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Friday Report – July 20, 2018
This week in #nced: Teachers View Student Behavior Differently Based on Race, NC State Research Suggests; Charter School Drops Wording That Said Students Couldn't Talk About Being Gay
by Forum Admin
The Friday Report
July 20, 2018
Forum News
NC Center for Afterschool Programs: Policy & Practice Regional Convenings
The Public School Forum of NC’s President & Executive Director, Keith Poston (left) and the NC Center for Afterschool Programs’ Director, Sheronda Fleming (right).
By Lucy Russell
Public School Forum Intern & Thomas W. Ross North Carolina Leadership Fellow
During the month of July, the NC Center for Afterschool Programs (NC CAP) hosted its first series of Policy & Practice Regional Convenings, which offered out-of-school time providers, elected officials, educators and higher education and community stakeholders opportunities to engage in meaningful dialogue pertaining to the Forum’s 2018 Roadmap of Need.
The four convenings, which were held at Edgecombe Community College, Durham Technical Community College, Blue Ridge Community College, and Central Piedmont Community College, also offered attendees an opportunity to explore a range of STEM-specific educational strategies through enrichment activities presented by partnering STEM experts and organizations.
The annual Roadmap of Need uses data on economic development, education, health and youth behavior & safety to take a whole child needs assessment of what youth living in each of North Carolina’s 100 counties must have in order to thrive in school and in life. This year’s report found that the top five counties where youth have the greatest likelihood for success are Orange, Union, Wake, Cabarrus and Dare; the bottom five counties where young people are most at-risk are Anson, Warren, Halifax, Robeson, and Edgecombe.
The Roadmap provides a clear view of how North Carolina is now divided into “two North Carolinas”—one that can attract industry and experiences significant job growth, while the other suffers from economic decline and is left with struggling schools. Keith Poston, Executive Director of the Public School Forum, told attendees, “if one were to divide North Carolina into half along I-95, the state formed in the east would be the poorest and unhealthiest state in the country.”
Attendees brainstormed tactics and strategies to alleviate the counties’ challenges in these areas for the benefit and well-being of youth residing there. After the policy portion of each convening, attendees participated in STEM enrichment activities facilitated by STEM experts and organizations that included Dropping Seeds in Motion, Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI), and Beth Snoke Harris, author of 365 Weird & Wonderful Science Experiments.
This summer’s series of Policy & Practice Regional Convenings were initial attempts to encourage dialogue among out-of-school time providers and other essential stakeholders across the state of North Carolina. Based on feedback provided by this year’s attendees, the convenings will continue in future years. Through this endeavor, we have learned that collaboration is essential between organizations, elected officials and community stakeholders to move the needle and improve the lives of children statewide. For additional details regarding the Policy & Practice Regional Convenings and other professional development opportunities and resources provided by the NC Center for Afterschool Programs, please visit our website, ncafterschool.org.
This Week on Education Matters: Examining NC’s Private School Voucher Program
Note: An encore episode of Education Matters will air this weekend on NC’s voucher program. This episode originally aired on June 16th, 2018.
Two new reports are out exploring our state’s Opportunity Scholarship or private school voucher program. One study looks at the academic achievement of students who left public schools to attend private schools using state-funded vouchers. The other examines the type of curriculum being used by the private voucher schools. We talk to the authors of both studies on this week’s show.
Guests:
Dr. Trip Stallings, Director of Policy Research, Friday Institute, NC State University (pictured in top left photo)
Dr. Anna Egalite, Assistant Professor, College of Education, NC State University (pictured in top right photo)
Bonnie Bechard, Study Author, League of Women Voters of the Lower Cape Fear (pictured above, left)
Dr. Mary Kolek, Education Action Team Lead, League of Women Voters of North Carolina (pictured above, right)
When and Where to Watch Education Matters
Saturday at 7:30 PM,
WRAL-TV (Raleigh/Durham/Fayetteville)
Sunday at 8:00 AM,
FOX 50
(Raleigh/Durham/Fayetteville)
Sunday at 6:30 AM and Wednesday at 9:30 AM, UNC-TV’s North Carolina Channel (Statewide)
The North Carolina Channel can be found on Time Warner Cable/Spectrum Channel 1276 or check your local listings and other providers here.
Do you know a leader in your community supporting our schools and making a difference in the lives of children both in and out of school? The Public School Forum is seeking nominations for individuals to be highlighted on our weekly statewide TV show, Education Matters. Click herefor an example of a recent spotlight.
Nominees could be principals, superintendents, teachers, teacher assistants, guidance counselors, parents, students, business leaders, community volunteers, afterschool providers, and the list goes on!
To nominate someone, please fill out the form at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/educationmatters.
State News
Teachers View Student Behavior Differently Based on Race, NC State Research Suggests
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Registration Open for 2018 Candidate Education Policy Briefings
All candidates for public office and current elected officials in North Carolina are invited to join the Public School Forum for one of four Candidate Education Policy Briefings held across the state for a balanced discussion of the background and research on the current education issues facing North Carolina. The Forum’s policy and research staff will present essential information on a variety of important issues, including teacher & administrator compensation, school choice, accountability, school finance, school safety, and student performance. Attendees will be given a copy of the Forum’s newly updated 2018 Education Primer for a quick reference of facts regarding the state’s public school system.
We have scheduled the briefings on the dates and sites listed below. All briefings will open with a continental breakfast at 8:30 am, with the session beginning at 9:00 am and ending promptly at 12:00 pm.
August 2, 2018 – Greenville – Hilton Greenville
August 7, 2018 – Raleigh – NC Museum of Natural Sciences
August 17, 2018 – Asheville – Hilton Garden Inn Asheville
August 21, 2018 – Charlotte – Levine Museum of the New South
Click here to register by July 31, 2018. Contact Lauren Bock, Director of Policy and Programs, at [email protected] with any questions.
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.
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].
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.
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.
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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