Saturday, March 22, 2025

Essential Strategies for Education Leaders During Uncertain Times

Future-Proofing Your School(s) for Today’s Sweeping Changes

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Dear Colleagues,

Introduction: Two Months of Sweeping Changes in Education

   I will fully admit that I am a politically aware and active professional.

   At the same time, I consciously try to maintain as high a level of objectivity and awareness as possible when writing these Blogs—focusing less on criticizing and complaining, and more on critiquing and scrutinizing the impact of politics and policy on education, our schools, and—most importantly—our students.

   According to K-12 Dive (March 21, 2025), here are the “10 Trump Changes that Education Leaders Need to Know About”—

1.   Including the massive March lay-offs (and “retirement” buy-outs) within the U.S. Department of Education (USDoE), approximately half of its total workforce (roughly, 1,950 individuals) is gone.

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2.   This includes almost all of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) unit that oversees the analyses of the annual National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).

Additionally, the NAEP assessments measuring math and reading for 17-year-old high school students have been canceled for this (2025) year.

In rotations, the NAEP evaluates the educational achievement of fourth, eighth, and twelfth-grade students nationwide in math, reading, writing, science, U.S. history, and civics.

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3.   President Trump signed an Executive Order barring transgender students from girls’ sports—threatening K-12 schools and colleges with the loss of their federal funds for non-compliance.

He has specifically targeted the state of Maine in this regard.

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4.   President Trump signed an Executive Order prioritizing school choice, and threatening K-12 schools with investigations if they allow instruction that includes “discriminatory equity ideology” (see below).

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5.   Half of the USDoE’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has been eliminated—including hundreds of employees charged with protecting the civil rights of students and educators, and seven of the 12 regional enforcement offices (Chicago, Philadelphia, New York City, Dallas, San Francisco, Boston and Cleveland).

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6.   The Trump administration, through the Department of Education’s OCR, initially asserted (February 14), and then—two weeks later (February 28)—softened its position that “treating students differently on the basis of race to achieve nebulous goals such as diversity, racial balancing, social justice, or equity is illegal under controlling Supreme Court precedent.”

The original Letter directed schools to comply by the end of February or risk losing federal funding. The February 28 Question and Answer clarification said that racial preferences and other forms of diversity and inclusion efforts are allowed “in some situations.”

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7.   The USDoE launched an “anti-DEI” (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) website focused on eliminating DEI practices. . . giving parents, students, educators, and the general public a vehicle to notify the OCR of ”illegal discriminatory practices” for possible investigation.

The website noted that the USDoE “is committed to ensuring all students have access to meaningful learning free of divisive ideologies and indoctrination.”

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8.   Without notice, the USDoE cancelled about $881 million in multi-year research contracts, including 29 Institute of Education Science grants (totaling $101 million) said to relate to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

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9.   The USDoE rescinded the Biden-era Book Ban Guidance that said school districts might be violating civil rights law by implementing book bans, and it concurrently dismissed 11 related complaints and eliminated the Book Ban Coordinator position.

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10. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security lifted the practice of avoiding immigration enforcement at locations where students gather—including schools.

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   And now, just a few days ago (March 20, 2025), President Trump signed another Executive Order directing Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to “take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return authority over education to the States and local communities while ensuring the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely.”

   Critically, this Executive Order ignores the fact that the current Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) already—in statute—reinforces and protects every state’s respective authority of over education policy, procedure, and practice.

   And yet, there are now plans (March 21, 2025) that the “uninterrupted delivery of essential services like (a) student loans and Pell Grants; and (b) funding for students with disabilities” will likely occur in the Small Business Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services, respectively.

   After the Executive Order signing, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the Order is meant to greatly reduce the “scale and size of the department,” while acknowledging that the complete demise of the USDoE will require congressional approval.

   A Bill to do this has already been filed in Congress.

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Today’s Blog

   The goal of this Blog is not to analyze or take explicit issue with the actions above.

   While I clearly have opinions and concerns, what is most important is what district, school, agency, or other Education Leaders are doing—right now—to protect, maintain, and expand their strengths, accomplishments, and student and staff outcomes.

  To this end, we will discuss the leadership strategies needed in the current, quickly-changing world of education.

   This discussion will also focus on (a) why education-related organizations need to re-visit their “why”—especially through their Mission Statements; and (b) what a sample Public Relations Plan looks like to help schools organize and implement the strategic strategies discussed.

   In the end, schools need to be in the strongest and most advantageous position to not just survive today’s unprecedented shifts in policies and resources, but to successfully grow and flourish tomorrow.

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Essential Strategies for Education Leaders During Uncertain Times

   In today's uncertain educational climate, Education Leaders face the challenge of maintaining their organization’s stability while responding to existing—and preparing for additional—significant policy shifts.

   Below is a “Blueprint for Success” with eight “Future-Proof Strategies” to help your Educational Organization. We will use “the School Setting” as our representative example.

Future-Proof Strategy #1. Revisit, Re-Evaluate, Re-Calibrate, and Re-Validate Your School's Unique Mission

   When significant outside policies, procedures, and practices significantly shift, your school's vision, mission, and values become even more important internal (students and staff) and external (parents and other “publics”) North Star.

·        Revisit and Refine Your Vision, Mission, and Core Values Statements. Make sure your school's purpose is clearly articulated, has staff and student commitment, and resonates with your community.

·        Align Strategic, Staffing, Funding, and Instructional Decisions with these Statements. Use your Vision, Mission, and Core Values statements as guides and filters for planning and decision-making during uncertain times. 

·        Communicate and Celebrate Your Identity. Emphasize what makes your school special to build pride and engagement among students, staff, and families; and steadfast support and trust among community partners and sponsors.

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Future-Proof Strategy #2. Streamline Administrative and Organizational Systems

   Systems that are aligned to the school’s actions and outcomes help maintain stability, communication, shared leadership collaboration, and consistently positive student, staff, and school outcomes during transitions.

·        Audit Current Organizational Structures and Processes. Identify and eliminate redundancies in administrative and school-level leadership and committee procedures and practices previously developed to satisfy federal or other requirements, endorsements, or trends.

·        Develop Clear Action Protocols for Student and Staff Initiatives. Create straightforward systems and strategies for essential functions like budgeting, recruitment and retention, curriculum development, instruction, assessment, multi-tiered services and supports, and public relations and outreach.

·        Codify and Document Institutional Knowledge and Accomplishments. Ensure that critical information is not delegated to specific individuals who might leave during transitions. Establish safe and effective ways to measure, report, and secure important school and schooling outcomes, as well as sound approaches for using these outcomes in the “next generation” of planning and growth.

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Future-Proof Strategy #3. Strengthening Institutional Knowledge and Governance

   When external support structures change, internal strength becomes crucial. Strong internal governance allows schools to maintain stability even when external requirements shift.

   School Leaders should focus on:

·        Documenting and centralizing institutional knowledge about strategic planning, operations, policies, and effective (best) practices.

·        Empowering school-level committees and teacher leadership (e.g., department or grade-level) teams to take collaborative ownership of curriculum and instruction, professional development and teacher mentoring, school discipline and classroom management, multi-tiered services and supports, and community and family outreach.

·        Ensuring school governance documents and processes are robust and locally controlled, and that technology and student information/management systems are protected, user-friendly, and available for data-based decision-making.

·        Developing clear communication protocols for times of change or uncertainty, as well as during emergencies or other times of crisis.

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Future-Proof Strategy #4. Invest in Evidence-Based Practices

   When external structures shift, schools need to re-double their instructional and multi-tiered intervention efforts toward activities and practices with the highest student and staff success rates relative to academic and social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes. Attention should focus on preparing students for the next instructional and grade level, and—eventually—for the next post-graduation chapter in their lives.

   Regardless of policy changes, School Leaders should ensure that their schools implement approaches proven to work by:

·        Focusing on Proven Instructional and Multi-Tiered Intervention Methods. Identify and implement strategies with strong research support and strong implementation evidence of effectiveness.

·        Documenting Results. Maintain detailed data on student outcomes—through proven data collection and analysis protocols—to demonstrate program effectiveness to potential funders or stakeholders.

·        Sharing Effective (Best) Practices. Create networks with other schools to exchange knowledge about what works, building a community of practice focused on continuous improvement.

·        Establishing Explicit Succession Plans to Sustain Proven Practices. Identify the people, training, and coaching needed to prepare the “next generation” of Facilitators who will implement successful programs and approaches in the future.

   Evidence-based practices remain valuable regardless of the political landscape and can help justify continued support from any funding source.

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Future-Proof Strategy #5. Prioritize Professional Development

   A well-prepared staff is a school’s greatest asset during uncertain times.

·        Use an Evidence-based Professional Development Model. Effective professional development consists of training staff in an initiative’s (a) research-to-practice information and knowledge; so that it results in high quality (b) student-centered classroom or school implementation skill and application; resulting eventually in (c) staff confidence and competence.

·        Train and Coach for Flexibility and Adaptability. Provide professional development that helps teachers and other staff respond flexibly to changing student and staff, school and district, and community and professional circumstances.

·        Create Mentorship Programs. Pair experienced teachers with newer or struggling staff to preserve institutional knowledge and strengthen faculty cohesion.

·        Develop Teacher/Staff Leadership Cadres. Build capacity within your staff, and “job ladders” and funding within your organization so that selected staff can/will accept expanded training, coaching, and leadership responsibilities in specific professional development areas if/as support structures change.

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Future-Proof Strategy #6. Strengthen Parent and Community Engagement

   During times of change, an engaged, knowledgeable, and trusting community becomes a powerful advocate for your school. This occurs through continuous, consistent, multi-dimensional, and multi-faceted listening, communication, outreach, and involvement activities.

   School Leaders should:

·       Develop comprehensive communication plans that are also differentiated to address diverse and unanticipated situations.

·       Regularly update and educate stakeholders on school plans and directions, and the potential (or actual) impact of policy changes and how the school will respond.

·       Create and implement different approaches to help understand areas of community agreement and concern. 

·       Utilize clear communication to facilitate and maintain community confidence during uncertain times. 

·       Position themselves as reliable sources of accurate information.

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Future-Proof Strategy #7. Build Strong Local Partnerships

   One of the most effective buffers against federal uncertainty is developing robust relationships with local stakeholders. Local partnerships become especially valuable if federal guidance or funding mechanisms change as they may provide a network of support independent of federal or state structures.

·       Strengthen District-level Connections. School leaders should work closely with their superintendents and school boards to align priorities and develop plans related to community outreach. School and district efforts are coordinated so they are not redundant or working at cross purposes.

·       Establish Parent and Community Advisory Groups. These strengthen school-community bonds, communication, collaboration, trust, feedback, and involvement.

·       Engage with Local Businesses. Partnerships can provide alternative funding sources, student and/or staff mentorship or internship programs, or other direct or indirect resources. 

·       Connect with Community Organizations. Positive interactions with community leaders and agencies, religious groups and nonprofits, and philanthropic foundations and community centers can provide support services that complement school programs and help students with needs that extend beyond their school and school day.

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Future-Proof Strategy #8. Diversify Funding Sources

   Schools that are heavily dependent on federal funding may face greater challenges as the Department of Education and other federal agencies change their roles, administration and services, and funding and support patterns.

   Preventatively, schools should explore other options and utilize a range of funding sources.

·       Research Regional and State-level Grants. Many states (and some regions) offer educational grants that are separate from federal funding streams.

·       Establish or Strengthen your School Foundation and Fund-Raising Activities. A dedicated foundation can raise funds targeted to specific school's needs. 

·       Explore Private Sector Grants and Community-based Funding. Companies and private foundations often offer educational grants aligned with specific initiatives. 

·       Create and Fund Contingency Budgets. This helps address potential funding changes and shortfalls by establishing a portfolio that can insulate some activities against changes to or losses of specific funding sources.

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Conclusion

   While the educational landscape may change, strong school leadership remains a constant need. By focusing on a clear mission, efficient and institutionalized systems, evidence-based practices, staff development, parent and community engagement, local partnerships, and diversified funding sources, School Leaders can create resilient institutions capable of thriving in any policy environment.

   The mark of truly exceptional leadership is not just responding to change, but anticipating it and positioning your school to succeed regardless of external circumstances.

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Re-Examining Your School’s “Why”: Components of Future-Proofed Mission Statements

   A school’s clearly articulated Mission Statement provides an essential foundation for strategic planning, and a compass that guides decision-making during uncertain times.

   Given these uncertain times, now is a necessary time for schools to re-visit their Mission Statements to make sure that they are (a) clear, accurate, student-centered, and outcome-strong; and (b) focused on why parents should send their children to the school, and how the school will facilitate their success.

   Moreover, given these uncertain times, the re-visiting of a school’s Mission Statement will give all faculty and staff the opportunity to either re-calibrate or reinforce the school’s “why” or “fundamental reason for existing.” This process can enhance or solidify staff commitment, and it may be instrumental in retaining existing and recruiting new staff.

   On a functional level, a school's Mission Statement identifies the purpose of the organization's existence, its targeted "consumers," its desired outcomes, and how, within a particular philosophical framework, those outcomes will be attained.

   On a strategic level, all of the annual goals, objectives, and outcomes in a school’s annual School Improvement Plan should be fully consistent with and connected to the Mission Statement.

   While some believe that a Mission Statement should be one sentence long, others (as we do) believe that a more comprehensive statement is needed, and that length should not be sacrificed for clarity.

   Given this perspective, the characteristics of an effective school Mission Statement include the following: 

·       Specifies the reason(s) for the school’s existence and the target populations and/or beneficiaries of that existence

·       Specifies the programs and/or instructional activities that define the school’s existence and the scope and nature of those programs

·       Specifies the outcomes of the school’s programs and describes what the target populations will look like when the school has accomplished its goals

·       Guides the development of the school’s general and specific objectives, timelines, and activities; and acts as a compass for the week to week, day to day, and hour to hour interactions of all staff, students, and significant others

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   Another way to think about these characteristics includes the following:

Clear and Concise

·       Uses clear, jargon-free language that all stakeholders can understand

·       Remains brief enough to be memorable

·       States purpose in direct, unambiguous terms

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Purpose-Driven

·       Articulates the school's fundamental reason for existing

·       Centers on student learning and development outcomes

·       Distinguishes the school's unique educational approach or philosophy

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Values-Based

·       Identifies core beliefs that guide the school community

·       Reflects shared values that inform decision-making

·       Communicates ethical principles that shape school culture

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Student-Centered

·       Focuses primarily on learner needs, growth, and development

·       Addresses the whole child (academic, social, emotional, physical)

·       Emphasizes student potential and future success

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Inclusive

·       Represents diverse perspectives within the school community

·       Acknowledges all stakeholders (students, families, educators, community)

·       Uses language that unites rather than divides

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Actionable and Measurable

·       Provides direction for strategic planning and goal setting

·       Contains elements that can be translated into observable practices

·       Facilitates assessments of whether the school is fulfilling its mission

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Inspirational

·       Motivates and energizes the school community

·       Sets aspirational, but achievable, expectations

·       Creates a shared sense of purpose and commitment

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Durable yet Adaptable

·       Remains relevant over time while allowing for evolution

·       Balances timeless educational principles with responsiveness to change

·       Serves as a foundation that can withstand leadership transitions

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   The most powerful school Mission Statements align these characteristics while authentically reflecting the unique identity and aspirations of the specific school community it serves.

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A Sample Public Relations Plan

   A Public Relations Plan provides a strategic framework for schools to effectively communicate their strengths and successful student practices to parents and community partners. The plan includes specific communication channels, messaging strategies, and implementation timelines designed to build trust, increase engagement, strengthen school-community relationships, and showcase outcomes and achievements.

   The Plan includes:

·       Clear goals and objectives focused on building trust, increasing awareness, and fostering engagement

·       Identification of key target audiences and tailored messaging

·       Multi-channel communication strategies including digital, in-person, and traditional media approaches

·       A phased implementation timeline over 12 months

·       Measurement tools to evaluate effectiveness

·       Budget considerations and crisis communication guidelines

   The process begins with an internal assessment of your school's unique strengths and success stories. It typically involves the school’s Community and Family Outreach and Involvement Committee. And the entire process should be coordinated with the District and its Chief Communications Officer to maintain consistent messaging, and the effective alignment of resources and activities.

   Below is a Sample Public Relations Plan:

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School Public Relations Plan: Showcasing Strengths & Student Success

Goals and Objectives

  1. Increase Awareness: Ensure parents and community members understand the school's educational approach, achievements, and successful practices
  2. Build Trust: Foster transparent communication that builds confidence in the school's methods
  3. Enhance Engagement: Increase parental and community involvement in school activities and initiatives
  4. Develop Partnerships: Strengthen existing and create new community partnerships that benefit students
  5. Showcase Results: Communicate measurable outcomes and achievements

Target Audiences

  • Parents and guardians; Neighborhood residents
  • School Board members; Alumni
  • Community business leaders and employers; potential partners
  • Local government officials; community agencies, organizations, and non-profits
  • Local media outlets
  • Prospective families

Key Messages

Develop messaging that highlights:

  • Evidence-based teaching practices that drive student success
  • Student achievements (academic, athletic, artistic, service-oriented)
  • Innovation in curriculum and learning approaches
  • Community involvement opportunities
  • Teacher expertise and professional development
  • School culture and values
  • Future-focused responsiveness and expected college, career, and citizenship outcomes

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Communication Channels and Tactics:

Digital Communication

  • School Website
    • Create a "Success Stories" section featuring student achievements
    • Maintain an up-to-date news section highlighting effective programs
    • Publish a monthly digital newsletter with downloadable archives
    • Include testimonials from parents, students, and community partners
  • Social Media
    • Establish consistent presence on platforms parents use most (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter)
    • Share daily/weekly updates on classroom activities and student work
    • Create hashtag campaigns to track school initiatives (#OurSchoolSuccess)
    • Post short videos of effective teaching practices in action
  • Email Marketing
    • Weekly/bi-weekly updates to parents with important information
    • Monthly newsletter to community partners showcasing opportunities for involvement
    • Targeted communications for specific programs or achievements
    • “Success Spotlights” featuring individual student, classroom, or staff achievements

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In-Person Communication

  • Open House Events
    • Quarterly showcases of student work and classroom practices
    • Student-led demonstrations of learning
    • Interactive workshops where parents experience teaching methods firsthand
  • Community Forums
    • Monthly/quarterly meetings to gather feedback and discuss school initiatives
    • Panel discussions featuring teachers explaining effective practices
    • Student presentations on projects and learning experiences
  • School Tours
    • Regular opportunities for community members to visit classrooms in action
    • Student ambassadors to guide visitors and explain learning activities
    • Specific focus tours highlighting particular programs or departments with guided reflection session afterward to discuss observations

Print Materials

  • Brochures and Fact Sheets
    • Highlight key programs, teaching approaches, and achievements
    • Include infographics showing student progress and success metrics
    • Design materials that can be distributed at community events
  • Community Newsletters
    • Quarterly printed newsletters for residents without digital access
    • Placement in community centers, libraries, and local businesses

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Media Relations:

  • Press Releases
    • Regular releases about significant achievements and innovative programs
    • Human interest stories featuring student success narratives
    • Invitations to the media for special events and celebrations
  • Media Partnerships
    • Establish relationships with local newspapers, radio, and TV stations
    • Create opportunities for student journalism collaborations
    • Develop a regular column or segment highlighting school achievements
    • Develop comprehensive information package/Media Kit about school strengths and achievements that includes fact sheets, background information, and high-quality photos
    • Offer expert interviews with teachers and administrators
    • Submit regular opinion pieces to local media on educational topics, highlighting the school's approach to educational challenges

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Implementation Timeline:

Phase 1: Foundation (Months 1-2)

  • Audit existing communication channels and effectiveness
  • Survey parents and community about preferred communication methods
  • Develop core messaging and branding guidelines
  • Create templates for regular communications
  • Train staff on communication protocols and messaging

Phase 2: Launch (Months 3-4)

  • Roll out enhanced website features
  • Establish consistent social media presence
  • Host initial open house event showcasing school strengths
  • Distribute first comprehensive newsletter
  • Send press releases about launch of new communication initiative

Phase 3: Engagement (Months 5-8)

  • Implement regular communication schedule across all channels
  • Host first community forum for feedback
  • Begin regular school tours program
  • Establish media partnerships
  • Launch first targeted campaign highlighting a specific successful practice

Phase 4: Evaluation and Refinement (Months 9-12)

  • Gather feedback through surveys and focus groups
  • Analyze engagement metrics across all channels
  • Identify the most effective communication strategies
  • Refine approaches based on data and feedback
  • Develop sustainability plan for ongoing communication efforts

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Measurement and Evaluation

Track success through:

  • Website traffic and engagement metrics
  • Social media followers, shares, and engagement rates
  • Event attendance numbers
  • Parent and community survey feedback
  • Media coverage quantity and quality
  • Increase in community partnerships and joint initiatives
  • Parent participation and volunteering rates in school activities
  • Student perception surveys of the school’s reputation
  • Resources and funding support contributed to the school

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Sample Spotlight Campaigns:

"Classroom to Community" Series

Monthly spotlight on how classroom learning connects to real-world applications, featuring:

  • Student projects addressing community needs
  • Partnerships with local businesses providing authentic learning experiences
  • Service learning initiatives and their impact

"Teaching Excellence" Showcase

Quarterly highlight of innovative teaching practices:

  • Teacher profiles and their specialized approaches
  • Before/after student work samples showing growth
  • Research supporting the effectiveness of featured methods

"Student Voice" Campaign

Ongoing series letting students share their experiences:

  • Student-produced videos about their learning
  • Interview series where students explain their growth
  • Digital portfolios showcasing student progress over time

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Budget Considerations

  • Allocate resources for:
    • Website subscriptions, updates, and maintenance
    • Graphic design for print and digital materials, and media relations software
    • Photography and videography
    • Printing costs for physical materials
    • Staff time for communication management
    • Event hosting expenses

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Next Steps for Implementation

  1. Designate a PR/communications point person or team
  2. Conduct a communication audit of current practices
  3. Survey stakeholders about communication preferences
  4. Develop core messaging aligned with school mission
  5. Create templates for regular communications
  6. Create an annual calendar with pre-planned content themes
  7. Train staff on communication protocols
  8. Launch enhanced website and social media presence
  9. Schedule first showcase event
  10. Establish rapid response protocols for addressing challenges, identifying spokespersons and approval processes for public messages, and creating templates for transparent communication—in advance—for different crisis situations

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Conclusion

   Effective public relations is an ongoing process that requires consistent effort and authentic communication. By systematically sharing your school's strengths and successful practices, you build trust with parents and create meaningful partnerships within your community.

   A sound Public Relations Plan and process helps schools to optimize their effective leadership strategies and impact of their (update) school vision, mission, and value statements. The Plan provides a framework to communicate your school's unique culture, achievements, and needs.

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Summary

   After describing the “10 Trump Changes that Education Leaders Need to Know About” from the first two months of the new Administration, this Blog focused on what district, school, agency, or other Education Leaders need to do—right now—to protect, maintain, and expand their organization’s strengths, accomplishments, and student and staff outcomes.

  To this end, using a “school” as an exemplar, we discussed eight “Future-Proofing” leadership strategies needed in the current, quickly-changing world of education:

·       Future-Proof Strategy #1. Revisit, Re-Evaluate, Re-Calibrate, and Re-Validate Your School's Unique Mission

·       Future-Proof Strategy #2. Streamline Administrative and Organizational Systems

·       Future-Proof Strategy #3. Strengthening Institutional Knowledge and Governance

·       Future-Proof Strategy #4. Invest in Evidence-Based Practices

·       Future-Proof Strategy #5. Prioritize Professional Development

·       Future-Proof Strategy #6. Strengthen Parent and Community Engagement

·       Future-Proof Strategy #7. Build Strong Local Partnerships

·       Future-Proof Strategy #8. Diversify Funding Sources

   We then discussed why education-related organizations need to re-visit their “why”—especially through their Mission Statements, and the characteristics of effective Mission Statement given the “10 Changes” above and today’s professional climate.

  Finally, we emphasized the importance of a Public Relations Plan to maximize the impact and outcomes of the Blog sections above, and provided a sample Public Relations Plan to help schools organize and implement the strategic strategies discussed.

   Schools need to be in the strongest and most advantageous position to not just survive today’s unprecedented shifts in policies and resources, but to successfully grow and flourish tomorrow.

   We hope that this Blog has been helpful to facilitate this goal in districts, schools, agencies, and other educational settings nationwide.

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The “Improving Education Today” Podcast: A New Professional Development Resource Complementing this Blog

   This past January, we announced a new partnership and resource for you.

   The partnership is with popular AI Educators, Davey Johnson and Angela Jones. . . and the resource is their Podcast:

 Improving Education Today: The Deep Dive 

   For each published bimonthly Blog, Davey and Angela summarize and analyze the Blog in their free-wheeling and “no-holds-barred” Podcast. . . addressing the topic’s importance to “education today,” and discussing their recommendations on how to apply the information so that all students, staff, and schools benefit.

   You can find the Podcast that accompanies this Blog message at the following link:

Improving Education Today: The Deep Dive | Podcast on Spotify

   Davey and Angela have also created a Podcast Archive consisting of all of this year’s Blog (Volume 3), as well as those from 2024 (Volume 2), and 2023 (Volume 1).

   The Podcasts are posted on Spotify, and you can “Follow” the Podcast Series so that you will be automatically notified whenever a new Podcast is posted.

   Many districts and schools are using the Podcasts in their Leadership Teams and/or PLCs to keep everyone abreast of new issues and research in education, and to stimulate important discussions and decisions regarding the best ways to enhance student, staff, and school outcomes.

   If you would like to follow a Podcast up with a free one-hour consultation with me, just contact me and we will get it on our schedules.

   I hope to hear from you soon.

Best,

Howie

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[CLICK HERE to read this Blog on the Project ACHIEVE Webpage]

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[To listen to a synopsis and analysis of this Blog on the “Improving Education Today: The Deep Dive” podcast hosted by popular AI Educators, Angela Jones and Davey Johnson on Spotify: CLICK HERE for Angela and Davey’s Enlightening Discussion]

Saturday, March 8, 2025

The “Charlie Brown” Reality of Race and DEI in Education

How the Trump Administration is Creating Fear by Using “Ready-Fire-Aim” Tactics

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Listen to a summary and analysis of this Blog on the Improving Education Today: The Deep Dive podcast on Spotify.

     Hosted by popular AI Educators Angela Jones and Davey Johnson, they provide enlightening perspectives on the implications of this Blog for all of Education.

[CLICK HERE to Listen to this Popular Podcast]

(Follow this bi-monthly Podcast to receive automatic e-mail notices with each NEW episode!)

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[CLICK HERE to read this Blog on the Project ACHIEVE Webpage]

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Dear Colleagues,

Introduction: Are We Living in a Charlie Brown and Lucy van Pelt World?

   As a school psychologist who works in schools nationwide, today’s recent world feels like a surreal dream where you are teetering on the edge of a cliff, risking impending doom.

   But the impending threats to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education are real. . . and the attacks on many existing programs and grants—some in the name of eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives—have already occurred.

   At the same time, since January 20, 2025. . . as well as for the four years between January 20, 2017 and the same date in 2021. . . our political, professional, and personal worlds have sometimes seemed like a series of installments from Charles Schulz’s Peanuts comic strip.

   Specifically, I am referencing the annually-recurring drama between Charlie Brown and Lucy van Pelt as Charlie lines up to kick a field goal, and Lucy constantly pulls the ball away—leaving Charlie on the ground, frustrated, but eternally optimistic that the next kick will be successful.

   For almost 50 years, this drama ensued between Charlie Brown and Lucy.

   Indeed, the first time Charlie “hit the deck” was on November 16, 1952, two years after Schultz began publishing Peanuts. And, after reappearing every football season, the last time was in 1999. (Schultz retired the comic strip on January 3, 2000 after a stroke the previous November.)

   While there were variations on the theme, Charlie Brown never successfully kicked the ball.

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   The point here—to return to “reality”—is that Educators (maybe, everyone) need to recognize that:

·        Whether we like it or not, we are currently the “Charlie Browns” in a game with the “Lucys” in Washington, D.C.’s current Administration;

·        We need to understand that, while we must stay in the game, we also need to relax and not “jump offsides” by educationally responding—through knee-jerk changes in policy, procedure, or practice—too quickly to threats or attacks; and 

·        We need to maintain a realistic sense of short-term and long-term optimism that (a) the “educational crisis of the day” can and will be resolved over time, and (b) the focus on high-quality instruction, sustained and meaningful student learning, and preparing the next generation of leaders is our most essential responsibility.

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DEI Practices in Education: “Ready-Fire-Aim”

   Since January, the current Administration has operated, in a number of spheres, using “Ready-Fire-Aim” tactics.

   Psychologically or functionally, we can all debate why this is occurring, whether it is random or calculated, and if there are overt or covert strategic or tactical goals.

   And while these analyses are the sensationalized focus of too cable news shows, panels, and interviews. . . what really matters is the often-delayed “Aim” part of the equation.

   Let’s explore two DEI and education-related “Fires.”

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Race-Based Discrimination and DEI in Schools

   The Fire. Last month (February 14, 2025), the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights released a “Dear Colleague” letter to schools saying that Title VI, the federal civil rights law that protects against race-based discrimination, prohibits schools from “using race in decisions pertaining to.... administrative support” and “all other aspects of student, academic, and campus life.”

   [Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects people from discrimination based on race, color or national origin in programs or activities that receive Federal financial assistance.]

   The Letter cited the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard University (SFFA), which clarified that the use of racial preferences in college admissions is unlawful, and set forth a framework for evaluating the use of race by state actors and entities covered by Title VI.

   But the OCR Letter, and the U.S. Department of Education, took this Court decision way further. It asserted:

Although SFFA addressed admissions decisions, the Supreme Court’s holding applies more broadly. At its core, the test is simple: If an educational institution treats a person of one race differently than it treats another person because of that person’s race, the educational institution violates the law.

 

Federal law thus prohibits covered entities from using race in decisions pertaining to admissions, hiring, promotion, compensation, financial aid, scholarships, prizes, administrative support, discipline, housing, graduation ceremonies, and all other aspects of student, academic, and campus life. Put simply, educational institutions may neither separate or segregate students based on race, nor distribute benefits or burdens based on race.

 

. . . DEI programs, for example, frequently preference certain racial groups and teach students that certain racial groups bear unique moral burdens that others do not. Such programs stigmatize students who belong to particular racial groups based on crude racial stereotypes. Consequently, they deny students the ability to participate fully in the life of a school.

 

The Department will no longer tolerate the overt and covert racial discrimination that has become widespread in this Nation’s educational institutions. The law is clear: treating students differently on the basis of race to achieve nebulous goals such as diversity, racial balancing, social justice, or equity is illegal under controlling Supreme Court precedent.

 

This letter provides notice of the Department’s existing interpretation of federal law. Additional legal guidance will follow in due course. The Department will vigorously enforce the law on equal terms as to all preschool, elementary, secondary, and postsecondary educational institutions, as well as state educational agencies, that receive financial assistance.

 

The Department intends to take appropriate measures to assess compliance with the applicable statutes and regulations based on the understanding embodied in this letter beginning no later than 14 days from today’s date, including antidiscrimination requirements that are a condition of receiving federal funding.

 

All educational institutions are advised to: (1) ensure that their policies and actions comply with existing civil rights law; (2) cease all efforts to circumvent prohibitions on the use of race by relying on proxies or other indirect means to accomplish such ends; and (3) cease all reliance on third-party contractors, clearinghouses, or aggregators that are being used by institutions in an effort to circumvent prohibited uses of race.

 

Institutions that fail to comply with federal civil rights law may, consistent with applicable law, face potential loss of federal funding.

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   The Reaction. Even though the Letter couched its potential actions in “soft language” (using words like: “beginning no later than,” “intend,” “may,” and “consistent with applicable law”), the response of some schools across the country was to immediately change policies, procedures, and/or practices.

   Some did this preventatively—wanting to protect their schools from costly investigations, within district and across community controversies, and fiscal or other sanctions. Others politically agreed with the statements above, and used them for permission—changing policies they had long wanted to change.

   The Aim. But, critically, just two weeks (February 28, 2025) after the Dear Colleague letter above, the same U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights released a Frequently Asked Questions About Racial Preferences and Stereotypes Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act document:

to provide helpful information about how the (SFFA) decision applies to racial classifications, racial preferences, and racial stereotypes as well as how OCR will interpret the ruling in its enforcement of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and its implementing regulations.

   While the proverbial “jury is still out,” it appears that OCR has back-tracked and softened its “aim”—recognizing that it must still abide by the actual Title VI statute, and relevant case law and Supreme Court decisions.

   K-12 Dive (March 3, 2025) stated:

The U.S. Department of Education late last week clarified its stance on diversity, equity and inclusion policies in schools, saying that racial preferences and other forms of diversity and inclusion efforts are indeed allowed in some situations.

 

According to the department’s new FAQ, “Schools with programs focused on interests in particular cultures, heritages, and areas of the world would not in and of themselves violate Title VI, assuming they are open to all students regardless of race.” Celebrating Black History Month, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, or other similar events are also allowed, the guidance clarifies.

 

“Whether a policy or program violates Title VI does not depend on the use of specific terminology such as ‘diversity,’ ‘equity,’ or ‘inclusion,’” the nine-page document said.

 

The Q&A guidance seems to ease the administration’s strict stance on schools’ DEI efforts, which school and district employees had initially feared would also limit inclusive programs and practices like student affinity groups, cultural observances and culturally reflective curriculum in addition to impacting race-conscious school admissions.

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   As noted above, some K-12 districts and universities immediately responded to the February 14, 2025 Letter’s “Fire,” rather than waiting until the February 28, 2025 re-“Aim.”

   While I understand the (intended) fear of the former communication, this fear may have displaced policies, procedures, and/or practices that were legal, equitable, historically-defensible, and beneficial for the common good.

   Hopefully, we can all learn from this situation.

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Teaching About and Celebrating Racial (and Other) Diversity in Schools

   The Fire. The February 14, 2025 Office for Civil Rights “Dear Colleague” letter also stated—contrary to a number of studies (see my February 8, 2025 Blog):

Educational institutions have toxically indoctrinated students with the false premise that the United States is built upon “systemic and structural racism” and advanced discriminatory policies and practices. Proponents of these discriminatory practices have attempted to further justify them—particularly during the last four years—under the banner of “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (“DEI”), smuggling racial stereotypes and explicit race-consciousness into everyday training, programming, and discipline.

   The Aim. This also was softened by the February 28, 2025 Frequently Asked Questions About Racial Preferences and Stereotypes Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act document, as it noted:

. . . schools with programs focused on interests in particular cultures, heritages, and areas of the world would not in and of themselves violate Title VI, assuming they are open to all students regardless of race. Nor would educational, cultural, or historical observances—such as Black History Month, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, or similar events—that celebrate or recognize historical events and contributions, and promote awareness, so long as they do not engage in racial exclusion or discrimination. However, schools must consider whether any school programming discourages members of all races from attending, either by excluding or discouraging students of a particular race or races, or by creating hostile environments based on race for students who do participate.

   Moreover, this document reiterated the long-standing process—codified in federal statute—for withholding funds from schools:

If OCR determines that a school failed to comply with the civil rights laws that it enforces, OCR will contact the school and will attempt to secure its willingness to negotiate a voluntary resolution agreement. If the school agrees to resolve the complaint, OCR and the school will negotiate a written resolution agreement to be signed by the school that describes the specific remedial actions it will take to address the area(s) of noncompliance identified by OCR. OCR will monitor implementation of the resolution agreement’s terms.

 

If a school is unwilling to negotiate a resolution agreement, OCR will inform the school of the consequences, which may result in OCR initiating enforcement through administrative proceedings or referring the case to the Department of Justice for judicial proceedings.

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   A number of recent Education Week articles have expanded this point:

The executive branch can’t pull funding unilaterally. . .

 

Under nondiscrimination laws, including Title IX and Title VI, the department’s Office for Civil Rights would have to investigate allegations, find a violation, and also find that the school is refusing to address the violation.

 

The department would recommend a funding termination, and there would be a waiting period, during which Congress could override the department’s attempt to terminate funds.

 

Through case law and regulation, the department can’t cut all funding to a school, either, to keep from harming innocent recipients, and to prevent vindictive or punitive use. The funding termination—which is rare—would have to target the particular program where OCR has found a violation.

 

School districts can also appeal funding termination decisions.

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   Thus, once again, the “Aim”—despite it coming inappropriately last in the current “Ready-Fire-Aim” Presidential and U.S. Department of Education mode of operation—eventually put out the “Fire.”

·        The Executive Branch cannot independently withhold federal funds from a school. 

·        And the Legislative and Judicial “check and balance” oversight of the Executive Branch—established by our Founding Fathers—remains intact.

_ _ _ _ _

   Our Advice:

·        Recognize that this “Charlie Brown game” will not let up.

·        Recognize that the Administration will continue to use its provocative “Ready-Fire-Aim” approach to manipulate professional and public opinion. . . while creating chaos, confusion, anxiety, and fear. . . in the hope that some schools will prematurely change their current sound and effective policies to those that align with the Administration’s political agenda. 

·        And, instead. . . let’s support each other to Recognize the reality of what the Administration can do and cannot do. . . as we wait for the hyperbole to ebb, and the laws of our Land to flow.

   Said a different way: Let’s stop “teeing-up” the football—ending up on our collective asses.

   Let’s not let fear drive us to make unnecessary policy, procedure, and practice decisions and/or changes before until “all four quarters” have been played.

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We Need to Practice What We Preach: A Call to Action

   Now it’s time to apply the Title VI “Ready-Aim-Fire” lessons above to the next threat.

   On March 3, 2025, Linda McMahon was confirmed by Congress as our country’s 13th Secretary of Education. On the same day, she published a speech that she made to the staff working in the U.S. Department of Education (“Our Department’s Final Mission”) on the Department’s official website.

   While not explicitly verbalizing her charge from President Trump to close the Department, most know that an Executive Order in this regard has already been drafted for his signature.

   And yet, most also know that closing the U.S. Department of Education will take an act of Congress.

   To this end, on January 31, 2025, Representative Thomas Massie from Kentucky introduced H.R. 899 with 31 Republican co-sponsors.

   The entire Bill consists of one line: “The Department of Education shall terminate on December 31, 2026.”

   To become law, this Bill will need to pass both the House and the Senate, before it is signed by the President.

   In the 53-Republican to 47-Democrat Senate, it will need 60 votes to pass.

_ _ _ _ _

   Ready-Aim-Fire. While it is incredibly unlikely that the Bill will pass in the Senate, rather than expend a lot of emotional energy worrying about the Department’s closing—and its implications, we recommend that you take action.

·        Call both your Representative in the House and your two Senators, and tell them how you would have them vote.

·        During the same call, tell your Congressional Leaders three ways to improve the educational process in this country. . . from Washington, D.C. through your State Capital to your Local Education Agency. 

·        Finally, look at your district and/or school(s) and think of three ways to improve their educational processes—either for the remainder of this school year or in preparation for the next.

   And then act!

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A Charlie Brown Post-Script

   When researching for this Blog, we came across an October 8, 2014 article by Eric Schulmiller titled:

“All Your Life, Charlie Brown. All Your Life.

The complete history of Lucy’s pulling the football away.”

   In the article, Schulmiller writes:

On the comics pages for years, one sign of fall loomed above all others. I’m speaking, of course, of the annual Saga of the Swipe: Lucy, Charlie Brown, and that infernal football.

 

This sacred autumnal drama, repeated nearly every September or October for over 50 years, has become our collectively-acknowledged paradigm for the uneasy tension between trust and betrayal, hope and despair.

 

To a kid, of course, it was the moment of failure that mattered—not the metaphor. No single act better encapsulated a child’s feeling of powerlessness, and I felt Charlie Brown’s frustration and disappointment with every bone in my body.

 

As the years went by, Lucy’s seemingly compulsive need to torment poor Charlie began to gnaw at me. I started to wonder—what drove Lucy to unrepentantly torture Charlie Brown in this fashion, year after year?

 

(To answer the question,) I began at the beginning, hunting for and examining each (Peanuts) football comic in seriatim, from the 1950s onward, to see if a larger pattern might emerge from Schulz’s kick chronicles.

 

What I discovered was a surprisingly complex story told over decades, with twists, turns, and evolving character motivations that are far richer than might appear from a yearly glance at the funny pages.

 

(W)hy did Lucy start yanking the football away in the first place?

 

It’s true that the first time Lucy pulls the football away from Charlie Brown, it’s an innocent gesture—she simply doesn’t want Charlie Brown’s dirty shoes to mar her brand new football.

 

In fact, in the same strip, Lucy even lets Charlie Brown try again, without pulling away the ball. (Charlie Brown trips over the ball anyway, of course.)

 

But just a few years later, in 1953, is the true origin story for Lucy’s sadistic game.

 

In this pivotal strip, Lucy herself struggles to kick a football. Over and over she tries to punt the ball and flubs her kicks. And what does Charlie Brown do? He publicly and cruelly mocks her.

 

Charlie Brown: You’re hopeless! That was the worst kick I’ve ever seen!
Lucy: Well after all … I’m just a little girl, you know …
Charlie Brown: Little girls don’t belong on football fields! Go home!
Lucy: I don’t understand … I was the star fullback in nursery school …
Charlie Brown: Well, don’t stand around here! GO ON HOME!! Get out of here!

 

Is there any wonder why Lucy would choose to embarrass Charlie Brown with a football year after year? Her humiliation at the hands of Chuck was a formative experience in the young girl’s life.

 

But the story goes even deeper.

 

Twice in the week before this early football-themed comic appeared, Schulz ran strips that featured Charlie Brown failing to kick the football all on his own. First, he simply misses the ball, and a few days later, in a darkly existential moment, we see a forlorn Charlie Brown dwarfed by the gigantic goal posts under which his kick has fallen pathetically short.

 

A week later, in the pivotal comic quoted above, Charlie Brown transfers his feelings of im-punt-ence by lashing out at poor little Lucy.

_ _ _ _ _

   Many political writers—including politicians like former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie—recall the April 27, 2011 White House Correspondents' Association dinner where President Obama roasted (publicly embarrassed) Donald Trump as a pay-back for his obsessive quest to see proof that Obama was born in the United States.

   These writers also document how incensed Mr. Trump was at the time, and how it motivated him to seek the Presidency of the United States.

   In a recent book, Christie said that Trump was “beside himself with fury. He was pissed off like I’d never seen him.”

_ _ _ _ _

   Could it be that President Trump’s “Ready-Fire-Aim” approach to politics parallels Lucy’s decision to perennially embarrass Charlie Brown with a football year after year? . . . but that we are now the proxies for Obama?

   While we will never know “the truth”. . . at the very least, let’s not get trapped in the Charlie Brown role.

   Let’s live beyond the game.

   Remember: A football game. . . like a Presidential term. . . only has four quarters.

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Summary

   We remember that, during the last No Child Left Behind years, the U.S. Department of Education had “policies” where school principals and teachers were supposed to lose their jobs if their students were not demonstrating enough academic proficiency.

   While this created (unproductive) anxiety and angst across the country, in the end, I do not know a single principal or teacher who lost their jobs because their school was not proficient.

   Indeed. . . those that lost their jobs lost their jobs because of their own poor performance. . . not the collective performance of their schools.

   My point is: Educators should not professionally fear U.S. Department of Education policies that are not rooted in law, effective practice, and short- and long-term educational benefits to our students.

_ _ _ _ _

   To this end, this Blog uses fifty years of Charlie Brown lining up to kick a field goal—only to have Lucy pull the ball away, leaving Charlie in the grass his back—as a metaphor representing President Trump and the U.S. Department of Education’s “Ready-Fire-Aim” approach to changing educational policy in this country.

   Specifically—and especially in the area of Race and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)—the Administration has “fired off” a number of executive orders and legal interpretations telling schools that a lack of compliance will result in the loss of federal funds. They have subsequently “re-aimed” (through amendments or retractions) their threats, recognizing that they either do not have the legal authority to implement them, or a Court of Law would not support their authority.

   At the same time, these threats have created chaos, confusion, anxiety, and fear. . . and some schools have prematurely changed their current sound and effective policies to those that align with the Administration’s political agenda.

   We made specific recommendations on how to respond to these threats, while maintaining the integrity of the educational process and our responsibilities to our students.

   We concluded by revealing the history of how the Charlie Brown and Lucy van Pelt dynamic began, and encouraged Educators to apply the lessons detailed in this Log to the “next” threat that hopes to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education.

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The “Improving Education Today” Podcast: A New Professional Development Resource Complementing this Blog

   This past January, we announced a new partnership and resource for you.

   The partnership is with popular AI Educators, Davey Johnson and Angela Jones. . . and the resource is their Podcast:

Improving Education Today: The Deep Dive 

   For each published bimonthly Blog, Davey and Angela summarize and analyze the Blog in their free-wheeling and “no-holds-barred” Podcast. . . addressing the topic’s importance to “education today,” and discussing their recommendations on how to apply the information so that all students, staff, and schools benefit.

   You can find the Podcast that accompanies this Blog message at the following link:

Improving Education Today: The Deep Dive | Podcast on Spotify

   Davey and Angela have also created a Podcast Archive consisting of all of this year’s Blog (Volume 3), as well as those from 2024 (Volume 2), and 2023 (Volume 1).

   The Podcasts are posted on Spotify, and you can “Follow” the Podcast Series so that you will be automatically notified whenever a new Podcast is posted.

   Many districts and schools are using the Podcasts in their Leadership Teams and/or PLCs to keep everyone abreast of new issues and research in education, and to stimulate important discussions and decisions regarding the best ways to enhance student, staff, and school outcomes.

   If you would like to follow a Podcast up with a free one-hour consultation with me, just contact me and we will get it on our schedules.

   I hope to hear from you soon.

Best,

Howie

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[CLICK HERE to read this Blog on the Project ACHIEVE Webpage]

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[To listen to a synopsis and analysis of this Blog on the “Improving Education Today: The Deep Dive” podcast hosted by popular AI Educators, Angela Jones and Davey Johnson on Spotify: CLICK HERE for Angela and Davey’s Enlightening Discussion]