Saturday, May 15, 2021

THE TOP BANANA: TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES Saturday, May 15, 2021 #REDFORED #tbats #edchat #K12 #learning #edleadership #edtech #engchat #literacy #edreform #TEACHTRUTH

THE TOP BANANA
TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES

Newsom’s $2 billion college savings plan for 1st graders & Chris Edley’s new gig https://edsource.org/podcast/newsoms-2-billion-college-savings-plan-for-1st-graders-chris-edleys-new-gig

Philadelphia pre-Ks could see millions in federal dollars. Parents and providers weigh in on how to spend it. - Chalkbeat Philadelphia - https://philadelphia.chalkbeat.org/broke-in-philly/2021/5/14/22436707/pre-ks-could-see-millions-in-federal-dollars-parents-and-providers-weigh-in-on-how-to-spend-it on chalkbeat

'Land-Grab Universities' Thrived On Indigenous Land. Now, Some Are Making Amends | NewBlackMan (in Exile) - https://www.newblackmaninexile.net/2021/05/land-grab-universities-thrived-on.html

Saturday’s Must-Read Articles On School Reopenings | Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... - https://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/?p=117570 on @Larryferlazzo

glen brown: Confused by CDC's Latest Mask Guidance? Here's What We've Learned (NPR) - https://teacherpoetmusicianglenbrown.blogspot.com/2021/05/confused-by-cdcs-latest-mask-guidance.html

Can Civics Save America? http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheAtlantic/~3/Kiba5EF1BHU/

Student reporter who interviewed Obama at White House dies at 23 https://www.politico.com/news/2021/05/15/kid-reporter-obama-interview-dies-488476

Governor's Budget Would Require Schools To Offer Full-Time, In-Person Classes By Fall https://laist.com/news/education/coronavirus-governor-gavin-newsom-reopen-schools-budget-proposal-k12

COVID-19 vaccinations and mitigation turned the corner on school reopening: AFT President https://finance.yahoo.com/video/covid-19-vaccinations-mitigation-turned-192900246.html

Parents at New York School Upset After Students Receive Assignment That States George Floyd Didn’t Die From Knee on Neck https://www.theroot.com/parents-at-new-york-school-upset-after-students-receive-1846896897

Huge budget boost to UC, CSU and community colleges targets student housing and job training http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/lanowblog/~3/7OljTqclsX8/uc-cal-state-community-colleges-get-historic-budget-hike

Graduating? Here's Life Kit's Best Advice For Taking The Next Step https://www.npr.org/2021/05/15/996874992/graduating-heres-life-kits-best-advice-for-taking-the-next-step

Tulsa Race Massacre Commission Ousts Oklahoma Governor https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/14/us/Oklahoma-critical-race-theory-Tulsa-massacre.html

What I Learned From Students About Their Pandemic Struggles https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/15/insider/pandemic-students-struggle.html

Conservative dad arrested after delivering bizarre and angry rant about 'Black America' at school board meeting http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheRawStory/~3/U5fOVH9Z52Y/

COVID remains a dire threat: How to keep schools safe - New York Daily News - https://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/ny-oped-covid-remains-a-dire-threat-20210515-f2rda27oszdobe7yhhvgvcaqoi-story.html via @nydailynews

Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial Commission Removes Gov. Kevin Stitt - THE ROOT

by Mike Simpson / now

Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial Commission Removes Gov. Kevin Stitt Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt Booted From Tulsa Race Massacre Commission After Signing Anti-Critical Race Theory Legislation Last week, The Root reported that Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt signed into law yet another Republican white fragility bill prohibiting teachings in K-12 schools that include conservative’s favorite new boogie man C

April Showers – Tennessee Education Report

by Mike Simpson / 14min

APRIL SHOWERS E rik Schelzig in the Tennessee Journal’s On the Hill blog notes that Tennessee’s April revenues were $600 million more than the budgeted estimate. Go ahead, read that again. In one month, the state collected $600 million more than planned. Here’s more from Schelzig: Tennessee’s general fund revenue collections were nearly $600 million above estimates in April, bringing the state’s

Can You Teach Us? | Blue Cereal Education

by Mike Simpson / 26min

Can You Teach Us? Public education has been overlooking – or worse, neglecting – a golden opportunity to improve. It’s not only been right in front of us all along, it’s been kicking us and taking our lunch money! And yet, somehow, where we should have recognized an opportunity, all we’ve seen is a competitor. In some cases, maybe even a threat. It’s like we don’t actually WANT to teach gooder.

Jan Resseger: Will the Biden Administration Revive the Failed Policies of NCLB and Obama? | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 1h

Jan Resseger: Will the Biden Administration Revive the Failed Policies of NCLB and Obama? A few years ago, someone coined the term “zombie policies” to describe policies that fail again and again, yet never go away. One such zombie is “merit pay,” which has never succeeded yet never dies an ignominious death or loss of reputation. I mention this because our current education system is hampered b

Let’s Review How Bill and Melinda Gates Spent Billions of Dollars To Change Public Education (Valerie Strauss) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

by Mike Simpson / 1h

Let’s Review How Bill and Melinda Gates Spent Billions of Dollars To Change Public Education (Valerie Strauss) Valerie Strauss is a reporter and op-ed writer for the Washington Post . This opinion piece appeared on May 6, 2021 . Now that the philanthropic Bill and Melinda Gates have announced they are divorcing after 27 years of marriage, let’s look at the controversial investments they made tog

PA Gov. Wolf Fires Charter School Appeals Board. Every. Single. Member. | gadflyonthewallblog

by Mike Simpson / 1h

PA Gov. Wolf Fires Charter School Appeals Board. Every. Single. Member. Being Governor of Pennsylvania must be one of the most thankless but important jobs ever. With a hopelessly gerrymandered legislature, a majority of Republican lawmakers representing a minority of voters stops nearly anything from getting done for the rest of us. If it weren’t for a Democratic Governor to act as a check and

Robert Kuttner: Biden’s Chance to Save College Students from Crushing Debt | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 2h

Robert Kuttner: Biden’s Chance to Save College Students from Crushing Debt Kuttner on TAP New Hope for Student Debt Relief With the appointment of Richard Cordray as chief of federal student loan programs, we will now see the potential of executive power to bring relief and end abuses. Cordray is a close ally of Elizabeth Warren and former head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The fi

Jersey Jazzman: Lakewood, NJ: Where Public Schools Are Left To Whither, Part IV

by Mike Simpson / 2h

Lakewood, NJ: Where Public Schools Are Left To Whither, Part IV In the decade I've been writing this blog, I've seen some really horrible behavior towards teachers (a prime example here ). But I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like this : This is from last September, when the Lakewood Education Association (LEA), the local teachers union, was, like all other local unions in the state,

AUTOPSY OF A SCHOOL BOARD MEETING – Dad Gone Wild

by Mike Simpson / 2h

AUTOPSY OF A SCHOOL BOARD MEETING “these self-righteous censors often construct a “hero narrative” about themselves in which they are morally pure crusaders who must protect society from the objectionable opinions of the unenlightened masses.” ― Greg Lukianoff, Freedom from Speech Yesterday, Nashville’s Mayor Cooper announced that the city would be lifting its mask mandate at 5 AM this morning.

Broken Promises: An Analysis of Charter School Closures From 1999 - 2017 - Network For Public Education

by Mike Simpson / 2h

Broken Promises: An Analysis of Charter School Closures From 1999 – 2017 This report provides the first comprehensive examination of charter failure rates over time—beginning in 1999 and ending in 2017. By following all charter schools, from the year they opened, we were able to determine how long they lasted before closing down. We also determined how many students have been displaced by failin

Broadband gets a major boost in California budget revision | EdSource

by Mike Simpson / 3h

Broadband gets a major boost in California budget revision | EdSource Broadband gets a major boost in California budget revision Big funding also for community schools, tutoring and college savings accounts Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to inject $7 billion into California’s spotty broadband infrastructure. The funding was announced Friday alongside a sweeping set of proposals for K-12 education in Cal

THIS WEEK NEWS FROM DR. MIGUEL CARDONA AND THE US DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

by Mike Simpson / 3h

THIS WEEK FROM THE US DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ED.GOV NEWS FROM DR. MIGUEL CARDONA AND THE US DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid Denies Reinstatement Application of For-Profit Law School 1d Today, the office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) in the U.S. Department of Education (ED) informed Florida Coastal School of Law that its application for reinstatement to partic

Network for Public Education Blog Post of the Day This Week

by Mike Simpson / 3h

Blog Posts Archive - Network For Public Education Network for Public Education Blog Posts of the Day This Week Blog Post of the Day Our NPE Blogs of the Day feature what we think are interesting and important blog posts centered on issues of public education. The views expressed by the bloggers are, of course, entirely their own. To submit links and tips for inclusion, please send an email to npe

THIS WEEK'S WILDNESS Dad Gone Wild Nobody reads it, everybody quotes it

by Mike Simpson / 3h

Dad Gone Wild – Nobody reads it, everybody quotes it. AUTOPSY OF A SCHOOL BOARD MEETING by TC Weber / 17h “these self-righteous censors often construct a “hero narrative” about themselves in which they are morally pure crusaders who must protect society from the objectionable opinions of the unenlightened masses.” ― Greg Lukianoff, Freedom from Speech Yesterday, Nashville’s Mayor Cooper announce

TEACHER TOM THIS WEEK IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION + Teacher Tom: Let's Turn The World Around: Teacher Tom's Play Summit

by Mike Simpson / 4h

Teacher Tom TEACHER TOM THIS WEEK IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION Teacher Tom: Let's Turn The World Around: Teacher Tom's Play Summit We heard it from Mandela, "Turn this world around, For the children" - turn this world around. He's done it once before, and now we hear his call For the children, turn this world around. Turn, turn, turn, Turn this world around For the children, turn this world aroun

SSPI TONY THURMOND: STUFF THIS WEEK FROM THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

by Mike Simpson / 4h

California Department of Education SSPI TONY THURMOND STUFF THIS WEEK FROM THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SPI Visits San Diego County Schools 1d State Superintendent Tony Thurmond visits San Diego County schools open for in-person learning that utilize strong safety measures and social-emotional supports. 2021 Summer Waivers #74-81 1d On March 9, 2021, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (

THIS WEEK WITH NEWBLACKMAN (IN EXILE) #BLM #BLACKLIVESMATTER

by Mike Simpson / 4h

NewBlackMan (in Exile) THIS WEEK WITH NEWBLACKMAN (IN EXILE) 'Land-Grab Universities' Thrived On Indigenous Land. Now, Some Are Making Amends by Mark Anthony Neal / 12h 'Land-grant universities broadened access to higher education in the United States — but only at the expense of Indigenous Americans. Nearly 11 million acres of land were taken from tribes and Native communities to fund the univer

THIS WEEK Education Research Report

by Mike Simpson / 4h

Education Research Report US loses $956 billion every year due to inequality in education by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 2d A new report, The Cost of Economic and Racial Injustice in Postsecondary Education , finds that inequality in postsecondary attainment causes the United States to miss out on $956 billion in public monetary benefits annually, in addition to numerous nonmonetary benefits to societ

THIS WEEK IN EDUCATION Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007

by Mike Simpson / 4h

Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007 Saturday’s Must-Read Articles On School Reopenings by Larry Ferlazzo / 1h geralt / Pixabay Here are new additions to THE BEST POSTS PREDICTING (& SHOWING) WHAT SCHOOLS LOOK LIKE DURING THE PANDEMIC (you might also be interested in SCHOOLS WENT REMOTE A YEAR AGO – HERE ARE MY CHOICES FOR THE BEST PIECE

KEEP UP/ CATCH UP WITH DIANE RAVITCH'S BLOG A site to discuss better education for all #REDFORED #tbats

by Mike Simpson / 4h

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all KEEP UP/ CATCH UP WITH DIANE RAVITCH'S BLOG A site to discuss better education for all Robert Kuttner: Biden’s Chance to Save College Students from Crushing Debt by dianeravitch / 32min Kuttner on TAP New Hope for Student Debt Relief With the appointment of Richard Cordray as chief of federal student loan programs, we will now see

YESTERDAY

THE TOP BANANA: TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES Friday, May 14, 2021 #REDFORED #tbats #edchat #K12 #learning #edleadership #edtech #engchat #literacy #edreform #TEACHTRUTH

by Mike Simpson / 23h

Big Education Ape THE TOP BANANA TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES Twisting LeBron James’s words, a fake Saturn photo and other news literacy lessons https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2021/05/14/twisting-

Big Education Ape

Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial Commission Removes Gov. Kevin Stitt - THE ROOT

Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial Commission Removes Gov. Kevin Stitt

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt Booted From Tulsa Race Massacre Commission After Signing Anti-Critical Race Theory Legislation

Last week, The Root reported that Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt signed into law yet another Republican white fragility bill prohibiting teachings in K-12 schools that include conservative’s favorite new boogie man Critical Race Theory or any other race-based curriculum that causes “discomfort, guilt, anguish or psychological distress” to (white) students. The bill pushed by people whose salty white tears could fill the Georgia Aquarium was denounced by both the Oklahoma City Public Schools Board of Education—but what the hell do they know? They’re only literal fucking educators—and the Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial Commission, of which Stitt had the caucasity to be a member of...until now.

The Associated Press reports that the commission—which was formed to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the day patriotic Americans decided that hundreds of Black people should die violently rather than be affluent and free—announced Friday that it removed Stitt from his seat on the panel because he doesn’t get to sign legislation than bans teaching about the brutality of whiteness in America while serving on a board that does just that.

I mean, the commission didn’t say all that, but we know that’s why Stitt got the boot.

From AP: CONTINUE READING: Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial Commission Removes Gov. Kevin Stitt

April Showers – Tennessee Education Report

APRIL SHOWERS

Erik Schelzig in the Tennessee Journal’s On the Hill blog notes that Tennessee’s April revenues were $600 million more than the budgeted estimate.

Go ahead, read that again. In one month, the state collected $600 million more than planned.

Here’s more from Schelzig:

Tennessee’s general fund revenue collections were nearly $600 million above estimates in April, bringing the state’s surplus to $1.9 billion through the first nine months of the budget year.

So, with three months left in the fiscal year, the state is nearly $2 billion ahead of where it planned to be. Even if the surpluses drop off, the state is well on its way to a surplus significantly in excess of $2 billion.

To put this in perspective, the state is $1.7 billion behind where it should be in terms of funding public schools according to a bipartisan legislative commission.

For further perspective, the April surplus alone is three times what Gov. Bill Lee CONTINUE READING: April Showers – Tennessee Education Report

Can You Teach Us? | Blue Cereal Education

Can You Teach Us?

Darth Teacher Public education has been overlooking – or worse, neglecting – a golden opportunity to improve. It’s not only been right in front of us all along, it’s been kicking us and taking our lunch money! And yet, somehow, where we should have recognized an opportunity, all we’ve seen is a competitor. In some cases, maybe even a threat.

It’s like we don’t actually WANT to teach gooder. I assume this is largely due to the various teachers’ unions and Hillary Clinton’s personal email server.

We’ve been told for several decades now that “school choice,” vouchers, educational “savings” accounts, etc., are essential for students to have access to a truly quality education, and that a little healthy competition will make us all better. I, for one, have been guilty of pushing back against this rhetoric. I’ve even been so cynical as to suggest ulterior motives by many of those involved (for which I assure you I now have all sorts of lingering guilt). But as Indiana dramatically expands their various “choice” initiatives and other red states do the same, I believe it’s time to change our approach.

It’s time to seek the guidance of the masters. It's time to admit our own shortcomings and failures and learn from those who’ve accomplished so much. It’s not selling out, CONTINUE READING: Can You Teach Us? | Blue Cereal Education

Jan Resseger: Will the Biden Administration Revive the Failed Policies of NCLB and Obama? | Diane Ravitch's blog

Jan Resseger: Will the Biden Administration Revive the Failed Policies of NCLB and Obama?

A few years ago, someone coined the term “zombie policies” to describe policies that fail again and again, yet never go away. One such zombie is “merit pay,” which has never succeeded yet never dies an ignominious death or loss of reputation.

I mention this because our current education system is hampered by at least 20 years of zombie policies, beginning with No Child Left Behind, then Race to the Top, then Trump’s fervent support for privatization.

In 2010, when my book “The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing abd Choice are Undermining Education” was published, I participated in a debate with Carmel Martin, one of the key strategists of the Obama Department of Education. She defended every aspect of the Bush-Obama approach: high-stakes testing, closing low-performing schools, charter schools, evaluating teachers by student test scores, and so on.

A year or so later, I was invited to the White House Executive Offices to meet Obama’s top education team: Melody Barnes, chief of the White House domestic policy CONTINUE READING: Jan Resseger: Will the Biden Administration Revive the Failed Policies of NCLB and Obama? | Diane Ravitch's blog

Let’s Review How Bill and Melinda Gates Spent Billions of Dollars To Change Public Education (Valerie Strauss) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

Let’s Review How Bill and Melinda Gates Spent Billions of Dollars To Change Public Education (Valerie Strauss)

Valerie Strauss is a reporter and op-ed writer for the Washington Post. This opinion piece appeared on May 6, 2021.

Now that the philanthropic Bill and Melinda Gates have announced they are divorcing after 27 years of marriage, let’s look at the controversial investments they made together to reform K-12 public education — and how well those worked out.

Together, the two have been among the most generous philanthropists on the planet, spending more over the past few decades on global health than many countries do and more on U.S. education reform than any of the other wealthy Americans who have tried to impact K-12 education with their personal fortunes.The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has spent billions of dollars on numerous education projections — such as creating small high schools, writing and implementing the Common Core State Standards, evaluating teachers by standardized test scores — and the couple has had enormous influence on what happened in classrooms across the country. Their philanthropy, especially in the school reform area, has been at the center of a national debate about whether it serves democracy when wealthy people can use their own money to drive public policy and fund their pet education projects. The foundation’s financial backing of some controversial priorities of the Obama administration’s Education Department put the couple at the center of this national conversation.

Critics have said that many of the foundation’s key education projects have harmed public schools because they were unworkable from the start and CONTINUE READING: Let’s Review How Bill and Melinda Gates Spent Billions of Dollars To Change Public Education (Valerie Strauss) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

PA Gov. Wolf Fires Charter School Appeals Board. Every. Single. Member. | gadflyonthewallblog

PA Gov. Wolf Fires Charter School Appeals Board. Every. Single. Member.

Being Governor of Pennsylvania must be one of the most thankless but important jobs ever.

With a hopelessly gerrymandered legislature, a majority of Republican lawmakers representing a minority of voters stops nearly anything from getting done for the rest of us.

If it weren’t for a Democratic Governor to act as a check and balance on this lunatic fringe, the state would devolve into chaos.

Case in point: the Charter School Appeals Board (CAB).

It took Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, seven years to fire his predecessor’s appointments and nominate replacements to the CAB.

Yet the GOP legislature is crying crocodile tears that he’s exceeding his authority by doing so.

The board is supposed to be a place where charter schools can challenge decisions CONTINUE READING: PA Gov. Wolf Fires Charter School Appeals Board. Every. Single. Member. | gadflyonthewallblog

Robert Kuttner: Biden’s Chance to Save College Students from Crushing Debt | Diane Ravitch's blog

Robert Kuttner: Biden’s Chance to Save College Students from Crushing Debt

Kuttner on TAP

New Hope for Student Debt Relief

With the appointment of Richard Cordray as chief of federal student loan programs, we will now see the potential of executive power to bring relief and end abuses. Cordray is a close ally of Elizabeth Warren and former head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

The first best policy, of course, would be outright cancellation of up to $50,000 per student, as proposed by Sens. Warren and Schumer. Cordray can’t make that call. President Biden needs to. But there are several other things he can do.

For starters, there is the appalling story of management of cancellation of debt for people who do ten years of public service. This is authorized under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. But under Trump and his education secretary, Betsy DeVos, the Education Department did everything possible to deny this relief.

To date, just 1.26 percent of applicants have received debt relief. In fact, in a lawsuit brought by the CONTINUE READING: Robert Kuttner: Biden’s Chance to Save College Students from Crushing Debt | Diane Ravitch's blog

Jersey Jazzman: Lakewood, NJ: Where Public Schools Are Left To Whither, Part IV

Lakewood, NJ: Where Public Schools Are Left To Whither, Part IV

In the decade I've been writing this blog, I've seen some really horrible behavior towards teachers (a prime example here). But I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like this:

This is from last September, when the Lakewood Education Association (LEA), the local teachers union, was, like all other local unions in the state, advocating for the health and safety of its members while districts made opening plans.

Maybe you sympathize with the teachers; maybe you don't. But the truly obnoxious behavior of Michael Inzelbuch, the district's attorney, is remarkable. Inzelbuch wound up apologizing, as he should have, although as far as apologies go this one is awfully weak: CONTINUE READING: Jersey Jazzman: Lakewood, NJ: Where Public Schools Are Left To Whither, Part IV

AUTOPSY OF A SCHOOL BOARD MEETING – Dad Gone Wild

AUTOPSY OF A SCHOOL BOARD MEETING

“these self-righteous censors often construct a “hero narrative” about themselves in which they are morally pure crusaders who must protect society from the objectionable opinions of the unenlightened masses.”
― Greg Lukianoff, Freedom from Speech

Yesterday, Nashville’s Mayor Cooper announced that the city would be lifting its mask mandate at 5 AM this morning. The announcement came just hours after he publically stated that Nashville would be leaving the mask mandate in place. In making this decision, he pointed to a revised CDC policy that now allowed for vaccinated people to share indoor space without masks or social distancing.

The CDC was talking about fully vaccinated people, and only about a third of the city meets that criteria, but who’s sweating the details? The mask mandate will remain in effect for Metro Schools. Also still in effect is the policy that each student only gets 4 tickets for high school graduation and CONTINUE READING: AUTOPSY OF A SCHOOL BOARD MEETING – Dad Gone Wild

Broken Promises: An Analysis of Charter School Closures From 1999 - 2017 - Network For Public Education

Broken Promises: An Analysis of Charter School Closures From 1999 – 2017

This report provides the first comprehensive examination of charter failure rates over time—beginning in 1999 and ending in 2017. By following all charter schools, from the year they opened, we were able to determine how long they lasted before closing down. We also determined how many students have been displaced by failing charter schools and where those closures are most likely to occur.

This digital version of the report contains an animated map that shows charter closures distributed across 44 U.S. states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, between 1999–2017. The animated map is not available in the downloadable pdf, however you can download and print the report and the executive summary as pdfs by clicking the buttons below.

Download a PDF of the Report

READ THE FULL REPORT HERE

Broadband gets a major boost in California budget revision | EdSource

Broadband gets a major boost in California budget revision

Big funding also for community schools, tutoring and college savings accounts

Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to inject $7 billion into California’s spotty broadband infrastructure.

The funding was announced Friday alongside a sweeping set of proposals for K-12 education in California as part of the annual May revision of the governor’s budget proposal. Altogether, K-12 education spending in the current budget proposal totals $121.7 billion, the highest level in California’s history.

Education looked drastically different during the 2020-21 school year as most California schools kept buildings closed and offered distance learning during the pandemic. But even now, as only 16% of students are back in class full-time, thousands of students still don’t have access to their own computers at home to log into online classes, and even more lack affordable high-speed internet that they can rely on regularly to log into class.

Newsom’s $7 billion investment in broadband, which comes from President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan Act, would be spent over three years and is aimed at expanding broadband access and building fiber networks, making internet more affordable and increasing access to high-speed service.

Only 52.4% of Californians are using broadband at 100 Mbps, according to the budget summary, which is the typical speed required for video conferencing and other basic uses.

“This is an opportunity… to finally close this digital divide and do justice,” Newsom said Friday. “Let’s get this done once and for all. This is what the federal stimulus from my perspective was all about, catalytic investments to make generational CONTINUE READING: Broadband gets a major boost in California budget revision | EdSource

Saturday, May 15, 2021