Expanding the Scope of Possibilities | Weekly Policy Update
What should our education system be preparing our students to achieve throughout their time in the workforce?
Is a school’s job to sustain the status quo or to provide resources for a student to achieve whatever it is that they desire?
We imagine a world—but closer to home, a county, city, community—where children are not limited by the existing opportunities available to them. Read up on the value of College, Career, and Technical Education (CCTE) in this week’s update!
Fostering Belonging at School through the Arts | Weekly Policy Update
Increased civic engagement, greater social tolerance, and other social and emotional learning skills are just a few benefits of arts education.
Data from our local community schools partnership with New Ballet shows a significant increase in students who feel a sense of belonging in school since the program’s inception.
Federal Bill for After-school Programming
The new AFTER SCHOOL Act aims to award grants to school districts and nonprofits to run after-school programs in targeted areas. In other large cities, after-school programming has both decreased youth crime rates and kept more children safe from violence!
Learn more about local after-school providers in the latest update.
Big Week of MSCS News | Weekly Policy Update
Routine testing in Memphis-Shelby County schools uncovered lead levels above state standards in 24 district schools, mostly in kitchen sinks. Additionally, auditors from a national accounting firm arrived in Memphis last week for a state-funded audit of MSCS spanning back to 2021.
Also covered in this update: A new MSCS committee to discuss facility maintenance, news on former Superintendent Marie Feagins’ lawsuit, and the county commission’s resolution to move school board elections.
ESEA Waivers on the Horizon | Weekly Policy Update
The U.S. Department of Education recently sent a letter to all heads of state education departments encouraging them to seek waivers from “burdensome statutory and regulatory provisions” under federal law. States that apply for waivers could receive a federal block grant and decide how to spend this money.
In this update, we lay out how Tennessee could use a waiver to accelerate its cradle-to-career transformation. If our state can create an accountable system that improves outcomes for children and families without leaving anyone behind, we could become a national model for economic mobility.