State & National News
Rural schools wrestle with infrastructure challenges during reopening
8/12/2020- ‘As the White House faces criticism for a push to return to in-person instruction and a reopening debate splits the nation, some rural schools remain poised to welcome students back to brick-and-mortar settings this month.’
New Jersey schools can reopen without in-person classes, officials say
8/12/2020- ‘New Jersey will allow schools to postpone the reopening of classrooms, officials said Wednesday.’
States Asking For More Coronavirus Aid, But Treasury Says They’ve Spent Just 25% So Far
8/4/2020- ‘State and local governments have been lobbying Congress for months to allocate more flexible aid in the next round of Coronavirus aid. But a new U.S. Department of Treasury report that tracks CARES Act spending says governments have collectively spent just a fraction of the $150 billion allocated back in March.’
Louisiana creates way to report school reopening concerns
8/11/2020- ‘Louisiana’s education department has set up an email for parents, teachers and others to report violations of the state’s coronavirus safety standards for schools, Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley told the state’s top school board Tuesday.’
MI Gov. Whitmer calls on all state universities to have students stay home
8/5/2020- ‘Governor Gretchen Whitmer is calling on all state universities to follow the lead of Michigan State University and keep students at home instead of returning to campus this fall.’
Most Teachers Concerned About In-Person School; 2 In 3 Want To Start The Year Online
8/6/2020- ‘As the school year starts in many districts across the country, a new national poll of teachers from NPR/Ipsos finds overwhelming trepidation about returning to the physical classroom.’
Schools mull outdoor classes amid virus, ventilation worries
8/10/2020- ‘It has been seven years since the central air conditioning system worked at the New York City middle school where Lisa Fitzgerald O’Connor teaches. As a new school year approaches amid the coronavirus pandemic, she and her colleagues are threatening not to return unless it’s repaired.
Research & Analysis
ECS: The Arts Education Data Toolkit
Since late 2017, the National Endowment for the Arts has collaborated with Education Commission of the States to promote more and better information on young people’s access to, and participation in, arts education. Together, we have led the State Data Infrastructure Project for Arts Education, an effort to create tools and technical assistance that help states extract, analyze and report on data about arts education. This toolkit is a central outcome of that effort.
Policy Roundup compiled by NAfME’s Matt Barusch.