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Austin Mayor Kirk Watson Proposes School Closures to Prevent State Takeover of School District

Austin Mayor Kirk Watson Proposes School Closures to Prevent State Takeover of School District

Austin Mayor Kirk Watson has urged parents of Burnet and Webb middle schools to formally petition for the closure of these two campuses. This proposal is a strategic move to prevent the Texas Commissioner of Education, Mike Morath, from intervening and potentially taking over the entire Austin Independent School District (AISD). Under Texas statutory law, if specific schools are identified for closure due to persistent low academic performance, the Commissioner's intervention powers could be limited to only those facilities, rather than extending to the district's elected board and overall control. Mayor Watson acknowledged the unacceptable academic performance at Burnet and Webb, which have accumulated five consecutive failing grades. However, he emphasized that the Austin ISD as a whole has shown significant progress under Superintendent Matias Segura, with a 42% increase in schools achieving excellence ratings and a 35% decrease in low-performing schools. The district is also investing in modernization,...

Richmond School Board Approves Naming Rights for Internal School Spaces, Excludes Entire Buildings

Richmond School Board Approves Naming Rights for Internal School Spaces, Excludes Entire Buildings

The Richmond School Board has adopted a new policy allowing corporations and individuals to acquire naming rights for rooms and other specific areas within school buildings. This initiative aims to generate philanthropic contributions that will fund unfunded school priorities. However, the policy explicitly prohibits the sale of naming rights for entire school buildings. The newly established framework includes a due diligence process for evaluating potential naming opportunities and incorporates a 'morals and termination clause.' This clause grants the district the authority to remove problematic names in the future, ensuring that partnerships align with community values and educational standards. This move is part of a broader effort to secure additional funding streams for Richmond Public Schools.

California Department of Education Ensures Equal Access to Career Technical Education Programs

California Department of Education Ensures Equal Access to Career Technical Education Programs

The California Department of Education (CDE) is actively working to ensure equal, fair, and meaningful access to its employment and program services, particularly within Career Technical Education (CTE). The CDE offers a diverse range of CTE programs designed to prepare students for both postsecondary education and direct entry into various career fields. These programs include Agriculture Education, Business & Marketing, Family and Consumer Sciences Education, and Health Careers Education. The CDE also provides resources such as the California Career Resource Network (CalCRN) for career development, and the Career Technical Education Incentive Grant (CTEIG) to support K-12 students in gaining necessary knowledge and skills. Additionally, the department oversees federal acts like Perkins, aimed at improving CTE programs, integrating academic and career-technical instruction, serving special populations, and addressing gender equity needs. The CDE also supports Regional Occupational Centers and Programs (RO...

Analysis Suggests President Trump's School Choice Program Could Rival Major Federal Education Funding

Analysis Suggests President Trump's School Choice Program Could Rival Major Federal Education Funding

A new analysis by the American Federation for Children (AFC) suggests that President Trump's federal tax-credit scholarship program, set to launch next year, could become one of the largest sources of K-12 funding in the nation. The program, established through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, allows taxpayers to donate up to $1,700 to scholarship-granting organizations and receive a dollar-for-dollar tax credit. These organizations then distribute funds to public, private, and home-school students for various eligible expenses, including tuition, tutoring, and books. The AFC estimates that if just 20% of eligible taxpayers participate, the program could generate $37.6 billion, a sum comparable to the combined funding of Title I and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the two largest federal funding streams for schools. Nearly three-quarters of taxpayers are expected to be eligible for participation.

Lakewood School Board Debates Equal Free Busing for Public and Private School Students Amid Fiscal Concerns

Lakewood School Board Debates Equal Free Busing for Public and Private School Students Amid Fiscal Concerns

The Lakewood Board of Education is embroiled in a fierce debate over whether to extend free "hazardous" busing, currently provided to public school students, to the township's tens of thousands of private school students. Hazardous busing offers free transportation for students whose routes to school are deemed unsafe by police, and while not legally mandated, it currently serves approximately 1,173 public school students at an annual cost of $1.2 million. The school board recently voted 6-0, with two abstentions, to expand this service to over 12,000 private school students, which would incur an additional cost exceeding $14 million. However, State Monitor Louise Davis immediately blocked the approval, placing it "under advisement" for review. Board Attorney Joshua Forsman warned that denying hazardous busing to private school students while providing it to public school students could lead to significant litigation against the district, arguing that such a distinction might be considered arbitrary and ca...

New Hampshire Republicans Criticized for Underfunding Public Schools and Increasing Property Taxes

New Hampshire Republicans Criticized for Underfunding Public Schools and Increasing Property Taxes

Governor Kelly Ayotte and New Hampshire Republicans are facing criticism for policies that allegedly underfund public schools and cut state services, leading to increased costs for local communities. This approach is cited as a primary cause of rising property taxes across the state. Despite these concerns, voters in affected communities have reportedly continued to elect the same Republican legislature and Governor. The criticism suggests that these voters then misdirect their anger towards local school boards and city councils for the tax increases, rather than attributing them to state-level policies. The state government is also accused of providing tax dollars to individual parents for homeschooling or private schools, including for 'educational activities' like yoga classes, without accountability, further diverting funds from public education and other essential local services.

Victor Davis Hanson's Twin Brother and Family Roots Influence Scholar's Themes of Community and Social Structure

Victor Davis Hanson's Twin Brother and Family Roots Influence Scholar's Themes of Community and Social Structure

Victor Davis Hanson's Twin Brother and Family Roots Influence Scholar's Themes of Community and Social Structure

Merced College Faculty Express Concerns Over Free Speech and Administration Tensions

Merced College Faculty Express Concerns Over Free Speech and Administration Tensions

Faculty members at Merced College have voiced significant concerns regarding rising tensions on campus and within the administration, particularly concerning issues of free speech. During an academic senate meeting on August 27, multiple faculty members spoke out about charged interactions that began in March. These discussions were largely linked to an investigative report published by KVPR and The Merced FOCUS, which examined complaints of gender and race discrimination against a faculty member, John Albano. Although two independent investigations found no wrongdoing by Albano, the complaints led to a campus shake-up, including resignations and displacement of students. The ongoing tensions have also brought into question press access and free speech during public meetings, with a heated email exchange between administrators and faculty leaders further highlighting the fallout. Administrators, including Merced College President Chris Vitelli, have expressed concerns that faculty leadership is contributin...

Savannah Morning News

Savannah schools hire program manager for $700 million EPLOST projects

Savannah schools hire program manager for $700 million EPLOST projects

The Savannah school board hired Hoar Program Management to oversee its $700 million Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax program.

Arizona Republic

Most school districts Proposition 320 would impact are under spending threshold

Most school districts Proposition 320 would impact are under spending threshold

A ballot measure could force many school districts to spend at least 60% of their budget on classroom instruction. Most don't meet that threshold.

Blue Shield of California and Wellness Together Expand Youth Mental Health Services Across California Schools

Blue Shield of California and Wellness Together Expand Youth Mental Health Services Across California Schools

Blue Shield of California, through its BlueSky youth mental health initiative, has significantly expanded its collaboration with Wellness Together, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing mental health services to students. This partnership has grown from serving 36 school sites to 162 across California. The initiative focuses on delivering in-person mental health counseling directly on school campuses, making services accessible to students regardless of their insurance status. Since 2019, BlueSky funding has contributed to over 300% growth for Wellness Together, facilitating more than 33,800 individual, family, group, and crisis intervention counseling sessions. A substantial 88% of the youth served are from underrepresented communities, who often face additional barriers to culturally responsive care. The program also includes the Mind Out Loud youth leadership program and an annual virtual mental health event, reaching over 10,000 students and empowering student leaders to advocate for wellnes...

Palm Beach Post

County schools cut 214 teaching jobs after enrollment drops | Exclusive

County schools cut 214 teaching jobs after enrollment drops | Exclusive

Large school districts across Florida are experiencing steep enrollment drops. Palm Beach County isn't closing schools yet, but cuts teacher positions.