Hello from Erica on Chalkbeat’s national desk. Today’s big story looks at what happens to students who seem like they’re doing well until they lose funding for support they still need. Keep reading for that, plus what parents really think about tech in the classroom, the public lobbying over the education tax credit, and the future of universal enrollment.

There is still time to register for our education technology event. I’ll be speaking with Chalkbeat reporters Lily Altavena and Alex Zimmerman on Oct. 1 for a members-only conversation about the tension between AI adoption and the backlash to screens, plus the technology choices schools are making right now. This event is for Chalkbeat members. Donate any amount to become a member, support Chalkbeat’s independent education journalism, and reserve your spot. We hope to see you there!

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What happens to students who speak English too well — and yet not quite well enough? 

Advocates in Michigan are pushing the state to correct a longstanding problem that leaves some English learner students poorly served when they’re on the cusp of success. The state is nearly alone in not providing districts with extra money for students who still qualify for support in developing their English language skills but score near the top of the range on WIDA, the main standardized test used to assess proficiency.

These students often have strong conversational English skills, but they might still need help developing academic vocabulary for advanced courses or reading denser, more complicated texts. Federal law entitles them to that support, but districts do not receive extra state funding to provide it. An estimated 24,000 Michigan students fall into this gap.

One such student described his experience to Chalkbeat. An immigrant from Cuba, his English skills were well ahead of those of his peers in his English language development program, so he moved to general education classes. But once there, he struggled academically without the 150 minutes a week of English language instruction he was supposed to receive. He ended up moving back to English language development classes but was bored as his classmates worked through simple phrases.

This problem plays out even in states with seemingly appropriate funding systems. The 74 recently reported on accusations that a large suburban district in Colorado kept students in English language development classes far longer than necessary to continue getting state and federal money for them. (The district denies the allegations.)

Advocates for multilingual learners say these traps prevent students from realizing their full potential and block them from electives and career and technical courses that would allow them to explore their interests. 

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Parent views on technology in the classroom are complicated. As a screen-free movement gains speed, polling suggests that a majority of parents want their children to have access to digital learning tools and devices. They also worry about excessive screen time and unsupervised access.

Teachers unions and other groups are pressuring New York Gov. Kathy Hochul to reverse course on the federal tax-credit scholarship. Hochul indicated earlier this year that she would opt in, becoming the second Democratic governor to make that pledge, but she has held off on making it official. With rules governing how the program will operate expected later this month, opponents hope they can change her mind.

The evidence behind high-dosage tutoring is mixed because it’s hard to do right. High-dosage tutoring attracted near-universal support in the aftermath of the pandemic, but the more schools expanded it, the less impressive the results were. That’s because large-scale programs often struggled to find enough tutors and get students to participate. In other words, the tutoring was not actually high-dosage. Researchers say intensive tutoring can still help students who need it most, though schools need to be realistic about what it takes to make these programs work.

That’s how many Philadelphia students attending alternative schools were shot last school year. That’s more than 10 times the rate among students attending traditional public schools and brick-and-mortar charter schools. 

Students attending cyber charters, meanwhile, were more than twice as likely to be shot as traditional public school students. 

The school district is analyzing these numbers to better understand which young people are being shot, where, and under what circumstances as part of a broader effort to reduce gun violence.