April 26, 2010
For the first time state achievement tests aren’t one size fits all. This year Tennessee is rolling out alternate versi ons for students facing certain hurdles in the classroom. Special education students as well as English language learners typically struggle with passing state achievement tests. This year that could change. In third through eighth grades, […]
April 26, 2010
After coming in 27th out of 40 states the first time, California would have an uphill climb to win up to $700 million in the next round for federal Race to the Top education funds – an effort state officials could decide this week is a losing battle. Or California could ignore the odds and […]
April 26, 2010
Hawaii lawmakers voted late Friday night to set aside enough money to reopen schools on all of next year’s scheduled furlough days, ending the nation’s shortest school year if the governor agrees. A conference committee voted unanimously to spend $67 million from a hurricane relief fund — the first time money has been allocated to […]
April 26, 2010
Kansas House Appropriations committee members voted Friday to increase 2011 school funding in the state by replacing part of some expiring federal stimulus funds with state money. Members voted to restore $85 million of a total $172 million in federal funds that run out midway through the fiscal year beginning July 1. The increase, which […]
April 23, 2010
IT’S school levy season again. Actually, school issues on local ballots are more perennial than seasonal, appearing regularly on Election Day more years than not. In upcoming elections, many school districts throughout Ohio and the country will again ask taxpayers to pay more to prop up school budgets. Officials in my rural district hope the […]
April 23, 2010
Tri-City school leaders say they likely won’t have to lay off teachers next year because of state cuts to public education. But they will have to find other ways to trim their already-lean budgets. "It’s a big challenge," said Vic Roberts, Kennewick School District’s business manager. Districts are facing a second straight year of significant […]
April 23, 2010
West Des Moines parents and teachers praised district leaders’ efforts in revamping their cost-savings plan for next sch ool year but voiced lingering concerns about how the cuts will affect special education students. More than 50 residents participated in a public forum Wednesday regarding the district’s revised proposal to trim just over $1 million in […]
April 23, 2010
Over the obj ections of the Jindal administration, the Senate Education Committee has approved a public school funding plan that requires $72 million more than what’s in the governor proposed budget for next year. Erin Bendily, Gov. Bobby Jindal’s education adviser, submitted a card opposing state Sen. Ben Nevers’ proposal, but she did not speak […]
April 23, 2010
The House Medicaid program, co-written by State Rep. Denise Grimsley, goes too far, too fast, according to the governor and the Senate’s budget chief. Sen. J.D. Alexander, R-Lake Wales, said concern is rising about Medicaid reforms. He wants to slow down. Medicaid costs Florida $19 billion a year, but Alexander said it is one of […]
April 23, 2010
Widely divergent approaches to overhauling Medicaid which emerged from the House and Senate loomed Wednesday as an obstacle in talks on the proposed $69 billion state budget, with the Senate’s chief budget-writer saying the ambitious rewrite should be delayed. Once characterized as historic, plans to revamp the state-federal Medicaid program looked more likely to become […]