1. Home
  2. Discover
  3. Skill learning & Edu
  4. The Hechinger Report

Help for America’s ailing school infrastructure

View this email in your browser
The Report
A newsletter from The Hechinger Report
Share Share
Tweet Tweet
Forward Forward
Liz WillenDear reader,
 
In an alarming climate trend, temperatures this week are higher in Portland, Oregon, and Seattle, Washington, than they are in Austin, Texas – all places where Hechinger Report staffers live and work. It’s also very hot here on the East Coast, and all of this adds up to big problems for our nation’s schools. More than half of the country’s school districts need to update or replace multiple building systems or features, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office. It also estimated that about 36,000 schools nationwide need to update or replace their HVAC systems.
 
But America’s ailing school infrastructure is one problem that might receive some help. The pandemic forced a reckoning about the physical condition of classrooms, which account for our second largest infrastructure expense. These are some of the important stories we bring you this week, along with a look at what it will take families to recover from the past year. As always, we’d love to hear your stories, views and ideas as well. Stay cool.

Liz Willen, Editor
 
Was this newsletter forwarded to you?
Click here to subscribe!
Main Idea 

America’s schools are crumbling. Fixing them could save lives (and the planet)

When working ventilation systems became a focus last fall, reviving America’s dilapidated schools caught the public’s attention for the first time since the 1960s.
Reading List 

PROOF POINTS: Should parents value academic achievement or academic growth in a school?

An online experiment found that information on how much kids learned at school, not how high they scored on tests, nudged parents to more racially integrated schools.


Climate change threatens America’s ragged school infrastructure

The nation’s schools, which could serve as community shelters, are not ready to withstand the floods, wildfires and hurricanes that are expected to be even more common in the near future.


What changes families need to recover from the past year

One-fourth of families with young children still can’t pay bills, afford basic needs.


OPINION: Prison learning must be high quality and lead to a degree

Restoring Pell Grants for incarcerated students is a good step, but not enough.
 

OPINION: College graduates lack preparation in the skill most valued by employers — collaboration

The ability to work in teams may have taken a hit in the pandemic.
Solutions 
"'Gang Contracts' in Cicero and Berwyn schools raise concerns about criminalization of youth," Cicero Independiente

This week’s solutions section came from SolutionsU powered by Solutions Journalism Network and their database of solutions journalism. Search for more solutions.
đź‘‹ Contact Nichole Dobo at dobo@hechingerreport.org to give feedback on The Hechinger Report’s newsletters. Did you know we produce newsletters on early childhood, education research, the future of learning and higher education? And it helps us if you recommend our newsletters to a friend. 
You made it to the bottom of this free newsletter. Will you support our nonprofit newsroom with a gift?
Give today to make this message go away.
Twitter
https://www.facebook.com/hechingerreport/
Our newsletters
Copyright © 2021 The Hechinger Report, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because you signed up at our website The Hechinger Report.

Our mailing address is:
The Hechinger Report
475 Riverside Drive
Suite 650
New York, NY 10115

Add us to your address book


Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

Older messages

Proof Points: Academic growth v. achievement

Monday, June 28, 2021

An experiment in tweaking how we report academic performance at schools This is a weekly newsletter. Sign up for a free subscription, and invite a friend to subscribe. View this email in your browser A

Early Childhood: What changes do families need post-pandemic?

Wednesday, June 23, 2021

One-fourth of families with young children still can't pay bills, afford basic needs This is a weekly newsletter. Sign up for a free subscription, and invite a friend to subscribe. View this email

Jobs of the future

Tuesday, June 22, 2021

How soon should job training start? This is a weekly newsletter. Sign up for a free subscription, and invite a friend to subscribe. 📬 View this email in your browser A newsletter from The Hechinger

Indiana offers free career coaching to all residents

Thursday, June 17, 2021

Free career coaching This is a weekly newsletter. Sign up for a free subscription, and invite a friend to subscribe. View this email in your browser Support for this newsletter comes from A newsletter

Future of Learning: A rigorous virtual field trip

Wednesday, June 16, 2021

A museum's virtual science program, in which kids interact with digitized collections and real scientists, took off during the pandemic This is a weekly newsletter. Sign up for a free subscription,

You Might Also Like

🧙‍♂️ The EXACT Job Titles To Target (Based On Brand Size)

Monday, March 10, 2025

Please stop DMing brands ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏

Why American Christianity has stopped declining

Monday, March 10, 2025

Hi all, Please have a wonderful week. Trevor The man who wants to know everything (article) Fantastic profile on Tyler Cowen. Part of me feels like he's missing out on some of the joys of life, but

The Biocomputer That Blurs Biology, Tech, and The Matrix - AI of the week

Monday, March 10, 2025

Cortical Labs introduced CL1, a biocomputer merging neurons and tech; AI advancements included autonomous agents, AI-powered phones, healthcare assistants, and humanoid robots; plus, Derek Sivers

• World Book Day Promo for Authors • Email Newsletter + Facebook Group Posts

Monday, March 10, 2025

Book promo on 4/23/25 for World Book Day Join ContentMo's World Book Day Promotion #WorldBookDay is April 23rd each year. ContentMo is running a special promo on 4/23/25 for World Book Day

If you're meeting with someone this week...

Sunday, March 9, 2025

Plus, how the LinkedIn algorithm works and how to get your first 100 newsletter subscribers. ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏

$30,000 Youth4Climate grant, USAID support festival pro bono resources, Interns at Fund for Peace

Sunday, March 9, 2025

The Bloom Issue #205, March 9 ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏

Food for Agile Thought #483: Leadership Blindspots, Tyranny of Incrementalism, Who Does Strategy?

Sunday, March 9, 2025

Also: Product Teams 4 Success; Rank vs. Prio; Haier Self-Management ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏

Authors • Spring Into Reading Book Promo •  Email Newsletter + FB Group Posts & More

Sunday, March 9, 2025

Promo is Now Open for a Limited Time ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ MARCH 2025 Reading Promotion for Books Join ContentMo's

Why you’re always busy but never productive

Saturday, March 8, 2025

Do you schedule time to think? ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏

• 30-Day Book Promo Package • Insta • FB Groups • Email Newsletter • Pins

Saturday, March 8, 2025

Newsletter & social media ads for books. Enable Images to See This "ContentMo is at the top of my promotions list because I always see a spike in sales when I run one of their promotions. The