You are receiving this email newsletter because you are a subscriber of Education Slice (formerly Principal News) or you signed up for our email newsletter on our site.

Funds for Florida school vouchers have been delayed, causing chaos and impacting education. Delayed payments have forced some schools to use their own funds to operate. While 86% of students receiving vouchers for special needs should have access to their money this week, only 26% of "educational options" awards have received funding. About 95% of students receiving tax-credit scholarships should have their money this week. The delays have prompted complaints from parents, with some resorting to using their own funds. Step Up, the organization that administers the vouchers, has been dealing with an expanded program and new systems for processing claims, and is now working with the Florida Department of Education to address these issues. The bottleneck is expected to ease, but concerns remain about the cap on vouchers for students with special needs.

 

Tampa Bay Times

Hear Tips from Dyscalculia Experts

According to Florida HB 7039, districts need to provide supports for students with a deficiency in mathematics or having demonstrated characteristics of dyscalculia. Dyscalculia refers to having difficulty in mathematical performance resulting from impairment in parts of the brain that are involved in mathematical processing. People with dyscalculia often have trouble with basic math skills, such as counting, adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing. They may also have difficulty with more complex math concepts, such as fractions, decimals, and percentages. As a result, students with dyscalculia may struggle in math classes, develop anxiety, and be at risk for failing or dropping out of school. There’s so much to learn about dyscalculia, so HMH has partnered with EdWeb to bring you a webinar to foster awareness, understanding, and empathy for those facing mathematical challenges.

Register for the EdWeb webinar, Understanding Dyscalculia: Navigating Challenges in Mathematical Learning - edWeb, happening Wednesday, October 4, 2023 @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm EDT. Presented by Dr. Bettina Pedemonte, Neurology Researcher at UCSF Memory and Aging Specializing in Dyscalculia; and Natalie Bell, Math Curriculum Specialist and Instructional Coach, Charles Armstrong School.

 

Millions of additional students in schools serving low-income communities across the country will be eligible to receive breakfast and lunch at no cost, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Tuesday. The department is expanding access to the Community Eligibility Provision, which is a meal service option that allows schools to provide no-cost meals to all students. Previously, at least 40% of students’ households had to be enrolled in income-based federal assistance programs to be eligible. The new rule lowers that threshold to 25%. Grants worth $30m from the Healthy Meals Incentives will be distributed to 264 rural school districts across the country. Another $30m in equipment grants will be given to states and school districts with school lunch programs. About $11m in Farm to School grants will be used to serve 1.2m children. Eight states, including California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, and Vermont, already allow schools to serve free meals to all of their students.

 

The Hill

USA Today

Negotiations between teachers and the Lee County School District continue amidst the current teacher shortage. A counteroffer from the teacher’s union has not been released yet, but Director Kerr Fazzone said we will know soon. Lee County teachers told WINK News the district’s offer of $38.2m (an 8% pay raise across the board) was not good enough.

 

WINK News

Early learning and childcare advocates are warning of a dearth of childcare places as temporary pandemic-era funding expires September 30. According to a survey conducted by the RAPID Project at Stanford University’s Center on Early Childhood Education, nearly 25% of childcare programs would have folded without the federal emergency funding. The American Rescue Plan, which went into effect March 2021, provided $23.97bn for childcare stabilization grants to states, territories, and tribes based on the current Childcare and Development Block Grant formula. The funding was specifically targeted to help the childcare industry meet the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. According to calculations by The Century Foundation, an estimated 3.2m children will lose access to childcare, and about 70,000 childcare programs will close once the stabilization funds run out.

 

K12 Dive

Five high school seniors in Hernando County campaigned for the position of Student Representative on the school board. Each candidate presented different ideas to improve the education system. Robert Kordon emphasized expanding student government, Olivia Serralles proposed providing transportation for extracurricular activities, Rylee Rhineberger aimed to establish transition programs for fifth and eighth graders, Brennan Butler wanted to empower students to participate in board meetings, and Jade Parker addressed the lack of instructors teaching advanced classes. After the speeches, Rylee Rhineberger was declared the winner. The election showcased democracy in action and the importance of student involvement in decision-making processes.

 

Hernando Sun

California and Florida have become the first states to require later school start times, in part a response to the mental health crisis affecting teens. The new laws, which mandate high school classes to start no earlier than 8:30 a.m., aim to help adolescents get more sleep. However, implementing these changes comes with challenges such as disrupted bus schedules and new schedules for teachers and staff. Other states have faced opposition from school districts and parents concerned about budget and family schedules. Numerous studies have shown that later start times improve grades, reduce juvenile crime, and enhance sports performance.  Lawmakers in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon and Texas all had bills up this year, according to Start School Later, an advocacy group that tracks the bills, though most didn't pass. Notably, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends high schools to start no earlier than 8:30 a.m.

 

Missoulian

The Miami-Dade County School Board has awarded a $4.3m contract to Carivon Construction Company for the renovation of Pine Lake Elementary School. The project includes various upgrades such as a new covered walkway, replacement of asphalt walkways with concrete, and upgrading of fire/security alarm systems. The renovation is expected to be completed by August 2025.

 

Miami's Community Newspapers

Just 19% of state education technology officials say their states provide “ample funding” to head off cybersecurity risks, according to a recent report released by the State Educational Technology Directors Association. Some 42% said their state provides a “small amount” or “very little” funding to address cybersecurity needs, according to the survey of 104 education technology officials in 45 states, Guam, and the U.S. Department of Defense, which operates schools for some students from military families. “Improving K-12 cybersecurity posture has become an issue of resources and equity,” comments Brad Hagg, director of education technology at the Indiana Department of Education. “Under-staffed districts and communities without access to a pipeline of cyber specialists will struggle to meet the requirements, often dictated by insurance companies, as well as the best practices necessary to implement a strong cybersecurity threat mitigation program.”

 

Education Week