Read all the research, news, and policy in our arts education RECAP for November 2022.
Research
The 5-minute Daily Playtime Ritual that Can Get Your Kids to Listen Better “The concept, developed by psychologist Sheila Eyberg in the 1970s, is simple. For at least 5 minutes a day, sit down with your child and join them in an activity. That includes drawing, playing with dolls, building blocks — anything that doesn’t have a right or wrong way to play (like video games), says child psychologist Kerrie Murphy. Don’t ask questions or give commands — this is your child’s time to be in charge.” KQED Mind/Shift
Using Culturally Responsive Project-Based Learning to Teach Core Skills “Further enhancing the connections among our community members, our school district’s cultural liaisons were judges and taste testers at a culminating event where we also sampled all of the dumplings.” Edutopia
Tulsa Study Offers More Evidence of Pre-K’s Benefits into Adulthood “Many people might think the main benefit of a high-quality preschool program is the academic boost it gives young children when they enter elementary school. But the strongest positive effects may show up years, and even decades, later and have little to do with test scores and grades.” Hechinger Report
Leaving Los Angeles: These 10 LAUSD Schools Lost the Most Students During COVID “Enrollment in Los Angeles Unified schools has been dipping for years, declining even more during the pandemic — but which schools saw the biggest drops and why?” The 74
Poll Finds Parents Are Frustrated — & Ready to Change K-12 Education in America “A national survey commissioned in August by the National Coalition for Public School Options found that while 71% of parents surveyed sent their children to their local district public school, 61% believe those schools are headed in the wrong direction, including urban residents, at 67%. This follows a recent Gallup poll that found only 28% of Americans say they have a great deal of confidence in public schools, the second-lowest confidence rating on record.” The 74
Equity
Free SAT Boot Camp & Tutoring Platform Is Getting Noticed by States, Colleges “Launched in 2020, the platform offers high schoolers free Zoom-based tutoring in math, as well as SAT and Advanced Placement test prep. Some 20,000 students so far have participated in over 8 million minutes of live learning through Schoolhouse.world’s evening homework help sessions, small-group math tutoring or test prep boot camps, says Chief Operating Officer Drew Bent.” The 74
NYC to Cover College Costs for Students in Foster Care “New York City will cover the college tuition and housing costs for students in foster care, Mayor Eric Adams announced Tuesday. The new program, called College Choice, will provide up to $15,000 a year, after financial aid, to cover remaining tuition costs for city teens in foster care at any college they choose, whether in New York City or beyond. The initiative will also cover housing costs and provide a $60 daily stipend to help students pay for food and books.” Chalkbeat
Report: Internet Gap Snubs LA Low-Income Residents & Widens Digital Divide “The report found Charter Communications, which operates Spectrum – the monopoly internet provider serving 96.7% of Los Angeles county residents — consistently reserves its best offers for residents in wealthier neighborhoods, leaving low-income families paying more for the same or slower service.” The 74
When Your Disability Gets You Sent Home from School “Federal law protects students with disabilities from being repeatedly disciplined or removed from school for behaviors related to their disability. If they are suspended for more than 10 days, families are entitled to a meeting with the school to determine whether the behaviors are a result of the child’s disability.” Hechinger Report
Calls-to-Action
Dr. Dre, Lil Baby Turn Out to Support Prop 28 Arts Education Ballot Measure “If approved by a majority of voters, Prop 28 would pay for music and arts education in every California public school, with additional funds directed to those serving greater numbers of low-income students. Fields covered would include traditional music and visual and performing arts classes, as well as instruction in graphic design, film and video production. Much of the money would pay for new teachers and aides.” Los Angeles Magazine
10 Tips to Kindle Learning Using Positive Emotions “When I used the first 10 minutes of class to kindle some positive emotions, my students were able to settle into their tasks more quickly and with less drama than when I skipped the positive vibes time.” Middle Web
#FallGivingChallenge – The Monthly Match “Starting November 1, new recurring donations will be matched up to $50 while funds last. Each person can create matched monthly donations for up to 3 different nonprofits.” Every.org
Advocacy
Civics in the Classroom: Engaging Titles for Children and Teens “Civics education is an essential study for students of all ages: not only do conversations around civics promote active and aware future citizens, but provide students with an opportunity to engage in discussions about current events and the world around them. The titles featured below center on topics featured in the K-12 Civics for All curriculum, making it easy for educators to use these books in their instructional plans.” New York Public Library
Not Just Paint: Arts Education Boosts Academic Performance “Art doesn’t just provide students with a non-verbal way to express themselves. It can help them build motor skills, which are essential for writing letters and words, as well as playing musical instruments. It can also help them recognize patterns and problem solving, skills that later translate into a greater comfort level with mathematics.” Chestnut Hill Local
Their Book is Banned from Dozens of Districts, but Has Helped Countless Young Readers “PEN America, a group that advocates for freedom of expression, says more than 1,600 books about gender and race were banned in more than 130 districts between 2021 and 2022, in what it calls a growing movement to censor books in schools. Taken together, the bans impacted some 4 million students at more than 5,000 schools … Johnson is glad to have written a book that might help others, but says watching it be banned has been bittersweet. They say that if parents don’t want their own child to read it, they should opt them out rather than try to block all students — some who may really need the book — from accessing it.” KQED Mind/Shift
Policy
Proposition 28 Would Guarantee $1 Billion of Public School Funding to Arts Education “Supporters say it would create a safeguard for arts programs across the state’s public schools as these classes are often the first to be cut and artistic instruction in school is essential in fostering the creativity and curiosity of students. Schools with more low-income students would get more funding.” kpbs
2022 Elections Set to Have Outsized Impact on Education “The 2022 general elections could reshape the education landscape in much of the country as education issues continue to be a top priority among candidates and the public. Voters in nearly every state will head to the ballot box or mail slot to select their leadership in key political leadership roles, including gubernatorial races in 36 states and legislative races in 87 of the 99 chambers around the country.” EdNote
You Asked Us About Biden’s Student Debt Relief Plan. We Found the Answers There’s been some confusion over what loans – and which borrowers – qualify. And it makes sense borrowers want to get this right – the plan has the potential to impact the debt of over 40 million Americans and completely wipe out the balances of about 20 million. Some questions were easier than others, but NPR’s education desk answered a few of the most frequently submitted topics posed by readers. KQED Mind/Shift
California to Require Teacher Exit Survey as Focus on Retention, Recruitment Grows “California will collect data from teachers who plan to resign from their districts, under a law newly signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom. The measure requires the state’s Department of Education and its Commission on Teacher Credentialing to develop a survey by July 1, 2023.” K-12 Dive
How California is Responding to Dire Student Housing Shortage “About 5% of UC students, 10% of California State University students and 20% of California community college students report being homeless at some point during the academic year, according to a state Assembly report. But the problem extends beyond those who are homeless. Other students end up with expensive, crowded or inconveniently located housing.” EdSource
New California Law Furthers Remedial Education Reform “Assembly Bill 1705 clarifies that colleges are required to enroll students in math and English courses in which they’re most likely to progress toward completing their degrees and transfer requirements. The law also prevents colleges from requiring students to repeat math and English classes they passed in high school and stresses that colleges are responsible for providing supports to help students succeed in credit-bearing coursework, among other measures.” Inside Higher Ed
Race in College Admissions is Back in Front of the Supreme Court. Here’s What to Know “The last time the court ruled on affirmative action was in 2016 when it said colleges can consider race in admissions. But the makeup of the court looks very different today than it did back then.” NPR
Thanks for reading our arts education RECAP for November 2022. View past RECAPS here.
