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Policy News You Can Use: August 2017
How legislation and policy changes affect children's well-being
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Read about exciting new developments at Committee for Children at the end of this Policy Newsletter.
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How States Are Proposing to Implement the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
By September 18, 2017, all states must submit their state ESSA plans to the U.S. Department of Education (ED) for review and approval. Although every state has the same
basic facts about ESSA
, there are plenty of differences of opinion around interpretation and ultimately, statewide implementation of federal regulations. As of July 2017, 16 states and the District of Columbia have submitted their plans for ED review and one state plan has been approved (the
state of Delaware plan
). Some of the biggest questions for all states center on accountability measures and
school improvement evidence
. To learn more about other aspects of the legislation and state plans, read our blog.
Find out what's happening in your state
here, and learn more about resources for ESSA
here.
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The seventh annual Bullying Research Network Think Tank, hosted by Committee for Children, attracted participants from the United States, Canada, Israel, and Australia. During the two-day gathering in late July, the group received updates on cyber bullying research, heard firsthand cyber bullying experiences from a youth panel, previewed an upcoming cyber bullying website (expected to be released in the fall of 2017), and learned about the technology industry's efforts to address and reduce online harassment and bullying through hackathons and websites such as
iCanHelpline.org and
www.hackharassment.com. Representatives from Microsoft, Intel, Amazon, and Facebook shared some of the challenges of creating safe online spaces and of responding to online harassment. Overall, the Bullying Research Network recognized that high-quality research is vital for creating evidence-based prevention and intervention strategies that will work for students across developmental stages from elementary school to higher education and the workplace.
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In a
hearing
on July 18, 2017, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce discussed the success of early implementation efforts of ESSA. Stakeholders spoke in favor of the increased flexibility and autonomy for states but were confused by recent powerful critiques released by the ED and
letters to three states
outlining 168 "musts" to be included in state plans in order for them to be approved. This exchange between states and the ED, along with the lack of consistency between Education Secretary DeVos and the Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education's responses to states' plans have generated frustration from many state education departments as they attempt to get their ESSA plans submitted and approved.
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New Analysis and Continuing Questions About Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)
The Collaborative for Academic and Social Emotional Learning (CASEL) just released a new meta-analysis on
SEL
. The research shows a 13 percent increase in academic achievement for students with SEL exposure over their non-SEL peers; this is 2 percentage points higher than the widely cited
2011 meta-analysis. In spite of a growing body of research, challenges to SEL continue. In the July 21, 2017, edition of Education Week, Chester Finn, distinguished senior fellow and president emeritus of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, questions
whether SEL is a hoax and a
number of readers responded.
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July 2017 Was a Month of "Trauma Firsts"
The first comprehensive briefing on childhood trauma was held in the U.S. House of Representatives on July 26, 2017, and the first bipartisan resolution
(
H. Res. 443
) on the subject was
introduced on July 13, 2017; a summary of the briefing can be found
here.
Although the resolution does not authorize any particular program, it's a key way to send a message about the importance of the topic. Representative Danny K. Davis (R-IL), who co-sponsored the resolution and has experienced trauma in his own life, also sponsored the Trauma-Informed Care for Children and Families Act of 2017 (H.R. 1757), the House companion bill to S. 774, introduced by Senators Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) and Dick Durbin (D-IL).
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Teachers Prepare for School
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- A brand new Committee for Children website! We've launched an all-new site, where you can learn more about our staff, read about our 38-year history, and see the priorities that drive our work every day. The new policy page is here.
- Our Second Step program website has been improved to include all the information and resources that educators need to research, purchase, and teach our programs. We've created a one-stop online shop for all things Second Step. In addition, our all-new Second Step Middle School Program-which brings together today's technology, the latest in developmental research, and real classroom feedback-is launching this month! You can learn more about the program and meet some of the Committee for Children staff who were involved in making the curriculum.
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The South by Southwest conference (SXSWedu 2018) needs your help in selecting presentations. PanelPicker is a two-step online process that allows you to have a significant voice in programming conference activities.
From August 7 - 25, 2017 show your support for Committee for Children and vote for the topics important to you:
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Founded in 1978, Committee for Children is a global nonprofit dedicated to fostering the safety and well-being of children through education and advocacy. We work on the federal, state, and local level to prevent bullying, violence, and child abuse and to encourage teaching social-emotional skills to children and youth. These newsletters will help you learn the latest news affecting our priorities as well as opportunities to advocate for change.
Please forward this newsletter to other colleagues who are interested in these topics. And feel free to submit timely news on these topics from your state or region. I look forward to your feedback!
Carol Wood, Advocacy Specialist
[email protected]
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