NJ Spotlight--This New Jersey Immigrant's Struggle to Attend College
Last May, New Jersey gave undocumented immigrants access to state financial aid for college. Although some like Gloria Rodriguez are benefiting, the law has had a bumpy roll-out
When New Jersey’s governor signed a law in May giving undocumented immigrant students access to state financial aid for college, Gloria Rodriguez was prepared. The 22-year-old Orange resident had been working toward this moment for nearly a decade — about the same time it had taken the law’s supporters to get the bill passed.
https://www.njspotlight.com/stories/18/12/10/this-new-jersey-immigrant-s-struggle-to-attend-college
WNYC News | December 11, 2018
Star Ledger--Your kid’s school bus is probably overcrowded. Companies say they pay, but still can’t find drivers.
Kids were sitting on the floor of their overcrowded bus or standing as the driver left a Burlington Township school to bring kids home.
Other parents complained about their children having to wait for a bus to double back to pick up students scheduled for a later route because the first one was packed.
Complaints like this from parents flooded social media this fall as districts across New Jersey — and the nation — continue to deal with a shortage of bus drivers.
Bill Duhart | For NJ.com| Updated Dec 10, 8:00 AM; Posted Dec 10, 7:45 AM
Asbury Park Press--3 School Districts Hope Voters Approve Spending Plans
Voters in Plumsted, Red Bank, Shrewsbury, Englishtown, Manalapan and Little Silver will head to the polls on Tuesday
Amanda Oglesby| December 11,2018
Chalkbeat--What it will mean if Betsy DeVos rolls back the Obama school discipline rules
Two years ago, it seemed like scrapping Obama-era guidance around school suspensions might be at the top of Betsy DeVos’s to-do list as education secretary.
The rules encouraged schools to limit suspensions and expulsions, and have been supported by progressives and civil rights groups. But they have been heavily criticized by conservatives, who say they’ve made schools less safe. Still, the guidelines have stayed in place, even as conversations about school safety have taken on new intensity.
The Washington Post reported Monday that the final report of the school safety commission convened after February’s school shooting in Parkland, Florida, will recommend that the guidance be eliminated. That would be a victory for the conservative campaign to link school discipline reforms with unsafe schools, a connection that remains questionable and hotly debated. The report is expected this month.
https://chalkbeat.org/posts/us/2018/12/10/devos-discipline-explainer/
Matt Barnum, Francisco Vara-Orta| December 10, 2018
Education Week--More Than a Quarter of Schools Could Be Flagged as in Need of Improvement Under ESSA, Experts Say
Now that the Every Student Succeeds Act has been officially in place for a whole school year, states are beginning to release their lists of schools that need extra help. And there's a particular group of schools that experts are watching closely: Additional Targeted Schools.
That's a wonky term for a particular set of schools that need improvement, but it's one to watch: It could end up describing anywhere from 30 to 70 percent of schools, according to preliminary observations by the Center for Assessment, a nonprofit that works with states on testing and accountability.
Alyson Klein on December 9, 2018 10:03 AM
Education Week--Parents Wield Online Tools to Advocate for Children With Disabilities
When Amanda Morin's younger child, Benjamin, was about to start school, her older son, Jacob Lewis, then in 7th grade, told his family that they should switch school districts.
https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2018/12/05/parents-wield-online-tools-to-advocate-for.html
Sasha Jones| December 5, 2018