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Andrew Carnegie Foundation Awards $500,000 Grant to Education Resource Strategies in Watertown

Andrew Carnegie Foundation Awards $500,000 Grant to Education Resource Strategies in Watertown

The Andrew Carnegie Foundation has approved 44 grants totaling $42,350,000, with Education Resource Strategies (ERS) in Watertown, MA, receiving a 12-month grant of $500,000. This funding is specifically designated to support state-led high school redesign initiatives. These initiatives aim to reengage students, improve teacher experiences, and foster stronger connections between schools and their communities. ERS is one of many organizations across the U.S. and internationally to receive grants from the foundation, which focuses on various areas including education, democracy, and peacebuilding. Other notable grants include support for civic experiences in D.C. Public Schools, pro-democracy projects, and programs to increase graduation rates and support adult learners.

Rhode Island Study Links Consistent Arts Education to Reduced Student Absenteeism

Rhode Island Study Links Consistent Arts Education to Reduced Student Absenteeism

Governor Dan McKee, Rhode Island Commissioner of Education Angélica Infante-Green, and Rhode Island State Council on the Arts (RISCA) Executive Director Todd Trebour announced the findings of a new statistical review. This study, titled 'Chronic Absenteeism and Arts Participation in Rhode Island Public Schools: A Statistical Review,' reveals a strong association between sustained participation in arts education and lower rates of chronic absenteeism among public school students in Rhode Island. Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing at least 10 percent of the school year. The research, conducted by Quadrant as part of the Arts Education Data Project, analyzed data from 2018 to 2025. It found that arts participation was linked to lower absenteeism across all K-12 grades. Notably, high school seniors who participated in arts education between 2021 and 2025 showed approximately 19 percent lower chronic absenteeism rates compared to their non-arts participating classmates. The most significant correlation w...

Jalen Hurts Donates $600,000 to Upgrade HVAC at Philadelphia's Northeast High School

Jalen Hurts Donates $600,000 to Upgrade HVAC at Philadelphia's Northeast High School

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, through the Jalen Hurts Foundation, has committed $600,000 to fund a new cooling system for Northeast High School in Philadelphia. This donation is the largest to date from his foundation and aims to address severe scheduling disruptions caused by extreme weather and inadequate HVAC systems at the school. Northeast High is one of the city's largest schools, and its current infrastructure has led to early dismissals and lost class time during heat waves. Hurts' initiative, which began in 2024 with his 'Keep It Cool' campaign, has previously provided air conditioners to the School District of Philadelphia and allocates $5,000 for every touchdown he scores towards community needs. This investment is intended to expedite a comprehensive cooling solution for the school, which has an established personal connection with Hurts through his visits and community engagement.

Louisiana District Seeks Digital Transformation Assessment; Oklahoma System to Acquire Science Materials

Louisiana District Seeks Digital Transformation Assessment; Oklahoma System to Acquire Science Materials

NOLA Public Schools in New Orleans, Louisiana, is seeking a consulting firm to conduct an enterprise-wide operational and digital transformation assessment of its administrative functions. This assessment will review workflows across various departments, including procurement, finance, and HR, as well as the district’s enterprise resource planning software and other systems. The consultant is expected to provide recommendations for process redesign, including how to integrate artificial intelligence, before any new technology investments are made. Concurrently, Tulsa Public Schools in Oklahoma is seeking K-12 science instructional materials. The district requires programs that integrate practices, disciplinary core ideas, and crosscutting concepts through coherent sequences, built around phenomena and problems, and include formative and summative assessments. High-quality Spanish versions with explicit language-development supports for multilingual learners are also a requirement.

Gates Foundation's $400 Million AI Education Pledge Raises Expert Concerns

Gates Foundation's $400 Million AI Education Pledge Raises Expert Concerns

The Gates Foundation's recent announcement of a $1 billion initiative to expand artificial intelligence, with a significant portion—approximately $400 million over two years—earmarked for U.S. schools, has drawn skepticism from education experts. The foundation aims to ensure AI narrows, rather than widens, educational disparities, funding initiatives such as AI tutoring. This pledge is part of a larger commitment to spend $200 billion by 2045. Mark Suzman, the foundation's CEO, cited early successes from AI education pilots, including an AI tool called Kiddom Atlas, which analyzes student feedback and helps teachers adjust lesson plans. Michelle Odemwingie, CEO of the Achievement Network, noted that one math teacher using Atlas saw academic growth in every student in their class. However, Odemwingie cautioned that the approach's scalability is unproven. Experts like Sarah Reckhow, a political science professor at Michigan State University, express wariness, pointing to the foundation's past K-12 initiativ...

Austin ISD Appeals Failing School Ratings to Avoid State Takeover

Austin ISD Appeals Failing School Ratings to Avoid State Takeover

The Austin Independent School District (AISD) has appealed the failing ratings of Burnet and Webb middle schools to the Texas Education Agency (TEA). This action is a critical attempt to prevent a state takeover of the district, which is mandated by state law if either school receives a fifth consecutive failing rating. Burnet Middle School received an overall score of 59, and Webb Middle School scored 58, both falling just short of the 60 points required for a D rating. If the appeal is successful and raises their ratings to a D, it would break their streak of failing grades and remove the trigger for mandatory state intervention. Mayor Kirk Watson has publicly supported AISD's independence, urging parents to consider a 'Parent Petition for Action' to close the campuses rather than allow a state takeover. The TEA has not disclosed details about the appeal, including its submission date or specific grounds, as the process is ongoing. The deadline for districts to appeal ratings was September 11.

Tucson Unified School District Faces Consolidation Amidst Declining Enrollment and Falling Birth Rates

Tucson Unified School District Faces Consolidation Amidst Declining Enrollment and Falling Birth Rates

The Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) is confronting significant challenges due to declining enrollment and falling birth rates in Pima County, leading to discussions about school consolidation. Superintendent Gabriel Trujillo presented a report to the governing board on September 8, revealing a year-over-year decline of 2.8% in overall student membership, equating to over a thousand fewer students. Kindergarten enrollment has been particularly affected, dropping by 13.3%. This decline in kindergarten enrollment directly correlates with the decreasing birth rates in the county, with TUSD's kindergarten student count falling from approximately 13,000 in the 2009-10 school year to just under 10,000 in 2026-27. Pima County public school enrollment peaked in 2006-07 and has seen a continuous decrease since then, with 9,500 fewer students by 2024-25. Conversely, charter school enrollment in the county grew by 9,200 students during the same period. A Reconfiguration Committee and a Strategic Facility Plannin...

CHS Graduate Katie Cink Honored with Highest FFA Award for Agricultural Leadership

CHS Graduate Katie Cink Honored with Highest FFA Award for Agricultural Leadership

Katie Cink, a 2023 graduate of Cleveland High School, is set to receive the American FFA Degree, the highest and most prestigious award offered by the Future Farmers of America (FFA) organization. This honor recognizes her dedication to supervised agricultural projects, strong leadership, and extensive community service throughout her FFA career. Fewer than one percent of all FFA members achieve this award. Cink's journey into agriculture was inspired by her high school agricultural education program and her former teacher, Kelly (Susa) Stanek. She will receive the award at the National FFA convention and expo in Indianapolis, scheduled for October 21-24. Cink is currently a senior at the University of Wisconsin - River Falls, majoring in Agricultural Education with a minor in Animal Science, and aims to become an educator in agricultural advocacy and leadership. She has also served as a facilitator at youth conferences, including the National FFA Washington Leadership Conference, focusing on developing le...

Palm Beach Post

Top marks land county schools superintendent among best paid in state

Top marks land county schools superintendent among best paid in state

The superintendent's salary is higher than that of most who lead large school districts in Florida.

Governor Morrisey Announces Fitch Upgrade of West Virginia Lottery Revenue Bonds to AA-

Governor Morrisey Announces Fitch Upgrade of West Virginia Lottery Revenue Bonds to AA-

Governor Patrick Morrisey has announced that Fitch Ratings has upgraded West Virginia’s lottery and excess lottery revenue bonds from A+ to AA-, with a Stable Outlook. This upgrade applies to lottery revenue bonds issued by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission and excess lottery revenue bonds issued by the West Virginia Economic Development Authority, Water Development Authority, and School Building Authority. According to Governor Morrisey, this positive rating action is a testament to the state's prudent financial management. Fitch cited the strong resilience of the financing structures and ample debt service coverage as key factors in the upgrade. The rating agency determined that both the lottery and excess lottery revenue structures could withstand significant revenue stress while maintaining robust coverage of their debt obligations. West Virginia’s overall Issuer Default Rating remains AA with a Stable Outlook. Governor Morrisey emphasized that strong credit ratings help lower borrow...

The Commercial Appeal

To Fix Chronic School Absenteeism, We First have to Ask Why | Opinion

To Fix Chronic School Absenteeism, We First have to Ask Why | Opinion

It's Attendance Awareness Month, and a good time for IITennessee schools to look past the numbers to what's keeping students away

Bronx School for Hip-Hop Opens as Nation's First Public High School Dedicated to the Genre

Bronx School for Hip-Hop Opens as Nation's First Public High School Dedicated to the Genre

The Bronx School for Hip-Hop has officially opened its doors, welcoming nearly 100 ninth-grade students. This institution marks a significant milestone as the nation's first public high school exclusively dedicated to hip-hop culture. Founded by Christopher Emdin, a Professor of Science Education, and alumnus Edmund Adjapong, an Associate Professor of Educational Studies, the school integrates hip-hop as an interdisciplinary and community-focused educational approach. Students will delve into the culture, music, and business aspects of hip-hop, while also learning core academic subjects through this culturally rooted teaching method. The curriculum aims to provide access to industry internships and college opportunities, leveraging hip-hop as a powerful tool for engagement, particularly for Black students, as highlighted by Emdin's belief in music's ability to connect with students.