As another school year begins, districts are still dealing with the repercussions of the lingering coronavirus crisis. For many, that means filling key teacher vacancies, a perennial problem complicated by the pandemic.
In a new report, FutureEd profiles the District of Columbia Public Schools’ highly successful response to the problem. Right from the Start, produced with EducationCounsel, analyzes how the urban school district uses a multi-step process for vetting candidates, a state-of-the-art web portal, and data analysis to help the schools select top applicants as early in the annual hiring cycle as possible.
Covid Relief
In other recent work, we assess states’ strategies for spending their federal Covid relief aid for education in an analysis of the 49 state plans submitted to the U.S. Education Department. And we explore ways that states and school districts can make effective use of the nearly $190 billion in federal aid in a series of publications, including:
A report developed with the Healthy Schools Campaign and The Superintendents Association (AASA) outlining strategies to advance student and school staff health and safety.
An interview with a City Year leader describing how the national service program can provide comprehensive tutoring support and create a sense of belonging among students.
A Q&A with an expert on students experiencing homeless on the best ways to use an $800 million infusion of federal money for such students.
A Covid Relief Playbook that provides 18 research-based strategies for helping students recover from the academic and social and emotions challenges of the pandemic.
Educational Equity
We also explore educational equity from several different directions. Roby Chatterji of the Center for American Progress outlines ways to address troubling disparities in access to advanced coursework. FutureEd policy analyst Brooke LePage in an interactive spreadsheet tracks state legislation that limits how racial history is taught. And Lauren Morando Rhim, executive director of The Center for Learner Equity, proposes ways the charter school sector can better serve students with disabilities.
Our latest interview delves into the ethical and public policy implications of computer technology with three Stanford professors. And the FutureU podcast launches a new season with a discussion of this year’s top higher education trends.
We chronicle the latest leadership changes in the education sector in The Churn and track the Biden administration’s latest appointments to the U.S. Education Department. And The Horizon lists upcoming in-person and virtual education events. Send us your future events and job news to info@future-ed.org, and we’d be happy to post them.
Best of luck as we navigate a third school year with Covid.
Tom
Thomas Toch
Director, FutureEd
McCourt School of Public Policy
Georgetown University
ttoch@future-ed.org
@thomas_toch
