Read all the research, news, and policy in our arts education RECAP for September 2022.
Research
As Children’s ADHD Diagnoses Rise, Parents Discover They Have it, Too “With an increase in children being diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in recent years, parents who grew up in a time when receiving such a diagnosis was rare are starting to understand that perhaps they, too, have it. That years of struggling to focus on schoolwork, being told they weren’t living up to their potential, getting bored at jobs or losing track of things might be more than a personality trait.” Washington Post
Equity
How to Talk About Disability Sensitively and Avoid Ableist Tropes “NPR spoke to Cara Reedy, the director and founder of the Disabled Journalists Association, and Rosemary McDonnell-Horita of LaVant Consulting, a disability-focused communications firm, about common ableist tropes, the importance of avoiding them and how to talk sensitively about disability.” KQED
Biden OKs Sweeping Student Loan Relief as Midterms Near “The president said 43 million people would benefit from his student loan plan, with 20 million Americans having their student loans fully wiped out. “People can start to finally crawl out from under that mountain of debt to get on top of their rent and their utilities,” he said. “To finally think about buying a home or starting a family or starting a business.”” Politico
Calls-to-Action
Five Ways Parents can Help Children Have a Better School Year “As kids start a new school year in a time still characterized by uncertainty and deep division, here are five ways caregivers can help them learn, connect with others and maintain a strong sense of self.” Washington Post
Keep an Eye on Your Student’s Mental Health This Back-to-School Season “For parents concerned about how their students are handling the new school year, here are five suggestions mental health experts say can help them monitor their child’s mental health.” KQED
Advocacy
California Colleges Now Have Centers to Help Students with Basic Needs Like Food and Housing “Known as basic needs centers, the resources offered differ from campus to campus, but most tend to help students who are experiencing housing and food insecurity. Others also offer other support like paying for auto insurance, finding low-cost medical care, paying for internet and applying for public benefits. The centers are the result of a new policy that went into effect on July 1 requiring every campus to hire a basic needs coordinator to begin establishing a physical center. Some campuses have long offered food and housing support and will now add to the resources offered to students.” EdSource
Expanding Access to College in Prisons “The Education Department has proposed to expand Pell Grant eligibility to prisoners. Although this will provide the opportunity for many to earn a degree behind bars, questions still remain on how the program will assure access and equity.” Inside Higher Ed
With Financial Aid as an Incentive, State to Begin Recruiting 10,000 More School Counselors “State Superintendent Tony Thurmond announced Thursday the state will begin recruiting candidates for 10,000 new school counselors who would nearly double the number in California’s schools in coming years. The 2022-23 state budget broadened the financial incentives for potential candidates to pursue a master’s degree in counseling and for aspiring counselors to work with an experienced counselor, through a residency program, while pursuing a credential.” EdSource
Policy
For the First Time in 20 Years, Teachers Can Deduct More for School Supplies “Teachers will now be able to deduct up to $300 of out-of-pocket classroom expenses in 2022, up from the $250 that has been set since the incentive first started in 2002. “The limit will rise in $50 increments in future years based on inflation adjustments,” the IRS said. Eligible educators include K-12 teachers, principals, teachers’ aides or counselors who spend more than 900 hours at the school during the academic year. Public and private school educators can benefit.” KQED
What Parents, Teachers and Students Should Know about the CDC’s New COVID Guidelines “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released updated recommendations on Thursday, largely loosening virus protocols and leaving much of the decision-making to individuals and local officials. The changes to the existing guidance are a reflection of the country’s sweeping immunity. Around 95% of the population have some immunity due to a combination of vaccination and past infections, according to Greta Massetti, a senior epidemiologist at the CDC.” KQED
Scanning Students’ Rooms During Remote Tests is Unconstitutional, Judge Rules “The remote-proctored exam that colleges began using widely during the pandemic saw a first big legal test of its own — one that concluded in a ruling applauded by digital privacy advocates. A federal judge this week sided with a student at Cleveland State University in Ohio, who alleged that a room scan taken before his online test as a proctoring measure was unconstitutional.” KQED
Thanks for reading our arts education RECAP for September 2022. View past RECAPS here.
