Category: News in the Field

Shapiro Administration Awards More Than $39 Million In Grant Funding To 36 School Districts To Create Safe, Healthy Environments For Kids (March 19, 2024)

On March 15, 2024, Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) Secretary Dr. Khalid N. Mumin announced that more than $39 million was awarded to 36 school entities in 21 counties to establish safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments in public elementary and secondary schools; and to prevent and respond to acts of bullying, violence, and hate in school communities.

The list of awardees can be found on the PDE website.

Through the federal Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) Stronger Connections Grant (SCG), high-need local education agencies (LEA) can use funding to promote the social, emotional, physical, and mental well-being of students and staff; address family and community engagement; and promote equitable and inclusive policies and practices.

A high-need LEA is defined as a school district or charter school that received ESEA Title IV, Part A funding in fiscal year 2022 and meets one or more of the following “high-need” criteria: a high rate of poverty, a lack of mental health supports available to students, high rates of violence and/or traumatic incidents in the school or community, and high rates of school exclusion.

This funding complements the priorities set by Governor Josh Shapiro in his 2024-25 budget proposal. The proposal includes a nearly $1.1 billion increase in basic education funding – the largest in Pennsylvania history. The budget also includes $300 million for school environmental repairs, $100 million for mental health supports in schools, a $50 million increase for special education funding, a $50 million annual investment in school safety and security improvements, and $30 million to build and support the educator workforce.

For more information on the Pennsylvania Department of Education, please visit the Department of Education website, 

PDE: Data Creates A World Of Opportunities For Public Education (March 12, 2024)

On March12, 2024, Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) Secretary Dr. Khalid N. Mumin served as the keystone speaker at the PDE Data Summit in Hershey, highlighting how data can create opportunities for public education in the Commonwealth. According to Sec. Mumin, the Shapiro Administration is committed to making sure students get the support they need to succeed – in school and beyond. The 2024-25 budget proposal builds on last year’s progress to ensure all Pennsylvania children have the opportunity to chart their own course and the opportunity to succeed, by investing in our public schools, teachers, facilities and more. 

This year’s proposal includes a nearly $1.1 billion increase in basic education funding – the largest in Pennsylvania history. The 2024-25 budget proposal also includes $300 million for school environmental repairs, $100 million for mental health supports in schools, a $50 million increase for special education funding, a $50 million annual investment in school safety and security improvements, and $30 million to build and support the educator workforce.

Data plays a critical role in determining policy and budgetary priorities in any given year, and this year specifically informed a number of key initiatives. For example, a 20% increase in universal free breakfast participation indicated a need to continue the program, and Governor Josh Shapiro has requested an additional $16.7 million to ensure our kids have access to a free breakfast at school. Additionally, the governor’s blueprint for higher education was rooted in data that supports the need for a new governance structure and increased investments in the higher education sector. Pennsylvania ranks 49th in the nation for investment in higher education and 48th in affordability, Pennsylvanians carry an average student debt load of $40,000, and our Commonwealth has a talent gap of 61,000 open jobs that we don’t have enough workers to fill in the past year alone.

The PDE Data Summit convenes educators and school leaders to learn, connect, ask questions, and discuss education data with school staff and leaders from across the state. Keynote speakers and breakout sessions offer information, resources, and tools on a wide variety of topics, from reporting school data, improving data quality and making data-based decisions, to data governance, school improvement, cybersecurity, social and emotional learning, and more. 

Attendees at the three-day conference, themed “A World of Opportunities: See Where Data Can Take You”, experience impactful professional learning opportunities, gain technical skills, and leave with a better understanding of their data and how it can be used to support and benefit the school communities they serve.

For more information on the Pennsylvania Department of Education, please visit the Department of Education website.

Biden Administration Proposes 3.9% FY 2025 increase for Education, Also  Announces Expansion of Registered Apprenticeships (March 12, 2024)

On March 11, 2024, the Biden administration released its FY2025 budget, which proposes a 3.9% increase over fiscal 2023 for the U.S. Department of Education (USDE), for a total of $82 billion in discretionary funding for early learning, K-12, and higher education. Education-related proposals include a guarantee of high-quality child care at a cost of no more than $10 a day for the vast majority of families and an expansion of tutoring, after-school and summer programs. The budget also calls for investments aimed at easing teacher shortages. Another proposed initiative is a new Academic Acceleration and Achievement grant program at $8 billion for which details are yet to come but are expected to support and sustain learning interventions developed with COVID emergency funds, particularly for students with the highest needs.

In addition, the Biden Administration previously announced nearly $200 million in grants to expand registered apprenticeship programs, especially in high-demand areas that include K-12 teaching.

For more from K-12 Dive, click here.

USDE Likely to Miss Latest Title IX Revision Deadline (March 11, 2024)

The U.S. Department of Education (USDE) has yet to produce final proposals for two Title IX proposals due to their controversial nature. The most recent deadline of this month is likely to come and go as the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs continues to hold meetings upon request with members of the public to discuss the proposed regulations. In fact, according to K-12 Dive OMB still has 17 additional meetings scheduled through March 28th.

One proposal would protect LGBTQ+ students under the federal anti-discrimination law for the first time. It would also change Title IX implementation in a way that would make investigation and resolution processes more practical for schools educators. The other proposal would create a framework for transgender students’ participation on sports teams that align with their gender identities.

Both controversial proposals have already seen two deadlines missed – first last May and most recently last October.

For more from K-12 Dive, click here.

Biden’s State of the Union Touts High-quality Tutoring (March 8, 2024)

In his March 7th State of the Union Address to Congress, President Joe Biden called for raising the number of tutors and mentors in schools to help address learning loss; increasing and expanding high-quality tutoring and summer learning programs; expanding the child tax credit; implementing universal preschool; and the importance of preventing gun violence while calling attention to its impacts on schools.

He also said to “Stop denying another core value of America, our diversity” and decried the banning of books to serve the purpose of silencing diverse voices and topics.

For more information, click here.