Participants will learn how school districts are using federal American Rescue Plan (ARP) relief dollars to implement practices that advance student learning and aid in pandemic recovery. In this session, we will hear about bright spots around the country and the challenges that district leaders are facing as they seek to make the most of ARP funds. We will also learn about how states can support districts in this important time.

Participants will learn about the key findings from The Education Trust’s latest college and career readiness report, which showed that, while many Black and Latino students aspire to matriculate in college and are interested in STEM, many of these students are shut out of AP STEM courses. Participants will receive a robust set of local, state, and federal recommendations that, if adopted, would make access to these critical coursework opportunities a reality.

Participants will learn about a new Education Trust tool that shows how important it is that the stories students read reflect the richness of student diversity and experiences. Participants will also learn how the tool can inform advocacy for engaging curriculum in their local communities, and they will hear from someone on the ground who is actively pushing for a more empowering and rigorous curriculum and materials.