[Weekly EdNews Round Up] K-12 Funding, the ACT, and Chronic Absenteeism

No one knows better than educators about the importance of staying up-to-date. In Edmentum’s Weekly News Round Up, you’ll find the latest and most interesting education news, all in one place.

What do state primary elections, high school juniors in Kansas, and 8 million chronically absent students have in common? They’re all featured in stories in this week’s EdNews Round Up! Catch up on how K-12 funding is turning out to be a wedge issue in state primary elections, how juniors at public high schools in Kansas will take the ACT on the state’s dime, how 36 states aim to tackle chronic absenteeism, and more!

Tuesday Primary Results Make It Clear K-12 Funding Will Be a Wedge Issue This Fall
EdWeek
Republican and Democratic candidates for governor in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and elsewhere are clashing over how (or whether) to shore up school districts' budgets.

Kansas high school juniors will take the ACT exam on the state’s dime
The Wichita Eagle
Every public high school junior in Kansas will be able to take the ACT college entrance exam and WorkKeys assessments for free next school year, state education officials announced.

With Nearly 8 Million Students Chronically Absent From School Each Year, 36 States Set Out to Tackle the Problem.
The 74
With nearly 8 million students chronically absent from school each year, 36 states set out to tackle the problem in new federal education plans. Will it make a difference?

In Puerto Rico, New School Year Begins After Hurricane Maria, Big Changes to Education System
NBC News
Families return to much-debated school consolidations and a new teacher registration system as officials cite the need to improve schools amid budget woes.

10 Bold Ideas Principals Can Embrace This School Year
EdWeek
Principals, the start of a new school year can be hectic. But it’s also a time to reflect – and potentially change your ways. (Think of the new year as a fresh slate.) Here are 10 suggestions—big and small—for shaking things up.

How to Make Students Care About Writing
The Atlantic
Pirette McKamey, a veteran English teacher, spent 30 years investigating what helps young people to view themselves as writers.

How To Make A Civics Education Stick
npr
In the age of fake news, civics learning involves a lot more than reading the Constitution. One teacher says she encourages her students to "question everything."

Six Strategies to Help Introverts Thrive at School and Feel Understood
MindShift
Designing experiences that give kids time to think on their own before sharing out to the class can go a long way in helping introverted kids feel valued and understood.