Friday Report – July 20, 2018

The Friday Report

July 20, 2018

State News

Teachers View Student Behavior Differently Based on Race, NC State Research Suggests

Photo Credit: Mojzes Igor, Getty Images/iStockphoto.

Is that child in class trying to hurt others or obliviously running around? Their teacher’s judgment might be based on their race.

In a study published last week, N.C. State University researchers showed that prospective teachers were worse at recognizing emotions on black faces than on white faces. The undergraduates also mislabeled more black faces as ‘angry’ and thought misbehaving black boys showed more hostility than misbehaving white boys.

To continue reading the complete article, click here.

Excerpt from:

Duong, Y. “Teachers view student behavior differently based on race, NC State research suggests.” The News & Observer. 7/13/18.

Charter School Drops Wording That Said Students Couldn’t Talk About Being Gay

Photo Credit: File photo.

A Wake Forest charter school insists it was only a misunderstanding when it told students that they were prohibited from discussing or promoting being homosexual, bisexual or transgender.

For several years, the student handbook at Franklin Academy said that “promotion, affirmation or discussion of behaviors associated with the terms, ‘sexual orientation’ or ‘gender identity,’ including homosexuality, bisexuality and transgenderism, are expressly prohibited.”

To continue reading the complete article, click here.

Excerpt from:

Hui, K. “Charter school drops wording that said students couldn’t talk about being gay.” The News & Observer. 7/18/18.

State Board of Education Loses Power Over DPI Leadership

North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.

Photo Credit: Kelly Hinchcliffe, WRAL.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Mark Johnson sent a letter July 2 to top leaders at the State Department of Public Instruction (DPI) telling them that they now report only to him.

These leaders were in positions called dual-report positions, meaning they reported both to the Superintendent and to the State Board of Education.

To continue reading the complete article, click here.

Excerpt from:

Granados, A. “State Board of Education loses power over DPI leadership.” EducationNC. 6/17/18.

Nearly 1 in 5 NC Students Are Opting Out of Traditional Public Schools. Does It Matter?

 Photo Credit: iStock.

Nearly 1 in 5 North Carolina students is not attending a traditional public school, and that percentage is likely to continue rising as more families choose alternative education options.

For the third year in a row, enrollment has fallen in North Carolina’s traditional public schools even as the number of students continues to rise in charter schools, private schools and homeschools. The percentage of the state’s 1.8 million students attending traditional public schools has dropped to 80.8 percent and is continuing to fall rapidly.

To continue reading the complete article, click here.

Excerpt from:

Hui, K. “Nearly 1 in 5 NC students are opting out of traditional public schools. Does it matter?” The News & Observer. 7/13/18.

Durham Schools’ Latino Population Is Growing. Now, So Will Understanding

Alexandra Valladares (left), a Durham parent and community activists, helps an unidentified Hispanic mother share concerns about her child’s academic progress during a recent school board meeting.

Photo Credit: Durham Public Schools.

Megan McCurley admits that she isn’t the best interpreter.

But as a Colombian who speaks both English and Spanish, she’s often called on to help non-English speaking Latino parents communicate with the Durham school board.

To continue reading the complete article, click here.

Excerpt from:

Childress, G. “Durham schools’ Latino population is growing. Now, so will understanding.” The Herald Sun. 7/17/18.

National News

Brief: How Money Matters for Schools

Photo Credit: Kyo Azuma, Unsplash.

Abstract: This brief is based upon a report that reviewed research on the role of money in determining school quality. The research documents that resource investments matter for student outcomes, especially when they are directed to under-resourced districts and students from low-income families. The research also shows that spending resources in ways that reduce class sizes for young children and those with greater academic needs and that improve teacher quality have strong payoffs for outcomes. Finally, some research suggests that increasing and equalizing school funding may be most effective when it is part of a comprehensive set of efforts to improve teaching and learning.

While money alone is not the answer to all educational ills, more equitable and adequate allocation of financial inputs to schooling provides a necessary underlying condition for improving the equity and adequacy of outcomes.

To continue reading and download the brief, click here.

Excerpt from:

Baker, B. D. “How money matters for schools (research brief).” Palo Alto, CA: Learning Policy Institute. 2018.

New Study Finds Low-Income Students Do Not Benefit from Private Schooling

Robert C. Pianta, dean of the Curry School of Education, is the co-author of the study, which found that low-income students do not benefit from attending private schools. Photo Credit: Dan Addison, University Communications.

A new study from the University of Virginia’s Curry School of Education finds that low-income children or children enrolled in urban schools do not benefit more from enrolling in private school between kindergarten and ninth grade.

“Despite the arguments in favor of the use of vouchers or other mechanisms to support enrollment in private schools, ostensibly as a way to help vulnerable children and families access a quality education, this study finds no evidence that private schools, exclusive of family background or income, are more effective for promoting student success,” said Robert C. Pianta, dean of the Curry School of Education and co-author of the study.

To continue reading and download the brief, click here.

Excerpt from:

Breen, A. “New Study Finds Low-Income Students Do Not Benefit from Private Schooling.” UVA Today. 7/11/18.

With Successful Strikes Behind Them, Teachers Are Now Running for Office

Jennifer Esau, center, an Oklahoma teacher who is running for a state Senate seat, talks with Sandra Yost in Claremore, Okla., as she and her 16-year-old daughter Isabelle, right, canvass her district for votes earlier this month.

Photo Credit: Brandi Simons, Education Week.

Thousands of angry teachers across the country walked out of their classrooms this spring to protest low wages, cuts to school funding, and other changes to education policy. They scored some legislative victories, but many remained frustrated that the statehouse seems far removed from the schoolhouse when it comes to their priorities.

Now, scores of teachers are turning from the picket lines to the polls with a new mantra: If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.

According to an Education Week analysis, at least 135 current teachers have filed to run for their state legislature—including 103 as Democrats, 28 as Republicans, and three as independents.

To continue reading the complete article, click here.

Excerpt from:

Will, M. “With Successful Strikes Behind Them, Teachers Are Now Running for Office.” Education Week. 7/17/18.

Opportunities

Registration Open for 2018 Candidate Education Policy Briefings

Applications Open for 2018-19 NC Education Policy Fellowship Program (EPFP)

The Public School Forum is accepting applications for the 2018-19 cohort of the North Carolina Education Policy Fellowship Program (EPFP).

The North Carolina Education Policy Fellowship Program is the only statewide program of its kind that focuses on leadership and professional development in the context of education policy. Fellows come from public schools, higher education, community colleges, and a diverse array of education organizations across North Carolina. Each class includes a cohort of fellows who focus on education policy issues and the wide range of factors that influence education in North Carolina. Fellows will increase their awareness of how public policy is made, learn whom the key players are in the formation of this policy, and become more confident and involved in the policy-making process.

EPFP Application information can be found online at https://www.ncforum.org/education-policy-fellowship-program/. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Contact Lauren Bock, Public School Forum Director of Policy & Programs, at [email protected] with questions.

Institute for Emerging Issues: Call for Communities

As part of the ReCONNECT NC series, we will host six Emerging Issues Forums over the next three years. Each forum will focus on a different topic centered on innovative strategies to address our loss of connection.

At IEI, we believe that local communities—with their traditions, willingness to work, and history of coming together in the toughest of times to solve the biggest of challenges—can help launch us on the path to reconnection. For each topic we address over the next three years, we will identify and collaborate with a cadre of communities—five places that have brought together diverse, energetic teams to implement new solutions that make them stronger and better equipped to succeed, and more “connected.” We see communities as the experts who can lead change and inspire others to become part of a more connected North Carolina.

IEI is now accepting applications from NC communities that are actively working on successful or promising initiatives, increasing civic engagement to address critical community challenges. Applications are due no later than July 27, 2018, at 5:00 p.m. EST.

Questions should be directed to Maggie Woods, IEI Policy and Program Manager, at [email protected].

To learn more about this opportunity, click here.

2018 NCVPS Virtual Open House

The North Carolina Virtual Public School invites you to its 2018 Virtual Open House.

When: Tuesday, August 14, 11 AM – 12 PM or Thursday, August 16, 7 PM to 8 PM.
This year we are offering two opportunities to attend the Annual Virtual Open House. Please choose the date that works best for your schedule.

Where: The event will be hosted in an NCVPS online classroom. Details will be sent following registration.

Presenters: NCVPS staff, teachers, and students.

Topics: The presentation will include Who is NCVPS?, Teaching and Learning with NCVPS, Meet the Teacher, See the Classroom, Support All Around, and Q & As.

Audience: The NCVPS Open House is open to the public. While our presentations are geared toward parents and students in public schools, private schools, and home-schools, we have something for everyone. Educators will learn about the NCVPS teaching and learning process. The general public will discover what online learning is.

To register, click here. To learn more about NCVPS, click here.

Burroughs Wellcome Fund Career Awards for Science and Mathematics Teachers

The Burroughs Wellcome Fund Career Award for Science and Math Teachers (CASMT) application is now available online. The Career Award for Science and Mathematics Teachers is a five-year award available to outstanding science and/or mathematics teachers in the North Carolina public primary and secondary schools. The purpose of this award is to recognize teachers who have demonstrated solid knowledge of science and/or mathematics content and have outstanding performance records in educating children. The deadline for submission is September 24th, 2018.

For more information or to access the application, visit https://www.bwfund.org/grant-programs/science-education/career-awards-science-and-mathematics-teachers.

Women in Educational Leadership Symposium

Registration is open for the third annual Women in Educational Leadership Symposium (WIELS). The purpose of WIELS is to bring women together to share, learn, and grow in leadership. This conference aims to provide personalized learning and mentoring opportunities for those who aspire to become or currently serve as educational leaders.

The symposium will be held October 5 through October 6, 2018 at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. This year’s conference theme is Advancing the Leader Within: Building Capacity.

Registration for the conference is online at https://wiels.appstate.edu/about-us/registration. Additional information can be found at https://wiels.appstate.edu/.

The Friday Report is published weekly by the Public School Forum of NC and is distributed to Forum members, policymakers, donors, media, and Forum subscribers. Archived editions can be found at www.ncforum.org.

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