E-rate program regulations and innovative district solutions to digital divide explored in webinar

A June 25 webinar hosted by New America’s Open Technology Institute featured advocates for closing the homework gap and three school district representatives from across the nation attempting to do so right now. At least 7 million students in the U.S. currently lack broadband access […]

California education officials announce plans to re-examine policing on school grounds

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announced June 24 two ways in which the California Department of Education intends to support schools as districts throughout the state address concerns surrounding educational equity and racial justice. Since the inception of the school resource officer decades […]

State budget provisions complicate school reopening under COVID-19 conditions; Mega-deferrals established and major cuts avoided

While touted by Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders as preserving K–12 funding and positioning schools to reopen this fall, the 2020–21 state budget trailer bill language strips local educational agencies of critical flexibility needed to safely and effectively resume instruction. Distance learning Assembly Bill […]

Mandated reporters help ensure the safety and well-being of children during COVID-19

While learning loss has been at the forefront of concerns about the impacts of school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the shuttering of schools across the country poses additional risks for children who may experience abuse and neglect in their households. The economic crisis […]

Revised playbook offers chronic absenteeism strategies amidst COVID-19

The Attendance Playbook — originally released in 2019 by the nonprofit Attendance Works and Georgetown University-based think tank FutureEd — has been updated to account for the challenges posed by transitioning to fully virtual or blended learning models. The resource, Attendance Playbook: Smart Strategies for […]

Education leaders call for greater funding for COVID-19 challenges in U.S. House Committee hearing

The overarching theme of a recent U.S. House of Representatives Education and Labor Committee hearing echoed what many in education have been repeating since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic: schools need more money to ensure the safety and high-quality education of all students. Witnesses […]

Legislators call out resources, liability and lack of direction as concerns in reopening schools

With local educational agencies equipped with federal, state and county guidance on reopening campuses for the 2020–21 academic year, a June 16 joint Assembly Education Committee hearing cast concerns about the practicality and affordability of welcoming students back to the classroom. A yet-to-be finalized state […]

Budget negotiations to intensify as Legislature meets June 15 deadline

The Legislature on Monday, June 15, passed a 2020–21 budget bill that staves off immediate and drastic cuts to K–12 education, however, the spending plan is far from final as negotiations with the Governor’s Office continue. The Legislature’s action meets the requirement that lawmakers pass […]

Schools must keep needs of English learners in mind when crafting reopening plans

The disruption in learning due to COVID-19 school closures has impacted all students, but when the 2020–21 academic year begins, there are undoubtedly certain students who will need additional help and resources to catch up and stay on track. Experts and practitioners who gathered virtually […]