Weekend To-Do List

9/21 - 9/22

and

Sep 21, 2024

1. Global Lessons for U.S. Schools

READ: Ashley Berner took to the pages of The 74 to lay out the case for education pluralism in the United States. Berner pointed to successful case studies like Indonesia and the Netherlands as proof points for advocates to consider, arguing that, when done well, implementing educational pluralism can reduce educational conflict and enhance school quality:

Educational pluralism is not perfect, but if implemented with care, it can function as an escape valve against constant conflict; while it deliberately honors families’ diverse values, it also builds social cohesion by insisting that everyone share a broad base of knowledge, such as capital cities of the world, 20th century poetry, the history and impact of the American Revolution or the tenets of major religions.

Read more here. I’ll talk with my Sweat the Technique co-host, Doug Lemov, next week about what the U.S. can learn from other countries’ education models. Comment below if you have any questions you want us to cover.

2. COVID Aid Clock Ticking

READ: Schools have until the end of September to allocate the final $123 billion in federal COVID aid, with a spending deadline set for January 2025. While most schools have already used 87% of their funds, Kalyn Belsha at Chalkbeat took a closer look at the schools and districts that have struggled to finalize spending plans and may need to return uncommitted funds:

Construction delays held up spending in Mississippi, where schools spent a large share of aid on building projects. Meanwhile, supply-chain issues slowed spending in Tennessee and Illinois.
In Colorado, some schools had trouble filling certain educator positions amidst national shortages, or they planned to hire a company to provide training and were still waiting for that service to come through, Meyer wrote.
In other cases, not as many students or staff showed up to certain activities like summer school or after-school programs as originally anticipated, so they ended up costing less than expected.

3. Legal Hurdles for Biden’s Debt Relief Plan Continue

READ: U.S. District Judge Randal Hall extended a temporary restraining order on the Biden administration’s new student debt relief plan earlier this week, delaying its implementation for at least two more weeks. The plan, which aims to forgive up to $20,000 of accrued interest for over 30 million borrowers, faces legal challenges from attorneys general in seven states. NerdWallet lending expert Katie Wood told Axios reporter Sareen Habeshian that borrowers who feel as though they’re stuck in limbo aren’t alone:

It's important for borrowers to understand, Wood said, "that if you're feeling baffled by everything going on with these plans and the forbearances and the lawsuits, this is not a problem with you. This is genuinely a really confusing situation to be in."

4. The Return of Campus Protests

READ/LISTEN: Conor Friedersdorf laid out the case for ending campus protests over the Israel-Gaza war earlier this week, saying that the encampments have disrupted academic life, blocked access to parts of campus for other students, and generally undermined daily life for the broader campus community:

In the civil-rights-era victories, protesters were violating unjust laws, such as the ones that forced lunch counters to segregate. Today’s students are violating perfectly reasonable rules, such as the ones that forbid anyone, regardless of viewpoint, from erecting barricades to prevent fellow students from traversing the quad. Ending those illegitimate laws against segregated lunch counters made almost everyone better off. Ending legitimate rules against occupying the quad would make almost everyone worse off.

Read more in The Atlantic here. Last week, I spoke with Emma Green about the often-overlooked experience of campus workers, such as security guards and custodians. Listen here.

5. Ohio’s Bold Move

READ: Eli Hager reported on Ohio’s newest initiative to provide millions in direct grants to private religious schools, mainly Catholic, for construction and expansion projects. The decision to do so bypasses traditional voucher programs by directly funding religious institutions. Advocates say the funding is needed to address capacity issues for private schools that face an influx of students due, in part, to the increase of students using state vouchers. Critics say the unprecedented move raises questions about the separation of church and state:

“They get their foot in the door with a few million dollars in infrastructure funding,” Phillis said. “It sets a precedent, and eventually hundreds of millions will be going to private school construction.”

6. Johnson v. Martinez: Chicago Schools Leadership Clash

READ: Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has asked CPS CEO Pedro Martinez amid criticism from the Chicago Teachers Union. Martinez, who’s been criticized for not securing more funding during ongoing CTU contract negotiations and for budget cuts affecting support staff, has refused to leave. 460 principals and assistant principals sent a letter to Chicago’s Board of Education to plea for Martinez to remain in his role:

“We have leadership in place that has started to listen to everybody — and they have a plan,” he said. “There is no smooth pathway to helping kids if the leadership is constantly changing.”
The principal noted Martinez has presided over academic recovery in the district post-pandemic and just unveiled a five-year strategic plan that school leaders and educators can rally around. The plan reflects some key teachers union priorities, including strengthening neighborhood schools and expanding arts and other programs.
“This has nothing to do with performance,” he said. “This has everything to do with politics.”

Johnson has been affiliated with the CTU for over a decade. Read more from Reema Amin, Mila Koumpilova, and Becky Vevea here.

7. The Wheels on the Bus Go…Nowhere?

READ: Kayla Jimenez at USA Today reported on the increasing number of districts nationwide forced to cut bus services due to severe bus driver shortages. The number of bus drivers decreased by 15% between 2019 and 2023. Districts nationwide seek solutions, from offering public transit passes to exploring hub-stop programs and rideshare options. Meanwhile, the lack of reliable transportation has led to increased student absenteeism and decreased student learning.

"Taking away a mechanism that actually gets kids to school is hugely problematic," [University of Pennsylvania Professor Michael] Gottfield said. "This could be a solution all families could rely on during the absenteeism crisis."