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Women in educational leadership report a range of biases, ranging from interpersonal slights and structural inequities, that make it difficult to attain and persist in top positions. According to a survey by Women Leading Ed, 57% of respondents have been passed over for career advancement opportunities offered to male colleagues, while 53% believe their gender influenced salary negotiations. The gender imbalance is notable as 77% of teachers are women. The survey also revealed concerns about work-life balance, unfair expectations about appearance and behavior, and bias affecting career persistence. To address these challenges, Women Leading Ed has proposed recommendations such as more diverse candidate pools, clear goals for leaders, job coaching, and comprehensive family leave policies. The organization will also work on designing a superintendent contract that addresses structural barriers and provides training in negotiations. Over 700 educational leaders have signed an open letter in support of these recommendations.

 

Education Week News

A cement truck has crashed into a school bus carrying more than 40 pre-K students returning from a field trip to a Texas zoo, resulting in the death of a boy on the bus and a man in another vehicle. The bus rolled over on the highway, causing critical injuries to four people who were airlifted from the crash site. Six others with potentially serious injuries were transported by ambulance. The child who died was a pre-K student at Tom Green Elementary School in Buda. In addition to the two fatalities, 51 others were injured, including the bus driver.

 

The Hill

A regular meeting of the Hallsville ISD Board of Trustees will be held later today. The agenda includes recognition of outstanding employees and student achievements, financial reports, and action items such as approving contracts and purchases. The meeting will also feature department reports and an executive session.

 

Marshall News Messenger

Paris ISD will host an in-person registration event for incoming Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten students on April 10. The event will take place at the Paris Junior High gymnasium, providing an opportunity for parents to enroll their young learners in the school system.

 

Paris News

After receiving warning letters saying their election systems may violate federal voting rights laws, school board members in two Tarrant County districts are left to decide what to do next. The Arlington Independent School District and the Eagle Mountain-Saginaw Independent School District both elect their board members at large, meaning every voter in the school district votes for candidates for every seat. A Dallas law firm says those election systems violate the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The law firm sent warning letters to the districts, stating that neither district represents the diversity of their communities. Voting rights advocates argue that at-large elections are discriminatory because they allow the majority of a community to dominate every board seat, effectively denying minority voters a voice. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was put into place to combat local policies that intentionally diluted the power of non-white voters. Most districts that have been ordered to change their school board election systems have adopted a single-member district model. However, there are alternative solutions, such as cumulative voting, which allows voters to distribute their votes among multiple candidates. The controversy surrounding voting rights in school districts highlights the need for fair and equitable representation in local elections.

 

Star-Telegram

Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon has vetoed a bill that would have allowed people to carry concealed guns in schools and government meetings. In his veto letter, Gordon expressed concerns about the bill exceeding the separation of powers provision in the state constitution. He argued that any policy or regulation related to firearms should be implemented by the Legislature. The bill would have required state facilities, including the University of Wyoming and the Wyoming Boys' School, to seek legislative approval for restricting carrying firearms. Supporters of the bill claimed it infringed on their Second Amendment rights. Wyoming is known for its gun-friendly stance, but the governor's veto emphasizes the importance of local control, and the need for legislative involvement in firearms regulation. Some other states, including Alabama, Idaho, and Utah, already permit concealed guns in schools.

 

U.S. News

Austin ISD has introduced a police motorcycle unit in an effort to attract more officers. Police Chief Wayne Sneed demonstrated the lights and sirens on a BMW motorcycle for the new fleet. The move comes as the district aims to boost recruitment and increase officer numbers. "We believe that having a motorcycle unit will help us attract more officers who are interested in this type of work," Sneed said. The introduction of the motorcycle unit is part of Austin ISD's ongoing efforts to improve officer recruitment.

 

Community Impact Newspaper

With a majority of states returning to pre-pandemic meal policies, a new report by the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) demonstrates how the end of nationwide universal school meals negatively impacted students’ daily participation in breakfast and lunch between 2021-22 and 2022-23. Around 1.8m less children opted for a school lunch between 2021-22 and 2022-23, amid a 7.7% decline in school breakfast participation in the same period. When Congress allowed the temporary, pandemic-era policy permitting nationwide universal school meals to expire in June 2022, most schools had to revert during the 2022-23 school year to charging students for meals if they didn’t fill out a form, or qualify for free or reduced price meals based on their family’s income.

 

K12 Dive

Students and staff of Laneville ISD have kicked off their participation in the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Agency’s Healthy School Recognized Campus research study. As part of the program, they committed to the Walk Across Texas initiative and enjoyed a tasty treat after riding on the program's blender bike. The Healthy School program aims to promote and encourage health throughout the life course. Laneville ISD's active participation in the Learn, Grow, Eat, and Go! program demonstrates their interest in healthy living. The school's commitment to the research study and the overwhelming response to the Walk Across Texas! program align perfectly with their hands-on learning in the garden.

 

The Henderson News

There is yet another delay for prospective and current college students awaiting financial aid award letters. The U.S. Department of Education announced an error in its calculations for federal student aid that will result in delays for as many as 200,000 applicants. The financial aid process for students is already about three months behind schedule. It was initially delayed due to a slow rollout of the new, simplified Free Application for Federal Student Aid released this year. It was further delayed when the department's calculations failed to take inflation into account. Any student who receives financial aid has to fill out the form every year.

 

NPR / National Public Radio