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Syracuse University officials said late Tuesday that the number of students who have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last day has risen to 45. Most are associated with a off-campus parties that occurred last week.
Cuomo said he’s taking the steps because he does not want the hot spots to spread to the rest of the state.
Pennsylvania school-choice advocates are pushing hard for a measure that would send federal coronavirus relief money directly to families to put towards private school tuition, tutoring, or other educational expenses.
Over 90% of businesses asked say more government funding is needed, and 75% support investment in affordable preschool child for children aged three and younger.
Advocates say the ruling is a win for students and families, allowing them to better hold school districts accountable for discriminatory bullying that happens under their watch.
“All kids will be getting screened with their temperature check and they will fill out a five- or six-part questionnaire.”
The new standards — which are still subject to regulatory review and approval by the state legislature — were advanced by the Pennsylvania State Board of Education last week.
NEW YORK NOW – The state’s largest teachers union filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the state Division of Budget over more than $5 billion in state spending that’s expected to be withheld from school districts as the state grapples with an unprecedented budget crisis.
“Instead of a frivolous lawsuit, NYSUT should turn its attention to Washington and work with us to get the assistance New York’s children deserve.”
“We want to keep students here and operating. If there has to be some mitigation efforts taken, we will keep students here as much as we can. But, we all have to remain vigilant.”
“I think that technology has really helped us. It’s an inexpensive technology. It’s a student-friendly and a faculty-friendly technology.”
“You would you think that the teenagers don’t want to be like Mom and Dad, but they will mimic your behavior. And if you’re using the phone behind the wheel, the teen drivers will too.”
Masks are strongly recommended at all other times, including in the classroom, but they are not mandatory once the student is sitting down at a socially distanced desk.
“So you wanted a party. OK, now you have to go to remote learning, which means you basically stay in the dorm. It’s a function of discipline and compliance.”
The three organizations suspended include the Theta Chi and Zeta Beta Xi fraternities and the Sigma Delta Tau sorority.
“That constitutional right doesn’t go on hold because there are financial constraints, because the state is having financial difficulties. This is a constitutional right.”
“I got boxes I’m staring at every day. My kids are staring at it. They’re like, ‘When are we gonna find a place to go?’”
Colleges in New York will be required to return to remote learning for at least two weeks if either 100 cases of COVID-19 are diagnosed, or 5% of that institution’s population tests positive, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Thursday.
“I will be a catastrophe. Many school districts depend just about totally on state aid to get their programs running.”
“We want children to be in situations where they’re safe and supervised by trusted adults.”
White House counselor Kellyanne Conway announced she was stepping down from her position to look after her family. Working families across the country are figuring out how to provide care for their children with remote and hybrid schooling this year.
“Make no mistake, there was not a single student who gathered on the Quad [Wednesday] night who did not know and understand that it was wrong to do so.”
The president of the city’s United Federation of Teachers called for testing every student and staff member before the start of school, set for Sept. 10.
“If the pandemic was over today, and our economy was back to where it was pre-pandemic, we would probably be in a pretty good place. I think the concern really comes in when we look at the future.”
Mandatory masks, strict discipline and rigorous testing have helped the academies, including West Point and Annapolis, welcome students back to campus. Can other schools learn from their example?
The school district plans must include procedures and protocols for instruction, health screenings, and social distancing measures.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo formally gave schools the green light to reopen on Friday, saying the coronavirus infection rate was low enough in New York for students to return to class in the coming weeks.
“And the really cool thing is when you fill out a survey on your smartphone, it geolocates you. We’re able to go back to that exact same spot and we’ll do the water quality testing.”
“Districts must have a plan in place for testing related to symptomatic or exposed individuals, whether in school or through the local health department.”
“I don’t care what any bureaucrat says,” said Cuomo. “If they don’t have a good plan for reopening, no kids are going to come and no teaches are going to come.”
Coronavirus testing, online instruction, and the ability to turn on a dime are central to reopening plans
“If you have the virus under control, reopen. If you don’t have the virus under control, then you can’t reopen,”
“I appreciate the work that the Congress has done to date with the CARES Act proposals. But this current debate must create resources that support state education and educational equity.”
Classroom capacity ranges from about 19-21 students. But with social distancing, the capacity can drop to around 16 or 17 students.
“Our school board members, really their heart is in opening up the school, but they know it’s going to cost a lot of extra money this year.”
The coronavirus pandemic has affected the Special Olympics athletes and competitions.
The city aims to provide relief for working parents who either can’t afford to stay home or can’t find child care for the days that students aren’t in school.
“This whole process we’ve had an array of choices and they’ve all been bad.”
“If we give the schools the dollars they need to make sure the kids are safe and the teachers are safe and the employees are safe, we can sort of have our cake and eat it too.”
The Walden Project is an example of an outdoor independent learning program that is a possible alternative for immunocompromised students or others who can’t or don’t want to return to a traditional classroom setting during the coronavirus pandemic.
“By testing a pool, if the pool is negative, everyone is clear. If the pool is positive, we break out the samples, we run them individually, so it’s like an individual test.”
“There are some strings. They have to use it for health and education, but we don’t say one size fits all.”
Regions will be allowed to reopen schools if, by the first week of August, the infection rate remains below 5% using a 14-day average.
“We find the data is suggesting children should be wearing masks any time they are outside of their family’s home and can’t maintain a distance of 6 or more feet.”
Jerri Lynn Sparks says her 22-year-old son, Jared, and thousands of other New Yorkers with disabilities are suffering because the state has adopted “one-size-fits-all” coronavirus restrictions for group homes.
“If we’re going to get serious about bridging the urban-rural divide and making sure that schoolchildren are not left behind then we have to work together to do a few things.”
“The federal government’s demands that schools reopen without concern for health, safety and equity are simply out of touch.”
New York will decide if schools will reopen this fall in the first week of August, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday, and tasked districts across the state with coming up with plans in the event that they’re allowed to resume in-person learning.
For students, it’s a disorienting change during an already difficult time.
“We’re kind of stuck in a position where we kind of feel helpless. We feel like we should be doing something.”
“We are more than happy to provide childcare. It’s complicated. It’s not easy. But it’s our mission.”
“We are preparing to open schools, we have plans to open schools, but (edit) I’ll be honest with you. It’s two months away. Anything can happen in two months.”
“The ideal situation would be to see this kind of turnout, without having to go through the expense of the postage and printing of absentee ballots.”
Stakeholders are being asked to share what they’ve experienced during the pandemic shutdowns and how can the state improve and take proper precautions in the fall.
“It really is the best situation, I guess, that we can have. It’s a tough one. It’s really not what we want, but we’ll make the best of it.”
“The word is uncertainty. We don’t know what’s going to happen and it’s very tough for our school districts to budget.”
Most of western Pa. moves to green phase of coronavirus reopening plan next week.
Binghamton University’s president said that students will return to campus this fall as well, but more details are forthcoming.
Scientifically, there’s no clear consensus yet on the effectiveness of school closures in stopping the spread of COVID-19.
“The families claim “online learning is wholly inadequate to meet the needs of nonverbal and partially verbal children with autism who rely upon…in-person instruction.”
“Going out there and saying ‘support your local economy’ is going to make you look bad if at the same time you are saying ‘put your kids in danger.’”
“The challenge has been that school districts don’t have a list of all qualified voters within a school district, so identifying those individuals has been challenging.”
“The folks that are incarcerated in the prisons in our region are potentially a huge source of contagion.”
“Helping them see their families, making sure we’re scheduling times for Zoom and FaceTime meetings — that’s never been a part of our day.”
“I am hoping they come up with a vaccine. I will be first in line, because I want to get everybody out of the house.”
An educator and entrepreneur believes he’s found an untapped resource to help more struggling students succeed in reading. The secret? Families.
One high school in New York has found a way to have safe and memorable graduation: hold it at a drive-in movie theater.
The Steelton-Highspire School District says it’s reaching between 73 and 79 percent of its high-schoolers with online instruction.
“We’re going to have the schools closed for the rest of the year. We’re going to continue the distance learning programs.”
Students who failed Regents tests during the school year normally would have the opportunity to take them again in August.
“Politicians took notice. Nothing like this had ever happened. It was obvious that people really cared more than anyone had known about clean air and clean water.”
“They have a constitutional obligation to fulfill the needs of students, and they have not done that.”
These days, Maegen Wagner is serving as her daughter’s therapist, aide, and teacher — while balancing her own responsibilities as an educator in a nearby school district.
Around the country, losses of educators are mounting. It’s unknown whether working in schools when they were open might have exposed staff to more danger than an average workplace.
“The state is giving us the choice: ‘you decide.’ So it’s a really uncomfortable position to be in.”
The New York State School Boards Association says schools are bracing for teacher lay offs over the next year.
“This was not an easy decision but closing schools until the end of the academic year is in the best interest of our students, school employees and families.”
Binghamton University student Dino Nicolari decided to stay at his off-campus apartment. “I really have trouble working at home.”
“When we don’t provide children with accurate information, they will still seek it out, and the worry is they’ll seek it out from sources that are not accurate and more fearful.”
“I think it was good for them. They got all excited when their friends hopped on. Like, oh so and so is here and so and so is on! So, I think it helped them feel a little connected.”
Director of WSKG’s Education Department Jackie Stapleton shared some resources for learning at home and how families can maintain some normalcy.
“All of a sudden, somewhat of a train wreck happened.”
Student protesters at Syracuse University would not say if they will continue occupying Crouse-Hinds Hall during spring break next week.
“The idea of (students) returning immediately from spring break and the potential risk that could pose to this community, we made this decision out of an abundance of caution,”
School districts want to know when to cancel classes and how to access federal resources. So far, they’re not getting answers.
State-run universities are recalling about 300 study-abroad students and faculty from China, Italy, Japan, Iran and South Korea.
Overwhelmingly, schools are asking for grants to address mental health needs and to strengthen security measures.
SU officials said they tried to have a “respectful dialogue” with the students, but they were “unwilling.” Students said they were denied food, medicine and hygiene products, and were treated like prisoners.
Syracuse University officials have taken a noticeably tougher stance against protests by #NotAgainSU.
“Syracuse University administration’s handling of these crimes has been insensitive, lackadaisical, and an embarrassment.”
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is introducing a bill to fund community support programs for people who have substance use disorders, and their families.
“I’m here to tell you that this Vice President, and this President, will always stand for the right of every American family to choose where their children go to school.”
His latest ask is more than a billion dollars to clean up lead and asbestos in Pennsylvania’s schools, houses and water systems.
The New York State Comptroller’s office says the number of school districts in the state that are in fiscal stress has increased from 26 to 33.
“Early detection can be a game changer for those children with autism spectrum disorder, because it could get them access to earlier services and change the trajectory of their life.”
His legacy on education policy boils down to two words: school choice.
The proposal would close all cyber charters in the commonwealth by the 2020-21 school year.
Many Americans who get overwhelmed by student loan debt are told student debt can’t be erased through bankruptcy. Now more judges and lawyers say that’s a myth and bankruptcy can help.
Dyslexia, a language processing disorder affecting anywhere from 5% to 20% of the population, can be seen as both a challenge and an opportunity to develop creative life skills.
While New York may be first in the amount of spending per pupil, it ranks 49th in the nation in its unequal distribution of school funding.
Hundreds of educators, philanthropists and nonprofits recently convened in New York for the “Spirituality in Education” conference.
Pennsylvania was 47th overall in the opportunity gap between black and white students, 47th in the gap between Hispanic and white students and 46th in the gap between economically disadvantaged students and their wealthier peers.
Among the questions that state officials would like to see local residents discuss, are what do they want students to know before they graduate and how should students have to demonstrate that knowledge?
“We are taking prompt action on the commitments we made. We are making investments in programs and people. I believe this work, requested emphatically, insisted on by our students will make us a better place.”
The partnership between Sandy Hook Promise and the state Attorney General’s office aims to prevent mass shootings and help children dealing with problems.
“I’m writing you to wish you a very happy holidays. Remember there will always be people who care about and support you. The world is a better place with you in it.”
Carnegie Mellon University study focused on Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia
Syracuse University student protesters walked out of classes Thursday, demanding the resignations of the chancellor, public safety chief and others.
“Today and together we have an opportunity to send a clear and powerful message through our words and our deeds that we are better together.”
Winter storm warnings remain in effect for most of New York through Monday as a large winter storm moves through the region, with storm totals of a foot of snow or more expected in some spots by Monday evening.
Chancellor Kent Syverud has agreed to 16 of the 19 demands from student protestors and international students.
In the past two weeks, SU has been rocked by at least 10 incidents including racist graffiti, yelling racial slurs and hateful emails.
The proposal would allow parents in Harrisburg to use as much as $8,200 in taxpayer money toward private school tuition.
Syracuse University officials have promised action in the wake of criticism of the school’s response following the discovery of racist graffiti in a residence hall last week.
Officials are hoping early exposure to science and tech will give rural students a leg up in rapidly modernizing fields, like agriculture.
There are now 71 toys in the National Toy Hall of Fame at the Strong Museum in Rochester, which is the only collections-based museum anywhere devoted solely to studying play.
“I still stand by, the only thing that’s going to stop a gun is a gun.”
Nearly 2,000 people sent ticks to a citizen science tick testing program run by Upstate Medical University in Syracuse this year.
“We find, unfortunately, that even some of the younger students are vaping, and it seems like it’s something that’s going to continue to grow as a problem.”
Applied behavior analysts are licensed in 30 states. Pennsylvania isn’t one of them.
The state estimates that most jobs created in the next decade will require workers to use computers, and many opportunities will be STEM-related.
Advocates have long debated if online schools can replicate the academic enrichment and socialization of traditional schools. In Pennsylvania, that debate has come to the foreground.
Larry Wittig resigned from the board in 2017 after the Philadelphia Inquirer first published the allegations, but he remains school board president of the Tamaqua Area School District in Schuylkill County.
“I would say we had 20 to 30 positions that we ended up having to scrape and scour to fill, and in some cases had to find certified substitute teachers while we looked for long term solutions.”
In an affidavit filed in Gouverneur Town Court, the 10 year-old victim recalls her attackers yelling racist slurs at her, punching her in the face, ripping her hair out of her head, and kicking her in her right knee.
“You bring the gun up. Somebody comes around the corner. They’ve got something in their hand. You bring the sights up to your line of sight. You give them verbal commands. You see it’s a knife, he brings it up. You fire a shot.”
“There is no doubt that the kids that are in school today are our future.”
Strike organizers are calling on their fellow young people to skip school Friday and rally to demand greater action against climate change.
Gov. Wolf’s proposal includes specific measures that could limit cyber charter school growth
A recent study, partly conducted in rural high schools in western New York and the Finger Lakes region, looks at the influence of student-adult relationships on the rate of suicide attempts in high schools.
Prenatal classes often focus on Mom-to-be — on her shifting role and emotional needs, along with new skills. But if Dad gets sidelined early into a supporting role, research shows, everybody loses.
“Loans are definitely a barrier. They are working for years, and years, and years under incredible debt.”
A new book looks at how the struggle to pay for college has transformed the experience of the American middle class.
School districts in New York have a new tool to catch drivers who pass school buses that are stopped to drop off or pick up kids.
New research from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh shows thousands of lives could be saved each year if air quality standards were tightened.
After years of political gridlock on charter school reform, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf said Tuesday he would use his executive power to hold charters to “the same ethical and transparency standards of public schools.”
Several school districts located in rural areas of central and northern New York are participating in a nationally funded program to address and potentially overcome some of the biggest obstacles facing their students.
A law to expand schools’ security options in Pennsylvania now has some school law enforcement officers miffed.
Amid a flurry of action before summer recess this year, state lawmakers created a new category of public school — with little warning or open debate — that seems designed to benefit just one charter school.
A Pennsylvania tip system created to improve school safety fielded some tips about school violence, but received far more inquiries about student mental health, according to new data.
“This latest episode of senseless gun violence resulted in the loss of one of our recent graduates—graduates in whom we place so much hope because of their potential to create a brighter tomorrow.”
The financially struggling school district in northeast Pennsylvania that threatened foster care over unpaid lunch debt is now apologizing for dozens of letters officials sent this month to parents.
After district officials threatened to turn children over to foster care for the unpaid amount, a prominent media figure and a corporate CEO offered to settle the debt, but were rebuffed.
Wyoming Valley West School District in Northeastern Pennsylvania sent families a letter stating that their children would be removed from their homes if unpaid cafeteria meal debt was not settled.
The tweak states that Pennsylvania will no longer count the standardized test scores of students who miss at least 20% of school days prior to the end of the state testing window.
MaryEllen Elia, who is the first female commissioner in the history of the New York State Education Department, said now is the right time to leave the post, and has agreed to accept a job with a national firm that works to turn around struggling public schools.
The Tamaqua Area School District in Schuylkill County will scrap a groundbreaking policy that would have allowed teachers and staff to carry weapons anonymously on school grounds.
Who can carry a firearm in schools and under what circumstances remains murky in Pennsylvania — and up for debate.
Pennsylvania is in the early stages of enacting new requirements designed to reduce sexual assault on college campuses.
The pioneering requirement to educate students about mental health was grounded in the recognition that mental well-being is just as important to overall health as physical health
Any debate over the tax-credit programs that subsidize private-school education in Pennsylvania could begin here: There is very little public data on the students who benefit.
Immigrant researchers and professors must often take low-paid “survival jobs” in the US. At Brooklyn’s summer Open Air University, they’re sharing their niche expertise.
Teachers in the Ithaca City School District have voted for a six-year contract. The contract covers the next five years and was ratified in an almost unanimous vote.
“The cost of living in Ithaca is much different than elsewhere in the Southern Tier or even central New York.”
“When it comes down to brass tacks if you will, I’m not sure that they’re willing to fund education in the magnitude that we believe it should be funded.”
“As we contemplate any charter school bill…our school districts and our students and our teachers will insist on a conversation about how we fund charter school education.”
“My concern is that we have students sitting in classrooms in some of our schools that have asbestos and lead in those classrooms. We need to make sure some money is given there.”
“In our case, it ties into a child abuse database. We’re able to screen out those type of folks. There’s also alerts we can put in the system.”
Erin Croyle, a write-in candidate, defeated Bradley Grainger to become the newest member of the Ithaca City School District school board.
The survey found that over 85% percent of Democrats think legalized pot would not raise crime rates. That number is just under 50% for Republicans and 75% for independents.
Studying active volcanoes can be dangerous. Which is why a group of scientists from around the world came together to simulate volcanic blasts. What they’re learning will help them at a real eruption.
“It’s our worst nightmare to see a student be that close to danger as my student was that day.”
Nudges can change behavior, but for many societal problems like climate change, they are not sufficient.
“It is time to push the issue. We’ve been dealing with this long enough, and we’re going to push it.”
The amount of money up for debate wasn’t huge by the Capitol’s standards. But lawmakers saw the bill as a symbol of tension between funding public and private schools.
“The Assembly Democrats have always wanted to expend their energy and time on traditional public schools.”
75% of grantees asked for funding related to security planning and security technology. Others focused on mental health related services and programs in schools.
American schools are lacking in playtime, according to new research in the American Journal of Play.
“If I find out there is a gun in my classroom with my teacher, I am going to ask to leave that room immediately.”
Wolf’s proposal is about more than paying teachers a living wage. At current salaries, some districts say they struggle to attract and retain qualified educators.
“What this does is it provides an opportunity for these families and these children to grow like any other child.”
“We want to make sure you have the appropriate skilled, trained personnel on-hand to deal with providing that reliable service.”
“Without strong direction or oversight from the state education department, the school districts will likely continue to fall short of these requirements and that possibly puts lives at risk.”
“These state tests go against everything we know to be best practice in assessment. In fact, they’re causing harm.”
The fight to boost education funding brings lots of people together — teachers, superintendents, politicians. But advocates want to add another constituency to the mix: real estate agents.
The suit, filed on behalf of six states and the District of Columbia, says the weakened federal nutrition standards for school meals are putting kids at greater risk of health problems linked to diet.
“When you think about 8- and 9-year-olds having to go through this, your heart breaks for them. They’re sitting there, doing the very best that they can, trying as hard as they can.”
The key to making sarcasm work is for the teacher to understand the culture and language practices of their students and to never use sarcasm to shame or humiliate.
State education officials say that they will also work with schools to provide guidance on how to resolve outstanding issues.
Panelists repeated many of the same problems: Long wait times for services. A shortage of psychiatrists and therapists. Massive case loads for social workers. And children who need mental health services, but who are not getting them.
Research suggests that about half of the county’s children experience at least one traumatic event before the age of 17.
In this time of mass shootings, schools are feeling the pressure to make changes to how schools are constructed in an effort to keep intruders out.
Studies on the genetics of human diseases have focused largely on people of European descent. Pennsylvania Researchers say this lack of diversity is bad science and exacerbates health inequities.
They say these cuts would eliminate millions in Medicaid funding that supports Graduate Medical Education at five academic medical centers across the state.
“I want to teach them science, and now I have to learn how to send them home to their parents. And that’s a heavy topic”
Calling all teachers! Join WSKG Education staff as Maine-Endwell Central School District hosts EdCampSTNY, an “Un-Conference” for educators on Saturday, April 6, 2019. The FREE event will take place from 8 a.m. to noon at Homer Brink Elementary School, 3618 Briar Lane, Endwell, NY. As an un-conference, there are no pre-set workshop topics and no set presenters at the EdCamp. Instead, the learning that day is determined, and driven, by the attendees.
A slate of eight bills aimed at bolstering career and technical education is on the move in the state House.
New York’s apple industry has about a 21 percent higher economic impact than traditional studies have found.
In Pennsylvania, a large swath of the Northwest is a traditional higher-ed dead zone. With industry declines and steady population loss, the area has had a hard time attracting a traditional college institution.
More than a dozen student-athletes from three SUNY colleges have qualified to compete in the NCAA Division III national swimming and diving championships. There’s just one problem. The games are being held in Greensboro, North Carolina, and a ban on New York State-sponsored non-essential travel to that state remains in effect. A local State Senator is urging Governor Andrew Cuomo to lift that ban.
Students in the public university systems rallied this week at the State Capitol to end what they say is a built-in flaw in the state’s student aid policies.
There were some emotional moments as lawmakers and supporters of a school funding measure rallied at the Capitol to advocate for $4 billion dollars.
As advocacy groups continue to pressure Albany on various causes ahead of this year’s state budget, a statewide educational equity tour made a stop in Syracuse, last week. A collection of local officials and other advocates said New York’s schools are underfunded by $4 billion.
According to a new report, predominantly white school districts receive $23 billion more than districts that serve mostly students of color in the U.S.
A language can tell you a lot about a culture. There are some words that just don’t translate into English, or any other language. This is especially true for Native Americans, who are working to preserve their languages after decades of being told by the U.S. and Canadian governments they were wrong to speak them.
A tax-break program that routes millions to Pennsylvania private schools could grow much larger if a new bill becomes law. The proposal has powerful support in the State Senate, but Governor Tom Wolf’s spokesman calls it an “unfunded mandate.”
During a candid budget hearing Thursday, lawmakers heard a bleak tale of Pennsylvania’s system of higher education. In particular, Cheyney University risks losing its accreditation next year amid declining enrollment and growing debt.
Anne Bailey believes we need to re-remember history, shaping it with the perspectives of people who weren’t in positions of power.
A new online training program in the state is now available to help educators better prepare in supporting student mental health. The Mental Health Association in New York State provides the service for educators.
A security expert says restorative practices can be used to identify and help individuals who may pose a safety risk in schools or the workplace.
U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) wants the Mohawk Valley to be at the center of one of the next big things in the world of technology: quantum computing. And researchers at SUNY Polytechnic Institute and Rome Labs are already working on it.
A proposal with potentially dire consequences for Pennsylvania’s cyber charter schools re-emerged in Harrisburg this session. And one of the politicians pushing it now has a key education post in the state capital.
A state lawmaker proposes taxing violent video games as a way to pay for increased security at schools throughout the state.
Two teenagers, who are not vaccinated because of religious beliefs, were kicked out of school. Now their mother is suing the school district.
The moms of four girls, who accuse staff at a Binghamton Middle School of strip searching them, have sought legal help from the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.
State Education Commissioner Mary Ellen Elia said she’s not pleased with Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s proposal to spend just half of the amount of new money on public schools that education experts in New York recommend. She spoke Wednesday at a joint legislative budget hearing at the state Capitol.
In terms of education dollars, the first budget of Gov. Tom Wolf’s second term isn’t as ambitious as the one he proposed four years ago.
Chester County community meeting airs continuing public concerns on safety of Mariner East pipelines
About 200 residents rallied Tuesday outside East Middle School in a call-out to Binghamton’s School District. The rally was a response to claims by four African-American girls that staff members strip searched them a couple of weeks ago for giddiness and possibly possessing drugs.
In Binghamton, there’s outrage over an incident between staff members at East Middle School and four black students. The girls say they were strip searched. The district claims it wasn’t a strip search; it was a medical evaluation.
About a dozen children dressed in Lorax costumes went to Gov. Tom Wolf’s office Monday. They wanted to give him petitions urging action on climate change and Pennsylvania’s environmental rights amendment.
Ping-pong, video games, a music studio. Libraries have been changing for several years, offering electronic books and other technology. However, they’re also changing to become more accessible, offering young people a safe place to explore and nurture skills needed for today’s economy.
Many school districts across Pennsylvania say that budget stress is causing them to raise property taxes and cut school programs, according to an annual survey released by the Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials and the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators.
The New York State Legislature has approved a measure that ends a mandate that teacher evaluations be based on the results of their students’ standardized tests.
The New York State Legislature late Wednesday approved a measure known as the Dream Act that would offer college aid for children of undocumented immigrants. But they stopped short of acting on a measure to offer driver’s licenses to immigrants in New York without documentation.
State Rep. Curt Sonney hails from just outside Erie representing an ‘L’-shaped district jammed into the state’s northwestern corner. State Sen. Ryan Aument comes from the state’s heartland, and represents a chunk of fast-growing Lancaster County.
“Women Empowered: Fashions From the Frontline,” is an exhibit at Cornell University chronicling the ways women have used fashion throughout history to collectively uplift themselves.
Studies suggest musicians are four times more likely than others to experience hearing loss due to their repeated exposure to loud, prolonged rehearsals and performances.
The Tamaqua School Board voted Tuesday night to temporarily suspend implementation of a policy that would allow some school staff in the Schuylkill County district to carry firearms in classrooms anonymously.
Beginning this year, all Pennsylvania higher education institutions are required to publish hazing reports under the state’s new antihazing law. Penn State released a five-year hazing report on Tuesday, listing hazing violations between 2013 and 2018.
Pre-K and kindergarten teachers have a lot to do: teaching early literacy, numbers, interpersonal skills — and in some states, changing diapers.
Following lawsuits from both parents and teachers, the Tamaqua School Board will vote Tuesday night on whether to temporarily suspend a policy that allows some school staff to carry firearms in classrooms anonymously.
The Little Delaware Youth Ensemble presents their Winter Concert in two performances. Conductor Uli Speth joins us to talk about the program and about the history of the ensemble, as well as an upcoming workshop for the group.
Photo credit: Little Delaware Youth Ensemble
Bernice Sandler died Saturday at the age of 90. She once told NPR she beams with pride at seeing female athletes walk “with their heads up and feeling like, ‘Yeah, I can handle this world.’ “
School board members in Schuylkill County have voted to postpone a policy allowing teachers to carry guns in school.
A case that could set statewide precedent in holding school districts liable for ongoing student-on-student bullying has hit a barrier.
About a million dollars is going out to 38 colleges around the commonwealth to fund efforts against campus sexual assault. Governor Tom Wolf announced the allocation Wednesday, and also took a moment to weigh in on federal campus assault policy.
The partial government shutdown could be having an impact on some students who get federal financial aid.
Scientists at SUNY ESF have been trying to bring back the American chestnut tree for decades. Three to four billion of the trees were destroyed by blight in the first half of the 20th century, but researchers are now getting close to bringing back an American chestnut resistant to blight.
When a principal leaves a school, research suggests that students tend to suffer. And a new study of K-12 schools in Pennsylvania shows that principals are more mobile in big, urban districts.
The Freelancers Hub in New York City opened in October, offering classes as well as tax and legal assistance for independent workers. It’s free, and the first of its kind in the country.
Across the country, public schools are required to identify and support students experiencing homelessness. But a new report finds that many schools in Pennsylvania may be undercounting.
A partnership between a mental health care provider and colleges is redefining emergency mental health care on campus – helping students get needed care without losing track of their academic goals.
If power plants that burn fossil fuels could capture their carbon emissions and store them somewhere, it would go a long way toward preventing greenhouse gases from entering the atmosphere.
We live in an age of ratings. Yelp, TripAdvisor, Rotten Tomatoes — each provide numerical guideposts, giving consumers a seemingly rational way to sift through the bewildering array of options now at their fingertips. Education is not immune to this trend.
Pennsylvania released a list of 289 struggling schools Thursday that will have to develop “improvement plans” with the direction of state advisors.
In a case with potential statewide ramifications, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has decided a legal fight over school taxes in Lower Merion Township will be heard on its merits. The case stems from the district’s 2016 decision to boost taxes despite having cash reserves.
The state Board of Regents has recommended that an additional $2.1 billion be spent on schools next year, and that a 12-year-old court order to fully fund schools be phased in over the next three years.
Governor Andrew Cuomo could decide this week whether to sign or veto legislation that would require private schools to report suspected child abuse.
More work by a prominent food researcher, including a study that took aim at the “Joy of Cooking,” has been retracted because of problems with the data.
The Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court has tentatively scheduled a hearing in a landmark education funding lawsuit for the summer of 2020, according to trial schedule released Thursday.
Flashy digital toys provide intense stimulation for young children, but they cannot match the developmental benefits offered by traditional toys like boxes and blocks, according to a report released this week by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Some schools in New York state are struggling to find enough school psychologists, according to a report from the New York State School Boards Association. But even in districts that meet the minimum federal guidelines, administrators want more psychologists on staff.
After a pair of state investigations, the Pennsylvania Bureau of Special Education will send new guidelines to school districts across the state on how to identify and serve students who require surrogate parents to advocate for their special-education rights.
Adjuncts teach most college courses in the U.S., but it’s a job fraught with insecurity and low pay. One adjunct with a particularly tough commute is hoping to foster a community among his colleagues.
It’s a gene-editing technology which offers promise in both medicine and agriculture but also comes with serious ethical and moral considerations. University at Buffalo students are now getting hands-on training, and taking on the ethical questions, in what is known as CRISPR.
Harold Levy, the former head of New York City public schools, worked to give all students access to college. “Harold wanted to know us, he wanted to hear us,” one student says.
A lawsuit alleging that Harvard discriminates against Asian-American applicants has brought affirmative action into the news. One group that’s paying attention? Asian-American high school seniors.
Park came to New York with his family when he was 7 years old. He’s a senior at Harvard working toward a degree in molecular and cellular biology with a minor in ethnicity, migration and rights.
STATE IMPACT PENNSYLVANIA – A 12-inch pipeline that Sunoco plans to use as a temporary part of the Mariner East project has passed state and federal safety inspections, according to a letter from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission’s head of pipeline safety.
The state Department of Education has launched a new online index that’ll aggregate statistics on public and charter schools for parents, teachers, and students.
KEYSTONE CROSSROADS – The Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court heard arguments Tuesday in a case that could set state precedent, holding school districts liable for ongoing student-on-student harassment.
KEYSTONE CROSSROADS — Nearly three hours into a special meeting about a policy that would ask some staff at the Tamaqua Area School District to carry guns, parent Liz Pinkey read aloud a letter from educators at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – Nearly 70 percent of school board members across New York State who responded to a recent survey think civic readiness should be a high school graduation requirement.
Teachers, join us as we nurture curiosity and critical thinking with our littles! This virtual professional learning experience will provide tips on how to responsibly integrate media in the classroom for your early learners. How do you encourage an eagerness to explore in the classroom? A desire to learn? What are the best methods to keep students engaged and learning in the classroom?
Cornell University has found that a prominent professor and researcher violated federal regulations and was “reckless” in his research conduct.
SYRACUSE, NY (WRVO) – The state’s teacher union is trying to figure out how to deal with an impending teacher shortage in New York.
KEYSTONE CROSSROADS – On Saturday morning in North Philadelphia, a confident British man named Dylan Wiliam stood before about 100 teachers and told them that pretty much every education reform idea they’ve heard is bogus.
SYRACUSE, NY (WRVO) – Dozens of central New York School Districts are coping with a rash of cyberattacks that has put data about students at risk.
KEYSTONE CROSSROADS – Student performance on Pennsylvania’s suite of standardized tests didn’t change much in 2018, with the exception of science scores, which shot up 12 percentage points.
The economy and the social structures of the United States are changing, but researchers say some changes are specific to rural America.
Baker Victory Services in Lackawanna is using ‘groundbreaking’ treatment for children with duel diagnosed behavioral and medical challenges. WBFO’s senior reporter Eileen Buckley tells us this is a ‘first of its kind’ program in New York State.
KEYSTONE CROSSROADS – After much delay and consternation, Pennsylvania will change its high school graduation requirements. But the change won’t be as drastic as initially mapped out when state leaders first committed to revisions nearly a decade ago.
As the state moves toward new regulations for helping special needs children, advocates say the standard is too low in Pennsylvania.
KEYSTONE CROSSROADS – No, it wasn’t a debate. But the two men vying to win Pennsylvania’s gubernatorial election did appear in Philadelphia Wednesday to answer the same set of five questions, one after the other. Their interrogators were elementary-aged children, and the questions revolved mostly around education.
STATE IMPACT PENNSYLVANIA – Special education costs are rising much faster in Pennsylvania than state aid — causing local taxpayers to foot most of the bill, while also stretching school budgets thin and increasing inequities between rich and poor districts, according to a new report by a duo of advocacy groups.
A photo of three pioneering women doctors has been circulating in social media — but they’re not wearing white lab coats. They’re wearing culturally significant dress and they represent the first women doctors from their countries, back in the 1800s.
KEYSTONE CROSSROADS — State Auditor General Eugene DePasquale has targeted two school districts in recent weeks for mismanagement of taxpayer funds.
ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – Students and staff at the campus of Finger Lakes Community College are welcoming the addition of 33 acres of land to the East Hill Campus for outdoor recreation and education.
ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – Brian Wansink, the Cornell professor who authored six articles retracted by the Journal of the American Medical Association Wednesday, has been removed from all teaching and research at the university, and will retire at the end of this academic year.
HARRISBURG, PA (WSKG) — State troopers are about to be spending more time in some Pennsylvania schools.
KEYSTONE CROSSROADS – The Republican nominee for Pennsylvania’s lieutenant governor, Jeff Bartos, held a town hall at Penn State on Monday.
KEYSTONE CROSSROADS — U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos called out the nation’s universities Monday in a talk about campus free speech and the First Amendment.
GENEVA, N.Y. (AP) New York grape breeders have produced a fruit that’s so big and flavorful they’ve named it after Mount Everest.
American universities have created a consortium that offers temporary academic homes for refugee scholars threatened by war and authoritarian governments.
SYRACUSE, NY (WRVO) – As the new school year begins, school districts in central New York will begin to implement a list of recommendations to increase school safety following the Parkland, Florida school shooting earlier this year. Onondaga County officials released a school safety task force report last month.
A prominent New York medical school has pulled back from electing students for a sought-after honor society, saying the award reinforces racial bias in medical education.
Community leaders and law enforcement are reminding motorists to be alert for children as the new school year is about to get underway.
ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – New York State is strengthening its law requiring school bus drivers to submit to random drug and alcohol screening.
ALBANY, NY (WSKG) – The Democratic candidates for governor — incumbent Andrew Cuomo and challenger Cynthia Nixon — have different views on spending money on the state’s schools.
HARRISBURG, PA (WSKG) — After a series of meetings with teachers, administrators, and students, a school safety task force is calling for more mental health resources, better security in buildings and improved communication between school districts and police.
BUFFALO, NY (WBFO) – New York State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia is speaking out against a proposal to use federal dollars to buy guns for educators. WBFO’s senior reporter Eileen Buckley got reaction when Commissioner Elia appeared in Buffalo Friday.
ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – Countless parents across New York are purchasing new school supplies for students.
KEYSTONE CROSSROADS – Both sides gave closing statements on Wednesday in the fourth preliminary hearing of the Penn State hazing case. All seven defendants face charges that had been dismissed by two districts judges earlier this year.
Pennsylvania Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott Wagner has a plan to pump an additional $1 billion into public schools without raising taxes. He says he’d do four things to make that happen: privatize the sale of alcohol, lease its liquor wholesale system, slash corporate welfare “that has no positive economic impact,” and reform the welfare system.
Professor Adam Pratt says removing the names following Pennsylvania’s report on clergy sex abuse is “part of a healing process … that we need to do as a community.”
HARRISBURG, PA (KEYSTONE CROSSROADS) — A lawsuit that could reshape the way Pennsylvania funds its public schools has cleared another legal roadblock.
New York University said the move was to address the high cost of entering a career in medicine. Most med students graduate in debt, which can often top $200,000.
HARRISBURG, PA (WITF) – State lawmakers say they’re awaiting feedback from the state’s 500 school districts and 300 private school entities before they can disburse the first wave of funding to improve school safety. The funds are part of Act 44, a bipartisan bill signed into law in the months after the Parkland, Florida school shooting that killed 17 people.
ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – With a few weeks left before the start of a new school year, sleep experts say now is the time to get kids back on an earlier sleep schedule.
A new report from the New York Equity Coalition shows that many black and Latino students don’t have the same access to high level and advanced placement courses as their white peers.
HARRISBURG, PA (WSKG) — The Wolf administration is touting a new approach to coordinating with schools on the district level around the state.
Sesame Workshop’s games are designed to help kids learn words and have fun. One New York City educator says it’s never too soon to teach tykes that technology can be more than just entertainment.
KEYSTONE CROSSROADS — Republican gubernatorial nominee Scott Wagner released an attack ad Wednesday ripping Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf over education policy.
Ryan Burke, who was in charge of recruitment at Beta Theta Pi fraternity, is the first person to plead guilty in the case.
ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – Governor Cuomo says around 500 SUNY and CUNY students are in Puerto Rico to help the island rebuild, ten months after devastating hurricanes.
HARRISBURG, PA (WSKG) — The price of being a student in the State System of Higher Education is getting steeper.
KEYSTONE CROSSROADS – In his office on Penn State’s main campus, Sascha Meinrath, a professor of telecommunications, tested his internet speed.
KEYSTONE CROSSROADS — Governor Tom Wolf called for a major change to the way Pennsylvania funds schools Friday, advocating for the state to distribute its largest pot of school money in a way that would benefit the majority of students in the state, but would likely cause deep cuts in many districts.
KEYSTONE CROSSROADS — The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled in a 5-4 decision that public sector union employees can choose not to pay union dues or fees, a move that could damage union finances and limit their political clout.
SYRACUSE, NY (WRVO) – For teens facing depression, stress and other mental health problems, suicide can seem like way out.
ALBANY, NY (WSKG) – The state’s largest teachers union brought bagpipe players and a brass band to the Capitol to push for a bill to decouple teacher evaluations from the results of standardized tests.
ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – State lawmakers gathered in Albany Tuesday to push for passage of a bill they say can have a life-saving impact.
KEYSTONE CROSSROADS – Most of Pennsylvania’s 500 school districts plan to ask for tax hikes this fiscal year and about half expect their finances to get worse, according to an annual census conducted by school administrators and business officials.
The New York State United Teachers union is setting up protests at several district offices in the state on Friday. That includes Fred Akshar’s office in Binghamton and Tom O’Mara’s office in Elmira.
KEYSTONE CROSSROADS – Legislation is on the move in Harrisburg that could give parents more school choices and siphon millions from traditional public schools.
KEYSTONE CROSSROADS – In a plush, wood-paneled meeting room that’s likely seen its share of erudition, Zartman slides a book cover onto the projector’s flat service and reads the title aloud: “Betty Bunny Wants Everything.”
ALBANY, NY (WSKG) – A bipartisan group of state lawmakers is pushing for an anti-bullying measure that would require schools to tell parents when their child is being bullied, or if their son or daughter is behaving like a bully toward others.
ALBANY, NY (WSKG) – Teachers wouldn’t be evaluated based on their students’ standardized test scores any longer under a measure approved by the New York State Assembly.
ALBANY, NY (WSKG) – Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie says the Assembly will take up a bill Wednesday to decouple the results of standardized test scores from teacher evaluations.
ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – All this week, state and local law enforcement will increase patrols near high schools as part of a statewide campaign to limit the impacts of impaired and distracted driving as prom and graduation season approach.
SYRACUSE, NY (WRVO) – A fraternity at Syracuse University has been suspended after a video was released showing members engaged in extremely racist behavior. Students on campus are shocked and angered by the video.
SYRACUSE, NY (WRVO) – Schools around central and northern New York will soon be able to apply for federal funds to cover school safety and mental health training expenses – part of the recently passed $1.3 trillion spending plan passed by Congress.
Alvin Irby is on a mission to get kids reading in the barbershop. And he wants to make sure kids understand that books are fun.
When you hear ‘Hip-Hop’ what comes to mind? DJs, MCs, beat-juggling, graffiti… Yep, you’ve got it! We’re going to explore the roots and music of hip-hop. Special guests Ben Ortiz of the Cornell Hip-Hop Conservancy and DJ ShockWave help us along the way.
HARRISBURG, PA (WSKG) — A group of Pennsylvania lawmakers and environmental advocates are trying to lower the lead levels in schools.
SYRACUSE, NY (WRVO) – New York State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia says she supports students who plan to demonstrate today against gun violence. School walkouts are planned across the nation at 10 a.m., including in New York state.
SYRACUSE, NY (WRVO) – Many school districts in central and northern New York have faced threats following the Florida high school shooting last month. It has resulted in school shutdowns and arrests of some students for making terroristic threats. As law enforcement aggressively investigates these incidents, some experts say it is a lack of emotional skills that is causing them.
ALBANY, NY (WSKG) – The head of the state’s largest teachers union says arming teachers won’t make schools safer, but he says schools should have more protection.
Throughout the years, WSKG-TV has shown numerous programs including “NOVA: Making North America,” “American Experience,” news programs like “Frontline,” musical programs like “Expressions,” and it’s most popular locally produced show, “Let’s Polka!” Now, it looks like WSKG-TV will be having its last polka in Tompkins and Cortland counties. WSKG announced Spectrum plans to drop the TV station in the Ithaca and Cortland areas in the coming weeks. Read full story here.
Tell Them We Are Rising explores the pivotal role historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) have played over the course of 150 years in American history, culture, and identity. This film reveals the rich history of HBCUs and the power of higher education to transform lives and advance civil rights and equality in the face of injustice. Experience the film screening in full with your classroom, followed by a Q&A with director Stanley Nelson. Classrooms will be able to ask questions and have them in answered in real time through the unique OVEE viewing experience.
HARRISBURG (WSKG) — A statewide audit has found a number of school districts across Pennsylvania have employed bus drivers that should be banned from the job–and still more have drivers that aren’t properly cleared.
SYRACUSE (WRVO) – The SUNY Board of Trustees voted Tuesday to revoke an honorary degree awarded to journalist Charlie Rose in 2014 by SUNY Oswego.
HARRISBURG (WSKG) — Now that US Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has approved Pennsylvania’s 13-year education-improvement plan, state officials are working on rolling out some changes.
HARRISBURG (WSKG) – In a rare interview, former Republican Governor Tom Corbett has returned to one of the issues that dogged him late in his lone term in office–the fallout from the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse case. Corbett told Radio PA “mistakes were made” in the handling of the situation. In the aftermath of Corbett’s loss to Democrat Tom Wolf, it was a common theory that the Republican’s seat on the Penn State Board of Trustees had hurt him politically. The board voted to fire Paterno for under-reporting Sandusky’s abuse. Corbett said he certainly sees a connection.
ROCHESTER (WXXI) – A possible change to school calendars would give districts more flexibility in scheduling. A proposal made by the New York State Education Department would switch from a ‘number of school days per year’ guideline, to hours per year. Right now, the department requires schools be in session 180 days a year, something that can easily get messed up by parent teacher conferences or snow days. Spokesperson for the Rochester City School District Carlos Garcia says this would also help college prep students who attend some classes at MCC. “So they can come in later, they can come in earlier etc.
HARRISBURG (WSKG) – The state Senate Education Committee is making a mid-session personnel change–switching out one Republican senator for another. Erie County Republican Senator Dan Laughlin is officially moving from the Education Committee to the Community, Economic, and Recreational Development Committee. His replacement has been announced as Rich Alloway, a fellow Republican from Franklin County. The move is significant because of Senate Bill 2–a measure would let students in the lowest-performing public schools use the money the state would have spent on their education for alternative school options. Laughlin is a key opponent, and a big reason the bill failed to get to the Senate floor in October by one vote.
HARRISBURG (WSKG) — A contentious proposal to let students use state money to pay for private school is getting another chance to make it onto the Senate floor. Senate Bill 2 would create education savings accounts–a similar concept to private school vouchers–that would let students in the lowest-performing public schools use the money the state would have spent on their education for alternative school options, as well as related expenses like textbooks. It failed to pass the Senate Education Committee in a tie vote in late October, and is now scheduled to be reconsidered in the same committee Tuesday. However, Republican Senator Daniel Laughlin of Erie County, one of the only GOP lawmakers to vote against the bill in October, may be moving off the panel. That could change the outcome of the vote, though Laughlin maintains his likely departure is unrelated to the bill. “I can see why it looks the way it does,” he said.
ROCHESTER (WXXI) – There are major gaps in special education spending in New York. A study by the New York State Association of School Business Officials found that spending in wealthier districts for special needs students was almost double the spending in more impoverished districts.
“Special education spending in the lowest need districts is $43,635 per special education pupil while spending in the highest need districts is $25,823 per special education pupil,” wrote researchers of the study. And this translates into major gaps of achievement. 80 percent of special needs students in wealthier districts graduate, while just 40 percent of special needs students graduate from lower-income districts. They’re also less likely to score high on state testing.
Join us for an educator webinar (preK-12) from PBS LearningMedia on how to integrate digital tools and public media into your classroom. Expand your digital toolkit and discover how PBS LearningMedia and its collection of over 120K standards-aligned resources can be integrated into meaningful learning experiences for your students. This free webinar will be held online on Tuesday, November 28 | 7:00pm – 8:00pm ET. Register Now!
TED Talks: Education Revolution, hosted by author, producer and comedian Baratunde Thurston and actor and singer Sara Ramirez, focuses on how education is changing to adapt to our new digital world.
American Graduate Day returns to WSKG TV on Saturday, October 14, 2017 at 2:00pm. American Graduate Day 2017, supported by CPB, is a live, four-hour multi-platform broadcast that focuses on organizations and individuals keeping kids on the path to graduation. The event explores the importance of mentorship through the critical themes of early education, more and better learning, special needs, STEAM, dropout prevention and re-engagement, career readiness, and college completion. WSKG will also highlight the amazing dedication and work being done by local educators, our very own American Graduate Champions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qegt3PGUKrA
Viewers can participate in the event by asking questions and sharing ideas before and during the broadcast on Twitter and Facebook, using the hashtags #AmGrad and #UpstateGrad.
A growing number of colleges and universities in the eastern United States are confronting their historic ties to the slave trade. Profits from slavery and related industries helped build some of the most prestigious schools in New England. In many Southern states, enslaved people built and maintained college campuses. This documentary focuses on three universities — Harvard, Georgetown and the University of Virginia — as they grapple with a deeply troubling chapter in their vaunted histories. At the crux of the story is the question of how these institutions might make amends for the ways they participated in American slavery and the moral, political and practical issues under-riding that question.
There may be nothing more important in the educational life of a child than having effective teachers, but U.S. schools are struggling to attract and keep them. The problem is most acute in rural areas, where kids may learn math from a social studies teacher. In urban schools, the teachers most likely to leave are black men, who make up just 2 percent of teachers. This APM Reports documentary tells two separate but connected stories about the teachers these schools desperately need, but can’t hold on to: black men and those willing to work in rural areas. There are surprising similarities in why schools struggle to attract and keep these teachers that are particularly relevant now, when the divides between urban and rural — and white and black — are getting so much attention.
The State University of New York board members overseeing charter schools are in the midst of a public comment period on whether charter school teachers should be allowed to have fewer qualifications than public school teachers. Under the controversial proposal, charter schools that already have demonstrated strong academic performance would be able to set their own qualifications, with one proposal requiring a bachelor’s degree and just 30 hours of classroom instruction in order to begin teaching students. Public school teachers are required to eventually obtain a master’s degree and undergo a lengthy certification process that includes exams and a full semester of student teaching. Andy Pallotta, the president of the New York State United Teachers union, said he is “completely against” the proposal. “Why would you have someone who only needs 30 hours of instructional time with students to become a teacher in one circumstance?” said Pallotta, who added traditional public schools appropriately have “tremendous” requirements for teachers.
Public schools in the United States have to treat undocumented students like citizens. But once these students graduate, everything changes. Without papers, they don’t qualify for federal college grants, they can’t legally work to pay for tuition, and they may have to pay out-of-state tuition. Some young immigrants received temporary papers under an Obama administrative program, but now they find themselves on a collision course with newly powerful opponents, including a president who swept into office on a wave of anti-immigrant fear and anger. APM Reports follows immigrant students under the Trump administration.
HARRISBURG (WSKG) – A group of state lawmakers are introducing a bill they say would give students in Pennsylvania’s lowest-performing schools more options for their education. The plan would create school savings accounts, which would allow parents to take control of the money that would be spent on their kids in the public school system, and enable them to use it for alternative education options. Republican Senator John DiSanto of Dauphin County described the savings accounts as being about giving kids and their parents more agency. “This is not a panacea…there are real nationwide problems that we need to address,” he noted, when asked about fixing entrenched funding inadequacies in Pennsylvania’s public school system. “But this is a small tool in Pennsylvania [where] we can really have an impact.” The accounts would be available to students at the bottom 15 percent of the commonwealth’s schools. According to the Department of Education’s assessment, almost 400 schools qualify.
The Hanford Mills Museum celebrates Independence Day with demonstrations, a fishing contest, frog-jumping, and ice cream made by a steam-powered churn using ice from last winter’s Ice Harvest. Executive Director Liz Callahan talks about the many events and hands-on learning opportunities available at the Independence Day Celebration. http://wskg.org/audio/hanford4th.mp3
New York state’s education commissioner said Tuesday that new state-specific learning standards will offer several improvements over the controversial Common Core standards. Commissioner MaryEllen Elia’s report came on a day when large numbers of students in some parts of the state were expected to once again boycott the required third- through eighth-grade math tests. Elia said the timing was pure coincidence. “This is about standards,” said Elia. “This is not about opt-out.” The education department has been working on developing the new standards since late 2015. Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who initially supported the controversial fast-tracking of Common Core, issued a report in December of that year. It recommended slowing things down and carefully revamping the unpopular Common Core standards.
HARRISBURG (WSKG) — The state legislature is returning to one of its toughest recurring issues–charter school reform. Among the provisions laid out in the latest omnibus proposal to get onto the House floor are a standardized application process for schools seeking charters, more consistent school performance rubrics, and an extension of the charter review period from five to ten years. As often happens, public school and charter school advocates are divided on it. Ana Meyers, executive director for the state Coalition for Public Charter Schools, said the proposal needs work. In particular, she opposes a $27 million funding cut for online-only charters.