It’s hard to believe, but summer is upon us! It is exciting to see the restaurants and stores opening in the region, and we are looking forward to more opportunities to see friends and family in person.
Over the past year, Region 1 states (ME, MA, NH, VT) have faced multiple, multifaceted challenges, and we know that SEA staff will continue to grapple with these challenges over the summer months. To support our states during this crucial time, every other week, we will be sharing a summary of new resources and supports focused on priority topics for our region. We’re calling this the R1CC Regional Resource Round-Up. The post is a quick, easy-to-scan summary of events and resources relevant to your state context.
Without further ado, here’s the inaugural round-up as we close out June.
Learning Opportunities
- Supporting English Learners in Math and Science: Effective Instructional Practices and Examples from NCELA’s Teaching Briefs (June 30, at 1:30 pm ET) Presenters from the Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) and NCELA will share about five educator practices that can be enacted to enhance the teaching of science and math to ELs and discuss how these practices can be implemented in remote learning environments. To register for this webinar, click here.
- (Archived) Summertime STEM: This webinar recording by the US Department of Education includes a dedicated panel of researchers, funders, and practitioners that discuss the benefits of Summertime STEM learning and share evidence-based resources and best practices that can be implemented in your community.
- (Archived) Our Highest-Need Students: How Can Schools Deliver for them Post-Pandemic? This panel discussion hosted by Public Impact and FutureEd featured a new report from Public Impact and Education Analytics, Identifying Schools Achieving Great Results with Highest-Need Students. A recording is available for view.
New Department of Education Resources
- ARP ESSER Applications. Last week, the Department of Education posted the first 28 ARP ESSER State Plan Applications describing how states plan to use ARP funds to support students and the safe and sustained reopening of schools.
- New Report: The Department of Education released a new report highlighting the disparate impacts COVID-19 has had on underserved communities. Last week, the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights released a new report responding to the President’s Executive Order on Supporting the Reopening and Continuing Operation of Schools and Early Childhood Education Providers.
- New Update to Monthly School Survey Dashboard on Reopening of Schools. The April update of national statistics on school reopening and modes of instruction offered to students from the Institute of Education Sciences is now available. This School Survey Dashboard provides insights into learning opportunities offered by schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey will contribute to IES's response to the Executive Order on Supporting the Reopening and Continuing Operation of Schools and Early Childhood Education Providers. Results from this new pilot survey will also be available for analyzing the 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) data—contributing additional contextual factors for understanding educational outcomes of the nation's fourth- and eighth-grade students. The survey is scheduled to collect data five times, once a month, from February through June of 2021. See more information about the sample and how to interpret results.
Latest R1CC News
- New Report: Early Literacy in Massachusetts: Part 1. Findings from the Massachusetts Educator Preparation Program Early Childhood and Elementary Education Program Core Course Review. R1CC, in collaboration with the CEEDAR Center, completed a needs assessment of the use of evidence-based literacy strategies currently taught in 9 educator preparation programs (EPPs) in Massachusetts. This report shares findings from a review of 64 core course syllabi from a voluntary sample of EPPs for their early childhood and elementary certification pathways.
- New Paper Series: Reimagining Education Series: Strategies for Innovative Systems Change. This series highlights evidence-based practices schools can leverage for reimagining their education systems for the students they serve. Each paper focuses on promising practices that can positively impact student outcomes, including outcomes for students historically underserved by existing education systems. Promising practices explored in the series include flexible career pathways, innovative assessment, and student-led learning.
New Comprehensive Center Network Resources
Supporting the Educator Workforce
- Region 5 Blog: Opportunities for Advancement: Designing Teacher Leadership Roles. This blog from the Region 5 Comprehensive Center provides resources and examples for school districts to identify and design teacher leadership roles.
- Region 7 Blog: COVID-19 and State Policy Opportunities to Strengthen the Educator Workforce. COVID-19 prompted state education agencies (SEAs) to make short-term changes to educator talent management policies, practices, and systems. This blog suggests areas where states might want to take a second look before reverting to past practices.
Share Your Voice
- Request for Information on Supporting the Reopening and Continuing Operation of Schools, Colleges and Universities, and Early Childhood Education Providers. The Department of Education welcomes lessons learned and best practices from the field for consideration for the Safer Schools and Campuses Clearinghouse, including those with an educational equity focus.
Submissions should be sent via email to: Bestpracticesclearinghouse@ed.gov. Please find additional submission information in the Federal Register notice.
The contents of this blog were developed under a grant from the Department of Education. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.