Industry News
Proposed Law Would Allow Trained Non-Medical School Staff to Administer Seizure Medication (CA)
March 30, 2011
State Sen. Bob Huff is pushing for a law that would enable school districts to train campus employees to administer emergency medical assistance to students having seizures. Huff, R-Diamond Bar, reintroduced a law last month, supported by the Epilepsy Foundation of California, that is similar to one that failed to pass in 2010. Under Senate […]
Florida House Approves Ending Tenure for New Teachers (FL)
March 30, 2011
MIAMI — A bill to end tenure for new teachers and link their job security and pay to how well students perform on assessment tests cleared the Florida House of Representatives on Wednesday and now goes to the new governor, Rick Scott, a Republican who strongly supports the measure. Taking on the teachers’ union, House Republicans […]
Hamilton High School Students Walk Out to Protest Cuts, Teacher Layoff Notices (CA)
March 30, 2011
Los Angeles–At least 1,500 students at Hamilton High School walked out Friday morning to protest layoff notices being issued to some of their favorite teachers. Students packed the sidewalks around the high school in a show of support for teachers and support staff who were among about 7,000 L.A. Unified School District employees to receive […]
House Budget Bill Comes Out of Committee (TX)
March 30, 2011
AUSTIN — A state budget proposal to carve $23 billion from current two-year spending — slashing education and Medicaid reimbursement rates — represents as much as many House Republicans are willing to spend, but less than Senators may be willing to approve, key lawmakers said Wednesday. The bare-bones measure cleared the House Appropriations Com mittee […]
For High School Students, the Pen Is Mightier than District Budget Cuts (CA)
March 30, 2011
In light of an overwhelming budget crisis that has caused high schools to cut back on writing programs, one local program is trying to fill in the gaps: Peninsula Young Writers (PYW). The program recently awarded seven students from the Sequoia Union High School District—four of whom were Redwood City students—for their excellent manuscripts in […]
HISD Looks at How to Grade Teachers (TX)
March 30, 2011
About 99 percent of teachers in the Houston school district receive satisfactory job evaluations, with their students’ academic success barely playing a factor. That’s likely to change next year. Houston ISD Superintendent Terry Grier and the school board are developing a new appraisal system for the district’s 13,000 teachers. The process will affect who’s promoted […]
Democrats Open Round in Battle Over State Funding (NV)
March 30, 2011
Democratic lawmakers made their opening proposals to reform Nevada schools Thursday, giving a taste of the carrots they’ll be dangling in front of the Republicans they hope will join them in voting for a tax increase this session. But first came their argument why Gov. Brian Sandoval’s proposed budget and its cuts to K-12 education […]
Cuomo Seeks Speedy Change in Teacher Evaluations (NY)
March 30, 2011
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said on Tuesday that he would introduce legislation to speed the implementation of a statewide system to evaluate teachers’ performance. His announcement came minutes after the State Senate passed legislation sought by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg that would reverse a rule protecting long-serving New York City teachers from layoffs regardless of […]
Florida Senator John Thrasher Discusses Lawmakers’ Unenviable To-Do List (FL)
March 30, 2011
Facing the prospect of having to revamp the Medicaid system, push education reforms opposed by educators, redraw the state’s political lines and fill a nearly $4 billion budget gap, the job of Florida lawmaker may soon find itself next to elephant scooper on the list of the world’s least enviable professions. And with the 90-day […]
Kansas Legislators Resume Talks Over Trimming Current State Budget, Special Education Money (KS)
March 30, 2011
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) – A Kansas Senate panel endorsed most of Republican Gov. Sam Brownback’s proposed cuts in aid to public schools, reflecting a loss of federal aid and tight state revenues. The Senate Ways and Means Committee adopted a subcommittee’s recommendation to reduce the base aid to Kansas’ 289 school districts in the fiscal […]