Read all the research, news, and policy in our arts education RECAP for February 2021.
Research
5 Ed Tech Trends to Watch in 2021 “In the two months after COVID-19 hit, the nation’s school districts used an average of 1,300 education technology tools each month, according to EdTech Insights research showing just how much districts depend on technology to educate students remotely. That change is unlikely to slow down in 2021” K-12 Dive
7 Books To Help Address and Discuss Tough Topics With Kids “De la Peña believes books can explore deep or difficult issues without hitting them head-on. ‘I don’t think the job of a picture book is to answer questions,’ he says. ‘I think it’s just to explore interesting topics.'” KQED
Learning During COVID-19: Initial Findings and 4 Considerations for Policymakers “In the spring, NWEA released a set of projections of the potential academic impact of COVID-19 disruptions modeled on well-documented summer learning loss estimates. Now, with fall data in hand, NWEA is ready to share some key findings and actionable takeaways from recent research based on a sample of more than 8,000 schools across the nation.” EdNote
Equity
L.A. Unified Experiments with New Tutoring Program During Pandemic “Step Up Tutoring, a new nonprofit that connects volunteer tutors with teachers whose students need additional academic support, is in its pilot phase.” EdSource
Incoming Madam Vice President Kamala Harris Forever Alters the Landscape for Girls “We should not expect that, because of her gender and her cultural roots, Harris will include women and people from underrepresented groups in her circle — her job is to rely on the right people, whoever they may be. Yet she has made it clear that, as one of the hallmarks of her leadership, she is determined to reach a hand back and bring her sisters with her.” The 74
Segregation by Income Increasing in Classrooms, New Study Finds, May Reflect Influence of Wealthy Parents “Income-based school segregation has been steadily increasing over the last 30 years, studies show. But while researchers have previously demonstrated that low-income students are increasingly attending different schools than their more affluent peers, a new working paper published by the Annenberg Institute at Brown University finds that income segregation within schools, from classroom to classroom, is also on the rise.” The 74
Biden Expected to Make Narrowing Digital Divide an ‘Early, Urgent Priority’ to Help Students During Pandemic “President Joe Biden named Jessica Rosenworcel — a strong proponent of eliminating the “homework gap” — as acting chair of the Federal Communications Commission. The senior Democrat on the commission, Rosenworcel has pushed for extending an internet discount program for schools to cover broadband service in students’ homes.” The 74
Cardona’s Role in Connecticut’s Complex School Desegregation Efforts Becomes Focus: Will He Give Integration a National Platform as Ed Secretary? “With Cardona tapped to replace Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, his public remarks on the major civil rights case, albeit limited, suggest to some the possibility of a major shift in the U.S. Education Department’s tenor on racial integration in America’s persistently segregated classrooms. School integration advocates have urged Cardona to leverage his experience with the Connecticut case as he joins Biden’s campaign promise to ‘restore the soul of America.'” The 74
Teaching Black Students Their History and How to Be Entrepreneurs Fulfilled My Lifelong Dream “My students leave high school with the knowledge and skills they need to be able to write their own stories and take charge of their own lives. As a Black teacher, it is my mission to ensure that my students know they matter and that they have power. Black teachers are vital to the success of young Black children, who need to see themselves in their curriculum as well as in leadership.” The 74
New California Bill Would Allow Transgender and Nonbinary College Students to Use Preferred Names on Diplomas “Under the newly introduced AB 245 bill, led by California Assemblyman David Chiu, nonbinary and transgender public college students would be allowed to put their preferred names on diplomas instead of their birth names…” Diverse
Free College Could Become a Reality Under a Biden Administration “Under Biden’s plan, the federal government would cover 75% of the cost with states contributing the rest.” CNBC
Calls-to-Action
Special Education and the Arts Webinar “Join the California Alliance for Arts Education, P.S. ARTS and the PTA for a webinar about the intersections of special education, the arts and distance learning. This program will present findings from a two-year study examining the relationship between social emotional learning and participation in inclusive arts programs among students with disabilities and without disabilities.” Date: February 10, 2021 CA Alliance for Arts Ed
Show your support for the CA Creative Corps Program California Arts Advocates are enouraging support at the local level for the 2021-2022 “Budget Built on Strong Fiscal Foundation” proposal. CA Arts Advocates
Advocacy
‘Not Broken But Simply Unfinished’: Poet Amanda Gorman Calls For A Better America “Having an arena in which I could express my thoughts freely was just so liberating that I fell head over heels, you know, when I was barely a toddler.” NPR
4 Education Policy Tools to Use in 2021 “Our State Education Policy Tracking database is a one-of-a-kind, comprehensive resource for education leaders looking for unique policy approaches to issues in their state. This interactive map includes enacted and vetoed legislation from 2017-20. We currently track 45 broad education policy issues, spanning from early learning to workforce development.” EdNote
Policy
Cardona, in Mostly Gentle Prodding From Senate, Offers Views on Testing, Transgender Students and Reopening Schools “Vowing to ‘forge opportunity’ out of the tragedy of the pandemic, education secretary nominee Miguel Cardona faced mostly friendly questioning from senators Wednesday in a confirmation hearing that focused largely on reopening schools, but also touched on the divisive question of whether transgender students should compete against girls in sports.” The 74
Biden Announces Executive Actions Meant To Help Reopen Schools “President Biden has called reopening schools a “national emergency” and said he wants to see most K-12 schools in the United States open during his first 100 days in office, which would be between now and April.” KQED
San Diego Superintendent Will Bring Years of Teaching to Deputy Education Secretary Post “Biden has now doubled down on his pro-teacher stance by nominating San Diego Unified Superintendent Cindy Marten to be deputy secretary of education, the number two position in the U.S. Department of Education. With Cardona, Marten will play a pivotal role in advocating for and implementing President-elect Biden’s expansive education agenda, including getting funds to states, so they can open the majority of their elementary schools within 100 days of his taking office.” EdSource
For the Second Time In Less Than Two Years, Miguel Cardona is Set to Prove Himself on a Much Larger Stage. Is He Ready for the ‘Political Headwinds’ He’d Face as U.S. Education Secretary? “While Cardona went to a technical high school and attended state universities, he also draws from a strong research base focusing on how to improve educational opportunities for the least-advantaged students.” The 74
2021 State of the State Addresses Highlight Key Education Issues “Governors’ State of the State addresses sketch out their policy priorities, highlight past accomplishments, and reflect on the condition of their state and our country. Each year, Education Commission of the States summarizes and identifies trends in education policy proposals featured in these addresses.” EdNote
As Betsy DeVos Steps Down, Critics Hope it is Time to Put the Public Back in Public Education “She willfully destroyed programs and approaches carefully designed to protect the civil rights of Black and Brown students and students with disabilities.” The Hechinger Report
