A changing American landscape also means students are experiencing change – and challenges.
My latest at The Education Report offers resources for educators.
All of us are watching a nation that is changing.
If it is difficult for adults to understand, it is also challenging for students.
As the “AI School Librarian” notes:
Our students need adults who can stay steady, protect their dignity, and respond with something more than silence.
Over at The Education Report, I explore a post that provides resources for students during uncertain times.
Students in places where ICE is active need safety and stability.
Students watching this from a distance need understanding and help with processing.
The truth is out there – and it matters.
Despite the Knox County School Board voting to ask the Tennessee General Assembly to reject efforts to ask schools to enforce immigration law/ask for proof of legal status, the district’s Superintendent indicates he’s ICE-friendly.
Specifically, WATE-TV reports:
With the ongoing push for immigration enforcement, some are wondering whether Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers will be allowed come into Knox County Schools.
KCS Superintendent Dr. Jon Rysewyk stated that the schools would have the same protocols with ICE as with any other law enforcement agency, saying, “We will follow the law.” He also specified that there had not been a situation where ICE had asked to enter a KCS classroom.
A KCS spokesperson added weasel words:
“KCS takes the safety and security of our school campuses seriously. We do not give any entity access to students or educational records without legal authorization. In accordance with state and federal law, we do not maintain records on the immigration status of students,” a KCS spokesperson said. “As always, we will follow the law and we will verify any documents necessitating access to school campuses through the Knox County Law Department. Our priority is and always will remain the safety of our students.”
Let’s be 100% clear: Allowing ICE on school campuses threatens the safety of students, teachers, and school communities. Anything short of a refusal to allow ICE to come on to school property is the same thing as saying you are OK with ICE and with the disruption and threat to safety they pose.
Educators who wish to put students first will reject the tactics of ICE, period. Those, like the Knox County Director of Schools, who suggest cooperation with a masked, paramilitary group that demonstrates zero accountability are, in fact, a part of the problem.
Dr. Rysewyk, your policy of appeasement is noted, and students in your care are less safe because of it.
NewsChannel5 reports on a Manchester teacher who won a Milken Foundation Award, which includes a trip to Washington, DC and $25,000.
However, it was something else pretty great. Among the guests were past recipients of the Milken Educator Award. It’s part of the Milken Family Foundation and recognizes outstanding teachers. Winners get a trip to Washington DC for an awards program and $25,000.
Dr. Joshua Barnett of the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching had the name.
“Who is it? Are we ready to find out?” he asked the student body as they cheered. “Students, do we want to know who the best teacher is? The Milken Educator Award goes to Holly Logan!”
Tennessee Republican lawmakers, eager to prove their allegiance to Trump, have filed a raft of bills on immigration. And, they say they are considering a measure requiring schools to collect immigration information.
NewsChannel9 reports:
Lawmakers confirmed they are considering a proposal involving the collection or verification of immigration status data for K-12 students, but said details are still being worked out. Leaders said they are waiting on guidance from the U.S. Department of Education, particularly regarding potential impacts on federal funding.
It remains unclear how data would be stored or whether it would be shared beyond education agencies.
Some school districts are already speaking out in opposition to the effort:
A lawsuit over school vouchers in Ohio points to disparities in state funds received, with public schools coming out on the losing end.
The coalition representing public school districts says the voucher program violates the state constitution’s equal protection provisions by providing more funds for some students receiving vouchers than their public school peers.
In the 2023-2024 school year, students in Richmond Heights Local School District received $1,530 in state funding. Students in Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District received $2,600. That’s far less than what EdChoice students in grades K-8 received, $6,166, and high school students got, $8,408.
The districts argue this disparity is unjustified and discriminatory, and that public school students should not have to leave public education to receive equal treatment.
House GOP Caucus Chair Jeremy Faison pours cold water on the idea of expanding Gov. Bill Lee’s private school coupon scheme:
TC Weber reports on a charter application by a former Tennessee Titan:
A familiar name from the Music City Miracle is now making a different kind of play.
Kevin Dyson—former Titans receiver, longtime educator, and recent principal at Centennial High School—is seeking to open a charter school focused on student athletes.
Music City Academy aims to launch in 2027, offering robust athletics alongside academics and career exploration beyond playing the game.
TC Weber takes a look at the state’s voucher numbers:
This week, the Tennessee Comptroller released a 163-page analysis of the second program. Reviews are mixed—and appropriately so.
The report shows:
Several findings deserve closer scrutiny:
Nashville blogger TC Weber adds additional insight into his look at student attrition in MNPS.
Two key notes:
Here’s what that comparison shows:
That’s a net loss of 2,123 students in just five months.
Which schools are losing students?
When we look at schools that remained open and consistently coded, the largest enrollment losses are concentrated in familiar places: