The U.S. Department of Education (USDE) is seeking public comment on Draft Bipartisan Safer Communities Act Stronger Connections Frequently Asked Questions – Nonregulatory Guidance (2022). As indicated in its title, the final document will provide nonregualtor guidance.

In the FAQs, the USDE outlines school violence prevention options under $1B Stronger Connections grant program Schools should take a comprehensive approach to violence prevention that includes not only improved safety measures but meets students’ physical, social, emotional, mental health and academic needs, according to a draft FAQ issued by the U.S. Department of Education for the $1 billion Stronger Connections grant program.  

A September 15, 2022 letter  to Chief State School Officers by U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona provided  information regarding the prioritization of funding for school districts that focuses on poverty levels, as well as other circumstances based on the need to address student vulnerabilities.

The FAQs also provide recommendations for allowable activities under the grant.

The public is invited to provide feedback on the draft document by December 19, 2022.

The USDE will consider all comments in making revisions, as appropriate, but will
not provide individual responses to comments.

Submission Instructions include:
Send comments to: [email protected]
Subject line: Stronger Connections Grant Program FAQs Comments: Please submit succinct, substantive comments regarding the draft Bipartisan Safer Communities Act Stronger Connections Grant Program FAQs, which may include:
• Identifying questions or answers in the document, by question number, that you think are not clear and provide a suggestion for enhancing clarity; or
• Providing suggestions for enhancing the document overall, such as an unanswered question.

The Daniel Boone Area High School has been selected as a 2022 National Banner Unified Champion School by Special Olympics.  This is a prestigious distinction that celebrates the “best of the best” inclusive school communities.  Daniel Boone High School is one of 110 schools throughout the country to receive this national honor for its efforts to make sure all students feel included and respected. It is also one of only three schools in Pennsylvania to be selected as a 2022 National Banner Unified Champion School.

In an interview with WFMZ Hannah Huddleson, a junior at Daniel Boone,  stated, “Our big word is ‘inclusion. We choose to include and just make sure that everybody’s unified.”

In addition, Daniel Boone Superintendent Brett Cooper said, “We developed a district vision. That vision is five simple words: ‘Learning together, advocating for all.'”

The high school has unified sports, where students of different abilities can compete, including a bocce team and track-and-field team. There’s also a unified ambassadors group made up of more than 100 students.

Congratulations to longtime PAPSA member Robert Hurley, Assistant to the Superintendent at Daniel Boone.

For more from WFMZ, click here.

On November 11, 2022, the U.S. Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) sent a letter to state special education directors focusing on the needs of “highly mobile children” and stating that schools need to provide “timely and expedited evaluations and eligibility determinations” for such students that are also suspected of having a disability that impacts their learning. The letter is intended to help to ensure the educational stability of highly mobile students with disabilities and defines highly mobile children as those who are connected with military families, or are migratory, homeless, or in the foster care system. 

The eleven page letter was the OSERS response to concerns from stakeholders and includes resources regarding response to intervention (rti) approaches before an evaluation is complete, as well as the use of comparable special education services for students new to a school district.

Students who move frequently, particularly those with disabilities, can face challenges such as difficulty communicating their needs to school personnel unfamiliar to them.

To view the letter, click here.

Source: K12 Dive

On November 8, 2022, the National Association of Pupil Services Administrators (NAPSA) joined 41 other national organizations in signing on to a letter supporting the EDUCATORS for America Act (S 3360/HR 6205), which would invest in and revitalize federal educator preparation programs. That has been sent to all members of the US Congress.

The letter states that there were an estimated100,000 classrooms in 2018 staffed by instructors who did not complete some type of educator preparation program (Learning Policy Institute). Also, despite the increased need for PK-12 teachers, the number of students completing bachelor’s degrees in education has been in decline over the last two decades (AACTE), and this shortage has been exacerbated by the pandemic.

In answer to these challenges, the bill ensures that students are taught by fully licensed teachers and authorizes $500 million annually for grants to support states in developing and implementing a statewide strategy for meeting their educator workforce needs, including ensuring an inclusive and equitable workforce that supports the recruitment, preparation, and retention of populations that are underrepresented in the field of education. This includes teachers of color, first generation college students, and teachers with disabilities.

To read the letter in its entirety, click here.

Those in support of the bill can use an action alert to urge members of Congress to co-sponsor the EDUCATORS for America Act. Access the alert at: https://aacte.org/policy-and-advocacy/action-alerts/educators-for-america/

Note: NAPSA is the parent organization for PAPSA and advocates in our nation’s capitol in support of pupil services. You can support these efforts by joining NAPSA through a discounted joint membership. For more details, contact the NAPSA office at [email protected].

On October 24, 2022, the US Department of Education (USDE) released the results of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The scores are based on tests administered in early 2022 and show declines for fourth and eighth grades in both reading and math for the majority of states. In fact, average national reading scores in 2022 reverted back to levels last seen in the 1990s, and math scores saw the largest declines ever recorded for that subject. All told, the average math score for fourth grade students dipped 5 points since 2019 (i.e., from 241 to 236) and the average score for eighth graders decreased 8 points (i.e., from 282 to 274). The average reading score fell by 3 points in both grades as compared to 2019 scores. 

The alarming results prompted U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona to state, “Results in today’s Nation’s Report Card are appalling and unacceptable…This is a moment of truth for education.” 

National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Commissioner Peggy Carr stated that  historically drops have only been by a couple of points, but declines of eight points are especially troubling. She also said she had expected a steeper decline in math than in reading, since parents are more comfortable teaching their children reading than math at home. 

For more from K-12 Dive, click here.