March 25, 2010
New York’s latest budget cuts could be really bad news for city schools. Cutbacks in state aid would mean schools would be forced to layoff thousands of teachers. On Wednesday, schools chancellor Joel Klein testified how deeply the cuts would impacts schools. Last year, the federal stimulus saved some 14,000 teachers. This year, there is […]
March 25, 2010
WHITE HALL – The North Greene School District will take a hit to its financial reserves because the School Board resolved not to lay off faculty and staff or eliminate any programs. About 10 people attended Superintendent Les Stevens’ Forum on Finances on Monday evening to hear about where the North Greene district gets its […]
March 25, 2010
As the Boston School Committee meets Wednesday evening to finalize budget cuts, officials say that school closures are off the table — at least for now. “At this time, we’re not recommending closing schools for the FY2011 budget,” said Superintendent Carol Johnson. “However, we anticipate that in order to continue to balance our budget, there […]
March 25, 2010
LANSING — The Senate and one of its key committees approved budget plans Wednesday to cut state aid to schools by $118 per pupil but save school districts an estimated $480 million next fiscal year in a move that sets up a showdown with the state House. The Senate, with mostly Republican votes, approved a […]
March 25, 2010
Gov. David Paterson is issuing emergency spending bills to keep the state running through April 14. It’s a sign New York’s state budget will likely be late again. The budget is due April 1. The Legislature’s last scheduled day of session is Friday. After that, lawmakers plan to take their Passover-Easter vacation until April 7. […]
March 24, 2010
The Nampa School District unsuccessfully pleaded with the Idaho Public Charter School Commission this month to reject any new charters in Nampa until financial conditions improve. The same day, the Meridian School District posted an article on its Web site arguing that granting new charters spreads available state dollars too thinly. The district said charter […]
March 24, 2010
Special education students are falling victim to the fierce battle to find space for charter schools inside city school buildings, parents and advocates say. At eight of the 15 buildings making room for new or expanding schools next year, at least a quarter of students are special education or seriously disabled. For these vulnerable kids, […]
March 24, 2010
A special legislative committee on school finance, concerned about the bleak revenue outlook for public education, indicated Tuesday that it will be open to a wide range of funding ideas as it drafts recommendations for the 2011 Legislature. Senate Education Committee Chairwoman Florence Shapiro, co-chair of the 15-member panel, acknowledged that the funding system is […]
March 24, 2010
Two Illinois homeowners said they will sue the state Wednesday, claiming Illinois’ education funding system discriminates against taxpayers based on where they live. This newest challenge to the controversial funding system alleges the state is shirking its responsibility to properly fund education by relying largely on local property taxes to pay for schools. The lawsuit, […]
March 24, 2010
Dozens of political leaders, superintendents, teachers and parents gathered Tuesday inside the Capitol waving signs and cheering as speakers marched one by one to the podium to plead for financial support for public education. "Now is not the time to pit one education organization against another," Higher Education Commissioner Hank Bounds said. "Now is the […]