Music Education Policy Roundup – December 23, 2019

State News

MD- Hogan pledges $130M for pre-K expansion, other initiatives

12/13/2019- ‘Maryland would invest $130 million more for pre-K and other education priorities, under a plan announced Friday by Gov. Larry Hogan.’

Idaho public universities announce tuition freeze

12/12/2019- ‘Idaho’s four public college and university presidents came together today to announce that they’ll freeze undergraduate, in-state tuition and fees for next year at this year’s level — the first such statewide freeze in 43 years.’

La. has new goal for all students to graduate high school with college credit or vocational training

12/11/2019- ‘Louisiana’s K-12 and postsecondary education boards met Wednesday, Dec. 11 and set a goal for all high school freshmen, starting with the class of 2025, to graduate with some type of college credit or vocational credential, or both.’

Utah lawmakers pass tax changes in special session

12/18/2019- ‘Utah lawmakers have approved lowering the state’s income tax while increasing taxes on food, gasoline and a list of services in a sweeping, contentious tax-change package.’

Most NC teachers are white. Here’s why the state wants to get more minority teachers.

12/16/2019- ‘There’s a new statewide push to attract more minority educators to diversify North Carolina’s overwhelmingly white teaching workforce.’

CO- Putting numbers to a new school finance formula could prove challenging

12/17/2019- ‘A group of Colorado lawmakers spent Monday afternoon plugging numbers into a proposed new school finance formula, squinting at a projection of a computer model to determine “whose cheese got moved.”’

IL- New state commission to examine early childhood education funding

12/16/2019- ‘The 29-member group is made up of several state legislators along with the state superintendent of education and other advocates, providers and school officials.’

 

Research and Analysis

Graphic: School-District Spending Disparities by State

This graphic, produced by NPR for a series on public school spending, is based on an Education Week Research Center analysis of federal data that shows spending levels per student in most U.S. school districts for fiscal year 2013.

The Importance of Providing Native American Education for All Students

One of the key takeaways from “Becoming Visible” — a recent report that analyzes state efforts to bring high-quality Native American educational content into all K–12 classrooms across the U.S. — is that transformational efforts are necessary to correct false narratives about Native Americans.

Policy Roundup compiled by NAfME’s Matt Barusch.