Month: April 2022

Now more than ever, school leaders are acutely aware of the mental health challenges facing students and their families, teachers and administrators, and themselves.

Here’s just one stat from Mental Health in Schools | NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness: “One in six U.S. youth aged 6-17 experience a mental health disorder each year, and half of all mental health conditions begin by age 14. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), behavior problems, anxiety, and depression are the most commonly diagnosed mental disorders in children. Yet, about half of youth with mental health conditions received any kind of treatment in the past year.”

It is particularly important to acknowledge the pandemic’s impact on mental health at home and in the community, and to present an opportunity for meaningful conversations about mental health in both, to learn how we may better understand and support those around us.

Mental Health and Leadership Webinar
What Can We Offer Our Students

Amid what is being called a mental health crisis in schools, watch on-demand webinar Mental Health and Leadership – Grow Schools with Caroline Poland, MA, LMHC, LCAC, CCTP, CCFP, NCC.

You can download the Presentation Handout here and the Presentation Slides here.

Contact Caroline Poland at caroline@polandandassociates.com or learn more from her website www.polandandassociates.com & Youtube channel “Poland and Associates Consulting”.

Support Mental Health and Well-being Guide

Mental Health And Well Being For Charter Schools 3

This guide shares the expertise of Caroline Poland, Founder and CEO of Poland and Associates Consulting, MA, LMHC, LCAC, CCTP, CCFP, NCC, Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Certified Clinical Trauma Professional. Learn how to build a firm foundation of mental health and well-being in the classroom and make an Emotional Regulation Plan.

Download Free

Featured Article

6 Steps for Creating Safe School Spaces for LGBTQIA+ Students

The Need for Safe Spaces For LGBTQIA+ Students The numbers say it all: students who identify as LGBTQIA+ are twice as likely to experience harassment, such as name-calling and verbal and physical abuse than their non-LGBTQIA+ classmates, and according to Mental Health America, they are four times more likely to take their own lives. LGBTQIA+ […]

Featured Article

Mental Health and Well-being Resources for School Leaders

Leadership comes with its unique set of challenges, and prioritizing mental health is a cornerstone of effective management. Explore a diverse range of resources offered to foster resilience, stress management, and thoughtful decision-making at your school. Mental Health Resources

Charter Schools are Driven by Quality Education

Your school is probably the creation of former teachers or academic leaders who want to pursue public education in a specific way. You may focus on STEM, the arts, multilingualism, or college prep. Charter schools are able to offer students innovative ways of learning. Check out the amazing programs at Catalyst Charter Academy in Pittsburgh, PA, Aurum Prep in West Oakland, CA and Dual Language Immersion North County in Vista, CA.

Charter Students Have Performed Better on Assessments

In addition to smaller class sizes, a study by the Manhattan Institute discovered that charter schools average an additional 59 learning days of math and 44 days of reading in comparison with traditional public schools. This means that students in charter schools are more likely to perform better on standardized tests. What is more, charter schools have higher graduation rates for Black and Latino students. Vanguard Collegiate of Indianapolis, SET High in San Diego, CA, and The Foundation for Hispanic Education in San Jose, CA are ensuring smaller classes, access to tutoring, and more in-class time for learning.

Higher Graduation Rates Can Lead to Being More Likely to Stay in College

With higher graduation rates, charter students also have high college persistence, meaning they return to college for multiple semesters. College persistence matters—as Academia Avance in Highland Park, CA,  Gateway College & Career Academy in Riverside, CA, and Hope for Hyndman Charter School (HHCS) in Hyndman, PA can attest.

Charter Schools Thrive in Communities

More community involvement can be correlated to steadier attendance and better outcomes both both kids and communities. Charter schools have the ability to be more available to—and flexible around—the challenges facing individual students, families, and communities. Edge High School in Tucson, AZ, Buckeye Community Schools serving multiple locations in Ohio, and Eastlake High School in Colorado Springs, CO know that high school diplomas change lives—and so does the flexibility to earn them. Year-round enrollment, morning or afternoon classes, and lots of 1:1 attention for all at these charter high schools serving grades 9-12.

Charter schools can design community-based leadership and curriculum, as seen at Almond Acres Charter Academy in Paso Robles, CA, Hasañ Preparatory & Leadership Academy in Tucson, AZ, and Green Inspiration Academy in Warrensville Heights, OH.

Charter school leaders are education’s great innovators. It’s a privilege to work alongside them to ensure that every student has access to a nourishing school environment where they can flourish.

Virtual Ed Commission Meeting Recap

Last Wednesday, the Texas Commission on Virtual Education (TCVE) held its second meeting. The focus was on innovative practitioners from within the state and included testimony from Guthrie CSD, Lewisville ISD, Great Hearts Online, Dallas ISD, Texas Tech University, Dr. Danny Lovett (ESC Region 5), and John Watson of the Digital Learning Collaborative. They discussed the unique characteristics of supplemental programs, hybrid schools, and full-time virtual schools, including what current laws provide funding for each.

Key Takeaways
  • Two of the groups invited to testify included students who spoke about why they like the flexibility provided by virtual options. Guthrie CSD senior Coulter Reel shared that she’ll graduate high school with enough credits for an associate’s degree thanks to online access to virtual courses.
  • Every group noted how much their teachers love teaching in virtual ed models and noted it could keep many who might otherwise leave, in the profession.
  • A few members of the Commission inquired about what kind of funding is best for these innovative models, and there seemed to be an openness to exploring unique funding methods.

For recordings of the meetings and to follow TCVE, go here.

TEA & State Updates
  • Governor Greg Abbott and TEA announced that school districts in Texas may be eligible for an adjustment in operational minutes requirements for certain attendance reporting periods during the 2021-2022 academic school year. This means funding will be made available to school systems in Texas that have experienced attendance rate declines because of the lingering impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, given an emphasis on in-person instruction. This adjustment would apply to the first four reporting periods of the current school year. Full press release here.
  • TEA is inviting comment on the proposed minimum standards for bullying prevention policies and procedures. The proposed minimum standards are available on the TEA Student Discipline webpage. Public comments will be accepted April 1 through April 30, 2022, and should be submitted to StudentDisciplineSupport@tea.texas.gov with the subject line, “Minimum Standards Public Comment.”
  • ESSER Annual Performance Reporting update: The online system for LEAs to complete this reporting requirement will now close on Monday, April 18, 2022. For help, Visit the TEA ESSER Program page and access recorded trainings and videos on the Grant Compliance and Administration Playlist on the TEA YouTube Channel.
  • Part 1 of the CCMR tracker was released last week. The CCMR Tracker is a tracking tool within the TEA Login (TEAL) Accountability application. This tool provides districts with an early preview of CCMR status for students who were in grades 9-12 during the 2021–22 school year. The CCMR Tracker does NOT contain results from the 2021–22 school year as those data have yet to be reported.
DOE & National Updates
  • The Biden Administration is proposing changes that would make it harder for charter schools to get start-up grants from the federal government. While many charter school supporters welcomed the tougher restrictions placed on for-profit charters, they remained concerned that some parts of the proposal would make it difficult for nonprofit charters to qualify for grant funding. More here.
  • The Biden Administration also unveiled their proposed 2023 Department of Education discretionary budget calling for an increase to $88.3bn, including a $1 billion investment to increase the number of counselors, nurses, school psychologists, social workers, and other health professionals in schools.
  • In a letter last week, Education Secretary Cardona urged schools to protect students with disabilities saying, “To meet the requirements of federal disability rights laws, for example, schools may require teachers and peers to mask around higher-risk students, even if there isn’t a school-wide requirement to do so. As we enter this next phase of pandemic response, we urge schools to lead with equity and inclusion to ensure all students have access to in-person learning alongside their peers.”

[CallOutBox bgcolor=”orange”]Texas Fact of the Week

In the 1950s, archaeologists found some of the oldest human remains and tools just 6 miles southwest of Midland, now called the Midland Site. They found a fossilized skull and point used for hunting believed to be in existence long before the Apache and Nde’isdzan, dated back to 11,000 years old or around the Ice Age. Marfa Public Radio has more on the Midland Site and the rest of the Llano Estacado here. [/CallOutBox]

Important Dates
  • April 5-8 – SBOE scheduled regular meeting
  • Wednesday, April 27 – Texas Commission on Virtual Ed meeting
  • Friday, April 29 – SBEC meeting
Articles of Interest

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