Local School Topics

Going back to school can be anxiety-provoking enough for some students and parents, but how do you handle the transition in the wake of a major community tragedy? That is exactly the question educators in Aurora, Colorado, have been forced to ask, as students in this community prepare for a new school year just two weeks after a deadly shooting in a local movie theatre left 12 people dead and 58 more injured. Some of the victims were students themselves, bringing this event too close to home for many students in the area. Administrators, teachers, and support personnel are preparing for a back-to-school event in Aurora this year that is sure to be bittersweet and even scary for some of the students they serve.

This video reports on the aftermath of the Aurora mass shooting.

The Impact of the Tragedy

According to a report at Ed News Colorado, the Aurora Public School District estimates that approximately 150 students, parents, and staff from Aurora schools were in one of the theatres during the shooting. Gateway High School, the High School closest to the theatre, had 50 current or former students in the theatre alone. One of the victims that were killed, AJ Boik, graduated from Gateway in May.

The suspected shooter, James Holmes, lived in an apartment building not far from the theatre and within close proximity to Paris Elementary School.

The first day of school for Chicago Public Schools is just weeks away, but a myriad of problems continues to plague the district and even threaten the ability of schools to open on schedule. With ongoing conflict between school leaders and the teacher’s union, accusations of lying, and even a bond downgrade by Moodys’, CPS doesn’t look like a district getting ready to welcome students back to their schools. Will the problems be resolved by the looming August deadline?

Is a Strike Inevitable?

Disagreements between the teacher’s union and school administrators continue to heat up, and talks of a strike are concerning many in the Chicago school district. CBS News reports that a recent rejection of a fact finder’s recommendation fuels worries that teachers and school leaders will not be able to come to an agreement before the school year begins. The recommendation included a double-digit raise for district teachers, a move district officials have said they simply cannot afford.

The fact finder, Edwin Benn, made the recommendations after the two sides failed to come to an agreement on the proposed budget for the upcoming school year. The proposed $5.73 billion budget included a two-percent pay increase for teachers for the next school year, but the teacher’s union has said that amount is unacceptable. The Chicago Tribune reports that teachers booed the proposed budget when it was announced earlier this month.

The proposed budget also included a $665 million deficit, increased property taxes

New York churches now have legal permission to meet on weekends in public schools in the city, thanks to a recent ruling by the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of New York. The ruling marks the next milestone in a long-running battle between the Bronx Household of Faith and New York City. The fight began in 1995 when the church sought legal action after being denied the use of a school for their Sunday morning services. The ruling provides access to public schools by churches throughout the city, a move that some celebrated and others promised to continue to fight.

About the Bronx Household of Faith and NYC

In 1995, the Bronx Household of Faith submitted an application to city officials, expressing their desire to hold Sunday worship services at Public School 15. The New York City Department of Education denied the application, which cited the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause as the primary reason for keeping church services out of public school buildings.

However, the church countered that the denial violated its First Amendment rights and sued the city of New York to overturn the decision. The Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) has been representing the Bronx Household of Faith in court ever since the case originated in 1995. According to the Christian Post, the ADF argued against claims by the city that if schools allowed churches to hold worship services at the schools, it would be seen as an endorsement of religion by the

Chicago teachers, frustrated with changes made by Mayor Rahm Emanuel that did not include input from the teachers’ union, have voted to strike this summer if contract negotiations do not take a positive turn. The vote comes in the midst of ongoing consideration of numerous contract issues, as a preliminary strike on Chicago school officials working to come to an agreement between administration and teachers. While the strike would not occur for another two months, it sends a significant message to Chicago school officials that teachers across the Windy City are not happy with the turns in public education taken over the past year.

Longer School Days, Less Pay at Heart of Conflict

According to the Huffington Post, Chicago teachers are unhappy with Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s decision to rescind four-percent teacher raises last year. The mayor then worked around the union to authorize increasing the length of the school day to seven hours, after his initial efforts to lengthen school hours were blocked by the Illinois Education Labor Relations Board. Currently, Chicago public school students boast the shortest school day of any large school district in the country – with just five hours and 45 minutes currently spent in class.

The Chicago Teachers Union has stated that actual instruction time in Chicago schools is on par with other districts across the country. When the union wouldn’t work with Emanuel on lengthening the school day in light of reduced pay increases, the mayor went directly to

In anticipation of Florida’s new grading system, and in light of the potential fallout that is to follow, the state is providing special guidelines for Florida public schools this year. While the one-year rule will keep school ratings relatively consistent over the next year, some worry that once the new system goes into place, Florida schools are going to struggle to meet minimum standards in many areas of the state.

This TEDTalk discusses the downsides of a traditional grading system.

The Need for a New System

Like other states across the country, Florida will not be able to meet 100-percent proficiency requirements by 2014, as mandated under the No Child Left Behind Act. The state has applied for an NCLB waiver but must meet certain criteria set by the federal government in order to have that waiver approved. According to the Miami Herald, the Florida Board of Education recently voted for changes that will be necessary in order to receive waiver approval.

The five new amendments will comply with new No Child Left Behind waiver rules, as well as the current Florida statute. All of the amendments deal directly with the state-issued grading system used for schools, which is used to hold schools accountable under state and federal law. The changes come simultaneously with higher passing scores on standardized tests. While educators agree the bar should be raised, there is some