In Case You Missed It – Apr 20, 2020

Here are links to last week's articles receiving the most attention in NEIFPE's social media. Keep up with what's going on, what's being discussed, and what's happening with public education.

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YOUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK

U.S. Department of Education Awards First Round of 2020 Grants in Federal Charter Schools Program

The US Education Department just gave away $65 million in new grants.

From Jan Resseger

The Charter Schools Program grants awarded last week are for Charter Management Organizations to “replicate and expand high-quality charter schools.” There are, of course, a lot of questions about the definition of high quality—questions about hidden screens used by various charter schools to accept the students most likely to fit the school’s expectations, the school’s curriculum, the pedagogical style, the student discipline practices and, of course, the financial practices and management of particular charter chains.

BEWARE PRIVATIZATION

Nancy Bailey: Beware the Vultures!

Privatizers are ready to take over public schools.

From Diane Ravitch

There’s a movement underfoot to end the way children learn. Look carefully at who says “we need to reimagine” or “this is the time to reassess” schools. These can be signals from those who’ve led the charge to dismantle public schools for years. Like vultures, they’re scheming how to use this pandemic to put the final stamp of success on their privatization agenda.

STUDENT TEACHERS MISS END OF SCHOOL

Indiana student teachers were ‘getting their feet under them.’ Then coronavirus hit.

Students are learning from home and teachers are teaching using the internet...but what will happen to student teachers who weren't able to finish their school year?

From Chalkbeat*

Student teachers’ last opportunity to practice leading a class was either cut short or switched to e-learning, where their interactions with students are limited and some projects they had planned are impossible. Meanwhile, coronavirus closures have complicated their path to earning a teaching license and finding a job for the fall — fallout that some worried would worsen the state’s teacher shortage.

“We can’t forget we are in the middle of a huge teacher shortage,” said Angela Mager, the assistant dean of Butler University’s College of Education. “We still need great educators entering the profession, and so getting these highly qualified educators in the field is going to be imperative.”

SCHOOL SYSTEMS IN LIMBO

What happens if coronavirus closures extend into the fall? Indiana schools are already preparing.

How are schools supposed to plan for next year with the possibility of a continuing pandemic?

From Chalkbeat*

When Fort Wayne Schools staffers met with the county health commissioner on March 4, they were told campuses could be forced to close for as long as 28 days to help contain the spread of coronavirus.

“The whole room was aghast at what that would mean for the community,” said Krista Stockman, spokeswoman for the district. But a month later, after statewide school closures were extended for the rest of the academic year and as the pandemic continues to spread in Indiana, she said educators have started grappling with the fact that closures may last much longer.

“We could have a second wave in the fall,” Stockman said. “This could just keep going on, and we may not start in the fall.”

*Note: Financial sponsors of Chalkbeat include pro-privatization foundations and individuals such as EdChoice, Gates Family Foundation, The Walton Family Foundation, and others.

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