The Oakland Ed Week in Review 10/07/2024-10/13/2024 

In other California News…

• The brutal story behind California’s new Native American genocide education law By Carolyn Jones | Cal Matters | A new law requires California students to learn Native American history in a way that includes the mistreatment and perspectives of tribal members.
• Teachers are still leaving, but these aspiring educators are excited to join the profession By Clara Brownstein | Ed Source | Despite ongoing challenges and high turnover rates in the teaching profession, a new wave of aspiring educators is eager to enter the field.
• What is Proposition 2? California Measure Looking to Borrow Money to Repair Schools, Colleges By Gabe Ferris | ABC7 Bay Area News | Proposition 2 seeks to authorize $10 billion in bonds aimed at upgrading and repairing California’s public schools and community colleges.
• 252 districts place bonds on the ballot; here’s how two would spend the money By Emma Gallegos, Diana Lambert & John Fensterwald | Ed Source | San Juan Unified School District and Wasco Union High School District hope a proposed $10 billion state bond will defray some costs

In other National News…

• Universal pre-K among the most effective labor market policies, study finds By Madison McVan | Minnesota Reformer | Parents with children enrolled in a universal pre-kindergarten program increased their earnings by an average of 20.9%, according to a working paper published by the National Bureau of Economic Research. 
• Some schools cut paths to calculus in the name of equity. One group takes the opposite approach by Javeria Salman | Hechinger Report | While some states and districts rethink advanced math classes, the Calculus Project sees that coursework as critical to the success of Black, Hispanic and low-income students
• Some Students Are Fighting to Stay in College After the FAFSA Delayed Financial Aid By Jonaki Mehta |NPR via KQED |  Thousands of college students across the country are struggling to stay enrolled due to a significant delay in federal financial aid disbursements after problems with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) system.
• 1 in 3 teens reports experiencing racism in school By Naaz Modan | K-12 Dive | CDC finds Asian, multiracial and Black students were the most likely to report having ever experienced racism in school.
• Suspensions, expulsions harm students’ mental and physical health By Kara Arundel | K-12 Dive | The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends schools use trauma-informed practices and analyze discipline data.
• Teachers Say the Public Views Them Negatively By Alex Harmwin | Ed Source | 7 of 10 teachers believe the public holds a negative view of their profession, according to EdWeek’s 2024 State of Teaching report.
• The 10 most common questions teenagers asked about the election by Terry Parris Jr. and Anna Diamond | The New York Times | Headway Election Challenge and Chalkbeat, have been in conversation with teenagers about the upcoming presidential election. 
• In Cities With School Choice, Low-Income Kids Catching up to Wealthier Peers By Lauren Camera | The74 | New report on Camden, Newark, Kansas City, St. Louis & Indianapolis finds achievement gaps closing for students in both charter and district schools.
• Study: Charters Hastened Catholic School Decline. Will ESAs Slow the Process? By Kevin Mahnken | The74 | New research suggests that the explosive spread of charters in the 2000s led families to abandon Catholic schools.
• Petition to establish nation’s first religious charter school reaches Supreme Court By Naaz Modan | K-12 Dive | Oklahoma’s St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School was set to open for 2024-25, but its launch was blocked by the state’s high court.
• Private School Choice: What the Research Says By Mark Lieberamn | Ed Week | Research on private school choice programs is mixed, with some studies suggesting benefits for low-income students in academic achievement, while others show little to no significant difference compared to public schools, raising questions about broader impacts on educational equity and resource allocation.
• Trump leads, and his party follows, on vaccine skepticism By Darius Tahir | KFF Health News via Chalkbeat News | Trump has promised to cut funding to schools that mandate vaccines. Campaign spokespeople have previously said that pledge would apply only to schools with COVID mandates. 
• Voters divided on Biden admin’s Title IX changes ahead of election By Brendan Clarey | Chalkboard News | A new national poll released this week, voters signaled they are divided over the Biden administration’s Title IX changes to expand gender identity protections ahead of the general election.
• The White House Set Out to Recruit Thousands of Tutors. Did It Make a Difference? By Libby Stanford | Ed Week | The initiative to recruit thousands of tutors in response to pandemic-related learning loss faced recruitment challenges and variable effectiveness, highlighting the need for sustainable solutions and a focus on equity in educational access. 
• Here’s How Many High Schoolers Are Transgender—and How They’re Faring in Schools By Brooke Schultz | Ed Source | According to recent data, about 1.4% of U.S. high schoolers identify as transgender, and they face higher levels of discrimination, bullying, and mental health challenges compared to their cisgender peers, highlighting ongoing struggles for inclusivity and support within schools.
• The top K-12 conferences to attend in 2025 | By K-12 Dive | A guide to events where school leaders can share best practices and learn about the issues shaping education in the new year.

City and State Roundup:

• Nashville Study Finds Major Disconnect Between Black Girls and Mathematics By Jo Napolitano | The74 | Black girls were far more likely than Black boys to have ‘a negative math identity’ and to not see how the subject connects with their future.
• There’s Been a Big Shakeup at the Chicago Board of Education By Sunni Khalid | KALW | Several top officials at the Chicago Board of Education, including the board president, have either resigned or been replaced as part of a major leadership overhaul.  The shakeup is reportedly due to Mayor Brandon Johnson’s desire to bring in new leadership, with a focus on transforming the city’s education policies and priorities.
• Chicago Teachers Union member suing for audit sees ‘red flags’ amid intimidation tactics By Greg Bishop | The Center Square | Chalkboard News | One Plaintiff is suing the Chicago Teachers Union to open the books for how union dues are spent, after bringing a complaint forward, leaders humiliated and intimidated them.
• Illinois educators and parents seek $550 million school funding increase for next year By Samantha Smylie | Chalkbeat | The increase would be $200 million more than what state lawmakers put into the evidence-based funding formula for K-12 schools for the current budget. 
• Why Oklahoma’s Top Public Education Official Aims to Bring Bibles into Classrooms By Janelle Salanga | NPR via KWLA | Oklahoma’s Superintendent is advocating for incorporating the Bible into the state’s public school curriculum, framing it as a way to provide students with moral grounding. Walters argues that the Bible’s teachings could foster a sense of ethical direction for students amid ongoing debates about the role of religion in public education.
• AI Surveillance Expanding in Colorado Schools with New Security Cameras and Technology By Elizabeth Hernandez | The Denver Post via East Bay Times | Colorado schools are increasingly adopting AI-powered surveillance technologies, including advanced security cameras, to enhance campus safety.
• After decision in Catholic preschool lawsuit, Colorado moves to repeal religious preschool rule By Ann Schimke | Chalkbeat | Religious preschools that participate in Colorado’s state-funded preschool program are allowed to reserve seats for members of their congregations. But State officials have proposed a repeal of the so-called “congregation preference” after a recent federal court decision that highlighted problems with that rule. 
• Amendment 80 would enshrine school choice in Colorado Constitution By Melanie Asmar | Chalkbeat | Supporters say Amendment 80 is about protecting the right to school choice. Opponents say Amendment 80 could lead to the funding of private schools with public money.
• Newark students deal with full buses, city traffic to get to school on time By Jessie Gómez | Chalkbeat | Newark Public Schools faces high costs, public transit problems, and rising demand to get nearly 40,000 students to school on time.
• Governor says Tennessee has money for both Hurricane Helene recovery and universal school vouchers By Marta W. Aldrich | Chalkbeat | Gov. Bill Lee said Hurricane Helene’s massive destruction in northeast Tennessee, plus a growing backlog of public infrastructure needs statewide, won’t prevent his administration from pursuing a universal private school voucher program during his final two years in office.
• M-STEP results show Detroit charter students made some improvements By Robyn Vincent | Chalkbea | On Michigan’s standardized tests, Detroit charter students show some gains in comparison to previous years. But they’re still struggling to return to pre-pandemic numbers.
• Taxpayers face 137 school referendum questions across Wisconsin on Nov. 5 By Jon Styf | The Center Square | Chalkboard News | On Nov. 5, there will be 137 school referendum questions combined for local school districts across the state of Wisconsin and includes 57 for a temporary increase in the district’s taxing limit & 22 will ask for a permanent increase, according to the Wisconsin Association of School Boards.
• Seattle schools to announce school closures this month; staff cuts to come after By Spencer Pauley | The Center Square | Chalkboard News | Seattle Public Schools is considering closing five schools rather than 17 to 21 as part of a plan to reduce a $94 million budget deficit. The closures would come before the start of the 2025-2026 school year.
• Washington superintendent candidates agree state’s funding model flawed By Carleen Johnson | The Center Square | Chalkboard News | “Our state only spends about 3.1% of its GDP [gross domestic product] on education, and the national average is 3.6%,” said Reykdal, who is running for a third term.
• Critics call jump in Wisconsin standardized test scores ‘ludicrous’ By Benjamin Yount | The Center Square contributor | Chalkboard News | The scores show 51% of Wisconsin children are proficient in reading and 53% are proficient in math – up from last year’s scores that showed 39% were proficient in reading and 41% were proficient in math. It’s alleged the scores jumped dramatically not because Wisconsin students got better at reading and writing, but because DPI changed the test scores.
• Stolen Providence school district data may be making its way onto the internet By Alexander Castro | Rhode Island Current | School department racing to issue information to staff on credit monitoring information ‘very soon’
• St. Louis Schools Head into Uncertainty Following Superintendent’s Ouster By Kevin Mahnken | The 74 | After just one year on the job, the much-hyped chief has been fired amid complaints about hiring and spending. She plans to appeal.
• Test Scores For Hawaii Students Show Little Progress Despite Major Funding Boost By Megan Tagami | Honolulu Civil Beat | The state has received over half a billion dollars in pandemic support, but there’s been no tracking of which investments and programs have actually improved student learning.
• Kentucky’s lieutenant governor leans on her teaching roots in fighting a school choice measure By Bruce Schreiner | Associated Press | Democratic Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman is in campaign mode in opposing a ballot measure that would allow Kentucky tax dollars to support students attending private or charter schools.
• Nevada Asked A.I. Which Students Need Help. The Answer Caused an Outcry By Troy Closson | The New York Times | The new system cut the number of students deemed “at risk” in the state by 200,000, leading to tough moral and ethical questions over which children deserve extra assistance.
• School Absences Rise as Special Education Fails Students, Suit Says By Claire Fahy & Troy Closson |  A class-action lawsuit argues that the New York City school system falls short in helping students with emotional disabilities, leaving them to miss too many school days.