NATIONAL NEWS

Federal government to issue rules on COVID relief

The Biden administration is set to issue regulations governing two programs in the American Rescue Plan, as well as the federal law governing the privacy of student records and a pilot for new student assessments, among other priorities. The list of upcoming rules also includes those that would affect magnet schools, charter school facilities, and preschool special education grants. One involves the American Rescue Plan’s $800m earmarked to support homeless students, a group that’s been hit particularly hard by the pandemic. The Education Department says its rules for the program will apply to three-quarters of the funding and will focus on the formula that state education agencies use to provide subgrants to local school districts. The other concerns the relief package’s $2.75bn in relief for private schools; the department says this must go to private schools enrolling “a significant percentage of low-income students” and to “schools most impacted by COVID-19.” The government also plans to issue rules for the testing pilot authorized by the Every Student Succeeds Act, the federal Charter Schools Program that’s designed to help states establish or enhance per-pupil funding for charter school facilities, and the federal Magnet Schools Program that will help “magnet schools that incorporate evidence-based designs and strategies that have been shown to both increase diversity and improve outcomes for students.”

Education Week 

DISTRICTS

Indian River schools maintain 3rd grade reading scores

Indian River County was the only Treasure Coast school district to maintain its third-grade reading score this year, according to Florida Department of Education data released Tuesday. For the second year, 60% of Indian River third graders achieved a reading proficiency of Level 3 or above, records show, making it one of only about a dozen districts statewide to maintain or improve their scores from 2019. "We've hit that mark (and) that is significant amidst a pandemic," Indian River County Superintendent David Moore asserted Tuesday. At the same time, the Martin and St. Lucie districts saw their scores drop about 2% and 3%, respectively. In Martin County, 52% of third graders achieved a Level 3 or above, down from 54% in 2020; in St. Lucie, it was 47% of third graders, down from 50% last year, records show. The largest decline was seen in statewide results, with Florida school districts reporting a combined drop of 4%, down from 58% last year to 54% this year. Statewide, 60% of virtual students scored at Level 3 or above, compared to 56% of Innovative and 54% of in-person students. Moreover, 17% of students enrolled in remote learning, 21% in innovative and 23% of students taking classes in the classroom scored a Level 1. Only 1% of test-takers this year were enrolled in virtual school, the data notes, while 74% were enrolled in traditional brick-and-mortar classrooms.

TCPalm 

Palm Beach County Board to hear Super's plans

Palm Beach County Schools Superintendent Dr. Donald Fennoy will present a plan to school board members during a workshop this afternoon. The district has already announced optional face masks for students with a full return to in-person learning, however Fennoy is also recommending they be optional for employees and visitors. Social distancing will be encouraged to the extent possible. According to the plan, field trips will resume, along with clubs and performances in person at all levels and concession stands will open at athletic events. Sports will also realign with the FHSAA schedule.

WPTV 

Volusia County board considers ending uniform policy

School leaders in Volusia County are scheduled to take up a plan Tuesday that would end a policy requiring uniforms for students. The district's current policy, which has been in place since 2016, requires students to wear solid-colored shirts and pants, along with closed-toe shoes. District officials say because of issues with enforcement, they are now considering going back to the previous policy, which would allow more options for students but would still prohibit things like hats, clothing that promotes violence and revealing tops.

Click Orlando 

Pinellas schools to get new principals

Two Pinellas County high schools and one elementary school will have new principals for the coming academic year. Eric Krause, assistant principal at Clearwater High, will take over at the helm of the school. Jennifer Gil, assistant principal at Hollins High, will become principal at Boca Ciega High, while Gina Owens, assistant principal at Belcher Elementary, will move to Frontier Elementary as principal. She replaces Heather Peters, who transferred to a like position at Douglas B. Jamerson Elementary.

Tampa Bay Times 

CLASSROOM

Students and staff benefit when principals stay close to classrooms

While most principals have spent time as teachers at some point, there is value in remaining closely connected to the classroom. At the Weilenmann School of Discovery, a charter school outside of Salt Lake City, administrators continue to spend time teaching students, which lets them “walk the walk.” Utilizing this approach can help administrators build credibility and leadership; the school community also benefits when teachers can see the vulnerability in their leaders, who in turn are maintaining firsthand experience of how their decisions impact the classroom. In recent years, principals' roles have also increasingly shifted to that of being an instructional leader. This has included revising principal standards and evaluations, creating additional administrative positions to oversee non-instructional duties, and strengthening the roles of principal supervisors.

K-12 Dive 

SAFETY & SECURITY

School-safety debate edging back towards campus police

Judith Browne Dianis, executive director of the civil rights organization Advancement Project National Office, looks at how the conversation on the role of police in schools has changed in the 13 months since the murder of George Floyd. The decades-long argument for police-free schools has seen numerous districts across the nation, including in Minneapolis, Denver, Seattle, Phoenix, and Portland, sever ties with local police. She goes on to note that "the pendulum seems to be shifting back to business as usual," with federal funding allowing schools to monitor students through anonymous reporting systems, social-media surveillance, and threat-assessment teams that coordinate with law enforcement.

Education Week 

LEGISLATION

Florida will require schools to teach civics

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced new state programs for students Tuesday that will require civics and patriotism education as well as CPR training. "We have a number of people in Florida, particularly southern Florida, who’ve escaped totalitarian regimes, who’ve escaped communist dictatorships, to be able to come to America. We want all students to understand…why would somebody flee across shark-infested waters…to come to southern Florida? Why would somebody leave a place like Vietnam? Why would be people leave these countries to risk their lives to be able to come here," DeSantis said at a press conference.

Fox News  Naples Daily News