November 21, 2016
Delaware News
Coastal Point
IRSD responds to state auditor report, emphasizes need for referendum passage
The Indian River School District would still need more money to run schools effectively, said Superintendent Susan Bunting, even without questionable financial dealings that prompted a six-month investigation by Delaware’s Office of Auditor of Accounts (AOA). The AOA rushed to release the report before IRSD’s Nov. 22 current-expense public referendum.
Delaware Public Media
Delaware issues hate speech guidelines to schools following election
Shortly after Donald Trump was elected president this month, there was an increase in reports of hate speech in schools across America, which has prompted Delaware’s Attorney General to issue guidelines to help schools determine when speech becomes threatening and intimidating.
Indian River says they’ve overhauled financial policies after scathing state audit
Indian River School District officials say they weren’t aware a former administrator had misused public funds, intimidated coworkers or skirted state financial rules before he suddenly retired this year. In a news conference Friday morning addressing a state audit released this week, Indian River School district administrators and school board members say they weren’t aware of any impropriety by former chief financial officer Patrick Miller.
Delaware State News
Caesar Rodney High stages ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’
The holiday classic “It’s a Wonderful Life” jumps from the screen to the stage this weekend at Caesar Rodney High School. “We usually don’t pick very well-known performances because we don’t want people to have the movie in the back of their heads the whole time,” director John Muller said. “But we wanted to do a really uplifting play.”
Time to put the ‘public’ in public schools
Commentary by Frederika Jenner, president of the Delaware State Education Association
We dedicate the second (full) week of November to the celebration of American Education Week, a time to advocate once again for the best education opportunities for every child in our state. This year’s theme is “Great Public Schools: A Basic Right and Our Responsibility.”
Department of Education
Education preparation reports provide information on program strengths
Press Release
Building on a comprehensive effort to strengthen educator preparation programs in Delaware, including continued investments in state funding, the Delaware Department of Education today released its 2016 biennial reports on the state’s teacher and specialist educator preparation programs.
State seeks public input on ESSA plan via online surveys
Press Release
A second round of online surveys is now open to inform the state’s Every Student Succeeds Act plan. The surveys – which cover the topics of school support and improvement, long term goals and measurements of long term progress, and measures of school success and public reporting – are available here.
Rodel Blog
Let’s personalize professional development
Blog post by Kate Bowski, National Board Certified elementary teacher at Milton Elementary School and member of the Rodel Teacher Council
As a 25-year veteran teacher, I believe I’ve just about seen it all when it comes to education. When I started my career, everything was neatly packaged. Students sat in neatly organized rows and my day ranged from honors to basic skills classes. I was the sole determinant of what would be taught and how it would be assessed.
The News Journal
Bank of America donates $200K to Delaware nonprofit
Bank of America has selected Communities in Schools of Delaware, a nonprofit targeting schools in challenged neighborhoods, as its 2016 Neighborhood Builder. The bank will provide Communities in Schools of Delaware with a combination of leadership development, $200,000 in flexible funding, a network of peer organizations across the United States and the opportunity to enhance their funding opportunities to expand their impact.
National News
Chicago Sun Times
Clock ticking for Rauner to sign $215M CPS teacher pension bill
The clock is ticking for Gov. Bruce Rauner to sign or veto a teacher pension bill with the potential to blow a $215 million hole in the Chicago Public Schools budget and trigger devastating classroom cuts. On Nov. 7, the teacher pension bill was quietly moved to the governor’s desk, giving the governor 60 days to make a decision on it.
NPR
Boosting attendance in preschool can start with a knock on the door
There’s a lot attention right now on improving attendance in schools — making sure kids don’t miss too many days. But what about the littlest students — those 3 and 4 years old? New research shows that if kids miss a lot of preschool, they’re way more likely to have problems in kindergarten or later on.
The Los Angeles Times
L.A.’s education board sends a message to Trump: Schools will stay ‘safe zones’ for students here illegally
The nation’s second-largest school system on Tuesday sent a message to President-elect Donald Trump: Los Angeles’ public schools will continue to be “safe zones” for students in the U.S. illegally. The Los Angeles Board of Education voted to approve a resolution reaffirming L.A. Unified’s current policy, which directs school staff members not to allow federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents onto school campuses unless their visit has been approved by the superintendent and the district’s lawyers.
The Seattle Times
A plan to fix Seattle student achievement gaps: teacher diversity, international schools
An advisory group formed by Seattle Mayor Ed Murray has released a list of 18 recommendations for how the city, school district and other organizations can work together to improve the academic achievement of students of color and those from low-income families. Among the recommendations: Expand and enhance before- and after-school and summer programs, increase diversity in the educator workforce, address the needs of homeless students, and add more international schools and dual-language immersion programs.