Armed Services YMCA San Diego’s Post

"Universities across the UK should embed a ‘truly civic’ approach that equips all students as lifelong active citizens through formal learning, campus activities, and community engagement." Today we have published a new report together with the Civic University Network, Enhancing the Student Civic Experience. Based on input from two national workshops involving representatives from across higher education and leading civil society & student organisations, the report outlines four key recommendations: 🗳️ Supporting Democratic Participation through practices like compulsory voter registration, on-campus polling, and legislative ‘surgeries’. 👨🏫 Acknowledging the student civic experience in metrics like the Teaching Excellence Framework and National Student Survey. 🎓 Refreshing Civic University Agreements to formally recognise the importance and value of the student civic experience to ‘truly civic’ universities. 🏫 Creating a ‘What Works’ civic learning resource hub and funding further research. Richard Brabner, Executive Chair of the UPP Foundation said: “Student participation in their local communities through volunteering, extra-curricular activities and work experience as part of their degree is incredibly valuable. It helps town-gown relations and supports student employability. This report offers a plan for what an effective student civic service programme could look like and we call on the next government and higher education sector to embrace its findings.” Check out the new report online now: https://bit.ly/4c1bCvn

TSL is a very impactful program to retain effective diverse teachers in high need schools. I reviewed the program in person in DC when it was then known as TIF and have so after now under TSL. Great to see the impact of TSL. It comes down to the powerful mechanicals to retain talent: pay as incentive and professional development- decades of research to show that it works. It seems even more urgent given teacher recruitment and retention needs of schools districts as they seek evidence-based grant interventions such as TSL.

With a goal to increase access to higher education for low-income, first-generation, and underrepresented students, the Virginia College Advising Corps (VCAC) is an AmeriCorps State program based at the University of Virginia. Serving more than 14,000 students at 63 high schools across the Commonwealth, there are currently 60 AmeriCorps members serving with VCAC. VCAC recruits graduating college seniors and recent college graduates to serve as full-time college advisers in high-need high schools throughout Virginia, addressing structural inequities in the education system that have systematically advantaged some populations over others. Advisers become fierce advocates for low-income, first-generation, and underrepresented students, fueled by the idea that access to higher education is paramount to racial and economic equity. Discover the impact of VCAC's work in the communities they serve by getting to know three of their current advisers at https://buff.ly/42unlid #AmeriCorps30 #AmeriCorpsWorks #HigherEducation #Equity #UVA

This is an excellent piece, and fits right along with what I just posted about the Snedden/Dewey divide. This part is especially haunting: "This May marks the 70th anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education ruling that school segregation is unconstitutional. De facto school segregation has nonetheless persisted, with the Economic Policy Institute reporting in 2020 that Black students are more than twice as likely to attend high-poverty schools as their white peers and that 60% of Black students are concentrated in high-poverty schools predominantly serving children of color. Many of these students are relegated to deeply underfunded “apartheid schools,” attended almost exclusively by low-income students of color. Battling the consequences of state fiscal abandonment like dilapidated school buildings, unsafe drinking water, and a revolving door of underprepared teachers, these schools have to work twice as hard to provide students with a quality educational experience—one that is rich in critical thinking, collaborative project-based learning, and opportunities for autonomously student-driven work. This “deeper learning” historically reserved for “elite” students is now in demand across the knowledge-intensive job market and postsecondary educational spaces awaiting students upon graduation. High-poverty schools with elevated teacher attrition struggle to provide these crucial skills, leaving graduates scrambling to catch up to compete with their peers. This failure is both a national problem and a signal that our civil rights work is not yet done." #education #equity #cathedralthinking 

In a recent piece, we highlighted one key way donors can make a difference by funding existing academic centers and programs – or by founding new ones – committed to advancing free speech, civil discourse, viewpoint diversity and a more open and robust intellectual environment on campus. https://bit.ly/4ccznAE

At a recent gathering focused on pluralism, academics, nonprofit leaders and college administrators assessed the state of campus discourse and spotlight steps to improve it. “I’m optimistic,” John Tomasi, president of Heterodox Academy, said last weekend during a conversation on Nantucket island on pluralism in higher education. He described the “state of play in higher education” as being “wildly misunderstood,” with many embracing a “battlefield view” (forcing a binary choice between "truth or social justice") that often results in “suffering, anger, cancellations.” John Jones, president at Dickinson College after a long career as a federal judge, said the liberal arts institution in Pennsylvania finds itself having to “do some deprogramming” of students who’ve been raised in a “road rage” society, where many have developed a “this or that” mentality. Perhaps the civil discourse crisis on college campuses closely mirrors the one society as a whole is grappling with. Summary: The article discusses the importance of promoting civil discourse on college campuses and showcases various solutions to foster an environment conducive to free speech. It highlights the need for universities to prioritize open dialogue while addressing the challenges and controversies surrounding free speech. The article also examines different strategies implemented by institutions to encourage respectful conversations and bridge ideological divides. #CivilDiscourse #FreeSpeechOnCampus #HigherEducation #themoreyouknow

STEM SSA Our focus is on STEM education for kids and communities, rather than engaging in Northern Conversations, Abrahamic Conversations, or Political Debates. By doing so, we can work toward resolving the issue.

Addressing the critical issue highlighted in this EdSource article, where a majority of high school students fail to complete the A-G requirements for admission to the University of California or California State University systems, reinforces the urgency of our mission at Inspirame. The panelists rightly emphasize the need to raise expectations and provide robust support to ensure student success. This aligns with our commitment to empowering learners through TecoGuide, a platform designed to guide students seamlessly from college access to career readiness. The challenges highlighted in the article, such as the lack of awareness, inadequate support, and conflicting schedules, underscore the necessity for innovative solutions. TecoGuide, with its comprehensive features, is positioned to bridge these gaps by offering clear pathways, financial aid guidance, and real-time assistance. Our mission is not only about creating awareness but providing actionable degree plans and real-time guidance to all learners. By leveraging technology, we aim to make the educational journey more accessible, reducing the barriers faced by students and parents who may not be familiar with A-G requirements. Moreover, TecoGuide is there to remind families that financial constraints should not be a detour but an opportunity to explore alternative paths, including affordable options like community college transfer routes. The systemic changes discussed, especially the need for equity-focused evaluation and default enrollment processes, resonate deeply with our vision for inclusivity and accessibility. Through collaborations with schools, districts, and equity programs, we aspire to contribute to the transformative changes needed at both the district and statewide levels. Inspirame is dedicated to being an integral part of the solution, empowering all students to navigate their educational journey successfully. Let's work together to create a future where every student has the opportunity to fulfill their dreams, irrespective of their background or circumstances. This opportunity is too important to keep quiet, I hope you will join me in sharing the importance of expanding access and awareness. Mauricio Gonzalez #TecoGuide