Our team is always seeking the latest news in the field of education. As advocates for a high-quality education for ALL students, we know we have to stay up-to-date on everything that’s going on in the education spheres of our nation…from the White House to the local public school district, from new legislation to the small acts of bravery and kindness made by a single teacher, from the milestones and celebrations to the hazardous injustices affecting many of our nation’s students.

Here are some stories we came across recently that we’re focused on.

More affluent neighborhoods are creating their own school districts via Vox

In the past two decades, 128 communities have had a simple idea: to make their own school district.

For many of them, the underlying purpose was to draw a legal fence between their community and a poorer one. Because a large chunk of public education is funded using local property taxes, making your own district with your affluent neighbors means that you’re able to hoard resources — and not share tax dollars with poorer communities of color.

“Guns and safety aren’t synonymous for us”: Some black Texans fear plans to arm more teachers via Texas Tribune

“After the Parkland shooting, African American parents [in Florida] expressed concerns that their kids might be disproportionately affected by these programs,” said state Sen. José Rodríguez, D-El Paso, who voted against bills expanding the program this year. “I think it’s understandable that parents might feel if we start having school marshals, minority students might be the ones getting harmed.

“People bring their biases and life experiences to the work setting — in this case that would be the schools — and sometimes those biases unfairly harm kids of color.”

What Purpose Does Your Dress Code Serve? Why Inclusive School Policies Matter via The Education Trust

Inclusivity isn’t something to settle for; it’s what we must first address if social-emotional learning is to benefit all students. Inclusivity is the foundation upon which pedagogy, curriculum choices, discipline policies, community engagement, and other educational decisions must be made, and will in turn ensure we are not settling for teaching students to self-discipline and assimilate, but instead creating safe learning environments were all students are accepted, engaged, celebrated, and have the opportunity to thrive in schools.

One thing to read this weekend

Big Money Enters Debate Over Race and Admissions at Stuyvesant via The New York Times

Though black and Hispanic students make up nearly 70 percent of New York’s public school students, they represent only 10 percent of the elite schools’ population. Asian-American students, who make up 15 percent of the system as a whole, hold about two-thirds of those schools’ seats. Many come from low-income and immigrant families.

The admissions test, which tens of thousands of eighth graders take every year, has become a focus of the debate, with opponents calling it discriminatory.

As a result, proponents of the current system are facing pressure to find ways of diversifying the schools while keeping the test. Projections show that under Mr. de Blasio’s plan, the schools would enroll many more black and Hispanic students, but Asian-Americans would lose about half their seats.

Did any of these articles particularly speak to you? We would love to know your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below: