Photo Credit: www.SeniorLiving.orgby Neal MortonThe American Civil Liberties Union, waging the first of potentially several legal challenges against school choice in Nevada, has filed a lawsuit to stop the state’s new education savings accounts, claiming a violation of a constitutional prohibition against the use of public money for religious purposes.Read the rest of the story at the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Photo Credit: dcJohnby Grace SmithThere will be no penalty for New York state school districts that had large numbers of students who refused to sit for the New York standardized tests this year.Education officials made the announcement to put to rest the uncertainty over how districts would respond to the anti-testing movement. Kate Taylor of The New York Times reports that state and federal officials had warned for months that districts that fell below the 95% participation rate might stand to lose federal funds. Leaders of the “opt-out movement” argued that these were nothing but empty threats.Read the rest of the story at Education News.
Photo Credit: U.S. Dept. of Agricultureby Amy SchimkeAs the second phase of Colorado’s “Breakfast After the Bell” law takes effect this fall, thousands more low-income students will have access to free breakfast served during school hours.It’s a development lauded by advocates who say the program improves attendance and achievement, but not always by administrators in the districts required to provide the universal free meals.Read the rest of the story at Chalkbeat Colorado.
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush again defended his support of the Common Core education standards, which are deeply unpopular within the Republican Party.Read the rest of the story at CBS News.
by Laura IsenseeThis summer there’s been an intense debate surrounding the Confederate flag and the legacy of slavery in this country.In Texas that debate revolves around new textbooks that 5 million students will use when the school year begins next month.The question is, are students getting a full and accurate picture of the past? Read the rest of the story at NPR.org.
Photo Credit: National Cancer InstituteBy T. Keung Hui and Bruce SiceloffRALEIGH, N.C. – At least one-third of North Carolina’s school systems are suspending their driver’s education programs this summer until they learn whether they’ll receive any state money to help pay for the classes.Read the rest of the story at The News & Observer.