Photo Credit: Gade Skidmore (CC BY-SA 2.0) Casey Harper | November 22, 2024 (The Center Square) — President-elect Donald Trump has named Linda McMahon to lead the U.S. Department of Education, and school choice advocates were quick to praise the pick. McMahon, who served as administrator of the Small Business Administration during Trump’s first administration, […]
School Choice Advocates Praise Trump’s Education Pick Read More »
Sarah Roderick-Fitch | November 22, 2024 (The Center Square) — An executive order has been issued to empower and support Virginia parents seeking to protect children from “addictive social media,” which advocates say is a factor in the youth mental health crisis. Gov. Glenn Youngkin issued Executive Order 43, which will mobilize commonwealth agencies to
Youngkin Aims to Combat Youth Social Media ‘Addiction’ Read More »
Madeline Armstrong | October 18, 2024 (The Center Square) — A recent report from the Fiscal Research and Education Center shows that school choice programs may save taxpayers money despite some Arizona politicians’ concerns about oversight of the statewide ESA program. The report looked at 25 states plus the District of Columbia, including Arizona. The
Report: ESA’s Will Help Schools, Save Taxpayers Money Read More »
Morgan Sweeney | September 4, 2024 (The Center Square) — Recent data on school district spending gathered by the Virginia Public Access Project appear to support the conclusion of a late-February Reason Foundation study assessing the relationship between state K-12 education spending and student outcomes. The foundation concluded that increased spending does not always correlate with higher test
Lowest-Spending Virginia School Districts Surpass Top Spenders in Some Subjects Read More »
Morgan Sweeney | August 19, 2024 (The Center Square) — The Virginia Department of Education released a draft guidance for cell phone-use policies in K-12 schools, determining that “cell phone-free education” means students not accessing or using their phones between the start and end of the school day. Following an executive order issued by Gov.
Phone-Free Education Means No Devices ‘Bell-to-Bell’ Read More »
Sarah Roderick-Fitch | July 10, 2024 (The Center Square) – Virginia is joining a growing number of states seeking to limit cellphone usage in public schools. Gov. Glenn Youngkin issued Executive Order 33 on Tuesday, which will direct the Virginia Department of Education to “draft guidance” for school districts to “adopt local policies and procedures”
Governor’s Executive Order Paves Way for Cellphone-Free Schools in Virginia Read More »
Morgan Sweeney | May 23, 2024 (The Center Square) — More school districts in Virginia are starting to implement school cell phone bans, prohibiting students from using their phones during the school day and, in some cases, even on the bus. Many districts ban student cell phone usage at elementary schools, and some ban them
More Virginia Districts Crack Down on Phones in Schools Read More »
Photo: Office of the Governor of Virginia Morgan Sweeney | May 15, 2024 (The Center Square) — Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed Virginia’s budget for fiscal years 2025-2026 Monday after the state’s General Assembly voted to pass it in a special session convened for that purpose. The $188 billion biennial budget was agreed upon at the
Youngkin Signs Biennial Virginia Budget Read More »
Tim Clouser | May 13, 2024 (The Center Square) — Spokane Public Schools is weighing its options as the August election looms. The district’s $200 million bond failed in February, leaving the district wondering where to draw the line with taxes. The SPS School Board convened for a special meeting Wednesday afternoon following Mayor Lisa
District Considers Cutting School Bond by Millions for November Election Read More »
Scott McClallen | April 24, 2024 (The Center Square) — DeWitt Public Schools canceled an optional “mini-lesson” for first-graders that would have taught they/them pronouns after parent reactions went viral on social media. DeWitt Public Schools Superintendent Shanna Spickard said the lesson’s purpose was “to promote greater understanding, compassion, and kindness regarding gender identity and
Michigan School District Cancels First-Grade Pronoun Lesson Read More »
