Los defensores de Virginia creen que se puede hacer más para que la educación superior sea accesible para las personas encarceladas.

Sólo un puñado de colegios comunitarios colaboran con menos de la mitad de los centros correccionales del estado para ayudar a las personas a obtener títulos de asociado.

En 2023, las personas encarceladas pasaron a ser elegibles para recibir las becas federales Pell, que absorben los gastos de matrícula para personas con bajos ingresos.

Terri Erwin, directora de la Iniciativa de Educación Superior en Prisión y del Centro Interreligioso de Políticas Públicas de Virginia, dice que la Asamblea General puede ayudar a hacer crecer estos programas.

"Creo que la Asamblea General puede ser una especie de tercera pata en el banquillo para apoyar la colaboración a medida que se desarrolla entre el Departamento Correccional y las instituciones de educación superior," asegura Erwin. "Y lo que podría ser necesario depende en parte de cómo se desarrollen esas relaciones."

El paso de la enseñanza superior a la tecnología supuso un gran reto para mantener este acceso durante la pandemia. Ella señala que Virginia no dio el mismo giro, pero que las soluciones tecnológicas de estados como Tennessee y Maine brindaron a los estudiantes encarcelados un acceso seguro a la gestión del aprendizaje y la intranet. A pesar de estos desafíos, la enseñanza superior en prisión ha crecido en todo el país en los últimos años.

Los estudios muestran que algunos de los beneficios de estos programas son una reducción del 43% en la reincidencia y un aumento del 13% en el empleo tras la puesta en libertad. Erwin afirma que estos programas pueden ser transformadores para las personas.

"Es una oportunidad para reincorporarse a la sociedad con una mayor similitud a la gente que ha estado fuera todo el tiempo," dice Erwin. "Ayuda a superar parte del estigma. Les da un gancho en el que apoyarse a la hora de buscar trabajo y contar su historia."

Las personas que han estado encarceladas y se reinsertan en la sociedad se enfrentan a numerosos obstáculos. Está demostrado que programas como SNAP y Asistencia Temporal para Familias Necesitadas reducen la reincidencia en un 10%. Pero tener antecedentes penales inhabilita a una persona para acceder a esos programas sociales y al seguro de desempleo.



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Mississippi's education improvements could unravel unless the state addresses its teacher compensation crisis.

Toren Ballard, a former teacher and education policy researcher gave the warning and stressed the Magnolia state's 2022 pay raise temporarily boosted recruitment but did not solve retention. He pointed out when adjusted for inflation, teacher salaries remain below 21st century levels, with the most severe gaps in poorer districts unable to offer anything past a base salary.

"In recent years we have seen more people going into the profession, which is a good data trend but we've also seen the number of teachers leaving Mississippi classrooms explode," Ballard reported. "In recent years, in the average district, losing nearly one in four teachers each year."

Ballard praised Mississippi's new weighted student funding formula for addressing equity concerns. However, he highlighted competitive base salaries are critical to keeping up the state's education progress.

Ballard noted Mississippi's teacher shortage affects high-need districts and critical subjects like math and science. He argued paying teachers more is not necessarily about fairness.

"No, it's microeconomics," Ballard emphasized. "If we are going to offer more competitive salaries to Mississippi teachers, we are going to get more people interested in coming to Mississippi to begin with and more importantly, staying in Mississippi if they're already here."

Mississippi saw reading gains following the 2016 Literacy-Based Promotion Act, with fourth-grade test scores rising as other states declined.

Ballard hopes lawmakers now turn to current challenges, like rising health insurance premiums eating up a quarter of new teachers' salaries. There will also be reduced pension benefits for those hired after March 2026.


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A high school educator from Pennsylvania has been named National Teacher of the Year, one of the highest honors in the field.

The prestigious award is for educators who have demonstrated excellence in the classroom and exceptional commitment to their students.

Ashlie Crosson, who teaches advanced placement language and composition, English 10 and survival stories at Mifflin County High School, said she is honored to receive the award. Inspired by great teachers growing up, she has been an educator for more than 14 years and called teaching one of the oldest and most rewarding careers, and one the world will always need.

"I had amazing teachers who valued me and invested in me and made me feel confident and smart and important," Crosson recounted. "If you can do a job where you get to make other people feel like that, that's a good way to spend a life. And I think that's what we try to sort of focus on or celebrate for students."

Crosson also teaches the journalism program, which publishes the school newspaper and the district magazine. She has had a positive effect on her students' academic and career paths as some of her former students now work at the local newspaper.

With the Trump administration proposing to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, Crosson acknowledged policies may shift with each new administration but her students' needs will always remain her top concern.

"In my classroom and talking to my colleagues, we are still focused on what's going on in our classroom," Crosson emphasized. "Because that's our job, day in and day out, and we know that there's going to be ebbs and flows and changes, because that's what it means to be a teacher. But the thing that doesn't change is your students' needs, and so those will always be our priorities."

Looking to broaden horizons for both her colleagues and students, Crosson started "MC Goes Global," a travel program bringing learning to life through international trips. Her students do not just stick to books and essays, they dive into real-world research on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and even build websites, blending global awareness with hands-on learning.


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Pennsylvanians will rally in Harrisburg on Tuesday urging lawmakers to boost public school funding.

More than 1.7 million students are enrolled in Pennsylvania schools.

Susan Spicka, executive director of Education Voters of Pennsylvania, said her group is among those backing Gov. Josh Shapiro's budget proposal.

It would mean more than $500 million for underfunded schools, $75 million for basic education, and $40 million for special education.

She added that every student deserves a well-funded education and warns that cuts could leave some school districts behind.

"Our message is going to be loud and clear that we need the State Legislature to adopt the entire, full budget package that Gov. Shapiro has proposed," said Spicka. "The full package means that there will be a positive step forward for every school district."

Spicka said they're also urging lawmakers to set a timeline to meet constitutional school funding requirements and to reject private school vouchers.

Her group, along with the PA Schools Work coalition, is leading the rally with support from parents and community groups. The state House and Senate must pass the budget by June 30.

While Advocacy Day is about gaining state lawmakers' support for this year's budget, Spicka said the groups also strongly oppose efforts to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education.

She added that they're very concerned about how possible federal funding cuts would affect Pennsylvania students.

"We acknowledge that federal funding is an essential funding stream for public schools, especially for the schools that have students with the greatest need," said Spicka. "So, any cut in federal funding will have an enormous and negative impact on students who have already been the furthest left behind in Pennsylvania."

She estimated that a few hundred people will attend the Harrisburg rally. They have meetings planned with lawmakers, will hold a news conference and speak with state education staff.

She added that anyone who attends can fill out a postcard to leave at their lawmaker's office.




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