K-12
There is no ‘practice of filming pornography’ in Arizona schools
PHOENIX — A Republican state senator is urging the Arizona governor to sign a bill that would end the “practice of filming pornography in K-12 schools,” something that is currently not allowed or encouraged at public schools in the state. Sen. Jake Hoffman, R-Queen Creek, put out a statement earlier this week asking Democratic Gov. […]
More states line up to serve free school meals to all kids
During his long career as a high school teacher, New York state Sen. John Mannion often reached into his own pocket to cover the cost of lunches for kids who didn’t have the funds. “I watched kids get to the end of the line and not have enough money on their cards,” the Democrat said […]
Where did $8 million for cameras in special education classrooms go? Lawmakers want answers.
Louisiana lawmakers want more information from state education officials about what they’ve done with $8 million set aside last year to put cameras in special education classrooms. “I want direct answers to what has happened to the cameras,” Sen. Regina Barrow, D-Baton Rouge, said Monday during a Louisiana Senate Finance Committee hearing. Advocates for children […]
Students inspire bill to improve response to mass shootings on campus
A state Senate committee agreed Monday to support a nearly $9 million plan to help Louisiana public schools better prepare for mass shootings. The idea for the legislation came from a panel of students who told lawmakers current emergency drills don’t account for incidents that happen when they’re not inside a classroom. Sen. Barry Milligan, […]
Louisiana House advances bill to prohibit COVID-19 vaccine requirement for schools
The Louisiana House of Representatives gave final passage to a bill that would prohibit schools from requiring students to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as a requirement for attendance. House Bill 182, sponsored by Rep. Kathy Edmonston, R-Gonzales, would apply to both public and private schools from the K-12 to university level. No public K-12 schools […]
Louisiana Senate leaders plan to push for teacher pay raise
Louisiana Senate leaders intend to push to give public school teachers a pay raise in their budget proposal, setting up a showdown with House members over the state’s annual spending plan that must go into effect July 1. “I think the teachers will get a raise,” Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mack “Bodi” White, R-Central, said […]
Louisiana House passes ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill
The Louisiana House of Representatives passed a so-called Don’t Say Gay bill Tuesday that would prohibit teachers from discussing gender identity or sexual orientation, and it would protect only teachers and parents who hold conservative views of transgender rights. House Bill 466, sponsored by Rep. Dodie Horton, R-Haughton, passed in a 67-28 vote. Six Democrats […]
Louisiana House approves bill to let teachers reject student’s pronouns
House lawmakers approved a bill Monday that would back school employees who refuse to use a student’s chosen name or pronouns that differ from the ones given to them at birth. It would also allow a teacher to overrule a parent’s approval for their child to go by a different name. House Bill 81, sponsored […]
Debate over holding back third graders roils state legislatures
Should third graders who don’t read well enough to pass a standardized test repeat their grade? That question is roiling states, with some choosing to keep the practice, some to modify it and others to scrap it. Most states require students to take standardized tests that measure progress in reading and math in the third […]
Louisiana lawmakers consider softer qualifications to attract more uncertified teachers
With educators finding better pay in other fields, Louisiana lawmakers are considering altering the profession’s qualifications in order to bring a new crop of applicants into the education system without having to raise teacher salaries. Senate Bill 197, sponsored by Sen. Barrow Peacock, R-Bossier City, would change the qualifications to be a school teacher in […]
Billions are left to address the COVID student slump, but some see an unfunded mandate
Billions of federal dollars are available to help Louisiana students make up ground lost in the classroom to the COVID-19 pandemic, but some educators say they don’t have the staff to put the plans in place and are concerned about what happens once the money runs out. Louisiana schools have roughly $2.3 billion left to […]
Lawmakers bristle at effort to untie DARE from possibly unconstitutional funding
An attempt to unlink a long-running anti-drug effort for students from a legally questionable funding source failed Thursday in the Louisiana House Judiciary Committee. More than 40 Louisiana sheriffs staff Drug Abuse Resistance Education programs, or DARE for short, with about 160 deputies, according to the Louisiana Sheriffs’ Association. One of DARE’s funding streams comes […]