[Weekly EdNews Round Up] U.S. Schools Are Getting Rid of Snow Days

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.

Everyone loves a good snow day. There’s no feeling quite like waking up to a white wonderland of fresh powder promising a day off from school. But when snow days start to pile up, missed days of school turn into lost days of learning fast. That’s why some schools are turning to online learning for help. Read all about this story and more in this week’s EdNews Round Up.

U.S. schools are getting rid of snow days — with Google's help
Yahoo! Finance
When most people were in school, snow days meant that you essentially received a surprise holiday from mother nature. These days, schools are moving to replace snow days and other extreme weather off days with online learning.

Doodling builds confidence, memory
Education Dive
Research published in Applied Cognitive Psychology showed those who were able to sketch during a call had a 29% better recollection than those who didn’t

Community Support Helps Schools Recover from Disaster
neaToday
Thanks to an outpouring of support, disaster-hit schools and communities have reason to feel hopeful this holiday season..

Scrap Discipline Guidance, Consider Arming School Staff, Trump Commission Says
EdWeek
The federal panel set up after the Parkland, Fla., school shooting says schools should consider arming school personnel, and recommends ditching guidance aimed at curbing disparities in student discipline.

More schools are starting classes later: Why good sleep is important
ABC News
Researchers used activity monitors to study a group of high school sophomores, and found that with later start times, students were not only getting an extra half-hour of sleep, their grades had improved by nearly 5 percentage points.

Nicotine Vaping Is Surging Among U.S. High School Students at Record Rates
U.S. News
Results from a government-backed survey offer potential concern about tobacco use as well as a bright spot amid the nation's opioid crisis.

Learning From Elementary Teachers
Edutopia
Middle and high school teachers can adapt several strategies used by their elementary school peers.

Nap Time Boosts Learning, Studies Say
EdWeek
For schools looking for ways to squeeze in more instructional time for young learners, preschool and kindergarten nap time can be a tempting target. But emerging sleep research suggests cutting out the afternoon snooze can come at the expense of some children's longer-term ability to remember what they learn.

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.

Montana Supreme Court: Tax credit that benefited religious schools is unconstitutional
Missoulian
Montana's high court struck down the state's tax credit for school scholarships because it primarily benefited religious schools, running afoul of Montana's Constitution. The state program allowed donors who contributed to scholarship funds for students to reduce their state taxes by $1 for every $1 they gave to the fund.

Indiana education officials call for a crackdown on ‘too big to fail’ virtual schools
Chalkbeat
In a 7-1 vote, the Indiana State Board of Education recommended that state lawmakers impose stricter rules on virtual charter school and the agencies that oversee them. The proposed rules would stop school districts from overseeing virtual schools, eliminate a fee structure, and limit the growth of new and chronically underperforming virtual schools.

LAUSD teachers set strike date, saying ‘enough is enough’ after negotiations fail
Los Angeles Daily News
A fed-up Los Angeles teachers union on Wednesday set a Jan. 10 strike date unless a contract agreement can be reached with the Los Angeles Unified School District in the next three weeks, the union announced Wednesday.

Enrollment Fraud Reminds Us That Many Public Schools Aren't Public
Forbes
Extensive efforts are undertaken to ensure that the only students who are enrolled in a district live within its boundaries. School district lines often act as invisible barriers to opportunity.

DeVos To Rescind Obama-Era Guidance On School Discipline
npr
A federal commission led by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos recommends rescinding guidance intended to reduce racial discrimination in school discipline. It urges schools to consider working with local law enforcement to train and arm school personnel. The report highlights one concrete gun control recommendation.