where we are at on federal grants

 This came out from DESE's grants office this morning. While it is not new information, I thought it was a useful summary: 

On November 12, a “continuing resolution” was passed to reopen the federal government through January 30, 2026. However, most school year 2026-2027 federal education funding levels have not been resolved and are still subject to negotiation (ESSA, IDEA, Perkins, etc.). If Congress cannot come to an agreement on FY27 funding levels by January 30^th, they must either pass another “continuing resolution” or shut down the government yet again. It should be noted that the national school meals program was the one major area of federal education funding that did receive a new full-year appropriation, through September 30, 2026.
 
Early the following week, the U.S. Education Department (USED) informed state education leaders of its intent to transition the management of several major programs to other federal agencies. The announcement stated that the majority of programs currently managed by the federal Office of Elementary and Secondary Education will transition to the U.S. Department of Labor via an inter-agency agreement. These programs will include Title I-A, Title II-A, Title III-A, Title IV-A and B, and the McKinney-Vento Homeless Act, among others. 

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) programs will, for the moment, remain at USED, as will the Office for Civil Rights. USED officials noted that signed agreements with the Department of Labor and other agencies are only a first step and could not provide immediate details on the timing or specifics of the interagency transitions. These details will vary by program. The federal press release includes links to several federal fact sheets, including one on elementary and secondary education. 

Quick note on federal funding

First, while we should be attentive to the "House GOP eyes 27% cut to Title I" headline, what do we know about how the federal budget process works? There are many steps! And don't forget where the Senate (also with a GOP majority) went on this one: 

In July, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved a bipartisan bill that would fund the Education Department at $79 billion in FY 26, a slight increase to current spending. 

As I posted then:

 Money has impact on real people.  

Keep telling your stories to those who make decisions. It makes a difference.

Yep, Trump signed the Executive order

Yesterday, at a press event for which he was 45 minutes late, in front of children and some of the worst Governors in the country on education, President Trump signed an executive order entitled "Improving Education Outcomes by Empowering Parents, States, and Communities", which directs the Secretary of Education: 

...to the maximum extent appropriate and permitted by law, take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return authority over education to the States and local communities while ensuring the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely.

I am going to point out again that closing the Department while at the same time "ensuring the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits" would be very difficult at best, and with a Department that was slashed in half without regards to programs, and in an administration that, at its most basic level, neither knows nor cares how things actually work, it isn't going to happen at all. And that's before you try to get that through Congress. 

My response for those who have asked me what is going to happed at the federal level with education has become the repeated line from this Saturday Night Live skit: 

"Nobody knows."

The Wall Street Journal (that's a gift link) has a good rundown of what we know at this time. In terms of immediate impact: 

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Thursday that the department would still oversee major programs including student loans and major funding streams for schools. Trump said during the signing ceremony that many of the agency’s largest programs would be preserved.

This was followed today, of course, by Trump riffing in the Oval Office, at which he appeared to say that loans are moving to the Small Business Administration (which just cut its staff by 40%), and special education and school nutrition (which isn't in U.S. Ed) to Health and Human Services.

...and no, he doesn't have the power to assign those to other departments, either. 

While the funding that flows through the Department has been so tightly linked to the Department itself in the popular mind that there are often seen as one and the same* they are not the same. There have been attempts at massive cuts of staff at the Department; the current year funding remains intact, and next year's funding will need to go through Congress.

NPR had a piece this morning postulating that the real coming danger to federal funding is through cuts that have already been made to the National Center for Education Statistics: 

For Title I, NCES works with the U.S. Census Bureau to analyze school district boundaries, income levels and other characteristics that help the Department of Education determine grant eligibility.

But by the end of the day on Friday, all but three NCES staffers will be locked out of their computers and on administrative leave.

"The key issue is that – as things stand now -- the data needed to drive the next round of Title I, and grants to rural schools, and grants to other programs, isn't going to happen as a result of the cuts to NCES staff and contracts," said one former NCES employee.

Several employees told NPR that, after the layoffs, it is unlikely the REAP program will be able to get money to schools for the 2026-27 school year.

The same goes for Title I, with an added challenge: The Trump administration is poised to shrink the ranks of the Census Bureau. A reduction in its staff could further complicate the distribution of Title I funding.

That is something to watch closely, then. 

The possible political consequences of any loss in federal funding were (amusingly) highlighted in Politico by conservative education commentary person Rick Hess: 

“It seems very likely in races this fall that Democrats will cut ads with Elon Musk waving that chainsaw, and then you’ll see some mom talking about how her child with special needs can’t get the support they used to get,” he said.

Fall is a long way away, though.  

 ________________________________
*Actual report this morning locally: “In his first two months since returning to office, Trump has ordered significant cuts to federal education funding” 
This is simply not true at all.

"Are you kidding?": we're not making up total losses in federal funding from the state budget

One of the questions that has been swirling quite a bit lately has been: if all the federal money vanishes, can (or can't) the state make up the difference. 

Let me note here that my frame of reference here is Massachusetts, so your local results may vary, but I do think that Governor Healey's response when asked this question--"Are you kidding?"--was accurate. I'm not saying we can't do anything, but I do think the scope of what is supported by federal funds is something that may be a lot to wrap our heads around.

Halving the Department of Education

 Reductions in force are established processes for cutting positions in a workforce. The federal government has a series of regulations that oversee how this happens. 

Those have yet to be followed for the cuts last night at the Department of Education; thus, while the press release calls it a "reduction in force," it isn't clear that it is. While I have yet to see legal action, I'd expect it. 

You can read about the cuts in The Hill; K-12 Dive; NPR; EdWeek; New York Times.

Besides many, many people who care a lot about public education, and in many cases, have been doing their jobs for years, losing their jobs (which, to be clear, is bad enough!*), what does this mean?

Someone from the Department shared a list of who had been cut last night on Bluesky, and James Murphy of Ed Reform Now posted an analysis of who is gone. While the largest number of employees have been cut from FAFSA (insert the hollow laugh of the parent of a college student), by percentages of total employees compared to 2024, the big hits are the Office of Civil Rights and the Institute of Education Sciences: 

from James Murphy's post here 

I think just "FAFSA" alone is concerning, but note that some of that office's duties are ensuring that funding for higher education through student aid is used in ethical ways.

The Office of Civil Rights is of course what ensures schools protect and preserve students' civil rights; that's race, gender, special education, language, and more. While we've already seen signs of the office being weaponized (as I warned about in November), they have a VERY legitimate function. With an even smaller office, the prioritization of the ideological use of the office, one assumes, will take priority over families who need the OCR to work to ensure their students are appropriately treated by their schools.

IES is one of the quiet functions that few know exists, but many have used. If you've seen (or said) anything comparing one state to another on educational outcomes, or cited state education spending, or any of many, many other data points, you used IES. The New York Times has a useful piece on this, as well as the research funded by the Department, today. The lack of accountability--for states! for the country!--is not good here. 

Program Administration also worries me. While school districts have the big grants for the current year now, those granting systems don't run themselves, and that, plus a lot of other Department functions take people doing things. It's that sort of thing--the dribbles of "wait, no one is doing that??" that I will say I dread.

Now we have half as many people doing this work. And I have to say that I have little confidence that the cut was done in any way that ensures the functions we need are served. 

______________________

*If you lost your job yesterday, I am sorry. Your work is valuable and valued.

Just to offer: MASC did a Learning Lunch in January on what the U.S. Department of Education does (and what it means for districts) and you can find the video here. 

Some things I really hope we get right in 2025

Let there be goblin hordes, let there be terrible environmental threats, let there be giant 

mutated slugs if you really must, but let there also be Hope. It may be a grim, thin hope, an Arthurian sword at sunset, but let us know that we do not live in vain.

Terry Pratchett, "When Children Read Fantasy"

As the turn of the calendar gives one of the "looking back/looking forward" opportunities, I thought I'd put together some hopes I have of this coming calendar year, if only, as the great Pratchett put it, to "know that we do not live in vain."

"But can he...?": Looking ahead at a second Trump administration

image of a card at Target
It simply reads "ugh"

This post is based on the following principles:

1. Despair, psychologically, makes us powerless. If we view something as impossible, we teach ourselves not to act. Things are not a given; all changes require actual action from many people. We cannot give up in advance. 
   I'm not going to do that.
   
   
2. Donald Trump is many things, and among them is erratic (which only increased during this past campaign) and lazy. We do not yet know who in his circle will have actual power, but we do know from last time that people tend not to keep it long.
   
   
3. We live under a federal system, and changing that would require changing the U.S. Constitution. Education is a power largely left to the states.
   
   
4. Most of the power of the federal government under this system of government--which, again, cannot be changed without Constitutional change, which is beyond the power of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches even together!--is coercive; that is, they cannot force states and educational agencies to behave particular ways, but they can offer inducements to act in that fashion. 
   
   
5. Schools are greatly impacted, always, by the reality that surrounds them. If you are as old as me, you may remember the old ad for the Yellow Pages: "If it's out there, it's in here." That is also true of schools.
   
   
6. Our charge in public education remains to create and sustain a system that nurtures every student as and who they are. We aren't giving up on anyone, anywhere. 

With me so far? 
I also, as always, speak only for me, and I speak only from what I know. I don't have a crystal ball, but here's the thing: neither does anyone else. 

Onward. 

September Board of Ed: opening comments

 The agenda for today is here; livestream will turn up over here.

They've started late due to traffic. Hearing the Orange Line is slow today, too.

Public comment: none (no one commenting)

Peyser: celebrating the Ch.766 50th anniversary tomorrow
Forerunner of the IDEA law, ADA law
STEM week is coming: October 17-21
next meeting is in STEM Week "so I am sure you will all dress accordingly and wear your party hats"
Craven: mother and sister of people with Down's Syndrome
father used to talk about Ch.766 all the time
shows book given to her parents when her sister was born
"adding color to the law" is really important
"these things didn't happen without groups of dedicated parents"
today's efforts on dyslexia are also championed for parents

Election of vice-chair
reworking of subcommittee, as well
Moriarty nominates Hills as vice chair; passes
Craven appoints Rouhanifard and Canavan to teacher diversity
Mohamed and Plankey to budget (along with Stewart)
wants to have a special committee on pandemic literacy recovery
Moriarty to chair, Rouhanifard, West, Lombos

Riley: most schools have been back for a month
"quiet opening, quiet is a good thing"
Staffing challenges
licensure flexibilities and ways of getting people into the field
"President said yesterday that the pandemic is over, and while we know that is technical true, we have to live with it"
have asked districts to have supplies on hand
MCAS scores coming next month: think a 3 to 5 year recovery
"as we predicted on this Board being out of school would have two major impacts" mental health (this is actually not supported by research) and academic
process prior to the pandemic: Boston coming in

Hills: be very clear about flexibilities that could and couldn't happen if there is a surge
remote schooling not counting towards 180 days
Riley: may have seen snow days are going to be snow days; kind of a side note but important to say
Moriarty: "lean harder into them" on receiverships
have to understand where they're at
Rouhanifard: underscore 3-5 year
"typically...where there's disregulation...there are academic challenges as well"
"high dosage tutoring" being used in some districts
"creating sustainable solutions"
Riley: "people are using SOA... to avoid a cliff effect"
Rouhanifard: West mentioned Medicaid funds (municipal districts don't get the Medicaid reimbursements, generally)
Canavan: speaking of program in Tennessee; scaling
"like the idea of a statewide strategy"
Plankey: some districts have clubs run by students for tutoring
conversations between students, helping social-emotional pieces
Riley: have chances to go look at things in the field

Lisa Graf: public comment
bullying: aggressor expanded to include member of school staff
hope will consider adversives used to control students as examples of bullying

Finance and Operations meets Monday

It's the first quarter report! and more!
The agenda is here.

The first item on the agenda is the report closing FY19. First, note that on a $345M general fund budget, the district was left with a balance of $2312 at the year's close (that goes back to the city). That's a margin that is, well, stunning. Districts that are much much smaller don't manage their projections and budget lines that tightly.
The second thing of note (to me, anyway) is that over the course of the year, over $4M was transfered from salary lines to non-salary lines, with $1.6M going to Misc Educational OM, which I don't understand...as of May, $370K had been transfered into that line, so what happened since?

The second item is a response to the request for a walking path from St. Paul Street to Flagg Street School; the report notes that a pathway of 300 feet would cost between $25,000 to $30,000; there is a layout as the second page.
There is no report, because one was not requested, on if this is the greatest facility need of this level of cost, if there are other schools that likewise might need such access, and if this is the most equitable way of spending such funds.

The first quarter report of this fiscal year is on this agenda: the year thus far by cost center is here; the report with narrative is here. As always, I'd urge you to read it, but a few notes:

• part of the FY20 budget increase via the Senate was an increase in instructional assistants, focusing on kindergarten. That line is running higher that budgeted...and I don't understand why from this description, to be honest. Ah, okay: if you read to the end of the report, this gets picked back up: Title I came in $158K lower than was budgeted, so instructional assistants are being shifted off of Title I to the general fund. 
• facilities ordinary maintenance is running higher than budgeted, because contracted services are having to pick up for unfilled positions.
• personnel services is running over almost entirely due to $184K in outside contractor professional development 
• transporation over three lines is running nearly $500K, with almost half of that coming from the giveback negotiated by the superintendent and agreed to by the Committee in connection with their renewed contract with Durham. Some of the other lines are likewise Durham-related, though they are WPS spending: the overtime "to address vacant positions" is, I'd venture, at least in part due to the times WPS is having to pick up Durham routes when Durham doesn't have drivers. The district in total has added four routes--two WPS, two Durham, despite the issues there--and that's the increase in the salary line.
• I keep saying this: 

  Also, there’s a prior year payment on here for over $10K and it’s November and I keep wondering if anyone is going to bring these things up...

  — Tracy O'Connell Novick (@TracyNovick) November 7, 2019

  ...and it appears that part of the reason for the workers' comp line is that 10 of THOSE are for the prior fiscal year; what the heck is going on??
  
• the salary line funding is all vacancies: maybe we should be asking why all of these positions are not managing to be filled?

The recommendation is to add five adjustment counselors--three in elementary, two in high school--and a guidance counselor to managing the early college programs (is this the greatest need on the guidance end??) and half a million dollars in literacy materials "and related professional development."

There's also a report on how the grants came back (some lower, some higher) and what might be shifted there. And the proportionate share requirement--funding special education services at private schools--is included in the description. 

Finally, there is  a 73 page report on environmental management. That sounds like a lot (it is!), but it's also actually readable:

An EMS requires an organization to “Say what you do, Do what you say, and Prove it” as a way to ensure compliance and overall improvements.

and uses parallel structure...
It reports out that environmental management has not only included specific departments, but has impacts districtwide, runnng to 600 staff having been involved. There's a focus on preventing issues, rather than fixing them after they occur. There are sections on legacy building issues (including lead in water, for those interested; I found it very reassuring, as the issues found have been dealt with and are undergoing retesting); usage (including indoor environmental quality! including:

The Facilities Department, the WPS EH&S Consultant, the WPS Nursing Department and the Worcester Department of Housing have worked together with a city-wide initiative, the Prevention Wellness Trust Fund (one of nine projects funded by DPH to reduce chronic disease, including pediatric asthma) to pilot EPA’s Tools for Schools program. It included classroom IEQ training and “walk-through” assessments. The goal of this component of this project was to identify conditions that could cause or trigger asthma.

and toxic use reduction...and apparently we need a boiler somewhere?...working on Breakfast in the Classroom, types of waste disposal); a department by department review, with an interesting note coming from the art department:

The Art Department identified heavy reliance on donations that were not all certified for use in schools

(another reason to fund the budget!), the end of the use of bleach by custodial staff, and a new term to use something in cleaning WPS buses:

Protexus Electrostatic Sprayer! (There are YouTube Videos!)
I feel as though someone should mention in here somewhere that this is, of course, just the WPS run buses, not Durham buses.
There are sections on preparing for emergency managment..
There are also some impressive references to operating protocols and training.
If this is of interest, I'd recommend it! 

My plan is to be there for this, but I do have a meeting later that night, so I don't know that I'll make it all. 

Education debt to our nation's children of color and their schools

Well worth a read today is this from the Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools on what they're calculating as $580 billion owed schools of primarily low-income children of color. The full report is here.
What's interesting about this is they're focusing in opening on the federal level. Title I began as 40% more funding for low income kids. IDEA was to fund 40% of the needed special education services.
And neither happened.
The report also connects it to the falling off in the level of progression in our federal tax code, in the increases in spending in prisons (and the school-to-prison pipeline), and the push towards privatization. There hasn't, in my view, been enough attention on which schools get pushed away from their democratic representation and which schools never do, so this is a solid addition.
Worth your time!

November Board of Education: opening comments

The agenda for today is here. The meeting starts at 8:30; posting as they go once we start. The livestream is here. 
No comments from the Chair
Wulfson: Governor signed the "Language Opportunity for Our Kids" bill
designed to provide additional flexibility for English Language learners
very demanding timelines
staff developing implementation
will plan on a comprehensive look at that bill at December meeting
also training for vocational teachers
Complaints filed by private schools, under IDEA complain not receiving appropriate funding
schools have now taken appeal to federal DoE
summary of school climate survey: "first attempt to quantify some of the qualitative measures"
provided school level results to principals and superintendents
first time given; still a work in progress
still discovering how useful state and schools will find it
done in partial fulfillment under the anti-bullying act
Students still coming in from Puerto Rico; "if anything it seems to have accelerated"
passed the 1400 mark last week
about 800 in Springfield, Holyoke, New Bedford, Worcester, Boston
still working with districts both for this year and for coming years
had "a wonderful visit" at the McKay School in East Boston
Globe article spotlight on East Boston
"very much engaged staff working collegiality"
McKay "perfect example of a school...doing well and our accountability system recognizes it...it's a Level 1 school"

Peyser: opioid work
curriculum: personal skills and habits to deal with substance abuse and use
ESPERT screening
comprehensive schoolwide systems for information sharing for interventions
schools are organized to ensure that students get the kids of supports that they need not only to avoid addiction but also to deal with those should they happen
interagency effort is ongoing

PUBLIC COMMENT
Virtual schools: first round of comment is the anti-wifi people
as a reminder, here's the science and also here; I'm not using my space for their misinformational fearmongering
The proposal is for virtual schools tuition to increase from the school choice amount ($5000) to $8190
Tech Connections Virtual Schools: proposed allocation
currently 1700 families have enrolled; has implications in how schools are designed to meet the needs of each student
options to families
Greenfield Commonwealth Virtual Schools: "a school of hopes and dreams"
Mental health conditions, debilitating physical conditions, aspiring artists and athletes
change of learning platforms; fully aligned with Massachusetts curricular frameworks
teachers innovate to engage students


Social Studies:
Kerry Dunne: 20 year educator, curriculum coordinator in Weston
President of Mass Council for Social Studies
appreciate the effort to update the standards after 20 years
support for the draft proposed; improvement over current framework
critical to communicate what grade and what content new state assessment will take
"and we would welcome a non-traditional assessment"
clear and firm guidance
"the sad fact is that history and social studies have not been a priority for many years"
a strong statement from the Commissioner that every student needs to have history and social studies on their schedule from a certified teacher
quality, preferably digital resources and quality PD
Haverhill supervisor on history and social studies
also worked on revision
shift from "a laundry list of dates and dead guys..to our nation's story" and the world
build lifelong learners of history
"if we teach more history, we will save the English teachers"
"truly go deep into controversial topics...the struggle is real"
"if we are going to continue to strive for a more perfect union, it may as well start with us"
"there is no better place to continue to be the change than in our classrooms"
iCurrulum (? I think?)
we're getting a ream of survey stuff here 
working on how to discuss controversial issues
Mass state coordinator for the "We the People" program
served on the commissioner for civic learning and engagement
dates and facts "has always minimized" the study
"opportunity for students to critically examine what is being studied"
"to understand the conflicting messages they will hear and confront throughout their lives"
"history is often a varying number of shades of grey"
"dispositions that are most essential for a democratic citizenry"
"our democracy is fragile"
"to create a nation of skeptics, not cynics"

Renewal of Four Rivers Charter
superintendent of the Mohawk Regional District Michael Buoniconti
urges not to renew
"this is a rural issue"
"here to speak about a specific case"
"I understand the need for charters where you have underperforming, failing schools"
"our families have good choices in traditional public schools"
"I'm looking for a partner in Malden"

DESE update at MASBO

Note juggle of positions here, due to retirement of Roger Hatch (who was the Ch. 70 guy):
Jay Sullivan, Associate Commissioner
Melissa King, Director School Finance
Rob O’Donnell, Director School Business Services

President's budget doesn't really increase Title I

Per both Politico and EdWeek, while there is an increase in the dollar amount proposed for Title I, it's essentially just the School Improvement Grant money merging over under the 7% set-aside called for under the new federal education law (and depending on how that works out, districts could get less, rather than even the same amount).
IDEA is frozen, as well.
There's an increase for Career and Technical Ed (up $77M), an increase for preschool development (up $100M), a new "Computer Science for All" proposal ($100M), PLUS Charter School Grants get a $17 million boost over current $350 million and Magnet Schools Assistance gets an additional $18M to bring it to $115 million.
Also, this on an ESSA outcome:

The president's budget is also expected to seek $500 million for the new block grant program in the just-passed Every Student Succeeds Act, into which a number of other programs were consolidated. 

The administration wants to put a twist on that program, though. Instead of having the money go out by formula to states and then districts, as it does under ESSA, it would first go by formula to states, who would then send it out competitively. And the grants would be at least $50,000. 

Under ESSA, districts that receive less than $30,000 from the block grant don't have to abide by the rules in the law for using it. But, if the grants are as big as $50,000 districts who get them would have to spend at least 20 percent on one activity that helps improve student health and safety, and another 20 percent on at least one activity that helps students become more well-rounded. And they couldn't spend more than 15 percent of the funding on technology infrastructure.

U.S. DoE memo is here. 

Weighing in with the state and the fed

I did something unusual (for School Committee) last night and submitted several items under suspension ("under suspension" means that we've suspended using our rules and going by the agenda). Submitting items under suspension without violating the Open Meeting Law requiring public posting 48 hours prior to the meeting can only be done if the item is time-senstive and could not "reasonably be anticipated by the chair."
In this case, everything I submitted happened early this week, mostly on Tuesday, so it couldn't be foreseen, and it all involves things that happen before our next meeting, so they're time-sensitive.

First, as you read here and here, Governor Baker published his FY14 budget cuts on Tuesday. That is THIS fiscal year. They are very tough on education, particularly in the cities. While we received a budget memo last night (which will be my next post!), we'll have more specifics coming, and I asked that we share those with our delegation as soon as we have them.

The state Board of Ed next meets on Tuesday, February 24 (we next meet on the 26th), and they'll be taking up the proposal for charter schools in Brockton and Fitchburg. We also have seen the ongoing saga of "will they or won't they" on the possible takeover of the Holyoke Public Schools. I asked therefore that we ask for support urban districts that are doing good work for their students, and urge the state to collaborate with, rather than takeover or impose measures on, urban districts. This passed, and I plan to testify to that at the Board of Ed meeting.

As was mentioned elsewhere today, we heard directly from Rep. Kline of his interest in fully funding IDEA. IDEA--the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act--was passed 40 years ago with the expressed intent of funding 40% of the avereage of special education cost per student in the country. It has never gotten to half of that, and currently stands at 16%. In Worcester, where we currently receive $7 million in federal IDEA aid, that would be an additional $10 million a year. We're thus sharing that infomration with our Congressional delegation.

Finally, and also as mentioned by Rep. Kline, the Elementary and Secondary Act seems to be moving in both the House and in the Senate ('though news on that today: Alexander's bill has been tossed out, and they're starting with something bipartisan). As such, we've got to weigh in on ESEA reauthorization now. I created the following principles that I thought were something the Worcester School Committee could agree on:

-that local control means state, not school district, control in Massachusetts.
-that creating block grants of federal funds would be harmful. 
-that freezing federal grants or subjecting them to sequestration would be harmful. 
-that charter and voucher expansion don't work to improve public education.
-that absolute protection of students' rights to a quality, equitable education need not mean overtesting or overregulation.
That passed, and will be sent to our delegation.

And thanks to my colleagues for their tolerance. We had a long meeting last night, and it was coming up on ten by the time we got to these. I'm glad we're going to get our voice in on these issues in February! 

Rep. Kline, House chair on education

Rep. Kline
"Thanks for the applause, I don't get it all the time, so I'll take it when I can get it."

Emerging Issues: engaging your community to action

Deborah Rigsby: NSBA federal advocacy
ESEA issue brief has comparison of current law with Kline bill (passed by House in 2013) with Alexander proposal with NSBA position

Preparing for Capitol Hill Meetings

Zola, Gettsman, Rigsby all doing federal legislation and advocacy
Zola: "a little bit of a different time and place"
"Washington is Washington...one party running the Congress...they want to move ESEA to the floor either in February or early March"

Not as bad as projected

The federal grant numbers came out late last week, and, while they are down from last year, they are not down as much as was feared or was budgeted.
We budgeted Title I at $9,531,837; it came through at $9,769,845, a difference of $238,008.
We budgeted IDEA at $6,964,442; it came through at $7,222,705, a difference of $259,263.
So, recommended allocations to come!

NCLB "reversed" in the House: so is this good?

Since the press is running headlines like "House Votes to Dump 'No Child' Education Law" and the like, I've been asked questions (like this one) saying, "this is good, right?"
Before I answer that, a small cheer from me that you're following federal education policy!! Woo-hoo!

The answer is: in some ways.

The bill freezes in place the cuts to federal grants that were put in place due to sequestration; that's about eight percent, once they all kick in. Every Democrat in the House (including the entire Massachusetts delegation) voted against it, and from a quick conversation with Congressman McGovern earlier this week (and the record of the arguments made on the floor), I suspect that the cuts, more than anything, were a major concern for House Democrats.

If you read the blog regularly, you know that these cuts have been a major headache for us; I've been posting about sequestration for months. It shook out to about $3 million in cuts for us this budgetary year (and we're hoping that the cuts we made were enough; we haven't gotten our exact numbers from the state yet), and, let's be clear: these were cuts that hurt kids and hit classroom services. I'm particularly bothered by the 130 slots we lost from Head Start. This wasn't "fat" or "extras" or any of the other nonsensical talking points you hear bantered about when it comes to grant funds; there are kids in Worcester who are going to be hurt by these cuts.

The sad truth, though, is that federal grants have been shrinking for us for a number of years. At the same time, the things that have been tied to those federal grants (at both the federal and state level--witness, for example, the state continuing to weigh in on how we spend our Title I funds) has gotten more onerous. I don't advocate that we stop accepting federal funds, but they have become less than dependable, and in some cases, rather a pain.

Another bit about funding that is of concern: the bill that was passed turns Title I and the other federal funds into one giant block grant, with it being up to state authorities on how to use the funds ('though Title I schools couldn't lose Title I funding). For English Language learners (Title III) and the like, this is a problem, because it's going to be really easy to ignore certain segments of the population this way. Plus the bill requires that 3% of Title I be set aside for a "competitive grant program" for school choice or tutoring.

It doesn't renew Race to the Top, School Improvement Grants, Promise Neighborhood Grants, or Investing in Innovation Grants; I haven't been all that impressed by any of these (and a disturbing amount of that money is just going off to consultants), but if you watch federal funding, it's worth noting.

It also eliminates maintenance of efforts requirements: currently, states have to spend a certain amount to get federal funds (so they can't replace federal funding for local funding). Removing that requirement is not a great way to improve school funding ("you're not spending enough on your local schools? Hey, that's ok, have some federal funds, anyway!").

Finally, it (as noted earlier this week) eliminates any federal requirement that teachers be assessed by student outcomes (which usually just means "score teachers by their students' test scores") and it also eliminates the requirement that states set specific goals for student achievement, either generally or for specific subgroups. There's concern from a number of groups that this could make it easy for those subgroups to get ignored. That's certainly possible ('though the current waiver system has led to things like this nonsense in Alabama), 'though the current system of judging students of any group by just test scores has been pretty lousy too, and has meant that some of those groups of students are spending a great deal of their time in school getting ready for tests rather than getting an education. Thus, that's mixed.

Now, that's the House bill. The very important other thing to keep in mind, though, is that this bill stands no chance of passing the (Democratic) Senate. Thus once the Senate gets around to passing an education bill, the conference committee is going to have their work cut out for them.

Speaking of which, not a bad time to get in touch with your Senators!
And, thanks for asking!

Worcester School Committee meets on Thursday

The Worcester School Committee will have its second February meeting on Thursday at 7 pm at City Hall. You can find the agenda here. 
(And it's a lengthy one; that's what happens when there's an extra week in between meetings!)
Governance and Employee Issues is reporting out from their meeting on Valentine's Day.
Administration is reporting back on:

• additional training for IA's (this is the backup, which doesn't make a lot of sense to me; asking)
• snacks for athletes: USDA After School Snack program is being implemented
• CORI's in other languages (in English, Spanish, Porteguese, Vietnamese, Albanian and downloadable in Arabic)
• principals hired over the past three years
• a change in an account name (to "Supplemental Programs Salaries")
• scheduled student (nursing) screenings
• a Constitution Day report
• evening meeting locations 
• notifying teachers of the state ethics commission finding on class gifts
• distribution of donated instruments
• music lessons citywide (there are more than I'd thought!)
• changes in the school nutrition regs (not a new change; just discussing a previous one)
• the articulation agreements
• Friday is READ ACROSS AMERICA DAY, which means there's a decent chance you'll see a Cat in the Hat hat at the meeting.

In other news: we still have $45,000 to allocate from the $500,000 the City Council sent to WPS.

The cross-country course at Newton Hill needs preservation, as the Fire Alarm Building changes hands.

There's a request for a waiver for the 180 day requirement.

Congratulations going to kids who received awards on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and on Valentine's Day. 

A request is coming in that we look at the summer learning collaborative.

There's a suggestion that we celebrate September 2 as "World War II Commemoration Day."

A request that we look at establishing mock trial and debate teams at the secondary level, as well as after school activities at the middle schools.

Mayor Petty is suggesting that we name the gym at Columbus Park School after Sergeant William Benjamin Soutra, Jr.

We need to look at the findings of the Civil Rights Secretary on sports participation and the Title IX finding, also on sports.

We're congratulating on Thomas Greene Award winners!

Mr. O'Connell has filed items regarding both changes to IDEA (on parental consent) and proposed Local Educational Agency Governance, Flexibility, and Efficiency Act.

We're congratulating South High's bowling team.

There's a request coming in for projected changes in principals for next year.

And we're asking how that increased supply budget was spent.

7 pm, City Hall!