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 25, 2010
Two Illinois residents filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the State Board of Education and Gov. Pat Quinn,claiming the way the state’s public school districts are funded through property taxes is unconstitutional and unfair to taxpayers. Illinois has more than 800 public school districts that are funded mostly through property taxes. The state sets minimum per […]
March 25, 2010
"So now they’re getting hit with three different major funding sources being reduced and they are doing what they never wanted to do, which is drastically cutting their programs and staff," he said. "The bottom line is, districts are spending more than they’re taking in." Like many school districts, the growth of District 200’s tax […]
March 25, 2010
Long before the state’s budget crisis led to predictions of dire cuts in education, Wheaton Warrenville School District 200 was spending beyond its means. The K-12 district, based in the affluent western suburb of Wheaton, consistently ranks among the state’s top performers. But that performance has come at a cost. Like a surging number of […]
March 25, 2010
When you were in school, chances are kids in special ed had their own classroom. These days, more and more districts integrate special ed students in mainstream classrooms. Seattle School District expanded its inclusion system this year. But many parents and teachers say the district is moving too quickly. Marni Campbell is Executive Director of […]
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 […]