View as Webpage – January 31, 2023

Transforming Education

by Putting Kids First

In This Issue

IDRA Kicks Off 50th Anniversary Celebration

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Advancing Our Vision for U.S. Public Schools & Students – IDRA Federal Policy Priorities

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Policy Roadmap for Texas Education – IDRA Policy Priorities for Texas Legislative Session

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Advocacy Goals for Educational Equity in Georgia – IDRA Policy Priorities for the 2023 General Assembly Session

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We All Belong ~ School Resource Hub

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Recent News

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As IDRA celebrates our 50^th year of working for excellence in education for all children, we are reflecting on the relationships we have built and many of the changes we have seen since 1973.



Over its 50 years of operation, IDRA has worked to expand awareness of inequities and to transform classrooms by engaging people – including key decision makers – to positively strengthen public education across the country. Today, we celebrate the progress we are achieving by working together and by taking a consistent stand where few others would. 

by Morgan Craven, J.D.

IDRA’s research, training and policy advocacy expertise work best when combined with the experience and strengths of students and families as they seek to positively transform schools.

Even as IDRA works to overcome challenges to safe, welcoming and inclusive schools, a key part of the organization’s policy advocacy strategy at the federal level is to push an affirmative agenda that advances IDRA’s vision for public schools and students.

Our federal policy priorities cover key aspects of education, to include fair funding, safe schools for all students, opportunities for emergent bilingual and immigrant students, and college access and preparation. 

by Chloe Latham Sikes, Ph.D.

As the 2023 Texas legislative session begins, IDRA is focusing on five policy priority areas: providing fair school funding, ensuring excellent educational opportunities for emergent bilingual students, promoting culturally-sustaining school climates that support all students, creating safer schools without harmful disciplinary policies, and preparing all students for college access and success.

Our recommendations cover a wide range of academic issues, from incentives for hiring and keeping quality educators to repealing harmful censorship laws that have made schools less safe and supportive, particularly for students of color and those who identify as LGBTQ+. 

by Terrence Wilson, J.D.

Georgia’s political importance has been put on full display in recent elections, and politicians have made public education policy a top priority.

IDRA’s policy priorities for Georgia include securing fair funding, ensuring excellent educational opportunities for emergent bilingual and immigrant students, creating safer schools without harmful disciplinary practices, and promoting culturally-sustaining school climates that support all students.

Our recommendations range from codifying diverse history standards to incentives for districts to implement culturally-sustaining practices.  

Download Our Policy Priorities Details

Federal

Texas

Georgia

We All Belong ~ School Resource Hub

In today’s climate of classroom censorship, tools for culturally sustaining teaching can be hard to find and implement. This is why IDRA launched our school resource hub for educators, families and policy advocates who want to make sure students receive a strong, truthful education in our public schools.



IDRA’s School Resource Hub has original lessons, like The Real World: Understanding the Difference Education Makes, which is for math classrooms, and Leading the Fight with Lead, which is a middle school science lesson. And we have a series of elementary school lessons. 

The hub also has tons of curated lessons, like several from the Unladylike2020 series, including one featuring Charlotta Spears Bass, a crusading newspaper editor and politician who was one of the first Black women to own and operate a newspaper in the United States. 

With teacher, student and family input, IDRA is continually adding lesson plans and resources to the site that you can find through search filters by subject, topic, resource type and grade.

Get an overview of the AIM Framework for Teaching Intercultural Skills in our Classnotes Podcast episode #230.

Get tips and a high school lesson series overview for educators in our on-demand webinar, Tools for Teaching About Race and Culture.

Recent Media Coverage

Education and Civil Rights – What to Expect in the Year Ahead, by Siliconeer, January 25, 2023

Civil Rights community details Education Landscape in 2023, Insight News, Jan 19, 2023

Lubbock NAACP press conference held to respond to district racial discrimination resolutions, by Jaxie Pidgeon, KAMC-TV (AMC Lubbock) , January 12, 2023

Trustees approve no tolerance resolution, Melissa McCaghren, The Slatonite, January 12, 2023

Slaton ISD board announces racism resolution hours after Lubbock-Cooper following claims drawing nationwide attention, by Wes Rumbelow, EverythingLubbock, January 5, 2023

Lubbock-Cooper ISD board votes on resolution after claims of racism, civil rights violations make national headlines, by Caitlyn Rooney, EverythingLubbock, January 5, 2023

Lubbock-Cooper School Board Approves Resolution Condemning Racism, by Mikael Donnovan, KFYO-Radio Lubbock, January 5, 2023

Lubbock-Cooper holds special called board meeting to address racism, by Christianna Barbosa, EverythingLubbock/KLBK-TV (CBS-Lubbock), January 3, 2023

TX Teen Taunted For Being Black, Roland Martin Unfiltered, December 27, 2022

Keeping schools safe from racial abuse, Gerald Ott, Bleeding Heartland (Iowa), December 20, 2022

West Texas Parent are Suing Their Schools Over Racism as Others Demand Action Over Antisemitic Bullying, Angela Valenzuela, Educational Equity, Politics & Policy in Texas, December 17, 2022

IDRA, Lubbock NAACP challenge Racial Discrimination in Slaton ISD, Lubbock-Cooper ISD, Texas AFT, December 16, 2022

See recent media coverage with links…

Other IDRA News

January 26, 2023 – It's our 50th Anniversary! IDRA is celebrating its 50th year of working for excellence in education for all children • (Español)

January 14, 2023 – Schools Should Prioritize Prevention, Education and Support Over Exclusionary Discipline in Cases of Identity-Based Bullying and Harassment

January 10, 2023 – IDRA Policy Priorities for Texas and Georgia – Calling for Bold Action to Prepare All Students for a Strong Future

December 16, 2022 – November-December 2022 Issue of the IDRA Newsletter – This Month’s Focus: Pandemic Effects on Learning