K-12 Education in 2017

The K-12 educational world is wondering what will happen in 2017 on several fronts, especially as a new Administration takes office. Although it’s hard to predict what may occur at this point, various observers in the field indicate that there are some things to watch for in 2017:

1) As important as the new Secretary of Education will be, it’s also worth keeping an eye out for who will fill the other positions in the department. As noted in EdWeek, “Picks like the deputy secretary, assistant secretary for elementary and secondary education, assistant secretary for planning evaluation and policy, and even chief of staff could matter a lot.” People in K-12 education will be looking to see who’s appointed to fill those roles.

2) A key development to watch is the implementation of the new Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Some rules and regulations for the new law have already been made. EdWeek reports that, “the first deadline for state ESSA plans as early April: has already been set. The new administration could reset this and other deadlines, and will also get to approve state plans for ESSA implementation.

3) Another area to keep an eye will be the new administration’s first budget proposal for 2018. Expect that to come out sometime in late winter or early spring of 2017. That initial budget proposal will give us a good sense of what the new administration will prioritize in the coming years on the K-12 educational front.

4) Finally, technology will continue to play an important role in the K-12 landscape in 2017. K-12 learning in today’s digital work calls for creative solutions. For example, school districts are coming up with innovative ideas to provide online access to students in lower-income areas. Matthew Lynch, editor of the education blog, The Edcovate, points to the Coachella Valley School District in California, which sends out Wifi equipped buses to rural and low-income neighborhoods to act as rolling internet hotspots so when students get home and need to access the internet to do their homework, they can go online.

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