May 14, 2010
Legislators reconvened on Thursday for a special session to take up Gov. Manchin’s education legislation. Legislators introduced 13 bills on behalf of the governor when they reconvened at noon yesterday. Eight of the bills pertain to education, as the state attempts another bid at federal Race to the Top school funding. Each of the items […]
May 14, 2010
Rhode Island lawmakers on Thursday began consideration of three competing bills that would create a state education funding formula. The House Finance Committee heard hours of testimony on the bills. School administrators for years have called for a funding formula, saying the current system doesn’t give them a reliable way to budget. But if the […]
May 14, 2010
When Hawaii ran short on money, it made students and teachers pay by slashing 17 Fridays from the school calendar, resulting in three-day weekends and the nation’s shortest school year. More than 170,000 students in the nation’s only statewide school district spent their so-called "furlough Fridays" playing video games, roaming the mall or studying at […]
May 14, 2010
A meeting between West Milford Board of Education and Township of West Milford Council representatives, described as "very productive" by Councilman Dan Jurkovic, has resulted in a $750,000 school budget cut "compromise" proposal, Jurkovic reported at the May 5 Council workshop. A Republican majority was ready at the meeting to act on a formal recommendation […]
May 14, 2010
A proposal to use taxpayer money to send some low-income New Jersey students to private schools advanced Thursday through a state Senate committee, pushing the idea a step closer to the desk of Gov. Chris Christie, who sees it as a centerpiece of his education plans. After taking the unusual step of holding a hearing […]
May 13, 2010
The Broward School Board took stock Wednesday of deep budget cuts that will leave some schools without art, music, physical education and library programs next year. More than three-quarters of the school district’s roughly 140 elementary schools will offer fewer electives next school year, though only some schools eliminated entire programs. More than a third […]
May 13, 2010
“There is no mistaking this situation,” said Holyoke School Supt. Bret Miles when discussing the reduction of state funding’s impact on the budget. “We will not be able to operate on more than six percent less per student without directly affecting the programming we offer in our district,” Miles said at the May 4 work […]
May 13, 2010
A presentation to the Chelsea Schools Board of Education on Monday painted a dismal financial picture for the district by 2011. Teresa Zigman, executive direct or of finance, told the board it is possible that the district could use all of its fund equity and be nearly $700,000 in debt by June 30, 2012. “We’ll […]
May 13, 2010
The Mt. Diablo school board on Tuesday unanimously agreed to cut nearly $4.9 million from special education over three years a nd to lay off 200 teachers because of state budget reductions. But the board tabled more than $3.5 million in cuts that would have reduced the hours of special education assistants, after assistant superintendent […]
May 13, 2010
Administrators and advocates urge lawmakers not to balance the budget on the backs of children, especially when some are already lagging behind their peers. “We’re looking at a very disturbing possible impact on class size, and more resource and staffing reductions,” Hillside High School Principal Hans Lassiter said. Lassiter said he was also concerned about […]