Cleveland.com  explains  the meaning of Juneteenth, which is today. Two more good reads about its significance, here and here .
Quotable and Notable
“Opportunities to grow and flourish are not shared equally by the nation’s infants, toddlers, and families, reflecting past and present systemic barriers to critical resources, such as limited access to quality health care services, stable housing, reliable income and employment, and quality child care. Although national- and state-level findings presented in the Yearbook provide an overall view of how babies and families are faring, a deeper understanding of the state of America’s babies can only be gained by examining the very different experiences of key subgroups. This begins by taking a closer look by race/ethnicity, income, and urban/rural setting.” 

Fact of the Week
The percentage of infants and toddlers in Ohio living in poverty , according to ZERO TO THREE's 2020 State of Babies Yearbook .
Policy Radar
K-12 schools (reopening)  
More detailed guidelines for districts and schools are expected from the state by next week (June 26), and Gov. DeWine  has signaled  that much will be left up to the  decisions of local districts . Meanwhile, schools are supposed to submit their remote learning plans to the Department of Education by July 31, according to an amendment added by just-passed  House Bill 164  (a bill primarily about “religious expression” that received some last-minute add-ons and which as of the writing of this, is awaiting signature by the governor). If you think all of this sounds a bit confusing, you’re right, and we don’t envy education and policy leaders having to make these tough decisions and to move so quickly. At the same time, the delivery of remote/online learning or  hybrid/blended learning is not something you can just pull out of a hat. It takes much time, effort, and planning to do well. Leaders are being asked to consider a wide range of policy changes, including those related to attendance, grading and competency, instructional delivery, health and safety measures, and much more. If you know a principal, superintendent, board member or other education leader, now would be a good time to thank them. 
 
On the topic of uncertainty for schools, here’s a  very good read by NPR .  
 
School funding  
Ohio lawmakers are busy considering ways to mitigate cuts to school districts,  including one effort  to maximize profits from the state lottery system – and more specifically, to consider that sports gambling profits could go toward schools. Meanwhile, other lawmakers are  moving to limit the cuts  to their constituent school districts. Nobody wants school funding cuts; but do notice the districts on this list, and what their relative wealth levels are. It’s a good reminder that school funding debates are, at their core, very difficult decisions that include winners, losers, and questions about how best to funnel money toward the students who need it the most. 
FYI
OSU’s  Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity  is hosting an upcoming webinar “ Why is it so hard to talk about race ?” on June 25th at 1 pm. Register here .  
What We're Reading
This piece from  The Atlantic   explains what anti-racist teachers do differently in their work that makes them successful. 
 
 
A preschool teacher in Oregon  fears returning to work  for safety reasons amidst the pandemic, where she will also make less than she currently receives in unemployment compensation. This story just further highlights how woefully underpaid preschool teachers are.   
 
OSU Distinguished University Professor Frederick Aldama’s  debut children’s book , The Adventures of Chupacabra Charlie,  is being  published this month  by the Ohio State University Press. Aldama said of the book, “Chupacabra Charlie is a great instance of putting a children's book out there that is focused on a Latinx and also super marginalized character, a chupacabra, who's literally considered to be a monster...We’re humanizing him, showing the reader the complexity of his thinking and actions and the joy of his adventure.”    
Research Round Up
New research from Harvard University  studied the  educational and psychological effects  of police brutality on nearby Black and Hispanic high schoolers. The study found that students living near where an officer-involved killing took place experienced decreases in GPA and increased incidences of emotional disturbances. The author found that students exposed to police violence were less likely to graduate high school or enroll in college. 
This edition written by: Jamie Davies O'Leary, Associate Director of Policy and Caitlin Lennon, Communications & Policy Specialist
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