kalynbelsha.bsky.social - Profile | ThreadSky | a Reddit-style client for Bluesky

NEW: With what appears to be just 1 person left from the Office of English Language Acquisition at the Ed Dept, advocates worry some $890M in federal $ for English learners won't be spent properly & the quality of teacher training will suffer. Here's what we know: www.chalkbeat.org/2025/03/21/t...

submitted 3 days ago • 4 comments

NEW: This morning Trump said he wanted to move services for students with disabilities out of the Education Department and to Health and Human Services. Many experts say he can't do that without an act of Congress. Here's what we know — w/ @ericameltzer.bsky.social www.chalkbeat.org/2025/03/22/t...

submitted 4 days ago • 0 comments

NEW: Trump has finally signed the long-awaited executive order asking Linda McMahon to take steps to close the Education Department. Here's what we know so far — via @ericameltzer.bsky.social @andrewujifusa.bsky.social & me www.chalkbeat.org/2025/03/20/t...

submitted 5 days ago • 0 comments

A former Education Department staffer said the entire Office for Civil Rights teams in Philly, Chicago, SF, Cleveland, Boston and NY were let go. That represents half of regional civil rights offices. Via @kalynbelsha.bsky.social and @ericameltzer.bsky.social www.chalkbeat.org/2025/03/11/e...

submitted 14 days ago • 4 comments

NEW: The Department of Education announced it was laying off 1,300+ staffers today, 1/3 of the agency. Combined with retirements & buy-outs nearly half the Department is vanishing. The entire staff of six OCR regional offices was cut. — w/ @ericameltzer.bsky.social www.chalkbeat.org/2025/03/11/e...

submitted 14 days ago • 1 comment

Whenever it ultimately arrives ... here's what we know so far about a likely executive order to try to close the U.S. Department of Education. www.chalkbeat.org/2025/03/06/t...

submitted 19 days ago • 0 comments

Linda McMahon has been confirmed as Education Secretary. www.chalkbeat.org/2025/03/03/l...

submitted 22 days ago • 2 comments

Educators sue to block enforcement of anti-diversity civil rights guidance https://www.chalkbeat.org/2025/02/26/lawsuit-seeks-injunction-against-anti-dei-dear-colleague-letter/

submitted 28 days ago • 2 comments

NEW: Among the education research projects abruptly terminated by DOGE was a program helping 1,100 teens & young adults w/ disabilities plan for life after high school. "It’s just heartbreaking," one parent told me. "I feel like this wasn’t well thought out." www.chalkbeat.org/2025/02/26/t...

submitted 27 days ago • 0 comments

Department of Education news breaking tonight: The agency’s civil rights arm has opened just 20 investigations in the past three weeks. By comparison, about 250 civil rights investigations were opened during the same period last year. www.propublica.org/article/depa...

submitted 40 days ago • 13 comments

It's not just at school that NYC students fear immigration enforcement - it's also on their commutes. "Now, every time I see a police officer, I get anxious and nervous around them,” a Bangladeshi student from the Bronx told us. W/ @amyzimmer.bsky.social www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2025...

submitted 39 days ago • 0 comments

NEW: In her confirmation hearing, Linda McMahon stood firmly behind President Trump's calls to gut the Department of Education. But she appeared open to reversing some DOGE cuts — and still wants to lead the agency.

submitted 40 days ago • 0 comments

Linda McMahon said she stands firmly behind President Trump’s calls to gut the U.S. Department of Education at her confirmation hearing, but she promised to work with Congress to do so. Here's what you need to know via @ericameltzer.bsky.social and @kalynbelsha.bsky.social

submitted 40 days ago • 0 comments

Denver is suing the Trump administration to restore the "sensitive locations" policy. The district argues it has had to divert resources away from learning to reassure families and develop a response to potential immigration enforcement. www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/202...

submitted 41 days ago • 1 comment

Denver Public Schools sues feds to stop immigration enforcement at schools, “sensitive locations” https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2025/02/13/denver-district-sues-ice-to-stop-immigration-enforcement-at-schools/

submitted 41 days ago • 1 comment

A sampling of the reader responses to my reporting about DOGE's cuts to education research & data-gathering at the U.S. Department of Education (original story here: www.chalkbeat.org/2025/02/11/e...)

submitted 41 days ago • 1 comment

McMahon's investments in municipal bonds funding school construction projects include the following in Illinois: Joliet Junior College, Franklin Park School District, River Trails School District, and Waukegan Community Unit School District 60

submitted 41 days ago • 0 comments

NEW: Linda McMahon has said she will divest from dozens of municipal bonds funding school construction projects across the U.S. if confirmed as Education Secretary. She's likely earning $900K+ a year in interest payments from public education-related bonds. www.chalkbeat.org/2025/02/12/e...

submitted 41 days ago • 0 comments

NEW: Last year, The Heritage Foundation called on states to pass laws that could prompt a challenge to Plyler v. Doe, which guarantees children the right to a public education regardless of immigration status. Now lawmakers in at least 5 states are doing just that. www.chalkbeat.org/2025/02/08/r...

submitted 43 days ago • 1 comment

Sharing updated reporting from @chalkbeat.org: Secret Service agents, who are overseen by DHS but don't enforce immigration law, are who showed up at Hamline ES today. "The fear, confusion, and conflicting accounts could be a preview of what’s to come" in wks ahead www.chalkbeat.org/chicago/2025...

submitted 60 days ago • 0 comments

Just got full directive from Dept of Homeland Security about end of sensitive locations policy. Says ICE agents will use discretion & "a healthy dose of common sense" to decide if enforcement should happen at a sensitive location, like a school. More guidance on how to use discretion could follow.

submitted 61 days ago • 1 comment

🧵1/3 How Education Rights Could Change 🎯🚨 Education Rights Could Change Drastically If the Dept of Education is dismantled: ➡️Civil rights complaints → DOJ lawsuits ➡️Fewer investigations of issues @chalkbeat.org reporter, @kalynbelsha.bsky.social explains what this means for students.

submitted 76 days ago • 1 comment

🧵1/4 #schoolutionspodcast S4 E18 BONUS: Coaching, Teaching, & Classroom Management Strategies Sparked From My Conversation with @kalynbelsha.bsky.social of @chalkbeat.org (❤️ Olivia Wahl) 🎧 Listen: www.buzzsprout.com/1890886/epis... 📺 Watch: youtu.be/lGGzPtLZ898

submitted 74 days ago • 1 comment

In a recent @brookings.edu piece, experts on immigration and education weighed in on the potential implications of enhanced immigration enforcement on public schools and young people and what education leaders can do to protect their students. www.brookings.edu/articles/imm...

submitted 63 days ago • 0 comments

NEW: DHS has officially ended a longstanding policy that limited immigration arrests & surveillance at schools. What does that mean for students & educators? We've been writing about this possible change over the last few months: www.chalkbeat.org/2025/01/21/t...

submitted 63 days ago • 2 comments

NEW: If President-elect Trump rescinds a longstanding policy that limits immigration enforcement at/near schools, we could see parents stopped more often at dropoff & interactions w/ school police could become more fraught. Here's how schools can prepare: www.chalkbeat.org/2024/12/18/s...

submitted 96 days ago • 0 comments

Chronic absenteeism is a crisis for schools across America, but Native students have been particularly hard-hit. We explore how one school district in Arizona is using cultural success coaches to help families address challenges that keep students from coming to school.

submitted 112 days ago • 1 comment

Absenteeism among Native American students increased the most in NM during the pandemic, according to data compiled in 34 states by @asssociatedpress.bsky.social. The response has included everything from more events at schools to tribal leaders making home visits www.chalkbeat.org/2024/12/03/n...

submitted 112 days ago • 0 comments

Researchers are cautioning that the pandemic’s effects on HS graduation rates likely will be felt for years, as kids who struggled in elementary & middle school work their way toward a diploma www.chalkbeat.org/2024/11/19/r...

submitted 126 days ago • 0 comments