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Clark County School District Employees Face Pension Shortages Due to Administrative Error

Clark County School District Employees Face Pension Shortages Due to Administrative Error

Up to 160 retired employees of the Clark County School District (CCSD) did not receive their July pension payments, with some losing thousands of dollars. This issue stems from a discrepancy in dates related to the critical labor shortage (CLS) designation. The CCSD School Board voted in May to remove certain positions, including elementary teachers, elementary counselors, and English teachers in grades 7-12, from the CLS list, effective June 30. However, teaching contracts for these employees ended on July 31. According to Ian Carr, general counsel for the Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS), this difference meant employees were technically still employed in July, disqualifying them from their monthly benefits under the law. The district stated it uses a fiscal calendar of July 1 to June 30 for the CLS designation and that payments made in July are for work completed in the previous fiscal year. Affected teachers, like Jennifer Hiller, George Arizmendez, and Jennifer Beskow, reported significant fi...
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Riotouch UMind Smart Whiteboard Integrates PhET Interactive Simulations for STEM Education

Riotouch UMind Smart Whiteboard Integrates PhET Interactive Simulations for STEM Education

Riotouch has integrated PhET Interactive Simulations directly into its UMind smart whiteboard software, which is designed for interactive flat panels in educational settings. This integration allows K–12 and higher education institutions to access a globally renowned open-source science and math library without additional software licensing costs or external browser requirements. PhET, founded by Nobel Laureate Carl Wieman, provides research-based, game-like simulations for STEM subjects, enabling students to learn through inquiry by manipulating variables in physics, chemistry, biology, earth science, and mathematics. The UMind software, part of Riotouch's DaisyOS or Android-based interactive displays, offers native touch optimization for PhET simulations, allowing multi-touch gestures. Key features of this integration include the ability to run PhET experiments alongside annotation tools on the UMind canvas, instant screenshots via UCut for capturing experimental results, and the option to generate QR co...
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Schools Grapple with AI Procurement Amidst Billions in Spending

Schools Grapple with AI Procurement Amidst Billions in Spending

U.S. school districts are spending billions on artificial intelligence (AI) tools but are struggling to determine which products are effective and safe. As the new school year begins, AI tools are being used for tasks such as flagging struggling students, tracking attendance, and improving reading scores. The U.S. education technology market, including AI, generated nearly $48 billion in revenue in 2024 and is projected to exceed $90 billion by 2030, with AI in education alone expected to reach over $15 billion by 2033. However, the rapid pace of AI development outstrips the ability of districts and states to keep up, leading to an 'asymmetry' between providers' knowledge and districts' understanding. While some states and districts, like Allentown School District in Pennsylvania and New York City Public Schools, have developed vetting processes focusing on student safety, data security, and vendor transparency, many districts still bear the burden of these decisions independently. The U.S. Department of E...
USA Today USA Today
Northern California school district sued over mosque field trip

Northern California school district sued over mosque field trip

A group of Palo Alto Unified School District parents filed a civil rights lawsuit against the district regarding a school field trip to a mosque.
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Fayette County Board of Education Unanimously Accepts Superintendent Liggins' Retirement Amidst Financial Controversy

Fayette County Board of Education Unanimously Accepts Superintendent Liggins' Retirement Amidst Financial Controversy

The Fayette County Board of Education has unanimously accepted the retirement of Superintendent Dr. Demetrus Liggins. This decision follows two months of Liggins being on paid leave and comes after he submitted his retirement notice to the school board. Liggins, who was hired in 2021, is exiting his role three years before his contract was set to expire. His departure is surrounded by controversy, as he accused the school board of fraud and waste in an exit statement, claiming to be a whistleblower. The district has faced significant financial difficulties, leading to position and hour cuts for many employees. The board's acceptance of his retirement occurred without waiving any of its rights and coincided with the receipt of a final report from the VanAntwerp law firm, which had been investigating Liggins' employment. Earlier this year, the same firm found that Liggins had violated board policy by failing to notify the board of budget issues and provide proper oversight.
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Texas Lawmakers Propose Post-Labor Day School Start to Combat Summer Heat

Texas Lawmakers Propose Post-Labor Day School Start to Combat Summer Heat

State Representative Jared Patterson, a Republican from Frisco, Texas, is preparing legislation to mandate that the school year in Texas begin after Labor Day. This proposal aims to address concerns about students and school staff returning to classrooms during the hottest part of the Texas summer. Patterson's initiative is supported by U.S. Representative Craig Goldman, who advocates for a traditional post-Labor Day start and an earlier end to the school year before Memorial Day. Currently, Texas law generally prohibits school districts from starting instruction before the fourth Monday in August, though some districts with calendar exemptions, such as 'Districts of Innovation,' can begin earlier. Houston ISD, for example, started its 2026-27 school year on August 10, while other districts in Harris County began between August 5 and August 19.
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Glastonbury Schools Transition from Tablets to Chromebooks for Students

Glastonbury Schools Transition from Tablets to Chromebooks for Students

Glastonbury Public Schools in Connecticut are implementing a significant technological shift by replacing tablets with Chromebooks for students. This summer, approximately 1,300 sixth, seventh, and eighth graders are receiving Chromebooks, marking the initial phase of a three-year transition plan. Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction Kate Lund stated that the decision was influenced by research suggesting potential addictive qualities of touchscreens for children. The district aims to provide students with the necessary tools for teaching and learning, while also addressing concerns about excessive technology use. Going forward, most younger children in Glastonbury classrooms will not use devices, and students from third grade through high school will eventually be equipped with Chromebooks as the program expands.
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Congressman Eugene Vindman Faces Heated Confrontation Over Parental Consent Legislation in Virginia

Congressman Eugene Vindman Faces Heated Confrontation Over Parental Consent Legislation in Virginia

Representative Eugene Vindman, a first-term Democrat from Virginia's 7th Congressional District, recently encountered a contentious meeting with transgender constituents and local Democrats in King George County. The confrontation stemmed from his May vote in favor of Republican-backed H.R. 2616. This legislation mandates parental consent before schools can alter a minor student's gender markers, pronouns, or accommodations. Attendees at the meeting challenged Vindman's support for the measure, with some sharing personal experiences of being outed to unsupportive parents. Vindman defended his vote by citing parental rights, which led to a heated exchange and his subsequent departure. He later issued an apology for not adequately listening to his constituents. This incident occurred during a meeting with the King George County Democratic Committee, a solidly Republican area within his district, where Vindman has not previously held a public town hall. The locality has also seen recent legal action from LGBT...
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The Boston Evening-Post Published Through a Transformative Era

The Boston Evening-Post Published Through a Transformative Era

In the bustling colonial city of Boston, Massachusetts, the 18th century saw the rise of various newspapers that served as vital sources of informa...
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Virginia Attorney General's Office Finds Yorktown High School 'Deliberately Indifferent' to Antisemitism

Virginia Attorney General's Office Finds Yorktown High School 'Deliberately Indifferent' to Antisemitism

An investigation by the Virginia Attorney General’s Office of Civil Rights has concluded that Arlington County Public Schools (APS) was "deliberately indifferent to a discriminatory hostile environment against Jewish students at Yorktown High School." The findings, which have not been publicly released but were exclusively reviewed by The Free Press, detail a systemic failure by school officials to address surging antisemitism. Jewish students reported being targeted, mocked, threatened, and chased. Incidents included a male Jewish student having his kippah pulled off and being called an antisemitic slur, leading him to cover his kippah with a baseball cap. Other students described hearing Nazi salutes, Holocaust jokes, and being told they belonged in a gas chamber or that 'Hitler should have finished the job.' The report indicates that despite warnings that harassment would not be tolerated, Yorktown’s principal and other school leadership rarely followed through with punishment, failing to protect Jewish...
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Henrico Schools Implements New Screen Time Limits and Technology Restrictions for Students

Henrico Schools Implements New Screen Time Limits and Technology Restrictions for Students

Henrico County Public Schools (HCPS) in Virginia is introducing new screen time limits and technology restrictions for students, particularly those in elementary and middle school, starting this academic year. Elementary students will have technology use capped at specific daily intervals, ranging from 15 minutes for pre-kindergarten to 90 minutes for grades 3-5. Additionally, elementary students will no longer receive digital homework, and their school-issued Chromebooks and iPads are expected to remain at school. YouTube access will be removed for elementary and middle schoolers on school devices, while high school laptops will have the highest instructional restriction setting for YouTube. The popular game Roblox is now prohibited for all grade levels, and Minecraft Education will be limited to approved courses or clubs. These changes are outlined in a draft 'HCPS Digital Wellness Guide' developed through focus groups with educators and parents, and informed by research from the American Pediatric Assoc...
Sarasota Herald-Tribune Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Pozzie, Mayberry want to join Sarasota's School Board. Who should?

Pozzie, Mayberry want to join Sarasota's School Board. Who should?

Michelle Pozzie and Beth Mayberry are running for the Sarasota County School Board in the Aug. 18 primary.