Transforming education
by putting children first

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IDRA new resource - Knowledge is Power

New issue: We can and must talk about racism in classroom lessons; What parents and students want

IDRA’s Knowledge is Power is a national resource for educators and advocates to help you do your work for equity and excellence in education in the midst of classroom censorship policies. See our inaugural issue (in English or Spanish).
In this edition:
- We Can and Must Talk about Racism in Classroom Lessons
- Students Want School to be Relevant and Inclusive
- Schools Should Teach the Truth – A Letter from a Parent

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Three upcoming events

- Webinar Panel: How Calculus Access and Funding Inequity Limits College Readiness: October 20, 2021 • 10:00 AM-12:00 pm CT

- Facebook Live: Make It Make Sense! – What Data Tell Us About the School-to-Prison Pipeline: October 19, 2021 • 5:30-6:30 pm CT

- Webinar: In the Red – Drawing the Line on Digital Redlining Practices: October 27, 2021 • 11:30 am to 12:30 pm CT

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Celebrating Latino Heritage Month

This #LatinoHeritageMonth, IDRA honors the critical histories of our students, staff and leaders with roots in Latinoamérica. At the same time that we celebrate generations of community cultural wealth, we continue working within our communities to disrupt past and present injustice.

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Knowledge is Power - Announcement

Students Tell Texas Attorney General that Racial Discrimination in School is Real

Concerned about the impact of the new classroom censorship bill in Texas, 88 public school students described their experiences with racial discrimination in school. In response to a state representative’s request for a Texas Attorney General opinion on “‘antiracism’ teachings and Critical Race Theory (CRT) principles in Texas public schools,” the TEACH Coalition submitted a letter urging the Attorney General Ken Paxton to decline to issue such an opinion.

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Meet Our New Staff Members!

IDRA's family is growing

We're excited to introduce you to four new IDRA staff members! We also have some positions and consultancies open.

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In memoriam – Mr. Jesse S. Treviño

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Texas Doubles Down on Classroom Censorship at Students' Expense

IDRA Statement on SB 3 Passage

Last night, the Texas legislature passed Senate Bill 3, a classroom censorship bill that will impact K-12 students and teachers across the state. The bill is the second attempt by conservative Texas lawmakers to control historical narratives and limit classroom discussions about race and discrimination. The first attempt, House Bill 3979, passed into law and became effective this week.

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Call for Applications for Georgia

IDRA Education Policy Fellows Program

IDRA seeks to change the landscape of state education advocacy by training advocates of color to influence state laws and lead a powerful network of impacted and engaged communities. Our inaugural Georgia fellow will receive real-world training on advancing an educational equity agenda and will work to protect students of color during the 156th Georgia legislative session.

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New Power Advisory Team Guides Program to Support Budding Teen Software Designers

San Antonio Middle School Students to Become Software Designers in IDRA & Texas A&M University–San Antonio “VisionCoders™ Program

Education innovation requires brilliant leadership. To provide such leadership for the VisionCoders program, IDRA established the VisionCoders advisory committee, composed of prominent education and STEM experts. The advisory committee provides students with opportunities that focus on three key areas: empowerment, education and encouragement. These opportunities empower a sense of responsibility in leadership roles, engage students through meaningful experiences, and give recognition for student accomplishments and effort.

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Welcoming Immigrant Students

School Opening Alert – Immigrant Students’ Rights to Attend Public Schools

As a new school year begins, this alert is a reminder that public schools, by law, must serve all children. See IDRA's bilingual infographic: Welcoming Immigrant Students in School, which is also available as a poster. Other free bilingual resources and tools are available online.

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Encourage STEM Leadership at Your School - Sign up your Texas school

Bring the Texas Chief Science Officers Program to Your School!

CSOs are students in grades 6-12 elected by their peers to be liaisons for STEM in their schools and communities. In this free out-of-school-time program, students develop leadership skills to implement on-campus projects and advocate for student voice in STEM.

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As Schools Plan to Reopen Safely, IDRA Valued Youth Partnership Re-engages Struggling Students

See How the IDRA Valued Youth Partnership Works

Valued Youth Partnership helps students build their socio-emotional skills

When students return to school after this extended time away, it will be more important than ever to strengthen the school-family-community dynamic in order to reconnect with students, especially those that have been harder to reach during this time of distance learning.

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Congressional Briefing Stresses Need to End Corporal Punishment of Students

IDRA releases report: Stopping Harmful Corporal Punishment Policies in Texas

In 19 states, educators are allowed to beat students as a form of discipline. “Under current federal law, not all children are guaranteed a safe classroom,” said Congressman A. Donald McEachin, who introduced the Protecting Our Students in Schools Act. IDRA co-hosted a congressional briefing this week featuring comments from the Congressman and panels of experts, including IDRA EAC-South Director Dr. Paula Johnson, who spoke about the harms of corporal punishment and the benefits of educational practices that value all students and build safer schools.

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Texas Gov Signs Harmful Texas Social Studies Bill into Law

Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed into law HB 3979, the dangerous bill that controls teacher and student speech in schools and prohibits important conversations about racism, discrimination and current events. The Texas Legislature rammed this bill, like other copycat bills being filed in states across the country, through the process with little input from students, teachers and communities of color in the final days of its legislative session.

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A Note from Celina

Amplifying Texas’ People Power in a Legislative Session Marked by Harmful Policies

During the 87th Texas legislative session that ended this week, IDRA fought for policies that ensure excellent and equitable schools for all students. The legislature convened in the wake of multiple crises – a global pandemic, an economic shutdown, systemic and violent racism, and a devastating winter storm. Tragically, the state’s leadership largely sought to curtail civil rights and ignore those most impacted by Texas education policy.

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IDRA Report Links Lack of Broadband Access to Student Disengagement

“Plugged in, Tuned Out” Shows Problem is Worst in Large Urban School Districts

Since the transition to remote learning during the pandemic, schools struggle to reconnect with hundreds of thousands of students. A new IDRA study found that the problem is bigger than any school strategy. IDRA’s report, Plugged in, Tuned Out – A First Examination of Student Engagement Patterns in Texas Public Schools During COVID-19, makes clear that, in many parts of Texas, student disengagement during the pandemic was a direct result of limited broadband access.

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Texas Can Better Serve Emergent Bilingual Students

Report on Creating a More Bilingual Texas

IDRA co-authored a new report released today in partnership with Every Texan. The report, Creating a More Bilingual Texas, provides an overview of policies, history and current issues for emergent bilingual students and bilingual/ESL education in Texas. It also shares recommendations to address the ongoing challenges to achieving educational equity for emergent bilingual students.