State News Highlights - June
Alabama
Facebook: Alabama BATs
State Administrators - Terri Rector Michal
Twitter: @AlabamaBATs
There’s a better plan for reopening schools - if Alabama leaders will use it
California
Facebook: California BATs
Facebook Administrators: Tina Andres, Karen Wolfe, Jeanne Berrong, Owen Jackman, Sherry Skipper-Spurgeon, Jed Idan, Lisa Palmer, Heather Poland, Paula Meyer, Lance Wren, Virginia Tibbets, Jose del Barrio.
Twitter: @CaliBATs
Santa Ana Unified School District Board approves Ethnic Studies graduation requirement at last Tuesday's board meeting
Florida
Facebook: Florida BATs
Facebook Administrators - Donna Yates Mace, Lisa Yurkin, Marcus Hochman
Twitter: @FLBATsA
Gov. Ron DeSantis announced a plan for Florida’s K-12 schools to reopen at full capacity. “Florida can only hit its economic stride if schools are open.”
Soon after, he makes moves to kill online learning.
Meanwhile, Not every district can deliver the promise of $47,500 salaries for starting teachers.
Illinois
Facebook: Illinois BATs
Facebook Administrator - Diane Barrett King Rener and Millisa Libey Jaycox
Twitter: @IllinoisBATs
Public University Uniform Admission Act. Requires each public university in this State to admit first-time freshman applicants as undergraduate students if the applicant graduated with a grade point average in the top 10% —and other criteria... but no SAT or ACT testing.
First education-related COVID-19 poll reveals parents are more concerned about their child’s education than financial issues, access to food and social distancing.
Kentucky
Facebook: Kentucky BATS
State Administrators - Tiffany Benningfield Dunn and Julia Berner
Twitter: @KentuckyBATs
Department of Education releases reopening guidance for school facilities, CTE centers
Massachu-setts
Facebook: Massachusetts BATs
Facebook Administrator - Amy Wolpin, Sue Doherty
Twitter: @MassBATs
Mass. Education Leaders Release Roadmap for Reopening Schools
Missouri
Facebook: Missouri BATs
Facebook Administrator - Anne Pritchett, Bob Minor
Twitter: @MissouriBATs
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education leaving decisions about the fall up to school districts
New Hampshire
Facebook: New Hampshire BATs
Facebook Administrator: Jena DiPinto
Twitter: @NHampshireBATs
Teachers concerned as task force considers how to reopen schools
North Carolina
Facebook: North Carolina BATs
Facebook Administrators: Angie McLeod Barbour, Melanie Miday-Stern, Jenn Martin
State Board begins to vet K-3 reading diagnostic tools districts can use next year.
Oregon
Facebook: Oregon BATs
Facebook Administrator: Kathleen Hagans Jeskey, Pete Teller, Anna Riddels, Jennifer Dorsey, and Tricia Snyder.
Twitter: @OregonBATs
ODE Releases LGBTQ2SIA+ Student Success
South Dakota
Facebook: South Dakota BATs
Facebook Administrator - Suzy Suzanne
Twitter: Coming Soon
District, state fail to meet special ed federal requirements
West Virginia
Facebook : West Virginia BATs
Facebook Administrator - Greg Cruey
Twitter : @WVBATs
Department of Education launches surveys for fall re-entry
Alaska
Facebook: Alaska BATs
State Administrators - Andy Holleman and Julie Santaella
Twitter: @AlaskaBATs
Anchorage School District superintendent criticized over email addressing nationwide scrutiny of police in schools
Colorado
Facebook: Colorado BATs
State Administrators - William Ames Prather
Twitter: @ColoradoBATsA
Denver - DPS Board of Education Votes Unanimously To Remove Denver Police From Schools
As Denver Public Schools, much like schools across the state, faces a budget crises news that the theft of public school funds continues unabated.
Georgia
Facebook: Georgia BATs
Facebook Administrators - Lynda Wolfe Smith, Lisa Morgan, Peter Toggerson
Twitter: @GeorgiaBATs2
Georgia is eliminating the teacher exam required to obtain a professional certificate and is requesting a waiver to not administer the state test to students in the sy 20/21.
Indiana
Facebook: Indiana BATs
Facebook Administrator: Cathy Sutton
Twitter: @IndianaBATs
IPS says it has failed Black, brown students for decades as it commits to racial equity.
Louisiana
Facebook: Louisiana BATs
Twitter: @LouisianaBATs
Ban on coronavirus lawsuits against Louisiana schools, colleges narrowly approved; see next steps
Michigan
Facebook: Michigan BATs
State Administrators - Linda K. Eastman, Rebecca Lehnert Armstrong, Mary Genger Kieft Bouwense, Carina Hilbert, Jonathan Marceau
Twitter: @MIBATs
Michigan moves to pause standardized tests amid coronavirus
Montana
Facebook: Montana BATs
Facebook Administrator - Cheryl Samson Denton
Twitter @MontanaBATs
Amanda Curtis takes the helm as President of Montana’s largest union.
New Jersey
Facebook: New Jersey BATs
Facebook Administrators - Melissa Tomlinson, Judy Strollo
Twitter: @NJBATsA
Governor Murphy releases The Road Back: Restart and Recovery Plan for Education and NJ educators have questions.
North Dakota
Facebook: North Dakota BATs
Facebook Administrators: Marguerite Madeleine
ACT/SAT score requirement temporarily waived at North Dakota colleges and universities
Pennsylvania
Facebook: Pennsylvania BATs
State Administrators - Dana Marie
Twitter: @PennBAT
Roughly 268 School Districts across the state have adopted some kind of resolution for charter funding reform. PSBA (Pennsylvania School Boards Association) has created a map where you can view these district by district.
Tennessee
Facebook: Tennessee BATs
State Administrators - Lee Ann Pepper Nolan, Tikeila Rucker, Larry Proffitt, Jennifer Navarre, Mary Holden, Jenee Hewlett Peters, Neshellda Johnson, Lu Howard, and April Waltrip Jeffries
Twitter: @MemphisBATBa
Organization calls on Gov. Lee for a special session to protect schools
Virginia
Facebook: Virginia BATs
Facebook Administrators: Cheryl Gibbs Binkley, Sue Goncarovs, Erin Rafferty, Justin Kern
Twitter @VirginiaBATs
Educator Unions Urge FCPS to Continue Distance Learning
Wisconsin
Facebook: Wisconsin BATs
Facebook Administrator: Debbie Kadon
Twitter - Coming Soon!
Gap between student, teacher demographics widening across Wisconsin
Arizona
Facebook: Arizona BATs
State Administrators - Kathie Wing Larsyn and Lise Spangenthal
Twitter: @AZBatsA
The start of an in person school year has been pushed back to August 17th.
Connecticut
Facebook: Connecticut BATs
State Administrators - Jesse Turner and Rose Reyes
Twitter - Coming Soon
More Guidance Released On Returning Students to School in the Fall
Hawaii
Facebook: Hawaii BATs
State Administrators - Mireille Christianne Ellsworth
Twitter: @HawaiiBATs
State Teachers Union, DOE Agree To Reopening Terms
Maine
Facebook: Maine BATs
Facebook Administrator - Robin Ellen Brooks
Twitter: @MaineBATs
Cost of reopening schools during pandemic could exceed $300 million
Minnesota
Facebook: Minnesota BATs
Twitter: @MNBATs1
St. Paul schools budget sees big enrollment loss, pandemic uncertainty
Nebraska
Facebook: Nebraska BATs
Facebook Administrator - Brittany Alexander
Twitter: @NebraskaBATs
Federal money for Nebraska schools won’t be tied to whether they require students and staff to wear masks during the school day.
New Mexico
Facebook: New Mexico BATs
State Administrators - Sara Attleson and Angela Reynolds
Twitter @NewMexicoBATs
Virus raises stakes in New Mexico landmark education lawsuit
Ohio
Facebook: Ohio BATs
Facebook Administrators - Brittany Alexander, Kelly Braun, Karen Linch, Mandy Jablonski, Paula Garfield, Beth Egbert, Debra Fedyna, Amber Clark, Jessica Bosak, Katie Hauer
Twitter: @OhioBATs
Opponents say ‘people will die’ if bill to reopen Ohio’s schools this fall passes as-is
Rhode Island
Facebook: Rhode Island BATs
State Administrators -
Twitter @RhodeIslandBats
Busing biggest headache for reopening schools
Texas
Facebook: Texas BATs
State Administrators - Pamela Ehrlich Smith, Gerald Savoy,
Twitter: @TxBats
Without proper PPE to reopen safely, teachers in Texas may strike
Washington
Facebook: WashingtonBATs
Facebook Administrators: Becca Ritchie, Susan DuFresne, Michelle Murphy Ramey, Linda Myrick, Amy Hepburn, Karen Adlum, Sheri Fingeroot Kittay
Twitter @WABATs_
Tacoma schools to slash jobs, give superintendent a raise
Wyoming
Facebook: Wyoming BATs
Facebook Administrator:
Twitter - Coming Soon!
Task-force Working On How To Reopen Wyoming Schools In Fall
Arkansas
Facebook: Arkansas BATs
State Administrators - Tina Andres
Twitter: @ArkansasBATsA
Arkansas schools granted waivers for pandemic flexibility.
Delaware
Facebook: Delaware BATs
Twitter: @DelawareBATs
Work groups continue to discuss options, concerns for returning to school
Idaho
Facebook: Idaho BATs
Facebook Administrator - Mary Ollie and Levi Cavaner
Twitter: @IdahoBATs
Judge orders a restart in Reclaim Idaho initiative.
Kansas
Facebook: Kansas BATs
Facebook Administrator - Anne Pritchett
Twitter: @KansasBATs
Teachers, parents wonder if students will have to wear masks to school
Maryland
Facebook: Maryland BATs
Twitter - coming soon
Wireless Education Network To Be Built For Maryland Students
Mississippi
Facebook: Mississippi BATs
Facebook Administrator - Amanda Koonlaba
Twitter: @MississippiBATs
The Senate Education committee rejected the nomination of former Sen. Nancy Collins, a key ally of Gov. Tate Reeves, to the state board of education.
Nevada
Facebook: Nevada BATs
Facebook Administrator - Lisa Muntean, Phil Sorenson, Stacey Wolff, Chet Miller, Cindy Darden, Sarah Sunnasy, Carmen Andrews, Mary Beth DeNigris-Franzeo, Jennifer Petrie
Twitter @NVBATs
Clark County School District releases reopening plan ahead of board meeting
New York
Facebook: New York BATs
Facebook Administrators - Beth Glazer-Schettino, Terry Kalb, Eric Olsen, Jamy Brice Hyde, Jake Jacobs, Eve Shippens, Rosemary Pearce, Tara Molloy-Grocki, and Dave Greene
Twitter: @NYBATs
NY BAT Jamaal Bowman has worked with NY teachers and opt out parents for years fighting funding inequality, high stakes testing and privatization of our schools. One of “us” is going to Congress.
Oklahoma
Facebook : Oklahoma BATs
Facebook Administrator - Christa L. Taylor
Twitter: @OklahomaBATs
OKC schools to return with in-person and virtual classes
South Carolina
Facebook: South Carolina BATs
Facebook Administrator - Melissa Soule
Twitter - Coming soon!
SC is considering requesting a waiver to not administer state tests in the upcoming school year.
"The group also suggests removing standardized testing for the coming school year, “this task force recommends the State Department seek a waiver from accountability testing measures in the coming school year.”"
Washington D.C.
Facebook: WashingtonDC.BATs
Facebook Administrators - N. Enser, Denisha Jones
Twitter @BATs_DC
Advisory committee participants named as part of a 2019 effort to review social studies standards and content for District school use.