Learning Goes On
See IDRA’s resources for schools and families responding to coronavirus (COVID-19), including policy updates; our free webinar series on equitable practices for online learning; Survey for parents, students, educators and others; COVID-19 Education News Dashboard; COVID-19 Data Map – Texas College Responses; Equity Connection – IDRA's free online community of practice; and online technical assistance academies for school districts.
The eNews and policy updates are available in English and Spanish.
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Survey
Family and Community Input is Needed on Education Effects of COVID-19. Please fill out our survey about distance learning during school closures!
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Media Release
IDRA launched a partnership with two community-based organizations in the Texas Rio Grande Valley to help Spanish-speaking families navigate virtual classrooms while schools are closed due to COVID-19.
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Media Release
Through its Ventanilla de Orientación Educativa (Window to Education), IDRA launched a portal this month with bilingual materials and videos for families. The materials provide information on the civil rights of immigrant and English learner students, local educational services, and resources on how to access and succeed in college.
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Media Release
For many years before the COVID-19 outbreak, IDRA has worked with schools and communities to close digital divide for the most vulnerable students. With assistance from San Antonio Area Foundation and the United Way of San Antonio this week, IDRA will provide its popular Semillitas de Aprendizaje bilingual storybooks to families in Edgewood ISD and Southwest ISD who have no access to online education.
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#GivingTuesday
As a community, we can protect the most underserved students from falling through the cracks as their education is disrupted by school closures.
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IDRA Newsletter
IDRA’s latest newsletter focuses on equity auditing with stories:
- Using Equity Audits to Assess and Address Opportunity Gaps Across Education
- Ensuring Equity in Online Learning – Considerations in Response to COVID-19’s Impact on Schooling
- Meet Dr. Bricio Vasquez – Education Data Scientist
- A Win for Equity – Texas Board Adopts Curriculum Standards for African American Studies Course in Historic Vote
News Release
Multi-sector Coalition Cautions Leaders to Distribute Emergency Funds Equitably.
The Texas Legislative Education Equity Coalition (TLEEC) sent a letter to Governor Greg Abbott, Commissioner of Education Mike Morath, and Commissioner of Higher Education Harrison Keller, urging the leaders to distribute and monitor federal COVID-19 emergency relief funds equitably.
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News Release
IDRA applauds the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) for its preliminary approval today of the proposed curriculum standards for a state-approved African American Studies course. With the unanimous vote, the SBOE takes a step in the right direction to create excellent and equitable schools in which all students learn about the rich contributions to this country that African Americans have made in all disciplines.
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Statement
In the wake of the current public health crisis, IDRA is committed to the well-being and health of our staff and the students and communities we serve.
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Free Webinar Series
Our free webinar series on Equitable Practices for Online Learning is designed to support educators as you continue student learning during this unprecedented coronavirus (COVID-19) event. The webinars will be online at the IDRA EAC-South website for viewing on-demand as well.
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Podcast
Classnotes Podcast (March 6, 2020). For several decades, some states have used the threat of taking over a school district … read more
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Statement
(January 27, 2020) Court Decision to uphold administration’s changes to the “public charge” rule leaves schools to fill gaps to address children’s hunger, housing insecurity and other needs that affect their learning
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Annual Report
As a community, we have made a promise to our children - a big promise to provide a quality public education so all children may find their fullest future and fulfill it.
IDRA's new publication, Keeping the Promise - Putting Children First, features seven case studies that illustrate how IDRA promotes leading-edge research, policies, and practices that secure real solutions to school inequity and achieves results for students.
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Testimony
In testimony before the Texas State Board of Education, IDRA National Director of Policy, Advocacy and Community Engagement Morgan Craven referenced several research studies showing the dramatic positive impact of ethnic studies courses, such as one where attendance increased by 21 percentage points! The board held a public hearing on a proposed new African American Studies course.
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eNews
The commission will update Virginia’s standards of learning to be more inclusive of African American contributions
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Infographic
See our new technical assistance package focusing on family engagement.
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Infographic
When U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducts raids in a community, students are deeply affected. Even the threat of a raid or news of one in another part of the country can have painful lasting effects. To help educators serving students affected by ICE raids, see IDRA's list of 10 strategies for schools.
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eNews
As schools are registering students for the new school year, IDRA released this new alert as a reminder that public schools, by law, must serve all children. Not only should undocumented students not be discouraged from attending, they are required to attend school under the state’s compulsory education laws.
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eNews
Fifty San Antonio students will serve as ambassadors to the science and innovation community this next school year. IDRA and the Alamo STEM Ecosystem launched the Chief Science Officers program here and will expand across Texas. The program empowers middle and school high school students to enrich school STEM culture and career awareness by bringing STEM/STEAM*-related opportunities to their schools and local communities.
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Report
A new IDRA report outlines the contributions of IDRA's 15 years in teacher preparation through six multi-year Transition to Teaching grants, funded by the U.S. Department of Education. IDRA partnered with universities and more than 55 school districts across Texas to prepare a new generation of skilled, effective teachers to lead and innovate in schools that need them most.
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IDRA eNews
Study on the Impact of Texas' New Weakened Graduation Requirements in HB5 Released by IDRA
The class of 2018 is the first to graduate under the new graduation requirements put in place in 2013 by the Texas legislature. Many advocates raised concerns that lowering graduation requirements could possibly affect college readiness and preparation. With funding from the Greater Texas Foundation, IDRA conducted a mixed method study to examine the early effects of the new graduation requirements. See the study findings.
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IDRA eNews
Across the country, school doors are now open. Families have gathered supplies. Teachers have arranged their rooms. Principals have organized their staff. The sights and sounds are familiar, just like every year. But some things need to be different if we are going to better serve our diverse students and lead them to success.
See a few examples of our new and most popular packages:
• English Learner Literacy Coaching
• Instructional Strategies for Building Inferencing Skills
• Effective Dropout Prevention through the Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program
• Use Semillitas de Aprendizaje™ to Support Bilingual Early Childhood Literacy Development
Contact
5815 Callaghan Road, Suite 101
San Antonio, TX 78228
Phone: 210-444-1710
Fax: 210-444-1714
