Here’s what Tennessee’s next governor says about K-12 education

BY MARTA W. ALDRICH November 7, 2018 Republican businessman Bill Lee promised to bring “fresh ideas” on public education to Tennessee, and he’ll now get the chance as the state’s 50th governor. In handily defeating Democrat and former Nashville Mayor Karl Dean on Tuesday, the Williamson County millionaire and first-time candidate is poised to replace fellow…

PROGRESSIVES WIN ON MEDICAID EXPANSION, PUBLIC EDUCATION, AND VOTING RIGHTS THROUGH BALLOT INITIATIVES

Rachel M. Cohen November 7 2018, FROM STATE LEGISLATIVE races to the House of Representatives, progressive candidates made a dent in the 2018 election season, and will be relatively well-represented in federal and state-level governments next year. But it’s not just elected office: Left-wing activists also made their voices heard through ballot initiatives across the country. On…

Colorado Amendment 73, Tax Increase For Public Education, Has Failed

BY COLORADO PUBLIC RADIO STAFF NOV 6, 2018 Voters rejected Amendment 73, which would have raised money for Colorado’s public schools by increasing income, corporate and property taxes. Great Education Colorado director and measure supporter Lisa Weil said she knew Amendment 73 would be an uphill battle. “Adequate funding, fighting for equitable funding and making sure that…

School support workers vote to strike in rural district in Washington state

By Hector Cordon 6 November 2018 School support staff in the North Thurston Public School (NTPS) district in Washington state voted to authorize strike action last week against the refusal of the district to provide adequate wage increases and a state law prohibiting public employees from striking. With nearly 15,000 students the district encompasses 74…

Public schools’ struggle correlates directly to state voucher support

November 6, 2018 Tony Lux Tony Lux, a board member for the Indiana Coalition for Public Education, is the retired superintendent of Merrillville schools.   The recent promulgation of eight indicators of financial health for school systems glaringly ignores the state’s role in the worsening financial condition of many public school districts. Since the 2008 recession,…

The Little Rock Education Association stalls on strike action in Arkansas

By Nancy Hanover 5 November 2018 Teachers continue to demand strike action across the United States, despite the fervent attempts by the unions to stamp down struggles. In the lead-up to the mid-term elections, both the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the National Education Association (NEA) have sponsored rallies and get-out-the-vote messaging on behalf…

State releases official public school ACT results

BRANDON PAYKAMIAN The Tennessee Department of Education released the official 2018 ACT test results Wednesday, noting a small improvement from last year’s state average composite score of 20.1 to 20.2, a record-breaker. Throughout the state, the 63,104 public school graduates increased their average score in most areas, according to state officials. The average scores in…