January 7, 2010
State auditors claim officials in the Wayland-Cohocton school district have overestimated expenses for several years and failed to seek competitive bids for products and services. The state Comptroller’s Office released the audit of the 1,655-student district this week. In a response letter to the state, district officials said the examination covering July 1, 2007, to […]
January 7, 2010
The La Crescent-Hokah School District’s books are in order, Darwin Viker said, but the district, like all others around the state, is entering a very difficult three- to five-year stretch when schools shouldn’t expect any new state funding. Viker, who represents the school’s auditing firm of Larson Allen, gave an overview of the fiscal year […]
January 7, 2010
The Pennfield Schools Board of Education opted to participate in Michigan’s push for Race to the Top funding at a board workshop Wednesday. The federally funded program will distribute $4.35 billion, of which Michigan is eligible to receive $400 million. Some of Michigan’s funding would be spent on Project ReImagine grants, which were awarded to […]
January 7, 2010
Texans in some parts of the state have long known that our school funding system is screwy. But Dallas school district taxpayers are becoming aware of that fact up close and personal. As this newspaper recently reported, the Dallas Independent School District is now considered a "property wealthy" district. The designation means DISD gets to […]
January 7, 2010
Education needs to be a priority in California, according to the governor, but local officials are cautious to celebrate the statement before the budget plan is revealed Friday. It’s all about priorities, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said in his annual State of the State yesterday. And California needs to prioritize education despite facing a $20 billion […]
January 7, 2010
Less than a week before the District 150 School Board is expected to decide whether to give a green light to a math, science and technology charter school in Peoria, district officials say the option is still viable. While some questions and concerns remain, many involving finances, School Board President Debbie Wolfmeyer said Wednesday she […]
January 6, 2010
No need to tell Teresa Songs times are tough. Around Thanksgiving, the principal at Chase Middle School had a student say, "I don’t think we’ll have any food for Thanksgiving." Another said there wouldn’t be any Christmas gifts. Parents are struggling more than ever paying textbook rental fees, leading them to ask for waivers. So […]
January 6, 2010
The San Francisco Unified School District is expected to sign up to receive federal funding under President Barack Obama’s new Race to the Top initiative, but Superintendent Carlos Garcia said it would pull out of the program if it’s reform measures are too strict. “[If] they want to go strictly by the letter, then we […]
January 6, 2010
The La Crosse School District’s race to the top ended Monday when the school board voted against signing papers needed to continue its eligibility for the federal education funding. The board’s move means La Crosse will forego any potential share of more than $4 billion in federal grants under the Race to the Top program. […]
January 6, 2010
Florida’s Broward County Public Schools saved as many as 900 jobs this school year. Nevada’s Clark County School District just added more math and tutoring programs. And in Connecticut’s Bloomfield Public Schools, eight elementary- and middle-school teachers were spared from layoffs. These cash-strapped districts covered the costs using a boost in funding intended for special […]