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Here are some of the things we’ve been reading about this week:

A federal study finds that the obstacles to implementing social-emotional learning curriculum include lack of time, funding, and teacher support.

Preschool enrollment of 3- and 4-year-olds hit an all-time high in the 2022-2023 school year. However the overall number of children enrolled is still lower than preschool levels.

Birdie’s Bookmobile brings the joy of reading to children in Detroit. 

To read more, click on the following links.

Research & Practice

K-12 Dive: Student challenges outside the classroom pose biggest obstacle for educators worldwide
A survey of 1,000 pre-K-12 and higher education educators from 19 countries revealed that 57% see challenges outside the classroom as the biggest obstacle to student success. These challenges range from issues at home to insufficient family support. About half cited behavioral and mental health struggles, while 36% pointed to students lacking prerequisite skills. In the U.S., 76% of pre-K-12 teachers reported managing students’ behaviors and mental health needs as their biggest challenge, followed by student engagement. Among higher education faculty, student engagement (68%) and dealing with politicization in education (57%) were top challenges. About 41% of educators view the impact of artificial intelligence on educational outcomes positively, while 20% see it as mostly negative. Suggestions to improve student success included increased pay for pre-K-12 teachers and more funding for education for higher education faculty.

Educational Review: Mental health and gender discourses in school: “Emotional” girls and boys “at risk”
A study of two schools in England has found that gender stereotypes about girls and boys can influence perceptions of these students and of their mental health needs. Girls are often celebrated for their emotional openness and maturity, and they are more likely to seek help. This can mean that they receive more help. Boys are seen as more likely to mask their distress using silence or disruptive behavior, making it easier to overlook their mental health needs. Researchers say that instead of leaving boys and girls “trapped” in unhelpful gender stereotypes, schools should develop an increased awareness of the role of gender stereotypes in providing mental health service and address inequities caused by these stereotypes.

EdWeek: What’s Really Holding Schools Back From Implementing SEL?
A National Center for Education Statistics survey of 1,700 public schools found that 57% of school leaders see time as the biggest obstacle to implementing social-emotional learning (SEL) curriculum. Funding and teacher support are also significant hurdles. Among schools with an SEL curriculum, 72% cited time as the main constraint, while 46% of schools without one identified time as the main barrier to adoption. Lack of teacher support (24%) and parental buy-in (20%) were the next challenges for schools with an SEL curriculum, while funding (37%) and lack of materials (34%) were key barriers for schools without. To bridge the gap, clear communication and engaging families are crucial. Despite challenges, 85% of school leaders believe their school culture supports students’ social-emotional growth. However, the effectiveness of the SEL curriculum received mostly average ratings, with 45% finding it moderately effective.

Policy

K-12 Dive: Preschool enrollment, state spending hit record highs
Enrollment in state-funded preschool programs increased by 7% in the 2022-23 school year, with an all-time high in participation by 3- and 4-year-olds. However, the number of children enrolled— 1.6 million in 2022-23— is still lower than pre-pandemic levels, with nearly 25,000 fewer children attending preschool than in fall 2019. While the percentage of 4-year-olds in pre-K increased, the actual count is lower due to a decline in the overall population of 3- and 4-year-olds. State funding for pre-K programs reached an all-time high of $11.7 billion in 2022-23, a $1.17 billion increase from the previous year. However, the spending remains insufficient, averaging $7,277 per child, falling short of the needed amounts for high-quality, full-day pre-K. NIEER recommends states take the lead in improving early education policies through their commitments to funding, universal access for both 3- and 4-year-olds, and full-day access.

EdWeek: What Schools Need to Know About These Federal Data-Privacy Bills
Federal and state policymakers are increasingly addressing data privacy, particularly concerning children, due to concerns over companies collecting and selling user information and the impact this has on mental health. At least 15 states have enacted comprehensive data privacy laws since 2020, and congressional lawmakers have introduced various data privacy bills. However, some policies don’t always consider how school operations would be affected. The relevant bills include The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) and the Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0). KOSA requires certain online platforms to provide children with options to protect their information, while COPPA 2.0 would amend the 1998 law and enable schools to consent on behalf of their students to provide access to ed-tech platforms. Another bill, the American Privacy Rights Act (APRA), would establish a framework for national data privacy rights, including special protections for children under 17, which could have implications for schools.

EdWeek: When There’s More Money for Schools, Is There an ‘Objective’ Way to Hand It Out?
Tyler Hansford served as superintendent of the Union school district in Mississippi from 2018 to 2022. The district, with 1,000 students, consistently faced a half-million-dollar shortfall from the state, creating hard choices for schools each year due to inadequate funds. As superintendent of the adjacent Newton County district, Hansford is confronted with similar issues. The state’s funding formula, in place since 1997, allocates roughly equivalent per-pupil amounts to high- and low-poverty districts, despite research suggesting that high-poverty districts need substantially more resources. Mississippi lawmakers aim to replace the formula with a fairer and simpler one. Both legislative chambers proposed different revamp plans. The House’s INSPIRE Act suggests adding weights for high-need students, resulting in a $250 million increase in K-12 funding, which is higher than the Senate’s $200 million increase.

Around the Nation

The 74: Summer Grocery Program to Feed Washington Kids Launching Soon
Starting this summer, a new federal program will aid lower-income families in Washington who rely on free school breakfasts and lunches. The Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer Program for Children, similar to a pandemic-era initiative, will provide a $120 preloaded card, usable at grocery stores and farmers markets. Eligible families, who earn up to 185% of the federal poverty line (about $57,720 for a family of four), will receive the cards between mid-June and the end of August. The state estimates about 550,000 kids in Washington will be eligible. While most funding is federal, the state Legislature allocated $12 million over the next two years. Families not already enrolled in other programs can apply. Unused benefits expire 122 days after issuance. Senator Patty Murray hopes that advocating for broader access to free school meals will help children and families.

The Hechinger Report: After enrollment slump, Denver-area schools struggle to absorb a surge of migrant and refugee children
The Aurora and Denver school district has enrolled at least 3,700 migrant and refugee students since last summer, some of whom had never attended school before. The surge in migrant students has reversed years of declining enrollment but also exposed clear signs of strain, including insufficient seats, fatigued teachers, and limited support from state and local leaders. Colorado state lawmakers approved $24 million to help local schools this academic year, but the money has yet to trickle down to local districts. The ongoing surge of immigrants has prompted Aurora and Denver to designate specific campuses to serve as resource hubs for migrant and refugee families, offering wraparound supports, integration services, and dual-language programs.

Chalkbeat: Birdie’s Bookmobile spreads joy of reading to Detroit children
Birdie’s Bookmobile, led by Alyce Hartman, brings the joy of reading to Detroit’s youth. Through vivid storytelling and mini-book fairs, Hartman promotes reading, hoping to shape students’ future success. Detroit struggles with a literacy crisis, but Hartman’s initiative provides diverse books and cultivates magical thinking in young readers. Birdie’s Bookmobile, started in 2022, has distributed over 16,000 books funded by grants and local donations. In collaboration with Detroit schools and local bookstores, she provides free books to children, focusing on representation and diversity. Her mission to promote reading goes beyond classrooms and includes afterschool programs, youth centers, and police precincts. Hartman, inspired by her childhood love of books, believes this initiative was her higher calling. Her approach underscores the importance of libraries in children’s lives and fosters a reading culture in a city facing a literacy crisis.

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