The Delta Issue #58 The end of the National Blue Ribbon Program is not the end of excellence. At the end of August, the U.S. Department of Education quietly ended the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program, closing the book on a decades-old tradition of recognizing public and private schools across the country for [...] The post The end of the National Blue Ribbon Program is not the end of excellence. appeared first on Watershed Advisors.| Watershed Advisors
It’s not often you see red and blue states agree. But this year, nearly two-thirds of governors did, naming early learning as a top priority in their State of the State addresses. While governors are pledging to do more for early childhood, federal policy is shifting in ways that will leave their states with less.| Watershed Advisors
The Delta Issue #56 Some States Show Progress on Absenteeism — But Why? We Asked the Experts. New national data on chronic absenteeism just came out — and for the first time in a while, there’s a bit of good news. States that pledged to cut absenteeism in half are doing better than [...] The post Some States Show Progress on Absenteeism — But Why? We Asked the Experts. appeared first on Watershed Advisors.| Watershed Advisors
In last week’s Delta, we talked about the vital role the federal government plays in protecting the rights of every child — especially the most vulnerable. According to new reporting in K-12 Dive, the U.S. Department of Education is dismantling a key regulation mandating that states collect information about what’s known as “significant disproportionality.” Under the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act, districts are required to track and report racial, ethnic, and socioe...| Watershed Advisors
The Delta Issue #54 Special Edition: Delta 📽️ Special Video Edition: Katrina, 20 Years Later 🎧 Listen to this edition of The Delta on Spotify. Hurricane Katrina made landfall in New Orleans on August 23, 2005. It was a devastating and defining event in Louisiana’s history, and in our lives as Louisianans. [...] The post Special Video Edition: Katrina, 20 Years Later appeared first on Watershed Advisors.| Watershed Advisors
The Delta Issue #53 50 EdTech tools in the classroom? Not for long. 2025 has been a boom year for artificial intelligence. With all the rapid investment in AI technology, you’d think 2025 would also be a boom year for edtech — but instead, Q1 was the worst quarter for venture funding since [...] The post 50 EdTech tools in the classroom? Not for long. appeared first on Watershed Advisors.| Watershed Advisors
The Delta Issue #52 Special Edition: Oklahoma’s Testing Waiver Isn’t Serious Leadership Last week, State Superintendent Ryan Walters announced that, starting in the 2025–26 school year, Oklahoma will end federally required end-of-year testing for grades 3–8 in math and ELA. Districts would instead be allowed to use “approved benchmark assessments” in place of [...] The post Special Edition: Oklahoma’s Testing Waiver Isn’t Serious Leadership appeared first on Watershed Advisors.| Watershed Advisors
This August marks one full year of The Delta. They say time flies when you’re having fun, and while “fun” might not be the first word you’d use to describe the year we’ve had, it’s been a joy to grow this community and share big ideas that can move our education system forward.| Watershed Advisors
