It has been a frenzied few weeks in the education sector. Congress provided schools and colleges with unprecedented resources to respond to the pandemic. The new Biden administration moved rapidly on several policy fronts. And with light at the end of the Covid tunnel, state and local education leaders were suddenly confronted by the daunting demands of a post-pandemic future.
FutureEd’s recent work has sought to help education policymakers navigate each of these challenges. Here’s a summary:
A Webinar on Covid Relief Spending
Federal Covid-19 relief packages have provided a tremendous infusion of funding to states and local education agencies, leaving leaders with key decisions on how best to spend the money. Join the Southern Regional Education Board and FutureEd on April 13 at 11 a.m. ET for a conversation about how state and local governments can use the new funding to support students and schools—and the restrictions that federal law places on spending.
We also asked our FutureEd research advisors and senior fellows for their innovative ideas for leveraging the bonanza of federal funding. Read their perspectives here.
A New Bipartisan Education Agenda
After nearly four decades, the bipartisan coalition that pushed higher standards, tests, and accountability systems to improve public education has fractured. But a nascent “opportunity agenda” could forge the next bipartisan consensus on education. Bruno Manno of the Walton Foundation and FutureEd Senior Fellow Lynn Olson make the case for the new agenda.
The New Federal Education Landscape
The arrival of a new administration and new Congressional leadership have shifted the education policy landscape in Washington. FutureEd has tracked changes on Congressional education committees and Biden appointments at the U.S. Education Department. We have updated our school reopening infographic with the latest CDC guidance. And we continue to provide information and analysis on Congressional Covid relief funding, including school facility monies in the Biden infrastructure plan.
Post-Pandemic Perspectives
In other forward-facing pieces, Harvard professor and FutureEd Research Advisor Andrew Ho tackled the complex issue of how to use standardized testing in a year when many students have not set foot inside a school. David Mansouri of SCORE wrote about Tennessee’s ambitious plans for summer learning and a literacy push. Higher education consultant Arthur M. Hauptman shared a nuanced approach to federal loan forgiveness. Lynn Olson and I wrote a piece for The Hill about innovative school staffing strategies forged during the pandemic. And we have updated our infographic on school reopening trends weekly.
With the Fritzwire newsletter closing up shop, we’ve expanded The Horizon, our calendar of education events and conferences on our website. Share your events with us at [email protected]. And for the latest leadership changes in the education sector, visit The Churn.
Thanks a lot and best wishes,
Tom
Thomas Toch
Director, FutureEd
McCourt School of Public Policy
Georgetown University [email protected]
@thomas_toch
