Admin & Management - District Administration https://districtadministration.com/category/administration-and-management/ District Administration Media Wed, 10 Jan 2024 15:19:08 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.3.2 State lawmakers zero in on education policies in 2024 https://districtadministration.com/state-lawmakers-zero-in-on-education-policies-in-2024/ Wed, 10 Jan 2024 15:19:08 +0000 https://districtadministration.com/?p=157568 From school vouchers to funding, we've identified some of the most pressing education policies being discussed among legislators in 2024.

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With the new year comes a new legislation session, which, in many states, is an opportunity for lawmakers to outline new priorities for K12 education in 2024. From school vouchers to funding, we’ve identified some of the most pressing education policies being discussed among legislators in 2024.

School vouchers

Media headlines portray ongoing discussions surrounding school vouchers in states like Tennessee and Arizona. Facing a near $1 billion deficit, Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs promises to bring accountability to the state’s school voucher program that is anticipated to top $900 million in 2024, ABC News reports.

The deficit is largely a result of the increased costs of the state’s expansion of the voucher program in 2022 and a 2021 tax cut impacting incoming tax revenues.

In a memo released in July 2023, the voucher program was criticized after projections revealed it may cost taxpayers nearly $1 billion annually. Hobbs issued a statement in response promising transparency and an improved voucher system.

“The universal voucher program is unsustainable,” she wrote. “Unaccountable school vouchers do not save taxpayer money, and they do not provide a better education for Arizona students. We must bring transparency and accountability to this program to ensure school vouchers don’t bankrupt our state. I’m committed to reforming universal vouchers to protect taxpayer money and give all Arizona students the education they deserve.”

Hobbs is now proposing changes that require private schools that receive voucher funding to set minimum education requirements for educators and that students attend public school for at least 100 days before they can become eligible for the vouchers, ABC News reports.

Similarly, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee aims to expand his school voucher program statewide, The Tennesseean reports. The proposed Education Freedom Scholarship Act would provide 20,000 with some $7,000 to enroll in a private school or for the use of other educational expenses. The first 10,000 students would gain eligibility determined by an income requirement. In 2025, the program will be expanded to universal eligibility.

School funding and safety

About one year ago, a court ruling decided Pennsylvania’s education funding system was “unconstitutionally inequitable,” Spotlight Pennsylvania reports. Since then, lawmakers have been tasked with its revamping, which has been under discussion amongst a bipartisan commission and state House Majority Leader Matt Bradford (D. Montgomery).

Matthew Kelley, a school funding scholar at Penn State, originally served as a primary witness during the funding lawsuit. He unveiled to lawmakers that the system’s funding shortfall had reached $6.2 billion, which makes up about 20% of Pennsylvania’s total education spending, according to Spotlight Pennsylvania

“These funding gaps do not impact all student populations equally,” Kelly wrote in his testimony with added emphasis on its impact on Black and Latino students.

The commission aims to release a report based on its hearings sometime in January, which will then hope to bring legislators some answers for closing the funding gaps.


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In terms of school safety, a fatal shooting at a Perry, Iowa, high school early this year has prompted Iowa state legislators to view school safety as a top priority this legislative session, The Daily Iowan reports.

“People choose Iowa because our state is viewed as safe,” said House Speaker Iowa Rep. Pat Grassley, R-New Hartford in his opening remarks. “So when we see these senseless acts of violence in our own home state, in our own schools, it shakes us to our core. In Iowa, every parent should be able to send their kids to school and trust that they will return home safe.”

As a result, Republican lawmakers promise to bolster school security while Democrats are prioritizing changes to mental health and gun safety in Iowa.

Reading proficiency

Indiana lawmakers expect to address several issues in its education system, including its literacy “crisis,” the Indiana Capital Chronicle reports. Recent data from the Indiana Department of Education revealed that more than 80% of third graders at public and private schools passed the 2023 Indiana Reading Evaluation and Determination. However, the department wants to raise that number to 95% by 2027.

“We have to shoot high,” Indiana Secretary of Education Katie Jenner told the Indiana Capital Chronicle. “We have a goal set—we know it’s aggressive, and we are following that with some very aggressive tactics to support our current and future teachers to try to engage our parents and families in getting kids to school.”

The state passed several bills in 2023 to mitigate the pandemic’s effects relating to learning loss and academic proficiency. One of those efforts included requiring schools to use “science of reading” curricula by the 2024 school year.

Now, state lawmakers are working to enhance a policy that requires students who are deficient in reading to repeat the third grade, according to the Indiana Capital Chronicle.

“There was a little bit of controversy there on both sides of the fence,” said Republican Sen. Jeff Raatz who also chairs the Senate Education Committee. “But it’s [the General Assembly’s] responsibility to do the very best job we can to make sure that students can read as they go off into their careers.”

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School nutrition: Why some worry it’s at a “perilous juncture” https://districtadministration.com/perilous-juncture-school-nutrition-assocaition-school-meals-lunch/ Wed, 10 Jan 2024 15:06:42 +0000 https://districtadministration.com/?p=157578 A range of financial, logistical and regulatory challenges have the potential to disrupt school meal service as pandemic relief funding expires and stricter standards arrive, advocates say. 

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A range of financial and logistical challenges have the potential to disrupt school nutrition programs as pandemic relief funding expires, advocates say.

Nearly all of the 1,300-plus school meal program directors who responded to a School Nutrition Association survey report said they were grappling with increasing costs, with a large majority calling it “a significant challenge.” Many of these directors said they were worried they would not be able to procure foods that would meet stricter school nutrition guidelines expected to be released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in April.

“Inadequate funds and overly restrictive rules will soon cripple school meal programs,” said Chris Derico, president of the School Nutrition Association. “We believe all students deserve equal access to nutritious meals at school, and in schools that must charge for meals, we see inequities for children as well as unpaid meal debt increasing financial losses.”


Read more from DA: Where is teacher confidence headed? New surveys provide insight 


The association is now urging Congress to increase school meal funding and preserve current nutrition standards.

School nutrition supply chain snags

Fewer than one in five of the nutrition directors surveyed said current reimbursement rates cover the costs of producing a school lunch. This funding gap also makes it harder for district nutrition programs to pay competitive wages in today’s tight labor market, which in turn hinders efforts to provide healthier meals by cooking dishes from scratch.

Another top challenge identified by a large majority of school nutrition leaders was a shortage of menu items that will likely get worse if new nutritional standards are implemented. Districts with the highest numbers of students eligible for free-and-reduced eligibility are also the most likely to report severe procurement difficulties.

“With a lack of any nutrition mandates for dining or retail foods, limited demand for low-sodium and whole-grain products in the retail market leaves many manufacturers and distributors hesitant to prepare and stock specialty items for K12 customers,” the report asserts.

Unpaid meal debt continues to be a financial hurdle in districts that can no longer serve universal free meals. The shift back to paid meals since the pandemic has led to consistent drops in student participation, in part because some families fail to submit applications.

On the other hand, schools that provide free meals to all students also report a more positive social-emotional cafeteria environment, reduced stigma for low-income students and increased operational efficiencies, the report contends.

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“It makes my heart happy”: Celebrating culture creates safe spaces https://districtadministration.com/changing-demographics-keep-sumner-bonney-lake-headed-in-right-direction/ Tue, 09 Jan 2024 18:16:23 +0000 https://districtadministration.com/?p=157380 "It makes my heart so happy that students are coming together to share their experiences and they feel safe doing it," says Superintendent Laurie Dent. "We finally made it safe to talk about race in this district."

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When Superintendent Laurie Dent realized her district was falling behind in meeting the needs of marginalized learners, she and her team sought solutions from her students, parents and community members. Among their goals was to capitalize on rapidly changing demographics in the Sumner-Bonney Lake School District near Tacoma, Washington.

Laurie Dent
Laurie Dent

One glaring problem was a disproportionate suspension rate for students in certain ethnic groups. “It was heart-wrenching to hear that in a district that I love and consider my home—I’ve been here for 25 years—that in many ways [students] felt invisible,” Dent laments.

Compounding the challenge was that the district began its equity work at a time of heightened political divisiveness and resistance from some corners of the community to promoting inclusivity in all school operations. “We were making sure every student felt valued… by celebrating culture, by having different languages present, so students can walk down hallways and see themselves,” says Dent, Washington’s Superintendent of the Year for 2024.


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The results of these efforts were a drop in those problematic suspensions and a significant increase in graduation rates for Hispanic students.

Along the way, a new administrator was hired to ensure equal access for all learners and students formed the district’s first Black student union. The district’s school board, which was also recognized as tops in the state this year, has passed the first policy to explicitly prohibit racist behavior.

“It’s been exciting to see these students feel more empowered in their buildings, feel like they have a voice,” notes Dent, who has been Sumner-Bonney Lake’s leader since 2016. “It makes my heart so happy that students are coming together to share their experiences, and they feel safe doing it.

“We finally made it safe to talk about race in this district,” she adds.

Feeling safe, seeking help

Still, student mental health is one thing that keeps Dent up at night. She hopes Sumner-Bonney Lake is easing the challenge with its DEI work and by hiring more diverse staff members. Dent has placed five counselors at each high school and provided them with intensive training in trauma-informed practices.

She has also expanded teletherapy, hosted a mental health night specifically for student-athletes and their families, and hired a coordinator to oversee Sumner-Boney Lake’s whole-child initiatives. “When kids feel safe at school, they’re going to be more willing to reach out for help,” she attests.

Sumner-Bonney Lake’s students have been academically resilient, as evidenced by rising test scores. But from the pandemic to the constant thrum of social media to various external pressures, there appear to be many causes for the increased levels of anxiety and depression students are experiencing, Dent suspects.

“It’s kids feeling connected and forging that sense of connection again, even with relationships—like ‘It’s OK to look at somebody and talk to them, you don’t have to just text them,'” she concludes. “I don’t know what toll technology is taking on them.”

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See which districts will share $1 billion in new clean school bus funding https://districtadministration.com/1-billion-shift-green-electric-clean-school-buses/ Tue, 09 Jan 2024 17:04:03 +0000 https://districtadministration.com/?p=157518 Thousands of new clean, green and electric buses will soon be carrying kids to school thanks to a $1 billion boost in funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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Thousands of new clean, green and electric buses will soon be carrying kids to school thanks to a $1 billion boost in funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Dozens of school districts, bus companies and other entities will use their share of the EPA’s first Clean School Bus Program Grants to purchase 2,700 low- and zero-emission buses. About 280 school districts serving over 7 million students across 37 states will benefit from the initiative, which is part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law, the EPA announced this week.

“We’re once again accelerating the transition to electric and low-emission school buses in America, helping to secure a healthier future where all our children can breathe cleaner air,” EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan said in a statement. “I’ve sat next to students on their very first clean school bus ride and their excitement reflects the power of good policy.”


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Among the biggest award winners are Boston Public Schools, Chicago Public Schools, the Dekalb County School District, Los Angeles USD and Miami-Dade County Public Schools, which each received about $20 million to upgrade their bus fleets.

Asthma and other conditions exacerbated by diesel bus emissions cause students to miss school, a problem that disproportionately affects communities of color and Tribal communities, the EPA says. The agency initially made $400 million in grants available but doubled the amount because of districts’ heavy demand for electric and low-emission vehicles.

In 2022, the EPA awarded schools over $875 million in Clean School Bus Program rebates, which allowed 372 school districts to replace 2,366 vehicles. The agency is accepting applications for the 2023 clean bus rebate program until Jan. 31.

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Where is teacher confidence headed? New surveys provide insight https://districtadministration.com/teacher-confidence-morale-new-surveys-show/ Tue, 09 Jan 2024 16:24:18 +0000 https://districtadministration.com/?p=157464 Teacher confidence hit rock bottom in 2022 but now appears to be on the rebound even as political divisiveness continues to roil K12.

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Teacher confidence hit rock bottom in 2022 but now appears to be bouncing back even as ongoing political divisiveness is driving some educators to consider leaving the profession.

The Educator Confidence Index as measured by publisher HMH sank to a historic low, from nearly 50% on the eve of the pandemic to 40% in 2022. That rebounded to 42% last year, according to the company’s annual Educator Confidence Report, which measures teachers’ perceptions of salaries, workload and well-being, and funding for classroom resources, among other factors.

About three-quarters of the teachers surveyed told HMH they had no plans to leave the profession, though some had not ruled it out. They also said seeing students grow and succeed was the biggest motivating factor in their jobs (aside from salaries.)

Teacher confidence sapped by politics

Meanwhile, a closer look at a series of recent surveys conducted by state education departments and unions shows that teachers and the districts that employ them continued to grapple with some considerable headwinds.

In Colorado, more than eight in 10 teachers said the intrusion of politics had dampened their morale while a third admitted that today’s political climate had driven them to alter their curriculum. “Due to the politicization of our schools, our educators have felt the need to censor themselves, which robs our students of the quality education that they deserve,” says the survey released last month by the Colorado Education Association. “We need to restore educator autonomy so that our educators are empowered to provide the best education possible for our students.”

Among the union’s goals for 2024 is to help pass legislation that will prevent book bans in Colorado schools and ensure students’ “freedom to read.”

Safety is also a significant concern. About one-third of the teachers reported being physically abused by a student in the past two years while a majority noted a deterioration in the mental health of both students and themselves.


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“Right now, we’re at the brink of a public education crisis,” the association’s president, Amie Baca-Oehlert, said in a statement. “We cannot expect our educators to remain underpaid, disrespected and unprotected and still show up to work day after day to educate our children. We are and will continue to lose quality educators to other states if this remains the case.”

9 in 10 teachers say …

More of Connecticut’s teachers—some 77%—were feeling frustrated and burned out in 2023, with nearly three-quarters telling the Connecticut Education Association they were increasingly likely to retire or leave the profession early. After stress and burnout, more than nine out of 10 Connecticut teachers reported having the following concerns:

  1. School and classroom decisions made by politicians and non-educators
  2. Staff shortages
  3. A rising number of teachers leaving the profession
  4. Lack of respect for educators
  5. Declines in student mental health

Almost all of the teachers surveyed by Connecticut’s union listed the following solutions to burnout:

  • More competitive salaries
  • More planning and prep time
  • Less non-teaching duties and paperwork
  • More effective policies to address student behavior
  • Smaller class sizes
  • Appropriate mental health and behavioral support for students
  • More teacher autonomy in instructional practices

“Political and personal attacks, toxic disrespect, and threats leveled at educators during school board meetings all contribute to the rapid pace of educators quitting the jobs they love,” the union’s president, Kate Dias, said in a statement.

Lack of applicants

Though not a direct measure of teacher confidence, recent data released by the Nebraska Department of Education show there were more unfilled teaching positions at the beginning of this school year compared to 2022-2023. There were about 140 more vacant positions reported by a smaller number of districts, according to Nebraska Public Media.

The top reasons for vacancies were a lack of applicants or a lack of qualified applicants, the department’s report explains. Special education had the most unfilled positions by far—more than double that of elementary education, the area with the second-higher number of vacancies.

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What K12 leaders can do to recruit the new generation of bus drivers https://districtadministration.com/recruit-new-generation-school-bus-drivers/ Tue, 09 Jan 2024 15:28:06 +0000 https://districtadministration.com/?p=157544 The good news for most school districts is that real progress can be made in hiring Generation Z and Millennials drivers with various employment options while retaining valuable, experienced transportation employees.

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The school bus is an iconic symbol of the American education system. Millions of students are transported to and from school safely each day. Behind the wheel of each vehicle are dedicated school bus drivers, who play a critical role in ensuring the safety and well-being of the students in their charge.

School transportation is a massive undertaking in the United States, and the system has worked well for many years. Since the pandemic, various forces have created a pervasive problem where almost all school districts face challenges with retaining experienced drivers and attracting new talent. This article will explore strategies and considerations to attract bus drivers given the current labor market with an eye toward the future and a new employment model for bus drivers.

The challenge of retaining employees in just about any career area is real and has forced changes in most organizations. These same post-pandemic workforce challenges—along with some unique factors—influence school transportation. Historically, bus drivers work irregular hours, often on a split shift, and have an enormous responsibility that, increasingly, is not aligned with the compensation available in most school districts.

The abundant availability of other higher-paying driver jobs further erodes the number of school bus drivers. Reimagining the employment model for bus drivers will be critical for school districts to start reducing the number of driver vacancies. As districts enter into collective bargaining processes, there is probably no better time to consider these issues.

New employment model for a new era

As school employees increasingly choose careers outside of education and other potential employees choose careers in different fields, school districts must recognize the importance of competitive wages and benefits packages to retain employees at all career stages. School bus drivers carry the most precious cargo in every community and should be compensated at a level consistent with that responsibility.

While offering pay increases and benefits can make the work more appealing and better match the level of responsibility, this is only a starting point. School districts must look to the future and recognize that there is not much of a future if we fail to attract a new generation of drivers. The reality is that nationally, the average school bus driver is 57 years old, with only 5% of all bus drivers under 40 (Zippia, 2022). There are few occupations with an average worker age nearing 60. The ability to meet the needs of future drivers will be a crucial consideration when negotiating employment contracts.


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Considering that older workers value most of the same things in a workplace as younger workers, it is unnecessary to look at negotiations as a generational dichotomy. Instead, a holistic evaluation of workplace conditions can lead to the best proposals at the bargaining table while recognizing some minor differences.

What generational differences exist in the workplace that can considered in the negotiating process? Generation Z and Millennials value a workplace that allows for an excellent work-life balance, opportunities for growth, mental health support, and alignment with their values (Peterson, 2023) (O’Boyle, 2021).

Older workers value the same things but also seek to share what they know. Older workers also tend to be the most dedicated employees in any organization (Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, 2015) but they often have concerns about age-related medical conditions. The good news for most school districts is that real progress can be made in these critical areas that can attract the next generation of drivers with various employment options while retaining those valuable, experienced school bus drivers.

Contractual considerations:

  • While evaluating how competitive salaries are against other school districts is essential, considering compensation in private or non-student transportation businesses is important.
  • Evaluate the impact of offering retention bonuses to counter driver loss resulting from sign-on bonuses offered elsewhere.
  • Create career ladders where excellent veteran drivers train and coach less experienced drivers as part of their responsibilities.
  • Explore flexible scheduling options to accommodate drivers’ needs, allowing them to balance work with their personal lives more effectively.
  • Seek ways to fill out schedules with other work to address split schedule problems.
  • Seek out strategies to enhance benefits, such as options for family coverage or enhanced dental or eyeglass coverage

Non-contractual retention strategies:

  • Investing in ongoing training and support programs can enhance drivers’ skills and confidence, reducing turnover rates. It also reinforces the district’s commitment to safety.
  • Recognizing and appreciating bus drivers for their hard work through awards, ceremonies, and tokens of gratitude can boost morale and job satisfaction.
  • Marketing bus driving positions, using various channels such as social media, local job boards, and community events to reach potential candidates.
  • If possible, streamline the process of obtaining a CDL by providing training and resources to help candidates meet the requirements.
  • Engage with the community to foster a sense of civic duty and pride in becoming a school bus driver, emphasizing their essential role in education.

The shortage of school bus drivers is a challenge that school districts must address proactively. Districts must prioritize strategies to retain experienced drivers while attracting new talent.

A well-compensated, supported, and recognized bus-driving workforce will benefit the education system and provide a fulfilling career option for those passionate about student safety and community service. As the wheels of education keep turning, remember that bus drivers are the unsung heroes who keep the journey smooth and secure for future generations.

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New proposal offers federal funding for AI literacy in schools https://districtadministration.com/new-proposal-offers-federal-funding-for-ai-literacy-in-schools/ Mon, 08 Jan 2024 18:39:26 +0000 https://districtadministration.com/?p=157458 'Artificial Intelligence Literacy Act' would improve the nation's AI skills by providing funding for K12 professional development and new computer science classes. 

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Improving the nation’s overall AI literacy starts with expanded teacher professional development in artificial intelligence and helping schools develop new computer science courses. Funding for these and other K12 AI literacy initiatives is included in the bipartisan “Artificial Intelligence Literacy Act of 2023” recently drafted in Congress.

“By ensuring that AI literacy is at the heart of our digital literacy program, we’re ensuring that we can not only mitigate the risk of AI, but seize the opportunity it creates to help improve the way we learn and the way we work,” says Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, a Democrat from Delaware, who co-sponsored the bill with Rep. Larry Bucshon, M.D., an Indiana Republican.

The bill, which would amend the Digital Equity Act, defines AI literacy “as the skills associated with the ability to comprehend the basic principles, concept and applications of artificial intelligence, as well as the implications, limitations, and ethical considerations associated with artificial intelligence.”

A main goal of the bill is to help schools teach students to use the rapidly advancing technology safely and ethically.  Grants created by the proposal would help district leaders and other education organizations:

  • Provide teachers with training and certification to drive AI literacy efforts in schools.
  • Send teachers to courses, workshops and conferences related to artificial intelligence instruction and course design.
  • Schools without resources for computer science education would get assistance in using best practices to develop and design AI course materials for computer science classes.
  • Create partnerships with the private sector to expand AI education.
  •  Build school labs that provide students with hands-on AI learning experiences.
  •  Develop virtual learning platforms for remote and individualized AI instruction.

“Every administrator, teacher and student should know how to use AI and how AI works because when you understand the underlying fundamentals, you will be better able to use AI safely, effectively, and responsibly,” Pat Yongpradit, chief academic officer of Code.org, said in a statement.


More from DA: How rebranding has this superintendent living in the moment—for now


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How rebranding has this superintendent living in the moment—for now https://districtadministration.com/school-rebranding-superintendent-kenny-rodrequez-grandview-district/ Mon, 08 Jan 2024 14:08:01 +0000 https://districtadministration.com/?p=157430 Sharing a common purpose—and a common mascot—has had wider impacts on academics and even building design in Missouri's Grandview C-4 School District, Superintendent Kenny Rodrequez attests.

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If you can imagine feeling more like a Bulldog than a Meadowlark, then you can begin to recognize how rebranding gave Missouri’s Grandview C-4 School District an even stronger sense of community. The unifying mascot, which was adopted from the high school and middle school to all of the district’s elementary schools, has had wider impacts on academics and even building design, Superintendent Kenny Rodrequez attests.

Kenny Rodrequez
Kenny Rodrequez

“It feels like we are united as a community more so than we ever have been,” says Rodrequez, who has led the district for eight years and was named Missouri’s 2024 Superintendent of the Year. “It’s bringing us all together around a common purpose and a common understanding … in a way that maybe we didn’t have before.”

The school rebranding process began with “a lot of conversations with a lot of people,” he points out. From staff to families and beyond, stakeholders were asked about what distinguished Grandview C-4 schools and where the district was excelling.


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“There wasn’t a unified answer—everybody had different looks at it so it was hard for us to truly determine what our identity was,” he notes. “So we started talking to a lot of community members about how do we unite around a common purpose.”

One of the pillars that emerged, and became part of the district’s mission statement, was developing future-ready students. Previously, that focus did not extend beyond high school as other educators saw their role as moving students up to the next grade rather than preparing them for college and careers.

“This was something our community and teachers rallied around,” Rodrequez points out. “Preparing students for their future may just be kindergarten or first grade.”

Then there was the district’s family of mascots. While the high school and middle school communities knew themselves as the Grandview Bulldogs, the district’s five elementary schools had five different identities. Surprisingly, he adds, there was little pushback to changing everyone over to the Bulldogs, as evidenced by T-shirts, stickers and other enthusiasm students displayed once the shift was finalized.

“They didn’t see themselves as that other identity—’I don’t really see myself as a Meadowlark,'” he explains. “They could rally behind everybody being a Bulldog because that’s what they see themselves as in middle school and high school.”

School rebranding also jibed with the district’s wide-ranging construction projects, which were funded by Grandview’s largest-ever bond approval—$45 million—in 2021. It allowed to planners to use the same logo and color scheme as they built a new gymnasium and redesigned CTE facilities, cafeterias and band rooms. Finally, the reinvigorated spirit of unity has filtered into the classroom via a districtwide focus on literacy, which has driven three years of growth. The number of students reading on grade level has risen to over 60% from just under 30%.

Rodrequez says he is trying to savor the success as the construction projects—and the rebranding—are now largely completed. “You’re constantly looking three to four years down the road and hoping to get there,” he concludes. “I’m excited about the next phases but I’m still living in the moment of this; it’s a really great year to live through.”

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Robotics and hate prevention: 8 unique grants to chase (if you live in these states) https://districtadministration.com/robotics-cte-hate-prevention-unique-school-grants/ Fri, 05 Jan 2024 15:08:14 +0000 https://districtadministration.com/?p=157331 If you're not teaching and learning in one of the locations detailed here, know that your state may have similar funding programs in specialized categories.

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Here’s a short post to encourage superintendents and their teams to dig a little deeper when searching for school grants from their states. In many states, schools can apply for funding in specialized subjects and initiatives, from pre-K to chronic absenteeism to CTE.

The only restrictions are requirements on district size, demonstrated need, and the involvement of community partners, among other conditions, according to the school data tracking firm Burbio, which compiled the list. If you’re not teaching and learning in one of the following eight locations, know that your state may have similar programs:

  • Small School District Modernization Grant: Available to Washington districts with fewer than 1,000 students or less and where property values are so low that replacing or modernizing school facilities with the state’s construction assistance program would be excessively burdensome on local property owners or would exceed district debt limits.
  • Robotics Education Development Grants: New Hampshire districts that are partnering with a sponsor or business can request up to $15,000 to launch a robotics team.
  • District-Wide Early Education Grant program: $3 million will be distributed to Alaska districts to create or expand pre-K programs. Low-performing districts and those not served by Head Start will be prioritized.
  • Bipartisan Safer Communities Act: South Dakota districts with high absenteeism rates, a chronic absenteeism rate that has doubled since the pandemic, or attendance below 85% can seek up to $500,000 from this sub-grant.
  • Supplemental Equipment Grants: Pennsylvania secondary schools and career and technical centers with established CTE programs are eligible to share $15 million to purchase classroom equipment.
  • Olmstead Family and Community Engagement grants: Nonprofits serving students with disabilities in “historically underserved racial/ethnic communities or racial/ethnic communities” in Minnesota can partner with school districts on grants of up to $10,000.
  • Specialized Secondary Programs Grant: California districts received $4.9 million to conduct in-depth studies of a core curriculum area that promotes technology skills.
  • Hate Crime Prevention Round 2 Grant: Massachusetts districts that have experienced bias, that are chronically underperforming or that have partnered with a civil rights organization will be first in line for this funding, which requires a letter of support from the head of a local law enforcement agency.

More from DA: Districts charge into 2024 with a diverse group of new leaders

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School-within-a-school uses PBL to help students make a big move https://districtadministration.com/school-within-a-school-uses-pbl-to-help-students-make-a-big-move/ Thu, 04 Jan 2024 14:32:59 +0000 https://districtadministration.com/?p=157165 Orchard View Middle School's project-driven, small group learning experiment aims to make students' transitions from elementary to middle school more seamless and academically engaging.

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Superintendents and principals have long puzzled over how to smooth big K12 transitions, such as the leap from elementary to middle school. Michigan’s Orchard View Middle School has answered the question with a bold experiment: a school-within-a-school, powered by project-based learning, for sixth graders who are now enjoying more relevant instructional experiences, Principal Joshua Smith asserts.

“We had this hypothesis that we needed to do something different with our sixth graders,” says Smith, whose building is part of Orchard View Schools in Muskegon. “We wanted to tackle … how we can connect with our sixth graders in a way that better engages them in school and community. How do we engage them so that they’re having an authentic experience and they’re enjoying their learning?”

Orchard View Middle partnered with the Human Restoration Project, a child development nonprofit, to conduct focus groups in which students were asked what would make them feel a stronger sense of belonging at school and how they could get the most out of their learning. The program that emerged paired a cohort of sixth graders with a team of four teachers who now provide interdisciplinary projected-based learning.


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To be able to kick the program off at the beginning of this school year, Smith sought teachers who were excited about the experiment and, with more help from the Human Restoration Project, provided professional development and time to plan the curriculum over the summer of 2023.

Smith and his team have secured a five-year, $4-million federal EIR grant, which will also University of Virginia researchers to track how the school assesses progress based on student  portfolios, which the school is calling “learning journeys.” The grant will fund field trips and provide each cohort with $12,500 for supplies.

“The biggest challenge for PBL is the cost,” Smith adds. “We want these to be authentic experiences. We want the kids rolling their sleeves up and working together and bring ‘courageous collaborators.'”

Cooking with core subjects

Each project students work on will combine the four core subjects: English language arts, math, science and social studies. The first project, which students completed this fall, focused on healthy living and eating and included field trips to urban farms and a culinary arts program at nearby Baker College. The students created healthy eating infomercials and posters to spread the word about their learning and spent plenty of time in the kitchen.

“While they’re cooking, they’re doing the math and their science and their ELA,” Smith notes. “They’re doing all of the subjects while they’re exploring and they have their learning journey at the very end.”

An upcoming group project will task students with designing a school kitchen with a $125,000 grant from Orchard View’s food service provider. Among the already visible outcomes of the school-within-a-school is an improving learning environment in a county that grapples with chronic absenteeism due to a large transient population, Smith attests.

Sixth-grader teachers have also made fewer office referrals for disruptive behavior this school year. “We’re seeing higher engagement and less discipline,” he says. “We’re going to focus on building that community and creating experiences so kids want to come to school and value coming to school,” Smith explains. “I don’t want them to feel like they’re just coming in and going through the motions.”

The PBL school-within-a-school has the full support of Orchard View Superintendent Jim Nielsen. “We’re recognizing students don’t necessarily learn all the same way and they certainly are not learning the way they did 20 or 30 years ago,” Nielsen concludes. “When you look around education, one of the biggest issues we have is we’re still doing things the way we did 20 or 30 years ago.”

District Administration’s Superintendent’s Playbook series examines how superintendents, principals and other administrators are solving common problems that today’s educators are facing.

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The post School-within-a-school uses PBL to help students make a big move appeared first on District Administration.

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