Education Slice’s Post

Interesting read and statistics given the declining enrollment we are facing in our own county schools! it's real and we need to recognize that while closing a school is never easy.. We need to recognize that there are sound reasons for doing so. The school’s size will also be its demise, Sara Randazzo and Matt Barnum write. Los Angeles Unified School District is closing Solis this summer, citing declining enrollment that has severely limited the school’s offerings. As birthrates have dipped, families have moved elsewhere, and public school alternatives have grown, many urban districts have hemorrhaged students. That has left officials with the difficult choice of keeping open shrinking schools with resources spread thin or shutting them down, a move that inevitably garners fierce community backlash. How school leaders navigate this challenge could define urban school systems for the next several years. But if schools get too small they face a paradoxical problem: Costs per student tend to rise, but programming tends to shrink. “When schools get below a certain size threshold, they start facing these unique challenges that make it hard to deliver a high-quality education,”.

“When schools get below a certain size threshold, they start facing these unique challenges that make it hard to deliver a high-quality education.” The Wall Street Journal quotes ERS’ own Joseph Trawick-Smith in this recent piece about the difficult-to-sustain dynamic for urban school districts caused by plummeting enrollment: too many schools for too few students. Check it out: https://lnkd.in/exnj3vBM #EdChat #K12 #SchoolLeaders

In this video, we explore a growing trend among American school districts: transforming unused district land into affordable housing for teachers. Starting with Hendry School District in Florida, we delve into the reasons behind this movement, including the rising cost of living, teacher shortages, and the complexities of education funding. We'll discuss the pros and cons of these housing initiatives, from the financial logistics and the impact on teacher retention to the potential challenges of living near coworkers and students. We'll also examine how public education is funded in America, the role of school bonds, and why districts might prefer building housing over increasing salaries. Join us as we unpack this innovative yet controversial solution to the teacher housing crisis and explore whether it’s a viable long-term strategy.

💡 What equity-centered solutions can be implemented on the state level? States can change how district lines relate to students: Connecticut's magnet schools improve outcomes & promote diversity by allowing urban & suburban students to attend specialized schools outside their district. Connecticut has 40,000 students in inter-district magnet schools, which have specialized educational themes and are open to both urban and suburban students. Most are located in the cities of Hartford or New Haven and serve a majority students of color.

When I (Erin O. Crosby, Ed.D.) worked in West Dallas, residential gentrification was a daily reality with real consequences for residents. But what happens when school choice policies lead to campus gentrification in neighborhood public schools? Too often economically-constrained Black and Brown families lose an already fragile level of agency, voice, and belonging. They can lose their schools. That’s a problem we can and should change. This research brief (written by yours truly, Erin O. Crosby, Ed.D., at SMU Simmons School of Education & Human Development) tells the story of one gentrifying school navigating the consequences of choice policies. I hope contextualizing school gentrification alongside the stories of Black and Brown mothers and school leaders challenges each of us to learn more, and that the policy recommendations lead to equitable change. #schoolgentrification #radicalbelonging #schoolchoice

New Jersey Ranks Second in Nation for Best Schools, Educational Resource Report Finds New data released by educational resource site Teach Simple reveals that New Jersey has secured the second spot for having one of the best school systems in the United States, trailing only behind Massachusetts. Know More: https://lnkd.in/dKQ7AEpE #NJEducation #TopSchools #EducationReport #BestInNation #NJStudents #EducationalResources #QualityEducation #NJAchievement #SchoolRankings

Supporting Urban Prep is crucial. Why, you may ask? Urban Prep is transforming lives, guiding young Black boys towards higher education. When Mrs. Ebony Muhammad Mitchell and Mr. Juwaun Cooper-Muhammad first entrusted their sons to Urban Prep, they could only dream of a college education for them. At Urban Prep, dreams became reality. Like and save if you believe in supporting organizations like Urban Prep that are making college dreams come true for young Black men. #UrbanPrep #EducationForAll #CollegeAdmissions #SupportBlackYouth #MinoritiesInEducation #UrbanPrepSuccessStories

"Our current funding formula has not been updated in over thirty years, and does not consider the individual needs of local school districts and students. Alabama needs a student-weighted funding formula that provides flexibility and allows policymakers to address unique community challenges." -Ashley Lucier, Executive Director, Amp Up Arts We believe that every child deserves a world-class education, regardless of circumstance. Read the latest Op-ed by Every Child Alabama member Amp Up Arts to learn how a modernized school funding formula could transform Alabama schools and arts education: https://ow.ly/ejsy50SNpfX

Yes, the politics around public charter schools have become more challenging, especially in the blue-hued cities where most of the media lives and works. But across vast expanses of urban and semi-urban America, and especially in Black and brown communities where charter schools have proven most popular and effective, there’s still plenty of room to grow, and few policy barriers standing in the way.

𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁 (𝗛𝗜𝗦𝗗) 𝗶𝘀 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗵𝗮𝘂𝗹. Led by Superintendent Mike Miles, the district is implementing sweeping changes in teaching methods, teacher evaluation, and school spending. This experiment, driven by a state takeover, aims to improve student outcomes, especially for Black and Latino students. While early test scores show promise, critics point to high teacher turnover and financial concerns. The district's future direction will depend on long-term results and community support. This experiment is closely watched by educators nationwide as a 𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺. https://lnkd.in/gVGeNx3K