CREED (Center for Racial Equity in Education)’s Post

I have more questions than answers from this article: What defines success here? Apparently, anyone can be a private school: "A private school is defined in Section 1002.01(2), Florida Statutes, as “an individual, association, co-partnership, or corporation or department, division, or section of such organizations, that designates itself as an educational center that includes kindergarten or a higher grade” and is below the college level." Interesting. delineation of requirements of private schools vs. homeschool: https://lnkd.in/gk9XhvDz I wonder why they felt the need to include this regulation: "Private schools may not exist at either end of a runway of a publicly owned, public-use airport. s. 333.03(3), F.S." In general, private schools, as defined by Florida, and homeschools have access to all public school services but if you decimate public schools and their subsequent funding, won't those services necessarily go away? Lots of questions, especially as the article notes other states are looking at Florida as a roadmap. What's your question here?

The systems used to open schools are crucial for ensuring the safety of learners, training and preparing faculty and staff, and more. Skipping steps within this system only underscores the risks and seriousness of education in North Carolina during this upcoming election cycle and into the future. https://lnkd.in/gyd2K8tP

Late last month, the Pittsburgh School District received new recommendations from a consulting firm in Boston that will guide their updated Facilities Utilization Plan. The plan dictates how the school district should approach changes to grade configurations throughout schools, consolidation of schools, and the closing of specific school buildings. There is no doubt that this plan will have adverse outcomes for majority Black schools in the city, where students have been historically and systemically disenfranchised and underfunded. Too often concerns like declining enrollment or poor academic achievement will be cited in school closures, with little account given to the racially imbalanced institutional standards that have hampered public education for decades. We demand that the city of Pittsburgh put a plan in place to ensure that relocated students have a guided transition and understand the full reasons for the move. Make your voice heard on potential Pittsburgh school closures and visit bit.ly/pghschools

This November, ten states will vote on 11 education-related ballot measures, marking the highest number since 2018. Key issues include school choice in Colorado, the partisan election of school boards in Florida, and the elimination of standardized testing requirements for high school graduation in Massachusetts. These measures reflect ongoing debates over how education policy should be shaped, from the local to the state level. The outcomes will have significant impacts on the future of education in these states. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gCAtksF8

A staggering 65 percent of third- through eighth-graders in Fort Worth failed to meet minimum grade-level standards in core subjects such as reading, math, and science. This is nothing short of an educational catastrophe. Fort Worth mayor Mattie Parker captured the urgency when she said, “This moment calls for visionary, student-centered leadership that sets ambitious goals, crafts a strategic plan for academic excellence, and ensures every taxpayer dollar is spent wisely.” We couldn’t agree more. Even more troubling, this failure rate marks a one percentage-point drop in proficiency from the previous year, underscoring a worrying trend in student achievement that is raising alarms among local leaders. Even the highest-performing city council district (district 10) saw just 49 percent of students meeting basic grade-level academic standards. Mayor Parker, in a letter addressed to the school-board members, pointed out Fort Worth’s consistent underperformance compared with other major Texas districts. For example, Fort Worth students trail eleven percentage points behind those in Dallas, 14 points behind Houston, and 18 points behind Brownsville. Those numbers starkly illustrate the need to reimagine our approach to education and embrace bold, transformative policies that empower parents and recognize the unique needs of every student.  Our CEO Lisa Nelson dove into this crucial issue in a National Review OpEd she coauthored with famed economist Stephen Moore. Read their OpEd at https://lnkd.in/gcAy4z4w #Education #Texas #Freedom

Do you know where the top-rated schools in Connecticut are? For many young and growing families, choosing the right school district is crucial when purchasing a home. Sure, you might know a few standout schools across the state. But having a comprehensive list of top-performing schools can help you make a more informed decision about the best area for your family. This article by Rich Kirby on Patch.com does just that! It outlines the 50 best public schools in Connecticut, offering insights into what makes each one exceptional. Want to know more about the best schools near you? Check out the full list and start exploring your options! https://lnkd.in/e69hxxbN

Check out this article from Montgomery Advertiser: What Trump's second term could mean for Alabama schools | BRUCIE PORTER https://lnkd.in/evxqitjq “All decisions are accompanied by circumstances.” This Nation can ill afford to minimize the impact of public education. Be careful what you ask for. # education # equity # fairness # quality

"Our current funding formula has not been updated in over thirty years, and does not consider the individual needs of local school districts and students. Alabama needs a student-weighted funding formula that provides flexibility and allows policymakers to address unique community challenges." -Ashley Lucier, Executive Director, Amp Up Arts We believe that every child deserves a world-class education, regardless of circumstance. Read the latest Op-ed by Every Child Alabama member Amp Up Arts to learn how a modernized school funding formula could transform Alabama schools and arts education: https://ow.ly/ejsy50SNpfX

Let's look at Florida Education-proof that rethinking education and accountability works. This is quoted from an article by Manny Diaz Jr. Florida's Commisioner of Education: "Florida is ranked the No. 1 state in education, according to U.S. News and World Report. Florida is also ranked tops in education freedom and parent empowerment, according to separate reports, and we have undertaken the largest expansion of school choice in the nation’s history while breaking our own teacher pay records year after year. Not even the COVID-19 pandemic could slow down student progress, as Florida logged the highest NAEP results in state history in 2022." whole article here:https://lnkd.in/ebY2UmGf

With early voting underway and Election Day a week away, NAIOP Massachusetts urges you to please vote NO on Question 2.   Question 2 would prohibit the use of any statewide or school districtwide assessment as a high school graduation requirement in Massachusetts public schools. This means that students would no longer be required to pass the 10th grade MCAS assessment in order to graduate, something that has been required since 2003. As a result, if the Question were to pass, each of Massachusetts’ 300+ school districts would be responsible for creating and implementing its own criteria for graduating students and that will lead to unequal assessments of student readiness for college and careers, and wider inequities in student achievement and opportunities. This would mean that the only remaining statewide graduation requirement would be four years of gym class. Massachusetts would have lower graduation requirements than states like Mississippi and Alabama.    Question 2 is opposed by Governor Maura Healey, Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll, Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell, Senate President Karen Spilka, House of Representatives Speaker Ron Mariano, a long list of Republican and Democratic elected leaders, current and former Secretaries of Education of both parties (Patrick Tutwiler, PhD, Jim Peyser, and Paul Reville), the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents, teachers and parents, and a large number of community and business groups. #VoteNoOnQuestion2 #mapoli #education #mcas #businesscommunity