Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Jacqueline (Jackie) Nowicki (she/her) @k12hallmonitor.bsky.social · 21d

If you graduated in the last 10 years and received special education services, Congress wants to hear from you! Take a brief GAO survey here:

tinyurl.com/GAO-SPED-sur...

1

Jacqueline (Jackie) Nowicki (she/her) @k12hallmonitor.bsky.social · Sep 5

How do states know if students are ready for #Kindergarten?

Our 2024 report found 27 states required districts to formally assess students' kindergarten readiness. Another 9 states didn't require a formal assessment but said they collected readiness info in another way.

📚 bit.ly/3Viu3VX

#EduSky

1 2

Jacqueline (Jackie) Nowicki (she/her) @k12hallmonitor.bsky.social · Aug 13

Talk about puppy eyes! 😍

Say hello to Coconut, the newest addition to the #GAO dog family.

#DogsofGAO #dogsofbluesky #Puppylove

2 9

Jacqueline (Jackie) Nowicki (she/her) @k12hallmonitor.bsky.social · Jul 30

Travel plans? Grab a map as we travel back in time...

In 2015 GAO found that abt 3/4 of 8th graders weren't proficient in geography in 2014. This hadn't changed since '94.

So wherever you're heading this summer, pull up a map of where you're going—& where you've been

📖 bit.ly/4kWhud3

#EduSky

Jacqueline (Jackie) Nowicki (she/her) @k12hallmonitor.bsky.social · Jul 23

What types of #professionaldevelopment are most effective in improving the quality of #teaching? And what types do #teachers themselves find most useful?

#GAO is diving into these questions for a 2026 report. Stay tuned!

#EduSky

3

Jacqueline (Jackie) Nowicki (she/her) @k12hallmonitor.bsky.social · Jul 4

Do you remember the last time you read the #DeclarationofIndependence ? You can find it at the National Archives using this link: bit.ly/44FOtxn.

Happy Fourth of July!

#FourthOfJuly2025 #IndependenceDay2025

Declaration of Independence: A Transcription

Note: The following text is a transcription of the Stone Engraving of the parchment Declaration of Independence (the document on display in the Rotunda at the National Archives Museum.) The spelling and punctuation reflects the original.

bit.ly

Jacqueline (Jackie) Nowicki (she/her) @k12hallmonitor.bsky.social · Jul 2

61 years ago today, President Lyndon Johnson signed the #CivilRightsAct into law, making it illegal to discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Read more about some of GAO's recent related work at these links:

bit.ly/3Tivnaf
http://bit.ly/3ZYUSky

K-12 Education: Student Population Has Significantly Diversified, but Many Schools Remain Divided Along Racial, Ethnic, and Economic Lines

Schools remain divided along racial, ethnic, and economic lines throughout the U.S.—even as the K-12 public school student population grows more...

bit.ly

1 3

Jacqueline (Jackie) Nowicki (she/her) @k12hallmonitor.bsky.social · Jun 25

Who's ready?

#SchoolsOutForSummer

Jacqueline (Jackie) Nowicki (she/her) @k12hallmonitor.bsky.social · Jun 11

We see you. 🤗

#HappyPrideMonth #Pride2025

2

Jacqueline (Jackie) Nowicki (she/her) @k12hallmonitor.bsky.social · Jun 6

Congratulations to graduating #seniors !

As we celebrate the #classof2025 let's also acknowledge the hurdles that many students face on their path to #graduation . Students in high-poverty schools, for example, can face a range of challenges in being prepared for college.

bit.ly/43xrPW9

<span class="text-blue-600 dark:text-sky-400">#EduSky

1

Jacqueline (Jackie) Nowicki (she/her) @k12hallmonitor.bsky.social · May 28

What's in a number?

When it comes to @usedgov.bsky.social's #data, numbers help tell the stories of our kids' lives. Do they feel safe at #school ? Do they experience #bullying ? What schools see more #schoolshootings ?

Check out the video 👇 to learn about how #GAO relies on these data.

#EduSky

1

Jacqueline (Jackie) Nowicki (she/her) @k12hallmonitor.bsky.social · May 21

Did you know various agencies offer #teacher resources on all kinds of subjects? For example @nehgov.bsky.social has resources on the contributions of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, & Pacific Islanders in the US.

#AANHPIheritageMonth #k12 #EduSky

bit.ly/3GMuWBW

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage and History in the U.S.

This Teacher’s Guide offers a collection of lessons and resources for K-12 social studies, literature, and arts classrooms that center around the experiences, achievements, and perspectives of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders across U.S. history.

edsitement.org

1

Jacqueline (Jackie) Nowicki (she/her) @k12hallmonitor.bsky.social · May 20

Happy National Rescue Dog Day to our sweet Maisie. You were only 4 months old when you came to us 5 years ago, and we are so grateful you did! #nationalrescuedogday

2

Jacqueline (Jackie) Nowicki (she/her) @k12hallmonitor.bsky.social · May 17

71 years after #BrownvBoard, US #k12 #schools are still divided along racial, ethnic, and economic lines. Our 2022 research shows that more than 1/3 of students (18.5 million) attended a school where 75% or more students are a single race/ethnicity. #EduSky

Read more 👉 bit.ly/3RU4Uz6

K-12 Education: Student Population Has Significantly Diversified, but Many Schools Remain Divided Along Racial, Ethnic, and Economic Lines

Schools remain divided along racial, ethnic, and economic lines throughout the U.S.—even as the K-12 public school student population grows more...

www.gao.gov

8 12

Jacqueline (Jackie) Nowicki (she/her) @k12hallmonitor.bsky.social · May 14

#Studentmentalhealth concerns have spiked since the pandemic. Our new report looks at #mentalhealth services in @deptofdefense.bsky.social #schools — and the challenges of delivering these services to #students

Read our report 👉 bit.ly/4jUmyip

#mentalhealthawareness #EduSky

2

Jacqueline (Jackie) Nowicki (she/her) @k12hallmonitor.bsky.social · May 9

My 8th grade English assignment: write a 25-word paper. Not as easy as it sounds—and I learned less truly is more!

Happy #TeacherAppreciationWeek!

1

Jacqueline (Jackie) Nowicki (she/her) @k12hallmonitor.bsky.social · May 8

From Levis to ET, the contributions of Jewish Americans have helped shape American culture & identity for centuries. During #Jewish #AmericanHistory Month, you can learn more abt these & other contributions by Jewish Americans at the #Smithsonian Institution online & in D.C.

bit.ly/4k4KK17

Jewish American Heritage Month | Smithsonian Institution

May is Jewish American Heritage Month.... Learn more

bit.ly

Jacqueline (Jackie) Nowicki (she/her) @k12hallmonitor.bsky.social · Apr 1

As trained Auditors, we collect reams of evidence to inform recommendations to improve efficiency. This week we're in Puerto Rico meeting with educators to learn how #DODEA supports students with early learning deficiencies. But first, enjoyed some local sausages & mofongo for dinner last night.

2

Jacqueline (Jackie) Nowicki (she/her) @k12hallmonitor.bsky.social · Feb 14

State legislatures are debating what civics curriculum & content they want in their public schools. If you're a Gen Xer like me, I bet a lot of what you learned came from After-school Specials like this one. #LongLiveSchoolhouseRock #WarmFuzzies

youtu.be/pKSGyiT-o3o?...

America - Three Ring Government - Schoolhouse Rock

YouTube video by Schoolhouse Rock

youtu.be

5

Jacqueline (Jackie) Nowicki (she/her) @k12hallmonitor.bsky.social · Feb 2

Came down to PA for some site visits for our research on #assistivetechnology. Enjoyed a long walk at Valley Forge before a busy week of meetings. As part of the audit community, I enjoyed this fun fact about General Washington's #IG. Inspectors General: saving money, property, and lives since 1778!

3

Jacqueline (Jackie) Nowicki (she/her) @k12hallmonitor.bsky.social · Nov 28

Closing out our Week of Thanks with a BIG thank you to the 200+ GAO staff who made our K12 work possible this past year. It takes a village to produce rigorous, fact-based analysis. I am so grateful to ours, and their relentless focus on equitable access to educational opportunities for ALL kids.

2

Jacqueline (Jackie) Nowicki (she/her) @k12hallmonitor.bsky.social · Nov 28

Thank you to the media, who help people understand GAO's mission: to show the impact of federal programs and make them more efficient and effective. This year, 15+ oulets covered our K12 work, including The New York Times, NPR, Frontline, Education Week, and The 74.
www.nytimes.com/2023/10/09/u...

Heat, High Water, Hurricanes: Schools Are Not Ready for Climate Change (Published 2023)

A storm can last a day. But the disruption to learning can last years. As natural disasters become more common, school districts are grappling with how to adapt.

www.nytimes.com

1 5

Jacqueline (Jackie) Nowicki (she/her) @k12hallmonitor.bsky.social · Nov 26

We are all grateful for the gift of time...GAO podcasts sum up a GAO report in <8 minutes! This past year, we’ve done 4 of them. Check out one of our faves on how Congress could better align Head Start's formula w/ child poverty: www.gao.gov/products/gao...

See more at: www.gao.gov/k-12-education

2

Jacqueline (Jackie) Nowicki (she/her) @k12hallmonitor.bsky.social · Nov 25

This year, K-12 teams held 21 discussion groups with teachers and parents. They all took time out of their busy schedules to help us learn! Thanks to the teachers who shared their experiences working with kindergarteners and parents who told us about their students’ experiences in DOD’s K12 schools.

3

Jacqueline (Jackie) Nowicki (she/her) @k12hallmonitor.bsky.social · Nov 24

This Thanksgiving we’re counting ways we’ve helped ensure 50 million K-12 students have access to safe, quality education this past year. Check it out here: www.gao.gov/k-12-education

1 4