[Weekly EdNews Round Up] Will Your State’s Midterm Elections Shake Up ESSA?

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.

Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos just recently finished approving all of the U.S. ESSA plans. But states can still make changes to their ESSA plans, and depending on the results of upcoming midterm elections in several states, many of them may want to. Could your state be one of them? Read all about this and more in this week’s EdNews Round Up!

Midterms Could Mean Big Changes for State ESSA Plans: Which Races to Watch
EdWeek
DeVos may have approved every state's vision for implementing the Every Student Succeeds Act-but that doesn't mean the plan are all done and dusted. States can still make changes to their plans. And after the midterm election in November, many of them may want to. Here are which states to keep an eye on.

Dos and Don’ts of Classroom Decorations
edutopia
Every teacher loves decorating their classroom. But experts say what you put on your classroom walls can affect your students’ ability to learn.

Why Principals Need to Make Student Mental Health a Priority
EdWeek
Rising rates of anxiety, depression, and suicide in children are manifesting in schools. What principals can do to support students and stave off crisis.

Can You Show Netflix in Class? Copyright for Teachers Made Simple
Edsurge
Educators use a variety of resources in the classroom to enhance a lesson. Knowing when the decision to use something falls under fair use and when it is a copyright violation can get tricky, but it doesn’t have to.

To Prevent Loneliness, Start in the Classroom
The Atlantic
Young people are among the loneliest of all Americans. Schools that teach kids how to deal with feelings of isolation could help put a dent in the epidemic.

SAT Scores See Slight Increase as Test-Taking Surges
EdWeek
More than 2 million students in the class of 2018 took the SAT, making it the most widely used college admission test.

To Track Lead in Drinking Water, School Districts Go Digital
edscoop
Increasingly, the technology available to K-12 districts isn’t limited to the four walls of a classroom — for some schools, a combination of EPA-approved water testing kits and cloud-based facility management software has helped keep students and faculty safe from poisonous materials across campus.

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.

Arizona State Education Board Affirms Teaching of Evolution
AP
The Arizona State Board of Education will adopt revised history and social science standards that affirm the teaching of evolution.

Colorado School District Prepares Plan to Arm Personnel
AP
A school district outside Colorado Springs will allow teachers and other employees to carry concealed handguns on campus.

Why Many College Dropouts Are Returning to School in North Carolina
The Atlantic
A new plan to lower tuition has led to a 60 percent jump in the number of students who have re-enrolled at one university.