Pasco schools seek class size solutions

Jeffrey Solochek October 2, 2018 Nearly two months into the academic year, several Pasco County schools continue to struggle meeting state class size requirements. A recently created report indicates hundreds of classrooms across the district that exceeded the constitutional caps by at least one student. School Board members said they had received calls of classes with…

Class sizes raise concerns for Mich. parents, districts, teachers

September 26, 2018 Jennifer Chambers, Korie Wilkins was happy with the small class sizes at her son’s elementary school for the last three years. Then the Rochester Community Schools parent heard a number this month that stopped her in her tracks: 30. “There are 30 kids in his class,” Wilkins said. “He has never had…

Austin ISD considers increasing class sizes to save money

October 8, 2018 Tom Miller AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin ISD is considering increasing the student to teacher ratio next year at campuses throughout the district in an effort to reduce its multi-million dollar budget deficit. Under the proposal, kindergarten through fourth-grade classes could grow by as many as two students, increasing to 24 per teacher. Middle…

Florida must prioritize public schools over charter schools, influencers say

September 17, 2018 05:00 AM Updated September 18, 2018 10:21 AM Charter schools play an important role in Florida’s education system but should not be prioritized over traditional public K-12 schools, according to a panel of the state’s leading voices. In a new survey of the Florida Influencers, a group of prominent political and policy figures…

State Board of Education Adopts Act 46 Forced Merger Guidelines

Foreground, from left: Vermont Agency of Education staff members Donna Russo-Savage, Brad James and Emily Simmons face the State Board of Education at a meeting in Bethel on Tuesday.  HOWARD WEISS-TISMAN OCT 3, 2018 After an all-day meeting Tuesday in Bethel, the State Board of Education has adopted a set of guidelines to help steer…

Voter Guide 2018: Amendment 73: Quality Public Education Fund Amendment

Author: Philip Maravilla October 9, 2018 Amendment 73 would change the state constitution and state law on how tax revenue is raised to fund public education, from preschool to grade 12. Amendment 73 would establish the Quality Public Education Fund. Money from the fund would supplement public education funding appropriated through the general fund. The measure is projected…

Education Is on the Ballot this November

By Jessica Yin  October 12, 2018, Getty/Portland Press Herald/Derek DavisA child peers up into a voting booth as his mother fills out ballots in Scarborough, Maine. With one month left before the midterm elections, voters have a lot of big decisions to make as they prepare to choose between candidates running for local, state, and national…

Stacey Abrams: I want to be Georgia’s ‘Public Education Governor’

KEVIN D. LILES/KEVIN D. LILES/KEVINDLILES.COM Stacey Abrams’ mother dropped out of school at age 8, but a neighbor prodded her to go back where, with the encouragement of caring teachers, she became the valedictorian of her high school. Abrams says that is the redemptive power of public education. Abrams is shown here with her parents…