"I have made it my personal mission to maximize our district resources and seek to grow our tax base for the future," says Jason Snodgrass of his efforts to help his community thrive.
Almost all after-school programs have reopened, but staffing shortages and related issues mean one in four are still not operating at the capacity they were prior to COVID.
"The ESSER money is a lot, but it's not as much as everybody thinks," says Bernard McCune, Denver Public School's associate chief of academics. "Everyone thinks that schools are just flush with money and they throw everything at schools without intentionality. What we've done is use ESSER as an opportunity to innovate."
Two more school boards in the Deep South fired superintendents last week, but not without a measure of controversy and community pushback. In New Jersey, a district leader was escorted out of his central office.
Committing to the whole student is how K12 schools can and will remain the key to democracy in America, Superintendent Trent North says. "When our students graduate, they must not only be academically sound, but we must ensure they are socially and emotionally ready to leave their impact on the world."
Despite ongoing reports of teacher shortages, superintendents are having to make tough personnel decisions as COVID-era budget surpluses turn to post-pandemic shortfalls that have been compounded by enrollment declines.
A panel of experts issues three calls to action around student mental health that include smarter tech use and "big tent" thinking by cooperative communities.
A Parents Bill of Rights just introduced by House Republicans seeks to codify many freedoms that families already enjoy when it comes to their schools but could also whittle away at superintendents' decision-making power.
This toolkit of well-tested talent management practices and innovative ideas will guide leaders in creating collaboration time, conducting empathy interviews and developing grow-your-own programs, among other solutions.
