What We’re Reading: Week of July 4, 2022
Happy Friday, Linked Learning Field! As we come off a shorter week, we continue to reflect on the excitement of the State Budget news, as well as an op-ed discussing the importance of Linked Learning! We also want to share stories focusing on college and career readiness, mental health support, getting back to school after Covid, and more. Have a great weekend and, as always, thank you for reading with us.
Linked Learning in the News
College or Career? California Invests $500 million in Program That Tackles Both, EdSource
Linked Learning President Anne Stanton and Vice President of Policy Emily Passias comment on the state budget setting aside $500 million for the Golden State Pathways Program.
State Budget
California's New Budget Includes Historic Funding for Education, EdSource
Governor Gavin Newsom signed the state budget last Thursday, with total state funding for schools and community colleges adding up to $128 billion.
Equity
Black and Latina Women Hold the Most Student Debt, Diverse Education
Data from a CRL study shows that women today have less job security than before the pandemic, and any gains experienced by the economy in 2021 fell inequitably towards white people, particularly white men.
Student Support
Colleges Should Stop Offering Options That Hinder Students' Progress, EdSource
Assembly Bill 705 required California community colleges to show remedial courses improved students’ chances of completing math and English requirements for a bachelor’s degree. But research shows it can do the opposite.
Podcast: High School Students say they Learn the Most Important Skills Outside of High School, EdSurge
Data from student focus groups show that if asked to explain something interesting that they're learning, middle and high school students are more likely to say something they do outside of schools
UCs
UC Merced Takes Admissions on the Road, EdSource
The Merced Automatic Admission program, launched in 2021, means students who meet the academic and UC requirements will automatically gain a freshman seat through a streamlined admissions process.
College and Career Readiness
How to ease the path to adulthood, Inside HigherEd
Uncertainty, confusion, and psychological stress have always accompanied the tempest-tossed maturation process. Here’s how to make that problematic journey smoother.
Short on Teachers, Michigan Schools Try to Grow Their Own, The 74
Among the teacher shortages, some Michigan high schoolers are involved in Educator's Rising, a national program offered as an elective for high school juniors and seniors considering careers as teachers.
Federal Policy
The Department of Education Launches New Plan to Combat Learning Loss, District Administration
In response to President Biden's call to action to combat learning loss, the DOE plans to recruit 250,000 tutors and mentors to support their students' academic achievement and mental health.
Mental Health
Behavioral Issues, Absenteeism at Schools Increase, Federal Data Show, Washington Post
More than 80 percent of public schools reported that the pandemic has taken a toll on student behavior and social-emotional development, while nearly as many schools say they need more mental health support
4 Ways Teachers Can Support Students' Emotional Well-being, Edutopia
Teachers can create emotionally safe spaces in their classrooms while also recognizing when students need mental health help from outside sources.
School Support After COVID
Schools Can do More Than 'Return to Normal.' Here's How., EdWeek
What would it look like for schools to "return to normal" after the pandemic, and is that even possible? If aspects of learning and support were not present pre-COVID, we should look for change and new innovation.
It's Time for Schools, Colleges, Companies, and Policymakers to Clear the Path to Postsecondary Education, HigherEd Dive
Fewer students are getting the information they need to find the right college for them, argue the CEOs of the National College Attainment Network and ACT.