State & National News
Sonoma County school districts rethinking music education for fall
7/18/2020- ‘Mixed into the daily list of chores for Windsor brothers Cody Peters, 15, and Casey Peters, 11, is a 30-minute window for practicing their instruments.’
NJ Looks to Close Digital Divide for Students Learning From Home Amid COVID-19
7/17/2020- ‘Teachers in New Jersey will be teaching students amid the coronavirus this fall and the state is making sure there is funding to allow for in-person and virtual education’
Gov. Kim Reynolds: Iowa schools must conduct at least half of instruction in-person
7/17/2020- ‘Iowa school districts must conduct at least half of their instruction in-person when classes resume over the next few weeks, Gov. Kim Reynolds said Friday.’
Kansas State Board of Education passes school reopening guidelines
7/15/2020- ‘In a 9-0 vote, the Kansas State Board of Education accepted guidelines for reopening schools in the fall during the COVID-19 outbreak.’
Colleges walk back their fall plans as coronavirus cases spike
7/16/2020- ‘As the pandemic worsens, more colleges are ditching plans for in-person instruction this fall in favor of a mostly virtual term.’
Illinois to spend additional $108.5 million in emergency funds on digital divide, higher ed
7/15/2020- ‘Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Tuesday that he will spend $108.5 million in additional federal relief funds on additional efforts to close the state’s digital divide in K-12 and on bolstering universities and community colleges.’
Nevada Legislature passes plea for more federal relief money
7/14/2020- ‘After poring line-by-line over cuts proposed by Nevada state agencies, Republicans and Democratic lawmakers largely agree on one thing: They need more relief dollars from the federal government to stem a projected $1.2 billion budget deficit.’
Denver Public Schools Will Start The School Year Online
7/17/2020- ‘Denver Public Schools announced Friday that students will start the year learning remotely instead of offering an entirely in-person option as previously planned.’
NAfME Policy Roundup compiled by Matt Barusch.