March 9, 2010
As the State election nears, political parties continue to announce policies they believe will make a difference to the education system. But will they line up with what school communities really wish for? Lauren Novak and Candice Keller investigate. THE state’s major political parties are seemingly heeding the calls from education stakeholders to increase funding […]
March 9, 2010
While the nearly $100 billion in federal economic-stimulus aid set aside for education has challenged school districts to turn one-time money into lasting reform, this historic influx of funding has also set the stage for long-term—and not necessarily positive—consequences. Funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, passed one year ago by Congress, is causing […]
March 9, 2010
Virginia public school officials score a win at the Supreme Court of Virginia today with a decision that the state’s insurance plan for school systems must cover school districts for lawsuits under the federal special education law. The ruling means the state owes the Newport News school district nearly $200,000, and probably more, since there […]
March 9, 2010
MONTGOMERY – Key legislators said they may delay votes on next year’s state budgets until late this month in hopes of finding out whether Congress will pass more stimulus money that could boost state spending next year by $542 million. If Congress passes extra stimulus money for the states, Alabama’s budgets for the 2011 fiscal […]
March 9, 2010
NEWARK — Licking County school districts say they are trying to use their federal stimulus money creatively with an eye toward future budgets, when the money might no longer be available. "This isn’t permanent funding," Newark Superintendent Doug Ute said. "This is a two-year deal." Licking County schools, including community schools, are expected to receive […]
March 9, 2010
School officials and attorneys have agreed to settle a 26-year-old lawsuit that accused Baltimore public schools of denying special education students their federally mandated right to an equal education including basic services like transportation to and from school. Senior U.S. District Judge Marvin J. Garbis gave preliminary approval Monday to the settlement agreement, whi ch […]
March 8, 2010
< ;br /> With the economy still struggling, school districts throughout the Lehigh Valley are eyeing painful budget cuts and tax increases as they prepare their 2010-11 budgets. The Allentown School District is looking at a hiring freeze and imposing its first tax increase in three years. The Easton Area School District is considering an […]
March 8, 2010
Gov. Jay Nixon’s proposed budget shortchanged public schools by $87 million in additional revenue they’re legally supposed to get through a phased-in increase in basic operating money. The Republican-written House Budget Committee plan fills in that gap by making the same amount of cuts in other parts of the state’s $8.43 billion general revenue budget. […]
March 8, 2010
Hawaii fell short in its first bid for federal funds in the "Race to the Top" competition, a $4 billion effort to improve schools across the nation, but is gearing up to try again in the second round. "While we’re disappointed, I don’t think we’re surprised," Interim Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi said yesterday. "We are going […]
March 8, 2010
As expected, President Obama popped by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius’ meeting with executives from the five largest health insurance companies. The news was first broken by White House press secretary Robert Gibbs on twitter, who tweeted: “POTUS went to ins. exec mtg w/ ltr from woman whose insurance will rise 40% nxt […]