NAfME News
Policy Team Office Hours this Tuesday
NAfME’s policy team are now holding office hours open to all NAfME members on the first Tuesday of each month. The first session, to be held this Tuesday, May 4 at 6 p.m. EDT, is an opportunity for members to ask questions and bring their ideas forward. NAfME members can register here.
ESSER Funding Webinar Recording
NAMM Foundation, the NFHS, and NAfME hosted a webinar on April 20 about federal education relief funding and how music educators should go about requesting support for their programs. The recording is now available here. Download the toolkit.
New landing page for ESSER Funding
A new page on the NAfME website will serve as the information hub for ESSER funding and music education. The page can be located on the website’s main menu under the “Advocacy” tab.
State and Federal News
Biden Pitches Plan to Expand Universal Pre-K, Free School Meal Programs, Teacher Training
4/28/21 – “On the eve of his 100th day in office, President Joe Biden proposed an ambitious $1.8 trillion American Families Plan that would expand universal prekindergarten access, make it easier for high-poverty schools to serve free meals, and fund programs to train and support teachers.”
Biden Proposes Free Community College, Pell Expansion
4/28/21 – “President Biden on Wednesday proposed a plan to make good on his promise for free community college — and much more for higher education.”
PSRC Board of Education Advances Plans For Summer School
4/27/21 – “Public Schools of Robeson County’s Board of Education members approved moving forward with summer school plans to help students recover from a year of learning during a global pandemic.”
Feds Give Colorado A Break from Pushing Change In Low-Performing Schools
4/22/21 – “This week the U.S. Department of Education approved a request from the state to pause certain requirements of the Every Student Succeeds Act, including aspects of the federal accountability system.”
Missing Kindergartners Drive Largest Drop In 20 Years in California’s K-12 Enrollment
The pandemic has intensified a multi-year trend of dwindling student enrollment statewide, causing a steep drop this year. More than a third of the decline stemmed from 61,000 missing kindergartners.
Research and Analysis
Tracking How the Coronavirus Is Impacting School Districts
4/29/21 – “From the shift to distance learning to the impact on school budgets, we’re collecting news, analysis and expert advice on how K-12 is responding to the pandemic.”
New Test Scores Show Students Rebounding After Pandemic-Related Learning Loss
4/21/21 – “On average, students are performing below pre-pandemic expectations, but the learning gaps that existed for many at the start of the 2020-21 school year are shrinking, particularly in math, according to a report from Renaissance Learning Inc., an online testing program used in thousands of U.S. schools.”
Policy Roundup compiled by NAfME’s Rob Edwards.