Austin Tunnell的动态

Late last month, the Pittsburgh School District received new recommendations from a consulting firm in Boston that will guide their updated Facilities Utilization Plan. The plan dictates how the school district should approach changes to grade configurations throughout schools, consolidation of schools, and the closing of specific school buildings. There is no doubt that this plan will have adverse outcomes for majority Black schools in the city, where students have been historically and systemically disenfranchised and underfunded. Too often concerns like declining enrollment or poor academic achievement will be cited in school closures, with little account given to the racially imbalanced institutional standards that have hampered public education for decades. We demand that the city of Pittsburgh put a plan in place to ensure that relocated students have a guided transition and understand the full reasons for the move. Make your voice heard on potential Pittsburgh school closures and visit bit.ly/pghschools

This trend mirrors our nation's movement to the South. Ever since air conditioning was democratized in the ~1950s, the entire nation has been moving south. Here is a snippet of the article, "A growing number of high-school seniors in the North are making an unexpected choice for college: They are heading to Clemson University, Georgia Institute of Technology, University of South Carolina, The University of Alabama and other universities in the South. Students say they are searching for the fun and school spirit emanating from the South on their social-media feeds. Their parents cite lower tuition and less debt, and warmer weather. College counselors also say many teens are eager to trade the political polarization ripping apart campuses in New England and New York for the sense of community epitomized by the South’s football Saturdays. Promising job prospects after graduation can sweeten the pot. The number of Northerners going to Southern public schools went up 84% over the past two decades, and jumped 30% from 2018 to 2022, a The Wall Street Journal analysis of the latest available Education Department data found. At the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in Knoxville, total freshmen from the Northeast jumped to nearly 600 in a class of about 6,800, up from around 50 in 2002. At the University of Mississippi, in Oxford, they increased from 11 to more than 200 in a class of about 4,500 in 2022. At the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, 11% of students came from the Northeast in 2022, compared with less than 1% two decades prior." Sounds like an interesting article - if I could access it.

It's the middle of summer, but many of us in higher education are laser-focused on November 2024. Colleagues, I urge you -- do not let politics deter you from this vital work. Regardless of who becomes the President of the United States, we must remain unapologetic in?our dedication to serving our students and communities. When I say "stay focused on the mission and vision,"?I mean we must relentlessly pursue our institutions' strategic plans. This includes advancing our?education programs, enhancing our facilities and staffing, managing our enrollments effectively, and upholding our equity plans. At Compton College, we are diligently working on Compton College 2035, which is our updated stragetic plan, with a target completion date of November 2024. We must continue to be unapologetic as we address the systems, policies and structures that negatively impact student success, particularly for students whose voices have been ignored. Stay focused, stay strong and let your heart serve as your compass in this work.

Parents of college-bound high school students, did you know this? A growing number of high school seniors in the North are making an unexpected choice for college and they are heading to Clemson, Georgia Tech, South Carolina, Alabama and other universities in the South. Students are searching for more fun, school spirit, and football Saturdays, not to mention better weather, lower tuition and less political polarization. If your student is looking at colleges in South Carolina, why not consider moving there full-time so you can take advantage of in-state tuition, or owning a vacation home that can eventually become your primary residence? We are relocation experts. Let us know if you're looking to make a move to the Lowcountry! See the below WSJ article for more details (you need to subscribe to view the full article.)

At Saint Louis Sudbury School, students are free to ask questions, learn from, and hang out with students and staff of all ages. Sudbury model school graduates often comment about how they are comfortable talking with their professors, supervisors, and co-workers of different ages. When have you worked with a team who were all the same age? This is a great behind the scenes moment of a younger student asking for help about possibly changing a school rule. He wanted to know about the wording of the current rule, how to make a motion in School Meeting to change it, and help writing the item on the School Meeting agenda. Are you interested in exploring Self-Directed Education in a democratic learning community for your child? Want to see your child reignite their love for learning? Provide them with an opportunity of time and space to discover themselves and prioritize their well-being? Schedule a tour of Saint Louis Sudbury School this spring, consider a Visiting Week in the spring or summer, and enroll in the fall! https://lnkd.in/gfpwApCX (Note: a few spots remain for this current School Year.)

This year, we are proudly celebrating a decade of the Vote Everywhere program. One of the "Founding Fifteen" campuses, the Campus Team at Binghamton University reflected on the impact of the Vote Everywhere over the past decade: "Some of the most notable changes since 2014 are related to the institutionalized nature of nonpartisan student voting support. Our team focused a lot of energy in our early years on reaching large numbers of students through existing campus processes. For example, we began offering voter registration at summer orientation in 2016. We present in dozens of classes each year and offer voter registration forms in partnership with private off-campus apartment complexes, among other initiatives. We have been successful in embedding this work within a professional office, the Center for Civic Engagement, which provides a consistent resource for students to access voting information and services." Read more about the ten years of impact on the Binghamton University campus in Binghamton, New York, here: https://lnkd.in/edinNfGH #AndrewGoodman #VoteEverywhere #LiveTheLegacy #BinghamtonUniversity #Binghamton

Add the trend of students from the Northeast looking to go to schools in the South to the already shrinking pool of students in the Northeast. "Mirroring a migration of Northern workers to low-tax states in the South, students from New York, New Jersey and New England are now also heading to Southern colleges — seeking warmer weather, cheaper tuition and a more relaxed atmosphere at a time many campuses have become?political battlegrounds. Applications to colleges in the South are up 50% since 2019, which compares to a less than 30% rise in New England and the Mid-Atlantic, Common Application data shows." https://bloom.bg/4cafudh #highered #highereducation #collegeadmissions

Did you know Park City High School has achieved a prestigious ranking as the fifth-best high school in Utah, according to the latest U.S. News & World Report Best High School rankings for 2024? This significant recognition highlights Park City School District's dedication to academic excellence. The U.S. News Best High Schools rankings include data on nearly 25,000 public high schools in 50 states and the District of Columbia. Nearly 18,000 schools were ranked on six factors based on their performance on state assessments and how well they prepare students for college. PCHS moved up to 5th ranked high school in Utah and increased to 717th ranked school—up over 100 places, ranking in the top 4% of high schools nationally. https://lnkd.in/gF8RDeBp

According to our Across the Aisle survey research, 90 percent of voters believe that after-school and/or summer learning opportunities would be very helpful to students moving forward. With extensive research showing that after-school programs play a vital role in supporting academic achievement, social-emotional development, and overall well-being, it is no surprise that districts and states are investing resources in these programs to support students, recover lost learning time, and more. Join us on 5/16 for a deep dive into the critical role that after-school and out-of-school programs play in supporting students and families, and a discussion about the potential challenges that may arise as budgets continue to tighten. Register here: https://ow.ly/v0KO50RtBa5 Tennessee Department of Education, South Carolina Afterschool Alliance

?? Why is equity important in Atlanta’s school system? ?? Equity in education goes beyond equal distribution; it involves providing each student with the resources and support they need to thrive, regardless of their background, socio-economic status, or zip code. In the context of Atlanta’s public school systems, ensuring equity means addressing historical disparities and creating an inclusive environment where every student has an equal opportunity to succeed. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eievBxx7