This will be the last update until August 7, 2023.
Articles of Interest
Norfolk School Board to return to single public comment period – The Virginian-Pilot
Richmond School Board takes up heated safety discussion on Graduation Day shooting
Va. Board of Education approves online teacher training option, addressing teacher shortage
Without an updated state budget, Va. schools face hiring uncertainty
Cellphone policy sparks school board debate | Education | yourgv.com
DOE Updates
Public Comment Forums for College Partnership Laboratory School Applications
The College Partnership Laboratory Schools Standing Committee received for first review college partnership laboratory schools applications from Southside Virginia Community College and Virginia Commonwealth University. In order to provide appropriate input from parents, teachers, and other interested parties and to obtain information to assist the Standing Committee in its evaluation of the lab school applications, the Standing Committee is seeking public comment on each application. See Superintendent’s Memo 111-23 for details on how to give feedback.
Coaches, ITRTs, Admins: Build Your Own Instructional Playbook
Virtual Virginia, VDOE, and VSTE invite administrators, instructional coaches, and ITRTs from Virginia public schools and divisions to attend a new professional learning series! This series will guide participants in creating an “instructional playbook” to enhance the training they offer teachers locally. The free webinar series starts July 6. Find out more information or register today!
K-12 School Innovation Planning (K12 SIP) Grant
Individual school divisions or consortia of school divisions are eligible to submit proposals meeting the intent of the RFP document. Proposals may target one or more schools in each participating school division. School divisions awarded planning grants must be prepared to implement their innovative reform models over two years beginning with the 2024-2025 school year. Completed proposals must be received electronically by the VDOE no later than 4 p.m. on July 14.
Ed. Department Updates
BIDEN ANNOUNCEs STATE BREAKDOWN OF 2021 LAW’S BROADBAND FUNDING
The Biden Administration announced specific details for the amount of money each state will receive from the $42.5 billion of Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program funding established by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to expand high-speed internet access, most of it over the next two years. The money is meant to deliver internet access to remote and rural areas. This is the largest portion of internet funding provided by IIJA, and it comes as the House Republicans are seeking to use fiscal year 2024 spending bills to rescind unspent money appropriated when Democrats controlled both chambers of Congress.
Each state, including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, will receive a minimum of $100 million. 10 percent of the $42.5 billion will be set aside for remote or topographically challenging areas where the cost of broadband access is above the average. The rest of the funding will be doled out proportionally based on the number of unserved communities in a state, based on a Federal Communications Commission map released in May, which shows about 8.5 million unserved broadband serviceable locations across the United States. Read more here.
STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS
Last week, the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services (HHS) announced additional actions to advance the efforts and investments under the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA).
Specifically, the agencies’ secretaries sent a joint letter to governors delineating resources to help states, communities, and schools support students’ mental health and well-being, particularly students impacted by gun violence. The letter highlights Education’s investments and capacity-building initiatives that will expand and improve school-based mental health services, address community violence, provide wrap-around services, and promote a safe and supportive school climate. The letter also outlines HHS’s programs to support the development of school-based mental health supports, prepare and train school personnel, emergency responders, law enforcement, and others to recognize the signs and symptoms of mental health impacts from gun violence, and increase treatment and support services for individuals and communities affected by trauma, including trauma caused by gun violence.
The agencies are collaborating on BSCA implementation because young people are facing unprecedented challenges and disruptions in their school lives and communities, including increased disconnection and social isolation, as well as increased gun violence. These challenges have had devastating impacts on students’ mental health and well-being, which, in turn, have profound implications for academic success and overall life outcomes. The agencies’ further actions help extend the impact of BSCA in keeping communities safe, bringing new protections and resources to bear in addressing the mental health crisis (so that all students may learn freely and safely every day) and curbing gun violence.
Meanwhile, marking the one-year anniversary of BSCA’s passage, President Biden, Secretary Cardona, and other leaders participated in the National Safer Communities Summit in West Hartford, Connecticut. See:
- President Biden’s remarks and video;
- Secretary Cardona’s remarks and video excerpt; and
- Secretary Cardona’s Twitter thread, featuring powerful commentary by Principal Recovery Network members.
SCHOOL SUSTAINABILITY COMMITMENTS
Since February, the Education Department has invited national, regional, and local businesses, foundations, and non-profit and community-based organizations to share bold commitments to advance school sustainability, encompassing infrastructure, health, environmental sustainability education, climate, and environmental justice. Over 30 organizations have made commitments, demonstrating a wide range and scope of actions needed to ensure sustainable schools for all students. Visit the agency’s Homeroom blog for sample commitments.
Organizations may still participate by completing an online form, preferably addressing at least one of these parameters: environmental justice, health, climate action, capacity-building, data collection and standardization, and transparency and goal-setting.
Separately, the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued proposed guidance on elective pay and transferability mechanisms established under the Inflation Reduction Act that would help state, local, tribal, and territory governments, non-profits, and other entities access clean energy tax credits. Additionally, Vice President Harris — joined by Deputy Secretary of Education Cindy Marten — offered remarks at a young climate leaders convening in Denver, underscoring the Administration’s historic investment in combatting the climate crisis and creating a clean energy economy that works for all.
