Needless to say, 2020 brought a myriad of unexpected challenges across the globe and in the United States and now that we have entered a new year, we are collectively as a nation, and as individuals, hoping for a better 2021. It is undeniable that many parts of our society have been affected one way or another by this past year. The future of quality education throughout the United States is no exception. Now that 2021 is upon us, and there is a new administration taking office, we will be looking into what this may mean for the future of education, during and post pandemic. 

President Joe Biden has formally announced his cabinet which has the most people of color and most female representation in history, as well as the first openly gay Cabinet member. As an organization rooted in promoting diversity, this is definitely something to celebrate! The Cabinet member that has us excited and will have an immediate impact on our organization and our kids is Biden’s pick for Secretary of Education, Miguel Cardona.

Who is Miguel Cardona? 

Cardona was born to Puerto Rican parents who migrated to the United States. He grew up in Connecticut and in public housing. As a child, he attended the local public school and was an English Language learner.  This has influenced his focus and desire to close the gaps that ELL students have compared to their classmates. He was the first person in his family to attend college, became a public school fourth grade teacher, and later served as a principal for 10 years. In summary,  he has first-hand experience in the public school system in the United States and knows its weaknesses. He not only attended a public school himself but also was an educator and administrator. 

Cardona is entering this position in one of the most important but also taxing times possibly in the history of the U.S.; during a pandemic that has affected the education system, children, and young adults within it, for nearly a full year now. It is no secret that there is a large equity gap in the U.S. education system that has continued to widen during this pandemic. Students around the country are struggling and those that reside in low-income communities are suffering the most. According to a U.S. census survey, conducted in April of 2020 “4.4 million households with students still lack consistent access to a computer and 3.7 million lack internet access.” Cardona as well as Biden acknowledge this disparity.  

Biden has spoken about increasing funding and recognizes that some parents have to drive their students to coffee shops just so they can attend school or turn in homework assignments. At Kids in the Game, we too have adjusted our program models to adapt to the unique online school climate. This year we opened Remote Learning Centers at multiple locations so parents had the flexibility to drop their kids off at a site and trust that their school work would get done in a positive environment. They were then able to work a full day, many being essential workers. 

Importantly, Cardona recognizes the essential challenges he is facing did not just become an issue with COVID-19, but have been systematic issues throughout the history of education in the U.S. 

Biden and Cardona’s COVID-related plans: 

1. Reopening schools: President Biden and Cardona both stressed their desire to re-open schools, but made sure to emphasize that they want to safely re-open schools. Biden explained that he would like to have the majority of the schools in the U.S. open again by then end of the administration’s first 100 days. Biden further discussed that to do this they would need funding approved from congress to be able to provide more ventilation and cleaning services. 

Other Plans for the Education System: 

Both Cardona and Biden as well as Vice-President Kamala Harris are focused on addressing multiple equity gaps in the U.S.’ education system, including but not limited to:

1. Increase funding for Title I schools: In his address, on December 23rd, Biden asks “How must it be in America that parents have to drive to a parking lot of a coffee shop or library for wifi that they cannot afford at home so that their kids can attend school?” To help address this problem as well as others faced by low-income families in the U.S they expressed their desire to provide triple-funding for Title I schools. 
2. Mental Health Services: Biden proposed his plan to double the amount of school psychologists, therapists, and nurses in schools. This will give teachers the opportunity to focus more on teaching. 
3. Increased funding for HBCUs:  Biden’s presidential campaign often emphasized their desire to narrow the inequity gaps within our education system. Now that Biden is the president-elect it is no different as he has proposed to invest $70 billion into HBCUs and other minority focused serving institutions. 

What does this mean for Kids in the Game?

We at Kids in the Game provide direct programming to public, private, and charter schools no matter what neighborhood. One of our main goals is to narrow the inequality gap within one of the most segregated cities in the country. It is exciting to see a Secretary of Education who wants the same. 

To read more about Biden as well as Cardona’s plan for education, you can click here.

Written by Sol Ashgarcia

The 2016 election cycle was no doubt full of controversy, strong opinions and unrest. Issues from healthcare to border patrol were debated upon month after month (felt like years, really) with little resolve. Our educational system was no exception to the controversy and debate of this cycle. Until recently, Senator Bernie Sanders headlined the education debates with his stance on higher education affordability. However, this past month a new name in the education politics has stolen the headlines. President Trump’s Secretary of Education pick, Betsy DeVos broke onto the scene with her lack luster confirmation hearing performance last month. America was left in traditionally unchartered territory of not knowing if President Trump’s pick would be confirmed at all.

However, as of this past Tuesday, America now knows that answer. In a 51-50 vote (tie broken, by Vice President Pence) the U.S. Senate confirmed DeVos to the position of Secretary of Education. Now we must wonder what her confirmation means to the current educational landscape.

We admit it is not in the typical Kids in the Game wheelhouse to blog about politics. However, the landscape of our nation’s educational system directly affects organizations, like us, that do direct programming within public, private and charter schools. The confirmation of Betsy DeVos presents an interesting ideology change in our country’s current educational system. With a conscious effort to present the facts, we will explore who DeVos is and how her confirmation could affect Kids in the Game and New York City Schools.

Who is Betsy DeVos? She is a Michigan native that describes herself as a philanthropist and education activist. She is an advocate for school of choice, a system that utilizes the voucher system. Politico reported President Trump campaigned on a $20 billion proposal government funded voucher program making his pick of DeVos not overly surprising. The voucher system would allow families the financial flexibility to choose schools for their children. For example, a child would be able to attend a private school that they could not afford prior to receiving a voucher. We can all agree that $20 billion dollars is a significant amount of money and that money will need to come from somewhere. Most likely, that somewhere will be the current public educational budget. Meaning, while some students will be able to go to a private school of their choice, public schools potentially lose general funding.

It is no secret that the first programs cut in financial burden are arts, physical education and after school programs. According to a report city Controller Scott Stringer put out in 2015 32% of NYC schools currently do not provide physical education. More alarmingly 600,000 New York City K-12 graders are reported to “take care of themselves” after school already. In efforts to lower these statistics, NYC mayor Bill de Blasio introduced a $100 million initiative for physical education programs in the city last spring. DeVos and de Balasio aligning very differently on funding issues will be something to watch.

What else does DeVos believe?

1. While like many political events, DeVos Congressional hearing provided a lot of questions with few firm answers. One of the more interesting questions poised at the hearing to DeVos, by Senator Tim Kaine, was her take on providing funding for students requiring special education. DeVos repeated her stance of leaving that decision up to the individual states. Dependent on which side New York State would choose to be on – fund or not – would greatly impact the educational landscape of New York City. Families requiring special education programs for their child would potentially be forced to reevaluate where they reside.

2. Commonly connected to DeVos are charter schools. Charter schools are tax-payer funded but privately ran schools that traditionally have more flexibility in curriculum, hiring practices, and are occasionally owned by for-profit entities. DeVos has promoted charter schools in her home state of Michigan, particularly in urban Detroit. In general, support of charter schools has come from both sides of the political aisle. So it would seem that DeVos’ connection with charter schools wouldn’t be too hot of a topic. However, it is important to note that in Detroit 80% of the charter schools are for-profit and are not subjected to strict performance standards due, in part, to DeVos lobbying against firmer evaluations.

New York has taken a different approach to charter schools than Detroit and originally capped the number of operating charters to 100 statewide until it could be definitively proven there is educational benefit from this style of school. Currently there are 183 charter schools in New York City and any with Department of Education accreditation are set to the same standards as traditional public schools. With a DeVos cabinet-ship confirmed, the questions of how charters will be evaluated, funded and expanded upon need to be asked.

A full fact sheet of the history of charter schools in New York can be found here.

3. Citing a small town in Wyoming, DeVos showed support for guns in schools for situational grizzly bear trespassing. How does this affect KING and NYC schools, you say? Considering, grizzly bears do not inhabit the state of New York (unless you count the Bronx Zoo) we should naturally stay pretty safe from those darn grizzlies. All jokes aside, gun violence is a topic that will continue to be of both great importance and great debate in our country. With school security currently at all-time high it is something to keep a close eye on.

*It should also be noted that DeVos did not provide a definitive answer if only schools with potential bear invasions would be allowed on on-campus guns.

As of today, DeVos is our Secretary of Education. As our country continues to transition to new leadership and a new presidency, Kids in the Game’s mission remains the same: we strive to provide opportunities through sport and fitness to as many children in New York City as possible regardless of what neighborhood they are from or what school they attend.