Governor vetoes bill limiting Maryland school reforms

Gov. Larry Hogan vetoed a bill that would set standards for identifying low-performing schools and limit the state's options for reforming them. Democratic lawmakers plan to override the veto in the coming days. Read more>>

School districts across southern Illinois are accusing the state’s school funding formula of being unconstitutional by not sufficiently supporting school districts. These 17 school districts, which are in low-wealth districts and spend below the state per-pupil average, say the state does not give them enough money to deliver a high-quality education. Read more>>

The Illinois State Board of Education submitted its plan for the Every Student Succeeds Act to the U.S. Department of Education outlining a new vision of evaluating and supporting public schools. It will be implemented starting with the 2017-18 school year. Read more>>

Angela Pascopella

The IRS is warning district officials: Be wary of phishing scams targeting tax forms and other sensitive employee data. Over two dozen school districts have fallen victim to these attacks in recent months. Read more>>

Palm Beach County’s public schools may be getting rid of all those half-days that send parents scrambling to readjust their schedules when their kids go to school late or come home early. The revamped school calendar, which has been endorsed by the teachers union, turns those half-days of into full days and offsets the extra time by closing school during the entire Thanksgiving holiday week. Read more>>

Mayor Rahm Emanuel wants Chicago public high school students to show they have a plan for what's next before they can get a diploma. His proposal would add one more item to the graduation checklist for high school seniors: proof they've been accepted into college, the military, a trade or a "gap-year" program, or a job offer. Read more>>

A team of six students at a Kansas high school newspaper investigated their newly hired principal. After the students found discrepancies in her education credentials, the principal resigned. Read more>>

The new secretary of education dismisses public schools as too slow-moving and difficult to reform. But Union Public Schools shows what can be achieved when a public school system takes the time to invest in a culture of high expectations, recruit top-flight professionals and develop school-community ties. Schools improve not through flash and dazzle but by linking talented teachers, a challenging curriculum and engaged students. Read more>>

Legislation approved by the West Virginia House of Delegates is on the right track in terms of educating students about the foundations of our nation's government if it succeeds in giving young people a better understanding and the tools to be engaged citizens. Read more>>

Arizona has long been a leader in the school choice movement but reforms need to work for students who are being left behind by the traditional model. Reporters found that the state’s voucher program to provide public money for private schools is largely serving a population that would have thrived without it. Read more>>

Sielox’s access control portfolio addresses complex security challenges with layered access control and lockdown systems. Among the highlights are the Crisis Lockdown Alert Status System emergency notification and lockdown solution, the Pinnacle Advanced access control solution, and the 1700 Intelligent Controller that integrates with Schlage AD, NDE and LE wireless locks. Read more>>

Schoology announced major enhancements to its integration with Google Drive. The updates will allow students and educators to more easily use Google Drive while working inside of Schoology to manage grades, assignments and student submissions. Read more>>

Verified Volunteers, a background screening service, and Plan to Protect have partnered to offer background checks and robust safety assessment and training to help organizations develop a comprehensive safety program to protect people and assets while providing peace of mind. Read more>>

Washington state senators passed a two-year construction budget that puts more money toward updating schools, mental health facilities and state water services. Approximately $1.1 billion of the money is expected to go toward constructing, renovating and modernizing K12 education facilities including small, rural school districts, skill centers and K3 class-size reduction. Read more>>

A North Carolina House committee approved two bills that would ban counties around the state from imposing impact fees on real estate development to pay for schools, roads or water and sewer improvements. Read more>>

Voters in the Verona School District have approved one of the largest school referendums in state history at more than $181 million. Nearly $163 million was earmarked for a new high school, school renovations and maintenance. Other Wisconsin districts approved funding, including $68.3 million for building and facility expansions and improvements for Green Bay Area School District. Read more>>