Webinars

Hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants face uncertainty as the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, is slated to end in early March. What are the potential implications for students, K-12 schools, and higher education? What kinds of questions should education reporters be asking in their communities?

With President Trump expected to sign GOP legislation approved this week to overhaul the tax code, analysts are scrambling to unpack the complicated GOP deal, including the stakes for education. The plan could make it much harder for some communities to pay for public schools, analysts say, while it offers a new tax break for private school tuition and other K-12 expenses. Meanwhile, last-minute dealmaking has led to key shifts in how the tax package will impact colleges and universities.

In the last several weeks, reports of hazing, racist attacks and pledge deaths have prompted at least eight universities to suspended fraternity chapters — and in some cases all Greek-affiliated organizations — on campus.

Fraternities and sororities have become the center of some of higher education’s most troubling stories. There are deaths of pledges, parties that become scenes for sexual `assault, and historically racist standards for entry that also perpetuate inequity with prohibitive annual fees and dress codes.

States across the nation are taking another look at their school accountability systems in response to the Every Student Succeeds Act, a rewrite of the main federal law for K-12 education. So far, 16 states and the District of Columbia have submitted their ESSA plans for review by the U.S. Department of Education. Another 33 states have until Sept. 18  to do so.

Looking to liven up your coverage of classroom technology and how it’s playing out in your local schools? Join Nichole Dobo of The Hechinger Report and EWA public editor Emily Richmond for an “express” 30-minute webinar on digital learning and classroom technology. You’ll come away with ideas for quick-hit daily stories, data-driven takeouts and enterprise reporting. Plus, get the inside scoop on how to make the most of EWA’s newest Topics Page on Digital Learning & Technology.

With states revamping their school accountability systems under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act, recent actions by Congress and the Trump administration raise important questions about what’s ahead. First, the Senate last week narrowly approved a bill to repeal ESSA accountability rules issued by the Obama administration. (President Donald Trump is expected to sign the measure.) Also, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos just issued new ESSA guidelines for states.

Should schools measure skills like cooperation, communication, self-confidence and the ability to organize? Efforts to gauge these so-called “soft skills” are gaining traction in the classroom, especially with the passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act. The new federal law calls on states and school districts to incorporate at least one measure beyond test scores and graduation rates in their accountability systems.

How many first-generation students does a college have? How much does the school charge students from families earning $30,000 versus more than $75,000? And how many students are repaying their student loan debt three years after college?