[Weekly EdNews Round Up] Remembering Toni Morrison: A Gifted Teacher

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.

The late African American author Toni Morrison left behind a timeless legacy in literature, and an immeasurable impact on the lives of many. One woman, professor Jocelyn Chadwick, remembers Morrison not only as a friend, but as a gifted educator. Read all about this story and more in this week’s EdNews Round Up.

I Knew Toni Morrison. She Was a Gifted Teacher
EdWeek
With news of iconic African American author Toni Morrison’s passing last week, tributes and memorials are pouring in. Here, professor Jocelyn Chadwick shares stories of her friendship with the late icon - and her incredible impact not only as a writer but an educator.

ICE Raids Send Schools Scrambling
U.S. News
We have plans that we put in place for school safety and check-out procedures for parents, but there aren’t many plans out there for raids,' one administrator says.

Students and Educators Work Together to Create Inclusive Environments for LGBTQ Students
NEA Today
With little progress at the national or state level, activists are making sure something is being done in their school districts to protect LGBTQ rights.

Researchers: Book studies allow more teacher voice in PD
Education Dive
Book studies can be a successful method for involving teachers in their professional learning and can meet teachers’ needs “in more powerful ways than traditional professional development,” according to a new article appearing in the American Educational Research Journal.

How Should Schools Respond to ICE Raids? Some Advice
EdWeek
In the wake of the large immigration raids last week, school administrators and other educators across the country face the prospect that workplace raids could happen in their districts—and must address the fear and uncertainty that is likely gripping millions of their students.

Study: Students Who Attend Charter High School More Likely to Vote, Less Likely to Commit Crime
The 74
Do charter high schools lead to higher civic engagement? A new study says their students are more likely to register and vote

Labor Dept rules IEP meetings a valid reason for family and medical leave
Education Dive
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has issued an opinion letter stating parents and guardians are allowed to use the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) intermittently to attend Individual Education Program (IEP) meetings with teachers, school administrators and others involved in planning education services for children with special needs.

When ‘Back to School’ Means Back to Mass-Shooting Fears
The Atlantic
High-profile massacres have created ambient, worsening anxiety about gun violence on K–12 campuses.

Education policy is often a topic of conversation in state and federal legislatures. Stay in-the-know with this week’s top stories regarding education reform at the state and national level.

Four States Now Require Schools to Teach LGBT History
EdWeek
Democratic Governor J. B. Pritzker signed House Bill 246 into law Aug. 9, making Illinois the fourth state to mandate teaching LGBT history, after California, New Jersey, and Colorado. The Illinois legislation takes effect in July 2020.

How Georgia is Trying to Expand Computer Science Classes to Help Fill Jobs
WABE (ATL NPR)
Georgia isn't producing nearly enough computer science graduates to fill available tech jobs. According to the Georgia Department of Education, there are close to 20,000 open computing jobs in the state, but just 1,200 students graduate from Georgia colleges each year with computer science degrees. Historically, computer science has only been an elective--new legislation is changing that.

Schools Worry Over New Trump Rule on Immigrants and Federal Benefits
EdWeek
A new Trump administration rule regarding immigrants' use of federal benefits could have an indirect but significant impact on schools if it deters families from seeking assistance under certain programs, education advocates warn.

More Student Funding, Full-Day Pre-K, Teacher Raises & a Longer School Year — Inside Texas’s $11.6 Billion School Finance Reform Law
The 74
More student funding, full-day pre-K, teacher raises & a longer school year — inside Texas’s $11.6 billion school finance reform law.

New push in California for later middle, high school start times
EdSource
A California bill would require middle schools to start no earlier than 8 a.m. and high schools to start no earlier than 8:30 a.m. to address health issues related to teen sleep deprivation.
After former Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed a bill last year that proposed starting middle and high school times later to give teens more time to sleep, the bill’s author started working to bring it back again this year.