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Education Through the Pandemic: From Tennessee鈥檚 Push to Woo New Teachers Through Higher Salaries to Indiana鈥檚 Decline in HS Grads Seeking Out More Education, 11 Ways States Are Confronting COVID Slide

This update on pandemic recovery in education collects and shares news updates from the district, state, and national levels as all stakeholders continue to work on developing safe, innovative plans to resume schooling and address learning loss. It鈥檚 an offshoot of the Collaborative for Student Success鈥 QuickSheet newsletter, which you can .

Across the nation, districts鈥 early plans to spend billions in federal school funds are largely focused on one-time expenses like facilities upgrades, filling budget gaps, and rewarding educators. There are fewer signs of strictly academic investments like high-dosage tutoring, expanded school years, or strategic changes to instruction and curriculum systems. Chad Aldeman, policy director at the Edunomics Lab at Georgetown University, said many district plans made little mention of programs or investments geared toward the most vulnerable students. 鈥淭he pandemic has affected different students differently, and we鈥檙e seeing a lot of one-size-fits-all,鈥 he said.

According to the American Rescue Plan, districts will submit spending plans to states by August, though they鈥檒l have until September 2023 to spend the sums. After releasing on how districts and states can spend the unprecedented amount of funding, Ian Rosenblum, assistant secretary for elementary and secondary education, that states will be expected to follow with FutureEd. Rosenblum highlights the , including on academic recovery programs like tutoring and summer school, expanded social-emotional supports and resources, and widespread efforts to identify and re-engage students who have become disconnected from school systems.

Beyond issues of new federal funds, here are 10 other updates from across the country about how states and school systems are confronting the challenges posed by the coronavirus emergency 鈥 and working to preserve student learning amid the pandemic:

TENNESSEE 鈥 State Raises Base Teacher Salary in Bid to Attract Teachers

Tennessee is as schools, parents, and officials emerge from the pandemic with a newfound respect for teaching. Teacher salaries in the state continue to trail neighboring states, though Gov. Bill Lee has made improving teacher working conditions, training, and pay a goal of his tenure.

INDIANA 鈥 Fewer High School Graduates Continued Education During Pandemic聽

For the last five years, the number of Indiana students who are choosing to go to college has been trending down. In 2019 specifically, . However, some schools are working to buck the trend. Ivy Tech in Lawrenceburg, for example, has seen an increase in enrollment due to its partnerships with 10 high schools in Southeast Indiana. The effort includes the option to receive college credit for classes in high school. Officials say such higher-ed partnerships could be key in addressing declines exacerbated by the pandemic.

TEXAS 鈥 Legislative Proposals Could Redirect Money Currently Flowing to Districts聽

Texas legislators are considering an unexpected proposal that that districts typically control. As officials prepare to iron out details on a number of last-minute proposals, educators, parents, and advocates are raising concerns about a state 鈥減ower grab.鈥

NEW YORK 鈥 Charters Take Different Paths on Vaccines, Remote Learning聽

New York City鈥檚 various charter school networks are taking disparate paths on the matter of offering virtual learning options and requiring vaccines for staff this next school year. Though Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the district would not offer a virtual option next year, . Some charters, citing parent confidence and safety, are also requiring teachers and staff to be vaccinated before the beginning of the new school year.

MARYLAND 鈥 Board of Education Calls for More Data on Pandemic Education

Recent data from the Maryland State Board of Education has provided insight into how schools across the state performed during the pandemic. The data showed that most school systems had an attendance rate of 90% or greater, that high school students failed math and English at higher rates than science and social studies, and that many students experienced increased rates of anxiety and stress. Fortunately, the data also showed students were adjusting positively to in-person learning where schools had reopened. State Superintendent Karen Salmon .

ILLINOIS 鈥 Chicago Looks to Summer Programs to Ease Transition Back to School

In Chicago, the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy of Social Justice is preparing for a four-week intensive program in July that will help students from all grades address learning loss. Educators, politicians, and experts are hopeful that summer learning will help students catch up academically, address their mental health needs, in fall.

NATIONAL 鈥 Why Some Schools Won鈥檛 Offer a Virtual Option This Fall

As this school year ends for most of the country, states and districts are sorting through the politics of remote learning to determine if students and families should continue to be offered a virtual learning option for the 2021-22 school year. Some families and advocates say that a simple 鈥渞eturn to normal鈥 won鈥檛 work for all students and cite how in a remote environment or should be allowed to access the option for health or safety reasons. Despite that view, . New York City, the nation鈥檚 largest district, announced there would be no virtual model for students next year, and similar decisions have been reached by officials in New Jersey, the District of Columbia, and San Diego. Though they鈥檝e experienced some pushback for canceling remote options, officials say the majority of parents and educators are eager to get students back in school buildings and say they鈥檝e struggled to make virtual classes work well. Similarly, from the RAND Corporation finds that students who learning remotely this past school year were more likely to suffer academically.

ALABAMA 鈥 Officials Prepare Largest Education Budget in State History

The largest education budget in state history would boost teachers鈥 base pay, , and prevent cuts due to enrollment changes. The budget proposal does not include an additional $3 billion in federal school relief funding.

IDAHO 鈥 State鈥檚 Graduation Rate Inches Upwards, Fewer Students Pursue College聽

Despite achieving an increase in graduation rates across the Gem State, . The average SAT score for Idaho鈥檚 graduates in 2020 also fell, though officials cite the pandemic, school closures, and other challenges as contributing to the decline.

OKLAHOMA 鈥 School Counselor Corps To Use Relief Funding to Increase Mental Health Access

Oklahoma State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister . The state Department of Education will spend $35 million to provide districts with more school counselors, licensed school-based mental health professionals, social workers and recreational therapists. Funded by American Rescue Plan relief dollars, the effort represents a key part of the state鈥檚 recovery plan and will fund positions through the 2023-24 school year.

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