Resources for Using New DoE Funds and Building Authentic Partnerships | October 2022

This month's updates from The BELE Network [View this email in your browser]( Good morning BELE family, When we talk about student safety in the classroom, what are we really talking about? It means safety from physical violence, yes, but it also means creating supportive learning environments where students feel safe. This benefits students’ mental health and well-being, creates a culture of belonging and allows them to make mistakes—all of which are required for learning. Together, these pieces contribute to a better student experience at school. The kind that leads to stronger academic and life outcomes after graduation. This commitment to student safety is shared by BELE, many of you, and even the US Department of Education. As part of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, schools and districts across the country are set to receive $1 billion from the U.S. Department of Education. We’re excited to see that Secretary Cardona is encouraging districts to spend those funds on activities that prioritize student success through a holistic view of school safety. His recommendations, which you can find in his [Dear Colleague letter]( strongly align with the BELE Network’s [Essential Actions]( for building equitable learning environments and improving the student experience. The science of learning and development has given us evidence-based approaches that make schools safer by creating positive environments that meet students’ mental health needs. In our new Medium piece, [Making Kids Safer at School With Newly Available Funds: An overview of the BSCA education funds]( we’ve collected our own resources to support districts and educators that seek to understand more about how to take actionable steps towards these commitments. Read it [here]( and check out the [BELE Resource Library]( to learn more. In Partnership, Cathy Holahan, Bethany Little, Elysa Cash [EducationCounsel]( The BELE Learning Series [Building Authentic School & Family Partnerships: Insights from the Field | CASEL]( Our second learning brief, Building Authentic School & Family Partnerships: Insights from the Field, was just released. Honing in on learnings from CASEL’s SEL Dialogue Series for Caregiver-School Partnerships Pilot, the brief highlights how centering student and caregiver experiences, as well as creating authentic partnerships between caregivers, educators, and school leaders, can help build equitable learning environments. Read the full piece [here](. The Latest from the BELE Network “Working Harder Just to Be Seen and Heard:” Barriers to Financial Aid for Homeless and Foster Youth | SchoolHouse Connection SchoolHouse Connection released a report analyzing the impact of the pandemic on FAFSA completion for youth experiencing homeless and youth with experience in foster care. In the report, SHC shares its recommendations for increasing FAFSA completion rates among students facing homelessness. Read it [here](. Empty Seats at Powerful Tables: The State of School Boards in America | School Board Partners School Board Partners conducted a large-scale survey of elected school board members from across the country. In this new report, they share key perspectives, priorities, experiences, and challenges from education leaders of color. To learn about SBP’s solutions to overcome challenges for school boards to dismantle systemic racism, read the report [here](. Crew Not Passengers | EL Education EL Education recently launched a new podcast series, Crew Not Passengers, highlighting a new student advisory structure for EL Schools called [Crew](. The podcast gives advice and reflections on how to leverage Crew l to help build meaningful relationships, support academic progress monitoring, and develop character in schools. Listen to experts, educators, and students talk about Crew’s impact [here](. Upcoming Events & Opportunities October 31: Fifth Cohort Application | School Board Partners Interested in joining a network of education policy leaders collaborating to advocate for a more equitable K-12 education system? School Board Partners is seeking applicants for their fifth fellows cohort. Current school board members must apply by October 31st and newly electeds must apply by November 22nd. Apply [here](. November 1 - December 13: Leading for Equity: for White People / People Who Benefit from White Privilege | National Equity Project The National Equity Project’s 6-week virtual training course will call on people to understand and process emotions related to their white privilege and how they are harmed by white supremacy. Participants will collectively explore challenges stemming from their identities and commitments to justice in six weekly sessions. Register [here](. November 2 - December 14: Leading for Equity: for Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC)/People of the Global Majority (PGM) | National Equity Project Join the National Equity Project for a 6-week virtual training course to build community with and learn from other BIPOC and PGM equity leaders. During sessions, participants will find a space to share, reflect, and heal together while strengthening individual and collective leadership for equity. Register [here](. November 15: Attending to Healing | National Equity Project Doing equity work requires persistent and ongoing healing from the effects of oppression. Join the National Equity Project for a 3-hour virtual workshop to explore how to center and integrate ongoing healing processes when working, collaborating, and designing for equity. Enroll [here](. November 17 - 19: Black Men Educators Convening | Center for Black Educator Development The Center for Black Educator Development is hosting a convening for participants to discuss the deep emotional, intellectual, and trajectory-altering work Black men educators do daily. The event will have speakers, panels, and workshops to help inspire Black men educators and those who support them to continue changing student and educator outcomes. Register [here](. November 17 - 19: Facing Race: A National Conference | Race Forward Join Race Forward in-person in Phoenix, Arizona or online to come together in a collaborative space for racial justice movement making. This conference will gather a multiracial, intergenerational group of organizers, educators, creatives, and other leaders to work to advance racial justice. Learn more [here](. December 7 - 9: EL Education 2022 National Conference | EL Education EL Education will hold their 2022 National Conference in-person in Chicago, IL. Educators, experts, and innovators will join together to strengthen support for the whole child and celebrate student achievement. To hear from their lineup of leaders and student speakers and attend a variety of learning labs, register [here](. BELE in the News: To Improve Students’ Mental Health, Schools take a Team Approach | The New York Times EL Education’s school communities use a teamwork approach, called [Crew]( to create safe, healing, and affirming school environments. This New York Times article highlights Crew as a way to help students improve socially, emotionally, and academically with the skills Crew teaches them. Read about it [here](. New to BELE? Start Here [The BELE Framework: A Guide to Building Equitable Learning Environments]( We may have inherited a public education system that nurtures racial and class-based inequities, but it is ours to redesign. The BELE Network created a framework that gives educators, administrators, and policymakers the tools that are needed to create an equitable learning environment. [The BELE Resource Library: Find the Best Resource for Your Needs]( This new, collaborative space is an evolving repository of resources and recommendations from across the BELE Network, curated to help educators, parents, and policymakers create classrooms where every student feels valued and has what they need to thrive. [A Commitment to Put Students First in 2022]( This letter to the BELE community from Gisele C. Shorter, Education Program Officer at the Raikes Foundation, offers a vision for 2022 and outlines BELE's commitment to centering students in all aspects of our work. [BELE Services Information]( Learn about the organizations that make up the BELE Network and the services they provide to see how you can partner with them for your organization's needs. Have a question? 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