Your weekly updates for education leaders in the know.
March 26, 2024
The Angry Parent and Social Media
The rise of parental activism in public education has led to increased scrutiny of educators' actions, from librarians' book selections to teachers' discussions of social issues. As social media empowers parents to voice their concerns publicly, educators face challenges in handling criticism.
In this TEPSA legal resource article, education lawyer Kevin Lungwitz offers practical steps for navigating situations including seeking support from school districts and legal resources.
Next week, April 1-5, is National Assistant Principals Week, a time to recognize assistant principals for how special and integral they are to our schools!
NAESP has created graphics you can use on social media to share why you love being an AP or to spread the word about how your APs have been instrumental to your school's success.
Don’t forget to use #APWeek and #WeLeadTX in all of your posts!
Purple Star Campus Designation SY 2024-25 Application: The Purple Star Campus Designation recognizes Texas schools supporting military-connected students. Applications for the 2024-25 school year are open April 1 - June 7.
School Health Survey: The annual School Health Survey is now available for school district and open-enrollment charter school completion through May 24.
Youth with food insecurity more likely to be exposed to violence: Children with low food security were over five times more likely to experience violence vs. food-secure children, according to a new study. The study emphasized the need for increased food security screenings, food assistance programs, and culturally competent initiatives to address these issues. (Healio)
With school voucher critics ousted, all eyes turn to Abbott on Texas education priorities; Of the 24 Republican holdouts against vouchers, only six were reelected in March, with four more facing runoffs on May 28. Abbott's support for their challengers makes their reelection challenging, likely eliminating the possibility for negotiations on key education policies once the next legislative session begins in January. (Houston Chronicle $)
GOP challengers threaten takeover of Texas SBOE with help from influential donor group: Texans for Educational Freedom, initially focused on local school board elections, has redirected its efforts towards reshaping the SBOE, investing over $300,000 this year. As the SBOE prepares to revise social studies curriculum standards for the first time in over a decade, the outcomes will shape what children learn about government, Texas history, and American history. (San Antonio Express-News $)
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