K-12 Education
News releases, reports, statements and associated documents from public policy organizations influencing the debate on education policy.
Featured Stories
Denver Public Schools and DPS Board of Education Statement on School Shooting
DENVER, Colorado, May 26 (TNStalk) -- The Denver Public Schools issued the following agency statement:
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There are no words to express our pain about the mass shooting at an elementary school in the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District west of San Antonio. We are sending our deepest sympathies to all of the people impacted by this school shooting. We are also keeping in our hearts the countless others whose lives have been forever changed by this senseless act of violence.
The safety and well being of our students is our priority. We value the trust that families put in all of
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DENVER, Colorado, May 26 (TNStalk) -- The Denver Public Schools issued the following agency statement:
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There are no words to express our pain about the mass shooting at an elementary school in the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District west of San Antonio. We are sending our deepest sympathies to all of the people impacted by this school shooting. We are also keeping in our hearts the countless others whose lives have been forever changed by this senseless act of violence.
The safety and well being of our students is our priority. We value the trust that families put in all ofus every day to keep our children safe. It is a responsibility we take seriously. We want every member of the Denver Public Schools family to remember that we have safety policies, plans and procedures that have been put in place by our Department of Safety, Denver Police Department and Denver Fire Department. Over the next two weeks, our Dept. of Safety and Denver police will have an increased uniformed presence in and around our schools.
We have a robust safety team that partners with emergency responders on a daily basis to ensure the safety of our school communities. Our school leaders have organized, systematic emergency plans for their buildings which are certified each year by the Dept. of Safety. Additionally, our schools conduct all-school emergency drills observed by Dept. of Safety officers to ensure all students and staff are responding in a safe and timely manner.
We also have a team of psychologists, social workers and counselors who are available to provide emotional support to children and adults in the aftermath of a crisis situation. You can access resources that have been compiled by our Student Equity and Mental Health teams, which provide support as we process this traumatic event alongside our students and other team members.
Please know that we have all of these safety measures in place out of an abundance of caution. We will continue to remain vigilant in our efforts to ensure safe learning environments for our students.
Sacramento City Unified School District Board Statement on District Plan to Restore Learning Time Owed to Students
SACRAMENTO, California, May 21 (TNStalk) -- The Sacramento City Unified School District issued the following agency statement on May 20, 2022:
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The Sacramento City Unified School District Board today issued the following statement regarding the district's plan to add additional days of instruction to future academic calendars and seek a waiver from the State Board of Education to reduce the financial penalty per California Ed Code 46206 for not providing required instructional days and minutes this year due to the strike.
Our students deserve the quality learning time that they are owed.
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SACRAMENTO, California, May 21 (TNStalk) -- The Sacramento City Unified School District issued the following agency statement on May 20, 2022:
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The Sacramento City Unified School District Board today issued the following statement regarding the district's plan to add additional days of instruction to future academic calendars and seek a waiver from the State Board of Education to reduce the financial penalty per California Ed Code 46206 for not providing required instructional days and minutes this year due to the strike.
Our students deserve the quality learning time that they are owed.Following two years of learning impacted by COVID, our students need more time with their teachers, not less. We believe that our labor partners also care deeply about the needs of all students who missed critical learning time this year as a result of the strike.
While we tried to extend this school year, we could not receive all the necessary assurance to appropriately staff all our schools, especially given the varying needs of our diverse student population. With less than a month left in the school year, the uncertainty surrounding our schedule had reached a point where families deserved a final answer.
Rather than rush to get a deal done that would leave our schools with staffing concerns, we decided it was best to just end the school year as scheduled and look for another way to recover the valuable learning time our students have lost. By taking more time to collaborate on a future solution for recovering learning time, our families will be able to plan their lives around a future change to the school calendar. This will also give families and community leaders the certainty they need to make plans over the next three summers, including summer school, summer enrichment, summer jobs, and vacations.
SCUSD will continue to work with labor partners as the waiver request is developed. If our district is successful in getting a waiver from the California State Board of Education, adding sixteen additional days of learning time will also reduce the financial penalties our district faces as a result of not meeting the required instructional days and minutes this year.
S.C. Governor's School for Science & Mathematics Receives $10,000 Grant From the Milliken & Company Charitable Foundation
COLUMBIA, South Carolina, May 20 -- The South Carolina Governor's School for Science and Mathematics issued the following news:
The South Carolina Governor's School for Science & Mathematics (GSSM) Foundation is pleased to announce it has received a $10,000 grant from the Milliken & Company Charitable Foundation.
"Since its inception, GSSM has benefitted from the support of Milliken & Company beginning with Roger Milliken, an early personal supporter, who later donated the land that now serves as GSSM's campus," said Danny Dorsel, GSSM Class of 1990 alumnus and president. "In addition, Mr. Milliken
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COLUMBIA, South Carolina, May 20 -- The South Carolina Governor's School for Science and Mathematics issued the following news:
The South Carolina Governor's School for Science & Mathematics (GSSM) Foundation is pleased to announce it has received a $10,000 grant from the Milliken & Company Charitable Foundation.
"Since its inception, GSSM has benefitted from the support of Milliken & Company beginning with Roger Milliken, an early personal supporter, who later donated the land that now serves as GSSM's campus," said Danny Dorsel, GSSM Class of 1990 alumnus and president. "In addition, Mr. Millikenserved on the GSSM Foundation Board of Directors, and Milliken leaders have continued to serve on the board and have welcomed GSSM students and graduates to Milliken."
The Milliken & Company Charitable Foundation harnesses the spirit of Milliken giving to serve the numerous communities where the global manufacturer operates. Positioned as a strategic partner with local reach and high impact, the foundation upholds Milliken's purpose, values and vision as it provides grants both large and small. Through this lens, the foundation looks to make a positive impact in its communities that will last for generations.
One of the top STEM high schools in the country, GSSM was founded in 1988 under the leadership of the late Governor Carroll Campbell and has consistently raised the bar for STEM education in the Palmetto State. GSSM's two-year residential high school program, virtual high school program, summer camps, and outreach program invite young people to explore the subjects they love in a diverse, inclusive, and uncommonly supportive academic environment.
Milliken & Company is a global manufacturing leader whose focus on materials science delivers tomorrow's breakthroughs today. From industry-leading molecules to sustainable innovations, Milliken creates products that enhance people's lives and deliver solutions for its customers and communities. Drawing on thousands of patents and a portfolio with applications across the textile, flooring, specialty chemical and healthcare businesses, the company harnesses a shared sense of integrity and excellence to positively impact the world for generations.
Mayor Wu Announces $17M Boston Public Schools Food Service Contract With Roxbury-Based, Black-Owned Business
BOSTON, Massachusetts, May 20 -- Boston Public Schools issued the following joint news release on May 19, 2022:
Advancing her commitment to use the City's purchasing power to invest in local businesses, Mayor Michelle Wu and Boston Public Schools (BPS) today announced a new contract with City Fresh Foods. Beginning July 1, City Fresh Foods, a Roxbury-based employee- and Black-owned food service company, will provide breakfast, lunch, after-school meals, fresh snacks, and summer meals for Boston Public Schools. All meals will be freshly made in City Fresh's Roxbury production facility with nutritious
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BOSTON, Massachusetts, May 20 -- Boston Public Schools issued the following joint news release on May 19, 2022:
Advancing her commitment to use the City's purchasing power to invest in local businesses, Mayor Michelle Wu and Boston Public Schools (BPS) today announced a new contract with City Fresh Foods. Beginning July 1, City Fresh Foods, a Roxbury-based employee- and Black-owned food service company, will provide breakfast, lunch, after-school meals, fresh snacks, and summer meals for Boston Public Schools. All meals will be freshly made in City Fresh's Roxbury production facility with nutritiousingredients, including locally-sourced food. With a projected value of over $17 million, this is the largest non-construction contract the City has awarded to a certified Black-owned business.
Wednesday's announcement follows the unveiling of a Green New Deal for Boston Public Schools, a commitment to school facilities upgrades that includes $2 billion to launch 14 new construction or major renovation projects and accelerate ongoing district-wide improvements, including improvements to school kitchens.
"Transformative change for BPS starts with the everyday experiences of our students, and this new contract ensures every child will have access to nutritious foods to energize and nourish them through the day," said Mayor Michelle Wu. "We're proud to partner with a local, Roxbury-based, Black-owned business to deliver for our young people."
"Access to nutritious food helps keep our students healthy and well so that they can learn throughout the school day," said BPS Superintendent Brenda Cassellius. "Our new partnership with City Fresh ensures BPS students and staff have access to a wide range of culturally relevant, nutritious foods and keeps City dollars in our neighborhoods by supporting a black-owned business that represents the heart and soul of Roxbury. All in all, it's a great recipe for nurturing the future leaders of Boston who are learning in our schools today."
Through an expert culinary team, City Fresh Foods will design menus that ensure high-quality and nutrient-rich meals for nearly 50,000 BPS students. City Fresh will work with BPS to fulfill the goals of the Good Food Purchasing Program, championed by Mayor Wu when she served on the Boston City Council, to align the City's food procurement with the goals of racial equity, environmental sustainability, and local economic development. The City Fresh Foods team includes a Registered Dietician to provide a comprehensive nutritional analysis of all meals, and strong mechanisms to monitor student participation and minimize food waste. In addition to providing nutritious meals, City Fresh Foods draws on a wide range of menu options to create culturally relevant meals for BPS students to enjoy. This new vended meals contract builds on recent investments to renovate BPS kitchens to enable scratch cooking on-site.
"At City Fresh we believe that everyone deserves access to nutritious and delicious food, and we are thrilled to partner with the Boston Public Schools to deliver great tasting meals to the public school community of Boston," said Sheldon Lloyd, Co-Founder and CEO of City Fresh Foods. "Many of our employees, including me, have children in Boston Public Schools and we are deeply committed to further supporting our communities where we work, learn and live to simultaneously provide quality meals and support our local economy. We are grateful to the Wu Administration and Boston Public Schools for their partnership and look forward to getting started this summer."
The initial Request for Proposals for the BPS vended meals contract was issued in January 2022, and focused on maximizing the quality of the meals provided to students and finding a vendor who would work with the City to find new and innovative ways to deliver meal service. An evaluation committee drawn from BPS and City staff unanimously recommended that City Fresh be awarded the contract based on its operational strength, its commitment to reducing the use of processed foods, and its dedication to Boston's local neighborhoods.
"Mayor Wu promised to change how the City invests in our local businesses, and this is an example of the City putting its money where its mouth is," said Segun Idowu, Chief of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion. "In addition to the value of this contract, awarding this contract to City Fresh Foods proves that local, employee-owned firms have the capacity, experience, fortitude, and the best plan to provide our City with high quality goods and services. This decision is in line with the vision of Mayor Wu and our Office to help close the racial wealth gap, and is a victory for Boston's students, families, and our local community economies."
"The award of this contract supports BPS' efforts to provide nutritious food for students and represents a strong step towards increasing equity in City contracting," said Ellen Hatch, Deputy Chief of Finance and Chief Procurement Officer. "We know that navigating the procurement process can be challenging for businesses, and under Mayor Wu's leadership, we are working with all cabinets across the city to break down silos, streamline our operations, and make the procurement process more accessible to new and diverse businesses."
The announcement builds off Mayor Wu's commitment to investing in our City's school communities and students. Last week, the Mayor announced a Green New Deal for Boston Public Schools, a $2 billion plan to overhaul BPS facilities. Other recent investments in expanding opportunities for Boston's youth include recent expansions of Early College and Innovation Pathways programming and the Summer Youth Jobs program and the launch of a partnership between the Public Works Department and Madison Park Technical Vocational High School to train high school students in electric vehicle maintenance.
Mayor Wu previously relaunched the City of Boston's Contracting Opportunity Fund to assist small, local businesses in building their capacity to bid on City contracts. In March, she filed a home rule petition with the City Council that would expand access to City contracts for minority- and women-owned business enterprises (MWBEs). Through key investments in staffing and programmatic needs, the City of Boston is implementing new initiatives that seek to address the past and present effects of discrimination, disparities, obstacles and barriers in its procurement process that impact minority-owned and women-owned businesses. To learn more visit here (https://www.boston.gov/government/cabinets/equity-and-inclusion-cabinet/supplier-diversity).
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Des Moines Public Schools: Fairouz Bishara-Rantisi to Lead Hoyt Middle School
DES MOINES, Iowa, May 20 (TNSper) -- Des Moines Public Schools issued the following news release:
Des Moines Public Schools is pleased to announce that Dr. Fairouz Bishara-Rantisi will become the next principal at Hoyt Middle School. Dr. Bishara-Rantisi takes over for Deborah Markert who is retiring after an exceptional career at DMPS.
Dr. Bishara-Rantisi started her career in education as an art teacher at Maria Assumpta High School in Noia, Spain. She moved to Omaha, NE, where she served as a high school Spanish teacher, and art instructor at the Joslyn Art Museum. She worked as a curriculum
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DES MOINES, Iowa, May 20 (TNSper) -- Des Moines Public Schools issued the following news release:
Des Moines Public Schools is pleased to announce that Dr. Fairouz Bishara-Rantisi will become the next principal at Hoyt Middle School. Dr. Bishara-Rantisi takes over for Deborah Markert who is retiring after an exceptional career at DMPS.
Dr. Bishara-Rantisi started her career in education as an art teacher at Maria Assumpta High School in Noia, Spain. She moved to Omaha, NE, where she served as a high school Spanish teacher, and art instructor at the Joslyn Art Museum. She worked as a curriculumspecialist for Omaha Public Schools (NE)in the areas of visual and performing arts, international languages, Title I. She was an educational consultant for the Nebraska Department of Education and the Ministry of Education in Spain. Dr. Bishara-Rantisi then served as an associate principal for Lincoln Public Schools (NE), a middle school principal for Columbia Public Schools (MO), and a high school principal for the Waukee Community School District.
"One of the most important aspects of my work in the upcoming months will be building strong relationships with students, teachers, and families," said Dr. Bishara-Rantisi. "I can't wait to learn about every single one of our kids, what they are like, what they enjoy, and what they need from me as their principal. I'm so grateful to DMPS for giving me the chance to serve the Hoyt community."
Dr. Bishara-Rantisi is multilingual and earned her doctorate degree in Educational Leadership from University of Nebraska at Omaha. She holds a bachelor's and master's degree in Art History and Fine Arts from University of Salamanca, Spain. She completed a CAP - Course of Pedagogic Aptitude at University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain. She also has an Educational Administration & Supervision certification from University of Nebraska at Omaha.
"Dr. Bishara-Rantisi comes to DMPS with a wealth of diverse, successful administrative experience and will no doubt elevate the standard of leadership, teaching, and learning at Hoyt and across the entire middle school network," said associate superintendent Matthew Smith. "She is a fierce, dynamic leader and we are overjoyed to welcome Dr. Bashara-Rantisi to our DMPS family."
She begins work at Hoyt Middle School on July 1, 2022, pending the approval of the DMPS school board.
Sacramento City Unified School District Responds to Unfair Practice Charge
SACRAMENTO, California, May 19 -- The Sacramento City Unified School District issued the following news release:
SCUSD is aware that the Sacramento City Teachers' Association (SCTA) filed an Unfair Practice Charge with the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) alleging bad faith bargaining and interference with SCTA's rights. The District denies the allegations made in the complaint and will respond to the charge.
Sac City Unified stands by our decision to close schools for instruction during the 8-day strike from March 23, 2022 through April 1, 2022. The simultaneous strikes by members of
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SACRAMENTO, California, May 19 -- The Sacramento City Unified School District issued the following news release:
SCUSD is aware that the Sacramento City Teachers' Association (SCTA) filed an Unfair Practice Charge with the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) alleging bad faith bargaining and interference with SCTA's rights. The District denies the allegations made in the complaint and will respond to the charge.
Sac City Unified stands by our decision to close schools for instruction during the 8-day strike from March 23, 2022 through April 1, 2022. The simultaneous strikes by members ofSCTA and SEIU Local 1021, which included teachers, counselors, bus drivers, custodians, nutrition services personnel and other staff, left the District unable to properly staff schools and provide a safe learning environment for students.
Once the strike concluded and schools were back open, the District engaged in good faith efforts to reach agreement on how to recover the instructional time our students were denied during the strike.
During negotiations, the District proposed limiting the use of personal leave by SCTA unit members to ensure our ability to properly plan and appropriately staff classrooms and schools during added instructional days. We remain concerned about the ability to provide safe and productive learning environments at all school sites if days are added to the current academic calendar.
The District has passed a total of five proposals to SCTA, each one offering more concessions to SCTA than the last.
* Initial proposals from the district passed to SCTA on April 20 and on April 25 contained provisions that would require all staff to attend work on the added days unless a leave had been pre-approved or for valid medical reasons.
* On May 4, the District passed a proposal to SCTA with a provision to provide more flexibility to employees so that no more than 20% of certificated staff at any single school site be granted approved leaves of absence during the extended period.
* On Monday, May 9, the District made a fourth proposal to SCTA which increased that allowance for approved leaves of absence to 25%.
* On Thursday, May 12, the District passed a new proposal to SCTA that would increase the percentage to 30%.
* The District's most recent proposal also modified language regarding the District's liability for tax and retirement consequences to address concerns raised by SCTA.
The District has rejected SCTA's proposal that all employees who went on strike simply be paid by the District for the days that they did not work.
This filing by SCTA is particularly disappointing given that SCTA previously dismissed several pending grievances and unfair practice charges as part of the agreements reached to end the strike.
Sac City Unified remains committed to working with SCTA to achieve a student-centered plan for recovering the valuable learning time students lost to the strike.
- Boston Public Schools Announce New Leadership in Communications Department
BOSTON, Massachusetts, May 18 (TNSper) -- Boston Public Schools issued the following news release on May 17, 2022:
Boston Public Schools (BPS) today announced the appointment of Gabrielle Farrell as Chief Communications Officer and Amelia Aubourg as the Director of Communications for BPS. In her role, Farrell will be charged with developing and executing a comprehensive communications strategy that will ensure BPS students, families, staff, and the entire Boston community are well informed of BPS' important work.
"As Boston residents and alumnae of Boston Public Schools, Gabrielle and Amelia
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BOSTON, Massachusetts, May 18 (TNSper) -- Boston Public Schools issued the following news release on May 17, 2022:
Boston Public Schools (BPS) today announced the appointment of Gabrielle Farrell as Chief Communications Officer and Amelia Aubourg as the Director of Communications for BPS. In her role, Farrell will be charged with developing and executing a comprehensive communications strategy that will ensure BPS students, families, staff, and the entire Boston community are well informed of BPS' important work.
"As Boston residents and alumnae of Boston Public Schools, Gabrielle and Ameliabring the experience that we need to connect BPS' leadership with our families and students," said Mayor Michelle Wu. "I look forward to their leadership and partnership to connect our school communities, highlight the work happening within our classrooms, and move our district forward."
"One of the most important functions of our work at BPS is to communicate clearly with our families, staff, partners and communities in a way that is accessible and authentic," said Superintendent Brenda Cassellius. "I have no doubt that Gabrielle and Amelia will embrace this work with the same professionalism they have shown throughout their professional careers."
Farrell, who served as traveling Press Secretary for Senator Elizabeth Warren during the 2020 United States presidential election, will be returning to BPS, where she previously was Deputy Chief of Staff. She also held leadership roles in Connecticut's Treasury Department, the New Hampshire Democratic Party, and Senator Warren's and then-Mayor Martin Walsh's re-election campaigns. Farrell started her career in public service as a press assistant in former Mayor Walsh's office in 2014. More recently, Farrell worked in the tech industry, where she spearheaded the development of a media relations program in North America for PTC Inc., a global billion-dollar Nasdaq-traded software manufacturing company.
"I am honored to be called back into public service in support of BPS families," said Farrell. "Mayor Wu's vision to foster equitable, impactful, and transparent engagement both within BPS and externally across the district is our charter. Having attended Boston Public Schools, I know firsthand the promise our district has, and I look forward to serving the students and residents of Boston as we continue to build a world class education system in our city."
Farrell completed her Master of Science in Corporate and Organizational Communications at Northeastern University and recently served on Bryn Mawr College's Board of Trustees. As a Posse Foundation Scholar, Farrell attended Bryn Mawr College and earned Bachelor of Arts degrees in French and Political Science. She attended the James P. Timilty Middle School and Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers, formerly known as Health Careers Academy, both BPS.
In her role, Aubourg will execute many of BPS' key initiatives as they pertain to both internal and external communications. She brings over 18 years of experience in philanthropy, strategic communications, and branding to this position. She has worked in leadership and management roles in higher education and the non-profit sector at Mass Mentoring Partnership, the American Red Cross, and Action for Boston Community Development. Her work focuses on elevating and enhancing brands that matter and helping them raise their profile and impact.
"As a BPS alumna, it is a full circle moment to serve in this role," said Aubourg. "I look forward to amplifying the work as we strive to bring transformational change to education in Boston."
Aubourg attended the James P. Timilty School and Boston Latin School. She is a published children's author and has won awards for her volunteer leadership roles and contributions from the Boston Latin School Association and Fenway Community Development Corporation. In addition, she served as the Vice President of the Alumni Board at her alma mater Regis College, where she earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees in communications.
Farrell resides in Dorchester and will join the team on May 18th. Aubourg resides in Fenway and will begin on May 30th.
