Southern Regional Education Board

When families can't find or afford child care, a common solution is for one parent to drop out of the workforce. During the COVID-19 pandemic, this has hit women especially hard and promises long-term implications for family income, tax contributions and retirement savings. Our newest brief explores the pandemic's impact on child care: http://ow.ly/WMVV50DjIc1

NEW: SREB President Stephen Pruitt writes in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that states should seek to pause the use of test scores for school accountabilityand then make substantial improvements to state tests and measures of school quality: http://ow.ly/FwUp50DnMu2

The shut down in the Spring forced many child care centers to close their doors and left many parents scrambling to find care. Parents saw little relief for the 2020-21 school year as many schools continue virtual or hybrid instruction. The COVID-19 pandemic has revealedand exacerbatedthe existing problems surrounding child care access and affordability in the U.S. Our new brief looks at these issues and provides examples of how some states are supporting child care cente...rs and families during this challenging time: http://ow.ly/D1SG50DjKJl

"Mr. Metcalfe, my chemistry teacher, was respected in my hometown, an honored member of the community. What inspires our teacher workforce efforts at SREB is a vision of restoring that pride and stature to the profession. Today’s teachers should be valued for improving their craft as they become better teachers, so that their studentseach and every onelearn from a great educator." -Megan Boren, SREB program specialist https://education-first.com/respect-and-pay-our-teachers-o/

Join SREB for our final webinar in a series exploring how states can rethink teacher workforce solutions. This webinar will focus on innovative policy strategies for supporting teachers and will feature an analysis of teacher compensation packages and methods. We'll share our new Teacher Compensation Dashboard and research brief. Speakers will include: Terri Collins, state representative, Alabama Legislature Robyn Miller, chief deputy superintendent of public instruction..., Oklahoma State Department of Instruction Cory Murphy, executive director, Office of Teaching and Leading, Mississippi Department of Education https://www.sreb.org//better-teacher-supports-and-compensa See more

"The pandemic has created an opportunity even a necessity to rethink and redesign education in the United States. Now, perhaps more than at any time previously, states must be swift, thorough and creative if they hope to meet the mounting needs of unprepared workers." Our latest blog post from SREB analyst Meagan Crowe: http://ow.ly/nrkb50D9wCc

How can states use industry sector partnerships to prepare workers for jobs critical to local economies? Join us for a webinar this Thursday to learn more and hear from Stephanie Veck, former executive director of the Colorado Workforce Development Council. Stephanie will share how Colorado has developed and sustained one of the most comprehensive networks of industry sector partnerships in the country, with more than 750 companies engaged in 33 industry sector partnerships in all 14 workforce development regions in the state. Register at http://ow.ly/RQDo50CaAz4

No matter who's president, shoring up the education and training of adults in the South and the U.S. will be critically important moving forward. A forthcoming SREB analysis shows that tens of millions of adults could become unemployable--now by 2025--as economic changes from COVID-19 hasten the arrival of automation and more technology in many jobs: http://ow.ly/SQui50CgG0W

As we close out #DyslexiaAwarenessMonth, read our latest blog post on screening for dyslexia. "Screening for the characteristics of dyslexia is not the same thing as diagnosing it, and identifying children who may have dyslexia is not as simple as screening them for reading skills." http://ow.ly/3TpP50C7txw

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has appointed State Senator Blake Tillery of Vidalia to SREB's Legislative Advisory Council. Education is pivotal to the success of our state and those that live here. https://southeastgeorgiatoday.com/index.php

October is Dyslexia Awareness Month. Dyslexia is a neurological difference in language processing that likely affects at least 1 in 10 people. But only a small percentage are identified. Systematic screening can help identify students with dyslexia and others struggling readers and get them the instruction they need. Visit our website for free dyslexia resources for teachers and parents, including info on trainings and resources, screenings, assistive technology and more.... https://www.sreb.org/dyslexia #dyslexia #dyslexiaawarenessmonth

Ohio school among several nationally to win SREB pacesetter award for improvement: http://ow.ly/p4LU50BUnMx

Too many of today’s students are not prepared to move successfully from high school and college into the workplace. Our new report explores how strengthening partnerships between employers and schools can help more students pursue high-wage careers and help businesses fill jobs critical to local economies. Our new report from SREB's Commission on Strategic Partnerships for Work-Ready Students: https://www.sreb.org/workforcepartnerships

Time's running out! Join our virtual workshop on #socialemotionallearning and meet special guests Jill Siegal Chalsty and Vincenzo Capone of @OvercomingObstaclesLifeSkills. Learn how to help students and parents set and meet goals! @OOLifeSkills #SEL http://ow.ly/2thi50BMfXQ

To attract tomorrow's teachers and compensate them at levels comparable to other professionals, states will need to rethink salary schedules comprehensively. Meanwhile, they can provide regular cost-of-living raises, fund professional learning and reward teachers for increased responsibilities such as mentoring new teachers or teaching more students. More strategies: https://www.sreb.org/publica/new-ideas-teacher-compensation

A newly released report on teacher compensation says that despite revenue losses from COVID-19, states should continue to improve teacher pay and benefits or they risk losing quality candidates to higher paying jobs, furthering teacher shortage problems. The report looks at teacher salary and benefits across the country and offers possible solutionsfrom traditional to low-costfor supporting teachers. http://ow.ly/xPqH50BDD8b

Will many teachers leave because of COVID-19? States must keep pace on teacher compensation to attract more young people into teaching even with the pandemic's budget challenges, SREB’s Megan Boren says in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: http://ow.ly/ZVuS50BEhZS

How can the short-term emergency measures states are taking to address COVID-19 contribute toward their long-term vision for a thriving workforce and a healthy economy? Join us on Thursday, Oct. 1 at 11 am EDT for the final webinar in our speeding workforce series to learn how as well as ways states can align ESSA, Perkins V, WIOA, CARES Act and state and grant dollars. http://ow.ly/Fb5X50BCYhZ

Join us Thursday, Sept. 24 for the fifth webinar in our speeding workforce recovery from COVID-19 series. We'll discuss how education and training programs can leverage technology and flexible formats to allow more people to earn credentials to fill critical jobs. We'll also cover how states can braid multiple funding sources to support this work and hear from leaders in states who are implementing these strategies. ow.ly/DrWe50Bv06l

Mississippi is a national leader in improving student achievement. Challenges remain but the state has nearly CLOSED THE GAP with the U.S. in reading and math in grades 4 and 8. See long-term trends and data for all 16 SREB states: https://www.sreb.org/StateProgress @MissDeptEd @DrSPruitt