Private and Public School's K-12

[phkrause]

GOP Pushes the Ten Commandments but Ignores Jesus’ Actual Teachings

I have no problem with the Ten Commandments in public schools. But Jesus taught charity, forgiveness, and peace—not smiting sinners.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/gop-pushes-ten-commandments-but-ignores-jesus-actual-teachings?

ps:Exactly!!

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North Texas first responders mobilize as Gov. Abbott issues disaster declaration; Alberto now a tropical depression

Tropical Storm Alberto rumbled ashore making landfall in Tampico, Mexico early Thursday morning. The first named storm of the hurricane season was downgraded to a tropical depression late Thursday morning. Texas began mobilizing Wednesday as South Texas and the coast received heavy rainfall and tropical force winds and coastal flooding.

https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-news/ts-alberto-texas-response/3571932/?

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Public funds for religious charter school would be unconstitutional, Oklahoma high court says

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Oklahoma Supreme Court on Tuesday stopped what would have been the first publicly funded religious charter school in the U.S., turning back conservatives and the state’s GOP governor who have welcomed religious groups into public education.

https://apnews.com/article/public-religious-catholic-charter-school-unconstitutional-oklahoma-e4ef414605094313331a39cc645ede8a?

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A growing list of school districts in the US are moving to ban cell phones from classrooms as educators voice frustrations about students' device usage. New York City Public Schools — the nation's largest district with around 1 million students — could formally announce a cell phone ban as early as January. Phone usage during the school day has not only become a distraction, but an addiction, David Banks, the chancellor of New York City Public Schools, said in an interview. New York's decision comes on the heels of the Los Angeles Unified School District cell phone ban announced last week. Roughly 72% of high school teachers in the US said cell phone distraction is "a major problem in the classroom," according to a recent report by the Pew Research Center.

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Oklahoma state superintendent orders schools to teach the Bible Oklahoma’s top education official ordered public schools Thursday to incorporate the Bible into lessons for grades 5 through 12, in the latest effort by conservatives to incorporate religion into classrooms. Read more.

Why this matters: The order sent to districts across the state by Republican State Superintendent Ryan Walters says adherence to the mandate is compulsory and “immediate and strict compliance is expected.” Oklahoma law already explicitly allows Bibles in the classroom and lets teachers use them in instruction.   The directive is the latest salvo in an effort by conservative-led states to target public schools: Louisiana has required them to post the Ten Commandments in classrooms, while others are under pressure to teach the Bible and ban lessons about race, sexual orientation, and gender identity.   The directive drew immediate condemnation from civil rights groups and supporters of the separation of church and state, with some calling it an abuse of power and a violation of the U.S. Constitution. “Public schools are not Sunday schools,” said Rachel Laser, president and CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, in a statement.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Public funds for religious charter schools would be unconstitutional, Oklahoma high court says   Lawsuit challenges new Louisiana law requiring classrooms to display the Ten Commandments   Oklahoma’s top education official embraces culture wars   All Oklahoma schools are required to incorporate the Bible and the Ten Commandments in their curriculums, effective immediately, the state's top education official announced in a memorandum Thursday. "The Bible is a necessary historical document to teach our kids about the history of this country, to have a complete understanding of Western civilization, to have an understanding of the basis of our legal system," Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters said. The memo follows a law enacted in Louisiana last week that requires all public classrooms to display the Ten Commandments. A group of Louisiana parents and civil rights organizations is suing the state over the new law, saying it violates both Supreme Court precedent and the First Amendment.

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Conservatives Go to War — Against Each Other — Over School Vouchers

School choice advocates are intent on expanding the availability of vouchers to fund private education at the expense of public schools, but rural residents of these targeted states are putting up some of the strongest resistance.

https://www.propublica.org/article/rural-republicans-school-vouchers-education-choice?

Texas Is the Largest GOP Stronghold Without Pro-School Voucher Legislation. Gov. Abbott Is on a Crusade to Change That.

As proponents of private school vouchers racked up win after win across the country in recent years, the largest Republican-led state in the nation remained stubbornly outside their grasp — until now.

https://www.propublica.org/article/texas-greg-abbott-crusade-for-school-vouchers?

[phkrause]

Public school chaplains, other education laws take effect Monday

The 2024 legislative session saw approval of divisive education-related laws, several of which take effect Monday. Read our partial run-down on what will change in Sunshine State schools in the new fiscal year:

https://floridaphoenix.com/2024/06/29/public-school-chaplains-other-education-laws-take-effect-monday/?

[phkrause]

Textbook authors told climate change references must be cut to get Florida’s OK

Textbook authors were told last month that some references to “climate change” must be removed from science books before they could be accepted for use in Florida’s public schools, according to two of those authors.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/07/05/textbook-authors-told-climate-change-references-must-be-cut-to-get-floridas-ok/?

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Two Reporters Covering Education in the Midwest Followed the Money … to a School in New York

ProPublica’s journalists live and work all over the country. We’re both based in Chicago, and, along with several of our colleagues, we are focused on telling stories about the Midwest. In recent years, the two of us have teamed up to cover ticketing and the use of seclusion and restraint in Illinois school districts.

https://www.propublica.org/article/illinois-public-money-shrub-oak-school?

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Ten Commandments won’t go in some Louisiana classrooms until at least November as lawsuit plays out

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana won’t take official steps to implement a law requiring the Ten Commandments be placed in all of the state’s public school classrooms until at least November as a lawsuit makes its way through the courts, according to an agreement approved by a federal judge Friday.

https://apnews.com/article/louisiana-ten-commandments-lawsuit-school-classroom-053e240631a8fe37e99b7543413dbaee?

[phkrause]

🎓 NEW: Best employers for high school grads

Image: American Opportunity Index Chipotle, Lowe's and Walgreens are the best big companies for high school graduates to get hired and promoted quickly, Axios' Erica Pandey writes from a new analysis by the American Opportunity Index. Why it matters: Some 40% of this year's high school graduates don't plan to enroll in college this fall, according to the index. 🧮 By the numbers: The top 50 best large firms for high school graduates are as much as 4.3 times likelier to hire people out of high school than America's other big companies, the index found. Retailers are far likelier than other types of companies to have available roles for high school graduates. They comprise 20 of the top 50 companies. But banks and insurance companies are also well represented. Keep reading.

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Faith leaders warn schools of dangers of optional, voluntary chaplain program

School districts have shown little interest in welcoming volunteer chaplains to serve in their facilities, an initiative recently permitted by the Legislature that, according to the ACLU, could create legal liability for schools and risk creating an environment of “religious coercion and indoctrination of students.”

https://floridaphoenix.com/2024/08/13/faith-leaders-warn-schools-of-dangers-of-optional-voluntary-chaplain-program/?

[bonnie1962]

On 7/7/2024 at 8:42 PM, phkrause said:

Textbook authors told climate change references must be cut to get Florida’s OK

Textbook authors were told last month that some references to “climate change” must be removed from science books before they could be accepted for use in Florida’s public schools, according to two of those authors.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/07/05/textbook-authors-told-climate-change-references-must-be-cut-to-get-floridas-ok/?

"A high school biology book also had to add citations to back up statements that “human activity” caused climate change and cut a “political statement” urging governments to take action to stop climate change, said Ken Miller, the co-author of that textbook and a professor emeritus of biology at Brown University".

Why shouldn't both sides of the subject have to back up what they say

[phkrause]

🤖 Students struggle with AI tutors

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

High school students who use generative AI to prepare for math exams perform worse on the tests — where they can't rely on AI — than those who didn't use the tools at all, Axios' Megan Morrone writes from a new study. Why it matters: A "personal tutor for every student" is one of the rosy scenarios AI optimists paint. But AI-driven learning still has many hurdles in its way. A new report from Penn found that access to generative AI tutors can improve student performance on practice math problems. But students who used these tools performed significantly worse on exams, where they can't use AI. These students are likely to use AI to copy and paste answers, which leads them to engage less with the material. 🎨 The big picture: Since ChatGPT was released nearly two years ago, educators have struggled to find the best ways to incorporate AI into the classroom. Some schools banned these tools outright, while others allowed students to use them as long as they disclose their use.

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🌬️ Needed: Back-to-school cooling

Data: Climate Central. ("Cooling degree days" represent how much daily average temperatures in a time period need to be cooled to reach 65°F.) Chart: Axios Visuals Classrooms nationwide need more cooling during back-to-school season now compared to past decades, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick and Kavya Beheraj write from a new analysis. Why it matters: Maintaining a comfortable and healthy environment in schools is key to educational success. But that's getting harder amid a warming climate. Many in rapidly-warming locations also start school in mid-to-late August, when heat waves can strike. Some schools in the Austin area have shifted recess earlier, and are limiting kids' outside time. 🌡️ By the numbers: A Climate Central report finds that cooling demand between late July and early September increased in 95% of nearly 250 U.S. locations analyzed between 1970 and 2023. Reno, Nev. (+320%); Eureka, Calif. (+300%); and San Francisco (+240%) saw the biggest percentage increases in back-to-school cooling degree days. Keep reading.

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School choice and a history of segregation collide in Florida As some districts are being forced to close schools, administrators now face a long-avoided reckoning: how to integrate students in buildings that remain racially and economically segregated. Read more.

Why this matters: In the Florida panhandle, the rural Madison County School District plans to consolidate its last three stand-alone elementary schools into one campus because there aren’t enough students. But the decision has exposed tensions around race in a community where some white families have resisted integrating public schools for years.   One of the schools slated to close is Greenville Elementary, which has fewer than 100 students — roughly a third of its capacity. Generations of Black residents cherish the school’s legacy in the tiny town where music legend Ray Charles grew up. More than 50 years after desegregation, the school remains 85% Black. Starting next year, the school will consolidate with Lee and Pinetta Elementary Schools, which are predominantly white.   When Shirley Joseph taught at Madison County High School a couple of decades ago, she said her students would sort themselves when they filed into her classroom — white kids on one side, Black kids on the other — until she’d make them change seats. “Somehow we’ve got to find out: How do we mesh the communities?” Joseph, now the superintendent of the county’s public schools, said.

Related coverage ➤ ‘Hitting kids should never be allowed’: Illinois bans corporal punishment in all schools  Biden administration hikes pay for Head Start teachers to address workforce shortage  Quality early education can be expensive or hard to find. Home visits bring it to more families

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In 1964, Samaria “Cookie” Mitcham Bailey was among the first Black students to desegregate public schools in Macon, Georgia. Sixty years later, her 13-year old great-granddaughter, Zo’e Johnson, attends First Presbyterian Day, a predominantly white private school that opened as white families fled desegregation. Researchers call schools like these “segregation academies” and say they have diverted funds from public education, perpetuating poverty and inequality. Cookie hoped that her work desegregating schools would lead to more equal educational opportunities for future generations. Yet, when Zo’e began to have problems at her local public middle school, her family searched for options. Almost all were schools that remain largely segregated. With the help of a state voucher-like tuition grant, Cookie has paid for Zo’e’s seventh grade year at the school. But she’s not sure she can continue to afford it.  This short documentary explores the challenge the family now faces.

[phkrause]

DMV schools ban cellphones

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

Kids are headed back to school across the DMV, and some will have to say goodbye to their phones. Why it matters: States, cities, and school districts across the country are banning or limiting cellphone use at schools, as officials say they cause mental health impacts and classroom disruptions. It's a hot topic for parents — some want to be able to reach their kids, others think it'll help them pay attention and socialize with their peers IRL. The big picture: States like Florida or Indiana have passed bills banning school phone use. Several DMV jurisdictions have already banned phone use during parts of the school day, while others are piloting full-day bans. Driving the news: Earlier this month, Virginia's Department of Education issued a draft guidance suggesting that school districts outlaw phone use from "bell to bell" — a shift from some school systems that allow phones outside of class time. This comes after Gov. Glenn Youngkin issued an executive order earlier this summer asking the department to work on guidelines that schools could use for creating a "cellphone-free education environment." Zoom in: Fairfax County's policy allows high schoolers to use phones at lunch and between classes. However, it's currently testing a program to lock away cellphones in magnetic pouches at some middle and high schools. Maryland's Montgomery County is piloting a similar "Away All-Day" policy in several of its schools to "reduce distractions, prevent cyberbullying, and improve student engagement." In school districts like Arlington, and Loudoun and Anne Arundel counties, elementary and middle schoolers can't use their phones during the school day, while high schoolers must keep their phones away during class time. Meanwhile, D.C. Public Schools (DCPS) does not have a blanket policy regarding cellphone use, a DCPS spokesperson tells Axios. Schools can determine on a case-by-case basis how they want to address phones. No phones are allowed to be used in DCPS middle schools, however, per the spokesperson. The other side: Some parents are pushing back against phone bans because they want to be able to get in touch with and keep track of their kids in case of an emergency or a school shooting. Keep reading

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Black students are still kicked out of school at higher rates despite reforms

Before he was suspended, Zaire Byrd was thriving. He acted in school plays, played on the football team and trained with other athletes. He had never been suspended before — he’d never even received detention.

https://apnews.com/article/ferguson-black-lives-matter-school-discipline-suspension-d099aab519ff743dc2be04c6b6132144?

[phkrause]

Today’s students practice running for their lives

A 6-year-old girl lost one of her white Adidas lace-up sneakers as she and her 21 classmates practiced fleeing for their lives after an imaginary intruder entered their school.

https://virginiamercury.com/2024/08/30/todays-students-practice-running-for-their-lives/?

[phkrause]

1 big thing: One-third of K-12 pupils are behind

Data: National Center for Education Statistics. Chart: Axios Visuals One-third of U.S. K-12 students were behind grade level for the school year ending in June, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick writes from a nationwide sampling of schools. Why it matters: Schools are still dealing with the long-term effects of remote schooling and other pandemic-era learning disruptions. How it works: The data is from a School Pulse Panel of nearly 4,000 nationally representative grade schools by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), part of the Education Department. The study's purpose is to track the impact of COVID. For the June '24 data, 1,651 schools responded. 📊 By the numbers: Schools out West are doing notably worse than those in other regions, with 39% of students behind grade level. The South is best, at 29% — 10 points ahead of the West. The Northeast and Midwest are each 31%. In 2022 — with a slightly different question, so the results aren't directly comparable — the West was also behind every other region. 🔬 Between the lines: 42% of kids in schools with over 75% students of color are behind grade level, compared to 22% at schools with 25% or fewer students of color. 38% of students at city schools are behind grade level, vs. 31% of those in the suburbs. 🔮 What's next: Schools are reporting success with strategies for learning recovery. These include hiring more teachers (55% of schools say that works), spending more time with certain student subgroups (35%), and family engagement/outreach (18%). Explore the data ...

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🎒 1 for the road: Hot school supplies

Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios

Nostalgic school supplies, denim and sweatpants are in. Phones are banned in more schools. And leggings are out, Axios' Kelly Tyko writes. The vibe: Status symbols include reusable cups — goodbye Stanley cups and hello Owala — and '90s staples like Trapper Keepers and colorful Bic pens. 🖊️ Bics, Trapper Keepers What's old is new again with classics like Bic's 4-color pens and the TI-84, which have been part of back-to-school shopping lists for decades. Four-color Bics celebrated their 50th anniversary in 2020. The TI-84 debuted in 2004, following the brand's first graphing calculator — TI-81 — that was unveiled in 1990. The Trapper Keeper, which had its heyday in the '80s and '90s, staged a comeback in 2021. 🥤 Water-bottle trend Water bottles continue to be a status symbol, but the hot brand keeps changing. Owala, Lululemon and Hydro Flask are "in," the N.Y. Times reports. 👖 Back-to-school fashion "Sweatpants are the new leggings," youth consumer trends expert Casey Lewis said on a recent TikTok. Lewis, who writes the After School Substack, spent hours watching back-to-school haul videos on TikTok to identify fashion trends. "It seems to be all about denim — jean shorts, jean skirts, denim jackets are making a comeback," Lewis said. 📱 Bans, backpacks Trends being forced on students are the continued move to clear backpacks and sweeping bans on phones in schools. Florida, Indiana, Louisiana and South Carolina have legislation that limits cellphone access. Governors in at least three states — Virginia, California and New York — have called on schools to restrict or ban phones. Administrators say see-thru backpacks can combat violence. School districts in Virginia, Texas and Georgia announced new clear-backpack policies.

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The school ate my homework

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

A growing number of schools are rethinking homework — either assigning less of it or, in some cases, getting rid of it altogether, Axios' April Rubin reports. Concern for students' mental health, coupled with the ease of using AI chatbots to solve homework problems, have prompted schools to reevaluate how helpful it really is. 📝 By the numbers: 37% of 13-year-old students said they had "no homework assigned" on the day before a National Center for Education Statistics survey in 2023. In 2020, that figure was 29%. In 2012, it was 21%. 🖍️ Case in point: Butterfield Canyon Elementary School in Herriman, Utah, has had a no-homework policy since 2020. "It helps increase the overall social-emotional health of our students because they're not so focused, especially at the elementary level, just on 'academic, academic, academic,'" Jay Eads, the school's principal, told Axios. 📖 With older students, decreasing homework loads also helps level the playing field for kids who have to work or shoulder large family responsibilities. Go deeper.

[phkrause]

Back to school

Students are returning to the classroom to find new bans in effect on things like all-black outfits, hoodies, Crocs and mirrors. Administrators say they are trying to keep kids safe, and cell phone policies have become a major source of controversy.

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🚌 Charted: Electric school bus boom

Data: WRI. Chart: Erin Davis/Axios Visuals More students than ever are headed to class in an electric school bus this fall, as school districts race to take advantage of unprecedented government funding to replace their diesel fleets, Axios' Joann Muller writes. Why it matters: Exhaust from diesel buses is linked to serious health and development conditions for children, especially in low-income communities. The growing electric bus movement, fueled by a plethora of state and federal incentives, promises to reduce tailpipe emissions and improve kids' health, too. Keep reading.