Ten years of summertime has allowed complacency to set in, so the warning of winter’s approach is especially ominous. Yet, unbeknownst to Ned, this particular winter will bring not only cold, but also supernatural forces that threaten the well-being of the kingdom.

Now, what does all this have to do with public schools? Simple. We are the citizens of Westeros in this analogy and while we’re basking in the gentle light of spring, rest assured — winter is coming. The financial cold front bearing down on public education is unlike any we’ve seen in a decade. It may not be obvious to the public, to the Legislature or to school staff. Even some of our newer board members or superintendents may fail to recognize it, but those who have been here before can sense a chill in the air. And if we fail to diligently prepare for the harsh change of seasons, the results will be catastrophic for public schools and the students we serve.

Affirmative action and the Supreme Court

ince the 1954 ruling in Brown v. Board of Education (347 US 483), it is well known that segregation is unlawful in schools in the United States. What is not clear, however, is what efforts K-12 schools may pursue in admission processes to create more diverse schools in their districts.

In 2007, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1 (551 US 701) that because the district’s high school admission program was targeted at reaching demogiraphic goals rather than educational benefits, it was unconstitutional. This ruling did not make all race-conscious admissions programs in K-12 schools illegal, but it did create uncertainty as to what is permitted when districts want to consider race in admission processes in K-12 schools. The Court has not issued any other opinions that provide additional guidance on the topic of K-12 diversity programs.

Although the Court’s decisions on affirmative action methods at the university level do not apply directly to the K-12 context, they do offer insight on the Court’s general stance on the consideration of race in education admissions. The newest precedent on the topic may come from two cases brought by Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA), a nonprofit membership organization arguing before the Supreme Court last November that any consideration of race in college admission processes, including affirmative action, is unlawful. The outcome of these cases will likely impact K-12 education by providing further insight about any consideration of race in admission practices. The cases will also impact the options students see for themselves in their education and career paths, and consequently, the classes and activities they may decide to pursue.

Victor Valley Union High School District team supports parents and students

Increasing enrollment, attendance and graduation rates, and a falling dropout rate are some of the positive changes that Victor Valley Union High School District credits in part to its Family Engagement Program.

“The parent or guardian is a child’s first teacher, so you have to make an effort to reach out to them in multiple ways,” said Kris Reilly, the San Bernardino County district’s public engagement information manager.

The Golden Bell Award-winning program, which kicked off in 2016, is a data-driven approach to improving student outcomes. Research shows “that family engagement in schools contributes to improved student achievement, decreased disciplinary issues, improved parent–teacher and teacher–student relationships, and improves school environments,” according to Reilly.

vital part of effective governance is knowing and understanding the people that you serve: your students.

As such, governing boards of education have important questions to consider: Do we have the pulse of our student body? Do students have a direct and open way to communicate their wants and needs to the board, and does that input directly inform our decision-making process? Are the needs of students dutifully reflected and addressed in our educational programs? Board members can make educated guesses about the answers to these questions and whether they are genuinely meeting students’ needs — but we don’t really know unless we ask students, and listen to their responses when we do.

Answering these questions is markedly easier with a student board member on your governance team, and the answers are more authentic.

n the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, providing social-emotional support for students sits atop the minds of many school board members. For many communities, the increased exposure to trauma, social isolation and learning format changes have brought forth frustration, a sense of hopelessness and increasing mental health concerns.

The focus now centers on efforts to help students move away from maladaptive coping strategies due to an unhealthy diet of social media and a sense of being academically behind.

While districts across the state have received additional funding resources to provide counseling and other services, the action of hiring mental health support staff alone will not effectively address student mental health. When analyzing the social-emotional challenges facing us today, an important truth emerges — addressing this crisis requires a more thoughtful approach across all tiers of support.

When the pandemic forced schools and districts to close their doors, teachers, students, and parents were forced to adopt online options. They struggled to adjust to the long virtual days and navigate learning from home. But this wasn’t true online learning.

What most students experienced during the pandemic was emergency remote learning, a temporary and quick solution to keep students learning, with students being taught synchronously on video calls from 8am-3pm with little to no breaks. In actuality, true online learning supports students and empowers educators with evidence-based approaches, professional development for instructors, courses specifically designed for the online environment, and flexibility for students to communicate one-on- one with teachers.

In fact, 81% of parents believe online learning helps their children prepare for the future and 85% of teachers believe that teaching online increases their ability to help students succeed, confirming what we know to be true: When done right, students can thrive in the online learning environment.