Puerto Rico’s debt crisis claims another casualty: its schools

In the face of its economic collapse, there has been an exodus of families from Puerto Rico. Nearly 180 schools across the island are set to close because of declining enrollment and in part to help Puerto Rico battle debt and pension obligations of $123 billion. Read more>>

Ordered by a Superior Court judge last fall to bolster graduation requirements so students are no longer awarded “diplomas but without the education we promise them,” Connecticut legislators instead are poised to pass legislation that loosens those requirements. Read more>>

In 2016, LAUSD' board directed school employees to alert district leaders of any request from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. But in case the implication wasn't already clear, board members passed a resolution that employees are not to comply with ICE requests until higher-up officials complete their review. Read more>>

Steven Wyman-Blackburn

Years ago, educators at Fremont Middle School in Illinois provided students with engaging projects. But not until the 2015-16 school year did teachers have designated areas where students could work on assignments comfortably or have access to digital technology. Read more>>

A bipartisan charter school funding bill that backers termed “historic” is headed for Gov. John Hickenlooper’s signature after passing the State Senate. It requires school districts to develop a plan by the 2019-20 school year to equitably share voter-approved tax increases with charter schools. Read more>>

Some schools lacked quality curriculum. Chronic absenteeism is a struggle. So is consistency, a lack of resources and a lack of parent involvement. Those are just some of the challenges cited in academic reviews of the 38 schools that were identified for potential closure earlier this year by the state School Reform Office. Read more>>

A lawsuit by school boards in Stratford and Monroe to block a Bridgeport tuition increase for outside students who attend the city’s magnet schools failed to make the grade. The judge also dismissed a claim by the boards that the city and its board of education co-mingle their operating funds and that excess funds are used to fund the city’s operating budget. Read more>>

Fan actions targeting students or parents for personal reasons make the playing field hostile to all. Abusive fan behavior isn’t a new phenomenon, unfortunately. And it’s tough to control a crowded sports venue. Read more>>

The public deserves better than the Legislature delivered in rushing through ill-considered changes and cuts to public education. The governor should veto the budget and education bill, giving lawmakers another shot at doing the work they should have done the first time around. Read more>>

It is estimated that 23 million IQ points are lost nationwide due to lead exposure. Preventing these toxic exposures will help save IQ points and can reduce the incidence of many other cognitive and academic consequences of lead exposure. Lead in school drinking water has been ignored for far too long. Read more>>

Freehold Township School District administrators brought in the Verso cloud-based platform to support educators with teaching strategies to promote deeper learning and student engagement. Read more>>

SAFARI Montage LOR users will now have single sign-on access to Schoology from their dashboard along with the ability to add SAFARI Montage learning objects, segments, playlists or lessons to Schoology courses in its learning management system. Read more>>

Intelitek officially launched CoderZ, an online learning environment that empowers students to learn how to program virtual and real robots within the STEM pathways. CoderZ is also now compatible with LEGO MINDSTORMS Education EV3 so students can experience how their code is put into action using a robot. Read more>>

Voters in the Andover school district approved two bond issues that will pump more than $188 million worth of projects, including building two schools, adding storm shelters to existing schools and more. Read more>>

The North Carolina county's taxpayers could take on $255.3 million in debt, largely for school construction and renovation projects, over the next five years. The county could spend over half of its capital budget on school construction, including $79.9 million in voter-approved bond money. Read more>>

A coalition of parents, teachers, elected and community leaders is calling for an additional $30 million in school construction aid for the next school year. Statewide, the group says that the public schools need at least $1.9 billion in repairs, the result of years of deferred maintenance and a three-year building moratorium. Read more>>