EduClips: From NYC’s Plan to Develop New Schools With XQ to a Possible Teacher Strike in Chicago, the Education News You Missed This Week From America’s 15 Top Districts
EduClips presents a collection of the most important education news stories from the largest school districts in America, where over 4 million students from 10 states attend school every day. Click here to read previous EduClips editions.
ILLINOIS—District Teachers and Support Staff Set Strike Date for October: According to the Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Teachers Union, school support staff, and park employees have scheduled a strike for October 17 if they fail to reach contract agreements with the city before then. In previous teacher strikes, some parents have sent their children to parks as an alternative, which is why the three organizations are collaborating this time. A union official stated that the joint strike date is intended to eliminate that option and compel employers to negotiate sincerely. Jeffrey Howard, a vice president for the union representing school custodians, special education aides, support staff, and park employees, stated, "They want to pit workers against each other." Last week, 94% of union teachers voted in favor of strike authorization. If the strike occurs, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and schools chief Janice Jackson have announced that schools will remain open for the city’s 360,000 students and will be staffed by principals and nonunion employees. Both sides have accused each other of failing to respond adequately to demands and offers. If the strike goes ahead, approximately 35,000 public employees will walk off the job. However, negotiations will continue. (Read more at the Chicago Tribune)
NEW YORK—Mayor Bill de Blasio Collaborates with XQ America and Robin Hood to Establish and Revamp Schools: The New York Times reports that New York City will utilize funds from XQ America, an education organization founded by Laurene Powell Jobs, and the Robin Hood Foundation, an anti-poverty philanthropy organization in New York City, to open or revamp 40 schools. Teams of students and teachers will propose ideas for their schools as well as for new schools, and the winners will receive grant funding to implement their ideas. Despite his previous criticisms of private money in education, Mayor de Blasio is now following the example of his predecessor, Michael R. Bloomberg, who relied on donations from private institutions and prominent benefactors to overhaul the education system. XQ America will contribute $10 million to the project, while Robin Hood will provide $5 million to open new schools in low-income neighborhoods and $1 million for teacher training. The city will match these donations with an additional $16 million to open or revamp 10 other schools. (Read more at The New York Times)
NATIONAL—Training Teachers to Use Guns in Schools: Spend three days with Angie, a fifth-grade teacher from Ohio who, this summer, learned to handle and carry a gun as part of her campus training. She visits a shooting range to practice shooting and receives tips specific to her profession, such as how to discreetly hug students without revealing the weapon. "Cause we’re huggers," she explains. "You have to get them from this side… You have to retrain a lot of things that you do." Since the Parkland, Florida, high school shooting in 2018, the number of school districts permitting staff to carry guns has almost doubled, according to Vice News. The required training varies from state to state and even from district to district, with some places not requiring any training at all. Angie received her training from FASTER Saves Lives, which is a course created by an Ohio-based firearms association after the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in 2012, as reported by WHYY. (Read more at WHYY)
NEVADA—Clark County Principals Receive Positive Evaluations: The Las Vegas Review Journal reports that none of the 300-plus principals in the Clark County School District, which encompasses Las Vegas, have been deemed "ineffective" in the past four years, with only one being rated as "developing", which is the second-lowest category. However, during this time, the district has consistently had over 100 schools rated as one or two stars, which are the lowest tiers in the state’s academic performance standards. Additionally, while some principals have quietly taken leave, been demoted, or retired while under scrutiny, little information has been provided to parents and communities. The district is taking measures to enhance professional development and evaluation processes, and the teachers union has implemented an internal system to address principals who encounter ongoing issues with school staff and climate. (Read more at the Las Vegas Review Journal)
FLORIDA — Declining Enrollment Plagues Several Major Florida Public School Districts: The enrollment rates in three of Florida’s largest school districts, namely Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties, are either remaining stagnant or decreasing. These districts rank as the fifth, seventh, and eleventh largest districts in the United States, respectively. According to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, two primary factors contribute to the decline in student numbers: an increasing number of families opting for charter schools and a rise in empty nesters in South Florida. Concerns raised by parents with children attending charter schools center around overcrowding and the feeling of being overwhelmed at nearby public schools. One Broward County parent expressed their satisfaction with the charter school system, stating that at the charter school, everyone knows each other, and even the principal knew their child by name within the first week of attendance.
CALIFORNIA — Can Charter and Public Schools Coexist Peacefully? LAUSD Proposes $5.5 Million Solution: The Los Angeles Board of Education recently passed a unanimous plan to allocate new funding for repairing and improving campuses shared by district and charter schools in Los Angeles. Each of the fifty-five district schools that share space with one or more charters will receive $100,000 to address facilities-related challenges, such as the installation of sound systems or gate repairs, reports the Los Angeles Times. This funding will be obtained from voter-approved school construction bonds specifically designated for charters. The plan, a collaborative effort between two influential board members — charter supporter Nick Melvoin and charter critic Jackie Goldberg — aims to foster better cooperation and collaboration between charter and district schools. Melvoin expressed his hopes that this funding initiative will facilitate smoother day-to-day operations and promote a new spirit of collaboration.
Noteworthy Opinion & Analysis
PARENT PERSPECTIVE — Reflecting on Opportunity Hoarding Following My Son’s School Rejections: A parent shares their personal experience of disappointment upon discovering that their child did not gain admission to any of the schools they had hoped for. This experience prompted the parent to reflect on how they may have unknowingly been hoarding opportunities, and the need for a more equitable education system. (Read at Chalkbeat)
TECHNOLOGY — Can the Era of Expensive Graphing Calculators Come to a Close? An examination of the potential end of the era of pricey graphing calculators and the introduction of alternative technologies that offer similar functions at a lower cost. (Read at The Hustle)
STUDENT PERSPECTIVE — Young Chess Champions Share Their Winning Strategies: A video featuring young chess champions who reveal their secrets to success in the game. (Watch at The Atlantic)
POLITICS — A Kids’-News Outlet Breaks Down the Complexities of Impeachment: An exploration of how a children’s news outlet is effectively explaining the intricacies of the impeachment process to young readers. (Read at The Atlantic)
ASSESSMENT — Time for Timed Tests to Come to an End: An argument for discontinuing the use of timed tests in education, highlighting the negative impact they have on students’ well-being and learning experiences. (Read at Education Week)
CRIMINAL JUSTICE — Over 30,000 Children Under 10 Arrested in America Since 2013, Says FBI: A report on the alarming number of arrests made in the United States involving children below the age of 10, as indicated by data from the FBI since 2013. (Read at ABC News)
Quotes of the Week
“Proposals to raise teacher pay feel like a superficial way of addressing the underlying problem." —Kathryn Sundeen, a public school teacher in Philadelphia, expressing her skepticism about Democratic plans to increase teacher salaries. (Read at Huffington Post)
"By prolonging the appeals process and driving up legal costs, school districts effectively discourage parents from seeking the special education services their children need." —Catherine Michael, a Texas attorney, discussing the state’s inadequate response to federal mandates on special education services. (Read at The74Million.org)
"Many of these children have suffered immense trauma on their journey to the United States, including sexual abuse, attempted murder, and abandonment in the desert." —Perla Banegas, a former teacher at Worthington High School in Minnesota, which has received a significant influx of unaccompanied minors. (Read at The Washington Post)
"Despite the ongoing debates surrounding affirmative action, it has consistently withstood legal challenges throughout the past three decades, affirming its importance." —Sherrilyn Ifill, president and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, emphasizing the resilience of affirmative action. (Read at The74Million.org)
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