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NJ Spotlight--Classrooms and Courtrooms: 2020’s Flashpoints for New Jersey Education?
Governor and Senate president about to kick off new year with a battle over school funding? What other testing issues are in the offing?
Are Gov. Phil Murphy, right, and Senate President Steve Sweeney on a collision course over issues in education?
For all their differences elsewhere, Gov. Phil Murphy and state Senate President Steve Sweeney have by and large become aligned — or at least at peace — on many of the big issues in New Jersey public education.
John Mooney | January 3, 2020 | Review/Preview, Education
NJ Spotlight--Vaping and Vaccines to Forefront in 2019 Healthcare Debates
Enduring opioid epidemic, rising cost of prescription drugs and of health care overall are set to remain big issues for patients, providers and state officials
Healthcare continued to make headlines in New Jersey and nationwide last year, over ongoing policy debates — like the increasingly partisan tussle over the Affordable Care Act and the evolving response to the opioid epidemic — and emerging topics, like the explosion of vaping among young people.
Perennial issues also received new attention, such as relatively bold proposals to curb the rising cost of prescription drugs. Many of these topics will continue to command attention in 2020, including the ACA, the debate over school vaccines, and the state’s efforts to expand access to medical marijuana.
https://www.njspotlight.com/2020/01/vaping-and-vaccines-to-forefront-in-2019-healthcare-debates/
Lilo H. Stainton | January 3, 2020 | Review/Preview, Health Care
Associated Press (via Education Week)--Trump Plan to Curb Teen Vaping Exempts Some Flavors
Washington
U.S. health officials will ban most flavored e-cigarettes popular with underage teenagers, but with major exceptions that benefit vaping manufacturers, retailers, and adults who use the nicotine-emitting devices.
The Trump administration announced Thursday that it will prohibit fruit, candy, mint, and dessert flavors from small, cartridge-based e-cigarettes that are popular with high school students. But menthol and tobacco-flavored e-cigarettes will be allowed to remain on the market.
https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2020/01/02/trump-plan-to-curb-teen-vaping-exempts.html
The Associated Press| January 2, 2020
EDTech--Tapping Tech-Savvy Students for IT Support and Digital Learning
Districts can foster students’ interest in technology by offering professional certification and experiences.
You’ve probably seen the headlines about students hacking into their school computers or networks, wanting to change grades or dodge school work. Some accessed sensitive information, such as students’ GPAs and SAT scores. And those are just a few examples from recent months.
Such misbehavior is not new. But there are options for districts that want to foster students’ digital skills and steer them away from more mischievous or devious outlets for their hacking.
Jennifer Brown| January 3, 2020
Edutopia--The Benefits of Teaching for Administrators
Teaching a class gives administrators an opportunity to develop deeper empathy and better understanding of classroom challenges.
https://www.edutopia.org/article/benefits-teaching-administrators
Miriam Plotinsky| December 23, 2019
