March 24, 2024

LA Johnson/NPR

Happy Sunday,

Cory Turner here. For those of you with kids, you’re likely either wrapping up, or kicking off, your spring break. If so, I hope it’s the latter! And whether you’ve got big plans or intentionally small, staycation plans – I hope they’re restful and restorative.

This week, I’ve got a story to share that was great fun to report. Recently, hundreds of K-12 school principals descended on Washington, D.C., to meet with lawmakers. The idea was, after Congress sent schools $190 billion in pandemic relief, it would be good for elected officials to hear what that money has paid for, and the difference it has made to schools and students.

With a big assist from the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), producer Lauren Migaki and I sat down in a hotel room with a dozen school leaders from all over the country. And I mean all over the country: Arizona, D.C., Georgia, Illinois, Maine, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Vermont, and Wyoming.

They represented big cities and small towns, affluence and poverty, in communities both conservative and progressive.

And the stories Lauren and I heard really captured the range of concern school leaders still have, four years after COVID-19 first forced them to close their physical schools.

We heard good news and bad news. Everyone agreed that those federal relief dollars had enabled them to provide vital services to kids – not just academic support but also mental health support. And most admitted that, when those dollars dry up in the coming months, many of those services will have to be wound down, if they haven’t already.

You’ll have to press Play on this one; I didn’t write a print version because this story is really, all about the voices in the room. Like a principal in Montana saying the staff he hired to help his students recover from the pandemic know they’ll likely lose their jobs when those relief dollars run out: “They know the cliff is coming. They wanted to help kids, and they took jobs knowing that they might not have them.”

Or the principal in Maine who told us that he had just been talking with two of his Maine colleagues, and, because of the end of federal relief, “both of them are going to lose their school nurse.”

Thanks for reading.

— Cory Turner, Correspondent, NPR Ed

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Now, let’s get into some news …

This year it's a slow crawl to financial aid packages for students. As you’ve probably been following, the U.S. Department of Education gave the federal student aid application, or FAFSA, a long-awaited makeover. The goal of the revamp was to simplify the form, and when it works, it is easier to fill out. Unfortunately, the effort has been marked by delays and bugs that have caused confusion in higher education and in high schools – not to mention the millions of students waiting to learn how much money they'll have for college. Read/listen here.

— Sequoia Carrillo, Assistant Editor, NPR Ed

AI images and conspiracy theories are driving a push for media literacy education. Videos, images and text created by generative artificial intelligence tools are turning up in elections, for sale on Amazon, and even in court documents. Learning to identify the growing flood of deepfakes, along with online conspiracy theories, is becoming a rite of passage for students. Read more here.

— Kim Malcolm, Host/reporter, KUOW

Alabama governor signs ban on DEI funds that restricts 'divisive concepts' in schools. The new law will impose restrictions around what it calls eight "divisive concepts" dealing with race and personal identity. It also requires public colleges to designate bathrooms "for use by individuals based on their biological sex."

Ala. Governor Kay Ivey signed the bill, SB 129, and the law will take effect on Oct. 1. College students who oppose the bill have organized protests, including a large rally at the State House earlier this month, member station WBHM reports. Read more here.

— Bill Chappell, News reporter, NPR

Win a trip to see a Tiny Desk Concert!

Between now and March 28, you could win a trip for two to see a live Tiny Desk Concert at the NPR Offices in DC when you support the NPR Network here. You’ll even have the option to grab exclusive Tiny Desk swag as you enter - all while supporting the honest journalism you rely on. Show your support today for your chance at this once-in-a-lifetime experience!

Enter Now + Show Your Support

No purchase or donation required for entry. Void where otherwise restricted or prohibited by law. Must be 18 years or older to enter and a resident of the 50 US states, D.C., or Canada (except Quebec) to enter. Entry deadline is March 28, 2024, at 11:59:59PM PT. Odds depend on the number of entries received. ARV of total prize: $2,300. Max. 10,000 entries per person. Official rules, including an alternative free method of entry, can be found here.

And for your moment of joy ...

LA Johnson here. The 2024 Tiny Desk Contest submission period has ended, but NPR Music is showcasing some of their favorite entries online. Here’s a handful of bops submitted by educators and student musicians, with my hot takes. Check ‘em out below and find more early entries on the Tiny Desk homepage.

"Is It June Yet?" by Dirty Metal Lefty – catchy pop-punk, sounds like Greenday with Tracy Chapman on lead vocals. It’s already stuck in my head!

“Games U Play” by Chris Teague (ft. Brian Johnson) – sensual R&B ballad, definitely not about school, but filmed behind this cool teacher’s desk.

"Ten Feet Tall" by Kacie Hill – Indie folk darling with a crisp voice like Maggie Rogers. Instantly melted my stress away.

“Don’t You Dim Me” by Breakin’ Strings – Seasoned bluegrass band comin’ at ya with a driving power of fast finger pickin’ and a rockin’ set of pipes on the lead singer. Tiny Desk has been known to showcase bluegrass musicians, so I could see this band being up there with Trampled by Turtles.

“Human Beings” by The Gold Souls – Funk/soul revival band. This sweet song has a Creedence vibe with a heavy organ carrying the brass and a surprising guitar solo.

— LA Johnson, Art Director, NPR Ed

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Federal relief dollars to schools are running out