SBOE Weekly Ed Links: 09-08-2018

By: Paul Negron, Public Affairs Specialist

Check out our rundown of the latest news here in the District and nationwide.

SBOE IN THE NEWS
DC parents demanding answers of why kids are attending class near demolition site | (Joe)
FAKING THE GRADE: DCPS principals unhappy and uncertain | (Joe)
Parents, Community Weigh in on D.C. Schools Chancellor Pick | (Tatiana)

NATIONAL NEWS
Baltimore schools step up efforts to recruit, retain black teachers | WaPO
In a district where African American children made up about 80 percent of the student body last year, only about 40 percent of its roughly 4,900 teachers were black.

California’s first computer science standards set for approval | EdSurge
The State Board of Education is expected to adopt California’s first-ever computer science standards Thursday afternoon. The standards, while not mandatory, are expected to increase the number of computer science classes taught in California classrooms

The Pursuit of Equity | Bethesda Magazine
In a county that is growing more racially and economically diverse, MCPS is facing the challenge of ensuring equal learning opportunities for all students.

1 in 7 Students Found to Be ‘Chronically Absent,’ Report Finds | EdWeek
As schools prepare to face increased accountability for bringing down rates of chronic student absenteeism, a new report reveals the scale of the task. Nationwide, about 1 in 7 students was chronically absent, missing at least 15 school days during the 2015-16 year, according to an analysis of the most recent federal data that was released last week by the reseach-and-advocacy groups Attendance Works and the Everyone Graduates Center at Johns Hopkins University.

If you don’t know what a ‘community school’ is, you should. Take a look at this one. | WaPo
Like other schools in the community school movement, Broome Street Academy draws on multiple community, business and higher education partners to meet the academic, health and social service needs of students. And for its efforts to help a high-needs student population, it is a winner in the 2017 Schools of Opportunity project, which recognizes public high schools that work to close opportunity gaps by creating learning environments that reach every student.

Here’s What’s Behind the Nation’s ‘C’ Grade on Student Achievement | EdWeek
When it comes to ranking school quality, one high-profile marker—academic achievement—takes center stage. How much students actually learn, whether they complete their K-12 education, and how states stack up against each other can offer a rough proxy for how well the nation’s public school system is doing its job.

Four ways state math standards have improved | EdExcellence
Overall, mathematics standards in the United States are far stronger today than they were in 2010, when Fordham conducted its last fifty-state review. And much of that improvement is due to the Common Core math standards, which earned a rating of A- in our 2010 report and a score of 9 out of 10 in our most recent review.

ESSA NEWS
Highlighted by revamped accreditation system, Virginia implements federal education plan | Richmond Times-Dispatch
The Virginia Department of Education will release school accreditation ratings this month, an annual event that often determines the public perception of individual schools and school systems. But this year’s release will feature a revamped system that drastically changes the way schools are judged and fulfills the state’s accountability requirements in a plan the federal education department approved earlier this year

State rolls out new accountability system for schools | MPN News
For Minnesota’s educators, parents and education watchdogs, there’s a whole new set of numbers to work through as the state on Thursday rolls out its newly refined school and district accountability data. Education Department officials hope the new system — dubbed North Star — helps struggling schools much better than the Multiple Measurement Ratings it replaces.

What’s New for Children in Foster Care Under ESSA? | EdWeek
ESSA made some key changes for this important population.

How Some States are Using Their New Accountability Systems to Leverage Equity in Education | LPI
New report provides information on which states are using provisions in the Every Student Succeeds Act to address students’ needs and ensure schools provide educational opportunity to all students, and how these efforts can be maximized.

DC AUDITOR REPORT ON DCPS PRINCIPALS
Stressed out: Two-thirds of DC principals say they may leave job within 5 years, survey finds | WTOP
Citing frustrations over funding, job insecurity and extreme stress, more than two-thirds of principals in D.C. say they may leave their jobs within the next five years, according to a new survey probing the culture of the D.C. public school system.

Short Contracts, Tight Budgets Make D.C.’s Principals More Stressed Than The National Average | WAMU
The D.C. Auditor’s office says that the District’s principals are the most stressed in the nation, and the policy of only giving school leaders one-year contracts is largely to blame.

Response to DC Auditor’s Lackluster DCPS Principal Survey Report | EmpowerK12
We dove into the report looking forward to learning about DCPS principal views, but after we finished reading, we were concerned about the methodologies.

DC NEWS
Parents say D.C. buses for special-ed students are unreliable at start of year | WaPo
About 3,000 special-education students in the District rely on city-funded buses to take them to and from school each day. Parents said the buses have either failed to show up, arrived late or brought their children home later than anticipated in the first days of school. They say bus delays typically persist throughout the academic year, resulting in their children showing up tardy to school.

Office of the State Superintendent of Education Announces Criteria and Participants for 2018-19 School Year Free and Reduced-Price Meals | OSSE
The District of Columbia Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) announces the criteria for determining the eligibility of children to receive free and reduced-price meals for schools participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the Special Milk Program (SMP) for free milk in schools.

Judge declines to issue restraining order | Washington Times
A D.C. Superior Court judge declined Tuesday to issue a restraining order that would have paused the city’s search for a new schools chancellor but allowed a lawsuit against city officials over the search to proceed.

2,000 DCPS Students Had Personal Information Exposed On Councilmember Website | DCist
Around 2,000 homeless students at D.C. public schools had their personal information mistakenly posted online for six months, school officials have confirmed. FOX 5 was the first to report on the information leak.

Assessment for Deeper Learning: Reclaiming the Power of Assessment | EdWeek
In a climate where there continues to be a movement among parents and educators to opt out of standardized tests, ‘assessment’ has become a dirty word.

Ethics board completes investigation into former schools chancellor | WaPo
City investigators have concluded their examination into whether the former chancellor of D.C. Public Schools and the former deputy mayor for education — both of whom resigned this year amid controversy — violated the District’s code of conduct, an official said Thursday. The office, which investigates D.C. government employees and officials accused of violating ethics laws, still needs to write a report on its findings

Interim DCPS Chancellor Confirms She’s Applying For Permanent Position | DCist
Interim Chancellor for D.C. Public Schools Amanda Alexander announced on The Kojo Show Wednesday that she’s applied for the permanent position as chancellor of the school system.

New Year, New Chancellor: D.C. Public Schools Begins Class After A Year Of Scandals | Kojo Show D.C. Public Schools is starting its school year with a new interim leader: Amanda Alexander. What’s her plan to steady the district’s course?

RESEARCH
D.C. Public School Principals Share Challenges, ConcernsU | DC Auditor

Data Matters Using Chronic Absence to Accelerate Action for Student Success, | Attendance Works

District of Columbia: Improved Reporting Could Enhance Management of the Tuition Assistance Grant Program | GAO

50-State Comparison: State Policies on School Discipline | ECS

Making ESSA’s Equity Promise Real: State Strategies to Close the Opportunity Gap | LPI

Auditing a State Career and Technical Education Program for Quality A PLAYBOOK FOR STATE POLICYMAKERS | Excel in Ed

EVENTS
DCPS Extended Year 2018-2019 Calendar
DCPS Traditional 2018-2019 Calendar
DCPS Back to School Nights
PCSB List of First Day of School
PCSB List of 2018 Back-to-School Events

SEPTEMBER
9/8: Special Education Town Hall for DC Parents
9/11: SBOE ESSA Task Force
9/11: DCPS Chancellor Public Engagement @ Brookland Middle
9/11: Examining Life Outcomes Among Graduates of Hispanic-Serving Institutions: 2018 HSIs and Workforce Survey
9/12: Team Up for Attendance: Data Matters
9/17: Ward 1 Education Town Hall (featuring Laura)
9/17: Building Safe, Engaging and Equitable Schools
9/18: World Class: How to Build a 21st Century School System
9/18: A School Superintendent’s Challenge to America
9/20: SBOE Public Meeting
9/20: Former Education Secretary Arne Duncan on “How Schools Work”
9/22: DCPS Back to School Block Party
9/23: DC State Fair
9/25: RSVP: OPPORTUNITY MYTH LAUNCH
9/27: Education 20/20 Double Standards on Discipline Will Widen the Racial Divide
9/29: OSSE DC Parent and Family Engagement Summit