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
Bipartisan bill would fund research into impact of active shooter drills A bipartisan bill has been reintroduced in the U.S. House, proposing funding to study the impact of active shooter drills on students. Reps. Ed Perlmutter (D-CO), Stephanie Murphy (D-FL) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) are backing the School Safety Drill Research Act, which would give the National Academy of Sciences $1m to research how to prepare for active shooters in ways that are effective and do not cause undue anxiety. “For a practice that is so widespread, we really should not be operating in the dark,” said Rob Wilcox, federal legal director for Everytown for Gun Safety. The group has tried to look at the impact of these experiences on kids. Some are announced ahead of time, so kids know it is coming and are prepared. Others, they get no warning at all. And some go even further, Mr. Wilcox said: "(some schools will do) an unannounced drill where students are caught off guard, (where) an individual is dressed and acting like an intruder and is trying to storm classrooms," carrying and shooting a fake gun. Rep. Perlmutter is optimistic that there’s enough bipartisan support to get Ellie’s idea to the president’s desk, even though funding for the research was derailed last year at the 11th hour.
Education Week
STATE NEWS California districts lack teacher numbers to help students catch up California schools collectively have billions of state and federal dollars to spend on programs to help students catch up on the learning they lost while school campuses were closed. However, many lack enough fully-qualified teachers to both fill regular classrooms and launch new academic programs in the fall. Research by the Learning Policy Institute, which consisted of interviews with district leaders from eight of the largest and nine of the smallest school districts in the state, found that the number of teacher candidates earning credentials declined during the pandemic. Los Angeles USD hired an additional 210 reading specialists for the 2020-21 school year for its Primary Promise program, which gives targeted help to 6,700 students in kindergarten through second grades. But the district needs an additional 400 to 500 reading specialists to help all the students who are struggling with reading, Superintendent Austin Beutner said. He added that the district also could improve the first-time passage rate for students who take algebra - currently 56% - if it could hire 170 more algebra teachers to reduce class sizes. To fill vacancies, school district officials have turned to underqualified teachers working on intern, short-term or provisional intern permits who have not completed the testing, coursework and student teaching required for a preliminary or clear credential.
EdSource
DISTRICTS LAUSD board approves record $20bn budget for pandemic education recovery The Los Angeles Board of Education has approved a record $20bn budget for the upcoming academic year, that will see the hiring of 930 psychologists and psychiatric social workers, 2,190 teachers, and 770 custodial workers. The seven-member board accepted most of the proposed plan, but added amendments, including $40m to speed up the opening of new preschool programs, and more than $50m in additional funding to enhance already expanded programs focusing on Black students. “This is a situation we’ve never been in before as a school district,” said Los Angeles USD Superintendent Austin Beutner, who spoke only briefly at the meeting and is stepping down at the end of the month. “What you see is the staff’s best thinking about how we provide more direct services to students at schools.” The board also approved a labor agreement with United Teachers Los Angeles for a return to traditional in-person instruction for the 2021-22 school year. Finally, Mr. Beutner was presented with a mounted school bell as a memento of his service to the organization. Deputy Superintendent Megan Reilly will serve as interim leader from July 1st.
The Daily Breeze
The Daily Breeze
Los Angeles Times
Central USD names acting superintendent Central USD's Board of Trustees has appointed Assistant Superintendent Ketti Davis to lead the district, while they continue their investigation into Andy Alvarado following his recent arrest on suspicion of inflicting corporal injury to a spouse. The case remains under investigation. The Madera County District Attorney's Office will decide whether Alvarado will be charged with a crime in connection with the arrest.
ABC30
The Fresno Bee
School coach fired after tortillas thrown at team The Coronado USD board voted unanimously last night to release Coronado High School head basketball coach, after tortillas were hurled at a team from a mostly Latino high school. There had been a squabble between coaching staff from both schools after mostly white Coronado beat visiting Orange Glen High School of Escondido 60-57 in overtime Saturday in a division championship game. Witnesses alleged that Laaperi shouted expletives at an Orange Glen coach. Video shared on social media then showed at least two Coroando students throwing tortillas into the air toward the other team.
The Tribune
FINANCE Berkeley to pass next year’s budget, with more funding for high-need students California's Berkeley USD is expected to have its budget for the upcoming school year approved this week. It plans to spend $173.6m, $8.5m of which will be dedicated to high need students, up from $3m the previous year. The board is also set to pass the Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP), a three-year plan designed to improve student achievement, particularly among vulnerable students. The plan is driven by specific goals, such as reducing the share of Black students at the high school earning a D or F from half down to a quarter. The district will spend $17.3m next year on the LCAP. The budget devotes an additional $610,000 to expand the Office of Family Engagement and Equity, hiring a director and two additional engagement specialists for King and Willard middle schools. An additional $220,000 for Bridge, a program that prepares primarily low-income students of color for college, will allow an additional cohort of students to enter next year.
Bereleyside
ELEMENTARY Kimberly Ott hired as new Colony Oak School principal Ripon USD has appointed Kimberly Ott as principal at Colony Oak Elementary School. According to Superintendent Ziggy Robeson, the new principal is currently involved in the district’s summer school program and is planning on attending the June 28th school board session.
Manteca Bulletin
OPERATIONS 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
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