Become a more informed educator in minutes....

After an uptick in morale last year, new research suggests teachers across the county are experiencing worsening mental health and are less satisfied with their careers than they were a year ago. The findings come from the EdWeek Research Center's an annual report, which surveyed 1,487 public school teachers and 131 private school teachers between January and March of this year, on behalf of Merrimack College. Teacher job satisfaction hit an all-time low in 2022, with just 12% of public school teachers saying they were very satisfied with their jobs as they grappled with the fallout from disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Though job satisfaction climbed last year, it slipped slightly this year to 18% of public school teachers saying they were very satisfied. "Unfortunately, it's not getting better," said Tim Pressley, a professor of psychology at Christopher Newport University. "Teachers were burned out, had no job satisfaction, low morale during the pandemic, and that has just continued as we've come out of this pandemic." The report highlights several key takeaways, including teachers' desire for better working conditions, higher pay, and more support for student discipline. It also notes that mental health impacts vary by age and race, with younger teachers and white teachers reporting more negative effects. The report emphasizes the importance of administrator support and the connection between teacher and student mental well-being.

 

Education Week News

Education Week News

Feeling the Impact of Teacher Shortages?

Teacher shortages are impacting students’ learning continuity across the nation, and we’re here to help. To ensure students don’t miss a beat, we offer teacher shortage solutions to support your school, including:

• Certified teachers in subjects like AP®, world languages, mathematics, and more
• Comprehensive PreK–12 online school - including courses, online platforms, and teachers
• Ongoing support and training for your staff, teachers, and students

Download CTE Guide

 

A Travis County judge has issued a temporary restraining order blocking the Texas Education Agency (TEA) from releasing its ratings of the state's school districts and campuses for the second year in a row. The TEA changed the metrics used to measure school performance last year, leading to contention among school districts. The A-F accountability system grades school districts and schools based on standardized test scores, academic growth, and progress in closing achievement gaps. The state announced stricter benchmarks for school ratings, including a requirement that high schools can only receive an A rating if 88% of their seniors enroll in college, pursue a non-college career, or enter the military. School districts have argued that the state is moving too fast in its efforts to improve college and career readiness. The lawsuit filed by school districts is the second legal battle over the A-F rating system, which is relied upon by parents to make enrollment decisions. The TEA plans to appeal the judge's decision.

 

Bryan-College Station Eagle

Star-Telegram

Temple Daily Telegram

Cedar Grove School District in New Jersey violated a federal law protecting student privacy when it sent out an “equity and diversity” survey that asked questions relating to religious affiliation and income, according to the U.S Department of Education. The investigation was conducted after complaints were filed by Cedar Grove parents who alleged that the district failed to properly notify guardians about the survey and provide them with the opportunity to opt students out. The district's Equity and Diversity Advisory Council designed the controversial survey, which was distributed to elementary, middle, and high school students. The survey violated the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) by asking questions about religious affiliation and income without directly notifying parents and providing them the option to opt out. However, the investigation did not find any violations with respect to middle school and elementary surveys. Cedar Grove School District has been instructed to train all staff on the PPRA.

 

NJ.com

A former food service director for Harvey School District 152 in Illinois, Vera Liddell, has been sentenced to nine years in prison for stealing $1.5m worth of chicken wings that were meant for students during the height of the coronavirus pandemic. Liddell placed orders for the chicken wings with a food provider for the district and billed the district while keeping the food for herself. The scheme was discovered during a routine mid-year audit when the district's business manager found the invoices for the poultry. Liddell had worked for the school district for over a decade.

 

Fox News

The mental health pressures facing many children can be particularly pronounced when they are in school. Google's philanthropic arm, Google.org, is now donating $1.25m to Selena Gomez's Rare Impact Fund as part of its recent commitment to nonprofits focused on youth mental health. Gomez has been vocal about her own bipolar diagnosis and has said that “caring adults” can make a big difference for teenagers. Google.org is also giving $6m overall to DonorsChoose and $1.5m in donations to the Jed Foundation, the Steve Fund, and Child Mind Institute. The move comes amid widespread criticism and lawsuits claiming Google-owned YouTube and other social media sites have fueled the childhood mental health crisis. Justin Steele, Google.org's Director for the America, said its initiative highlights Google's efforts to lead this “important conversation” and “be one part of contributing to positive solutions.” Mental health support in schools is one of the most effective remedies, according to Alyson Niemann, Executive Director of Mindful Philanthropy. DonorsChoose CEO Alix Guerrier emphasized that teachers are not substitutes for mental health professionals, but the platform has seen a fourfold increase in the number of mental health submissions. The funding aims to encourage educators to prioritize mental health and support students in the post-pandemic chaos.

 

U.S. News

Girls in New York City’s public schools are outperforming boys by nearly every academic measure. Their four-year graduation rate is 10 points higher, and they attend college at a rate 11 percentage points higher. However, despite their academic success, girls report significantly lower levels of satisfaction with their school experiences. They feel more stressed during learning and are less likely to receive support from their teachers. Girls also report higher levels of harassment and bullying compared to boys. Black girls reported the lowest level of satisfaction, while Asian American girls reported the most academic stress. The New York City school survey data reflects the broader national trend of girls suffering from the ongoing youth mental health crisis. Experts suggest that girls tend to have higher levels of anxiety and depression. The Education Department has guidelines for gender inclusion and a newly formed Gender Equity Team to provide support to schools. Girls' negative experiences in school often begin with the pressures and expectations they face outside of it. The effects of the pandemic are also said to have worsened the mental health crisis facing girls.

 

Chalkbeat

Colorado parents can easily access vaccination rates for child care centers, schools, and colleges in a statewide database created by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. The database allows users to search vaccination and exemption rates and view trends over time. The goal is for at least 95% of students in a school to have all required vaccinations. Last year, 93.7% of students in pre-K-12 had the MMR vaccine, down from 95.1% the previous year. MMR vaccination rates vary by school, with some at 100% and others below 70%. Parents in Colorado are allowed to seek exemptions from vaccinations, but low vaccination rates may be due to families being behind on required vaccinations or schools not collecting vaccination paperwork.

 

Chalkbeat

Millions of dollars are being spent this year to steer voters toward candidates for Republican-led Legislatures who support school vouchers and will play a crucial role in implementing school choice programs across the U.S. Pro-voucher groups, including the School Freedom Fund, American Federation for Children, and Americans for Prosperity, have invested heavily in primary elections to ensure the success of their agenda. Tennessee and Texas have seen significant spending in their primary elections, with millions of dollars poured into supporting voucher-friendly candidates. Despite facing resistance from Democrats, and some Republicans, the push for school vouchers continues to grow in Republican-dominated states. The recent victories in Tennessee and Texas have given pro-voucher advocates hope for the future. However, critics argue that focusing solely on primary voters may not be representative of the average voter and could undermine democracy. The battle for school vouchers is far from over, with proposals being considered in many more states.

 

ABC News

The first day back to school in Broward County, Florida, got off to a slow start as a disorganized rollout of new metal detectors caused long lines and delays. The metal detectors were implemented to improve school safety and security in the district following the tragic shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018. However, the back-to-school bottleneck further aggravated many parents who have previously criticized the district for rushing policy decisions and mismanagement. Many students had to wait in line for hours, causing frustration and impacting their class schedules. Broward Superintendent Howard Hepburn apologised for the long wait times and promised to make necessary adjustments. A district spokesperson warned that delays may continue this week but assured that Monday's lines won't be replicated.

 

U.S. News

A moderate earthquake jolted the first day of school in Los Angeles USD, causing no reported damage, but testing preparedness instilled by earthquake drills. When the earthquake coursed through Aldama Elementary School in Highland Park, principal Laura Gutierrez helped to calm students by dancing - shaking in time to the shaking. She then immediately radioed her plant manager and supervision aides to coordinate a full campus response. Centered in El Sereno, the 4.4 magnitude temblor especially rattled nearby, including Wilson High School, which was temporarily evacuated. The main campus at Academia Anawakalmekak, a charter school, sits two blocks from the epicenter. The force of the shock was no dancing matter. “It felt like an ocean liner hit the building,” said Marcos Aguilar, co-head of the K-12 charter school. At an afternoon school assembly for students and parents — part of the regular first-day events — Montes de Oca reviewed earthquake safety, including what to do at home.

 

Los Angeles Times

The Detroit Public Schools Community District is considering a contract with Paper, an online tutoring company, to provide tutoring services for high school English language learners. The contract, worth $168,075, would also include tutoring services for language learners in grades K-8. Paper has faced criticism from some school districts for the quality of its service, including low student usage and difficulties with the text-based chat feature. However, Detroit Public Schools officials believe their implementation model, which includes monitoring and accountability measures, will address these concerns. The district is committed to improving literacy and providing support to English language learners, and the virtual tutoring services offered by Paper and Braintrust are part of this comprehensive approach. The full school board is expected to vote on the contract soon.

 

Chalkbeat

Tseh-sien Kelly Vaughn, interim dean of the school of education at Notre Dame de Namur University, voices concerns that California could miss a precious opportunity to address its teacher shortage and lack of teacher diversity. For years, California has been faced with a shortage of teachers that predated the pandemic but which the pandemic certainly did not help. The high-stakes teaching performance assessments (TPAs) used in the state, such as the California Teaching Performance Assessment (CalTPA), the Educative Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA), and the Reading Instruction Competency Assessment (RICA), have exacerbated this shortage and the teacher diversity problem, according to Vaughn. Senate Bill 1263 was introduced to address this issue, but it has been modified to keep TPAs intact and implement a review panel. Vaughn says this development is disappointing to education researchers and teachers who believe TPAs are not serving their purpose. TPAs are designed to measure and assess teachers' educational knowledge, skills, and readiness, but in practice, they cause stress and strain, especially for student teachers from disadvantaged backgrounds. Vaughn argues that the best-case-scenario would be to pass SB 1263 as it was originally written. At the very least, the review panel that has been proposed in lieu of removing the TPAs should have fair representation.

 

EdSource

With time running out to allocate the remainder of American Rescue Plan funds directed to K-12 pandemic recovery, school districts in Wisconsin are using the last infusion of federal dollars to fill in gaps left by the pandemic. The Elementary and Secondary School Relief funds were intended to fund the response to and recovery from the pandemic, but many districts used the funding to cover various costs. Some districts used the funds for technology, summer school, mental health services, and pandemic safety materials. Others used the funds to address learning loss and provide after-school and summer learning programs. The funds also supported the purchase of hotspots for students, salary increases for staff, and curriculum purchases. Mental health support for students was another area where the funds were utilized. Despite the challenges, districts have managed to narrow their deficits through increased state funding and budget adjustments. Overall, the federal funds have played a crucial role in helping school districts navigate the pandemic and support student learning and well-being.

 

Green Bay Press Gazette

Members of the Philadelphia City Council and other advocates are pressuring the city's school district to provide more support for homeless students. The district has seen a significant increase in the number of homeless students, with a nearly 46% rise from the 2018-2019 school year to the 2022-2023 school year. Council members expressed their concerns during a public hearing, highlighting the urgent need for programming to help youth experiencing housing insecurity. The district currently lacks designated staff positions for homeless liaisons, relying on overworked school counselors and teachers. Oriana F., who experienced frequent moves as a child, shared her story at the hearing, emphasizing the challenges faced by homeless students. Council member Isaiah Thomas criticized the district's response and questioned why more action hasn't been taken.

 

Chalkbeat