Big Shifts in Federal Education Policy
This week, the U.S. Department of Education announced interagency agreements to move several offices currently under the purview of the Department of Education to other federal agencies. This unilateral executive effort follows President Trump’s campaign promise to shut down the Department of Education, though only Congress has the authority to officially shutter the agency.
Such a large change comes with risks and concerns, especially for students of color, disabled students, Native students, and female students. Yet a coordinated, strategic response could present an opportunity for states to innovate and change the landscape of education to meet the needs of their population. We discuss these considerations further in the full update
Where are the Kids?
Recent reporting shows that an additional 3,400 students in the county received vouchers to attend private school this year, and a large portion of this year’s funds went to students from municipalities surrounding Memphis, like Germantown and Collierville.
Additionally, data from early October shows that chronic absenteeism is declining at Memphis-Shelby County Schools. Rates have dropped from 31.1% last year to 24.2%, which could potentially lead to better outcomes for students. However, at least one school board member has speculated that attendance may have fallen since the deployment of the Memphis Safe Task Force.
You can learn more about the effort to reduce chronic absenteeism in the full policy update.
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.
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.
Overview of Final Bills and Next Steps: Weekly Policy Update
The TN General Assembly has passed both versions of the bill regarding the state’s intended intervention in Memphis-Shelby County Schools. Follow along below for details on the legislation, what it means for Memphis and Shelby County, and what comes next.