Chicago school board approves borrowing up to $1 billion

The specialized high schools are still the highest-scoring in the district, but scores have fallen back toward the pack, even as the district has improved in that time. At the same time, scores of most of the star schools have weakened—some significantly—in the last four years, an analysis of state test scores over the last five years shows. Read more>>

More than 25 percent of the nation’s full-time teachers are considered chronically absent from school, missing the equivalent of more than two weeks of classes each academic year. But some school systems, especially those in poor, rural areas and in some major cities, saw chronic absenteeism among teachers rise above 75 percent in 2014. Read more>>

Twice a day, more than 300 students take part in the “Mindful Moments” program. They learn to breathe, stretch and block out distractions. When students fight or misbehave at the Maryland elementary school, they are sent to the “mindful me” room, where they’re taught to resolve conflicts peacefully and teach each other what they’ve learned. Read more>>

Ray Bendici

New series of toolkits designed to help administrators meet next-generation high school standards explains many of the ESSA law’s main components—particularly those that relate to educational funding. Read more>>

Backers of a statewide ballot measure want to use a slice of lottery proceeds to guarantee a week of Outdoor School for all children. Experts says if it passes, Measure 99 would make Oregon the only state with dedicated funding for outdoor education, including students in charter, private and home schools. Read more>>

Just two percent of likely voters believe closing low-performing schools is the best way to improve education in Michigan, according to a poll. It also found that 82 percent of respondents said the state's school performance rankings should not solely be based upon results of Michigan's state standardized test. Read more>>

There's no official tally of how many schools will be closed nationwide on November 8, according to the National School Boards Association. But in various districts from New Jersey to Nebraska, officials have canceled classes, or moved polling out of schools to other buildings this year. Read more>>

In such a politically-correct, litigious society, bus companies and school districts are opening themselves up to a lot more than just unsafe driving conditions. A lack of monitors and/or cameras on school buses is either an accident or a lawsuit waiting to happen. Read more>>

Schools are under increasing pressure to raise test scores and boost graduation rates. They are also getting intense scrutiny from various levels of government to make sure they discipline students correctly. But kicking kids out of school for silly reasons is what some Michigan lawmakers are working to avoid with proposed new laws. Read more>>

The problem of high school dropouts doesn’t begin in high school. In many cases, it begins early in childhood as a result of poor academic preparation and follow-through, and at the heart of this problem is poor childhood literacy. Read more>>

Brunswick City Schools launched a seven-year partnership with Discovery Education to integrate its Science Techbook and Social Studies Techbook into instruction. All classrooms will have access to Discovery Education Streaming Plus while educators from all schools will also participate in the Digital Leader Corps. Read more>>

Learning Upgrade launched a mobile app to increase accessibility and expand offerings to a wide range of English learners. The app enables students to access Learning Upgrade’s musical lessons on their own using any device, including phones and tablets. Read more>>

Level Data has been selected to provide its State Data Validation Suite solutions to 15 school districts in Tennessee. District personnel can automatically validate and monitor data during the course of their daily activities, without leaving a district’s student information system. Read more>>

The Chicago Board of Education approved plans to use up to $1 billion in long-term borrowing to pay for construction projects and refinance some of the school system's other debts. That borrowing will land atop another $475 million in short-term credit the district already tapped to cover this year's expenses. Read more>>

Voters will decide whether to fund the highest-priced school building project in Massachusetts' history when they cast their ballots in the upcoming election. The new high school will cost an estimated $257 million. Read more>>

Eric Williams, superintendent of Loudoun County Public Schools, presented a recommended capital improvement plan funding request for $468 million that includes plans for two new schools, among other projects. Read more>>