TOP NEWS News Service of Florida via Palm Beach Post Setting up a potential procedural clash with the Senate, the Florida House passed a major education bill, including a voucher-like program for bullied students and dozens of policy issues impacting K12 system. The legislation was directly linked to its budget plan. Read more>> Sponsored Sponsored by Microsoft Education Schools considering upgrading or replacing their devices are faced with the challenge of finding the right affordable laptops. In addition, they also need to quickly deploy those devices across hundreds of students and staff. Learn about solutions for IT professionals in education. Read more>> Des Moines Register A plan to expand school choice options would give Iowa families about $5,000 worth of state aid each year to help cover tuition and other education-related expenses at accredited non-public schools. It would create an education savings account program in addition to loosening regulations on charter school operators. Read more>> The Baltimore Sun Six Maryland lawmakers called for establishing an annual ethics review of Baltimore County school officials to help them flag potential conflicts of interest—a process they say could “restore confidence” in the system following the criminal charges filed against a former superintendent. Read more>> LA School Report As the California district continues to lose 12,000 students every year, administrators will be notified of expected job losses, restrictions could be made on how to spend one-time funds coming from the state, and labor partners will be called on to be part of the solution. Read more>> The Wall Street Journal City data show 328 children in kindergarten through second grade were suspended in the 2016-17 school year, down from about 2,000 five years ago. The nation’s largest school district and other schools are trying conflict-resolution techniques, counseling and rewarding positive behavior to prevent outbursts. Read more>> The Dallas Morning News While the Texas district's move to build its own school bus system will be complicated by a national shortage in drivers, administrators are hopeful they can launch next year with enough drivers to get students to class. Read more>> From DA Magazine Alison DeNisco Parents rate family and community engagement as the most important driver of satisfaction with their child’s school—but districts frequently fail to offer them a voice in the education system, says recent study. Read more>> PBS Newshour South Dakota lawmakers will consider banning public school teaching on gender identity in elementary and middle schools, a push that critics say targets transgender students in the same way some states limit the positive portrayal of homosexuality in the classroom. Read more>> OPINION Bloomberg View The responsibility of the federal government is to ensure that students are treated fairly and without discrimination. Student discipline should be handled at the local level and, as much as possible, left to the discretion of individual principals and teachers. Read more>> The Seattle Times The real challenge in closing the achievement gap is mustering enough political will on the school board and in the superintendent’s office to make needed changes, then sticking with those plans even under pressure from parents and the community to spend money in other ways. Read more>> The 74 What’s exciting is that the states' different ESSA plans, in most cases, reflect just a part of what the state is working on across their education system. We have to keep in mind that the plans are technical submissions to the federal government, outlining certain components of a larger, comprehensive education system. Read more>> District Administration Survey District Administration Schools are replanning bus routes with an eye toward efficiency and cost savings. Using software and other tools, administrators can find ways to use fewer buses without impacting service. If you’re an administrator who has gone through this process, we would like to interview you about how you achieved your goals. Contact us>> INDUSTRY NEWS Voyager Sopris Learning/Cambium Learning Group, Inc. A new flexible, blended version of LETRS (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) for elementary grades now offers embedded video, online assignments and interactive exercises. Read more>> Crayola LLC To help encourage arts-infused teaching and boost creativity in the classroom, creatED by Crayola is piloting its professional learning program in eight school districts. The schools will receive teaching strategies and resources tailored to their specific needs. Read more>> Vernier Software & Technology Designed primarily for biology, physics, physical science and middle school science, the 15 new sensors feature Bluetooth wireless technology and USB connectivity for data collection. They can be used with more than 300 teacher-tested experiments developed by Vernier, and are supported by the free Graphical Analysis 4 app. Read more>> ✭ Visit the District Administration's PR Portal ✭ PEOPLE WATCH NBC 12 After serving in the Virginia district for 20 years, Patrick Kinlaw plans to step down in June. He has been Henrico Schools' superintendent since 2014. Read more>> The Stanly News & Press Stanly County Schools' board of education approved the hiring of Jeff James as the next superintendent. Since 2016, James has served as assistant superintendent for Montgomery County Schools. Read more>> The Baltimore Sun Twenty-one years ago, Maryland lawmakers decreed that the system’s top official would be reborn as a CEO. Now, several Baltimore lawmakers want to restore the superintendency. If the bill were to pass, CEO Sonja Santelises would become a superintendent much like the leaders of Maryland’s 23 county school systems. Read more>> | 