Investment in early education has become a national priority, and now—in the face of declining preschool and kindergarten enrollments during the pandemic, and with thousands of young children forced into remote learning—a Biden administration imperative.
But policymakers have few ways of knowing whether those investments are paying off because of a dearth of dependable information about how much students are learning socially, emotionally and academically from preschool through grade 2.
In a new report, Tough Test, FutureEd examines the nation’s troubled early learning assessment landscape and recommends ways to strengthen it.
Innovative Staffing Strategies
The pandemic has led some schools and school districts to embrace innovative staffing and scheduling strategies that could be valuable post-pandemic. Join FutureEd, Education Resource Strategies, and Education Counsel at 3 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 9, for a virtual conversation with educators about these innovations. Register here and read our recent report showing how these new approaches are playing to teachers’ strengths, providing them with more instructional support, and better serving students.
We also explore the impact of the pandemic in our recent work with:
A reopening trend line that captures how the reopening status of the nation’s 200 largest school districts has evolved since coronavirus cases began to spike in early November
An interactive graphic sharing what the CDC is recommending for reopening schools and what districts have been doing
An interview about the consequences of the surge in failing grades during the pandemic
An analysis and graphics in partnership with The 74 about education themes in governors’ state of the state addresses, dominated this year by the pandemic
A FutureU podcast about the job outlook for new college graduates during the pandemic
Our other recent publications include insights from Senior Fellow Marc Porter Magee of 50CAN on what works in advocating for change in education and Georgetown University’s Harry Holzer and the Urban Institute’s Sandy Baum make the case for expanding Pell Grants to short-term certificate programs.
The Senate is expected to confirm Miguel Cardona as U.S. Education Secretary this afternoon, and the Biden administration has been busy filling slots at Cardona’s agency. Read about the latest education department appointments in The Churn.
With the Fritzwire newsletter closing up shop after many years, we’re expanding the calendar of education events and conferences on our website. Share your events with us at info@future-ed.org. Current listings are in The Horizon.
Thanks a lot and best wishes,
Tom
Thomas Toch
Director, FutureEd
McCourt School of Public Policy
Georgetown University
ttoch@future-ed.org
@thomas_toch
