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Tag:
Education Policy
Albany, NY
Schools
'This Is Sick!' NY School's 'Timeout Box' Draws Outrage, Triggers State Investigation
A New York school superintendent has been placed on home assignment amid explosive allegations that special needs students were subjected to a so-called classroom “timeout box” at an elementary school. The Salmon River Central School District launched an investigation after a former school board member alleged that students at St. Regis Mohawk School in Akwesasne were subjected to improper restraint and seclusion practices, the district’s Board of Education confirmed Thursday, Dec. 18. The school is located within the Saint Regis Mohawk Reservation. In a Facebook post that has since gone vi…
Pleasantville-Absecon, NJ
Schools
Pleasantville Parents Erupt Over Proposed 15-Minute School Start Time Change
A proposal to push back start times across one New Jersey school district sparked heated debate at a school board meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 12. Pleasantville Schools Superintendent Marilyn Martinez said during the meeting the plan would move Pleasantville High School’s start time from 7:45 a.m. to 8 a.m., the middle school from 8:05 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., and the elementary schools from 8:50 a.m. to 9 a.m. High school dismissal would be at 2:50 p.m., middle school at 3:20 p.m., and elementary at 3:10 p.m. Martinez said the later start would “support our high school students in perhaps attending …
Harrisburg, PA
Schools
Penn State Fraternity Sigma Pi Suspended For Hazing, But Continues To Operate Off-Campus
A Penn State fraternity has been formally suspended from the university for at least four years following an investigation into hazing, officials announced on Thursday, July 31. The Sigma Pi fraternity was placed on an indefinite organizational suspension, effective Wednesday, July 17, after Penn State’s Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response investigated multiple reports of hazing and serious misconduct beginning in March 2025. According to the university, allegations included physical and mental abuse, forced consumption of alcohol and other undesirable substances, forced …
Albany, NY
Schools
Bell-To-Bell Ban: NY Schools Have Days Left To Finalize Smartphone Restrictions
“More learning, less scrolling:” That’s the message behind New York’s new Distraction-Free Schools Law, which will restrict smartphone use from the first bell to the last across K-12 public schools starting this fall. Gov. Kathy Hochul hosted a roundtable on Monday, July 14, with Capital Region school leaders and the state teachers union to discuss how the statewide ban will be implemented when the 2025-2026 school year begins. The new law — signed earlier this year — requires all public school districts to publish their distraction-free device policies by Friday, August 1. Nearly 150 distr…
Potomac, MD
News
Supreme Court Green-Lights Trump Plan To Gut Education Department
The Supreme Court has just swept aside a lower-court injunction and handed President Donald Trump permission to restart mass layoffs at the US Department of Education, reviving his promise to dismantle the agency created nearly half a century ago. In an unsigned, 6-3 order divided along ideological lines that was released late Monday afternoon, July 14, the justices lifted a spring ruling by US District Judge Myong Joun of Massachusetts that had forced the administration to rehire hundreds of Education Department employees terminated during a March reduction-in-force. Earlier report…
Hackensack, NJ
Schools
No More Half-Day Kindergarten In NJ — And What It Means For Parents
New Jersey families are one step closer to guaranteed access to free preschool and full-day kindergarten thanks to three bills signed into law by Gov. Phil Murphy on Wednesday, July 9. The sweeping legislation is being hailed as a “landmark” investment in early education, with a goal of making universal, high-quality preschool a reality in every New Jersey school district, and requiring all elementary-serving districts to offer free, full-day kindergarten by 2030. “With today’s bill signing, we are moving forward in making free, universal preschool and free, full-day kindergarten a reality …
Abington, PA
Schools
UPenn Bans Trans Athletes After Feds Find Title IX Violations, Ending Lia Thomas Case
The University of Pennsylvania will no longer allow male athletes in women’s sports. The US Department of Education announced Tuesday, July 1, that the school (UPenn) has signed a Resolution Agreement after federal investigators found the school violated Title IX by permitting “a male to compete in female athletic programs and occupy female-only intimate facilities.” According to the Department’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR), the findings stemmed from a Title IX investigation that began after UPenn awarded swimmer Lia Thomas a roster spot on the women’s swim team. UPenn had been at …
Massapequa, NY
Schools
Showdown At Massapequa: McMahon Says Mascot Ban Violates Civil Rights Law In Campus Visit
Federal officials are siding with the Massapequa Chiefs — and threatening action against New York over its ban on Native American school mascots. In a dramatic visit to Massapequa High School on Friday, May 30, US Secretary of Education Linda McMahon announced that New York’s statewide mascot policy violates Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits race-based discrimination in federally funded education programs. The US Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) determined that state officials illegally targeted Native American imagery while allowing other race- and et…
Montgomery Village, MD
Schools
Federal Judge Blocks Trump From Dismantling Education Department
In a decisive legal ruling, a federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from dismantling the Department of Education, mandating the reinstatement of employees who were terminated. US District Judge Myong Joun of Massachusetts said the department cannot be shut down without Congressional approval. In his injunction, Joun also told the administration to reinstate Education Department employees who lost their jobs during the reduction-in-force announced on Tuesday, March 11, "to restore the Department to the status quo." President Trump issued an executive order on Thursda…
Leesburg, VA
Politics
‘Deeply Concerning’: Officials Investigate Loudoun County School Over Locker Room Incident
A locker room controversy in Loudoun County has sparked a full-blown investigation — and now, the school district is pushing back hard. Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin and Attorney General Jason Miyares announced on Tuesday, May 6, that the state will investigate Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) after three students reportedly complained about the presence of a biological female in the boys' locker room. According to the AG's Office, "reports indicate that the female student, who identifies as male, used her cell phone to record the reaction of male students after she entered th…
Saratoga Springs, NY
Schools
Saratoga Springs School District's Transgender Athlete Policy Sparks Federal Investigation
The Trump administration has opened an investigation into a public school district in upstate New York over its policy permitting transgender athletes. Rep. Elise Stefanik confirmed that the US Department of Education is investigating the Saratoga Springs City School District for alleged Title IX violations “after my strong public advocacy," in a post on X Tuesday, May 6. Stefanik linked to a New York Post article in which Education Secretary Linda McMahon confirmed that the administration was looking into whether the district discriminated against girls by allowing biological boys to play …
Arlington, VA
Schools
Millions To Have Paychecks Garnished As Federal Student Loan Collections Restart
Millions of Americans may soon have their wages garnished as the Trump administration resumes student loan collections paused since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. About 5.3 million borrowers are set to receive wage garnishment notices in the summer of 2025, according to the Department of Education. The federal government officially restarted student loan debt collections on Monday, May 5. Nearly 195,000 borrowers began receiving 30-day warning letters from the Treasury Department. Their Social Security or other federal benefits will be seized through the Treasury Offset …
Harrisburg, PA
Schools
National Teacher Of Year Named As PA Woman Who Returned Home To Teach With Mentor
A Pennsylvania high school teacher has been named the 2025 National Teacher of the Year, education officials announced Tuesday, April 29. Ashlie Crosson teaches English and journalism at Mifflin County High School in Lewistown, where she also helps students publish a newspaper, magazine, and run social media accounts. She earned the national title after being selected as Pennsylvania’s 2024 Teacher of the Year by the state Department of Education. Crosson started teaching in Delaware in 2011, later returning to Pennsylvania to work in the Bellefonte Area School District while earning her m…
Massapequa, NY
Schools
Trump Weighs In On School Mascot Battle: ‘Long Live The Massapequa Chiefs!’
President Donald Trump is throwing his support behind a Long Island school district fighting to keep its Native American-themed mascot. Trump came to the defense of the Massapequa Chiefs, blasting New York’s push for a rebrand as “ridiculous” and “an affront to our great Indian population," in a Truth Social post on Monday, April 21. The school district has been ordered to retire its decades-old mascot under a 2023 New York State mandate banning Indigenous-themed names and logos in public schools. “I agree with the people in Massapequa, Long Island, who are fighting furiously to keep the M…
Arlington, VA
News
Trump Administration To Resume Student Loan Debt Collections, Millions Face Seized Paychecks
The Trump administration will begin seizing tax refunds and garnishing paychecks from millions of Americans in default on their student loans for the first time in five years. The Department of Education announced it will restart collections on its defaulted student loan portfolio on Monday, May 5. The agency said about 42.7 million people owe more than $1.6 trillion in student loan debt. About five million borrowers are already in default, with millions more in late-stage delinquency. "American taxpayers will no longer be forced to serve as collateral for irresponsible student loan p…
Berlin, CT
Politics
Trump Signs Executive Order To Dismantle Education Department
President Trump has signed an executive order that could lead to the dissolution of the Education Department. The order, signed late Thursday afternoon, March 20, cannot alone lead to the closure of the department since Congressional approval of the move is required. The directive tasks Education Secretary Linda McMahon with initiating the necessary steps to close the department, asserting that federal control over learning has faltered. “The department’s useful functions will be preserved, fully preserved,” Trump said during a signing ceremony in the East Room of the White House on …
Port Jervis, NY
Schools
Port Jervis District To Retire 'Raiders' Name To Avoid Losing State Funding: Officials
An Orange County school district has announced it will no longer use the “Raiders” name for its athletic teams following state education regulations that prohibit schools from using Native American-related team names and imagery. In a letter to the community on Wednesday, March 12, Port Jervis City School District Superintendent John J. Bell confirmed the decision, stating that the district will not select a new team name at this time. The "Raiders" name and mascot logo will be dropped as of Monday, June 30, Bell wrote. In his letter, Bell explained several reasons b…
Berlin, CT
Politics
Trump Moves To Dismantle Education Department With Executive Order
In a striking shift in policy, President Trump is poised to issue an executive order on Thursday, March 6, that could lead to the dissolution of the Education Department. According to sources familiar with the matter, this directive will task Education Secretary Linda McMahon with initiating the necessary steps to close the department, asserting that federal control over learning has faltered. The draft order, first reported by The Wall Street Journal, articulates a resolute stance: “The experiment of controlling American education through Federal programs and dollars — and the unacco…
Saratoga Springs, NY
Politics
Trump Wants To Shut Education Department: Here's Why, What It Means
President Donald Trump says he's considering an executive order to dismantle the functions of the US Department of Education, aiming to eventually abolish the agency. This move aligns with his administration's broader strategy to decrease the federal government's size and return control of education policy to the states. The proposed executive order would maintain only those functions required by statute within the department, while other programs would be transferred to different agencies. An agency can't be abolished without Congressional approval. This reflects Trump's campaign pr…
Stony Point, NY
Schools
New Study Reveals Shocking Amount Of Phone Use By Teens While At School
A brand-new study has uncovered surprising trends in teen phone use during school hours, raising fresh concerns about digital distractions in the classroom. The study, published by JAMA Pediatrics on Monday, Feb. 3, found that students spent a significant portion of the school day on their phones, with messaging, Instagram, and video streaming among the most-used apps. Researchers also noted that a quarter of students logged more than two hours of screen time during class. In addition, students whose parents held bachelor’s degrees or higher spent about a half-hour less on their phones dur…
Scotch Plains-Fanwood, NJ
Schools
Watch: Scotch Plains Teacher Surprised With 'Oscars Of Teaching' Award
Students, teachers, and community leaders gathered at a New Jersey Middle School Thursday, Nov. 14, expecting a standard visit from New Jersey Acting Education Commissioner Kevin Dehmer. But the assembly at Malcolm E. Nettingham Middle School took an exciting twist when Dr. Jane Foley of the Milken Educator Awards took the stage to reveal that fifth-grade teacher Emily Litz was New Jersey’s only recipient of the 2024-25 Milken Educator Award, often referred to as the "Oscars of Teaching." Along with the honor, Litz received an unrestricted $25,000 prize and made hi…
Yonkers, NY
Schools
Yonkers To Put $5.8M Toward Air Conditioning In 39 Schools
A city in Westchester is committing millions of dollars toward putting air conditioning in all of its school buildings to help students deal with rising temperatures. In an announcement on Wednesday, Aug. 28, Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano and Superintendent Aníbal Soler, Jr. revealed that $5.8 million in capital funding would be spent on air-conditioning in the city's 39 public school buildings over the next three years. The initiative is part of an effort to improve all aspects of the school experience for the city's students, Spano and Soler said. "Investing in the…
Albany, NY
Politics
Too Traumatic? School Lockdown Drills Would Be Reduced Under NY Bill
Some New York state lawmakers want to reduce the number of school lockdown drills that are held each year over concerns they could be harmful to students’ mental health. A bill sponsored by Democratic Sen. Andrew Gounardes and Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon would cut back the number of required lockdown drills from four per year to two. Schools would still have the option of conducting more drills if they chose to. The legislation would also mandate that school drills be conducted in a “trauma-informed, developmentally age-appropriate manner,” and would permit parents to opt their children ou…
Mount Pleasant, NY
Schools
New Principal Named At Kensico School In Valhalla
An elementary school in Northern Westchester will soon have a new principal who says he is dedicated to making sure families are involved in their children's education. Rob Schliessman has been named the new principal of the Kensico School located in Valhalla, according to Valhalla Union Free School District officials. Schliessman will be officially appointed by the district's school board during their meeting on Tuesday, June 6, and will start on Saturday, July 1. He will be taking over the position from the longtime principal Matt Curran, who will be retiring at the end o…
Glen Burnie, MD
Schools
Maryland School District Issues Strict Warning, Guidance For Athletic Events Following Fights
Anne Arundel County Public School officials are implementing certain new restrictions for athletic and extracurricular events following an early season rash of fights and disruptions breaking out at games. Superintendent Mark Bedell said the district is putting new rules in place that he hopes will help curtail some of the unruly behavior that has been shown by students since the school year began. Bedell cited the large number of fans attending games that could lead to outbreaks of violence and take important resources away from the event being played, as well as from police and school sta…
Lyndhurst, NJ
News
'Lyndhurst 18' Allowed To Walk At Graduation, Penalty For Prank Rescinded, Schools Chief Says
UPDATE: Lyndhurst Schools Supt. Joseph A. DeCorso announced that a group of high school seniors who staged a harmless prank earlier this week can walk at graduation Wednesday night. The schools chief had banned 18 seniors from walking at the scheduled 7:30 p.m. graduation, igniting a firestorm that eventually led him to rescind it. "This morning the administration met with parents of students involved with the high school prank incident," DeCorso said shortly after 12:30 p.m. Wednesday. "As a result of the discussions had, an amicable resolution was reached between the parties. "Details c…
Albany, NY
Schools
SUNY To Officially Recognize Students' Chosen Names, Pronouns
The State University of New York (SUNY) will begin officially recognizing students’ chosen names and pronouns. It comes after the university’s Board of Trustees directed all 64 SUNY campuses to update their policies “to ensure that transgender, gender non-conforming, and non-binary students’ identities are fully reflected and represented in campus systems.” By the time classes begin in the Fall 2023 semester, campuses will have to ensure that all operational systems reflect a student’s chosen name and pronouns as long as it’s consistent with federal law, according to a SUNY statement. Tha…
Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ
Schools
This NJ High School Is Starting Later So Students Can Catch More Z's
Students attending one New Jersey high school next year will soon have an extra 40 minutes of shut-eye before starting their first class, thanks to a new proposal from state lawmakers. Chatham High School’s starting time will be pushed back from 7:40 a.m. to 8:20 a.m. for the 2022-23 school year, according to a letter sent to parents from Schools Superintendent Michael LaSusa. The change also affects the other schools in the district, aside from Chatham Middle School, which will keep its starting time of 7:55 a.m., LaSusa said. A new proposal from state lawmakers is asking for high school …
Greenburgh, NY
Politics
New Poll Reveals What NYers Think Of Hochul's Job Performance So Far
Despite just weeks in office, Gov. Kathy Hochul, who succeeded former Gov. Andrew Cuomo when he resigned in scandal, has a positive favorability rating among New Yorkers, according to a brand-new poll. The Siena College poll, released Tuesday, Sept. 14, found Hochul was viewed favorably by 42 percent of voters and unfavorably by 17 percent; with 41 percent still undecided. By 52-18 percent, voters say Hochul has a more collaborative approach to government leadership than her predecessor, and they say it’s exciting to have New York’s first woman governor by a 74-16 margin. I…
Pleasantville, NY
Schools
High School Under Fire For Altering Yearbook Photos Of 80 Female Students
Officials at a high school in Florida are in hot water after being caught altering the yearbook photos of dozens of female students to make them appear to be showing less skin. At least 80 female students at Bartram Trail High School in St. Johns, Florida, a suburb of Jacksonville, had their photos altered, according to a report by NBC affiliate WTLV in Jacksonville, which reviewed the yearbook photos. The photos showed the students' clothing was digitally cut and pasted over what would have been exposed skin. The alterations have led to backlash from parents and rights groups who are…
Greenwich, CT
News
Lamont Names Acting Education Commissioner
Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont has named a replacement for former Education Commissioner Miguel Cardona, who was approved by the Senate to join President Joe Biden’s Cabinet this week. Lamont announced this week that he has accepted the recommendation of the Connecticut State Board of Education to appoint Charlene Russell-Tucker to serve as acting commissioner of the Connecticut State Department of Education. Cardona officially resigned on Tuesday, March 2 following his appointment by the U.S. Senate to be the country’s Education Secretary, and Russell-Tucker was appointed the following day. …
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