  if you go through and randomly click answers to finish early, the people who care about these tests will think you're not learning anything, and then they will change curriculum and make you guys only learn from a textbook. Do you want that?” They usually shake their heads no, but that doesn't mean they care any more about the test. Many teachers struggle to care about the tests as well. They don't like the kind of standardization the tests force that does not allow for freedom in the classroom. Shane Atkinson, who we heard from in the first episode, left teaching after 13 years, and part of his decision to leave had to do with a lack of autonomy, some of which is tied to standardization. He pointed out that there are some districts that are so standardized, their days are mapped out in a binder. Shane Atkinson: This is what you do, then you do this, here's the question you should ask, have them fill out this worksheet. Day two… I think that's been done under the guise of equity. You don't want a kid in this classroom at this school to get a much different or better education than a teacher in the classroom next door. And I get that. So the idea is, well, to keep it equitable, they should be doing the same thing in both of those classrooms during that period of their US History class. Again, you're making decisions based on a minority and applying them to everybody, even if you're doing good work. That does everybody a disservice.  The hope is that every kid will receive the same quality of education, so teachers are expected to stick to a curriculum, and in some instances, stick to a script. Much of the push towards national standardization came from the George W Bush Administration's, 2001, No Child Left Behind Act. Jaye Wacker, whose voice we heard in the first episode and who quit teaching after 31 years, felt like the No Child Left Behind Act did a lot to undermine public trust in education. And it did it through standards.  Jaye Wacker: No Child Left Behind set impossible targets. And basically year after year after year, it undermined public confidence in education. So then we needed the standards we needed to prove that we're doing something and yeah, I get it and I agree with it. You know, let's prove what we're doing. But this homogenization that we've talked about _____ High School in their curriculum, the most diverse curriculum in the state, and their kids are outperforming all these homogenized curriculums.  Part of the impossible targets from the No Child Left Behind Act included a 100% proficiency rate for all students by 2014 - this meant that all students would be able to perform at grade level by 2014. This sounds nice, it is great rhetoric because of course no one wants to leave any kids behind, but this goal disregards so many variables. Many students are below grade level because of severe physical and or learning disabilities, and some will never make it to grade level. This doesn't mean an effort to get all students to proficient is a bad goal, it's a great goal, but not reaching this goal made it look like schools were failing. But the Act made it so schools were destined to fail. Though this Act has since been replaced, along with the unrealistic proficiency rates, its negative impact on the view of education is still present. Wacker also pointed to the reality that homogenized education doesn't necessarily produce the best results. This is a pretty common view of standards. A teacher who wanted to remain anonymous said. "On a societal level, I think standards are the worst thing about education, and that's a wide-open race... In my opinion, standards have lead to a homogenization that is stunting our growth, and solve problems that don't exist. I don't want education to be the same everywhere; I want to be a local restaurant, not a McDonald's." For a more scientific point of view, my wife, Jennie, who left teaching after 7 years compares standardization to evolution. Jennica Fournier: So I think that standards homogenize things. So I don't know if your high school teacher was too afraid to teach you about evolution. But in general, we evolve best as a species if we have a really diverse gene pool. Basically if our education system was a gene pool, we'd be fucked.   So from an evolutionary perspective, species that are standardized or homogenous, don't survive adversity very well. Diversity is necessary for survival, and this includes diversity of curriculum. Jennie explained that we might struggle as a country to solve problems when everyone has been exposed to the same standardized curriculums. Jennie points out that there would be benefits to having students prioritize local issues. Jennica Fournier: So essentially we need kids to have a set of skills that match their environment at a local level in order to solve problems at their local level versus everyone in the US only knowing how to solve a generic set of problems. So many teachers see standards as an impossible bar to be reached that stifles their ability to be creative in their classrooms. Another part to the frustration with standardization and standardized assessments comes from the preparation required to take them and the pressure associated with the results. This is preparation and pressure that Mark, who discussed assessment earlier in this episode, says might be unnecessary. Molly Waterworth, who we heard from in a previous episode and who left teaching after 8 years, explains how frustrating that process of preparation was.  Molly Waterworth: ACT/SAT prep, hated that. Totally hated it. And I never really figured out a way to do it super meaningfully. It just felt really meaningless because I just couldn't connect it to anything relevant. I just have to say to the kids, “I'm doing this so that you know the format of the test, and that's why we're doing this.” It's not fun. There's no way to have a discussion about whether or not somebody answered the correct question on ACT/SAT practice. My biggest motivator and the thing that brought me the most joy in teaching English was discussion and parsing through complexity and finding our collective way through something big and doing ACT/SAT prep just didn't ring that bell. Having to teach towards a test that doesn't seem valuable, or to work towards standards for the sake of standards can leave teachers feeling powerless. I don't know that anyone likes to feel powerless, to feel like their hands are tied behind their backs. Several teachers decided to leave education for jobs that gave them more autonomy, where they didn't feel like they were jumping through hoops.   I personally have never been a fan of doing things just because. If I am required to give a test, I want to know that it matters. I do the same for my students, I want all of their work to feel relevant beyond the classroom. Most teachers are the same. They want to know that what they are doing is relevant, and many don't feel like the layers of standardized tests are relevant.Students, like most other humans, want to feel like what they do matters.  At least that's what Anjel Garcia wanted from her education.  Anjel Garcia: Kids just don't have any respect or like reason to care about school, and I think that connects back to they don't know what they are doing there.  Anjel took my college-level English class and graduated last year. She is a phenomenal artist - I have one of her paintings hanging in my classroom - and she is going to college for art. For Anjel, she thinks school should help students find a direction for their lives.  Anjel Garcia: I think it's to find a passion and to find something that you want to pursue in life. But we're at the point where you're only doing it so that you can cram and learn that information, and then forget it the day after the test. They're not actually doing it in a way that's teaching kids how to find interests. Which is something that many teachers enjoy. Engaging students in the joy of learning to find their interests is such a gratifying part of the job. And helping students identify interests means teachers would be able to individualize education for students. As we heard last episode, this is what many students want in their education - individualization. So a shift in the mission and a deprioritization of standardized assessment could create a structure that ends up valuing individualization. If we don't make this shift, we will continue with a structure that devalues individualization and does not promote the joy of learning. This is what that feels like to Anjel. Anjel Garcia: It's kind of extreme…with the prison system, they treat everyone the same way. They treat them like animals. They aren't treated in a way that rehabilitates them to be better people or to be prepared in the world, and I think that sort of connects to school.  Students shouldn't feel like this, and teachers often feel powerless when it comes to assessment. To ease student pushback they rely on the district, state, or national mandate. The “Sorry guys, we have to do this.” So a shift to prioritizing the joy of learning will be a positive shift not only for keeping teachers but for making education something that students find joy and value in.  Still, despite teacher frustrations and the possible lack of validity of standardization and standardized tests, they are present because there has been a historic problem with equity in education in the United States. This is why Marguerite Herman sees value in standardization. Marguerite has a master's degree in education, has some experience teaching, and served two terms as a School Board Trustee. And she agrees that there are some downsides to the standards, but she was pretty adamant that they are necessary.  Marguerite Herman: To standardize things, you lose a lot, but you also have these assurances that again… I use the term bean counter. I don't want to be dismissive of that responsibility - bean counters have to answer themselves to others. I've known Marguerite since I was in Kindergarden - she used to help with religious ed when I was little, and I went to high school with her kids. When she was on the school board, I could always count on her to attend events I put on for my students - author visits or student projects. Marguerite is involved and someone I knew would be well-informed and honest with me about her role on the School Board and about education policy.  When I told her that teachers are frustrated with standardization and assessments, she acknowledged teacher frustration but defended assessments because they offer quality assurance and a way to make educational funding decisions, even if the standardized assessments are imperfect.   Marguerite Herman: You know, with funding comes accountability. And to some extent, people want a number, especially legislators who are not educators. They want to know, what's your competence here, what's whatever you're proficient in. Anytime you index a number, there's just a lot of data that's lost because you're reducing, you're obscuring, a lot of nuance. You don't get any nuance, frankly. It's imperfect, but you need something, and I'm not challenging that.  Marguerite explains that something is needed to ensure that all students are benefiting from their public education. And her job as a Trustee on the School Board was to ensure that.  Marguerite Herman: Well, once again, the statute kind of lays it out. At the school board, we are elected as trustees, and let me just dwell a moment on the word trustee, which is that you have undivided loyalty to a beneficiary. That word was picked. It's not like a delegate and something like a representative. You don't represent a sub constituency. You represent every child in this district - they are the beneficiaries. So everything you do, you should have in your mind, “I am using all the possessions, the assets of our district, to provide for the educational benefit of every child.”  I want to pause on this definition for a moment because there has been some divisiveness on school boards across the country. Marguerite's definition is succinct -  Trustees serve their beneficiaries, so Board Members serve kids. This means the tribalism that has moved into school boards across the country should get left at the door. School boards serve students and no one else. And when I say students, I mean all students across the religious, racial, sexual, gendered, intellectual, and political spectrums. This is no small feat to serve such a diverse spectrum of students, but that should be the goal despite what interest groups think or who is in the capital. And this is why Marguerite is adamant that even if our current system is imperfect, we need something. I agree, we need something, but I don't think what we have currently is that something. And Marguerite explains that the data  that the legislators  want don't come from what a teacher sees.  Marguerite Herman: The feds want their numbers, and the legislature wants its numbers. “This is the teacher's honest opinion of the learning that went on” and said, “Yeah, that's fine. But you know, show me the test score, show me the performance I want to see”. And so, you know, we dance to a lot of different bean counters.  So the people that want to track progress, as Mark pointed out earlier in this episode and Marguerite reiterates here, don't necessarily want to hear what a teacher has to say about a student's success - even though a teacher is an expert and is highly aware of their students' capabilities. And even though, as we heard Mark explain earlier, a student's gpa, made up of teacher grades, is often a better indicator of a student's future success than the results of a standardized assessment. But teachers aren't trusted. The feds, the legislature, whoever it is that is running quality assurance wants an easily read progress report that covers a few content areas.  Remember the idealism about the purpose of education from last episode - it often fizzles at the feet of a standardized structure that takes the word of a test over that of a teacher, the human who actually knows the kid. Idealism and authentic learning and genuine human growth are harder to measure than the few content areas that can be measured on a bubble sheet. Still,  I know Marguerite is right - the assessments and the standards are a way to document, in an easily measurable way, that an effort is being made to assure an equitable education for all. That does not mean the way we assess nor the assessments themselves are valid, good for kids, or good for teachers. So let's change them! Let's make our purpose of education, our assessments, our measurements good for kids and good for teachers! Right? It should be easy! We know that kids want to feel like what they do matters, that they want curriculums that are more individualized. Right? So we need to talk with someone who understands how these things work, and how changes could be made to the current system. Here's Chris Rothfuss. Chris has been a college professor, he has run a college summer program for high school students, and he is the father of kids in the public school system. He is also the Senate Minority Floor Leader in the Wyoming State Senate and a member of the Joint Education Committee. Chris was one of two Wyoming legislators to get back to me, and the only one who agreed to meet with me.  Chris Rothfuss: The intent of that Accountability Act, as it ended up looking, was to figure out which districts and specifically which schools were struggling, and then provide them with the resources, a system of supports, to build them up and make them better.  The Wyoming Accountability in Education Act was adopted in 2013. It took over federal accountability requirements established by the No Child Left Behind Act and preceded by the Every Student Succeeds Act or ESSA. ESSA requires states to give annual statewide tests in reading/language arts and math to every student in third through eighth grade and once when they are in high school, and in science at least once in each of grades 3-5, 6-9, and 10-12. So the Wyoming Accountability Act, through the Legislature and Wyoming Department of Education, interprets federal requirements and sets goals for student and school achievement. So what assessments are used, how students are assessed, and how many assessments are given beyond the federal requirement is dictated by the state. And Chris acknowledges that there might be an issue with assessments.  Chris Rothfuss: We may be overtesting. If there were a way that we could do sampled testing if we could be a little more thoughtful about how we're doing it, if we're not using it as a direct educational instrument, then we don't need every student tested, we really just need a statistical representative sample.  But at this point, testing for a statistical representative sample is not how assessments are being used. Federally we have to test every student in most grades at least once a year, but many students are tested much more than this. Even so, I like the idea of shifting to a statistical representation especially if it means less tests. Statistical representative sample testing is already used at the federal level by the National Center for Educational Statistics - an entity of the US Department of Education. The National Assessment of Educational Progress or NAEP tests, also known as the Nation's Report Card, are given every two years to randomly selected fourth and eighth graders to test English and Math. So we already have a model for using these statistical representative sample tests, and it might be worth seriously considering how to do this - to quit overtesting. Chris calls the amount of tests part of the unintended consequences of standardization.  Chris Rothfuss: So we in Wyoming adopted some world class standards. The unintended consequence, though, as you set that as your mission, teach all of these students all of these standards, is that you've only got so much time in a day. And you've got more standards than you're capable of teaching in a school year. So when that becomes your priority, and you know, you're going to be tested on your knowledge of those standards, and you know, you're expected to improve your knowledge of those standards. As you're thinking through our well, what are we going to do with each of our days, you don't think head to the mountains? I think about heading to the mountains on a daily basis, but that doesn't mean we get to go to them. These unintended consequences of standards and assessments are a reality. The individualization of instruction and the exploration that teachers talked about last episode are often a casualty of an overwhelming amount of standards that must be covered. But a move towards individualization, and less emphasis on standardized assessments is possible. But it will require a legislature that is informed and understands what adjustments should be made in education. Chris Rothfuss: I don't think there's necessarily a misconception that the folks that are making decisions about education, don't understand education. That's regrettably probably accurate. Chris points out that many of the people with the power to make policy decisions about education think they are qualified to make decisions about education because they once went through the education system. Many of these people want to run education like a business, like a factory. They use words like stakeholders and incentivize, and they want annual progress reports. These are people that don't necessarily acknowledge or make decisions about education based on best practices. Chris Rothfuss: I spent the first I don't know how many years of my time in the legislature trying to ensure that our Wyoming education model did not utilize that pay for teacher performance. Because the literature makes it very clear that that is the wrong approach. Best Practices make it very clear that that's the wrong approach. But policymakers so often choose that approach because they don't take the time to really understand why it's an awful approach.  Folks like legislators disregarding best practice or research-based practice is a foundational aspect of why teachers are leaving education. Teachers are experts in their field, but education has a tourist problem. You know, those people who are close enough to education to feel like they are a part of the system, but the actual educators, the educational locals if you will, don't see it the same way.  And  teachers are tired of being dismissed or treated like they aren't experts. The educational tourists assume that their time as students makes them an expert in education - policy is put into motion by folks who aren't informed enough about education to be making decisions.  This is so frustrating as an educator. Nothing irritates me more than a non-educator, upon finding out I'm a teacher, starts telling me how I should do things. It's almost as bad as sitting next to an arm-chair quarterback trying to explain how Josh Allen should be throwing the ball differently.  Chris is aware of this frustration of having unqualified people making decisions about education, and he is at a loss as well. Chris Rothfuss: Education is certainly not a business. But at the same time, imagine you were a business and you were hiring for the job. Instead of electing for the job, you would immediately eliminate the entire slate. And this would be true of so many of the things so many of the positions, so many elected officials. If it were a list of applicants and you were the hiring officer, you'd just be like not qualified, not qualified, not qualified. How did we get to the point where our elected officials And the folks that we put in charge could never even get a job at the institution they're being put in charge of. Think about that. Many of the people in positions to make policy decisions about education do not have the qualifications to be hired within the education system. Why do we accept this?  When the people in charge of the institution aren't involved in the institution, they aren't informed enough to be making decisions that are in the best interest of those people, the students and teachers and administrators, that are in that institution daily. This results in bad policy or policy fueled by animosity towards education or animosity towards any federal institution.  Chris Rothfuss: We've moved away from having a supportive team of pro-education legislators on the education committee that was struggling and working to do what was best for K-12 public education and really working hard to now over the last few years, embracing this mentality that our public schools are failing, and that somehow, for profit, religious charter schools from out of state will solve our problems, or decreasing funding will solve our problems, or belittling teachers and calling them out. Maybe holding them responsible for tiny actions or making them post everything that they're doing every single day online for parents to nitpick is somehow going to help. We haven't really in the legislature seen anything that I would call a strong positive pro education proposal in probably the last four years, But what we have seen are policies that attack educators or education as a whole, and this is exhausting as a teacher. For many this adds to the feeling of being disrespected. If our elected officials, people who are seen as community leaders, are attacking education from an uninformed platform, it perpetuates a devaluing of education, thus a devaluing of teachers. And teachers are tired of it, and it's contributing to why they are quitting.   Chris Rothfuss: We have some of the least informed policy makers shouting the loudest about their beliefs in education, that they're entirely unqualified to bring forward and promote. And yet, by being the loudest voice in the room and an angry voice, it's just easy to generate a mob mentality of support behind you, and to advance what is effectively bad policy and bad legislation, so we're seeing that.  And what's scary is that these poorly informed policymakers are in positions to make policy change, to make lasting impacts on education that will further ostracize teachers, hurt students, and likely make more teachers leave the profession.  Marguerite gave an example of a policymaker putting a footnote in a budget bill that tried to reject teaching Next Generation Science standards, which, as Marguerite put it Marguerite Herman: Which is like modern science. We hear about evolution, you know? I think we kind of got that one settled. Let's question gravity, shall we? Okay. I'm making fun of it, but it was, teachers had no idea it was awful. That's what happens when the legislature, which is politics, let's face it, folks, gets into the curriculum, they do not have the expertise. And then Pollock's politics doesn't always produce the greatest results, let's just say. Chris had examples of bad bills too. Chris Rothfuss: Teachers Not in Legislature In fact, when we hear when we when we bring legislation when we got some horrible bill that's coming before us in the legislature, like the horrible bill we had last year that would have required everything that teachers were doing, be posted on the web. Awful bill, bad premise, and certainly awful motivation. As far as I can tell, the only motivation is, you know, we don't know which books to burn if we don't have a full list.  So that awful bill, we didn't have a lot of teachers come up and provide public testimony against that bill, you think the whole classroom would be full, right up until you realize that no, all of those teachers were teaching at that moment in time, and would have had to take time off from teaching to come provide testimony against that lousy bill. So we don't hear the chorus of voices from the expert educators, we hear the chorus of voices from the folks that have the free time to come and yell at us. This is a great irony. Teachers who would have strong opinions about such a bill and who would be impacted by the bill, are not able to advocate in person because they are doing their jobs. And at a moment when substitutes are in short supply, leaving school to attend the legislative session is even more difficult.   Still, teacher advocacy was something that both Chris and Marguerite pointed to in terms of making a difference in policy. Policy includes curriculum choices and assessment choices. But for a teacher to speak up about assessment or curriculum requires a level of vulnerability that many teachers don't feel comfortable with.  Chris Rothfuss: Well, it's certainly understandable that when the teaching community has its strong supportive views for diversity of educational materials that are and that view is effectively contrary to a school board that again, is usually not expert, or particularly proficient in pedagogy or or education. It's going to be disconcerting for the teachers to step up and advocate because again, they're in fear for the protection and preservation of their job, and it's a flaw with our system.  I have felt this constantly over the last eight months as I've interviewed folks, researched, written, and produced this podcast. I don't know who I might offend or upset - Wyoming has a mighty small population And I don't know what impact this series could have on my job. It's a risk, but dammit, I'm tired of seeing teachers at the end of their tethers. I'm tired of being a teacher at the end of my tether. Something has to change. We need to fix this.  We need to listen to the experts, to teachers who know what they're doing, who know what good assessment looks like, who know what engagement looks like, who know the power of relationships, and who know that teachers are stretched thin. And Chris says, teacher voices could make an impact.  Chris Rothfuss: And public testimony does make a difference. And believe me if those 250 educators were able to show up and weren't obligated to be teaching at that point in time. That'd be very compelling. Beyond speaking up in legislative sessions, part of the solution to retaining teachers, might require some reflection on the roles of everyone in the multivariate universe of education. So my question to both Chris and Marguerite was if teachers should have more of a role on school boards. I asked this because many teachers point to the reality that school boards are made up of non-teachers. Not many other professional boards are run by people outside of the particular field. Marguerite was adamant that teachers should not be on school boards - she explained that's not how the statute is written. And Chris worked through the question in a very diplomatic manner, but he acknowledges a problem with people getting on school boards who are there for the wrong reasons.  Chris Rothfuss: This gets back to the question of who should govern whom and how. You'll have some people on an average school board, typical school board, that know something about education, hopefully. And then you've got people that are just mad about education. And then you've got people that are pointedly trying to slant education towards specific interest groups interests, that might be fully counter to K-12. Chris sees value in teacher expertise, but like Marguerite, he points to the possible conflict of interest with having teachers on the board.   Chris Rothfuss: It is hard to have someone on a governing body that is in the role that the body is governing as a voting member, although that can be dealt with, you can have some votes that they're there for, like the policy decisions they are included in, but maybe not the personnel decisions, there's a lot of possibilities there. So I'm one that certainly is concerned that we do not have anywhere near enough expertise on our school boards. There's no obligations for qualifications. So a lot of the problems we have stem from that lack of expertise. And ideally you want to balance.  Having some balance is a step towards a system that will retain teachers. In order to keep teachers in education, it will be important that teachers have a voice in education policy and decision making. Teachers shouldn't be a scapegoat when things go wrong, nor should they be excluded or put in positions where they exclude themselves from decision making positions because they fear retaliation or because they are so busy that they can't make room for something else.  We need to reimagine and consider the roles of everyone tied to the education process because right now, the teachers working with kids and engaging in the education process are often left out of the conversation. Dylan Bear, a teacher we heard from a few episodes ago, had the best analogy for how we should think about everyone's role in education.  Dylan Bear: Imagine, a fence, you know, like a round pen for a horse. The respect has to come from all angles for someone to learn. And you have to have the community showing respect of the education system, you have to have parents showing respect, you have to have the students show respect to the teacher showing respect for that. And so this ring of respect has to be there, of the education system. Or else if one of those falls out, like have a parent, dad or mom say, I'm not dealing with my kid at school, I call the principals and then once that happened, that kid got out of the pen because now he goes the path of least resistance to leave the education system.  The key image that Dylan is presenting here is the ring of respect that requires everyone associated with education to have a role, and trusting each other to cover their role. And for Dylan, even though he points to an analogy of a horse pen, he says this could take place anywhere.   Dylan Bear: And it doesn't have to be four walls and bricks and the fence at the school. I think that's such a weird way to learn. I love going to the mountains and going on trails where now you're vulnerable, and you want people to respect you and trust you. You look at the different environments for education, so different. But yeah, trying to get what needs to change to me is you have to have communities that value teachers that don't want to use that negative language. You have to have kids who value it. So education has to be a collective of support with and around kids. To gain that support and trust and collectivity we need to have a clear purpose of education - this echoes last episode. Right now, we base the purpose of education on how we evaluate students or how we can cover a tremendous amount of material. An unintended consequence of having so much material to cover is that education might feel like a grind to students. A grind without a sense of purpose makes it difficult for students to care. So to shift what is happening in the classroom and to create a structure in which roles are clear and supportive of one another in education, Chris thinks legislators should start by listening to teacher concerns. Chris Rothfuss: So when we hear from our teachers, what their real concerns are right now, and when they come back to me as a legislator and say, mental health is the problem for both students and teachers. We should listen. And we should adjust because at the end of the day we're not these rulers that are supposed to be at a distance and making proclamations. Our job is to listen and to learn from folks that know what they're talking about. And then try to put in place policies that affect change that enable everyone to do what they want to do and are trying to accomplish. And particularly in the public education system, we have that constitutional obligation to provide this high quality education for all.  For Chris, the role of legislators is to seek out experts to inform their decisions about policy that will impact those experts. So, for policy about education, legislators ought to speak to educators. And to do so in a way that is welcoming and doesn't just put more work on teacher plates. Chris also pointed out that to help mental health, which would contribute to keeping teachers, he thinks there should be a push to shift our priorities away from developing workers, which ideally means a shift away from high stakes assessment.   Chris Rothfuss: Honestly, if our first priority was joy in learning. As job number one, just imagine how much more we would learn. And that's the message that comes if we want to set it at the legislative level, we want to set it at the school district level. It does come from the policy leaders setting what is the mission? And right now our mission is develop workers. Chris explained that the role of legislators is to set the education mission, which could be seen as a purpose of education. And he thinks, especially at this present moment of teacher attrition and teachers and students both struggling with mental health, that the mission should prioritize the joy of learning. And if that mission is set, evaluative practices and accountability models can be adjusted. This will then dictate how school boards will work to achieve the new mission's objectives. It's a top-down shift, but if the top (legislators) consult the bottom (teachers and students) then it's more of a down-top-down shift? Whatever it is, it might help. Chris said that he would even be willing to take a drop in proficiency if we have happy kids and happy teachers.  Chris Rothfuss: My absolute ideal is to heavily prioritize joy in the classroom, and to focus our efforts, our resources, our activities, and our prioritization towards building joy in the classroom, with the expectation that with that joy, you would be addressing mental health issues, both for the teachers and for the students. And I'd love to see where that takes us. And what that means is ratcheting back this prioritization to build robots and the prioritization of score high on tests. And I'll take a 10% less proficient happy group. I will. At the end of the day, they can learn a little more math later. And if they're happy about education, then I think they'll have an opportunity to learn a little more about math later.  This mission would also shift the roles of us, the collective us, parents, teachers, administrators, legislators, community members, everyone, to not think of our K-12 experience as the only time we should be learning. If there was an assumption that learning was a lifelong process, Chris believes that we might have a cultural shift that results in valuing and enjoying learning, which would have a major impact on how teachers are viewed.  Chris Rothfuss: We think that you have an education phase in life. We've built a system around the idea that you have an education phase, phase one. Phase two and beyond never get any more education. Avoid, if possible. I would love a system where everyone just kind of keeps going back to school.  The move towards life-long learners that Chris is proposing would be a conceptual shift, but it could be supported concretely by a move away from overtesting or overemphasis on testing. Because our current system requires testing, this might mean we reimagine what testing looks like all together. Could it be a conversation? Something more authentic than a bubble sheet? Federal regulations have some flexibility there. Either way, the amount of attention given to Summative or End of Course testing is focusing on a product and not the process. Focusing only on the product is not creating a culture that loves learning - it's kind of the opposite. It's creating anxiety and pressure around learning. So if we can lessen the stress by drastically cutting back the amount and pressure of assessments, maybe we can focus on process and create a joy of learning.  So, by shifting priorities away from high stakes testing, we can stop structuring education in a way that prepares only for tests. This might mean loosening the grip on what curriculum can look like or what courses can be offered. For example, I once taught a course at the University of Wyoming called the history of Swing Dancing. We looked at the correlation of historic events and their impact on popular culture. When the class ended, a group of girls continued their final project and created a club on campus called Real Women Real Bodies. This class encouraged students to continue learning beyond the restrictions of the semester.  When I proposed to create this class for the high school setting in my district, it was declined because it didn't fit within the Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum. So a shift might allow us to create new, novel courses that might inspire students to continue learning and growing well beyond the course. Such a shift will likely reinvigorate teachers who almost all have unique expertise and would love to incorporate such things into a course.  So, as Chris pointed out, to adopt a new educational direction, it must start with a shift in mission at the legislative level - hopefully fueled by teacher input. And I think it can happen, especially in a state like Wyoming that wants to be a national leader in education - it even says so in the Wyoming Accountability Act.   So creating a mission that prioritizes the joy of learning by focusing on process over product could happen.  Then how the decision is implemented should trickle down. Hopefully, this would result in teachers wanting to stay in education. And if all of this happens, if we can make that allegorical ring of respect and support that Dylan mentioned,  just imagine how much better the education will be for our students. Students will ideally feel that joy of learning and feel like what they do in school has purpose because that's what many of them want from school.  This is idealistic. But when making changes, we need to strive for idealism and not be guided by fear. Because what we have now is not working. Many people are aware of this and are already taking steps to make changes that will hopefully make education better and help keep teachers in education. Next episode, we're going to take a look at what people are doing to help keep teachers in education. This includes Task Forces, Mentoring Programs, Fellowships, and more. That will be next time on Those Who Can't Teach Anymore. Thank you for listening. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast, leave a review, and share episodes with everyone you can think of. This episode was produced by me, Charles Fournier. It was edited by Melodie Edwards. Other editing help came from Noa Greenspan, Sarah-Ann Leverette, and Jennica Fournier. Our theme song is by Julian Saporiti. All other music can be found on our website. A special thanks to Anjel Garcia, Mark Perkins, Shane Atkinson, Jaye Wacker, Jennica Fournier, Marguerite Herman, Chris Rothfuss, and Dylan Bear for taking time to sit down and chat with me. If you are interested in seeing Mark Perkins' full report, “Teacher Attrition in Wyoming: Factors to Consider” you can find the link in the transcript for this episode and on our instagram page @thosewhocantteachanymore.  This podcast is funded in part by the Fund for Teachers Fellowship.

The Marxification of Education Workshop, Session 4 of 4 The hottest buzzword in education today is Social-Emotional Learning (SEL), but it's not just a buzzword. It's a huge program with almost universal installation (thanks to the Every Student Succeeds Act, ESSA, of 2015) and billions upon billions of dollars behind it. What is it? Where did it come from? Should we trust it? To the last of these questions, there are excellent reasons to believe that we shouldn't. In fact, we shouldn't want it anywhere near our children and should fight vigorously to protect them from it. We should also see there's a huge scam operating within the installation of it and that some very questionable actors are strongly behind it, but for what reasons? Here, New Discourses Founder James Lindsay gives a deep, concerning, and thorough (but mere) introduction to the topic of Social-Emotional Learning in this last of four presentations on the Marxification of Education delivered in late July 2022 in Arlington, Virginia, on location in the now-famous Loudoun County, ground zero for the fight for America's schools. As a result of the research that produced this lecture series, Lindsay has written a detailed and accessible book on the issue titled The Marxification of Education, which is available for preorder now: https://amzn.to/3RYZ0tY #ad Support New Discourses: https://newdiscourses.com/support Subscribe to New Discourses on other platforms: https://newdiscourses.com/subscribe Follow James Lindsay: https://linktr.ee/conceptualjames © 2022 New Discourses. All rights reserved.

Dennis Cleary discusses with Dr. Bazyk about occupational therapy's role in mental health promotion, prevention, and intervention when working with all children and youth -those with and without disabilities and/or mental illness- in schools and community settings. It will include Every Moment Counts' initiatives and opportunities with ESSA, Every Student Succeeds Act. This is part of the Continued Learning Podcast series.

Celebrating Our Wins - Season 3, Episode 1As the new school year gets underway, Ohio's educators are once again facing major challenges in our public schools. But there are also major reasons to celebrate, and to build on the momentum of those victories to create a better future for all of us. In the first episode of the new Education Matters season, Ohio Education President Scott DiMauro discusses a few of the big wins for public education in our state.SUBSCRIBE | Click here to subscribe to Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to subscribe on Google podcasts so you don't miss a thing. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here. Featured Education Matters guest: Scott DiMauro, Ohio Education Association President A high school social studies teacher from Worthington, Scott DiMauro was elected President of the OEA in 2019 after having served as vice president for six years. Over his 30-year career as an educator, Scott has worked to provide students the critical thinking and decision-making skills they need to be successful citizens in our democratic society. He has likewise advocated for students, educators and strong public schools at all levels of his union. Prior to becoming a full-time OEA officer, Scott served for nine years as President of Central OEA/NEA, and has experience as president of his local, as a member of his local bargaining team, chairperson of Central's leadership and professional development programs, and political action coordinator. He also led the NEA Standing Committee on Legislation for three years. As vice president, Scott served as co-chair of the Healthcare and Pension Advocates for STRS and represented OEA's 122,000 members on a variety of coalition boards and steering committees. He chaired the OEA Legislative Committee and continues to work with OEA's Government Relations staff to represent educators in the legislature and State Board of Education. He was proud to help lead efforts of the OEA Commission on Student Success to lay out a comprehensive vision for high-quality education for all students and lay the groundwork for positive implementation of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act in Ohio. He also led an initiative to increase student access to breakfast in high-poverty districts and served as national spokesperson for the Partners for Breakfast in the Classroom. Scott's priorities as president include strengthening local affiliates, enhancing professional supports for members, and elevating the voice of educators in public policy issues to ensure all students are given access to a high-quality education that inspires their creativity, imagination, and desire to learn. Connect with OEA: Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics Like OEA on Facebook Follow OEA on Twitter Follow OEA on Instagram Get the latest news and statements from OEA here Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues  Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch About us: The Ohio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio's schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio's children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio's schools. Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children. This episode was recorded on September 12, 2022.

Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Dr. Shontoria Walker, Education PowerED, Executive Director. One fun fact you will learn about Dr. Walker is her love for Houston, Texas.  In this episode:Education PowerEdCulture to the Max book The inspiration behind writing bookWho is culture to the max forHow educators and families can work together to ensure equality in a classroom/schoolTexas book ban Bio:Dr. Shontoria Walker is a graduate from the University of Houston in Houston, Texas with a degree in Professional Leadership with an emphasis in Literacy. Her research focuses on using culturally relevant pedagogy to influence literacy achievement for Middle School Black Male Students based on her experiences as a former 8th grade English teacher at an all-boys preparatory academy. She has also served on the Texas Teacher Advisory Board, a Teach Plus Policy Fellow as well as a Senior Policy Fellow with Teach Plus Texas from 2014-2019. During her time and beyond she has advocated for educational policy laws that directly impacted the classroom as well as contributed to policy briefings for the revision of The Every Student Succeeds Act and national policy reports such as If You Listen, We Will Stay: Why Teachers of Color Leave and How To Disrupt Teacher Turnover. She is the co-author of Culture to the Max! Culturally Responsive Teaching and Practice along with David McDonald, M.ED., Danielle Ross, M.ED., and Andre Ross, M.ED.Check out Culture to the Max!: Culturally Responsive Teaching and Practice by David McDonald (Author), Danielle Ross (Author), Andre Ross (Author), Shontoria Walker (Author)Support the show

Order the Leading Equity Book Today! About Dr. Shontoria Walker Dr. Shontoria Walker is a graduate from the University of Houston in Houston, Texas with a degree in Professional Leadership with an emphasis in Literacy. Her research focuses on using culturally relevant pedagogy to influence literacy achievement for Middle School Black Male Students based on her experiences as a former 8th grade English teacher at an all-boys preparatory academy. She has also served on the Texas Teacher Advisory Board, a Teach Plus Policy Fellow as well as a Senior Policy Fellow with Teach Plus Texas from 2014-2019. During her time and beyond she has advocated for educational policy laws that directly impacted the classroom as well as contributed to policy briefings for the revision of The Every Student Succeeds Act and national policy reports such as If You Listen, We Will Stay: Why Teachers of Color Leave and How To Disrupt Teacher Turnover. She is the co-author of Culture to the Max! Culturally Responsive Teaching and Practice along with David McDonald, M.ED., Danielle Ross, M.ED., and Andre Ross, M.ED. About Andre Ross A native of Gary, Indiana, Andre received a Bachelor of Science in Business with a concentration in Management from New York University. His experiences there compelled him to pursue a career in education to help diminish the ways in which identity markers impact educational and career trajectories. Andre served as an 8th Grade Mathematics Teacher at The Dr. Billy Earl Dade Middle School in South Dallas. Following his first year as an educator, Andre was recognized as “Teacher of the Year.” In addition, Andre has increased his students' academic growth by double digit gains during each year that he served. In June 2018, Andre accepted a role with Teach For America where he serves as Manager, Teacher Leadership Development. Andre is a Co-founder and Partner with the Education PowerED family. Show Highlights Classroom Management Shifting to Culture Management Setting up your classroom The Culture Potluck Allowing students to be their authentic self Connect with Shontoria and Andre Andre's LinkedIn Shontoria's Twitter Shontoria's LinkedIn Education PowerEd Website Culture to the Max! Culturally Responsive Teaching and Practice The Center For Black Educator Development Additional Resources Learn more about the Advocacy Room Free Course on Implicit Bias 20 Diversity Equity and Inclusion Activities Annihilating Racial Injustice in School Course FREE AUDIO COURSE: Race, Advocacy, and Social Justice Studies

Rich Valdes is filling in for Jim. Guests include: Scott Powell, senior fellow at Discovery Institute, here to discuss his book "Rediscovering America"; Adam Guillette, president of Accuracy In Media, with a new report which claims an Obama-era law, the Every Student Succeeds Act, is being used to fund policies including Critical Race Theory; and Wayne Norman, broadcaster at WILI in Willimantec, CT, who tells us why their Fourth of July Parade is so special. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wisconsin is striving to embed IDEA data culture throughout the state's Department of Public Instruction. Learn how Wisconsin is working to achieve a strong, shared data culture through initiatives such as collaborating with Title I and Every Student Succeeds Act staff to create joint federal notification reports and creating dashboards for districts to drill down into their data.

OEA Officers: 'We Hear You' - Season 2, Episode 31This Teacher Appreciation Week, educators need more than just a pat on the back; they need respect and support. They need to be sure that everyone -- from the community members they serve to the state leaders making decisions about their day-to-day operations in the classroom -- sees them and hears their struggles. OEA's president, vice president, and secretary-treasurer have been crisscrossing the state to hear from OEA members directly about how they're feeling and what they need.  MORE | Click here to subscribe to Education Matters on Apple Podcasts. Click here to subscribe on Google podcasts.Featured Education Matters guest:  Scott DiMauro, OEA PresidentA high school social studies teacher from Worthington, Scott DiMauro was elected President of the OEA in 2019 after having served as vice president for six years. Over his 30-year career as an educator, Scott has worked to provide students the critical thinking and decision-making skills they need to be successful citizens in our democratic society. He has likewise advocated for students, educators and strong public schools at all levels of his union.Prior to becoming a full-time OEA officer, Scott served for nine years as President of Central OEA/NEA, and has experience as president of his local, as a member of his local bargaining team, chairperson of Central's leadership and professional development programs, and political action coordinator. He also led the NEA Standing Committee on Legislation for three years.As vice president, Scott served as co-chair of the Healthcare and Pension Advocates for STRS and represented OEA's 122,000 members on a variety of coalition boards and steering committees. He chaired the OEA Legislative Committee and continues to work with OEA's Government Relations staff to represent educators in the legislature and State Board of Education. He was proud to help lead efforts of the OEA Commission on Student Success to lay out a comprehensive vision for high-quality education for all students and lay the groundwork for positive implementation of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act in Ohio. He also led an initiative to increase student access to breakfast in high-poverty districts and served as national spokesperson for the Partners for Breakfast in the Classroom.Scott's priorities as president include strengthening local affiliates, enhancing professional supports for members, and elevating the voice of educators in public policy issues to ensure all students are given access to a high-quality education that inspires their creativity, imagination, and desire to learn Jeff Wensing, OEA Vice PresidentJeff Wensing has been a high school math teacher for 26 years with the Parma City Schools. Throughout his teaching career, Jeff has been an advocate and leader, serving as President of the Parma Education Association from 2012-2018 and as President of the North Eastern Ohio Education Association (NEOEA) from 2016-2018. One of Jeff's accomplishments as a local and district leader was organizing members and the community to elect a new Parma Board of Education majority in 2017.Jeff has served on OEA's Constitution and Bylaws Committee and President's Cabinet, as Vice Chair of OEA's District Leaders Council, and as a member of the Fiscal Fitness Review Committee and Systemic Practices Committee.Since his election as OEA Vice President in 2019, Jeff has continued to emphasize the importance of organizing members throughout the state. He believes the OEA must support locals in order to both maintain and grow membership.Jeff believes it is critical to listen to members before decisions are made, ensure communication throughout the process, and engage in full transparency. As Vice President, he focuses on the OEA's strategic issues, shared values, and the students members work with each day. Mark Hill, OEA Secretary-TreasurerFirst elected in spring 2018, Mark Hill is currently serving his second three-year term as OEA Secretary-Treasurer. He is a 30-year educator with Worthington City Schools, serving as a middle school math teacher. From 2010-2018, he served as president of the Worthington Education Association (WEA). In his freshman year as WEA president, he led his local local in joining the successful repeal of Senate Bill 5 (SB5), an attack to collective bargaining.It was during this period he was twice-elected to the STRS Board.Again, he demonstrated strong leadership in his roles as vice chair and chair respectively. Along with the board, he worked to bring long-term sustainability to the pension fund. His second 4-year term with STRS concluded August 31. 2018.Mark has also served as a member of the OEA Board of Directors and as chair of numerous Central OEA/NEA committees as well as chair of the OEA Resolutions Committee. Mark believes it is critical that OEA supports its local associations and their leaders because they shape members' impressions of the value of membership. In these dynamic times, Mark's experienced leadership is vital as he directs OEA's budget priorities toward an even stronger association. MORE | Parents, caregivers, and community members are invited to record messages to show teachers how much they are appreciated and the difference they have made in their districts. Click here to record your story.Connect with OEA: Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics Like OEA on Facebook Follow OEA on Twitter Follow OEA on Instagram Get the latest news and statements from OEA here Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues  Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch About us: The Ohio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio's schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio's children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio's schools. Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children. This episode was recorded on April 28, 2022.

Our role in special education was established in 1775 with the passing of The Education for All Handicapped Children Act. A lot has changed since then and we now have what is called the Every Student Succeeds Act, or ESSA.In this episode of the OT Schoolhouse Podcast, we are welcoming Abe Saffer, MPM. Abe is the Senior Legislative Representative for AOTA and I asked him to come on the show to share with us how laws created and updated in Washington D.C. impact us as practicing school-based OTs. Specifically, we will be discussing how IDEA differs from the Every Student Succeeds Act and what it means for us as OTPs, both now and in the coming years. Listen in to better understand your role as a school-based OT. View the show notes and a transcript of this episode at otschoolhouse.com/episode91

This term, many teachers, school leaders, students, and parents are going to be touched by the discussion seeping into schools around the United States. What is Critical Race Theory, and how did it get on the list of back-to-school things we all need to think about? In this episode, we invited three guests with specialized experience, knowledge, and insight to help us understand the basics. Follow on Twitter: @DrDorindaCA@JG4Justice @s_e_schwartz @jonHarper70bd @bamradionetwork Sarah Schwartz is a reporter for Education Week who covers curriculum and instruction. Before joining the staff, she was as an Education Week intern, covering education technology. She has also worked at a middle school in New York. Janel George is an Associate Professor of Law at Georgetown University Law Center. Her work and scholarship focus on racial stratification and inequality in U.S. education. She has written about the resegregation of public schools, discriminatory school discipline practices, Critical Race Theory, and resource equity. She has served as Legislative Counsel in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, during which time her legislative portfolio included child welfare, civil rights, and education issues. As a civil rights attorney with the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF), she worked with several campaigns and coalitions to leverage legislative and policy advocacy to advance equal educational opportunity. She also helped to advance the federal policy work of the Dignity in Schools Campaign, including securing provisions related to promoting positive and inclusive school climates in the federal Every Student Succeeds Act. She has also worked with non-profits on a variety of state and federal policy issues and has served as an adjunct professor at Georgetown Law and Georgetown University's McCourt School of Public Policy. Dr. Dorinda Carter Andrews is an internationally renowned professor and the chairperson for the Department of Teacher Education at Michigan State University. Her research focuses on racial equity and justice in education and helping school leaders and youth develop and maintain culturally responsive learning environments. She has given two TEDx talks and is widely published on teacher education and culturally relevant teaching.

Hannah & Suzanne welcome PhD candidate Karen Feagin. Her research specialty is educational language policy and she helps us pull apart the racist turducken of the US education system's policies for students who are English learner classified. Her 3-ish things (*sparkle emojis*) take us through policies and laws at the federal/national level which have had (and continue to have) long-lasting impact on English learner classified students. We also meet a new villain: the No Child Left Behind Act.   References and ResourcesLook up information about your state's Board of EducationOn Lau v. Nichols (1974) Supreme Court Case On the Every Student Succeeds Act (2015)Eve L. Ewing, Ghosts in the SchoolyardOn the impact of Brown v. Board on Black schools, teachers, and administratorsVanessa Siddle Walker, Lost Education of Horace Tate (Note: We cited the incorrect book, Hello, Professor, in the episode.)Fact sheet on English learner classified studentsRAND study of dual-language education (demonstrating academic benefits of bilingual education) Over These Walls by Hope and Social is licensed under a Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

Happy April Fool's Day! This episode is all about teacher evaluation systems. Chelsea shares about the history of No Child Left Behind and its evolution into the Every Student Succeeds Act, both of which place focus on teacher evaluations. Katie shares what evaluation cycles look like in Ohio and provides Chelsea handouts of data used to assign her rating each year. Your hosts share what they learned this week, including making a delicious meal and being reminded that the Suez Canal exists and is very important to our economy. The good news? The boat is free!Ohio Educator Evaluator SystemNEA - Teacher Evaluations under ESSADepartment of Education - NCLBNCES - Teacher Performance Evaluations in US Public SchoolsWikipedia - No Child Left BehindEd Glossary - Value-Added

Is standardized testing a pillar of systemic racism? Wh [...]

On the sixth episode of season 2, Podcasting On The Go, we discuss the No Child Left Behind Act as well as the Every Student Succeeds Act. Both of these acts/government policies left students uneducated, talented teachers handcuffed, and parents fed up with the public school system in America! LET'S READ Visit mtbecker @ www.live-grow-sustain.com

That Social Work Lady welcomes our first guest Ms. Cassie Williams, M. Ed. to talk parity in education. Ms. Williams, a leader in education, shares her experience as a product of traditional public schools, a parochial school, a private afrocentric school, and a charter school academy. As a leader, Ms. Williams is a champion for Education for Liberation which she defines as empowering students with the knowledge they need to 'be whatever they want to be.'During this conversation we explore the impact school choice had on the trajectory of our lives as well as the power adults in schools have to minimize the disparities students in urban schools experience. Schools being equally funded is the first step in eliminating the resource gap. However, once schools are funded with parity the adults in charge must take up the mantle of education students for their liberation.Let's build community!NOTE:The United States has had 2 black men serve as Secretary of Education:1. Rod Paige was the 7th United States Secretary of Education 2001 - 2005 during the Bush Administration. He was the architect of the No Child Left Behind Act. He was the first black person ever to serve as the US Secretary of Education.2. John B. King, Jr. was the 10th United State Secretary of Education 2016 - 2017 during the Obama Administration. To learn more about him please visit his website www.edtrust.org. During his tenure as Education Secretary , Mr. King focused his efforts of the department on achievement gaps between disadvantaged students and their better-off peers. He was instrumental in the passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act.

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos resigns in the wake of insurrection at the U.S. Capitol fueled by President Trump’s false claims of electoral fraud. On this week’s Federal Flash, we’ll look back at her controversial legacy and look ahead to how Democrats’ wins in the Georgia Senate races will affect education in the new Congress and new administration in 2021. Secretary Devos’s Resignation View Post U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos resigned in protest the day after a violent mob of President Trump’s supporters breached the U.S. Capitol, disrupting certification of the Electoral College and resulting in the death of five people and numerous injuries. In her resignation letter, she noted that “impressionable children are watching all of this, and they are learning from us. I believe we each have a moral obligation to exercise good judgment and model the behavior we hope they would emulate.” At the Alliance for Excellent Education (All4Ed), it is too little, too late. Children have been watching President Trump for four years. As our CEO and President Deborah Delisle said in her response to last week’s insurrection, “The people who acted so repugnantly …, and those who support and encourage them, are destroying our country, and we must do everything in our power to make sure they do not win.” Secretary DeVos had the power to stand against the president’s reckless, immoral behavior long ago, but chose not to act. Our reaction to her eleventh-hour change of heart? DeVos “stayed quiet while her administration locked children in cages and openly supported White supremacists and dangerous conspiracy theories. The time for her to stand up against President Trump was long ago, not two weeks before her gig was up.” Instead, Secretary DeVos oversaw the dismantling of the agency she was tapped to lead, including its division tasked with protecting students’ civil rights and ending racial disparities in education. She left schools to fend for themselves against a global pandemic. She failed to exercise even basic oversight and guidance over implementation of federal laws, including the Every Student Succeeds Act, and advocated for diverting federal funding for public schools to private schools. At All4Ed, we look forward to January 20, when we can begin to restore the U.S. Department of Education’s mission to help ensure every child has the opportunity to thrive and we will work alongside the new secretary to dismantle systems of oppression and tackle long-standing inequities that have been exacerbated by the pandemic. Georgia Elects Democratic Senators Speaking of the new education secretary, the election of Georgia Democrats Jon Ossoff and the Reverend Raphael Warnock leaves the U. S. Senate split 50-50, with Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris holding the tie vote. Notably, Warnock—the pastor at the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church once led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.—will become the first Black senator from the state of Georgia. With Democrats controlling the White House and both chambers of Congress, Dr. Miguel Cardona likely faces a relatively swift and straightforward confirmation process for education secretary—enabling him to begin the work of rebuilding the agency, overseeing federal stimulus funds, and supporting students during the COVID-19 crisis as soon as possible. His confirmation will be shepherded by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), who will take over as chairwoman of the education committee after serving as its ranking member since 2015. There will be other changes to the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions committee as well, with the retirements of Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Mike Enzi (R-WY) and with Doug Jones (D-AL) and Kelly Loeffler (R-GA) both losing their reelection bids. What can we expect with Democrats in control? The first item of business will be the confirmation of Dr. Cardona and we don’t expect any major hiccups.

A Distinguished Senior Fellow and President Emeritus at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, Chester E. Finn, Jr., joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss Finn's new policy analysis, which looks into the state of school accountability five years after the implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act. Finn's analysis, "School Accountability — Past, Present, and Future," is available now: https://www.hoover.org/research/school-accountability-past-present-and-future

In All4Ed's final Federal Flash of the year, we’ll provide a summary of the COVID-19 relief bill and the U.S. Department of Education’s funding for 2021. We’ll also discuss the likely nominee for the position of Secretary of Education.  Congress' Long Awaited COVID-19 Relief Bill   At long last, Congress finally passed a COVID-19 relief bill in both the House and the Senate and it will be signed into law by the president. As has been reported, the bill totals about $900 billion. It includes $600 direct payments to individuals and families and restores $300 per week in additional unemployment insurance. It also includes $82 billion in education funding, of which $54.3 billion will support K-12 education, $22.7 billion will support higher education, and $4 billion will go to governors.   The CARES Act vs. the Heroes Act vs. the Skinny Bill This bill looks a lot like the CARES Act that passed last spring. Funds will be allocated to states and districts based on Title I, just like the CARES Act. That said, there are a few important differences. First, this bill provides 4 times the amount of funding for education than the CARES Act. That’s a lot of money, but it’s a little disappointing because it’s less than both House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s Heroes Act and the “skinny” bill proposed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.   Second, this bill carves out funds for private schools. Governors will give state departments of education $2.75 billion from their $4 billion to administer to private schools. This provision replaces the equitable services provision that you may recall was included in the original CARES Act. This is the provision that Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos tried to use to send more money to private schools, but ultimately got shot down in court.  Third, this bill includes a few additional allowable uses of funds. To be clear, the bill maintains the CARES Act’s flexibility – any use of funds allowed under the Every Student Succeeds Act, Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Assistance Act, and several other laws – is allowable under this bill. In addition, Congress added allowable uses for addressing learning loss and for school facility repairs to reduce the risk of virus transmission and support student health.   Significant Omissions in the New COVID Relief Bill No bill is perfect, and there are a few important items missing from this legislation. You may have read that the bill omits the Democratic priority of funding for state and local governments as well as the Republican priority of liability protections. Those were each poison pills for the other party, so they left them off the table. But other items were left off the table as well.  First, the bill provides no funding to school districts to address the Homework Gap. Thankfully, the bill does create a new program out of the Federal Communications Commission that will provide low-income families with a discount on home internet access and a subsidy for one low-cost device per family. This program received $3.2 billion, which is only about one-fourth of what the Heroes Act proposed to address the Homework Gap.   The bill also left out homeless children. Emergency spending bills, such as the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, often target funding to students experiencing homelessness. It was especially important for this bill to provide funds for these students because evidence from SchoolHouse Connection suggests that 420,000 fewer children who are experiencing homelessness have been identified and enrolled in school so far this year, even though homelessness is on the rise due to the economic downturn.   A summary of the bill is available here.   Congress' Annual Appropriations Bills At the same time as Congress passed the COVID-19 relief bill, they also passed the annual appropriations bills funding the federal government.   The Department of Education received a modest 1.

On February 11, 202 The National Urban League and the Alliance for Excellent Education held a Webinar on Implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act.  This webinar continued the discussion on how ESSA implementation is working – and not working – for historically underserved students. The National Urban League and the Alliance for Excellent Education hosted this webinar to discuss progress on school improvement.

Good morning, you're listening to the Daily Apple, your source for the latest in Education News. I'm your host Jim Kent, the date is December 16, 2019. Before we get into the news of the day, I'd like to take a moment to thank our sponsor, VictoryXR. VXR's award-winning content, helps kids experience science and engineering in a way that they have never been able to before, while making sure to cover everything within the NextGen Science Standards, and they've made it accessible on every kind of VR headset you can think of. To find out more, check out VictoryXR.com But now for the news.According to a new poll by Gallup, About half of U.S. adults (51%) now consider a college education to be "very important," down from 70% in 2013. Over the same period, the percentages rating college as "fairly important" and "not too important" have both increased, to 36% and 13%, respectively. Perceptions that a college education is very important have declined in the U.S. among all age groups since 2013, but the drop has been especially pronounced -- 33 percentage points -- among adults aged 18 to 29. As a result, younger adults are now less likely than middle-aged adults and seniors to consider college as very important, whereas the different age groups held similar perceptions in 2013. Consistent with what Gallup found in 2013, women today are more likely than men to report a college education is very important (57% vs. 45%, respectively), although the figures are down among both groups. In 2013, 75% of women and 65% of men said a college education was very important.Black and Hispanic adults, two groups that are underrepresented in colleges and universities nationally, are more likely than whites to say a college education is very important. The differences in importance by race/ethnicity are generally consistent with 2013 measures, in which black and Hispanic adults were more likely than whites to view a college education as very important.College tuition has increased at twice the rate of inflation over the past two decades -- forcing many to wonder if that investment is worth it, and how important a formal degree is to achieving a better job and a better life. https://news.gallup.com/poll/270008/half-consider-college-education-important.aspx  The Kansas Star has published an article focusing on the struggles foster children face in education. Two years after the Every Student Succeeds Act required states to tally and report graduation rates of its foster children, the federal government has yet to make that information public.Of the states that have reported, most are shockingly low. In Oregon, 35 percent of students in foster care graduated from high school in 2017, compared to 77 percent of the general population.The Star spent the past year examining the long-term outcomes for kids who age out of foster care. It found that many will end up homeless, jobless and in prison because, in part, they were shortchanged on education. Shuffled from home to home, often sent outside their original school districts, they fall behind early and don't catch up. Zachary Lawrence, a special education teacher in south-central Kansas, told members of a legislative task force last year that many foster kids live such unstable and unpredictable lives that it's tough for them to be able to learn each day. Most states have not collected detailed information on the resources necessary to resolve these issues, or even the outcomes currently being faced.Brent Kent, former CEO of Foster Success, worked with lawmakers on legislation to require Indiana to track how foster kids are doing in the classroom. Once a year, a detailed report card must be published so the public is informed about how children in the state's custody are doing relative to their peers.The first report card was published last spring. https://www.kansascity.com/news/special-reports/article238246264.htmlThe Lansing State Journal reports that A federal appeals court panel has ordered the dismissal of a lawsuit brought by four former Michigan State University students against the university for failing to adequately respond to their sexual assault claims. The lawsuit, first filed in 2015, alleged MSU's handling of the four women's sexual assault claims violated Title IX and denied one of the women equal protection. The appeals court found that the women failed to prove “the school had actual knowledge of actionable sexual harassment and that the school's deliberate indifference to it resulted in further actionable sexual harassment against the student-victim, which caused the Title IX injuries.” "Because none of the plaintiffs in this case suffered any actionable sexual harassment after the school's response, they did not suffer “pervasive” sexual harassment as set out in Davis and they cannot meet the causation element," the opinion reads. The opinion also upholds Maybank's immunity, saying while Gross was "clearly dissatisfied" with Maybank's decision to overturn the male student's expulsion, Gross "has no 'right' to her preferred remedy." https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/local/2019/12/12/msu-title-ix-lawsuit-kollaritsch-6th-circuit-dismissal/4409968002/According to the AP Democratic presidential candidates pledged to boost funding for public schools, increase teacher salaries and reduce college debt at a Saturday forum that cast a rare spotlight on education, an issue that has received only passing attention in recent debates. In one camp are Warren and Sanders, who have proposed free public college for all Americans and the cancellation of all or most of the nation's existing student debt. Buttigieg doubled down on his criticism of those plans, saying there needs to be more discussion about apprenticeships, internships and other options other than a four-year degree. He has supported free college for families making under $100,000. Biden continued to push for free community college. The candidates checked many of the boxes the unions will look for when they decide which candidate to support. Many of the candidates took shots at the prevalence of high-stakes testing, curriculum requirements and other measures that limit teachers' flexibility. https://news.yahoo.com/democratic-hopefuls-pledge-more-money-221236629.htmlThe Courier Journal is reporting that Despite a pending legal challenge to its authority, a newly appointed Kentucky Board of Education on Thursday forced out the state's education chief — a swift move that fulfills one of Gov. Andy Beshear's most prominent campaign promises.Education Commissioner Wayne Lewis resigned and will immediately vacate his position leading the state's K-12 school system. The new board accepted his resignation by a unanimous vote and acknowledged it did not have just cause to terminate Lewis.Lewis, who earned $200,000 annually as commissioner, was required to receive written notice of his termination 90 days in advance, under his contract with the board. Lewis accepted the earlier exit — and will walk away with 120 days salary and health benefits — after nearly three hours of closed-door negotiations. Under Lewis and the former board, the Kentucky Department of Education had planned to press for full-day kindergarten, reading interventions for the state's youngest learners and more flexibility for schools. It is unclear whether those requests will remain the department's priority under a new board and a new commissioner. https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/education/2019/12/12/kentucky-board-education-ousts-education-commissioner-wayne-lewis/4397133002/According to Michigan Radio, The U.S. Department of Education has launched an investigation into a southwest Michigan school district.Paw Paw Public Schools is no stranger to controversy. The district has been under fire for its mascot name and image – the Redskins – for years. Now, the district is facing a federal investigation after the ACLU of Michigan filed a complaint back in January. The ACLU's complaint alleges the school district "maintains an environment that is hostile to a variety of racial, religious, ethnic and immigrant groups." Mark Fancher, Racial Justice Project staff attorney for the ACLU of Michigan, says, “The school district has stubbornly refused to even discuss possible changes to make its programs more welcoming for Native Americans and other people of color, making this OCR investigation a victory. We are hopeful that federal scrutiny of the district will prompt concern that leads to reform.”Back in 2017, the Paw Paw school board voted against changing the mascot name from the controversial “Redskins” name despite pressure from groups like the ACLU. https://www.michiganradio.org/post/department-education-launches-investigation-paw-paw-public-schools  The AP reports on another school joining the modern backlash against standardized testing in admissions practices. Indiana University could soon stop requiring students to submit ACT or SAT scores with their college applications. A university spokesman says students applying for fall 2021 could have the option not to submit college standardized testing. The (Northwest Indiana) Times reports that the university's Board of Trustees recently approved the policy change. IU's nine individual campuses now must approve and implement their own “test optional” admissions practice. https://www.wave3.com/2019/12/15/indiana-university-could-make-sat-act-tests-optional/ And that rounds it up for todays headlines. Thanks again to VictoryXr for making this all possible. You can find the full transcript of today's episode, along with links to the full stories, in the description of the episode. If you have any questions, comments, or stories of your own that deserve to be broadcast, let us know on social media at dailyapplepod or by email at dailyapplepod@gmail.comThanks for listening. We'll see you tomorrow morning, bright and early

No Child Left Behind… Race to the Top… the Every Student Succeeds Act. All have had significant impact on teacher evaluations. Over time, have such laws led to an increase in the quality of teaching our schools?This year the Frontline Research & Learning Institute looked at the data around teacher evaluation scores. We speak with Sarah Silverman, Ph.D., of Whiteboard Advisors, the firm that partnered with Frontline to analyze the data and the author of the report, “Bending Toward Accuracy: How Teacher Evaluations Are Evolving.” We look at:Teacher evaluation scores over a 5-year period and where the data comes fromWhy those scores indicate that teacher evaluations have gotten more accurate over timeWhat you can do with teacher evaluation data in your own schools to foster growth in teachingRead the full report: “Bending Toward Accuracy: How Teacher Evaluations Are Evolving”

This week we take a closer look at the education goals from the state's plan to comply with the federal Every Student Succeeds Act. For the second year in a row, Idaho missed all 22 yearly targets in Math and English. Plus, a discussion of the rest of the week's top headlines.

Welcome to A Fostered Life, the show in which we explore the various facets of foster care through the voices of the many people who participate in the system. I'm your host, Christy Tennant Krispin, and this is episode five.    It's back to school time, and for youth in foster care, that can either be a really good thing or a really, really hard thing (or a bit of both.) Today I'm speaking with Ernest Henderson, Associate Director of Eastern Washington Education Programs at Treehouse. Ernest not only brings the professional insights of someone who devotes his career to helping foster youth succeed in school, but he also brings a background of being a former foster youth and a former foster parent. In this episode we discuss some of the ways a foster parent can support their child in school, how to navigate communicating with your child's teachers and school personnel, and tips for preparing your foster youth to succeed in a new school. We also touched on positive discipline for youth in foster care and ways to empower and encourage our kids. Ernest mentioned a few things for foster parents to learn more about, including the Every Student Succeeds Act, and I've included several helpful links in the shownotes for this episode—so be sure to check those out. I really appreciated what Ernest had to share, and I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did!    Links discussed in this conversation include: Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) ESSA At a Glance—What You Need to Know Treehouse for Kids Treehouse Educational Advocacy   Contact Ernest Henderson, Jr: ernest.henderson@treehouseforkids.org   For more information and resources for foster parents, please visit afosteredlife.com, where you'll find blog posts, youtube videos, and social media links so you can connect with others on the foster parenting journey. If you're interested in supporting my work at A Fostered Life, please go my Patreon page, where you can become a patron. Just one dollar a month helps offset the cost of producing these resources and enables me to offer them freely to new and prospective foster parents, and I'm grateful for the support of my patrons. Thanks for listening and thanks for caring about foster care.

Senator Lamar Alexander is a two-term Governor of Tennessee, a former U.S. Secretary of Education under George H.W. Bush, and today Chairs the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.  He is an enigma in today's political climate, achieving major bipartisan legislative victories like the “21st Century Cures Act” and “Every Student Succeeds Act,” while Washington is gridlocked by partisanship.  He is one of the most powerful people in health care today, and also one of the most respected, pragmatic and productive members of Congress.  In this conversation Senator Alexander shares how he's navigated Congress as an effective lawmaker, and what's next on the health policy agenda. Learn More: https://asecondopinionpodcast.com/

This week, Ryan interviews David Holbrook , Executive Director of Federal Compliance and State Relationships for TransACT Communications. In this interview, Dr. Holbrook walks us through key components of the federal legal requirements for serving English language learners under the Civil Rights Act and the Every Student Succeeds Act. You can find out more about his work by visiting www.transact.com.Host: Ryan Kairalla (@ryankair)Producer: Ross Ulysse

In our Independence Day Special podcast, Jaren from the MCEC S2S Student Advisory Council interviews Representative John Carter for Texas’s 31st Congressional District. Their conversation draws attention to the Every Student Succeeds Act and his co-sponsorship of H.R. 1896 — 116th Congress: Supporting Children of the National Guard and Reserve Act that recognizes ALL military-connected students PK-12 in our nation’s public schools.   www.militarychild.org    To learn more about Representative John R. Carter visit: https://carter.house.gov/#dialog   This podcast has been made possible because of the generous support from the Minot Spouses’ Club.

In this episode, Dr. Paul Manna of the College of William and Mary shares his insights on how governors and states can strengthen their preparation, development and support systems for school principals, including through the Every Student Succeeds Act.About the PodcastPlease take a listen to the new NGA Education School Leadership podcast series! On School Leadership Hot Topics, nationally recognized education experts share their knowledge and insights on strategies and promising practices for advancing school leadership policies and priorities at the gubernatorial and state level.  Please also check out our earlier school leadership webinars that specifically focused on how governors and state education chiefs in Delaware, Louisiana and Tennessee are working together to improve school leadership in their states.  For additional information and resources on principals and school leaders, please visit the Wallace Foundation Knowledge Center.

From high-stakes testing to heightened federal accountability, the No Child Left Behind Act brought myriad changes to American classrooms. According to two new studies by the University of Dayton’s Meredith Wronowski, it also had significant unintended impacts on teacher perceptions – including increased feelings of stress and demoralization – and workplace turnover. Wronowski joins CPRE Knowledge Hub managing editor Keith Heumiller to discuss her findings, and offers some key takeaways for policymakers, teachers, and school leaders hoping to chart a different course in the Every Student Succeeds Act era.

Teachers often feel that conversations about education are happening all around them, and yet they’re not really included. That’s the case for many educators when it comes to the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Sure, you’ve heard the acronym, but what does the policy and related funding mean, and how can teachers be sure their voices are heard when it comes to edtech policy creation and implementation? On this episode of “Your Edtech Questions,” guest Anne Hyslop, assistant director, policy development and government relations for the Alliance for Excellent Education, provides a primer on ESSA, shares real-world examples of thoughtful ESSA implementation by states and districts, and explains why teachers should care about edtech policy and advocacy. Listen to get a better understanding of this critical federal policy and to learn how to add your voice to the conversation.

Tribal education departments offer opportunities most public and private schools can’t: a solid education in a culturally relevant environment. The departments sometimes run schools on reservations and even provide higher education scholarships. State and local education agencies are required to consult with tribes under the Every Student Succeeds Act. We’ll talk with educators about the role tribes play in the education of their citizens and improve education for Native students.

Both Dan Boyd at the ABQJournal.com and Andrew Oxford at the SantaFeNewMexican.com have coverage of the House passing its version of the state budget and the next steps for the $7 billion budget plan that is headed to the Senate. There is a lot of stuff in that bill, it shold be interesting to see what makes it through “Dr. No” Senator John Arthur Smith who heads the Senate Finance Committee and eventually to the Governor on the fourth floor. One bill that seems to be getting a lot of play in print and broadcast circles are two proposals to put New Mexico on either Daylight Savings Time or Standard Time. Milan Simonich’s article “Legislators divided on what time it should be in New Mexico” provides a good overview, find it at santafenewmexican.com. The Albuquerque Journal’s Dan McKay also provides some insight on this topic over at the Albuquerque Journal. There seem to be a few general themes of coverage in both papers. One is on the driver and the other on the car. First the driver – Check out Dan McKay’s story “Senate Oks Proposed changes to drivers license system.” It is on page A-4 of the Albuquerque Journal. Now the car –on Page A-8 of the Santa Fe New Mexican, Daniel Chacon has an interesting take on HB231 that would require license plates on both the front and back of the vehicle in his story: Front-end plate bill advances.” On the Education Beat… one focus is on the teacher and the other on the classroom… Over at ABQJournal.com, Dan McKay has a story about some legislation that has bipartisan support in his story “Senate moves to revise teacher evaluations” Dillon Mullan provides coverage on the Public Education Department’s quest to comply with the federal Every Student Succeeds Act in his article School Rating System to be overhauled. See the story on Page A-9 or online at SantaFeNewMexican.com On the topic of Energy… The headline reads “Bill would allow oil field regulators to levy fines”… The Associated Press’ Morgan Lee shares some insight on a proposal to streamline a process to pursue sanctions for oilfield spills and other violations. The legislation sponsored by Senator Richard Martinez of Espanola. Kevin Robinson Avila also has a story on this topic over at ABQJournal.com … also of note, Speaker of the House Brian Egolf has a guest column in the Santa Fe Mew Mexican on the topic of renewable energy. Staying On the opinion pages, the Albuquerque Journal weighs in on minimum wage proposals in a piece titled “Senate’s minimum-wage plan makes sense, HB 31 doesn’t” Meanwhile the Santa Fe New Mexican opines “A charter school moratorium makes sense”. Finally, a preview for this evening’s New Mexico in Focus. Gene Grant hosts Giovanna Rossi, former Representative Stephanie Maez, former House Minority Whip Dan Foley and yours truly. We will be discussing · Public Education Funding proposals in the legislature as they relate to the Yazzie/Martinez, case and impact aid… which, interestingly was, a focal point in the Zuni Lawsuit from many years ago. · Also, we weigh in on the State’s decision to join a lawsuit over the Trump administration’s emergency declaration to build a border wall. · And we discuss Governor MLG plans to reverse Medicaid charges to reduce barriers to healthcare. That’s a wrap on stories related to the Legislative session on this Friday, February 22nd. We will check back in on Monday to catch up with the blogs and weekend happenings… Links to the news sources are in the show notes, this is Tom Garrity have a great weekend. https://www.abqjournal.com http://www.santafenewmexican.com https://joemonahansnewmexico.blogspot.com https://nmindepth.com https://SFReporter.com

We travel to the Beaumont Unified School District in west Riverside County to learn about a special instructional tool that's helping district officials and principals examine CA School Dashboard results and other sources of data to strengthen supports for the district's neediest students. Then, we speak with CA Collaborative for Educational Excellence's Executive Director Tom Armelino about the federal Every Student Succeeds Act, how it fits into CA's school accountability system, and whether CCEE has a role under ESSA. Then, we bring you a round table discussion with officials from three state agencies in charge of bringing together what’s called “Lead Agencies" under the new System of Support to help struggling districts.

Nurturing. Healing. Love. Three powerful words that define compassion across all cultures--that when combined create a profound formula that can lead you to choosing love in any situation in your life. And these exact words were left behind-- written on a kitchen chalkboard--by Jesse Lewis, six-year-old martyr of the Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting in December 2012. In a nation riddled with climbing statistics of depression and anxiety among our youth, could nurturing, healing, love be the simple solution to avoiding future tragedies both big and small? Scarlett Lewis, (Jesse’s mom) who founded the Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement after her son was murdered, shares her heroic journey, along with influential advice on choosing love in your darkest moments to inspire a more positive, healthy future for all. Shortly after Jesse’s death, Scarlett decided to be part of the solution to the issues we’re seeing in our society that also resulted in this tragedy. She founded the Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement and became an advocate for social and emotional learning--which teaches children how to manage their emotions, feel connected, and have healthy relationships. She’s been instrumental in changing legislation to incorporate social-emotional learning into our schools. The Jesse Lewis Empowering Education Act was introduced by Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal, and in December of 2015 Congress approved the Every Student Succeeds Act. And while you’re learning about being intentional with choosing love and living more deeply, we’re excited to announce our upcoming three-day retreat, Uncover, led and facilitated by One Idea Away President, Luke Iorio, & iPEC Founder, and bestselling author, Bruce D Schneider. Join us in the beautiful Asilomar Conference Grounds, CA January 18-20th, or at the Garrison Institute, NY, March 29-31st. Created to guide you through the Uncover Process, you’ll learn and experience a variety of mindfulness activities, how to connect as a community, and more in a supportive, and yes, judgment-free zone. Close the gap of tension in your heart and mind and uncover a personal path to happiness, freedom, and self-actualization. Learn more at OneIdeaAway.com/retreat. Your purpose to living a life more fully and lovingly awaits! Key takeaways: The hopeful lesson. The issues of bullying, suicide, and mental illness don’t end when kids graduate from school. They persist and even get worse into adulthood as they struggle to find connection with themselves and others . . . but there’s hope! Decades of research and the latest statistics have revealed a possible solution. A brighter future lies in THESE skills . . . [15:13]. The compassion train. In the wake of severe tragedy and heartbreak, how do you move forward? Scarlett says you must take your personal power back and cut the cord that attaches you to pain . . . but is it possible when it hurts so much? Without forgetting or turning a blind eye, learn THIS to let go peacefully . . . [21:29]. The brave choice. When you’re attacked--either vicariously or personally--it’s easy to remain frozen in fear. It’s instinctual for you to build a wall against the world and never want to let anyone in again. But there’s a better way, a healthier way, a healing way. The BRIDGE that brings you from fear to love is . . . [30:40]. The heartfelt movement. Anger starts with a thought. Joy starts with a thought. 70-80% of our tens of thousands of daily thoughts are negative, and although it’s intuitive--it’s changeable. Create the ripple effect to a safer, more peaceful and loving world with YOU. This ONE exercise can get you started . . . [34:30]. Tune in and turn the volume up for a dose of inspiration and life lessons. You're never more than One Idea Away from a whole, new reality.

In this episode we discuss updates concerning our state education accountability system.

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This webinar will provide an overview of what’s in the new law, which will go into effect on July 1, 2019, plus how the new law can specifically support the implementation of high-quality Linked Learning in California. The webinar will also highlight specific strategies that educators and community members can use to inform the development of the state plans required under the new law. Similar to the state plans required under the Every Student Succeeds Act, states must develop plans describing how they plan to implement the Perkins law to ensure that all students are truly college and career ready upon graduating from high school.

Mike Petrilli of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, Bryan Bowles and Vance Randall of BYU, and Alisa Ellis of the Utah State Board of Education form a panel to discuss the Every Student Succeeds Act. Ryan Houston of Utah Metal Detecting, Todd Yerks of cttodd.com, Allyson Cohen of DetectingDiva.com, and Dawn Chipcase of Digger Dawn on YouTube discuss the quirky world of metal detecting.

IASA associate director/legal counsel Sara Boucek discusses how implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act is going in Illinois and details what superintendents need to know about new school designations being rolled out as part of the law. This podcast is sponsored by American Fidelity. Consider American Fidelity for a different opinion on employer benefit solutions for education.

This week: Conservative groups launch a campaign to persuade teachers and hourly school workers to drop out of their unions following the U.S. Supreme Court's Janus v. AFSCME decision. And Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos approves California's plan for the federal Every Student Succeeds Act.

06/30/18 Episode 109: Every Student Succeeds Act Part 2 in Minnesota with Linda French Bell, MACC 

06/10/2018 Episode 106: Every Student Succeeds Act Part 2 in Minnesota with Linda French Bell, MACCSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

06/03/2018 Episode 105: Every Student Succeeds Act in Minnesota with Linda French Bell, MACCSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Lauren Bauer, post-doctoral fellow in Economic Studies and the Hamilton Project at Brookings, and Anne Wicks, director of education reform at the George W. Bush Institute, explain how states are developing new measures of school quality and student success as required under the Every Student Succeeds Act. Bauer and Wicks also detail how using two specific measures - chronic absenteeism and college and career readiness - help teachers and administrators understand and improve students' education.  Full show notes available here: https://brook.gs/2J2AKaN  With thanks to audio producer Gaston Reboredo, Chris McKenna, Brennan Hoban, and Fred Dews for additional support. Send feedback email to intersections@brookings.edu, and follow us and tweet us at @policypodcasts on Twitter. Intersections is part of the Brookings Podcast Network

Schools are paying increasing attention to the problem of truancy, and many states are including an indicator measuring chronic absenteeism in their accountability plans for the Every Student Succeeds Act. In this episode, Paul E. Peterson talks with Peter Bergman about the phenomenon of joint absences, when students have a peer with whom they systematically skip class. Peter Bergman, Assistant Professor of Economics and Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, is the co-author, with Magdalena Bennett, of "Better Together? Social Networks in Truancy and the Targeting of Treatment," available at http://papers.nber.org/conf_papers/f104327/f104327.pdf

Opportunities for educational equity under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act – which replaced No Child Left Behind in 2015. States are responsible for implementing this important piece of civil rights legislation to leverage federal dollars for low-income students and school improvement. ESSA is an opportunity for states to do right by their kids by using the law to collect data and track the performance of all students so that families and the public know how schools and kids are doing; and use data to target federal dollars effectively and equitably to school communities. It is not enough for states to treat ESSA as a compliance exercise, each state ought to seize the opportunity to design an accountability system that meaningfully sets goals, weights indicators, and disaggregates data by subgroup – and then reports that out to the public in a transparent and accessible way.

This week: Very high chronic absenteeism at continuation high schools serving at-risk students, upcoming State Board approval of the plan for the Every Student Succeeds Act; a preview of California Road Trip, a new podcast about California schools taking on difficult academic challenges.

Episode 1 - Every Student Succeeds Act, our new state education accountability system.

Do any of us really understand the impact of the Every Student Succeeds Act on English Language Learners? Our guests offer their assessments and projections. @larryferlazzo @tweenteacher @cathypetreebeck @Bamradionetwork Heather Wolpert-Gawron is an award-winning middle school teacher from San Gabriel, CA who is the author of Writing Behind Every Door: Teaching Common Core Writing in the Content Areas. Margo Gottlieb, Ph.D., is co-founder and lead developer for WIDA at the Wisconsin Center for Education Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison; her latest book includes Assessing English language learners: Bridges to equity. Cathy Beck is currently the Assistant Superintendent in Summit County, CO (Breckenridge). She is the author of Easy and Effective Professional Development. Sarah Said is the Director of English Learning at Chicago Ridge School District. Sarah manages three different bilingual programs in Arabic, Spanish, and Polish and she has been a teacher, Dean of Curriculum and EL Director.

As the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) takes full effect this fall, educators might be curious to know how this new legislation affects STEM education. To help us navigate through ESSA, Lab Out Loud welcomes James Brown to the show. As executive director of the STEM Education Coalition, James works with the Coalition to raise awareness in Congress, the Administration, and other organizations about the critical role that STEM education plays in enabling the U.S. to remain the economic and technological leader of the global marketplace of the 21st century. James joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to talk about ESSA, how it impacts states and STEM education, and how teachers can get more involved as this law rolls out.   Show notes at: http://laboutloud.com/2017/09/episode-170-essa/

Featuring the New Hampshire State Department of Education and the Center for Innovation and Education, this webinar focuses on opportunities in the Every Student Succeeds Act to advance deeper learning assessment and how New Hampshire’s approach to assessment advances deeper learning and promotes student agency.

The new federal education law requires states to determine whether ineffective teachers are concentrated in schools with disadvantaged students. But how will states identify ineffective teachers? In this episode of the Education Exchange, Paul E. Peterson is joined by Stanford's Eric Hanushek to discuss how states have identified qualified teachers and effective teachers and how they plan to comply with the Every Student Succeeds Act.

This week on Extra Credit special guest Karlynn Laraway from the State Department of Education joins the podcast to break down the Every Student Succeeds Act and explain why parents and taxpayers should be paying attention.

The best thing we can do for our music education programs is to be actively involved in the discussions that shape our standards. Don’t just respond to decisions that other people make without the benefit of an arts advocate guiding them. In this episode Justin deconstructs the Every Student Succeeds Act, No Child Left Behind, Common Core, and the mysteries of speaking your administration’s language. Listen: Highlight to Tweet: “It’s easy to feel unappreciated….It’s easy to turn negative. The challenge becomes not letting those thing flips the switch in your brain, and maintaining the momentum you’ve already established.” - Justin Caithaml Show Notes: In the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) music is listed as its own subject for a well rounded education (for the first time). Federal law now backs you up when you advocate for music education. Be aware of your state’s response to the legislation. Be informed, so that you can be an effective advocate. Find out how your administration is responding to the ESSA. In the 19080’s, when the “A Nation at Risk” report came out, the arts community slow to respond. National standards were not set until the 90’s. We need to be actively involved with the ESSA rollout and implementation, not responding years later to the decisions other people have made. How can we communicate the skills we are teaching like other subjects, without compromising the integrity of our own? Our administrators likely do not have fluency in our subject or its language. We are the translators. Find ways to uses tools (Sight REading Factory, self-assessment rubrics) to meet standards using the language your administration uses. Make use of your opportunities (like concerts) to explain how what they are hearing reflects a standard they have achieved. Bio: Justin Caithaml graduated Magna Cum Laude from Baldwin Wallace University in 2014 with a Bachelor of Music Education degree. He currently serves as Choir Director for grades 7-12 at Midview Local Schools, west of Cleveland. In addition, he serves as choir director at Bethel Lutheran Church and is the state advisor for the Tri-M Music Honor Society. He is a board member at the Ohio Alliance for Arts Education and is also a member of the Collaborative for Arts Education in Ohio. An Ohio native, he is a 2010 graduate of Midview High School, where he was a recipient of the National School Choral Award. Resources/links Mentioned: Everything ESSA ESSA and the arts Strong Arts, Strong Schools: The Promising Potential and Shortsighted Disregard of the Arts in American Schooling, by Charles Fowler Valuing Music in Education: A Charles Fowler Reader, Edited with critical commentary by Craig Resta Choir Nation group on Facebook Email Patreon - Support the podcast! Sponsored by: Sight Reading Factory (Use promo code “NINJA” at checkout for 10 free student accounts!) My Music Folders (Use promo code “NINJA” at checkout for “last column” or best pricing - usually reserved for bulk purchases only!)

This week we take a closer look at Idaho's plan to comply with the federal Every Student Succeeds Act. Plus, co-host Kevin Richert points out some concerns with the latest round of SAT scores.

Guests Heather Gage from the NH Department of Education and Susan Lyons from the Center for Assessment sit down with Reaching Higher NH's Dan Vallone to talk about New Hampshire's draft plan for the Every Student Succeeds Act.

Shayna Cook (cook_shayna) is a policy analyst with the Education Policy program at New America. She is a member of the Learning Technologies project. Shayna researches and reports on innovation, new technologies, and digital equity issues concerning children from birth through third grade. She is a former teacher who graduated from American University with a master's degree in education, focusing on policy and leadership. She holds a bachelor's degree in classics from Howard University. In this episode, we discussed: how states can use federal funding to promote family engagement. how schools can more effectively incorporate technology to promote family engagement. how to evaluate engagement programs to determine how they improve learning outcomes. Resources: New America's Education Policy Program New Guidance on Using the Every Student Succeeds Act to Support Early Learning by Shayna Cook (New America, 2016) Lower Ed: The Troubling Rise of For-Profit Colleges in the New Economy by Tressie McMillan Cottom NEWS ROUNDUP Sinclair is acquiring Tribune broadcasting, the companies announced on Monday, for a cool $3.9 billion. Tribune owns 42 tv stations in 33 markets, WGN, digital multicast network Antenna TV, minority stakes in the TV Food Network and CareerBuilder, and a variety of real estate assets, according to the companies' press release. Even after the Republican controlled FCC threw it a bone at its last open meeting by reinstating the UHF discount, which lets broadcasters half the size of the audience their UHF stations reach, thereby enabling broadcast companies to own more stations, Sinclair may still need to divest some its stations to fall under the 39 percent cap on the national audience. Sinclair is Chaired by David Smith--a key supporter of Donald Trump. ---- President Trump signed an executive order establishing a new American Technology Council which will be tasked with coming up with ways to transform and modernize the federal government. It's not clear yet which companies will participate, but Tony Romm at Recode notes that Google, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft have huddled with the administration in the past.  Mike Allen at Axios reported the creation of the Council was spearheaded by Trump advisor and son-in-law Jared Kushner and that the council will hold a summit in June to map out a plan for the duration of the Trump administration. Two lawmakers also created a bi-partisan Digital Trade Caucus last week which is aimed at protecting cross-border digital trade from protectionism. Minnesota Republican Erik Paulsen and Washington Democrat Suzan DelBene made the announcement last week. The Department of Justice has announced a criminal investigation into Uber.  The New York Times reported in March that the company was using a software called Greyball to circumvent local authorities in areas where Uber hasn't been approved yet. Now a grand jury in Northern California has subpoenaed documents from Uber related to the matter. Dan Levine has the story in Reuters. The State Department wants to intensify its scrutiny of visa applicants. The agency published a document last week, in line with the Trump administration's efforts to subject visa applicants to "extreme vetting", which outlines plans to require visa applicants to provide five years worth of their social media handles, phone numbers and email addresses. The public will have a chance to comment on the new proposed rules until May 18th. Yaganeh Torbati and Mica Rosenberg report in Reuters. The reined-in National Security Agency still collected 151 million phone records in 2016. Charlie Savage reports in the New York Times that the NSA previously collected billions of phone records per day, according to a transparency report released last week. The Department of Homeland Security warned of an emerging espionage campaign led by Chinese hackers. The hacker group APT10 or MenuPass group has targeted construction, aerospace, engineering and telecom companies in the past, but security analysts are now saying they found evidence that the group could now be working in tandem with the Chinese government to collect military secrets from the United States.  Chris Bing has the story in CyberScoop. Elon Musk's SpaceX boosted a classified U.S. Spy Satellite into orbit on Monday May 1st at 7:14AM. The payload is a National Reconnaissance Office satellite. SpaceX is trying to ramp up its commercial space flight program following an explosion last September that halted it. However, last week's launch was SpaceX's 4th successful launch since January, and it was flawless. Andy Pasztor reports in the Wall Street Journal. Finally, a report by an engineer at Facebook found the company rejects code submitted by female engineers at a rate that is 35% higher than their male counterparts. Facebook's most recent diversity report shows women comprise just 17% of Facebook's technical workforce. Deepa Seetharaman reports in the Wall Street Journal.

Is it time to end the U.S. Department of Education? With bipartisan support, the Every Student Succeeds Act curbed much of the federal control that reached its apogee with the No Child Left Behind Act, Race to the Top, and NCLB waivers. Now, with the Trump administration considering federal influence to spread school choice, even many of the biggest advocates of a robust federal role may be rethinking federal power. Join us as we debate whether it is time, politically and educationally, to eliminate the Department of Education, and if so, what should happen to its programs and functions. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Karen Rambo-Hernandez discusses the shift from No Child Left Behind to the Every Student Succeeds Act, and changes in the approach from teaching to proficiency to growth. Read more at https://www.ctd.northwestern.edu/spring-2017-talent-newsletter.

When then-President Obama signed the bipartisan "Every Student Succeeds Act" into law in late 2015, it marked a significant change in federal education policy. The previous law, President George W. Bush's "No Child Left Behind," had grown increasingly controversial for what critics on both the left and right called excessive federal overreach into local education policy. Today we're talking with Rick Hess of the American Enterprise Institute about his new book - "The Every Student Succeeds Act: What It Means for Schools, Systems and States" - which gives readers an overview of both the evolution of federal education policy and the new law. Click here for Rick's book on the Every Student Succeeds Act: https://www.amazon.com/Every-Student-Succeeds-Act-ESSA/dp/1682530124/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1491318996&sr=8-1&keywords=the+every+student+succeeds+act Click here for Rick's page at AEI: http://www.aei.org/scholar/frederick-m-hess/

Massachusetts is about to submit to the US Department of Education its plan for monitoring and holding schools accountable under the new Every Student Succeeds Act, the law passed in late 2015 that replaced the No Child Left Behind law. The new law, which, like the No Child statute, is really a reauthorization of landmark 1965 legislation creating a bigger federal role in overseeing and funding education, gives states more leeway in how they hold schools and districts accountable for improving student outcomes. MassINC research director Ben Forman and Linda Noonan, executive director of the Massachusetts Alliance for Education, say the state plan mainly holds pat.

In this podcast, Senior Manager of Advocacy, Carly Wright, and Advocacy Consultant, Karen Johnson, share the latest updates on the Every Student Succeeds Act, what the new Presidential administration means for implementation in states, give us a federal funding forecast, and a preview of 2017 SPEAK Out! Day.

The Every Student Succeeds Act, the federal education law passed in 2015, is part of what would seem to be a dying breed: major pieces of domestic policy legislation passed with overwhelming bipartisan support. How did ESSA come to be? And what does it mean for American students? In this episode of the podcast, Marty West is joined by Rick Hess, co-author of a new book, The Every Student Succeeds Act: What It Means for Schools, Systems, and States. An excerpt from the book, “The Long Path to ESSA,” is now available at http://educationnext.org/the-long-path-to-essa-every-student-succeeds-act-book-excerpt-hess-eden/

The Every Student Succeeds Act was signed into law at the end of 2015 and is a major overhaul of education policy in the United States. In this episode, find out how the new law will likely lead to a massive transfer of taxpayer money into private pockets. Please support Congressional Dish: Click here to contribute with PayPal or Bitcoin Mail Contributions to: Congressional Dish 5753 Hwy 85 North #4576 Crestview, FL 32536 Thank you for supporting truly independent media! S. 1177: Every Student Succeeds Act Bill Highlights Section 4: Transition Ends previous funding programs on September 30,2016 The Statewide Accountability System created by this law will be effective starting in the 2017-2018 school year Title I: Improving basic programs operated by State and local educational agencies Funding Provides an average of $15.5 billion per year for 2017-2020 At least 7% of the funding must be reserved by States and granted to local educational agencies, who will be allowed to hire for-profit organizations for "improvement activities" States are allowed, but not required, to reserve 3% of their funding for direct student services, which includes AP courses, college courses, transportation to another school as needed, and tutoring. 50 local educational agencies will be allowed to create their own per-pupil method of distributing funds State Plans To receive funding, States must submit a peer-reviewed plan to be approved by the Secretary of Education. State plans will be available online for the public Plans will be required to include "challenging academic content standards" but the State won't be required to submit their standards to the Secretary of Education. Academic standards are only required for mathematics, reading or language arts, and science. Alternate academic standards can be developed for students with disabilities. Testing States will be required to test students in math, reading, and science and is allowed to test in any other subject. Math and reading tests are required each year from grades 3 through 8, and once in high school. Science tests will be required once during grades 3 through 5, once during grades 6 through 9, and once during grades 10 through 12. Results will be reported by race, ethnicity, wealth, disability, English proficiency status, gender, and migrant status. State and local educational agencies must include a policy that allows parents to opt their child out of mandated tests. School Choice Students can choose to attend an another public school controlled by the "local education agency" and the local education agency is allowed to pay for student transportation, but there is a funding cap. Secretary of Education's Role The Secretary of Education is prohibited from intervening or adjusting State plans The Federal Government can't force or encourage States to adopt Common Core standards. "No State shall be required to have academic standards approved or certified by the Federal Government in order to receive assistance under this Act." Accountability The State will publish a detailed annual report card on the State's educational agency's website. Local Educational Agency Plans Local educational agencies can only get Federal funding if they have State-approved plans Parents Right to Know Local educational agencies that receive Federal funds will have to provide parents with information about their kids' teachers, including if the teacher has met State qualifications for the grade level and subject and if the teacher is teaching under emergency or provisional status. Parents will also be informed if a student has been taught for 4 or more consecutive weeks by a teacher who does not meet State certification for the grade level or subject. Parents must give written consent in order for their child to participate in any mental health assessment, except for in emergencies. Children can not be forced to take a prescription medication as a condition for attending a Federally funded school. Schoolwide Programs Can be administered by for-profit providers Funds from Federal, State, and local grants can be consolidated and used to upgrade the entire educational program of schools where at least 40% of the children come from low income families. Schoolwide programs can be exempted by the Secretary of Education from regulations governing education grant programs. Activities can include mental health counseling, mentoring services, "specialized instructional support" services, college courses, activities for teachers, and preschool programs for children under 6 years old. High schools can use the money for dual enrollment of underperforming kids and can pay for teacher training, tuition and fees, books, "innovative delivery methods", and transportation to and from the program. "Targeted Assistance Schools" Can be administered by for-profit providers. Local agencies will decide the criteria that determines which kids are eligible Funds can pay for before and after school programs, summer programs, "activities", academic courses, and this law added "family support and engagement services". Children Enrolled in Private Schools Upon request, local educational agencies need to provide children in private schools with services including testing, counseling, mentoring, one-on-one tutoring, dual or concurrent enrollment, radio equipment, televisions, computer equipment, and other tech to "address their needs" "Educational services and other benefits for such private school children shall be equitable in comparison to services and other benefits or public school children..." An investigator will be employed to ensure equity for private school children and teachers A complaint and appeal process will be created for those who think the private school kids are not getting their share of money. Private school children's share of funds will be based on the number of low income children who attend private schools. Funds to private school children can be provided directly or through an "entity" or "third party contractor". State educational agencies must provide services to private school children if the local agencies don't, and they can do so by contracting with private organizations. Title II: Preparing, training, and recruiting high-quality teachers, principals, or other school leaders Creates a public or non-profit teaching academy which will award certificates or degrees equivalent to Masters degrees. The Federal funding provided is a little under half a billion per year. Contracts can be given to for profit entities for teacher testing, training, technical assistance, program administration, and mentoring. For-profit entities can also be hired by local education agencies to develop and implement processes for hiring and paying teachers. Partnerships between schools and private mental health organizations may be formed. The Federal government is prohibited from oversight Teacher and School Leader Incentive Program States, local educational agencies, and non-profit organizations will be given three year extendable grants to create and implement "performance based compensation systems" for teachers, principals and other school leaders in schools with at least 30% of students coming from low income families. Government agencies and charter schools and partner with for-profit entities Civics Courses 12 grants will be awarded to create summer school courses for 50-300 teachers that will inform them how to teach American history and civics. 100-300 junior or senior year students will also get intensive civics courses Title III: Language Instruction for English learners and immigrant students Funding Between $756 million increasing to $885 million per year through 2020. Some grant money will go to "institutions of higher education or public or private entities" for a National professional development project that will train & certify teachers, and pay for tuition, fees, and books. Process All students who may be English learners will be assessed within 30 days of enrolling in a new school. To determine how much money each State gets, data from the American Community Survey, conducted by the Department of Commerce will be used. Title IV: 21st Century Schools Funding $1.6 billion per year through 2020 Grants will be awarded to States to increase student access to education on technology, computer science, music, arts, foreign languages, civics, geography, social studies, environmental education and other experiences that contribute to a well rounded education. Local education agencies need to apply to get the money Local education agencies are allowed to partner with private entities Community Learning Centers Funding $1.1 billion per year through 2020 Purpose Private entities are eligible for 5 year grants to operate Community Learning Centers for extra education programs. State applications will be deemed approved if the Secretary of Education takes no action within 120 days. Applying entities get to decide the purpose of the Community Learning Centers they will operate and must include that information in their application. Activities can include tutoring, mentoring, financial and environmental literacy programs, nutritional education, physical education, services for the disabled, after school English learning classes, cultural programs, technology education programs, library services, parenting skills programs, drug and violence prevention programs, computer science, and career readiness programs. Charter Schools Purpose "To increase the number of high-quality charter schools available to students across the United States" "To encourage States to provide support to charter schools for facilities financing in an amount more nearly commensurate to the amount States typically provide for traditional public schools" Funding $270 million increasing to $300 million per year through 2020 Five year grants will be awarded to open and expand charter schools The Secretary of Education is required to award at least three charter school grants per year and give out every penny allocated for the first two years. Priority will go to States that give charter schools the most, including funding for facilities, free or low cost use of public buildings, or first-in-line privileges for buying public school buildings. Taxpayer funded grants will pay for hiring and paying staff, buying supplies, training, equipment, and educational materials - including development of those materials - building renovations, start up costs for transportation programs, and student and staff recruitment costs. Grant money will go towards getting loans and issuing bonds to the private sector for charter school facilities. National Activities Funding $200 million increasing to $220 million per year through 2020 Programs Grants for experimental programs Businesses will be eligible if they partner with a government organization "Full service community schools" that coordinate community services Private entities will be eligible if they partner with a government organization National activities for school safety to improve students safety during and after the school day The Secretary of Education can use contracts with private entities Awards to provide arts education Private organizations are eligible Awards to create educational programming for pre-school and elementary school aged children on television and the Internet Money will go to a public telecommunications entity that will contract with producers. Awards will to go programs for gifted students Contracts can be given to private organizations Title VIII: General Provisions Department of Education Staff Within one year of enactment (December 2016), the Secretary of Education must identify all projects that were consolidated or eliminated by ESSA and fire the number of employees who were employed administering or working on those programs. Control of Funds Removes the requirement that States provide assurances that funds will be controlled by public agencies or non-profits Military Recruiters Each local educational agency accepting Federal funds must give military recruiters the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of each high school student in the district, unless the parents have previously opted out. Opt-out process:: Parents must submit a written request to the local education agency that their child's information not be released to military recruiters without the parent's consent. Each local educational agency must notify parents of the option to opt-out of recruitment. State Opt-Out Any State that refuses Federal funds "shall not be required to carry out any of the requirements of such program." Title IX: Education for Homeless and Other Laws Creates rights to education for homeless children, which will be distributed to the public Sound Clip Sources Forum: Charter and Private Schools, Forum hosted by Senator Tim Scott (GA), February 9, 2015. Panelists: Frederick "Rick" Hess, American Enterprise Institute Ann Duplessis, Former Louisiana State Senator, Senior Vice President for Liberty Bank & Trust, President of Louisiana Federation for Children Emily Kim, Executive Vice President of Success Academy Charter Schools Timestamps and Transcripts {14:15} Rick Hess: Sitting immediately next to me, we’ve got Ann Duplessis. Ann’s a former state senator in Louisiana. She’s president of Louisiana Federation for Children, where she partners with local and national policy leaders to promote educational options. She continues to work full time while she does this, as Senior Vice President for Liberty Bank & Trust in New Orleans. Oh! She’s also the chair of the Louisiana State Board of Supervisors. Following Hurricane Katrina, it was Ann who authored a bill which allowed the state to take over the majority of schools in New Orleans Parish, which lead to the thriving charter-school movement that you see in New Orleans today. {40:50} Ann Duplessis:Unfortunately, where we are today is, this is big business. Unknown Speaker: That’s right. Duplessis: Education is big business. We are fighting money; we are fighting tradition; we are fighting people’s jobs; and so until and unless we can get past the issues that this is some tradition that we must maintain, until we can have people understand that we need to create new traditions, until we can get past that the jobs that we’re talking about are not jobs that we need to protect, if those jobs aren’t protecting our kids, we have to get past that. And unless we can get our elected officials to understand that, this will all continue to be more of a challenge. {48:00} Emily Kim-Charters: I want to give one example of a piece of paper that we really, truly dislike, and it’s—every year there is this requirement that teachers who are not certified have to send home in the backpack folder for their scholars a piece of paper saying, just wanted you to know, parents, I’m not highly qualified. So, yes, I’ve been teaching for five years, and my scholars are in the top one percent in the state of New York, but I just wanted you to know that I didn’t have that thing called highly qualified, and somebody thought that I should write you and tell you and let you know. I mean, it’s to a level that is truly, truly absurd; whereas, we would want the teacher to write home and say, look, this is what we are doing to get your scholar to the highest potential, and I’ve been doing it for five years very successfully, and this is what you need to do is bring your child to school on time, pick your child up from school on time, get the homework done, and make sure that they are motivated at school. And that’s what we’d like to do, and we have to do the other thing instead. Hearing: Expanding Educational Opportunity Through School Choice, House Education and the Workforce Committee, February 3, 2016. Watch on Youtube Witness: Gerard Robinson: American Enterprise Institute Timestamps and Transcripts {27:15} Gerard Robinson: I can tell you quite clearly that school choice is not a sound bite; it’s a social movement. From 1990 to 2015, over 40 states have introduced different types of school-choice legislation, both public and private. Video: Interview with David Brian, President & CEO of Entertainment Properties Trust, August 15, 2012 Video: Three-Minute Video Explaining the Common Core State Standards by CGCS Video Maker, 2012. Additional Reading Article: Lawsuit accuses Arizona charter schools of teaching history with religious slant by Garrett Mitchell, The Arizona Republic, September 16, 2016. Article: LA charter school abruptly closes for lack of students by Brenda Gazzar, Los Angeles Daily News, September 15, 2016. Article: Lake Forest Charter School, Liberty Bank & Trust Present 4th Annual 'Cocktails And Blues' Benefit Featuring Gina Brown, Biz New Orleans, August 31, 2016. Article: A Sea of Charter Schools in Detroit Leaves Students Adrift by Kate Zernike, New York Times, June 28, 2016. Article: Inside the Hedge Fund Infatuation with Charter Schools by Stephen Vita, Investopedia, March 9, 2016. Article: GOP Candidates Probably Can't Repeal Common Core by Lauren Camera, US News & World Report, March 4, 2016. Article: Why Education Activists Are Furious at ExxonMobil's CEO by Valerie Strauss, The Washington Post, December 29, 2015. Article: Business Gets Schooled by Peter Elkind, Fortune, December 23, 2015. Article: 10 Years After Katrina, New Orleans' All-Charter School System Has Proven a Failure by Colleen Kimmet, In These Times, August 28, 2015. Article: The Big Easy's Grand Experiment by Thomas Toch, US News & World Report, August 18, 2015. Report: Brought to You by Wal-Mart? How the Walton Family Foundation's Ideological Pursuit is Damaging Charter Schooling, American Federation of Teachers, June 2015 Article: Charter groups top unions in lobbying, campaign spending by Bill Mahoney, Eliza Shapiro, and Jessica Bakeman, Politico, February 20, 2015. Article: Who Is Profiting From Charters? The Big Bucks Behind Charter School Secrecy, Financial Scandal and Corruption by Kristin Rawls, AlterNet, January 21, 2015. Report: A Growing Movement: America's Largest Charter School Communities by the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, December 2014. Article: 120 American Charter Schools and One Secretive Turkish Cleric by Scott Beauchamp, The Atlantic, August 12, 2014. Article: A dozen problems with charter schools by Valerie Strauss, The Washington Post, May 20, 2014. Blog post: Big Profits in Not-for-Profit Charter Schools by Alan Singer, The Huffington Post, April 7, 2014. Article: Why wealthy foreigners invest in U.S. charter schools by Valerie Strauss, The Washington Post, February 15, 2013. Article: KKR Partnership Makes an Education Push by Gregory Zuckerman, The Wall Street Journal, July 11, 2011. Article: U.S. Gives Charter Schools a Big Push in New Orleans by Susan Saulny, The New York Times, June 13, 2006. Article: N.O. Teachers Union Loses Its Force in Storm's Wake by Michael Hoover, Times-Picayune, March 5, 2006. Article: Students Return to Big Changes in New Orleans by Susan Saulny, The New York Times, January 4, 2006. Commentary: The Promise of Vouchers by Milton Friedman, The Wall Street Journal, December 5, 2005. Additional Information OpenSecrets.org: Lobbying Information for S. 1177: Every Student Succeeds Act OpenSecrets.org: Lobbyists representing National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, 2015 Website: Walton Family Foundation: K-12 Education(http://www.waltonfamilyfoundation.org/our-impact/k12-education) Website: American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC): Education Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio) Cover Art Design by Only Child Imaginations

RAILS Executive Director Dee Brennan talks with Sylvia Norton, Executive Director of the American Association of School Librarians, and Megan Cusick, Grassroots Specialist at the Office for Library Advocacy, about the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Topics include the status of the legislation in Illinois and why it is critical for library staff from all types of libraries to work together to support school libraries. Intro/outro music by Julie Jurgens, https://himissjulie.com/ Relevant Links American Association of School Librarians (AASL)—ESSA and School Libraries webpage: http://essa.aasl.org/ Illinois School Library Media Association (ISLMA)—ESSA webpage: https://www.islma.org/ESSA.htm  

Part 1 Oregon Education Association Round Table Discussion, continued. Hanna Vaandering ( President of Oregon Education Association) and Judy Harris ( middle school teacher) discuss Every Student Succeeds Act. Part 2 Deanne talks with Waldo Middle School teacher Ricardo Larios, who won the prestigious Milken Educator Award and discusses his educational experiences at the "Scholar's Picnic" benefit luncheon in Salem. Part 3 Peter Courtney gives a Labor Day speech at a Labor day Picnic in Salem.

Jane Clarenbach, Director of Public Education for the National Association for Gifted Children, discusses why the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) is a "win" for gifted education advocates. To learn more about making the most of ESSA, view CTD's Talent newsletter at www.ctd.northwestern.edu/spring-2016-talent-newsletter.

Randall Reback of Barnard College and Columbia University sits down with Paul E. Peterson to discuss the kinds of changes in state accountability systems we are likely to see under the Every Student Succeeds Act.

Collin and Matt interview Eileen about her Keynote at the SHAPE America National Convention, her work on the ground floor of the Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program, and how to get ourselves at the table to be a part of the conversation of The Every Student Succeeds Act.

Special guest star Libby Nelson joins Sarah and Matt to explain the Every Student Succeeds Act, examine the strange history and economics behind the NCAA's non-payment of athletes, and break down some new research on why Uber works. Today’s episode is brought to you by The Great Courses Plus. Visit TheGreatCoursesPlus.com/Weeds to stream Inexplicable Universe: Unsolved Mysteries and hundreds of other courses for free!This episode is also brought to you by Re:Dream, a documentary series on Youtube taking a look at the idea of the American Dream. Watch the videos, find local events, and join the conversation at ReDreamProject.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We speak with two educators, Stephen Krashen and Timothy Slekar, about the newest federal legislation on education, the so-called “Every Student Succeeds Act.” Hidden in the more than 1,000 pages are provisions that will undercut the profession of teaching. We discuss why and how education is under attack, not just in the United States but globally, and what teachers are doing to fight back and create the high quality education that children deserve. For more information, visit www.ClearingtheFOGRadio.org.

Susan Patrick sits down with EdNext editor Paul E. Peterson to discuss what impact the new Every Student Succeeds Act could have on digital learning.

The No Child Left Behind Act, with its rules about everything from teacher qualifications to school interventions, has finally been replaced. What took so long? Finally getting the left and right to agree that Washington had gone too far. But is the Every Student Succeeds Act, NCLB’s replacement, really designed to withdraw Washington from the nation’s classrooms? And is there danger that the U.S. Department of Education will write regulations maintaining federal power no matter what the statute’s intent? We hope you’ll join us for a crucial discussion about the newest federal education law. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Episode #106

Mike Petrilli of the Fordham Institute joins Ed Next executive editor Marty West to discuss the passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act. Who were the real winners and losers in this deal? And what happens next?

William Howell of the University of Chicago talks with Marty West about the Every Student Succeeds Act and federal education policy in the Obama administration.

In this edition of Tune-In AR1, Representative Crawford speaks with Rep. John Kline, the Chairman of the House Committee on Workforce and Education, about the Every Student Succeeds Act, which restores local and state control for education and restricts the federal government's role.