TOP NEWS Philly Voice The state-run School Reform Commission voted to disband as expected, a process that will end with Philadelphia taking back control of its public school district. Mayor Jim Kenney is set to appoint a panel in charge of picking a nine-member school board that would be put in place by July 1, 2018. Read more>> From DA Magazine District Administration DA wants to tell the stories of the new wave of instructional technology directors who are finding purposeful ways to integrate new edtech into classrooms. If you want to share the problems you solve and the challenges you face each day, please follow the link to connect with us. Contact us>> WTKR Under the revised standards, schools would be rated as either “Accredited” or “Accredited with Conditions” based on performance on multiple school quality indicators. For students, the revised regulations reduce the number of Standards of Learning tests they need to pass to earn a diploma. Read more>> NBC Philadelphia The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association approved a policy that allows athletes to notify the school administration if they want to change gender. Previously, they needed a doctor's note or official documentation. Read more>> Panama City News Herald Nine school districts across the state have filed a second lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the controversial education bill HB 7069 passed last legislative session. They contend that the bill violates a rule that states that bills must cover only a single subject matter. Read more>> Reuters The junk-rated Chicago Board of Education completed an up-sized bond sale with a pricing that indicated an easing in the municipal market penalty the district has been forced to pay due to its deep financial problems. Read more>> Newsweek The rapid lockdown that police credited for saving dozens of children during a California school shooting this week is still not a standardized practice across the country. Less than half of states have reported having mandates for schools and districts to carry out active shooter drills. Read more>> From DA Magazine Alison DeNisco Big city districts are taking the lead in funding pre-K programs as states work more slowly to expand access. Read more>> OPINION The Mercury News What’s so important about children getting back to school after a natural disaster? First is the education schools provide. Second is that children, especially after a life-changing event, need stability and safety. Read more>> The Oregonian Research has shown that having strong role models is critical to patterning behaviors such as how to live a healthy life, treat others well and manage a household. Having a relationship with a caring and supportive adult is one of the main factors in building resiliency in children. Read more>> NPR One in 30 teens experience some type of homelessness and it's more common the older you get. The study also found that African American youth are 82 percent more likely to experience homelessness. Schools are uniquely positioned to reach these populations as the one stable place for kids. Read more>> INDUSTRY NEWS TCI TCI's Social Studies Alive! California Series for K5 students and History Alive! California Series for sixth through eighth graders were adopted by the California State Board of Education and recommended for adoption for California’s schools. Read more>> Remind/PBS/Quizlet Remind has teamed up with PBS, Quizlet and other education companies to launch a new feature, Share on Remind. Educators can share resources and content from the different partners with students and parents with a single click of a button. Read more>> Alta Energy Alta Energy has completed the installation of solar power systems at 14 campuses across Poway USD, potentially reducing the California district's electricity expenses by nearly 15 percent and saving the district $250,000 per year. Read more>> ✭ Visit the District Administration's PR Portal ✭ PEOPLE WATCH St. Louis Post-Dispatch The Missouri district's school board chose its assistant superintendent to become Affton's new top school leader. Travis Bracht will replace retiring Superintendent Steve Brotherton on July 1. Read more>> Cincinnati.com Mason City Schools Superintendent Gail Kist-Kline is leaving the district at the end of this school year, retiring after 30 years in public education. This is her seventh year at Mason. Read more>> WTOK The Quitman Board of Education announced that Toriano M. Holloway has been hired to lead the district as superintendent. He comes from the Starkville Oktibbeha CSD, where he is currently assistant superintendent for operations and federal programs. Read more>> | 