GIA Education Report: Redlands $500M Bond, Teacher of the Year, Student Loan Pause, and More!

Federal student loan payments for about 8 million borrowers will remain paused for at least six months due to legal challenges against the Biden administration’s student loan relief efforts. Borrowers enrolled in the new SAVE plan are excused from payments and placed in interest-free forbearance. Republican attorneys general argue that the Biden administration is attempting to bypass the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling against its debt cancellation plan. The SAVE plan, which offers lower monthly payments, is at the center of these legal disputes.

The College Futures Foundation’s latest report, *California College Programs That Pay*, examines how long it takes graduates to recoup the costs of their education across various programs and institutions in California. The report analyzes over 260,000 graduates from 2,695 programs and finds that 90% of graduates recover their educational expenses within five years. However, 12% of programs take longer to show returns, with 112 programs offering no return on investment. This follow-up report provides detailed data to support ongoing discussions on the value of higher education, emphasizing the need for transparency and informed decision-making to promote economic mobility for underserved learners in California.

Data shows that fewer students from this fall’s college freshman class chose to disclose their race or ethnicity on applications at some highly selective universities. This trend follows the 2023 Supreme Court ruling that prohibits the use of race as a factor in admissions. While the ruling affects only a small portion of U.S. institutions, including Ivy League schools, these universities are among the most well-resourced and offer significant returns on investment for students. As the fall semester progresses, many are closely watching how the ruling will impact the racial and ethnic diversity of these freshman classes.

Carl Opsahl, a teacher at Yucaipa High School, introduced his students to career opportunities in civil engineering and architecture by taking them to Chaffey College’s Industrial Technical Learning Center for National Manufacturing Day. The event allowed hundreds of students from 15 schools across San Bernardino and Riverside counties to explore modern manufacturing careers. Students engaged with employers, participated in hands-on activities like welding simulations, and programmed robots. The event aimed to raise awareness of the diverse career paths in manufacturing and the technology-driven roles behind industries like e-commerce.

The Redlands school district is moving forward with a $500 million facilities bond, approved by the School Board in August 2023. The bond aims to address long-standing infrastructure needs, including completing Redlands East Valley High School’s stadium and building gyms for middle schools. School Board members have shared personal experiences highlighting outdated facilities, such as aging electrical systems and structural issues like cracking foundations. The bond is seen as essential for improving the learning environment and enhancing the overall student experience across the district. 

Karen Burk, an innovation teacher at Victoria Elementary in Redlands, has been named Teacher of the Year by Garner Holt Education through Imagination (ETI). With eight years of experience, Burk has created a unique learning environment in the Garner Holt Lab, where students engage in hands-on, creative learning through exploration, design, and prototyping. Her efforts have contributed to Redlands Unified School District receiving the prestigious CSBA Gold Bell Award in 2023. The award recognizes her commitment to fostering innovative education and her collaboration with the Garner Holt team.

And that’s this week’s GIA Education Report, I’m Alyssa Silva.