Federal News
Where 2020 Democrats stand on student loans, teacher pay and other education issues
4/19/19 – ‘When it comes to education, there’s consensus among 2020 Democratic candidates on some basic reforms, like reducing gun violence in schools and raising teacher pay.
But beneath the surface, there’s broad disagreement between the contenders about policy specifics, including how to implement and pay for a range of ambitious education proposals — such as reducing college costs, how to solve the skyrocketing student debt crisis, and ways to rebuild public schools. And despite the focus many Democratic primary voters place on education — especially the college-age millennials who make up a core part of the party’s base — education is not listed yet as a key issue on several campaign websites.’
State News
In wake of budget deal, Regents to analyze new spending plan for New York schools
4/7/19 – ‘It’s not unusual for Regents to get substantially less than they asked for. Last year, the state budget was $600 million less than what education officials had hoped for.
Most of the Regents’ request was for a boost in foundation aid, a formula that sends extra dollars to high-needs districts. While the Democratic majority in both houses supported increasing this spending category by $1.2 billion, the budget allocates $618 million instead — the same amount as last year.’
Nebraska mulls financial literacy education requirement
4/5/19 – ‘Proposed academic standards for teaching social studies in Nebraska would require public school students to learn how to manage money and would encourage them to look at history from multiple perspectives.
The Nebraska Department of Education is seeking public input on the draft standards released Thursday, which detail what students in kindergarten through 12th grade will learn in history, economics, geography and civics.’
Mississippi governor signs $1,500 pay raise for teachers
9/16/19 – ‘The Mississippi Department of Education says that before the raises, teachers in the state received an average of $44,659, which is less than the Southeastern average of about $51,000.’
Research & Analysis
50-State Comparison: Arts Education Data Collection and Reporting
4/8/19 – This 50-State Comparison assesses the capacity of all 50 states and the District of Columbia to aggregate and report on arts education data already housed in statewide education data systems. It focuses on key arts education questions identified in Using State Data Systems to Report Information on Arts Education.