In Case You Missed It (ICYMI) … Your mini news clippings

National Headlines

To graduate from high school, Colorado requires students show proficiency in English and math. Districts are revising their graduation requirements, allowing students to demonstrate proficiency in a variety of ways. The state guidelines provide a “menu” of options, including SAT scores; passing a concurrent enrollment college-level course; earning a score of 2 or higher out of 5 on an Advanced Placement test; or completing a college thesis-like capstone project demonstrating knowledge of a subject.

A new study shows low-income kindergartners are entering school with stronger math and reading skills, narrowing the large academic gap with their more affluent peers.

The public continues to support many school reforms, according to Education Next’s 10th annual opinion poll, including charter schools, federally mandated testing, and teacher tenure reform. Backing for Common Core and school vouchers, however, fell to new lows in 2016.

School districts are working to identify homeless students, including those “hidden” in other people’s homes or living in motels or cars. More than 1.3 million students are considered homeless in the U.S. A new federal law requires states to break out performance data for homeless students, in addition to other sub-groups.

Closer to Home

In Bossier Parish, hundreds of individuals with disabilities who didn’t graduate from high school could receive their diploma retroactively. Bossier Schools is the pilot district for the implementation of a new state law that says individuals with disabilities can petition their local school system if they were denied a diploma solely for failing to pass the state’s standardized exit exam.

A new bridge program between the University of New Orleans and Delgado Community College should help more students enroll in college and finish their degrees by making it easier for UNO applicants to complete initial coursework at Delgado (if necessary) and easier for UNO students to earn an associate degree at Delgado if they don’t complete their bachelor’s at UNO.

BESE member Kira Orange Jones has been promoted to a new position at Teach for America. She will be leaving her position as executive director for TFA New Orleans to supervise a cohort of TFA executive directors across the Midwest and the South.

Children of Katrina 11 Years Later

The number of children in New Orleans, particularly African-American girls and boys, has fallen steadily since Hurricane Katrina, according to a recent study from the Newcomb College Institute. Boys and young men under age 20 made up 31 percent of the African-American male population in 2014, down from 39 percent in 2000. Similarly, girls and young women under age 20 accounted for 26 percent of the African-American female population, down from 33 percent in 2000.

In this video from Huffington Post, students from Edna Karr High School reflect on Hurricane Katrina and share how their charter school has given them hope and helped them to succeed.