SPI Supports SB 698 that Counters Hate: Unite in Support of Bill that Counters Hate Through Education - Year 2021 (CA Dept of Education)

SPI Supports SB 698 that Counters Hate - Year 2021 (CA Dept of Education)

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond, Senator Henry Stern, and Partners Unite in Support of Bill that Counters Hate Through Education

SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond and Senator Henry Stern (D-Los Angeles) joined legislative leaders and partnering organizations to urge support for new legislation to strengthen the implementation of education on genocide, including the Holocaust, and provide tools and resources to schools and teachers to confront complex issues of bias, bigotry, racism, and the rise in incidents of hate.

Senate Bill (SB) 693, the Never Again Education Act, sponsored by State Superintendent Thurmond and authored by Senator Stern, which successfully advanced from the Senate Appropriations Committee last week, establishes the Governor’s Council on Genocide and Holocaust Education. It would assemble leading experts on teaching about crimes against humanity, genocide, and the Holocaust in particular to provide resources offering new teaching methods and enhanced resources for teachers and students to counter a recent rise in acts of hate, bigotry, and anti-Semitism across our country and embrace the importance of diversity, human rights, and the roles and responsibilities of citizens in democratic societies to combat misinformation, indifference, and discrimination.

This effort aligns with the “Education to End Hate” initiative that State Superintendent Thurmond launched in September 2020, in which the California Department of Education (CDE) has utilized a series of strategies—including educator training grants, partnerships with community leaders, and virtual classroom sessions—that leverage the power of education to create a more just society. In the announcement yesterday, State Superintendent Thurmond underscored that as part of the ongoing efforts, the CDE is prepared to work with any school district in real time, along with partners such as the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the University of Southern California Shoah Foundation, to respond to and provide the resources and support schools need when there are incidents of anti-Semitism and acts of hate. All questions regarding the Education to End Hate Initiative can be directed to edtoendhate@cde.ca.gov.

Speaking yesterday at the virtual press conference, State Superintendent Thurmond stated, “Our students are victims of a broken society; every day we encounter more heartbreaking examples of anti-Semitism, bullying, and violence against Asian Americans, Islamophobia, LGBTQ discrimination, and racism and actions of hate against people of color. Education has the power to help us grow, understand, and find a pathway to healing. SB 693 will build the necessary infrastructure to provide the trainings to hold the courageous conversations. It is not enough for us to say ‘never forget’ genocide or the experience of the Holocaust, but what we need to realize is that there is an interconnectivity that we all experience and that, with the right information and tools, we can and we must address hate wherever and whenever it occurs.”

During Monday’s virtual press conference, Senator Stern shared, “Holocaust genocide education isn’t just a lesson in history class or an issue only affecting people who are Jewish; it should be a bulwark against rising anti-Semitism for all California students. Hate has a history. Building action-oriented Holocaust and genocide education will give teachers and students the tools to uproot hate when it rears its head in schools across California, so it doesn’t fester and erupt as violence on our streets.”

Several other participants in the press conference shared their personal stories and encouraged support for SB 693.

“Education can be an exceptionally powerful antidote to hate,” said Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D-Woodland Hills), Assembly Majority Whip and Chair of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus. “The Jewish Caucus is deeply concerned that in too many places, and especially for too many young people, the Holocaust is fading from view. We are proud to support SB 693 and applaud Senator Stern for his leadership on this important issue.”

Senator Scott Weiner stated, “My childhood and recent experiences as a victim of anti-Semitism and homophobia have repeatedly reminded me that ignorance and bigotry are alive and well. SB 693 will help educate the next generation of Californians about what happens with bigotry goes unchecked, which is one of the best ways to prevent future acts of hatred against vulnerable communities.”

Dr. Anita Friedman of Jewish Family and Children’s Services commented, "Teachers and students truly want to learn the lessons of the Holocaust and about genocide worldwide. We know this: Education has proven to be one of the most effective ways to address the extraordinary increase in hate occurring in our communities. With this initiative, California will again be leading the nation at a time when such leadership is needed most."

Speaking for the ADL, Regional Director Seth Brysk offered, “ADL is grateful for State Superintendent Tony Thurmond’s support of Senator Henry Stern’s bill SB 693, the Never Again Education Act. ADL was proud to offer guidance to Senator Stern in drafting the statute to improve Holocaust and genocide education in California. At a moment of sustained high levels of anti-Semitism, coupled by recent sharp increases, including social media messages asserting “Hitler was right", Holocaust education is as important and relevant as ever. The benefits of Holocaust education are clear; improved knowledge of the Holocaust also fosters better critical thinking skills, openness to differing views, and willingness to challenge intolerant behavior.”

Dr. Kori Street from the USC Shoah Foundation commented, “It shows extraordinary commitment and leadership for the State Superintendent to join forces with Senator Stern and other leaders on this initiative. Education—especially when anchored by innovative resources and tools—can make California stronger than hate.”

“Mandates are not enough; we must ensure we lead with action,” said Senator Stern. “I applaud the efforts of the CDE and State Superintendent Thurmond on his ‘Education to End Hate’ initiative and for prioritizing these issues that affect our youth, schools, and the balance of our society.”

An archived broadcast of the full press conference can be viewed on the CDE Facebook page.

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Tony Thurmond — State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Communications Division, Room 5602, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100

SPI Supports SB 698 that Counters Hate - Year 2021 (CA Dept of Education)

Student privacy HB256 – Fred Klonsky

Student privacy. HB256 – Fred Klonsky

STUDENT PRIVACY HB256

Update.

Hi Fred! 

Thank you for posting about the edTPA videotaping bill. It was HB256, but that bill disappeared with the end of lame duck session. 

So, the current incarnation is SB808-SFA1. (= the language is in an education shell bell that’s being amended.)

People can put in a witness slip at this linkas a proponent of SFA1 for the hearing scheduled for tomorrow at 2pm.

It still has the same chief sponsor in the Senate, Laura Murphy (D-Park Ridge); she is a big advocate for protections for domestic violence victims, which is why she took on this bill. 

It doesn’t have an equivalent bill in the House, but with any luck it should move over there as SB808.

Best,

Cassie

Support HB256, Rep. Will Guzzardi and Sen. Laura Murphy

Senate Chief Co-Sponsors: Iris Martinez, Bill Cunningham. Senate Co-Sponsors: Craig Wilcox, Dale Righter, Julie Morrison, Robert Peters, Robert Martwick.

House Co-Sponsors: Steven Reick, Mary E. Flowers, Tony McCombie, Sue Scherer, Linda Chapa LaVia, Katie Stuart, Michael Halpin, Robyn Gabel, Yehiel M. Kalish, Jonathan Carroll and John Connor.

Student teachers in Illinois must videotape themselves and their students to pass CONTINUE READING: Student privacy. HB256 – Fred Klonsky

New Equity Bill Levels Educational Playing Field + 2021 Model School Attendance Review Board Winners - Year 2021 (CA Dept of Education)

New Equity Bill Levels Educational Playing Field - Year 2021 (CA Dept of Education)

New Equity Bill to Level the Educational Playing Field Advances with Bipartisan Senate Education Committee Support

SACRAMENTO—New legislation designed to lift up some of the lowest-performing school districts in California—sponsored by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond and authored by Senator Monique Limón (D-Santa Barbara)—received bipartisan approval from the California State Senate Committee on Education today, providing a pathway to help close opportunity gaps that disproportionately affect students of color.

Senate Bill (SB) 540, which heads to the Senate Appropriations Committee to be heard later this month, will establish a grant program to provide additional targeted assistance to 10 low-performing school districts with identified opportunity gaps for students of color.

“While there are hopeful signs as more and more students return to classrooms, it is important to remember that the inequities that existed before this crisis have only been deepened by this incredibly challenging time,” State Superintendent Thurmond said. “SB 540 will allow the California Department of Education to invest in 10 of the highest-need school districts through an aggressive three-year funding package that focuses on equity coaching and intervention, professional development, and family engagement strategies. We cannot to let students already at a disadvantage slip further behind because of our failure to invest in these schools.”

“The COVID-19 pandemic has further exposed the educational disparities that exist among school districts. SB 540 begins to address the equity gaps that exist in our education system and provide the proper resources to make sure that students, especially those in low-income and communities of color, do not fall behind,” said Senator Limón.

The equity gaps that have existed in the educational system are systemic and long-standing. Research shows that on average, Black students attend schools that are 48 percent Black, while white students attend schools that are only 9 percent Black. By the time Black children enter high school, they are often more than four academic years behind their white counterparts. Suspensions for African American children are approximately three to five times higher than for white children. In the United States, by age 24, only 78 percent of Latinos and 87 percent of Blacks have earned a high school diploma compared to 94 percent of whites. The COVID-19 pandemic has deepened these disparities.

SB 540 would allocate grants of $1.25 million to each of the 10 highest-need school districts for the 2021–22 fiscal year and the following two fiscal years. This key investment in underserved California students will urgently and immediately provide assistance to recover and help schools build the structures to accelerate learning for students and to support families hardest hit by a global pandemic.

More information on SB 540 can be found on the California Legislative Information bill analysis website.

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Tony Thurmond — State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Communications Division, Room 5602, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100

New Equity Bill Levels Educational Playing Field - Year 2021 (CA Dept of Education)

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Announces 2021 Model School Attendance Review Board Winners

SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announced today that 20 school attendance review boards (SARBs) have been designated as model programs in California for their attendance strategies during distance learning. The announcement of these Model SARB Awards comes after an unprecedented disruption of in-person attendance due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“These 19 school districts and one county office of education created exemplary plans and worked hard to follow through on them to help students stay engaged in their education—all during the unprecedented closure of our schools due to a global pandemic,” said Thurmond. “Many of these same great attendance strategies will also be crucial for student success as even more schools reopen for safe in-person attendance in the near future.”

The Model SARB Award winners, which include 19 school districts and one county office of education, implemented Learning Continuity and Attendance Plans that focused on these four approaches to meeting the needs of students during distance learning:

1. Shifting staff roles and responsibilities to meet the needs of distance learning students.
2. Supporting virtual attendance of pupils with unique needs.
3. Providing for the mental health and well-being of students during distance learning.
4. Pupil and family engagement and outreach.

As an example, Long Beach Unified School District is a Model SARB because its attendance strategies focus on quality interactions with families and students to promote improved attendance. This includes looking at students’ and families’ unique needs and providing personalized supports to remove barriers to attendance. SARB members are assigned follow-up with each referred family to provide materials, asynchronous work assignments, and links to community resources. SARB members also connect with community partners to ensure that families have access to timely and quality services. By working with the family and community as partners for children, Long Beach Unified’s SARB provides families with a supportive and empowering experience.

State Superintendent Thurmond annually convenes the State’s School Attendance Review Board, which brings together key agencies and community partners to score applications submitted by district and county SARBs throughout the state.

The Model SARBs will be recognized publicly and information about their strategies will be shared at the State SARB meeting on April 15, 2021, and at the annual state conference of the California Association of Supervisors of Child Welfare and Attendance on April 27, 2021.

Below is a list of the recognized school districts and county office of education and their Model SARB chairperson:

• Alhambra Unified School District, Lindsey Ma
• Alvord Unified School District, Ian Fish
• Centinela Valley Union High School District, Vanessa Landesfeind
• Centralia Elementary School District, Dr. Stacy Chang
• Corona-Norco Unified School District, John Reynoso
• Fontana Unified School District, Jose Barzaga
• Glendale Unified School District, Dr. Ilin Magran
• Hacienda la Puente Unified School District, Cynthia Cabello
• Jurupa Unified School District, Olga Lidia Alferez
• Kern High School District, Erin Rader
• Lake Elsinore Unified School District, Steve Behar
• Long Beach Unified School District, Claudia Sosa-Valderrama
• Murrieta Valley Unified School District, Katherine Wood
• Pittsburg Unified School District, Dr. ReJois Fraziers-Myers
• Romoland School District, Carmen Kaas
• Sanger Unified School District, Johnny P. Gonzalez
• Santa Ana Unified School District, Jackie Sanchez
• Tuolumne County Superintendent of Schools, Rob Egger
• Val Verde Unified School District, Thomas Gronotte
• William S. Hart Union High School District, Erum Velek
  

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Tony Thurmond — State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Communications Division, Room 5602, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Announces 2021 Model School Attendance Review Board Winners

Support for Bill to Diversify Teaching Workforce - Year 2021 (CA Dept of Education)

Support for Bill to Diversify Teaching Workforce - Year 2021 (CA Dept of Education)

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond, Assemblymember Mike Gipson, Educators and Scholars Urge Support for First-of-its-Kind Legislation to Diversify the Teaching Workforce

SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond and Assemblymember Mike A. Gipson (D-Carson) were joined by education leaders today to urge support for new legislation designed to help support male educators of color and diversify the teaching workforce.

Assembly Bill (AB) 520, sponsored by State Superintendent Thurmond and authored by Assemblymember Gipson, received unanimous approval from the California State Assembly Committee on Education last week. The bill would establish the California Diversifying Teacher Grant Program, awarding $15 million in grants for school districts to provide one-time competitive grants that develop and implement new (or expand existing) programs that address a local need to develop the teacher workforce while emphasizing the retention of male teachers of color.

“We regularly talk about equity, but we must make equity the forefront and center in our schools. This bill is about adding tools to the toolbox and creating the opportunities to motivate more men of color to be in the classroom. The research is undeniable," Gipson said. "The National Bureau of Economic Research reported that having a Black teacher for one year in elementary school raised long-term education attainment for Black male students, especially for those from low-income households. AB 520 would provide schools with the tools to help them build a more diverse teacher population and students with opportunities to succeed.”

State Superintendent Thurmond added, “This is a movement that is taking place all across the country as people are building pipeline programs to expand opportunities for male educators of color. We know we need more educators of all backgrounds, but there is a particular need to diversify our workforce. The research has shown for years that there are benefits to students of color when there is just one educator of color on a campus, and those benefits extend to all students. At the end of the day, this is going to benefit students from all backgrounds.”

During Tuesday’s news conference, a California school district leader shared the real-world impact programs to diversify the teaching workforce has had on student achievement.

“I firmly believe when we as a district increase the number of male teachers of color, we deepen our commitment to diversity and achieving educational equity while also providing a source of inspiration for our students who see male teachers of color as positive examples of their future selves,” stated Micah Ali, President of the Board of Trustees at Compton Unified School District, where fewer than 1 percent of students are white. “By having role models that look like and have similar backgrounds as their students, we help to create a positive campus climate for all. I am confident that AB 520 will lead to a tidal wave of Black and brown male excellence in the classroom, like the one that is sweeping the universities, boardrooms, entrepreneurship and, of course, academia.”

Research validates the goals of AB 520, said Dr. Travis J. Bristol, Assistant Professor at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Education, who serves as the chair of Superintendent Thurmond’s Teacher Diversity Advisory Group and whose work has also supported the Council of Chief State School Officers’ 10-state educator diversity initiative.

“We see in the state of California there is a demographic mismatch between teachers and students: Approximately 75 percent of students in our public system are students of color when compared to 40 percent of teachers of color. Even more concerning, is that the school-based experience of Black boys is similar to Black male teachers—Black boys are suspended and expelled at higher rates than their peers, and Black male teachers have a higher rate of turnover than their peers,” Bristol said. “AB 520 is a bold and comprehensive piece of legislation that addresses the life course of a teacher. It provides funding to districts and county offices to recruit and support mentoring of teachers of color and coaching for school leaders on how to create environments that can attend to the social and emotional needs of our children and our teachers. We need the California Legislature to pass, and for Governor Newsom to sign, AB 520 so California can stand as a leader in diversifying the teacher workforce.”

Information about Dr. Bristol’s research is available on the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Education web page and more information on AB 520 can be found in the bill analysis(PDF).

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Tony Thurmond — State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Communications Division, Room 5602, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100

Support for Bill to Diversify Teaching Workforce - Year 2021 (CA Dept of Education)

Legislation to Diversify the Teaching Workforce + U.S. DOE Approves California’s Assessments Plan - Year 2021 (CA Dept of Education)

Legislation to Diversify the Teaching Workforce - Year 2021 (CA Dept of Education)

First-of-its-Kind Legislation to Diversify the Teaching Workforce Advances with Unanimous Assembly Education Committee Support

SACRAMENTO—New legislation designed to help support male educators of color and diversify the teaching workforce—sponsored by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond and authored by Assemblymember Mike A. Gipson (D-Carson)—received unanimous approval from the California State Assembly Committee on Education today, accelerating efforts to create an educator workforce to better reflect the students it serves.

Assembly Bill (AB) 520, which will head to the Appropriations Committee next Wednesday, will establish the California Diversifying Teacher Grant Program, awarding $15 million in grants for school districts to provide one-time competitive grants that develop and implement new (or expand existing) programs that address a local need to develop the teacher workforce while emphasizing the retention of male teachers of color.

“When I talk to students, they tell me they want to learn from adults who look like them and have shared their life experiences. There is mounting research that tells us that teachers of color boost the academic performance of all students—but especially students of color. This includes improved reading and math test scores, improved graduation rates, and increases in aspirations to attend college,” Thurmond said. “We've long known that having teachers of color matters for students of color—but our public schools do not reflect this. We can and must do better if we want to dismantle the historic educational inequities in ways that can level the playing field for all students.”

“Student success is amplified when they are taught by teachers who reflect the diversity of those students. In addition to academic benefits, students of color experience social-emotional gains to having teachers who look like them, also lessening the likelihood of chronic absenteeism and suspension," Gipson said. "Assembly Bill 520 seeks to create a program that will prepare and invest in the recruitment and retention of a larger and diverse pool of teachers. It will assist California with addressing the racial and ethnic disparities that exist throughout the state, helping to reduce the equity gap.”

Men of color comprise less than 10 percent of California’s teaching force, with Black and Latinx men making up 1 percent and 2 percent of their peers. Data show that only one-third of teachers are non-white, even though students of color make up about three-quarters of California’s student population.

Statistics show that male teachers are leaving high-need schools when they do not have the support strategies in place to help develop their teaching skills. These strategies can include, but are not limited to, social and emotional learning, school climate, trauma support, and restorative justice.

Additionally, research shows that Black and Latinx educators feel that they're not valued and feel frustration at being expected to take on extra duties without compensation or even the necessary support systems. As a result, teachers of color give up their careers more often than white teachers do.

AB 520 will address retention problems by enhancing a school district’s ability to equip, cultivate, and bolster male teachers of color within its schools to effectively preserve teachers. Schools that foster an environment of professional learning are more likely to attract and retain teachers in high-need schools.

Schools that invest in retention strategies that cultivate success and professional learning are more likely to retain male teachers of color. By concentrating on the investment of teachers of color, California will address the racial and ethnic disparities that exist throughout the state, helping to reduce the equity gap.

More information on AB 520 can be found in the bill analysis.

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Tony Thurmond — State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Communications Division, Room 5602, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100

Legislation to Diversify the Teaching Workforce - Year 2021 (CA Dept of Education)

U.S. Department of Education Approves California’s Assessments Plan

SACRAMENTO—The U.S. Department of Education notified California this week that the state’s request for relief from certain federal testing, accountability, and reporting requirements has been granted.

In a letter to State Superintendent Tony Thurmond and State Board President Linda Darling-Hammond, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Programs Ian Rosenblum said he was “pleased to approve” California’s request. “The intent of these accountability waivers is to focus on assessments to provide information to parents, educators, and the public about student performance and to help target resources and supports,” Rosenblum wrote. “This is particularly crucial this year, due to the COVID pandemic.”

In February, the State Board of Education voted to seek a waiver that would give schools the means to account for the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in their ability to assess students. The Board’s action was in response to federal guidance allowing states to seek flexibility given that most students have yet to return to in-person instruction either part- or full-time.

The state also discussed its plan to give schools permission to report data from standards-aligned interim or diagnostic tests they have been using where it is not viable to administer the state summative assessments due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Unlike last year, the U.S. Department of Education did not invite states to apply for blanket waivers that would allow states to opt-out of annual testing altogether, citing the role testing data plays in supporting students.

As granted, California’s waiver:

• Decouples state assessments from federal accountability requirements, as applicable. Instead, any data collected will be used to inform local educators, parents, and the public and align resources to student supports.
• Waives federal penalties for student testing participation rates of less than 95 percent on the state’s Smarter Balanced English language arts and math. Under the Every Student Succeeds Act, all states that receive federal funds for low-income students and English learners must assess annual learning progress in math, language arts, science, and English learner language proficiency, as applicable.

At its November meeting, the State Board voted to approve shortened blueprints of the Smarter Balanced assessments in English language arts and math in order to administer shorter tests in these subjects during the 2020–21 school year.

The Board also extended the window by which schools must complete test administration to July 30 for the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP), the English Language Assessments for California (ELPAC), which measures English learners’ progress toward language proficiency, and the California Science Test (CAST).

In a separate letter received this week, Rosenblum said California need not apply for another waiver, which the Board contemplated, because California is administering all of its required assessments and expecting they will be used except in cases where local conditions make the administration of the tests not viable.

With many of the state’s students still engaged in distance learning, both CDE and State Board staff have advised districts—as the federal guidance states—that students should not be brought back to in-person instruction solely for the purpose of standardized testing.

And in some cases, students still in remote learning may not be able to access the state’s summative tests because they lack secure browsers on their computers or sufficient bandwidth to meet the demands of the tests. In such a case, student assessment data could be provided through a high-quality interim or diagnostic test that meets Board-approved criteria.

“We remain committed to supporting all States in assessing the learning of all students,” Rosenblum wrote. “Obtaining data on student learning includes high-quality statewide assessments, which can help identify where opportunity gaps are persistent and have been exacerbated—particularly during the pandemic—and, along with other data, can help States direct resources and support to close those gaps.

“At the same time,” he continued, “we must also recognize that we are in the midst of a pandemic that requires real flexibility...(I)n cases where students are unable to take the statewide summative assessment, we hope that States and districts use other assessments to measure student learning and progress and to provide information to parents and educators. These interim, diagnostic, or formative assessments do not replace statewide summative assessments, but they can serve to provide valuable information to meet our goal of maximizing the number of students for whom we have quality data this year.”

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Tony Thurmond — State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Communications Division, Room 5602, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100

U.S. Department of Education Approves California’s Assessments Plan

The State (SC): Read to Succeed bill would fail reading again in South Carolina – radical eyes for equity

The State (SC): Read to Succeed bill would fail reading again in South Carolina – radical eyes for equity

The State (SC): Read to Succeed bill would fail reading again in South Carolina

Read to Succeed bill would fail reading again in South Carolina (hyperlink version below and link to The State in title)

Currently, I am in year 37 of teaching in SC, serving as a high school English teacher at Woodruff High for 18 years before moving to teacher education at Furman University for the past 19 years. I entered education in SC in 1984, the first days of the accountability movement in our state.

Despite political leaders changing standards and high-stakes testing multiple times over the past four decades, political and public perception remains convinced that our students are, once again, failing to learn to read.

Bill 3613 is making the same mistake political leaders have been making since the 1980s, tinkering with punitive legislation aimed at our students and teachers while ignoring the overwhelming negative impact of inequity in our students’ homes and communities as well as the harmful negative learning and teaching conditions that persist in our schools.

Read To Succeed, which Bill 3613 seeks to amend, misreads both how students CONTINUE READING: The State (SC): Read to Succeed bill would fail reading again in South Carolina – radical eyes for equity

Why the New “Fair School Funding Plan” Matters for One Ohio School District: Will the Ohio Senate Let It Die? | janresseger

Why the New “Fair School Funding Plan” Matters for One Ohio School District: Will the Ohio Senate Let It Die? | janresseger

Why the New “Fair School Funding Plan” Matters for One Ohio School District: Will the Ohio Senate Let It Die?

In Ohio, the state senate is refusing even to consider a new school funding plan, developed over a period of several years to replace the old school funding system that has become progressively unworkable over the past decade.  Last Thursday, the Ohio House of Representatives passed the proposed new plan by a huge margin: 84-8.  But the Ohio Senate Finance Committee has not even chosen to hold open hearings on its own companion bill, which was introduced early last month as Senate Bill 376.  The current biennial legislative session will end on December 31, and without consideration by the Ohio Senate and passage by that date, the Fair School Funding Plan will die.

If the Ohio Senate refuses to pass this bill, it will be merely one more piece of proof that the incoming senate president, Matt Huffman, and Matt Dolan, who chairs the senate’s finance committee, are committed to supporting children in private and religious schools with publicly funded vouchers at the expense of the 1.6 million children and adolescents who are enrolled in our state’s public schools.

The testimony I submitted last month to the Ohio House Finance Committee on behalf of the Heights Coalition for Public Education details why passage of the new plan is so important to CONTINUE READING: Why the New “Fair School Funding Plan” Matters for One Ohio School District: Will the Ohio Senate Let It Die? | janresseger

EdAction in Congress November 22, 2020 - Education Votes

EdAction in Congress November 22, 2020 - Education Votes

EdAction in Congress November 22, 2020

McConnell confirms more judges, refuses to act on COVID-19

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) continues to focus on confirming conservative judges even as COVID-19 reaches new heights—nearly 12 million cases and a quarter-million deaths—and the expiration of previously enacted relief looms. Measures that expire at year’s end include the suspension of student loan payments, a nationwide moratorium on evictions, and enhanced benefits for more than 13 million unemployed million Americans—a number that is expected to increase in coming weeks due to the resurgence of COVID-19.

Meanwhile, the need for coronavirus relief grows ever more urgent. The HEROES Act—first passed by the House in May and updated in October—fulfills key NEA goals: at least $175 billion to stabilize education funding and provide Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for students and educators and at least $12 billion in emergency funding to narrow the digital divide and close the homework gap. As many as 16 million students—1 in 3—are unable to do schoolwork at home due to lack of internet access and devices. A disproportionate share of those students are Black, Hispanic, Indigenous, and live in rural areas or low-income households. Relief for student loan borrowers is also among NEA’s top priorities.

Promising news on the vaccine front will not lead to a quick fix. Two companies, Pfizer and Moderna, have announced highly encouraging results—as much as 95 percent efficacy—in vaccines created with cutting-edge technology and U.S. government support to speed development and distribution. The Food and Drug Administration has not yet approved either vaccine and even if it does so soon, the general public will not have access to them for months—spring, at the earliest. Both vaccines require two shots and must be stored at extremely low temperatures, which will complicate distribution and administration. TAKE ACTION

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Top leadership to remain the same in 117th Congress

The leadership ranks of the 117th Congress that will be sworn in Jan. 3 will be filled with familiar faces. In the Senate, Republicans reelected Mitch McConnell of Kentucky as their leader and Democrats reelected Chuck Schumer of New York as their leader. Runoff elections for Georgia’s senators, to be held Jan. 5, will determine which of them is majority leader and which is minority leader.

In the House, the Democratic caucus reelected Nancy Pelosi of California as speaker, Steny Hoyer of Maryland as majority leader, and Jim Clyburn of South Carolina as majority whip, Katherine Clark of Massachusetts as assistant speaker, and Hakeem Jeffries of New York as caucus chair. Republicans reelected Kevin McCarthy of California as minority leader, Steve Scalise of Louisiana as minority whip, and Liz Cheney of Wyoming as conference chair.

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Cheers and Jeers

Rep. Susan Davis (D-CA) introduced the National Apprenticeship Act of 2020 (H.R. 8294), which recognizes that programs offering on-the-job training and mentoring pave the way to successful careers, and helps bring these programs into the 21st century.

Sens. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) introduced the Full-Service Community School Expansion Act of 2020 (S. 4865), legislation to help schools and districts expand services for students, families, and communities.

EdAction in Congress November 22, 2020 - Education Votes