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Texas News
“I wanted to teach differently than I had been taught”: How some Texas educators practice anti-racist teaching
Conservative lawmakers denounce critical race theory and say it facilitates racism. Some teachers say it actually informs their efforts to counter racism in the curriculum and classroom, even though they don’t teach it directly to students.

As a child in her San Antonio fourth grade classroom, Alejandra Lopez learned about the Battle of Alamo the way most Texas students do: The Anglo fighters were valiant heroes against the Mexican enemy, led by Gen. Antonio López de Santa Anna.
Leading by Example: Aransas County ISD Superintendent steps in as a substitute
One lucky fourth grade class at Fulton Learning Center had a surprise guest during their first week of school.

Aransas County ISD superintendent Joshua Garcia stepped up to the plate when a substitute teacher was running late due to an emergency situation.

“I got to see when he noticed that a teacher was taking care of two classes, asked what was going on, and right away without hesitation he stepped in,” says Adriana Alfaro, the communities & school site coordinator for ACISD.
New Lancaster ISD Superintendent Says This School Year Will Be Unique
The new school year at Lancaster ISD is full of change. One of those exciting changes is new Lancaster ISD superintendent Dr. A. Katrise Perera.

Perera stepped into her new role this past summer.

She was chosen from more than 30 applicants from across the country. Perera has served in both Virginia and Texas districts before she was appointed as Superintendent of the Gresham-Barlow School District in Gresham (Oregon) in 2017.
McKinney ISD Cancels Youth and Government Class in Wake of State’s Controversial New Social Studies Law
McKinney school officials long took pride in their students’ participation in the nationwide Youth and Government program, calling the district a “perennial standout.”

Every year, students researched current issues, proposed and debated their own public policy, and competed in a mock legislature and elections process for statewide offices. Since the program’s arrival to McKinney in 2005 as a club, seven of the district’s middle school students have been elected governor — the program’s top honor — at the statewide conference in Austin. In 2017, the district added an elective option: Seventh and eighth graders in two of the district’s middle schools could now receive course credit for participating in the program.
“A Recipe For Disaster”: Two Viruses Surge as Texas Children Return to School
A highly unusual summer outbreak of RSV and an increase in COVID-19 cases among kids have overrun hospitals.

When two-year-old Mila began occasionally coughing in early May, her parents figured she’d caught a summer cold. But after her symptoms worsened until she couldn’t stop coughing, a visit to the pediatrician sent them straight to the emergency room. “Her oxygen levels were not even registering,” said her mother, Kalee Dionne, a meteorologist for Dallas television station WFAA.
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Supporting Your Career
5 Questions To Ask Yourself If Your Job Search Isn’t Working
Why can’t I find an amazing position with all my experience? The fear of irrelevance as a middle aged founder with a mainly [single-industry] background is certainly setting in. – Fashion Executive

This job search question happens to be submitted by someone in fashion, but I get similar inquiries from other industries. Ageism is a fear of many mid- to late-career job seekers. The entrepreneur-to-employee transition is certainly tricky, as prospective employers question if you really want to (and are able to) make the change. Being pigeon-holed by extensive experience in one industry is a legitimate possibility.
National News
Should Wraparound Services Be Funded from School Budgets? Maryland Plan Offers a Cautionary Tale
A rapidly growing force in K-12 school reform, accelerated by the pandemic, is wraparound school services. The movement merits support but also requires deeper understanding and caution.

Wraparound programs are generally intended to remove barriers outside of schools that impede student success. They emphasize health and mental health, but also include a wide range of student and family problems that correlate with poverty. Educator Linda Darling-Hammond recently said that to “restart” public schools, we must “think beyond the school doors to include a broad foundation of supports for children, including health care, housing and food.”
Ed Dept: Districts shouldn’t rely primarily on parents to identify students with disabilities
The guidance comes as the U.S. Department of Education makes increasingly clear that schools across the nation will be expected to offer in-person instruction to all students regardless of local COVID-19 transmission rates. “This school year will be important for children, students, and educators,” said Katherine Neas, acting assistant secretary of OSERS, adding “the pandemic didn’t alter IDEA’s guarantee of FAPE.”
10 Florida school districts have now mandated masks in defiance of ban
A majority of Floridians support school mask mandates, oppose cutting educator pay

Threats of funding cuts by state leaders have fallen flat in Florida as a growing number of school boards and superintendents are imposing new mask mandates.

Just this week, rising COVID numbers among staff and students have convinced several more district leaders to join an initial group of districts that instituted mask requirements earlier this month.
Rural areas have been slow to connect to broadband. More public funding could speed things up
Huge gaps exist in the nation’s broadband infrastructure, especially in rural states like New Mexico, but the pandemic may be the crisis that changes that forever

Even when clouds blanket the expansive skies of western New Mexico, the red sandstone of Owl Springs Mesa behind Sadie Perry’s home stands out. Every morning before she wakes the kids, Perry steps outside for a moment of quiet and prayer.

“I think that’s the only thing that keeps me going, is praying,” she said.
‘Flamin’ Hot,’ Eva Longoria’s first film as a director
Actress, producer, and activist Eva Longoria just finished shooting her first film as a director.

Eva Longoria announced on Monday, Aug. 23 that she finished shooting Flamin’ Hot, her first film as a director. The movie was shot in New Mexico and pays tribute to the Latino population.

Although she has already directed other smaller projects in TV series such as Jane the Virgin and Grand Hotel, Flamin’ Hot is Longoria’s first feature film.
Las Tienditas
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For 50 years, Curriculum Associates (CA) has been united around one common purpose: to make classrooms better places for teachers and students. In the years since, we’ve remained driven by this mission, introducing and then constantly improving innovative and exciting products that give every student the chance to succeed. We believe teachers are the essential glue between our programs and classroom success, so we strive to empower them with the tools and resources to accelerate student growth. Together with educators we’re making equitable learning programs a reality—raising the bar and making it reachable for all.