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New Edition of Learning Goes On - IDRA eNews – CDC issues new guidelines

See the latest edition of IDRA's bilingual Learning Goes On – A COVID-19 Resource for Education, featuring stories on:
- Education News: New CDC Guidelines & TEA – STAAR News
- If Teachers Controlled the Education Budget
- New Classnotes Podcast Episode: Teaching High-Level Math through Distance Learning
- Educational Leadership in Unpredictable Times
- Upcoming Webinar: Principals Leading in a Pandemic
- Webinar Recording Available: Impact of the Pandemic on Bilingual Education

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Black History Month! Resources for Supporting Black Students – Honoring Black Lives and Contributions During Black History Month

February is Black History Month! While we must celebrate the lives of Black people every day, we believe it is important to also take time during Black History Month to recognize the rich and complex history, hard-won triumphs, and persistent challenges faced by Black people.

We especially want to highlight ways to support Black students, who continue to face systemic barriers that prevent them from accessing excellent and equitable schools.

Rooted in the nation's second generation of civil rights almost five decades ago, IDRA has remained committed to achieving excellent, equitable schooling for diverse students in our pioneering style that intersects research, policy, practice and community engagement. We're happy to share news and resources with you as we kick off this special month.

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Youth STEM Ambassadors to Peek Inside the World of Aviation and Aerospace

Dee Howard Foundation Provides Virtual Tours and Curriculum for IDRA Texas Chief Science Officer Students

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IDRA VisionCoders™ Computer Science Course Will Serve 1,400 Students in San Antonio

IDRA & Texas A&M University–San Antonio Launch ‘VisionCoders™’ with $3.89M Federal Grant

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3 Education Issue Policy Priorities for Texas – IDRA Policy Priorities for Texas Legislative Session

As Texas Legislature prepares to convene in January, IDRA is releasing a series of stories on our policy priorities. The latest edition focuses on:
- Texas Needs an Equitable Response to COVID-19 that Includes a Statewide Broadband and Student-Family Engagement Plans
- Remove Barriers to College for All Texas Students and Beyond
- Texas Must Prioritize Public Schools

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IDRA Gives Recommendations to Members of the President-elect Biden Education Transition Team

IDRA advises incoming administration to focus on much-needed COVID-19 relief and policies that promote systemic educational equity.

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A&M-Commerce Partners with IDRA for Groundbreaking Collaboration

Texas A&M University-Commerce and IDRA are partnering to create a trailblazing collaboration to increase access to higher education and provide students with insight into influencing educational policy and legislation. As part of the agreement, IDRA will provide the curriculum for an online elective course on social justice through policy. The doctorate-level course will be offered through the A&M-Commerce Department of Educational Leadership in spring 2021. The course will be based on a curriculum designed for the IDRA Education Policy Fellows program, a nine-month initiative designed to give real-world state policymaking experience to advocates familiar with communities of color in Texas.

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IDRA Delivers Laptops to South San Antonio ISD Students

As students continue to struggle with distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, IDRA delivered computers generously donated by Arca Continental Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages to students in the South San Antonio ISD. Arca Continental delivered the laptops to the Consulate General of Mexico in San Antonio on October 30 to work with IDRA to facilitate distribution to students in an area hard-hit by the digital divide.

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Meet IDRA's Inaugural Class of Education Policy Fellows – Changing the landscape of state education advocacy

IDRA begins its first Education Policy Fellows Program. Five fellows will gain real-world advocacy experience and training during the 2021 Texas legislative session, because we know state policymakers can make stronger education policy decisions by working with advocates of color who are connected to impacted communities.

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Welcoming Immigrant Students in School

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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IDRA Valued Youth Partnership Tutors Lead in New Ways

Now more than ever, reconnecting with students is critical. IDRA can help! The IDRA Valued Youth Partnership is a research-based, internationally-recognized dropout prevention program that has kept 98% of its tutors in school. See our new video and news about how we are preparing modifications for the new school year due to COVID-19 precautions. Join the VYP school-family-community partnership. Because when you do, every student can go beyond!

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New Partnership Launches the Texas Early Childhood English Learner Initiative

IDRA is excited to announce our partnership in launching the Early Childhood English Learner initiative. IDRA will serve as a steering committee co-leader with Texans Care for Children; Dr. Dina Castro, UNT Denton; and Texas Association for the Education of Young Children.

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IDRA Statement in Support of Black Lives - Learning Goes On - IDRA eNews

Amidst the collective demonstrations demanding justice all over the country and the world, IDRA stands in solidarity with all who declare that Black Lives Matter. We express our sympathy for the families of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and all others who have lost their lives as a result of racialized violence and systemic oppression in the form of police brutality. As an organization committed to promoting educational equity, IDRA recognizes the experience of young people of color, and especially Black youth.