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Florida public schools will now be required to teach students about the history of communism from kindergarten through 12th grade. The lessons, which will begin in the 2026-27 school year, will cover topics such as the history of communism in the United States, the increasing threat of communism, and the atrocities committed under communist regimes in foreign countries. Governor Ron DeSantis signed the bill into law, stating that it is important to provide students with the truth about communism, especially when universities may present a biased view. The bill also establishes the Institute for Freedom in the Americas at Miami Dade College, which aims to promote democracy and preserve the ideals of a free society. The law will also initiate plans for a museum on the history of communism. “My view is we might as well give them the truth when they are in our schools because a lot of these universities will tell them how great communism is, so we are setting the proper foundation,” DeSantis said at a news conference at the Hialeah Gardens Museum.

 

Florida Politics

The Miami Herald

NBC Miami

School Leadership’s Guide to Building an Online Learning Program

No two students learn the same way, and alternative options for education have never been more necessary than they are right now. Online learning has become an option that’s gained traction nationwide. According to a recent study, 81% of parents believe online learning helps their children better prepare for the future and 94% believe it positively impacts their children’s ability to understand courses.*

This guide will help school and district leaders like you learn more about the fundamentals of online learning and its benefits.

Topics include:

• Debunking common myths about online education
• An outline of the first steps to create and implement a new program
• Strategies for creating open communication with parents, students, and staff
• How to select the best industry partner to help develop your new program

*FlexPoint 2021 Parent Survey

Download the Guide

 

The number of public school districts in Montana poised to benefit from a touted legislative program designed to address the state’s lasting educator shortage could drop by half as compared to last year. House Bill 143, dubbed the TEACH Act, created incentive payments for districts that increase starting teacher pay above certain benchmarks. Of Montana’s 396 public school districts, 99 increased salaries enough for the 2023-2024 school year to meet the law’s threshold. These districts received $3,566 for every educator they employed in the first three years of their teaching career. Looking ahead to the 2024-2025 school year, only 50 districts are currently expected to receive the additional funding. However, school administrators say this isn’t because they didn’t increase pay or don’t employ early career teachers, but because the state education agency failed to communicate to districts about new paperwork they would be required to complete in order to prove eligibility for the TEACH Act benefits. “Schools are already struggling,” said Shelley Turner, executive director of the Montana Association of School Business Officials (MASBO). “Now this is just one more hurdle.” She added there was no mention of a data collection pipeline for the teacher pay subsidies other than the one school administrators would fill out as part of their annual budget planning efforts. MASBO believes the opportunity to submit the proper paperwork should be extended to all districts. 

 

The Independent Record

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and state Sen. Joan Huffman (R-Houston) have sent a letter to the TRS Board urging them to lower insurance premiums for Medicare-eligible participants in TRS-Care Medicare Advantage. They also recommend implementing a one-time re-enrollment opportunity for retired educators who left the program. Lt. Gov. Patrick emphasizes the importance of educators in the development of children and highlights the previous efforts to support retired educators. The letter aims to decrease insurance premiums without compromising the long-term stability of the TRS-Care fund balance.

 

San Saba News & Star

Missouri lawmakers have passed a bill to expand private school scholarships statewide, which would offer up to $6,375 per child for expenses including tuition, textbooks, tutoring, transportation, extracurriculars and summer school. The bill's passage is a victory for advocates who have struggled to expand access to charter schools, virtual schools, and private schools in Missouri. The legislation also includes compromises to spend more on public schools, such as raising minimum teacher salaries and adjusting the state's formula for funding public schools. However, some House Democrats have expressed concerns about the state's ability to provide the promised funding to public schools. The bill also allows for the expansion of charter schools in Boone County and requires public votes for a school district's switch to four-day school weeks. This school choice issue has divided lawmakers beyond party lines, with rural GOP legislators opposing charter schools and some Democrats advocating for more options in underperforming urban schools. Overall, the bill aims to empower parents and students with more control and choices in education.

 

Fox News

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro announced that all standardized school assessment tests in the state will be moved online, a move that aims to save classroom time, create a user-friendly exam for students and relieve teachers and administrators of the burden of paper tests. Currently, one-third of Pennsylvania schools already provide online tests, and by 2026, all schools will be required to administer tests online. This change will allow students to complete tests more quickly, saving an average of 30 minutes per test. Gov. Shapiro expressed his desire to eliminate federally required standardized tests altogether, but doing so would result in a loss of $600m in federal aid. “We’re empowering the teachers to be more efficient in regards to how we gain information back through these assessments, so that we can get to effectiveness for these young people,” said Pennsylvania’s secretary of education, Khalid Mumin. He said the education department would also be introducing new benchmark tests that would allow schools to measure whether their students are on track before taking end-of-year assessments.

 

The Philadelphia Inquirer

U.S. News

The Iowa City Community School District is facing budget cuts due to families using taxpayer-funded tuition assistance to send their children to private schools. The district estimates a loss of $1.3m in revenue and spending authority because of students enrolling in private schools. The Education Savings Account program, which assists families with private school tuition and supplies, has resulted in a decline in enrollment for the Iowa City public schools. The district's proposed budget for fiscal 2024-25 is $195m, a 6.5% decrease from the current year. The budget cuts are also influenced by the end of federal pandemic funding and per-student state aid that does not keep up with inflation. The district expects to have to cut an additional $2m from its 2025-26 budget next year. Property owners in the district may see an increase in property taxes to support the budget. Overall, the Iowa City School District is facing significant financial challenges due to private school attendance and other factors.

 

The Gazette Cedar Rapids Iowa

At Cincinnati Country Day School, a no cellphone policy has been strictly enforced this school year, leading to positive changes in students' productivity and social behavior. Students have embraced the policy, with one senior stating that she now goes home with less homework compared to previous years. The school's decision is in response to growing research that shows the negative impact of cellphones on students' mental health, academics, and social interactions. Other schools in Ohio are also considering stricter cellphone policies. Educators and child advocates agree that overexposure to phones and social media can harm kids' mental health and concentration. The presence of cellphones has been found to reduce cognitive capacity and weaken attention spans. Teachers have noticed improvements in students' notetaking skills since the cellphone ban. Despite initial concerns about emergencies, the school's head believes that accurate information and communication can be better streamlined without cellphones. While the policy has been successful at Cincinnati Country Day School, it may not be suitable for every school. Overall, students have adapted well to the cellphone-free environment and have experienced more positive social interactions.

 

Cincinnati.com

Electric school buses will be ready to transport students across two Delaware school districts this summer. The Colonial School District plans to introduce three electric school buses and one propane-powered bus in July, and will begin installing EV charging infrastructure at the end of the current school year. The district received funding for the vehicles from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean School Bus Rebate Program in October 2022. The $809,000 grant originated from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law which allocated $1bn of a five-year, $5bn funding for the program to schools across the country. Elsewhere, the Red Clay Consolidated School District has received funding from the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control for one electric bus for an undisclosed amount that will also make its debut this summer. The next wave of electric school buses in Delaware will be in 2025. The Electric School Bus Program was enacted last year after Governor John Carney signed House Bill 10 into law, requiring the Department of Education to begin upgrading the current bus fleet with EV and/or other clean energy buses. The percentage will increase by 5% each year until 2030

 

Delaware Business Times