Hello, and welcome back to this week’s TGIF Time-saver. I hope the transition back to the classroom is going smoothly for you and your communities. We’ve got a lot of resources to share with you today, including some timely predictions on how the 2024-25 school year might play out.
Predicting 2024-25
Research and national report cards indicate that students are still struggling to catch up academically. It’s a trend that will likely continue if action isn’t taken soon, says one expert.
“As we continue to analyze the latest COVID data, I predict that we will see persistent and potentially widening student achievement if we do not take decisive action,” said Karyn Lewis, director of research and policy partnerships at NWEA. “Pandemic achievement is real, but accepting a new normal of lower achievement and widened inequities is not an option.”
Another issue plaguing public schools is chronic absenteeism. Attendance goes hand-in-hand with student achievement. Ayesha Hashim, senior research scientist at NWEA, said it’ll be a top priority for school districts this year.
“There isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution,” said Hashim. “We must connect with students and their families to understand the barriers students are facing that are preventing them from attending school.”
Leaders must also raise awareness with families on how much absenteeism impacts a child’s future, Hashim added.
Finally, student engagement will emerge as a key focus area for leaders. As schools implement new approaches to assessment, it’s important to consider content and contextual factors, such as the timing of the tests.
“Administering tests at suboptimal times can lead to student disengagement, which in turn may result in an underestimation of their true abilities and potentially misguide educational interventions,” said Megan Kuhfeld, director of growth modeling and analytics at NWEA.
Kamala Harris chooses former educator as running mate
I’m sure you’ve already seen headlines announcing Vice President Kamala Harris’ new running mate, Minnesota Gov. and former educator Tim Walz.
It is the honor of a lifetime to join @kamalaharris in this campaign.
I’m all in.
Vice President Harris is showing us the politics of what’s possible. It reminds me a bit of the first day of school.
So, let’s get this done, folks! Join us. https://t.co/tqOVsw2OLM
— Tim Walz (@Tim_Walz) August 6, 2024
This announcement has already generated excitement from large teachers unions like the National Education Association. “Educators are fired up and united to get out and elect the Harris-Walz ticket,” said Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association, in a public statement.
The other week we dove into Harris’ approach to K12 education. What issues top Walz’s list of priorities?
We can learn a lot from a 2019 op-ed he wrote for Southwest News Media in which he outlined his views. His pledge to Minnesota at the time was to narrow the achievement gap between white students and students of color, give teachers and administrators more resources and bolster the value of public education.
“If we are going to foster the best education system in the country, every politician, every community and every Minnesotan must value our children receiving a high-quality education,” Walz wrote. “This means valuing our teachers, our principals, our mentors, our paraprofessionals, our bus drivers and, of course, our students.”
More accomplishments under Walz’s governance include:
- Helping Minnesota become the fourth state to offer permanent access to universal school meals.
- Boosting teacher salaries by 4% between 2021-22 and 2022-23.
- Providing access to unemployment insurance for hourly school workers
Internships make students employable
The value of a college degree has seen some changes over the years. Roughly half of all adults say it’s less important to have a four-year degree to obtain a well-paying job compared to 20 years ago.
Instead, administrators could be doing more to push high school students toward internships. In fact, the number of businesses offering such opportunities is on the rise. Some 38% of businesses provide high school internships compared to 30% in 2018, a recent report from American Student Assistance suggests.
Businesses that offer such opportunities believe it’s beneficial for students and their businesses overall. Eighty-six of survey respondents said high school interns strengthened their industry pipeline.
The student experience varies on the type of internship too. Here’s what kinds of work-based learning activities are most commonly offered to high school students:
- Mentoring: 48%
- Job shadowing: 46%
- Informational interviews: 46%
- Open house/field trips: 45%
- Classroom presentations: 41%
- Career-related competitions: 40%
- Internships: 37%
New from DA
As always, be sure to check out District Administration’s latest coverage, including the latest episode of the “Talking Out of School” podcast outlining the essential features of a successful portrait of a graduate.
7 new roles technology is creating in schools
Research has shown us how teachers are using AI, but what about administrators? Here’s how they’re leveraging the technology.
Why K12 is more vulnerable to ransomware than you think
Ransomware attacks against the education sector are up 25% over the past year, new research shows. Here’s what to expect this school year.
Principals see more and more reasons to ban smartphones
Principals say students’ smartphones are distracting students from classwork, worsening depression and anxiety, and increasing interpersonal conflicts and bullying.
