Category: News

USDA Final Rule Expands Free Meal Access at High-Poverty Schools (October 30, 2023)

Due to a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) final rule that took effect on October 26, 2023, approximately 3,000 more school districts will be eligible to serve free breakfasts and lunches to all students under an expansion of the Community Eligibility Provision. The final rule amended the Community Eligibility Provisionā€™s minimum threshold for low-income schools and school districts, lowering the minimum ā€œidentified student percentageā€ (i.e., the percentage of students enrolled who are certified as eligible for free school meals) from 40% to 25%. It also allows all students in a school district to receive free meals without requiring families to fill out applications.

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NWEA Provides New guide for Identifying Ā Gifted and Talented Students (October 30, 2023)

As reported by K-12 Dive, a new guide from the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) purports that a two-phase approach that relies on data schools already have available can help educators identify a diverse pipeline of gifted and talented students. The guide encourages districts eschew a referral-based system and use the data instead and to eliminate barriers that are keeping some kids from being considered for advanced work.

The NWEA is a not-for-profit organization that creates academic assessments for students pre-K-12. NWEA assessments are used by over 9,500 schools and districts in 145 countries. For more on the new guide from K-12 Dive, click here.

PAPSA Steps Up Advocacy Efforts, Joins Student Services Coalition (October 30, 2023)

PAPSA has stepped up its advocacy efforts by joining theĀ PA Coalition of Student Services Associations. Along with PAPSA, six other educational associations have joined together to advocate for the effective delivery of pupil/student services in the commonwealth and will be calling on the Basic Education Funding Commission (BEFC) to ensure that funding for student services professionalsĀ is included in the outcome of the Commissionā€™s work and in keeping with Chapter 12 requirements.Ā Those organizations are: PA School Counselors Association (PSCA), PA Association of Student Assistance Professionals (PASAP), PA Association of School Nurses and Practitioners (PASNAP), Association of School Psychologists of Pennsylvania (ASPP), and PA Association of School Social Work Personnel (PASSWP).

Interested parties can contact [email protected] with suggestions with regard to these advocacy efforts.

Ed. Groups Urge USDE to Provide Release Date for Revised FAFSA (October 25, 2023)

In a letter to the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) dated October 13, 2023, twelve education organizations requested that USDE announce a firm release date for the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The USDE has said that the release of the revised form will occur this December, but the letter states that ā€œevery day countsā€ in providing support to students and their families in completing the FAFSA.

In fact, a December release is two months later than the usual October 1 release, thus shrinking the window for college officials to make aid offers to applicants.

In 2020, Congress passed legislation to simplify the FAFSA to help students and their families to complete a form that has often been seen as unnecessarily difficult.

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FCC Approves E-rate Funds for Wi-Fi on Buses (October 24, 2023)

As reported by K-12 Dive, on October 19, 2023, by a 3-2 vote, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved an expansion of the E-rate program to support Wi-Fi on school transportation vehicles. The support will help schools to address inequities for students who lack internet access at home, particularly those who live in rural, tribal or high-poverty neighborhoods. Supporters said that using E-rate funds for school bus Wi-Fi will help close the ā€œhomework gapā€ caused by some students lacking connections to broadband internet at home.

The two “no” voters cited concerns over limited evidence showing that the expansion would support studentsā€™ academic success.

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