PHILADELPHIA — Surviving with a $304 million deficit, teachers, staff and education activists of the School District of Philadelphia are calling the funding shortage of area schools a crisis.
In a letter addressed to Education Secretary Arne Duncan from Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, and education activist Diane Ravitch, Duncan is pressured to intervene.
NEW ORLEANS — A $1.2 million fraud oversight contract between the Inspector General (IG) and the Recovery School District (RSD) was recently canceled. The contract, which was originally expected to last three years, ended earlier in June, two years early. It was put in place to help develop and reshape the structure of New Orleans’ school landscape.
WASHINGTON — The D.C. Council recently decided that all students in D.C. will have free access to Metro buses starting in the fall of 2013. This is part of the council’s plan to use the $50 million of unexpected revenue from this year’s strong income tax, the growing population and a lasting city economy.
LIMA, Ohio — With many school facilities empty during summer break, maintenance and repair teams are moving in to create a healthier, more productive environment for students come fall.
Lima, Ohio-headquartered Allied Environmental Services Inc is gearing up for the busy summer season to provide school facilities with services aimed at environmentally sensitive projects such as asbestos removal and repair, AHERA 3-year inspections, laboratory chemical management and disposal, neutralization tank cleaning and underground storage tank upgrades.
SALEM, Ore. — The House approved the budget for Oregon’s public schools and Gov. John Kitzhaber’s spending initiatives on July 1. The budget, $6.55 billion for K-12 education, was approved by a 53-5 vote. This will be a drastic 17.5 percent increase from the 2011-13 budget.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — While students and administrators of California’s higher education system can breathe a sigh of relief with the revised state budget for the time being, the economy will continue into an era of unpredictability, according to a statement by Governor Jerry Brown.
NEWTOWN, Conn. — The Sandy Hook Task Force unanimously voted to tear down the current school building and rebuild at the same site where 26 children and staff were shot and killed last December.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – California is considering a bill that would allow transgender students equal access to student facilities and programs that correlate with their gender identity rather than their biological sex.
The Senate Education Committee approved AB 1266 last week with the intention of allowing transgender students access to facilities and programs, such as locker rooms and sports teams, which are divided by gender. Tom Ammiano, D-San Francisco, introduced the bill.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – California is considering a bill that would allow transgender students equal access to student facilities and programs that correlate with their gender identity rather than their biological sex.
The Senate Education Committee approved AB 1266 last week with the intention of allowing transgender students access to facilities and programs, such as locker rooms and sports teams, which are divided by gender. Tom Ammiano, D-San Francisco, introduced the bill.
CHICAGO — The Chicago Board of Education will close 50 schools in the city; the decision will mark the largest wave school closures in United States history.
The board saved only four schools from its initial proposal, which the board has stated will save $560 million over the next decade for the district that is currently facing a $1 billion deficit.
