By: Paul Negron, Public Affairs Specialist

Check out this week’s can’t-miss events and education news in the District and around the country!

SBOE IN THE NEWS
D.C. Council members look to curtail mayor’s control of city schools | Washington Post (Ruth)

Unionists elected to political office busy getting more unionists to run | People’s World (Ruth)

Parents, stakeholders still feel distrust in DCPS as search for chancellor and DME continues at town hall | (Laura)

ESSA TASK FORCE
– September Monthly Meeting Video Recording
– September Meeting Twitter Thread
– September Meeting Presentation Slides

SCHOOL REPORT CARD
– OSSE’s Draft Report Card Mock-up (Presented to ESSA Task Force September 11)
– OSSE 2018-19 DC School Report Card and STAR Framework Technical Guide
– OSSE School Report Card Site

DC NEWS
Mayor Bowser alters panel that selects schools chief amid parents’ lawsuit | Washington Post
Facing a court battle, D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) moved this week to alter the composition of the panel advising her on finding a schools chief — a decision that underscores the high stakes involved with installing a chancellor.

Thousands of additional students expected in public schools by 2026, new report says | DC Line
DC’s public school system has been plastered across scandal-driven headlines the past year, with city officials dealing with leadership turmoil, subpar graduation returns and allegations of attendance fraud. And, despite ongoing capacity challenges in parts of DC, education officials will likely have to find a way manage substantial enrollment growth over the next decade, according to a new report from the D.C. Policy Center.

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By: Paul Negron, Public Affairs Specialist

Take a look at our weekly rundown of the top education news and events here in the District and around the country!

SBOE IN THE NEWS
Two State Board of Education incumbents face challengers, with three-way races for two open seats | DC Line (Ruth, Joe)

DCPS chancellor search continues with last of three community forums tonight | DC Line (Joe)

SEEKING HEALTHIER SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTS IN DC’S WARD 6: 9/13 ED TOWN HALL | We Act Radio (Joe)

SBOE ESSA TASK FORCE
– September Monthly Meeting
– September Meeting Twitter Thread
– September Meeting Presentation Slides

SCHOOL REPORT CARD
– OSSE’s Draft Report Card Mock-up (Presented to ESSA Task Force on Tuesday)
– OSSE 2018-19 DC School Report Card and STAR Framework Technical Guide
– OSSE School Report Card Site

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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.

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By: Paul Negron, Public Affairs Specialist

Here’s our rundown of this week’s top education news and events in the District and around the country!

SBOE IN THE NEWS
Girls (Finally) Get Their Own School in Ward 8 | Afro (Markus)
Experts: State Test Scores Only One Measure of Student Progress | Afro (Karen)

NATIONAL
After Five Years, a Bold Set of Teacher-Prep Standards Still Faces Challenges | EdWeek
It has been five years this week since the teacher-preparation landscape was shaken up with the adoption of standards for accreditation that focused on evidence and outcomes, and teacher-training programs are still feeling the ripple effects.

Is Growth Mindset the Missing Piece in the Equity Discussion? | EdSurge
How does a school or district begin to tackle the seemingly insurmountable issue of equity? Decades of attempts at closing the persistent (and perhaps even widening) achievement gap, along with the knowledge that this is an immense and deeply historical issue to address, make it feel as if the task may be impossible.

Back to School by the Numbers: 2018 | EdWeek
Across the country, hallways and classrooms are full of activity as students head back to school for the 2018–19 academic year. Each year, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) compiles some back-to-school facts and figures that give a snapshot of our schools and colleges for the coming year.

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By: Paul Negron, Public Affairs Specialist

Check out our rundown of this week’s top education news and events in the District and around the country!

SBOE IN THE NEWS
Back to School: Time for All of Us to Get to Work! | Hill Rag

NATIONAL
Beyond Equality: Considerations for Equity in Schools | Eduwonk
Today, it’s become popular to extol the benefits of equity and to talk about virtually everything a school or district does as an equity activity. But in a world where almost everything is equity, how can we know if our individual efforts are working?

Closing the ‘Perception Gap’: With 3 in 5 Teachers Saying Students Are Not at Grade Level on First Day of School, New Digital Tool Offers Parents a ‘Readiness Check’ | 74
Most parents think their kids are ready for the next grade. In fact, 90 percent believe their child is academically on par with or above their peers in their grade.

Tennessee Department of Education Releases Report on Educator Diversity | TN DOE
Education Commissioner Candice McQueen today released a new report to provide insight on the racial and ethnic makeup of Tennessee’s student body and educator workforce, as well as outline where the department and districts across the state go from here. Additionally, for the first time, the department is releasing detailed demographic information by district to increase awareness and prompt further conversations.

Why Diversity Matters: Five Things We Know About How Black Students Benefit From Having Black Teachers | 74
Can an education profession overwhelmingly comprising whites and women effectively instruct surging numbers of pupils who do not resemble them? And if not, what can be done to introduce more diversity into the teaching ranks?

A Well-Rounded Education | CAP
Not that long ago, a high school diploma was a ticket to a middle-class job. Today, however, in too many states, earning a high school diploma might not even mean that students are eligible for college—let alone ready to succeed there.

The State of America’s Student-Teacher Racial Gap: Our Public School System Has Been Majority-Minority for Years, but 80 Percent of Teachers Are Still White | 74
Although America is becoming more diverse each year, and is expected to have a majority-minority population by 2044, the teaching force is not keeping up with the changing racial makeup of America’s children.

Teachers in the US are even more segregated than students | Brookings
An increasing amount of evidence shows that alignment in the racial or ethnic identity of teachers and students is associated with a range of positive student outcomes, from test scores to disciplinary actions to teacher expectations. Due to the underrepresentation of teachers of color in the current workforce, minority students stand to disproportionally benefit from efforts to increase teacher diversity.

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By: Paul Negron, Public Affairs Specialist

Here’s our rundown of this week’s top education news and events in the District and around the country!

NATIONAL NEWS
New Teachers Are Often Assigned to High-Poverty Schools. Why Not Train Them There? | EdWeek

This fall, the Denver public schools are piloting a program aimed at training new teachers in the buildings where they are most likely to be assigned: the city’s high-poverty schools. The district is testing the strategy with six new “associate teachers” who will teach part-time and spend the remainder of their day observing master teachers in action and planning their own lessons.

Most Principals Like Their Jobs. Here’s What Makes Them Change Schools or Quit Altogether | EdWeek
Principals love their jobs, but some would ditch their current jobs immediately if a higher-paying gig came along, according to a new survey of the profession. Some 94 percent of principals say they are satisfied at their current schools.

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By: Paul Negron, Public Affairs Specialist

Check out our rundown of the top education news and events this week in the District and around the country!

SBOE QUOTED IN THE NEWS
The Progressive Happy Hour: Young People, Young Leaders | PFAW

NATIONAL NEWS
Major Changes Planned By Department Of Education | WAMU
The Education Department unveiled a plan to rewrite and roll back important rules that govern colleges and their accrediting agencies. The department says it wants to reduce obstacles to innovation, but critics worry this will lower school standards and hurt students.

How History Classes Helped Create a ‘Post-Truth’ America | The Atlantic
The author of Lies My Teacher Told Me discusses how schools’ flawed approach to teaching the country’s past affects its civic health.

Here’s some advice for CPS’ future Chief Equity Officer in year one | Chalkbeat
On Wednesday, the Chicago Board of Education is expected to vote on CPS’ 2018-19 budget, which lists a new four-person Office of Equity as a $1 million line item. The board also plans to vote on a proposed revision to its student code of conduct to help address racial disparities in suspensions.

Teachers Weigh in on Pay, Safety, School Choice, and Evaluations in New Survey | EdWeek
In a year marked by teacher activism and demonstrations, educators are urging policymakers to listen to them. Now, a new survey details teachers’ opinions on more than a dozen education issues.

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