Chalkbeat

1 in 3 NYC students chronically absent as rates remain stubbornly high

2026-09-17T21:04:24+00:00

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New York City’s chronic absenteeism rate remains stubbornly high, with 1 in 3 students missing at least 10% of the 2025-26 school year, according to figures released Thursday.

The rate remained unchanged from 2024-25 before and is markedly higher than pre-pandemic levels, when about 1 in 4 children were chronically absent.

Missing school means missed learning time, and chronic absenteeism is often linked to poor academic outcomes. The city’s Education Department is ramping up efforts to ensure students show up by overhauling its attendance policies in June and asking schools to develop intervention strategies.

The new regulations offer examples of what might help, “such as Success Mentors, extracurricular activities, mental health support, referrals to support services, a walking school bus, etc.” Every school is required to add a school avoidance liaison this year to address when students miss large stretches of school because of social or emotional disabilities, such as severe anxiety or depression.

“For chronically absent students,” the new regulations state, “schools should work with parents and students to create attendance success plans to identify barriers to attendance and create strategies and goals to prevent future absences.”

Chronic absenteeism skyrocketed to 40%, the highest level in decades, during the COVID pandemic when students returned full-time to their classrooms during the 2021-22 school year. And though the rates have decreased since then, the latest data, released Thursday in the Mayor’s Management Report (a compendium of performance data from city agencies), reveals how challenging it is for schools to move the needle. The hurdles are highest for the neediest students, particularly those who are homeless. Students with disabilities also struggle with attendance, often exacerbated by busing-related issues.

“There are these socioeconomic factors that sort of weigh in, and that’s where it becomes really complex,” said Dr. Kenya Parks, the medical director of the pediatric school-based health program and associate professor of general pediatrics at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. “But for us as pediatricians, we’re equally concerned because we know that especially those children that start out early on not coming to school they have a pretty poor prognosis throughout life, jobwise, health-wise, even quality of life.”

Parks said she’d like to see the educational and medical systems collaborate to support attendance.

“Both pediatricians and educational specialists know that creating places where kids and adolescents are supported, feel welcome, really has a positive effect,” she said. “So the key is try to find out how.”

Education Department officials did not respond to a request for comment.

Amy Zimmer is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat New York. Contact Amy at azimmer@chalkbeat.org.

Exit interview: Former MSCS board member calls for leadership stability

2026-09-17T21:01:43+00:00

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Amber Huett-Garcia began her term on the Memphis-Shelby County School Board four years ago during a superintendent resignation scandal and ended it last month amid threats of a state takeover of the district.

That’s left her with one key takeaway as she transitions to her new role on the Shelby County Commission: Stable leadership is the foundation for meaningful change.

“If your top position has a lot of turnover, it’s very hard to have that, I don’t want to say accountability, but it is,” Huett-Garcia said in an exclusive exit interview with Chalkbeat Tennessee. “I worked with four different visions in four years. You can’t even get through a performance cycle in that.”

Huett-Garcia took her seat as District 8 representative in 2022, right after former Superintendent Joris Ray quit amid misconduct allegations. She was one of three board members who voted against the January 2025 ousting of former Superintendent Marie Feagins.

Huett-Garcia says she’s optimistic that the current school board and Superintendent Roderick Richmond are on the right track to improving outcomes for Memphis students. But a state-appointed board of managers, currently tied up in federal court, could upend district leadership again this year by usurping power from the elected school board.

The state and MSCS leaders should collaborate more, Huett-Garcia said.

“But my line in the sand is removing elected officials’ power,” she added. “My concern with the overall plan is, where do you go from there if it doesn’t work? We want to do it all at once. But the danger in that is if it fails, how do you identify what went wrong?”

Huett-Garcia said she ran for a seat on the Shelby County Commission to influence larger systems such as public health and housing opportunities that are deeply interconnected with education.

“When I was on the school board, the number one concern wasn’t academic achievement; it was the way our buildings looked and the safety of our buildings,” she said. “And a lot of what I learned on the school board is that long-term affordable housing is our number one challenge.”

Huett-Garcia told Chalkbeat that MSCS officials and the county commission need to collaborate to better utilize and allocate physical resources. But that’s not the only way they can work together to help students and families, she said.

Editor’s Note: The following responses have been edited for length and clarity.

You mentioned that your time on the school board made you realize affordable housing is the biggest issue in Shelby County. How did you see that playing out in education?

Chronic absenteeism. Our students are highly transient. We have identified, I think, roughly 3,000 students who are experiencing homelessness, and those are the ones we know about. There are levels of homelessness that don’t get reported, like sleeping on a friend’s couch permanently is also not a permanent home, right?

So, how do we build wealth for individuals so they do have the opportunity to buy a home? I hope, and I believe the whole commission will do this: create a strategic plan. I think I knocked on 20,000 doors over the last year. The number one thing I heard was not feeling like you could get ahead. ‘I have three kids. My husband and I both work with $82,000 a year, and we live paycheck to paycheck.’ Everybody feels like everything is rising except for their income.

Do you think there are ways that the commission could be better interacting with the district and vice versa?

Absolutely. I think the biggest opportunity is, as the funding body, to look at how we can bring in additional dollars, particularly to help with the huge capital need. I think the biggest conversation that we need to have ongoing is our footprint. Shelby County is facing this too, and MSCS knows this, but we have too many buildings.

And that’s not just a brick and mortar challenge. Open teacher positions will also be significantly reduced. I’m not worried about teachers losing jobs. We have open jobs, right? But the fastest way to get to improved educational outcomes, the most significant thing you can do, is put a highly qualified teacher at the front of the classroom.

We just don’t have enough money to go around, and that infrastructure conversation and how we’re maximizing state funding, I think, should be our two priorities.

I often hear from advocates for the state takeover that local boards aren’t equipped to make school closure decisions because of political and constituent pressure. Do you think that’s true?

My last year on the board was the first time we really faced any closures and consolidations, and we made hard decisions. We put a real estate plan together and sold millions of dollars worth of land and empty buildings, and that money goes right back into additional capital.

The majority of the school district’s budget is fixed and mandated costs, and so if you can’t reduce the number of people you employ or your building footprint, you’re really not going to save meaningful money. But you’re also going to struggle to get a lot of things better for kids because it’s not just about the building — it is about what you’re able to offer and give them access to outside of curriculum.

So I felt like the board got it, and really those decisions had been delayed for years. But there comes an urgency, right? And declining enrollment is part of it.

Let’s talk about the state takeover and its role in the next iteration of the MSCS school board. Do you think there are ways the state can help the local district, outside of the current takeover model?

I think modernization of systems would be an excellent state support, looking at our internal processes, the things that were cited in the (state) audit. And a lot of that was related to turnover.

Retaining teachers and supporting teachers would require significant support from the state. Whatever survey you do, you ask high-performing teachers what matters the most, and it’s pay. It’s pay and benefits. That’s how you retain great teachers.

And we have a structure where it does not matter how good you are at your job, you do not make more money at it. There are very few other professions through which your outstanding performance is not rewarded. So how do we figure that out?

And then I do think there is a facilities component. We, in Shelby County, not just for our school system, we need a massive cash infusion from state and federal sources. It’s school buildings, it’s hospitals, it’s jails, and the math doesn’t make sense without suddenly a huge infusion of external private or public dollars.

You served on the school board through a pretty significant period of mistrust. What do you think the current board can and should do to win back the public’s trust?

I think it’s radical transparency, and I think they’re doing it. I think this is a small example, but Dr. Richmond presented on why we closed schools on Monday. And that gave the really nuanced version of all of the operational decisions that led up to that decision.

And I think something to practice after committees and business meetings is giving a recap of what happened. And you want people to have every incentive to not sit through your four-hour meeting. So give them a preview, and if they have thoughts, they can come share them. Like ‘Here’s what’s coming in committees next week. We will be voting on them the following Tuesday.’ Make it easy to engage in the process.

Bri Hatch covers Memphis-Shelby County Schools for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Reach Bri at bhatch@chalkbeat.org.

Michigan chronic absenteeism falls again, but more than 1 in 4 students miss too much school

2026-09-17T20:56:02+00:00

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Chronic absenteeism in Michigan schools dropped slightly last year, but more than a fourth of students are still missing a lot of school.

Statewide, 27.2% of K-12 students were chronically absent, down from 27.9% the previous year, according to figures released Thursday. The absenteeism rate in Michigan has been among the highest in the nation, according to one report.

The persistently high absenteeism comes as many students in the state continue to struggle with reading and math. Third-grade reading scores reached a 12-year low in 2025, with just over 38% of students considered proficient.

A student is chronically absent if they miss 10% or more of a school year. That would mean 18 days or more in a typical 180-day calendar.

It’s the fourth year of decreases since the state’s chronic absenteeism reached a high of 38.5% in the 2021-22 school year.

“Students benefit when they are in school and engaged in learning,” State Superintendent Glenn Maleyko said. “Michigan’s improving attendance and chronic absenteeism rates reflect the hard work of local school districts, students, families, community partners and the Michigan Department of Education. While this progress is encouraging, more work remains. We must continue working together to improve attendance and further reduce chronic absenteeism across our state.”

Student attendance is linked to achievement. Teachers and principals have reported that regular student attendance is a challenge, especially after the pandemic.

Meanwhile, gaps persist. About 38% of students from low-income homes were chronically absent, compared to 15% of students who were not economically disadvantaged.

Sarah Lenhoff, a professor at Wayne State who studies chronic absenteeism, said the gap “remains concerning.”

“We still have quite a ways to go to get back to pre-COVID levels statewide,” Lenhoff said.

State law requires districts to provide 180 days and 1,098 hours of instruction. But many schools have fewer days because of bad weather, emergencies, or teacher professional development. Districts can count up to 38 hours of professional development as pupil instruction.

Students are considered chronically absent regardless of whether their absences are made up of excused, unexcused, or a combination of the two. District policies vary on what is counted excused or unexcused.

Michigan has not passed new laws or rules on attendance in recent years.

“Schools that are more effective at improving their students’ attendance tend to do more deep family engagement strategies,” Lenhoff said.

That includes visiting students’ homes to understand why students aren’t showing up and having staff that work directly with families and attendance. On the flip side, schools that more frequently send students to truancy court have lower attendance rates, she said.

Lenhoff said the state could provide funding for districts’ efforts to improve attendance and to study those efforts.

A state education department report issued in July lists student boredom, economic instability, and health issues as some of the root causes of absenteeism. The report says schools can remove barriers to attendance by offering transportation assistance, gas cards, or ride-sharing networks. It also recommends that schools communicate with families the importance of regularly attending school.

“At the secondary level, this is a very similar challenge we see with cellphones in schools,” said Bob Kefgen, associate director for government relations at the Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals. “Students are choosing something other than the education they are offered, for whatever reason.”

“The challenge here is: how do we re-engage students?”

He said efforts to change the high school learning experience can help make learning more engaging and meaningful for students.

Kefgen also acknowledged that other factors, such as food and housing insecurity, could keep students out of school.

“Chronic absenteeism is a community problem that manifests in schools,” he said.

Districts get creative to get students to school

Local districts have tried student incentives, reaching out to parents earlier about attendance trends, and conducting home visits. But leaders say they cannot increase attendance alone. In Detroit, high schoolers could earn up to $1,000 in Visa gift cards for achieving perfect attendance in various one-week periods. Almost 84% of high schoolers received at least one $100 gift card, Chalkbeat Detroit reported.

Detroit Public Schools Community District, which has long struggled with high rates of chronic absenteeism, saw its rate decline slightly to 60% during the 2025-26 school year.

That was down nearly 1 percentage point from the 2024-25 school year and well below the 76.7% rate in the 2021-22 school year.

The district has invested in attendance agents who monitor student attendance and often visit the homes of chronically absent students. It also created 10 health hubs, in part to provide resources that make it easier for students to get to school. The district also has a pilot program that provides yellow school bus transportation to students at select schools with poor attendance.

Since Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield took office in January, a centerpiece of her education plan has been to address chronic absenteeism. Her administration has done that by allowing students to ride city buses for free and, most recently, with an expansion of after-school programming.

Lenhoff said the mayor’s office’s attention to attendance was “promising.”

In Muskegon County, two neighboring districts had a friendly attendance competition that included a big trophy, bragging rights, and celebration for students who had fewer than five absences in seven months.

Meanwhile, a group of five intermediate school districts covering eight counties in mid-Michigan ran a public information campaign urging students to miss fewer than five days of school.

The Michigan Department of Education offers coaching to districts on how to look at student data to identify students at risk of dropping out and pair them with support. The process is called the Early Warning Intervention and Monitoring System, or EWIMS.

Last school year, about 60 school districts participated in a pilot program aimed at better tracking attendance, student behavior, and course completions. The pilot program is run by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators.

This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.

Isabel Lohman is a reporter for Bridge Michigan. You can reach her at ilohman@bridgemi.com.

DPSCD makes progress on long-needed air conditioning upgrades

2026-09-17T20:37:46+00:00

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As the Detroit school district marks the end of its first month of the 2026-27 school year, more than half of its schools now have full air conditioning throughout the building, according to Superintendent Nikolai Vitti.

Vitti gave an update on Detroit Public Schools Community District’s ongoing project to modernize its HVAC systems at Tuesday’s board meeting. The investment is part of the district’s $700 million facility master plan, which was implemented in 2022. The plan includes rebuilding, reopening, or demolishing certain schools. DPSCD received the money for the project through one-time federal COVID relief funding. In 2018, about 34% of schools had full air conditioning, Vitti said.

By the 2028-29 school year, DPSCD expects 81% of its buildings to have full air conditioning and 11% to have partial air conditioning, where air is only available in certain rooms, Vitti said.

“After the FMP investment in the 2028-29 school year, we’ll go from 19% of schools having no A/C to only 8% of schools having no A/C,” he said.

The progress report comes after DPSCD issued two consecutive early dismissals this month for students and staff as temperatures reached 90 degrees or higher.

An early dismissal at noon is ordered when temperatures soar to 85 degrees or hotter, Vitti said. This is due to the bus routes coordinated among schools and for the benefit of some students who might be in schools with little or no air conditioning. Vitti said that after the pandemic, fans were placed in all school buildings when the majority of schools lacked air conditioning.

Extreme heat in the classroom can contribute to dehydration and affect a child’s attention, memory, decision-making skills, and ability to participate fully in learning, according to a 2026 report from the American Psychological Association. Educators and school staff may experience symptoms like fatigue, emotional exhaustion, and reduced capacity to support students effectively.

“The changes moving forward … industrial fans will be placed in all buildings that only have partial or no A/C,” he said Tuesday. “We’ll make sure that every classroom has fans. They will not have to request it. We are delivering them starting this week, and it’ll be an ongoing delivery based on supply and demand of receiving those fans.”

Additionally, portable air conditioning units will be delivered to certain schools that have the proper electrical infrastructure, Vitti said.

By spring or fall 2027, the district is considering allowing schools with full-building air conditioning to remain open on hot days, even when schools without air have a half-day, Vitti said.

“The challenge of implementing that now is that the bus routes are not coordinated to focus on A/C schools and non-A/C schools,” he said. “There’s the challenge of siblings (attending different schools). There’s also the challenge of staff who have children in schools that don’t have full air and childcare issues. This is something that has to be negotiated and discussed with DFT (Detroit Federation of Teachers).”

Joe Janosik, a social studies teacher at Osborn High School, said during public comment that even with a portable air conditioner and three pedestal fans in his classroom, he’s still not getting relief from the heat.

“I left them on overnight last night, and had the window cracked open,” he said. “I walked in my room at 7:15 a.m., it was 78 degrees. I know you guys have talked about the initiatives with bringing the air conditioning inside all of the schools, but what I ask is have it done faster.”

Millions still needed to install air conditioning throughout district

While DPSCD is expecting a majority of its schools to have air conditioning within two years, 11 schools will still have partial air, and eight schools will not receive air conditioning at all because they’re not covered under the facility master plan, Vitti said. Providing full air to those 19 schools will cost the district an additional $245 million.

The superintendent said the board will have its annual budget amendment meeting in the fall or early winter to discuss allocating general funds for facility needs.

“There has been some conversations already of possibly allocating more one-time money to address this gap and other challenges in facilities like safety or ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) issues,” Vitti said.

Board member Monique Bryant suggested that when the district issues a half-day of school, notifications should be sent out 24 to 48 hours in advance. She said getting a robocall the night before is hard because parents will have to scramble to find childcare for the next day. As a parent in the district, Bryant also noted that the robocalls are inconsistent and are delivered at different times.

“Most of those robocalls come out at 9 p.m. That’s a little late for parents to have to prepare for childcare and work,” she said.

The district tries to send out notifications for weather-related school closures the night before, Vitti said. However, when schools close for a building issue, notifications might be sent out in the morning.

“The evening before is the longest I typically wait to make a decision on a half-day or a (full-day) closure based on the temperature,” Vitti said. “I wouldn’t put us in a corner to say it has to be 24 or 48 hours because the weather can change.”

Micah Walker is a reporter for BridgeDetroit. You can reach her at mwalker@bridgedetroit.org.

Indiana school voucher use has flipped from low-income families to more high-income families using them

2026-09-17T17:17:55+00:00

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Enrollment in Indiana’s Choice Scholarship school voucher program slowed in overall growth for the second year in a row last school year, new data from the state shows, but the number of higher income families using the program increased.

For the first time, more vouchers went to families making more than $100,000 than less than $100,000 this year.

This change has drawn criticism from public education advocates who say vouchers benefit families who can already afford tuition. But some choice advocates say the criticism doesn’t take large families into account. Around 72% of Indiana families participating in the Choice Scholarship program have a household size of 4-6, according to the report.

The program saw a slight uptick in the number of students who previously attended a public school before receiving a voucher, or around 2,000 students. But the majority of students in the program have never attended a public school, as in past years.

Around 4,000 additional students received a voucher in 2025-26 than in 2024-25, bringing total enrollment to approximately 80,000. In 2024-2025, the program added about 6,000 students, and in 2023-24, the program saw a sharp increase of nearly 17,000 students after 2023 legislative changes made vouchers available to nearly all Indiana families.

The 2025 legislative session approved vouchers for all Indiana families regardless of income, but those changes didn’t take effect until July 2026. Any affect on enrollment won’t be evident until the next school year.

To qualify for a 2025-26 voucher, a family had to have an annual household income limit less than 400% of the amount used to qualify for subsidized school meals. That was around $238,000 for a family of four.

Approximately 7,000 students from families making more than $200,000 received a voucher in 2025-26, compared to around 5,400 in 2024-25 and 3,700 in 2023-24. More vouchers were also awarded to families in the $100,000-$150,000 and $150,000-$200,000 income brackets than in past years.

The number of vouchers given to students from families making less than $50,000 dropped from 16,000 in 2024-25 to around 12,000 in 2025-26.

The state awarded $548 million for Choice Scholarships in 2025-26, according to the report, up from $497 million in 2024-225. The 2024-25 amounts were adjusted slightly because some students transferred out of their choice schools before the end of the year. The actual payments were around $491 million, according to this year’s report.

Most students in the program do not receive the full tuition and fees charged by their private school, but rather an amount that is 90% of the per-pupil state funding for their assigned public school district. Around 20,000 students received the full tuition and fees, and that number that has steadily declined since 2023-24.

Aleksandra Appleton covers Indiana education policy and writes about K-12 schools across the state. Contact her at aappleton@chalkbeat.org.

Many Philadelphia high schools offer students few class options. Will closing schools change that?

2026-09-17T16:20:00+00:00

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Gabriyel Ruffin likes high school well enough. But there’s one thing he wishes he could study.

“I really love art,” said Ruffin, a 10th grader at Philadelphia’s Motivation High School who focuses on visual arts. He appreciates his school’s small size and generally feels like he can learn what he wants to — with one exception that disappoints him. Motivation High only offers one visual arts course, and it’s an introductory one.

There’s a similar story at other neighborhood and specialty high schools. In fact, ten of the district’s 55 high schools offer only one AP or IB class, which can help students get a leg up for college, according to Chalkbeat’s analysis of the district’s course data. At several, the only language students can learn is Spanish. At others, arts classes are limited to introductory music or film classes.

Meanwhile, in Philadelphia’s competitive magnet high schools like Central and Palumbo, students can enroll in more than a dozen AP classes, a handful of arts classes, and multiple language courses.

District officials say they’re working to address that disparity. Philadelphia is planning to close 17 schools beginning next year, including five high schools. Superintendent Tony Watlington has defended the controversial decision by saying they will lead to more opportunities for students, including more course and extracurricular offerings in high schools. That’s because small high schools like Motivation will absorb students from closing schools and therefore have larger budgets.

But in the meantime, educators say students at smaller schools often have few ways to channel their ambition or develop their curiosity beyond core classes. And the details about additional opportunities the district has promised aren’t clear yet. Without that information, some educators say it’s difficult to convince families confronting the closure of their small high schools that more opportunities really are on the horizon.

One district principal, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak about the matter publicly, said if the district doesn’t offer more clarity about that issue, “it’s going to be hard to keep some students.”

Deputy Superintendent of Academics Brenda Elliott said in a statement that the district aims to provide more equitable access to courses through its facilities plan. “This will be done through facility investments across the district which will coincide with teacher, program, and curriculum updates,” she said.

Small high schools offer students fewer choices

Elliot said high school course offerings are based on a number of factors, including teacher availability, student interest, and a school’s specific curriculum goals. Some schools have an arts or science focus, while others offer courses in specific career and technical education programs.

But at some schools, educators Chalkbeat spoke to said their schools have cut elective and arts offerings over recent years due to budget constraints.

To graduate from high school in Philadelphia, students must get two credits in arts and humanities class and two language credits, along with credits in core classes like math, social studies, science, and English.

At Northeast High, the district’s largest high school with 3,500 students, students can take Arabic, French, Chinese, Italian, or Spanish to fill their language credits. They can also take several science courses to meet graduation requirements, including introduction to animal sciences and medical terminology, according to district data.

But small high schools generally offer far fewer options. (The average district high school in Philly enrolls about 700 students.) Teachers said that means students are often assigned to classes solely based on graduation requirements, not their interests.

“I feel like it’s removing so much of the student choice and joy that can come from school,” said one Philadelphia teacher at a small neighborhood high school who spoke on the condition of anonymity because she was not authorized to speak publicly.

The tension between schools’ size and their academic options is not unique to Philadelphia. In Chicago, some high schools have operated with fewer than 100 students, and their students take the same courses multiple years in a row for lack of options.

Not everyone wants the trade-offs required for more course choice. Veah, an 11th grader at Motivation, said she would be interested in more class options, especially in business. But she likes the school’s size; Motivation enrolled about 150 students last year, although next year it will absorb students from Paul Robeson High, which the district will close.

“Maybe I don’t get everything I want” at Motivation, she said. “But I get what I need.”

Researchers have found that giving students more choice in their education can drive better attendance and school engagement. That doesn’t necessarily mean offering dozens of electives. But generally, researchers have found giving students more agency can help them succeed.

Larger schools can offer course options more easily

Four years ago, Tiffany Lorch, head of student rostering at South Philly’s Horace Furness High School, began surveying all students and staff about what classes they were interested in. Now it’s become an annual practice.

Ahead of each school year, she asks teachers what electives they wish they could teach and what they believe Furness should offer students. Students rank their favorite electives, from journalism to yoga to business administration, and say whether they would like to take an honors or AP class, among other responses.

Horace Furness High School Principal Daniel Peou, left, and Roster Chair Tiffany Lorch have worked to increase elective course offerings at the school.

A teacher who loves film now teaches an introduction to film elective. Students interested in healthcare can now sign up for genetics or medical terminology.

“What we want is to give our kids the best, richest transcripts to get to graduation,” she said.

But doing so takes time and resources that other schools may not have.

Furness, with around 830 students, is slightly larger than the district’s average high school. Lorch can dedicate all her time to rostering, while those in her position at smaller schools often teach classes as well.

In some schools, students interested in higher level courses take classes at the Community College of Philadelphia or online. But that takes some of the highest-performing students off campus, said social studies teacher John Pat Leary, who has taught at multiple district high schools. And if students don’t like that option, they remain stranded when it comes to coursework.

“There’s nowhere for that ambition to go,” said Leary. “They can kind of feel like, well, there’s nothing here for me.”

At Furness, Principal Daniel Peou said he applies for grants and additional funding to help provide additional electives and opportunities for students.

Offering more choices, he said, helps students across all classes.

“The climate is a lot friendlier in the building,” he said. “Kids are getting what they need.”

Rebecca Redelmeier is a reporter at Chalkbeat Philadelphia. She writes about public schools, early childhood education, and issues that affect students, families, and educators across Philadelphia. Contact Rebecca at rredelmeier@chalkbeat.org.

IPS left Enroll Indy. Then, the enrollment system cut fees, but the district didn’t reverse course.

2026-09-16T22:54:13+00:00

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Enroll Indy dropped its fee to charter school authorizers and Indianapolis Public Schools for one year after the district said last week it was leaving the enrollment website shared by IPS and most charter schools in the city.

But in a statement Wednesday, IPS doubled down on its decision to leave Enroll Indy and move its process internally, starting with enrollment for the 2027-28 school year, which begins Nov. 5.

“While we appreciate that no organization will bear costs for one year, our decision to move enrollment to PowerSchool has always been driven by multiple factors, including cost-savings, operational improvements, and a commitment to providing a better experience for families and staff,” IPS said in its statement.

For roughly a decade, families have used Enroll Indy to enroll in the vast majority of both IPS and charter schools within Center Township. The nonprofit aims to streamline enrollment with a common application, information about each school, and enrollment specialists to help families.

IPS’s decision to leave the enrollment system only applies to schools directly managed by IPS, as well as Innovation Network schools that aren’t charters, and not charter schools in the city. Innovation Network schools are part of the district but independently operated, and many of them are charters.

The change will save the district more than $300,000 in software/service costs to Enroll Indy in the first year, IPS spokesperson Marc Ransford said. The district is facing $20 million in budget cuts, and even more if voters reject a tax measure on the ballot in November.

Enroll Indy charges an annual fee to IPS and charter authorizers based on the number of students served.

“On Monday, the Enroll Indy board voted unanimously to operate (the) unified enrollment system at no cost for the 2027-28 enrollment cycle,” Patrick McAlister, the organization’s interim executive director, said in a statement Wednesday.

Instead, Enroll Indy will use its cash reserves, per the nonprofit.

The Enroll Indy board is made up of representatives from IPS, and two charter school authorizers: the Office of Education Innovation at the City of Indianapolis, and the Indiana Charter School Board. IPS Superintendent Aleesia Johnson and COO William Murphy are board members, per the Enroll Indy website.

The IPS decision comes as a new mayor-appointed board, the Indianapolis Public Education Corporation, takes over key responsibilities for IPS and charter schools from school boards — including the elected IPS board — in an effort to share resources more efficiently between schools. The vast majority of IPEC board members have charter school ties.

IPS’s decision to leave Enroll Indy sparked criticism from the nonprofit’s board and charter school leaders on Friday who said the change would create “confusion and instability” and questioned if IPS had the power to make such a move. The state law that created IPEC says the organization has the power to “manage a unified enrollment system applicable to all participating school students.”

In the district’s Wednesday statement, IPS reiterated its Friday reasoning and said its new enrollment system will offer a simplified experience for families, have in-person and multilingual support, and provide personalized support to families in the event of school closures and other changes. It will also be accessible all year.

And in its FAQ online, IPS said, while the law gives IPEC the ability to manage a unified enrollment system, it doesn’t name Enroll Indy so “until IPEC designs, establishes, and formally launches that process, IPS retains full legal authority to manage its own application and enrollment systems.”

Ransford previously said the district’s contract with Enroll Indy ended in June.

MJ Slaby oversees Chalkbeat Indiana’s coverage as bureau chief. Contact MJ at mslaby@chalkbeat.org.

Trump administration proposes stripping private colleges of tax-exempt status over DEI policies

2026-09-16T21:11:11+00:00

Good afternoon, and welcome to September’s edition of Beyond High School.

The Trump administration continued its push against diversity, equity, and inclusion programs at U.S. colleges this month with a proposal that could strip private universities of their tax-exempt status if they provide students with benefits based on race.

Under longstanding federal tax rules, private schools must have nondiscrimination policies to maintain tax-exempt status. Current guidance allows private universities to favor students of color in admissions, programs, and financial aid if it promotes the school’s nondiscrimination policies.

The Trump administration’s proposal would eliminate those exceptions, meaning racial considerations could cause a private school to lose its 501(c)(3) status. If approved, the rules are expected to apply to taxable years beginning after May 31, 2027.

How this will affect Colorado’s private universities will take some time to become clear. The federal government requires a 60-day public comment period before the Treasury Department can finalize the rules, so it’s possible the proposal could be revised. Legal challenges could also delay implementation.

You can find the rest of this month’s newsletter here.

Jason Gonzales is a reporter covering higher education and the Colorado legislature. Chalkbeat Colorado partners with Open Campus on higher education coverage. Contact Jason at jgonzales@chalkbeat.org.

4 takeaways from the WTTW Chicago school board president candidate forum

2026-09-16T21:01:20+00:00

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The four candidates for Chicago Board of Education president met Tuesday for a live WTTW forum, where they discussed how they’d govern if Chicagoans pick them in the Nov. 3 election.

During the forum moderated by WTTW reporter Brandis Friedman, candidates Jessica Biggs, Hilario Dominguez, Victor Henderson, and Sendhil Revuluri also defended themselves against past allegations or criticism.

The candidates are running for the city’s first fully elected school board, responsible for hiring and evaluating the district’s CEO, adopting a budget plan, and setting district policy. The board president sets meeting agendas and will be a voting member. Currently, the board president can only vote to break ties.

Biggs is a current school board member; Dominguez is the former deputy political director for the Chicago Teachers Union; Henderson is an attorney and a board member for Urban Prep Charter School; and Revuluri is a former member of the Chicago Board of Education under former Mayor Lori Lightfoot.

Perhaps the most popular question of the night came from 17-year-old Vaughn Webster, a senior at Ogden International High School who was sitting in the audience, reflecting on what many voters will consider this fall: “Why should I trust that you will act in my best interest and my peers’ best interest, and how should we hold you accountable if you fail to represent those interests?”

Here are four highlights from the forum.

On the student’s question around trust

Friedman asked Dominguez and Henderson to respond to Vaughn’s question. Both advised Vaughn and his peers to stay engaged in school board discussions.

Dominguez recalled when, as a CPS high schooler around 2010, he walked out in protest of budget cuts.

“I expect the same type of accountability,” Dominguez said. “I expect you all to walk out and protest if you think you have to, and meet me at the door to hold me accountable.”

Vaughn Webster, 17, a senior at Ogden International High School, who asked an audience question at a WTTW school board candidates forum on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2025.

Henderson said that getting demands fulfilled in a democracy requires being an “active participant.”

“If you want to see CPS provide the best education possible, then you and your classmates and your parents and your teachers and your principals and everybody in this room needs to stand up and step up and make sure that that happens,” Henderson said.

How to handle CPS’s challenging finances

The candidates had distinct opinions about how to tackle CPS’s recurring budget deficits.

Biggs highlighted her vote against the board’s decision this summer to adopt a budget that assumes CPS will receive another $150 million in state funds that isn’t guaranteed. She said it’s “really important” to keep pushing the state and city for support, “but we simply cannot budget with money that we don’t have.”

Dominguez, who supported the board’s decision to assume it will get the additional money, said he’d fight for more state funding and progressive tax revenue increases.

“I believe the job of school board president isn’t to predict that Springfield will say no — I believe the job of the school board president is to fight and make sure that Springfield will say yes,” he said.

Henderson said he doesn’t believe CPS’s budget figures “at all” and wants outside financial experts to analyze how the district spends its money. He said he wouldn’t support a tax increase until Chicagoans know “that CPS is spending the money that it gets properly.”

Revuluri said the budget was crafted poorly this year because he believes it was more focused on appeasing unnamed special interests. He said it should start with student needs “because too many of our students are receiving an impoverished education,” Revuluri said.

On closing schools

A resolution calling for no school closures will expire by the end of this school year. CPS enrollment has dropped by about 70,000 students during the past decade.

Biggs, Henderson, and Revuluri did not rule out school closures, while Dominguez did.

Biggs, a former principal whose South Side elementary school escaped closure in 2013, said she saw how other nearby closures sewed distrust among families.

“We cannot repeat a topdown, mass closure experience because it does not create the sort of system that I believe we need to move forward …. it’s the district’s responsibility to organize itself and to support the desires and the needs that communities express,” she said.

Dominguez cited recent research that found gun violence increased in neighborhoods surrounding closed schools. He suggested that Chicago should repurpose unused school space, such as for health clinics or food pantries.

Henderson said he’s not for or against closures; rather, he supports having the “hard conversations.”

“The first place you got to go to is the people in that area,” Henderson said. “What would you like to see? What do you think? How would you like to see us proceed?”

Revuluri said that the district currently has “too many schools that are too empty to give kids a quality educational experience.”

Students in small schools tend to have reduced access to a variety of courses and extracurricular activities, a Chalkbeat and Propublica investigation found.

On their past controversies

Friedman, the moderator, asked each candidate to respond to questionable issues in their pasts.

Biggs was fired from her principal job in 2018 after the district’s inspector general found students were marked tardy even if they missed too much of the school day and that she instructed staff to take students to school without proper paperwork. The matter also was raised during her successful 2024 campaign.

Biggs said she believes her firing was retaliation for speaking out against a controversial CPS custodial contract and the denial of special education services for many students. She noted that outside counsel decided CPS should remove her from its do-not-hire list last year.

Dominguez faced a campaign finance complaint in July from the Revuluri campaign, which alleged the Dominguez campaign had not properly reported donations or expenditures. One day after Chalkbeat reported the complaint, Dominguez’s campaign filed more than $44,000 in in-kind contributions from the CTU, his primary backer.

Dominguez said his campaign is in full compliance, and the complaint was withdrawn. Revuluri said it was withdrawn because they learned the matter wouldn’t be addressed until late October, “and honestly, we have better things to do.”

Henderson responded to allegations his ex-wife made in divorce filings years ago that he had physically abused one of his sons multiple times. Henderson did not deny the allegations Tuesday night but said he loves his children, and the judge at the time didn’t change “anything for me, in terms of parenting.”

“When it was necessary for me to have guardrails because my kids weren’t doing the things that they should have done, and I did that with love,” Henderson said.

Revuluri was asked about his time on the board during the pandemic, when the board authorized the use of billions of dollars in federal COVID relief dollars. Some financial experts have criticized the district’s reliance on the temporary federal dollars for recurring expenses, such as hiring thousands of additional staffers, which has helped exacerbate the district’s current financial challenges. Revuluri said he asked more questions at the time, including what these investments would look like when the money ran out.

Reema Amin is a reporter covering Chicago Public Schools. Contact Reema at ramin@chalkbeat.org.

Teachers unions press New York Gov. Kathy Hochul to reject federal school choice program

2026-09-16T21:00:42+00:00

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A coalition of union officials and civil rights leaders urged New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday to reverse her plans to opt into a federal tax-credit scholarship program passed by Republicans in Congress and signed by President Donald Trump.

During a gathering at the Lower Manhattan headquarters of the United Federation of Teachers, top officials argued that the voucher-like program represents a threat to public education. They said it would allow public funding to flow to private schools that may refuse to admit higher-need children. They were flanked by several lawmakers and representatives from advocacy groups, including the NAACP.

“Vouchers are about allowing private schools to pick and choose who they admit, leaving the most vulnerable children behind,” said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers. She offered a blunt message to the governor: “Opt out right now.”

The press conference is one of the most visible efforts so far to persuade Hochul, who is facing reelection in November, to change her position on the federal program. Many of the groups support Hochul’s reelection bid and are hopeful she will be receptive to their arguments, even as she indicated in May that she plans to opt the state in.

In a statement, Hochul’s office reiterated its support for the program and emphasized that public school students can benefit from it.

“Governor Hochul’s priority is making sure every student receives an education that best meets their needs, which is why she wants the federal scholarship tax credit to benefit all New York students,” Hochul spokesperson Jonah Allon said. He noted the governor has increased funding for public schools and that the tax credit program would not divert funding from local and state budgets.

The tax credit program, approved last year through the Republican-backed One Big Beautiful Bill Act, will take effect in January 2027. It allows taxpayers who donate up to $1,700 to an eligible scholarship-granting organization to receive an equivalent reduction in their federal taxes. Those organizations can give students money for private school tuition, tutoring, and other education-related costs.

Governors must opt their states in for students to benefit from the program. Hochul’s office has previously said she’s waiting for regulations from the Treasury Department, expected later this month, to see if there are any “poison pills” that would change her decision to participate.

Union officials said they still believe there’s time to get their message across to the governor.

“We’re just hoping that she continues to have an open mind and hears us,” United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew told reporters on Wednesday.

Thirty states have formally opted in, according to a list maintained by the Internal Revenue Service. Most are Republican-led, and many already have state voucher or education savings account programs.

So far, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis is the only Democrat to officially opt into the program and enthusiastically embrace it. In Kentucky, Kansas, and North Carolina, Republican-controlled legislatures overrode Democratic governors’ vetoes to opt their states into the program. Some Democratic governors, including Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek and Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, have firmly rejected the program. Most are taking a wait-and-see approach, prompting furious lobbying from all sides.

The federal program would represent a dramatic expansion of private school choice in blue states that have resisted vouchers. But some public education advocates have argued that it would be a mistake to pass up the opportunity to raise money for tutoring or after-school programs — even if they think the credit is bad policy.

Teachers unions have generally taken the opposite tack, arguing the program will undermine public schools by luring away students and directing more taxpayer dollars to private schools.

Still, enrollment and funding are not necessarily directly linked: State funding for New York school districts has increased in recent years even as there are fewer students in public schools. Funding for the federal tax credit comes from federal, not state, coffers. Advocates have pitched the effort as essentially free federal money.

Union leaders raised a host of other concerns. They argued that scholarship-granting organizations could spend money in ways that don’t benefit students and that public funding could flow to schools that may not welcome students with disabilities or other needs. They also noted that relatively affluent families could benefit from scholarships to private schools because families earning up to 300% of their area’s median income are eligible.

“The fundamental difference between public and private schools is this: we educate everyone,” said Melinda Person, president of New York State United Teachers.

Others are pressuring Hochul to move forward with her plans to opt in. A coalition of 37 anti-poverty groups, community-based organizations, and charter school leaders argued in a Sept. 10 letter to Hochul that the program could benefit public school students.

“This program offers a source of funding, at no cost to the state education budget, that can expand access to tutoring, afterschool programming, special education services, and other supports that are too often out of reach for lower-income families,” the letter states. “We believe New York can shape its participation in ways that meaningfully benefit public school students.”

Jim Blew, who advises a coalition of groups backing the tax credit, praised Hochul’s plan to participate.

“We are very impressed that she has stood up to the unfounded arguments from the unions,” said Blew, who worked in the Education Department during Trump’s first term. “This takes no money from the state budget for public education.”

Ideas editor Matt Barnum and national editor Erica Meltzer contributed.

Alex Zimmerman is a senior reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Alex at azimmerman@chalkbeat.org.

Mientras su familia se autodeporta, este adolescente deja atrás a sus amigos, su iglesia y sus sueños educativos

2026-09-16T17:39:55+00:00

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Read in English.

Por esta misma época el año pasado, Bruno estaba escogiendo una mochila nueva, preguntándoles a sus amigos por los horarios de clases de su penúltimo año, y comenzando cursos universitarios a través de su escuela secundaria en Newark.

El joven de 16 años debería estar preparándose para su primer día de último año, pero en cambio está empacando sus maletas para regresar a Brasil.

Bruno y su familia, que llegaron a Estados Unidos en 2022 en busca de una vida mejor, se han sentido cada vez más alarmados por la ofensiva migratoria del gobierno de Trump. Tras meses de consultas con su abogado de inmigración, sus padres decidieron que irse por cuenta propia, en lugar de esperar a ser deportados, le daría a Bruno y a su hermana de 14 años la mejor oportunidad de regresar algún día a Estados Unidos.

“Nuestro sueño es que nuestros hijos terminen su educación y vayan a la universidad”, dijo Lourdes, la mamá de Bruno, a Chalkbeat en portugués. (Chalkbeat identifica a Bruno y a Lourdes solo con sus primeros nombres debido a los riesgos asociados con su estatus migratorio.) “Somos solo padres trabajadores. No deberíamos tener que vivir con miedo de ser perseguidos por ICE”.

Bruno dejará atrás a sus amigos, la iglesia a la que sirve y su pasión por hacer películas. Pero la apuesta de su familia tiene el mayor impacto en su educación.

Inmigrantes de todo el país enfrentan el dilema de quedarse y arriesgarse a ser detenidos por agentes del Servicio de Control de Inmigración y Aduanas (ICE), o regresar a sus países de origen y enfrentar un futuro incierto. El Departamento de Seguridad Nacional (DHS) ha dicho que más de un millón de inmigrantes han optado por la salida voluntaria desde que el presidente Donald Trump asumió el cargo, la opción legal que permite a las personas abandonar el país por su cuenta antes de una fecha límite establecida. Para la familia de Bruno, la decisión será un contratiempo más en su trayectoria educativa.

La pandemia, la mudanza a un nuevo país y el aprendizaje del inglés ya habían interrumpido la educación de Bruno desde primaria hasta secundaria. Ahora, regresar a Brasil podría hacer añicos el cronograma de su educación y anular sus cursos, tanto en la preparatoria como en la universidad.

También significa que Bruno no podrá elegir entre asistir al seminario o ir a la universidad para estudiar cine o biología. Tampoco podrá ir de compras para conseguir un esmoquin para su baile de graduación, ni obtener su diploma de secundaria y un título asociado en junio.

Muchas de las personas que he conocido en Estados Unidos son “muy importantes para mí… y además tengo más oportunidades aquí que en Brasil”.

Los padres esperan que la autodeportación ayude al futuro de sus hijos

A principios de este año, los padres de Bruno recibieron por correo una citación migratoria para una reunión. La familia estaba a la espera del fallo de un juez sobre su caso, pero mientras tanto, seguían siendo indocumentados.

Hubo amigos de la familia que recibieron cartas similares y terminaron deportados. El número de arrestos y deportaciones de ICE aumentó en Nueva Jersey durante el verano. Y les preocupaba que ser deportados les dificultará a sus hijos conseguir visas de estudiante estadounidenses más adelante.

Bruno es un miembro activo de la Iglesia Católica Romana Saint James en Newark, Nueva Jersey.

Una orden de deportación también conlleva una prohibición de reingreso, un período determinado durante el cual una persona no puede volver a entrar al país, aunque los detalles de esa prohibición pueden variar.

Por eso solicitaron la salida voluntaria en lugar de esperar a que ICE decidiera su caso por ellos.

Aun así, Priscilla Monico Marin, directora ejecutiva del New Jersey Consortium for Immigrant Children (Consorcio de Nueva Jersey para Niños Inmigrantes), advirtió que la autodeportación no garantiza beneficios futuros y conlleva riesgos.

“Una cosa es ser deportado y caer en las sombras, pero otra muy distinta es que te den el beneficio de la salida voluntaria y no aprovecharlo”, dijo Monico Marin.

En un principio, la familia debía irse en mayo, pero Lourdes pidió más tiempo para que Bruno pudiera terminar su penúltimo año. El gobierno federal les dio hasta el 3 de agosto para partir, y se suponía que recibirían los boletos de avión el 20 de julio. Pero los boletos nunca llegaron, y ahora la familia se ha impuesto la fecha límite de octubre para irse, con o sin ellos.

“Si nos quedáramos aquí sin autorización, mi esposo y yo podríamos ser arrestados, lo que complicaría las cosas y haría que nuestros hijos se sintieran aún más tristes de lo que ya están”, dijo Lourdes.

Mientras tanto, Bruno va al gimnasio, ayuda en la iglesia y trabaja con su papá, mientras sus amigos regresan a la escuela. También disfruta caminar por el Ironbound, su vecindario en Newark, pero tiene que llevar su pasaporte consigo por si acaso ICE anda cerca.

“Mi mamá, algunos días no confía en que camine solo”, dijo Bruno.

Lo que pierde un estudiante al dejar Estados Unidos

Bruno solía pasar sus mañanas en East Side High School tomando clases y haciendo documentales con amigos a través de un club escolar donde lideraba el equipo de producción de video.

Por las tardes, tomaba clases en Essex County College. Iba camino a obtener su diploma de preparatoria y un título asociado en junio de 2027.

“Extraño a todos allá”, dijo Bruno.

En Brasil, el año escolar normalmente va de febrero a diciembre, dijo Bruno. Así que llegar en octubre lo ubicaría hacia el final del año escolar brasileño. Bruno dice que probablemente tendrá que repetir su penúltimo año desde cero.

Bruno posa para una foto afuera de East Side High School el 29 de julio de 2026, en Newark, Nueva Jersey.

Tras las interrupciones educativas relacionadas con la pandemia en Brasil, Bruno llegó a Newark a mitad del séptimo grado, pero dijo que “no hablaba inglés, así que no podía entender nada”. Bruno contó que realmente no empezó a aprender inglés ni el contenido de las clases sino hasta su primer año en su secundaria East Side High School.

A pesar de todo eso, Bruno se muestra optimista de que las cosas mejorarán y de que se mantendrá en contacto con sus amigos: “Voy a tratar de hablar con ellos a veces por Instagram, WhatsApp. Así que estoy tratando de imaginar qué cosas buenas pueden pasar”.

Los planes de Bruno una vez que esté de vuelta en Brasil son modestos. Además de inscribirse en la escuela y buscar trabajo, quiere seguir sirviendo como monaguillo. Ha desempeñado ese papel en la Iglesia Católica Romana Saint James de Newark, que ha sido una fuerza estabilizadora en su vida y ha reafirmado su fe.

Espera poder regresar a Estados Unidos desde Brasil “algún día”.

Esta traducción fue proporcionada por Americano Newspaper, en asociación con el Centro de Medios Cooperativos de la Universidad Estatal de Montclair, y cuenta con el apoyo financiero del Consorcio de Información Cívica de NJ. La historia fue escrita originalmente en inglés por Chalkbeat Newark , y se vuelve a publicar en virtud de un acuerdo especial para compartir contenido a través del Servicio de noticias de traducción al español de NJ News Commons.

This translation was provided by Americano Newspaper, in association with the Center for Cooperative Media at Montclair State University, and is financially supported by the NJ Civic Information Consortium. The story was originally written in English by Chalkbeat Newark, and is republished under a special content-sharing agreement through the NJ News Commons’ Spanish Translation News Service.

Fewer Philly students are getting shot, but risks are higher for those at cyber charters, alternative schools

2026-09-16T17:20:52+00:00

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About a third of all shooting victims in Philadelphia this year were age 22 or under, or what the School District of Philadelphia calls “school-aged youth.”

That ratio has held steady since 2024, even as the total number of shooting victims has been declining, according to city data. It’s why district analysts are taking a closer look at which youth get shot, and where and when those shootings occur.

Of the 230 school-aged youth who were shot during the 2025-2026 school year, 34% — or 78 students — were active School District of Philadelphia students, 55% were former students, and the rest were never enrolled with the district. The number of shootings of active students has been decreasing annually since 2022.

A total of 122 active students were shot during the 2024-2025 school year, according to district-provided data.

School officials discussed the latest data analysis, as well as the research team’s 2024 findings, at a virtual panel this week. They emphasized the need for more accessible social-emotional services inside schools, additional supervision at dismissal, and better support for young people coming out of the juvenile justice system, as well as those who drop out or switch schools because of safety concerns.

Here are the top data points:

Shooting trends vary by school type

Researchers found that the rate of gun violence victimization for all active Philly students decreased 70% since the 2021-2022 school year. But while the rate for students enrolled in traditional schools decreased substantially, the rate for cyber charter students increased from .63 per 1,000 to .81 per 1,000. District officials said this is in part because young people who attend cyber charters may lack access to in-person counselors, school activities, and other social-emotional support that can be protective against violence.

Monday afternoons are the most dangerous time

In their analysis of school years 2020-21 to 2023- 24, district researchers found that the highest number of shootings of active students occurred on Monday afternoons, and the most common time for shootings was 3 to 5 p.m. regardless of the day of the week.

More than half of shootings of students take place in five ZIP codes

The majority of these shootings take place in the 19121 area code of North Philadelphia. The locations are commonly one mile from a student’s school, according to the district’s 2024 analysis.

The four other ZIP codes where student shootings most commonly occur are 19140 and 19132 in North Philadelphia, 19134 in Kensington, and 19139 in West Philadelphia.

Alternative school and cyber charter students are at higher risk of being shot

When looking at actively enrolled students during the 2025-2026 school year, cyber charter students were shot at a rate of .81 per 1,000. That’s more than double the rate of traditional students and non-cyber charter students, which was about .30 for both groups. Students who attend alternative schools were shot at a rate of 3.79 per 1,000 students, or more than 10 times that of traditional and cyber students.

A district assistant superintendent noted that alternative schools often serve students who’ve been involved with the juvenile justice system because of gun violence. He said the goal is to help them transition back to school with ongoing mentorship, career-connected learning, and other support that can keep them engaged.

This story is part of a collaboration between Chalkbeat Philadelphia and The New York Times’s Headway Initiative, supported by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) via the Local Media Foundation.

Sammy Caiola covers solutions to gun violence in and around Philadelphia schools. Have ideas for her? Get in touch at scaiola@chalkbeat.org.

To help Indianapolis School 14 improve, its leaders target what families need

2026-09-16T11:00:00+00:00

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In the front office Washington Irving Neighborhood School 14 — home of the Hornets — a photo mural of dozens of community partners shows the “swarm of support” the school enjoys.

In the hallway, Assistant Principal Melissa Rowe stops a student before he darts into the bathroom so she can bend down to tie his shoelace.

And in art teacher Terren Muhammad’s classroom, students sing along to a song about loving themselves.

Three years ago, leaders at this school on the Near Eastside sought to bring stability to a school experiencing its third change in administration in less than a decade. It’s challenging work in a community where school leaders estimate as many as 1 in 5 students experience housing instability. And for years, School 14 was among the lowest-performing schools in Indianapolis Public Schools. But the Near Eastside Innovation School Corporation tried a different approach.

Starting in the 2023-24 school year, the corporation — a nonprofit tapped by the district to turn around the school, utilized community service providers to assist students and their families outside of school, while emphasizing personalized learning, supporting students’ mental health,showing the kids compassion. It’s a model the corporation, also known as NEISC, first began using at Thomas Gregg Neighborhood School 15.

The nonprofit took over School 15 in 2017 through the district’s Innovation Network of autonomous schools that School 14 also belongs to. The organization was built on a partnership with the nearby John Boner Neighborhood Centers. Today, it also runs School 14 with the same strong community focus.

“The undertone of a lot of the staff that we were able to retain was that they wanted to support the kids in the neighborhood,” said Principal Brandon House. “They were very connected, and what we found here at Washington Irving is that relationships matter.”

The school appears to be making some improvement, particularly when it comes to reading, although its recent scores on the state test in English and math show just how far there is to go for School 14 to reach its goals.

School 14 model emphasizes academics and family needs

In 2018, IPS selected a charter operator, Urban Act Academy, to run School 14 as part of the Innovation Network. After Urban Act departed in 2023 and NEISC took over, the new school leaders embarked on staffing their new building.

House said he was also looking for teachers with grit in addition to a strong commitment to the community.

“We wanted to have teachers that were ready to focus on a certain level of instructional integrity,” he said.

The corporation ended up keeping about half the previous staff. That still left the significant and difficult work of academic improvement in key areas.

In 2023, 64.9% of the school’s third graders passed the state’s IREAD literacy exam, just above the IPS average of 60.6%. But just one student was proficient in both English and math on the state’s ILEARN assessment.

In response, the school created daily 40-minute intervention blocks in which students break into small groups to tackle areas of reading and math they are struggling with.

And in 2024, the school dropped its middle grades as part of the district’s Rebuilding Stronger plan. That allowed leaders to focus solely on helping elementary students.

Beyond academics, as the second NEISC school, School 14 families are eligible for affordable housing units provided through the Housing Stability for School Success program operated by John Boner Neighborhood Centers.

Other changes beyond school walls have taken place in the last few years.

In 2023, John Boner Neighborhood Centers and the Edna Martin Christian Center launched the Indy East Promise Neighborhood, an initiative that uses federal grants and other funding to boost resources for students and families at 11 eastside schools.

The initiative funds attendance incentives, an after-school program, and a food pantry. It also supports two staff members who help connect the school to the broader community and help families navigate assistance for rent, utilities, and similar financial challenges.

This year, roughly 82% of School 14’s third graders passed the IREAD, higher than the district-wide pass rate of nearly 74%. That improvement from 2023 also outpaced the increase in the average score in IPS.

But ILEARN results from 2025, the latest available, showed that just five of the school’s students reached proficiency in English and math. That was technically an improvement from two years before, but was still only about 5% of the school’s population.

As the corporation continues to help students and families beyond the school’s walls, those are the results staff are focused on now, House said, so that “they can go out and continue to live great adult lives.”

Corrections and clarifications: This story has been updated to reflect that roughly 82% of School 14’s third graders passed the IREAD.

Amelia Pak-Harvey covers schools for Chalkbeat Indiana. Contact Amelia at apak-harvey@chalkbeat.org.

Documents reveal details about Denver school board antisemitic language allegations

2026-09-16T00:57:15+00:00

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Denver Public Schools’ superintendent and school board president allege that Vice President Monica Hunter used derogatory language when referring to a Jewish board member, according to statements they wrote that Chalkbeat obtained in a public records request.

Board President Xóchitl Gaytán alleged in her statement that Hunter, upon learning in December she was to be seated next to board member Amy Klein Molk during meetings, said something to the effect of, “I’m not sitting next to that racist Zionist bitch,” the records show.

Superintendent Alex Marrero in his statement alleged that Hunter referred to Klein Molk as a “Zionist b...” in a one-on-one conversation with him, also in reference to seat assignments.

Hunter denied the allegations in an interview with Chalkbeat on Tuesday.

“I absolutely don’t talk like that and would never say that about her,” Hunter said of Klein Molk.

The documents released Tuesday provide details from Gaytán and Marrero about allegations that had previously only been described in general terms. The statements are first-person recollections, not part of an independent investigation.

The allegation that Hunter used antisemitic language is arguably the most serious of a slew of accusations that Gaytán levied against Hunter and board member DJ Torres earlier this month. After an initial discussion last week, the board is scheduled to discuss the topic again on Thursday. The agenda shows the board could authorize a formal investigation, as Hunter and Torres have called for, or it could take other action, including a potential censure vote.

Gaytán told the board that she would put evidence in support of the allegations in a digital folder for members to review before Thursday. The records show that the folder contains more than 60 documents, including screenshots of text messages and emails between board members accusing each other of various policy violations.

The allegations and their aftermath are the kind of interpersonal conflict that has vexed the Denver school board on and off for years.

In an interview, Hunter questioned not only the truthfulness but the timing of Gaytán and Marrero’s allegations. Hunter was among the board members who recently pushed to discuss Marrero’s employment after he expressed frustration with the board and applied for other jobs.

“This is them calculating retaliation,” Hunter said.

Gaytán and Marrero declined to comment Tuesday.

Klein Molk said in an interview that she wants peace.

“Peace is finding a place where everybody can coexist with all of their beauty and differences … because we’re so much stronger when we’re together,” she said. “We are so much more aligned than we are divided, and we just need to get back to that place.”

Klein Molk said she does not describe herself as a Zionist. The term refers to someone who supports the existence of a Jewish state in Israel. “Zionist” is sometimes used as a pejorative, although the term itself is not inherently derogatory.

“We can debate Zionism,” she said. “It’s not OK to use it as a derogatory term.”

Hunter said the allegation that she called Klein Molk a “racist Zionist bitch” in reference to the board seating arrangements is not true. Hunter said she was ill and hospitalized in December when Gaytán tried to call her about seating arrangements, and that the two didn’t speak about it. Hunter and Klein Molk were assigned to sit next to each other on the dais and still do.

Marrero’s statement does not include a date as to when Hunter allegedly referred to Klein Molk as a “Zionist b…” in a meeting with him. In a separate statement, Klein Molk said Marrero told her that it allegedly happened in January.

Hunter said in an interview that she never described Klein Molk in that way to Marrero. She said she and Marrero discussed student test scores at that January one-on-one meeting, and she expressed frustration with the lack of academic progress for Black and Latino students.

Marrero wrote that he told Gaytán about Hunter’s alleged remark “following the meeting.” But the statements indicate that neither Marrero nor Gaytán told Klein Molk about the alleged comments until August. In her statement, Klein Molk wrote that Marrero told her on Aug. 21 that Hunter had allegedly described her in January as a “white Zionist bitch,” which differs slightly from what Marrero wrote in his statement.

Klein Molk wrote that she “was not surprised given my past personal experience.”

In December, shortly after Hunter and Klein Molk were elected, Klein Molk wrote that Hunter allegedly asked her if she identified as a Zionist while the two were out to lunch at a Mexican restaurant following a day of onboarding meetings.

“I told her that I believe in the existence of an Israeli state and that I am a proud Jew,” Klein Molk wrote. “She responded that she could not understand how I, or Jewish people generally, could be ‘okay with the killing of innocent babies,’ and said she personally could never be okay with that, and therefore could never support Israel or Jewish people who support Israel’s existence.”

Hunter said she recalls the December lunch with Klein Molk. Both Hunter and Klein Molk said in interviews that they were discussing candidate endorsements by Colorado’s Working Families Party. Klein Molk said she sought the endorsement but didn’t receive it. Other progressive Democratic Jewish candidates didn’t, either.

Hunter said she expressed her opinion about the Israel-Palestine conflict, telling Klein Molk that she couldn’t justify the killing of children. Hunter said she viewed the exchange as “a private conversation about fundamental values that is now being exploited.”

Klein Molk said the conversation was hurtful.

“Never in a million years did I think signing up to be on the Denver school board would mean being interrogated by anyone on my political beliefs or my geopolitical beliefs,” she said.

“This takes a tremendous toll not only on me, but on my children,” said Klein Molk, who is a mother of two. ”It’s a lot to ask of someone when you’re just trying to do the work. And we have got to stop this nonsense and get back to the work.”

Melanie Asmar is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Colorado. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org.

Memphis schools lost more than 2,000 students this year, early data shows

2026-09-15T22:29:28+00:00

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Memphis-Shelby County Schools continues to lose students year over year, with over 2,000 fewer enrolled in the district compared to last August.

At an Aug. 25 board meeting, Executive Director of Accountability Bill White said just over 101,000 students were registered in MSCS by the end of the first month of classes. That’s a 2.2% decrease from last year’s count, at 103,280 students.

The decrease is part of a decade-long enrollment drop in the district, by around 9% from 2014 to spring 2025. But it’s not as severe as district leaders estimated before the school year began, White said.

Stacey Davis, the district’s director of enrollment and attendance, said school staff will increase parent outreach in the coming weeks to combat barriers to enrollment.

“Many of our parents are, especially at the beginning of the year, they’re having issues with uniforms and the essentials that are needed for the child to start school on time,” she said in an interview with Chalkbeat Tuesday.

White shared data Tuesday that showed the number of enrolled students grew by 900 between Aug. 25 and Aug. 28.

MSCS enrollment stabilized in the 2024-25 school year, when the district saw a slight enrollment bump. Finalized data for the 2025-26 school year is not yet available. But the Memphis student exodus far outpaces state and national disenrollment trends.

That decrease means the district gets less annual education funding from the state. MSCS leaders are already facing growing facility upkeep costs and closed five schools this year due to chronic underenrollment, with more closures likely on the horizon.

White told Chalkbeat Tuesday that district leaders expected an enrollment drop this year because of an increase in school options, including increased investment in private school vouchers, and declining birth rates in the Shelby County area.

But the early enrollment count exceeds MSCS leaders’ projection of around 99,000 students for this year, White said.

“And when we’re careful with those projections, that allows us to also be fairly conservative and responsible with our budget,” he said. “Because obviously, the count of students drives your funding.”

State funding is based on the previous year’s official student enrollment numbers. But projections help MSCS leaders accurately allocate staffing and program costs during budget season, White said. This year’s $1.7 billion budget falls below last year’s $1.9 billion total, and includes cuts to COVID-era support staff.

White said that enrollment numbers tend to decrease slightly throughout the year, though it’s unclear how much that number could fluctuate. In 2024, for example, MSCS started the year with over 109,000 students, but enrollment fell by the end of the year to nearly 106,000.

Bri Hatch covers Memphis-Shelby County Schools for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Reach Bri at bhatch@chalkbeat.org.

NYC schools restrict student YouTube access as tech backlash grows

2026-09-15T22:11:30+00:00

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New York City is ratcheting up restrictions on students’ access to YouTube on school-issued devices, education officials told City Council members on Tuesday.

The disclosure came just one day after Council members Shekar Krishnan and Eric Dinowitz called on the city’s Education Department to restrict the video-sharing platform in schools, among other demands to restrict classroom technology.

“We heard everyone loud and clear,” Scott Strickland, the department’s deputy chief information officer, said at a City Council oversight hearing on Tuesday focused on technology use in schools. He said the YouTube restrictions took effect Sept. 9, the day before students returned to classrooms.

Now, students can’t access the platform on school-issued Chromebooks or iPads in classrooms or at home, Strickland said. First Deputy Chancellor Danielle Giunta suggested the department would allow access to YouTube for “a very limited educational purpose.” The only exception is videos teachers share through Google Classroom as part of their lessons, a department spokesperson said.

The Education Department’s previous policy was to only allow access to YouTube at schools whose principals had requested it, Strickland said at a council hearing earlier this year.

The announcement comes two weeks after Mayor Zohran Mamdani unveiled a broader tech policy that generally bars individual screen use before third grade and recommends screen time limits of 30 minutes in grades 3-5 and 45 minutes in grades 6-8. Officials also banned student-facing generative artificial intelligence tools from preschool through eighth grade.

The decision to restrict YouTube reflects a growing skepticism of education technology tools that has swept the country. It also reflects a remarkable pivot: Under Mamdani, the Education Department is increasingly open to banning products and tools that were common in public school classrooms. Two years ago, former schools Chancellor David Banks said that AI would “revolutionize” the school system. (He has also praised Mamdani’s AI policy.)

“Banning YouTube is a good start,” said Dinowitz, who represents the northwest Bronx and chairs City Council’s education committee. “We must also ban gamified learning, ensure that the use of any digital technology is supported by research, provide educators with professional learning, and move back to hand-written state assessments.” He also called for a stronger digital literacy curriculum.

The lawmakers argued that open access to YouTube could easily be misused by students. But they suggested teachers should be allowed to use the platform more narrowly to show content related to their lessons.

“I failed to see the educational value of allowing students that kind of access to YouTube for their own passive screen time,” Krishnan, who represents Queens, said during Tuesday’s hearing. He noted public schools in Los Angeles do not allow student-led access to YouTube.

New York City officials said they will be on the lookout for problems with the new policy.

“If we find reports or start hearing about workarounds, we’re going to go after that strongly,” Strickland said.

A spokesperson for Google, YouTube’s parent company, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Education officials also said they were instructing schools to use paper-and-pencil tests when possible.

Still, there are exceptions to that directive. City officials require schools to assess students three times a year in reading and math, which are typically conducted digitally and are exempt from the screen time limits. Students in grades 3-8 also must take state exams digitally.

Alex Zimmerman is a senior reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Alex at azimmerman@chalkbeat.org.

Q&A: Why teacher pay stagnated, while school spending rose

2026-09-15T21:32:11+00:00

Chalkbeat Ideas is a section featuring reported columns on the big ideas and debates shaping American schools. Sign up for the Ideas newsletter to follow our work.

There’s been a puzzling trend over the last few decades: Adjusted for inflation, school funding has increased substantially, but teacher salaries have not. In recent years, real teacher pay has actually dipped as inflation surged.

Pay matters for every profession, including teaching, for obvious reasons. It shapes who enters and stays in the work. Talented people might not consider teaching or might leave after a few years because they’re not happy with their salary.

Teachers have never been paid especially well, but the pay gap between teaching and other college-educated professionals has grown in recent decades. And now there’s a new challenge: Many other white-collar jobs offer remote work perks that aren’t available to educators.

Meanwhile, more teachers have left the classroom in recent years and fewer young people aspire to become teachers.

So why has teacher pay been stagnant?

To continue reading, click here.

M-STEP results: The Detroit school district is catching up to charter schools

2026-09-15T20:28:55+00:00

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For years, charter schools tended to perform slightly better than the Detroit district on state standardized tests. But a Chalkbeat analysis suggests the traditional public school system is catching up to suburban and city charters.

The percentage of students in the Detroit district at or above proficiency in math surpassed the overall performance of their peers in suburban and city charter schools in nearly every grade last spring, the analysis found.

Charters still outperformed the Detroit Public Schools Community District in all grades for reading and writing on the Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress, or M-STEP, but the gaps narrowed.

For the analysis, Chalkbeat compared the combined scores of city charter schools, as well as suburban charters in Wayne, Macomb, and Oakland counties where a majority of full-time students lived within DPSCD enrollment boundaries in 2025-26.

The biggest standout for DPSCD was sixth grade math, with a 3 percentage point advantage on the overall performance of students in city and suburban charter schools. Still, only 12.1% of DPSCD sixth graders and 9% of those in charters met or exceeded proficiency for the subject in that grade.

For charter schools, the biggest difference overall was in third grade reading where 20.3% of charter third graders were at or above proficiency while 14.1% were in DPSCD.

It can be difficult to compare Detroit’s charter schools, as a group, to district schools. Charters, also referred to as public school academies, are independently managed public schools with differences in educational practices, grade spans, and demographics.

But the charter sector is a key part of the educational landscape in Detroit: Roughly half of the city’s school-age children attend charters. Many charters point to their academic achievement when advertising to parents.

Tara Kilbride, assistant director for research at the Education Policy Innovation Collaborative, said the differences between charters and district schools do not allow for a broad apples-to-apples comparison. In some grade levels and subjects, DPSCD showed improvements while charters’ scores declined — and both contributed to the performance gap narrowing.

But she said DPSCD’s test results show “consistent year-over-year improvements rather than abrupt single-year changes, which is an encouraging sign that their longer-term efforts are contributing meaningfully to closing the gap, regardless of what’s driving the patterns among the charter school comparison groups.”

The main takeaway, Kilbride said, is that the analysis points to sustained systemic growth in DPSCD rather than abrupt changes or declines in charters.

Representatives from Central Michigan University and Grand Valley State University, which authorize most Detroit charter schools, declined to comment, saying they are still analyzing the M-STEP results.

Detroit school district and some charters lag behind state

Each year, Michigan public school students in grades 3-7 take the M-STEP in English language arts and math. Fifth graders also take the test for science and social studies. Eighth graders take the PSAT for English and math, and the SAT is given to 11th graders in the same subjects.

In spring 2026, DPSCD maintained long-term growth in the percentages of students meeting or exceeding proficiency on the M-STEP and bucked a statewide trend of little to no improvement in early literacy.

But the district — and many of the city’s charter schools —lagged far behind statewide averages.

Ralph Bland, CEO of charter district New Paradigm for Education, said students in Detroit often start far behind their peers in more affluent communities because of systemic racism and poverty.

“The growth trajectory happens at different times for different students,” said Bland. “Every year, it’s a different cohort of students that are assessed, and so you know, being fair to the students, you have to really look at that, too.”

Buddy Moorehouse, vice president of communications for the Michigan Association of Public School Academies, said it’s hard to compare charters and traditional public school districts.

“With DPSCD, those are all schools within the same district, whereas charter schools are each their own separate district, so it’s hard to lump all the charter schools in together and look at their performance as one cohesive unit,” he said.

Some city charters exceeded not only the district but statewide averages.

Moorehouse pointed to Pembroke Academy, which outperformed the state’s averages in every subject and grade. More than 56% of third graders at the school were at or above reading proficiency compared to the statewide average of 44% and the DPSCD average of 14.1%.

Detroit charter schools have big gaps in performance

Maria Montoya, an education consultant whose child attends a Detroit charter school, noted vast differences in proficiency rates among charters.

For example, at Voyageur Academy, only 9.9% of third graders were at or above proficiency in reading. At Detroit Edison Public School Academy, part of Bland’s New Paradigm charter district, 50.5% of third graders met or exceeded reading proficiency.

Jazmine Allen, principal of charter high school Jalen Rose Leadership Academy on the northwest side of Detroit, said the school has come a long way in improving its reading and writing scores.

In 2018-19, 13.3% of 11th graders met grade-level benchmarks in reading and writing on the SAT. Last spring, 38.5% met the benchmark.

Allen attributes part of the improvement to the school only offering Advanced Placement English courses.

“All of the research says that just being in an AP class does wonders for your matriculation in college,” Allen said. “We’ve explained to parents that the word AP might be daunting, but the reality is, kids deserve that level of rigor, and they deserve that exposure.”

Math scores have continued to be low at the school. Only 6% of students met or exceeded the math benchmark on the SAT in 2025-26.

This year, Allen said the charter extended math classes from 45 minutes to 90 minutes.

KIPP Detroit Imani Academy, a K-4 charter that opened on the far northwest side of Detroit in 2022, participated in the M-STEP for the first time in 2025-26.

In reading, 37% of third graders met or exceeded proficiency, while 29.6% did in math.

“You can’t be satisfied with 37% when your goal is to ensure that every child receives an education that allows them to be proficient,” said Superintendent Candace Rogers. “We promised our parents a transformational education.”

Micah Walker is a reporter covering arts and culture and education for BridgeDetroit. You can reach her at mwalker@bridgedetroit.com.

Hannah Dellinger covers Detroit schools for Chalkbeat Detroit. You can reach her at hdellinger@chalkbeat.org.

Meet the 23-year-old Bed-Stuy native who won a $200,000 David Prize for teaching kids money skills

2026-09-15T13:00:00+00:00

When Aaliyah Duah was 17, she realized one of the major differences between an underserved community like Brooklyn’s Bedford-Stuyvesant, where she grew up, and more affluent ones was early access to information on how to manage money.

In her public schools, she never learned about financial literacy — and had not heard the term — until she started going down a “rabbit hole” to educate herself on investing. She began to believe: To address the wealth gap in a systemic way, she needed to address the information gap. While a sophomore at Virginia State University during the pandemic, she started Financial Revolutionn, creating workshops that teach personal finance to young people in straightforward, relatable, and fun ways.

Now 23, Duah continues to grow her organization, reaching students at more than 30 schools across Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and the Bronx. She uses examples like Roblox, sneakers, bacon-egg-and-cheeses, and Apple iPhones to teach about credit cards, interest, and retirement accounts. She’s soon releasing a coloring and activity book called My Financial ABC’s, designed to help kids ages 3–8 learn basic financial terms.

(The extra “n” in Revolutionn stands for “network,” because as Duah said, “I learned early on that building wealth requires knowing the right people and making sure the right people know you.”)

On Tuesday, Duah is being recognized for her efforts as a changemaker. She was named one of five winners of the David Prize, which is essentially New York City’s version of the MacArthur “genius” grants. Launched in 2020 by the Walentas Family Foundation, the prize awards $200,000, no-strings attached, to visionaries working to make a difference in the five boroughs.

Duah’s push comes as school districts across the country are embracing financial literacy. Starting this year, New York state is mandating students in grades 5-12 learn about budgeting and money management. Next year, students in grades K-4 must also learn personal finance.

“Everything in our communities teaches us to spend our money poorly and to chase after quick success/financial gains meanwhile wealth builds over time,” Duah said. “I realized that I couldn’t just share this information with my closest friends, I needed to share this message with the world.”

This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Tell us more about your own experience with school and/or financial literacy and how that affects your work today.

Growing up and even to this day I’ve watched many of my loved ones and peers make poor financial decisions due to a lack of financial education taught to them at a young age. This showed me the importance of learning early so that you don’t grow up developing poor financial habits.

As I learned more about financial literacy, there were accounts and information that I had access to that changed my life. This made me understand that the gap is truly in the access to information. After investing my money and seeing my account grow or building my credit and using it to buy my own car and apartment in my 20s without a cosigner or getting ripped off just because I knew how to manage my money at 17 shows how making smart financial decisions pay off. This drives me to continue to educate myself so I can provide the information to my family and the world.

The David Prize is all about the “power of people with the conviction to change the future of our city.”

Tell us a bit about your vision for what’s possible with financial literacy in NYC and how it can help break the cycle of generational poverty.

Financial literacy can change the entire NYC landscape. I truly believe this because that is why some people fight so hard to keep it out of schools, because they know when you put financial education in the hands of all people it will level the playing field. If we provide financial education to people at a young age, they grow up avoiding years worth of making poor financial decisions, they can open accounts at a young age that gives them money to have options when they are older.

Additionally, when they become parents they know how to manage their money so they aren’t passing down financial trauma to their children and helping them establish smart financial habits at a young age.

Financial education helps build better communities and solve systemic issues. When we think of a community, a community is made up of individuals, so if each individual becomes financially savvy the whole neighborhood becomes wealthy. That changes the quality of life for all people who live there. That changes family dynamics, closes the wealth gap, fixes crime, and all the very systems that are hurting families.

What does your work look like with schools?

Every school gets the same Financial Revolutionn experience, but the way they receive it depends on the needs of the school. Some schools’ budgets allow for a six-session program while others can be a semester long. All programs end in a culminating activity which can vary from a stock analysis competition, business pitch competition, or students designing their financial future. The purpose of the program is for the students to come in with any understanding of finances and leave with a transformational experience.

What’s your favorite lesson to teach and why?

My favorite lesson to teach is types of accounts and stock investing. Types of accounts is fun because I watch the students go through this aha moment where they are learning about new accounts they didn’t even know existed. For example teaching them about a 401K, which is a term they probably hear often but nobody has ever taken the time to educate them on what that is. I remember teaching a group of college students the difference between a high yield savings account and a regular savings account, and one of them asked me: If this is free and grows your money at a higher rate, how come everyone doesn’t have this account? I had to tell them the truth: It’s simply because people just don’t know these exist.

Aaliyah Duah, founder of Financial Revolutionn, was awarded this year's David Prize, one of five New Yorkers winning $200,000, no-strings attached for making the city a better place.

The stock investing class is always cool because I see students’ mindsets shift from thinking like a consumer to an investor/owning. They start to understand the power of compound interest and investing at a young age gives them more time for their assets to grow.

Many students have told us they think schools should be teaching financial literacy. What sort of feedback have you gotten from students?

I have students say my classes were the best classes they’ve ever had or they only come to school to come to my class, which is sad but the truth.

This is a big moment for financial literacy. New York is now requiring public schools to begin providing personal finance instruction. What are your thoughts on the requirement?

I love that the DOE is starting to be more serious about the financial literacy conversation and really implementing it into more schools. I just hope that they are intentional about how they implement it into the school system.

Financial literacy is very important and if it isn’t received well in the classroom, it would almost become like an English class where students need to know how to read and write but because they made the topic so boring, students don’t take it seriously.

What do you plan to do with the prize money?

I plan to utilize the prize money to invest into an online program that helps families learn about personal finances in an engaging and interactive way.

I also plan to use it to invest in a team to help expand my program into more schools so that we can impact thousands of families all over NYC.

Amy Zimmer is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat New York. Contact Amy at azimmer@chalkbeat.org.

Colorado educators can get homebuying help through new state program

2026-09-14T23:18:50+00:00

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Colorado teachers and other public school employees can now get help with down payments and closing costs through a new state program aimed at making homeownership more attainable.

The Schools to Home program launched July 1 to provide assistance to educators and other public school employees who are first-time homebuyers. So far, 85 people have used the program, according to a spokesperson for the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority, which manages the program. The authority estimates that with its initial funding, the program will help about 125 home purchases with an average assistance amount of $80,000 per home.

The program came out of a 2025 state law and is the latest in a raft of state and local efforts to help public school employees purchase homes in a pricey market. The goal is to alleviate teacher shortages, boost retention, and allow more educators to live in the community where they work. A number of Colorado districts already offer employees help with housing, often by subsidizing rent or by providing options like tiny homes that are less expensive than traditional homes.

On average, Colorado teachers in district-run schools earned about $78,000 last school year and teachers in charter schools earned about $60,000 a year. In July, Colorado’s median home price was $550,000, according to the Colorado Association of Realtors.

The Colorado Department of Treasury invested $10 million from the state’s Public School Permanent Fund to start Schools to Home, and will make additional investments in the coming months. The income earned from those investments will fund the program.

To be eligible, participants must work full time in a school district, public school, charter school, innovation school, or Board of Cooperative Educational Services. They must take a homebuyer education class, and meet certain credit score requirements and income limits.

The maximum assistance public school employees can receive through Schools to Home is 25% of their first mortgage loan.

In exchange for getting downpayment assistance from the state, participants will have to repay the amount they received when they sell the house. They’ll also have to pay the state a portion of the amount by which the home’s value increases. If the home’s value decreases or stays the same, the participant will only have to pay back the downpayment amount they received initially.

To learn more about the program, visit the Schools to Home website.

Ann Schimke is a senior reporter at Chalkbeat. Contact Ann at aschimke@chalkbeat.org.

Fights and weapons confiscations are down in Philly schools. The safety chief aims to continue the trend.

2026-09-14T22:41:01+00:00

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With a new school year underway, School District of Philadelphia Chief of Safety Craig Johnson is determined to maintain the downward trends he’s been seeing in student violence.

The number of weapons confiscated from students dropped about 67%, from 516 in the 2021-22 school year to 171 in the 2024-25 school year, according to district-provided data. Knives are the most commonly found weapons, and firearms typically account for about 4% of confiscated weapons.

The total number of student assaults and fights dipped 22% districtwide from 2021 to 2025, according to a Chalkbeat analysis of serious incident reports.

Still, parents have expressed worries about violence throughout the year, arguing that the district’s plan to shutter 17 campuses in fall 2027 could escalate existing tensions between students from different schools.

Johnson said his team has been working to build a culture of safety in Philadelphia schools, from training a small faction of the district’s school safety officers in conflict mediation to offering post-fight “stabilization groups” and ongoing care sessions through a partnership with the city’s behavioral health department.

John Bartram High School in West Philadelphia uses a model called the Youth Violence Reduction Initiative, which provides mentorship and case management to students at risk of violence, and saw significant drops in both fighting and gun violence perpetrated by students.

The district also works with local organizations such as the Philadelphia Anti-Gang, Anti-Violence Network, or PAAN, for help breaking up campus fights and preventing street violence near schools.

Chalkbeat Philadelphia spoke with Johnson about what’s worked, and what’s next.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Why do you think these incident numbers have been trending down?

Our training changed, and so we really focus on building relationships with students and meeting them where they are … allowing us to be more proactive and intervene prior to violence occurring.

When does the school district partner with outside organizations to train staff or mediate conflict?

Sometimes the concern is when adults are involved. We’re equipped to handle children. When you have adults involved as well, we need a little outside assistance. Getting folks in a room and just having a discussion and trying to iron out what the issue is. And getting everybody to come to some common agreements of how they’re going to comport themselves and behave themselves.

What are some of the primary channels where you hear about a conflict brewing between students?

We firmly believe every child needs an anchor. At least one anchor, and that’s a person that you can go to to talk to about anything, without fear of judgment or reprisal. And I think our department and the district as a whole has done a really good job of making that the culture in our schools. I don’t believe there’s a student out there in any school that doesn’t have at least one adult in that building that they’re comfortable talking to. And so the majority of our information comes from students who think something may be wrong. Students don’t want to see violence.

What’s happening to keep things calm at dismissal?

We all know that fights can happen at any time. Sometimes we have advance notice of a potential issue at dismissal time … Or if there had been some kind of an altercation in school during the day that we’re aware of, we will usually bolster our presence outside, either through the use of our patrol resources or some support from the Philadelphia Police Department, who we share an absolutely tremendous working relationship with. They provide outstanding support to the school district on a daily basis.

What else is on the horizon?

I’m just looking forward to a great school year. I’m very hopeful that the numbers continue to trend downward as they have for the last couple of years, and we will continue to work with our men and women to be a big part of that.

Sammy Caiola covers solutions to gun violence in and around Philadelphia schools. Have ideas for her? Get in touch at scaiola@chalkbeat.org.

‘In a purgatory period’: NY takes next step in graduation overhaul, leaving unanswered questions

2026-09-14T22:03:17+00:00

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New York’s Board of Regents voted Monday to press ahead with sweeping changes to graduation requirements, even as state officials acknowledged that key questions about the transition remain unresolved.

Under the state’s timeline, current high school seniors will be the last graduating class subject to the state’s current Regents exam requirements. But state education officials have yet to spell out what assessments current freshmen, sophomores, and juniors will have to complete, raising concerns that educators will have limited time to thoughtfully roll out new graduation measures by next school year.

The state is transitioning to a graduation system centered on six high-level attributes, including critical thinking and effective communication, with students demonstrating their learning through a wider range of experiences and assessments. That system is expected to be fully phased in for students entering high school in September 2029, including new credit requirements. The state would also issue a single diploma instead of the current three-tiered system.

The state’s Board of Regents must approve any changes to the state’s graduation standards. The state is expected to present its official regulations removing the Regents exams as a graduation requirement to the Board of Regents in February. A final vote is expected in June, and changes are slated to take effect by the 2027-28 school year.

The board has largely supported the transition away from standardized exit exams, but members raised fresh concerns on Monday. Hours after the meeting, one major advocacy group called on the state to pause its plans entirely. “Schools still do not know how they will measure proficiency in core subjects for current high school students, even though the proposed changes will affect students currently in grades 9-11 in less than a year,” EdTrust-New York said in a statement.

Here are some of the outstanding question marks that came up at Monday’s meeting.

When will families know what the new graduation standards will be?

Unlike the current system — where students across the state must pass standardized exams in subjects including English, math, science, and social studies — the new system will give school districts more flexibility to choose how they will determine if a student is ready to graduate.

Current ninth, 10th, and 11th graders will graduate high school “according to local assessment strategies” rather than strictly by Regents exams, according to a presentation from state officials on Monday.

Regent Hasoni Pratts, the mother of a 10th grader in a New York City public school, wondered what information was available for parents who want to learn more about the changes.

“What I did not hear was what resources [and] what tools do we have for parents and students who are in this purgatory period of full implementation?” Pratts asked state officials during Monday’s presentation.

Officials did not offer a clear timeline. A spokesperson said the state Education Department shared some guidance with local districts to help craft their assessments, and officials have indicated that “high-level local assessment strategies” should be released publicly sometime next school year.

A spokesperson for New York City’s Education Department did not respond to questions about how the city is planning to assess students.

If districts can choose their own measures, how will state officials ensure they are rigorous?

State officials have repeatedly argued that the new system will not result in lower graduation standards, even as the new system remains murky.

Regent Judith Chin, who represents Queens, pressed state officials on how they would ensure locally designed assessment systems are consistent, rigorous, and reliable.

Zach Warner, an assistant commissioner who oversees assessment, said the state is still figuring out how to walk the “tightrope” of giving districts local control without creating uneven quality between districts.

“That’s not something we obviously have a full answer on to yet,” he said.

Students will still take statewide assessments. Under federal law, high school students must take assessments in English, math, and science. New York also includes social studies. Those tests would be used for accountability purposes to measure how well students are meeting state standards, but students would not be required to pass them to graduate.

State officials said Monday that they are planning to create new standardized assessments to satisfy those requirements.

Can schools still use the Regents exams as their graduation assessment?

State officials confirmed Monday that districts will not be allowed to require students to pass Regents exams in order to earn a diploma once the new rules take effect.

They noted students will be evaluated using multiple pieces of evidence, including classwork, performance-based assessments, teacher observations, or other state assessments.

What did the Board of Regents actually approve on Monday?

That question confused observers — and even some members of the board.

The Regents did not vote on the regulations that will change graduation requirements on Monday. Instead, they gave the green light to the Education Department to move ahead with drafting those regulations and advance other implementation measures.

“I was trying to understand what the action was we were voting on,” Board of Regents Chancellor Lester Young said shortly before the vote. “I’m a literate person, and I didn’t get it.”

Moments later, the proposal passed unanimously.

Alex Zimmerman is a senior reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Alex at azimmerman@chalkbeat.org.

Preliminary NJ test results show math, reading struggles in grades 3-9

2026-09-14T20:54:44+00:00

This story was originally published by NJ Spotlight News through the NJ News Wire.

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More than half of New Jersey third graders are not meeting literacy standards, and an overwhelming majority of eighth graders are not hitting math standards, signaling that post-pandemic learning trends continued under the modernized state exams that were administered in the spring.

The New Jersey Department of Education last week shared a preliminary look at grade-level proficiency rates for students in grades 3 through 9 who took the state Student Learning Assessments-Adaptive in math and reading in April and May.

The nearly five-month lag before results are slated to reach school district leaders on Sept. 18 is one of the longest in recent years. Districts have said the gap will delay targeted extra help for students this school year. The state says the wait for results will be shorter next year.

State Education Department leaders warn against using the results from the spring state exams as a direct comparison to prior years, which used standards from 2016.

“These results represent a new starting point, rather than a direct continuation of previous years’ data,” said Lisa Haberl, executive director of teaching and learning at the New Jersey Department of Education. “The key question is not whether the proficiency rates went up or down compared to previous assessments. Rather, the most critical question is what these results tell us about student performance under the new assessment framework and how we can use that information to support continuous improvement.”

After school districts receive individual student test results, it may take a few more weeks for parents or guardians to receive copies. That delay may also cause families, busy with a new school year and routines, to pay less attention to the results and overlook where students stand.

New minimums

The release of the spring test results comes after the New Jersey State Board of Education approved new cut scores for the exams in each grade at a meeting on Wednesday. It was the final step in the statewide implementation of the new “adaptive” assessments.

These spring state tests changed from fixed-form tests, which give students the same questions, to adaptive tests that adjust the difficulty based on students’ answers. The adjustment keeps students engaged and provides a more precise look at strengths and weaknesses, according to the Education Department.

Because it’s a different exam, the state Education Department followed industry protocol to create descriptions of performance levels and cut scores, a process known as “standard setting.”

Cut scores are the minimum a student can achieve to fall into one of five levels: did not yet meet expectations, partially met expectations, approaching expectations, met expectations, and exceeded expectations. The two highest levels, “met expectations” and “exceeded expectations,” are combined to create an overall proficiency rate.

The process to determine those cut scores took all summer as officials aligned results with the state’s latest learning expectations for English language arts and math, which were updated in 2023.

“We’re not simply comparing two administrations of the same test. We’re comparing assessments developed under different standards, different guidance documents, and different definitions of proficiency,” said John Boczany, director of assessments at the New Jersey Department of Education. “This is a new assessment system creating a new baseline.”

Results from the spring 2027 tests are expected to reach school districts by June 30.

Major drop in Algebra 2

At first glance, most of the 2026 proficiency rates per grade in each subject don’t show large fluctuations compared to last year. Aggregated data, though, aren’t yet publicly available.

“As we review the data, we would naturally expect to see some variation given the change in assessment,” Haberl said.

In one case, however, the proficiency rate for Algebra 2 took a major swing, to 45.5% in 2026 from 80.4% in 2025.

“We see areas where performance appears relatively consistent across grades and content areas, while other areas warrant closer examination,” said Haberl, adding that Algebra 2 is a notable example. “Proficiency rates shifted more than we might have anticipated when compared to patterns seen in other mathematics assessments and courses.”

An initial review showed that the assessment was taken by fewer than 10% of students who were enrolled in Algebra 2, Boczany said.

A student’s first high school math class could be geometry or Algebra 2, depending on their school and course plan. That may explain the smaller pool of students who took the Algebra 2 assessment. The updated learning standards for Algebra 2 also included more complex work, Boczany said.

Consistency in literacy, math

The majority of third and fourth graders statewide did not meet grade-level expectations in English language arts, which is commonly referred to as literacy or reading, preliminary results showed.

About 47.2% of third graders and 45.6% of fourth graders show proficiency in grade-level reading in the spring 2026 exams. Last year, those rates were 44.9% of third graders and 53.6% of fourth graders.

Grade-level reading proficiency in third and fourth grades has been put into sharp focus after the COVID-19 pandemic and switch to remote instruction caused learning disruptions, particularly for early childhood education.

State test results following the pandemic have consistently shown New Jersey third graders struggling to read. Experts say third grade is a critical point when students shift to “reading to learn” from “learning to read.”

In recent years, more school districts have adopted literacy curricula to follow the science of how students learn to read, which puts an emphasis on phonics. The state has also adopted policies to track literacy skills in kindergarten through third grade.

Meanwhile, the proficiency rate for eighth grade math remains the lowest among all grades, consistent with the prior exam. About 22.5% of eighth graders showed proficiency on the 2026 exam. Last year, that rate was 20.7%.

The overwhelmingly low proficiency rate is due in part to a 2022 federal mandate requiring states to test eighth graders in advanced math classes, such as Algebra 1 or geometry, separately from those who are not in those classes.

State education leaders say that distinction lowered the overall proficiency rate for eighth graders, though it provides a clearer tracking of students who are not in advanced math.

After delay, Chicago mayor’s office opens applications for the school board’s noncitizen advisory panel

2026-09-14T19:26:59+00:00

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Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office is seeking people interested in serving on a state-required noncitizen advisory panel meant to advise Chicago’s school board members — 20 months after the city’s current partially elected school board was seated.

The applications, which opened Aug. 31 and close Sept. 25, also come two months before voters will choose a new, fully elected Chicago Board of Education. They are the first concrete step toward picking people to serve on a panel that advocates pushed for when the Illinois state legislature created Chicago’s elected school board.

The mayor’s office will choose 17 people and expects to finalize appointees, who must be Chicago residents, by the first week of November, Griffin Krueger, a mayoral spokesperson, said in an email. Two people had applied as of Monday morning. People can apply for one- or two-year terms, according to the application.

Advocates pushed for the advisory board as a way to give a more formal voice to noncitizens, who cannot vote in Chicago’s school board elections. Those advocates, including the education advocacy group Kids First Chicago, spent the last two years pushing the mayor’s office to establish the advisory panel. Their calls continued during the federal government’s aggressive deportation campaign in Chicago last year, known as Operation Midway Blitz, when families wrestled with whether it was safe to send their kids to school.

Asked why the applications were delayed, Krueger said the mayor’s office was taking “prudent precautionary measures” so people could apply and participate on the board safely as immigration enforcement increased in the city, though he did not elaborate on what those measures were. Krueger said the office also wanted to ensure people understood the requirements of the Illinois Open Meetings Act, which regulates when and how public bodies must meet and conduct business.

State lawmakers left the mayor with wide latitude over what the advisory board should look like. State law doesn’t set a deadline for creating the board, prescribe how many people should be appointed, or say whether any of the appointees must be noncitizens.

Krueger said the mayor’s office expects more applications as organizations circulate the form.

Jessica Cañas, chief of community engagement at Kids First Chicago, said she’s heard from parents who are excited that applications are open. Cañas said she’s interested to see how many immigrant students and parents will be picked, though the city is not asking applicants to disclose their immigration status, appearing to address one of the concerns community members had about the application process.

She noted that the term “noncitizen” can encompass a wide variety of immigration statuses.

Her organization is also wondering how the noncitizen board will work, given how little is stipulated in state law. For example, how will it interact with the elected school board? Will there be term limits for appointees? Krueger did not immediately share more details.

Cañas applauded the city’s efforts to meet with and listen to concerns from community members over the last nearly two years.

“I just wish it would have been done sooner,” Cañas said.

Reema Amin is a reporter covering Chicago Public Schools. Contact Reema at ramin@chalkbeat.org.

As school begins, Queens families keep watch for ICE

2026-09-14T19:01:39+00:00

This article was originally published by Documented, an independent, non-profit newsroom dedicated to reporting with and for immigrant communities in New York City. The original article can be accessed here.

For the last few months, Margarita and her husband have been waking up at 4 a.m. most days. While their children slept, she lovingly brewed him coffee and packed him breakfast and lunch — bread, fruit and a sandwich — before sending him off to his job working construction.

But last week, that peaceful cadence changed.

On the first day of school, Margarita’s three children were up and buzzing by 7 a.m. in their rooms, putting on their first-day outfits and packing their backpacks.

With only 20 minutes left before they had to rush out the door, Margarita quick-stepped around the house and the kitchen, handing off lunch boxes — one with vegetables and one without — for her 12-year-old daughter and 14-year-old son. She also asked her daughter to help her prepare food for their spunky, white-furred dog Max.

At just before 7:30 a.m., Juan, her eldest — who is set to start college next week — emerged from his room to help.

With that, the family was out the door, spilling into the driveway and onto the street before climbing into the family’s black SUV. As she made her way to the car, Margarita waved to their neighbor, who was sitting on a nearby stoop.

“I’ll drive,” Juan, her 18-year-old, declared.

The 40-minute drive to school was largely uneventful. They battled the usual traffic as Margarita directed Juan on the fastest route to take. Meanwhile, after a missed left turn, her 14-year-old noted that his little sister may be late for class.

Margarita and her family requested that Documented only use their first names due to concerns about immigration enforcement.

As they rolled across Queens headed west, they passed many families and excited children on the street who seemed to be swallowed by enormous backpacks saddled on their shoulders.

When they finally pulled up in front of her children’s school in Long Island City, Margarita kissed her two youngest on their foreheads before sending them off into their 7th and 9th grade lines, respectively.

But when she returned to her car, Margarita took a sharp breath when a notification popped up on her phone:

“🚨ICE in Corona” it exclaimed in Spanish.

The message was shared in a group chat for women like Margarita who are members of Las Doñas, an immigrant women’s organization.

A father, running morning errands, was detained by ICE before he could get home to drive his own son to school.

“The boy was at home and called [his mom] saying that he was ready to go to school. [His mother] cried and just said she was coming,” recalled Tony Alarcón, executive director for Las Doñas, who responded to the incident and spoke with the mother.

A video of the arrest, reviewed by Documented, shows a terrified woman fast-walking a child wearing a backpack past the scene, as another woman in sweats collapsed against a car, sobbing in front of the immigration agents.

While the first day of school is a largely a happy occasion for city families, for some immigrant New Yorkers, getting to and from the school building marks an added risk.

ICE arrests peaked in New York City in July, the highest number of arrests since the beginning of the second Trump administration. Queens, which is often called the world’s borough for its heavily-immigrant neighborhoods, was particularly hard hit — with at least 2,153 people arrested since last January.

In a four-block radius of Margarita’s home, ICE sightings and arrests have been reported nearly two dozen times since January 2025, according to website ICEout.org.

While some in her community say they’ve been overwhelmed by fear — often refusing to leave their homes — Margarita told Documented that she won’t let herself become paralyzed. Instead, that afternoon, she planned to attend a rally and pass out Know Your Rights information to parents during pick up time at a school in Corona, only three blocks from the arrest.

“Don’t be afraid to drive your children to school,” she told Documented in Spanish, adding that when she feels scared, she tries to keep herself in check.

“If I live with fear I’m not going to live well. I’m going to get sick and I won’t be well for my children,” she said. “I ask God to bring me home.”

What schools have done

Since the beginning of the second Trump administration, schools across the country — including in New York City — have faced a drop in attendance due to deportation fears. Adding to immigrant families’ concerns, the Trump administration quickly dropped a Biden-era guidance treating schools as protected from immigration enforcement.

In New York City, the Department of Education does not permit school staff to allow federal agents, including ICE, to enter schools without a judicial warrant. And the state recently passed laws affirming schools as sensitive locations under state law.But danger exists for immigrants before they ever reach the school doors — it also lies on the journey to school.

Margarita’s son, Juan, a recent high school graduate, says that these days parents are asked to take one of two risks.

“If you go with the kid, there might be the chance that they might catch you, they might not, or nothing happens,” said Juan. “And then there’s the other one that we let your kid go by yourself, which has the risk of leaving the kid unattended, and who knows what will happen during that time.”

Advocates question whether schools could go further, suggesting that a walking bus and safe corridors patrolled by ICE watchers could become official policy, which would help families feel safer attending school.

“The vulnerability is when they’re out in public,” said Mabel Tso, a senior strategist at the New York Civil Liberties Union, which developed model policies for New York schools to follow in order to protect immigrant students and their families.

“Having a mayor who is pro-immigrant and a chancellor who comes from an immigrant background helps, but you know we need to see … the action of going beyond these model procedures,” said Tso.

The city’s Education Department did not respond to a request for comment on protections outside school grounds, but sent a link to their guidance for immigrant families.

Protesting at a Pickup Line

Later that afternoon, a pickup line of parents speaking multiple languages stretched around the corner in front of P.S. 19, an elementary school in Queens, carrying an array of patterned umbrellas to protect against the intense sun.

As they waited to reunite with their kids, they peeked down the block as an electric speaker boomed and a small crowd gathered around local elected officials and pro-immigrant organizations. Many gave speeches denouncing ICE arrests and its impact on parents. Margarita stood among them, joining in chants of “ICE Fuera!”

Soon, the school doors swung up and kids streamed out, with some children holding their parents hands. Nearby, volunteers — including Juan — handed out information on constitutional rights, whistles, and flyers from local immigrant rights organizations.

Children wearing handmade paper headbands giggled and playfully blew whistles.

“Today is the first day of school. Instead of this being filled with joy for parents and students, it has now become a day when parents and their children feel panic and anxiety,” Amador Rivas, a local member of Make the Road New York in Corona, said in Spanish.

”A simple walk to school can lead to a family being separated or the parents and children being detained by ICE,” he continued. “This is not right. All children deserve to feel safe in their neighborhoods and in their schools, but how can a child focus on learning when their minds are worrying about ICE agents lurking outside of their schools or whether their parents will be targeted next?”

Margarita said that the arrest, which had occurred a 5-minute walk from the school where she was standing, was disheartening.

“They took someone who is likely a father, and now his family doesn’t know where he is, and his children are waiting for him to come home,” said Margarita, standing on the sidewalk as families finished filing out of the area.

Despite her efforts to remain stoic and create a sense of normalcy at home, Margarita says that her daughter is extremely attentive when her parents return home, even going so far as scolding her father any time he’s late, and reminding him to come home quickly.

Still, Margarita finds strength in taking action — and noted that her community is large and resilient.

“I’m happy because I feel like I’m helping the community, and that at least is my grain of sand so people support [us] and see that they aren’t alone.”

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Parents worry about ed tech. Most still see a place for it, polls suggest.

2026-09-14T12:00:00+00:00

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Some parents are organizing campaigns to opt their kids out of classroom tech. Others are suing education software companies. But there may be a quieter majority: Parents who support some screen time in schools.

That’s according to recent polling, which also indicates parents might welcome students’ exposure to tech like artificial intelligence in order to prepare them for the job market.

Two polls of parents conducted this year — one from the National Parents Union and another from EdChoice, a conservative-leaning school choice group — showed that parents overwhelmingly support some degree of technology in the classroom. More than 80% of parents in the EdChoice poll conducted by Morning Consult said they either somewhat or strongly supported using laptops in school. And of the majority of parents who supported screen time limits in the National Parents Union’s poll, just 1% said they thought students should have zero screen time at all in school.

The National Parents Union also found that a majority of parents — 53% — said it was important for students to learn how to use AI tools for future career opportunities.

The polling adds complexity to the vigorous debate about technology in education, in which those opposed to laptops and other devices have often attracted the most attention. But more moderate parents who support some screen time — depending on what it’s used for — could be important people to consider, as big school districts like Los Angeles and New York City start to pass limits on screen time and some uses of student-facing AI.

That doesn’t mean the public doesn’t have any concerns about the prevalence of technology in education. A May poll of registered voters also conducted by Morning Consult for The Century Foundation found that 73% said too much reliance on devices, phones, and AI in the classroom posed either a “major problem” or “somewhat of a problem” for public schools.

Parents want guardrails, but not wholesale bans on devices, said Keri Rodrigues, president of the National Parents Union. That balancing act with technology that schools are confronting includes artificial intelligence: Parents don’t want low-quality AI-generated material in front of their kids, but they do want students to know how to use it for their future.

“Do they want their kid parked in front of a screen all day? No,” she said. “But do they want them prepared for what work is going to look like in the future? Absolutely … we’re having a very hysterical, knee-jerk conversation around this whole tech-lash thing.”

Meanwhile, groups representing less-affluent families have also argued that they’re being left out of the conversation around the backlash to technology.

Maya Martin Cadogan, founder and director of Parents Amplifying Voices in Education in D.C., a group that represents many low-income families of color, described how another group of parents argued against ed tech in district schools earlier this year. They focused on “how they limit their child’s technology use at home because they have lots of devices,” she said. “Our parents know that so many kids in their communities don’t have any device at home whatsoever.”

The polling isn’t necessarily as clear on that point. About 80% of low-income parents reported strongly or somewhat supporting laptops in schools, compared with 93% of higher income families, EdChoice found. But 12% of disadvantaged parents also reported being undecided about laptops, compared with 1% of affluent parents.

Many parents support education technology, with limits

Education technology is a broad term. There are many different ways screens, devices and software show up in the classroom, and the nuances are important, Rodrigues and others said.

For instance, parents want to know that any data captured digitally is secure, Martin Cadogan said. That aligns with some of the concerns Bridie Lee and Schools Beyond Screens — a grassroots group in cities like Los Angeles and D.C. — has about technology in education.

But the same groups may diverge on other issues.

For instance, Schools Beyond Screens in D.C. has argued against the use of i-Ready, an individualized learning platform that critics say improperly gamifies learning without sufficient evidence that it works.

Martin Cadogan said while her group also wants to know that education software is backed up by research, some parents like i-Ready. They appreciate, for example, that it offers extra practice on math problems without creating extra tasks for a parent who might not have the time to challenge their child academically, she said.

The EdChoice poll shows broad support for gamified learning. About 3 in 4 parents said they either strongly or somewhat support online learning games used in school. The poll listed Kahoot!, MobyMax, and Prodigy as examples of game-based learning software. These gamified learning tools are exactly the type of ed tech that the American Psychological Association expressed strong reservations about in a recent report.

Still, the type of technology is one thing, but the amount of time kids spend with it is another. Nearly half of parents supportive of limits said any activity on screens should be limited to one to two hours, according to the National Parents Union poll.

Lee said Schools Beyond Screens has gained momentum not because parents are completely against technology in the classroom, but as a counter to unchecked technology in education.

“What has happened is that, especially since the pandemic, tech infiltrated absolutely everything,” she said. “All of a sudden, everything was on a screen. Reading was on a screen. Math was on a screen.”

Lily Altavena is a national reporter at Chalkbeat. Contact Lily at laltavena@chalkbeat.org. Lily is on Instagram, Tik Tok, and Facebook.

Michigan increased funding for English learners by $12.5 million. Advocates say a big gap persists.

2026-09-14T10:00:00+00:00

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This year, Michigan lawmakers increased state funding for English language learners by $12.5 million — but not all such students will benefit.

Michigan does not provide school districts with additional funding for students who are nearly proficient in English, even though state and federal law require that districts provide services to those students. Of 49 states that fund ELL services, researchers say only Michigan excludes some students from its funding formula.

Students who are approaching proficiency in English are often conversational, but may still struggle academically without additional support. Michigan’s funding gap can make it difficult to provide instruction that would allow such students to transition out of English learner programs, according to advocates, teachers, and school leaders.

“It has to do with language complexity, but it also has to do with the level of service that we’re providing our kids,” said Madeline Mavrogordato, director of the Education Policy Innovation Collaborative, or EPIC, at Michigan State University.

Michigan’s current funding system grants additional dollars to districts that enroll students with high needs, such as English language learners or students from low-income households.

But for English learners, the amount of extra funding sent to districts is based on students’ scores on an annual assessment of English proficiency called WIDA ACCESS, with scores from 1.0 to 6.0. Students scoring between 1.0 and 4.7 are required by state and federal law to receive English language development instruction in order to have equitable access to their education.

A Troy High School student works in a biology class as an additional certified English as a second language teacher provides integrated English language development instruction to a small group.

This year, districts will receive $1,998 in additional funding for each student who scores between 1.0 and 1.9, $1,379 per student for those scoring between 2.0 and 2.9, and just $225 per student for those scoring between 3.0 and 3.9. The state provides no extra funding for students who score 4.0 and above.

School leaders say the funding is inadequate even for students in the middle range, forcing some districts to find other revenue to pay for and provide services. Advocates say some districts only have enough resources to meet the most urgent needs of English learners with little comprehension of the language.

In the Troy School District, Superintendent Richard Machesky said about 90% of the district’s budget for English learners came from general fund dollars in the 2025-26 school year because state funding wasn’t enough to meet the group’s needs. That year, the district got around $607,000 in state funds to educate about 1,900 English learners.

The district was only able to hire five English language development specialists with the state dollars, Machesky said.

Afrin Alavi, director of Hamtramck Public Schools’ Multilingual Learner Department, said about 17% of the district’s ELL students score at the highest levels on the WIDA.

Without dedicated funding for the student group, Alavi said the district is facing “structural deficits” in its multilingual learner budget.

Michigan’s public schools enrolled more than 104,200 English learners in the 2024-25 school year — 7.3% of all the students in the state. Around 24,000 of the students did not qualify for additional state funding, but still were required to get at least 150 minutes of English language development instruction a week.

Advocates believe that more funding could result in English learners transitioning out of specialized programs sooner and having more opportunities to succeed in their core classes.

According to a 2025 report by EPIC, nearly half of Michigan’s English learners remained in specialized programs after six years — a signal that students may not be matched to instruction that meets their needs, research suggests.

Students arrive at Troy High School.

The Michigan School Finance Research Collaborative, an independent K-12 education research center at Michigan State University, hired a third party in 2021 to estimate the funding needed to improve academic achievement in the state. They recommended substantial increases in ELL funding, ranging from $3,500 to $7,500 per student based on WIDA scores.

The report also recommended additional funding for some students who scored on the higher end of the WIDA.

Lawmakers said in this year’s state budget they want to increase ELL funding every year until it meets the amounts recommended in the third party report, but they didn’t set a timeline to reach the goal.

DPSCD: Funding gaps create challenges in meeting students’ needs

The state provided the Detroit Public Schools Community District about $6.7 million in additional funding in the 2025-26 school year to serve more than 7,400 English learners.

But the district did not receive any extra money for 1,041 students who scored 4.0 and above on the test.

“Concentrating the dollars at the lowest proficiency levels … does not reflect the reality that students approaching proficiency still need services,” said Superintendent Nikolai Vitti.

Vitti said the district has used money from its literacy lawsuit settlement to hire 58 multilingual academic interventionists to support English learners at 15 schools.

The interventionists’ qualifications are different from those of certified teachers endorsed to teach English learners, however. Critics say their work isn’t a substitute for the English language development minutes schools are required to provide English learners.

Despite those efforts, achievement gaps for the district’s English learners persist in multiple areas. About 10.4% of English learners met or exceeded proficiency in English on the Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress in 2025, a drop of 2 percentage points from the previous year and lower than their peers. English learners’ four-year graduation rate of 79.2% was 3.8 percentage points lower than the district’s average, according to state data.

Some teachers and students in the district say English learners, particularly those approaching proficiency, aren’t receiving all of the services they need.

More than 1,200 Western International High School students were English learners in the 2024-25 school year, making up around 64% of the student body.

A senior in the Detroit district, who emigrated from Cuba, said his understanding of English in 10th grade put him ahead of his peers in his English as a second language class at Western International High School. As a result, he was placed in general education classes.

Based on his WIDA score, he should have continued to receive at least 150 minutes a week of English language development instruction. But the student said he got none during his sophomore year.

The student, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation from school officials, struggled in the general education classes. He eventually asked a counselor to allow him to return to the English as a second language class where he learned core subjects tailored for non-native English speakers.

Kristen Schoettle, who taught the student, said he was bored much of the time because other students in the class were still learning to communicate in English with single words and memorized phrases.

“It’s hard with a class of 35 to think of things to do and to challenge him everyday like I would have liked to,” she said.

Three other DPSCD teachers from schools with English learners, who requested to speak to Chalkbeat anonymously due to concerns about retaliation from their employer, said the student’s experience is not uncommon. Because of limited resources, they said students in the middle ranges of proficiency don’t get the kind of support they should.

Bianca Hardy, a spokesperson for DPSCD, said in an email the district works with school leaders to strategically schedule staff with ELL endorsements to serve “students with the highest need” while also supporting those with higher proficiency in core content areas.

“We agree that Michigan’s current approach to funding English Learners leaves the state near the bottom nationally in how it supports multilingual students, especially those approaching proficiency,” said Hardy.

The limited funding prevents districts with large populations of English learners, like DPSCD, from providing students the instruction they need to exit the program, Hardy added.

Hardy added that the district will continue to advocate for equitable funding for ELL students.

Students pack their bags as their biology class wraps up at Troy High School.

During the student’s sophomore year, his WIDA score would have generated roughly $210 in additional funding for the district. With this year’s increase in funding, that amount will go up by $15.

At that level of proficiency, students struggle with vocabulary, grammar, and spelling. They may understand teachers’ basic spoken instructions, but can’t readily participate in abstract discussions.

Mavrogordato, the director of EPIC, called the extra funds for a student in that range “negligible.”

“I don’t know what you can do with $225 per kid over the course of literally a whole year in terms of providing service,” she said.

Educators say more funding and stability are steps in the right direction

Advocates and educators applauded the legislature for the increase in ELL funding, even as they say that more is needed.

With the $12.5 million increase, the 2026-27 state budget for English learners is about $75.3 million. Michigan has historically ranked among the worst in the nation for ELL funding.

“I think that this signals that this continues to be an important priority, and I think it also recognizes the fact that this is a population of students that has grown in our state,” said Mavrogordato of the increase.

In the last decade, the number of English learners in Michigan public schools has increased by more than 12,300. In the same time, the number of non-English learners has decreased by 132,496.

The researcher said another improvement is that the weighted funding formula is now state law.

Previously, districts applied for grants with a similar weighted system. Now, they will automatically receive the money and have more flexibility in spending it.

“This new framework guarantees districts receive the full funding they are relying on,” said Sen. Darrin Camilleri, a Democrat from Trenton who introduced the bill.

Nearly 40% of students in the Troy School District are either former or current English learners, said Superintendent Richard Machesky. Pictured, students head to class at Troy High School.

Additionally, the law requires districts to report how they are using the funding to support English learners.

The Michigan Department of Education is reviewing its monitoring and reporting process to ensure schools’ compliance, said Bob Wheaton, the department’s director of public and governmental affairs.

The new law also solidifies the MDE’s program models for English learners and its guidance on minimum instructional minutes. The guidance was previously tied to state education budgets.

Mavrogordato said the requirements in the law could mean fewer stories like that of the student at Western in the years to come.

“I would say districts have sort of treated serving kids at higher levels of English proficiency as a little bit more optional, a little bit more flexible,” she said. “But this state has put into place a set of requirements … really designed to be a minimum standard of care for kids.”

Hannah Dellinger covers Detroit schools for Chalkbeat Detroit. You can reach her at hdellinger@chalkbeat.org.

Koby Levin is a senior reporter at Outlier Media. You can reach him at koby@outliermedia.org.

Two Denver school board members accused of policy violations call for an independent investigation

2026-09-12T00:38:32+00:00

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Two Denver school board members accused of policy violations are demanding an independent investigation into the allegations, which include that one of them used antisemitic language.

Board Vice President Monica Hunter and member DJ Torres sent a letter Friday to the school board president, Denver Public Schools’ superintendent, and the district’s attorney asking that the board hold off on taking any action until an investigation is complete.

After an initial discussion about the allegations Wednesday, board President Xóchitl Gaytán had said the board would discuss the accusations again — and possibly vote on whether to censure Hunter and Torres — at a meeting on Sept. 17.

Whether the board will order an investigation was unclear Friday. A Denver Public Schools spokesperson directed questions to Gaytán, who said it would be up to the board to decide. A majority of board members would need to agree to it.

In their letter, Hunter and Torres said the investigation should look into the process used to develop and advance the allegations, including who initiated and supported them and whether district staff helped, in addition to the allegations themselves.

“I think an independent investigation is necessary both for us to clear our names and to maintain the integrity of the DPS board,” Torres said in an interview Friday. “What has been missing up to this point in this process is any sort of foundation of legitimacy.”

Torres is accused of repeatedly missing board and committee meetings, providing only “limited” reporting on board expenses in his role as treasurer, and not attending a board-related conference in Canada after the district paid for it. Torres said he paid most expenses back.

Hunter is accused of allegedly using derogatory language directed at “a colleague’s Jewish identity and/or perceived political identity,” disparaging other board members in a social media post, failing to review the superintendent’s weekly email to the board, and speaking to district employees in the school choice office to advocate for her family and another.

Hunter and Torres are also accused of refusing to speak with Gaytán by phone and allegedly giving a “possible unauthorized directive” to Superintendent Alex Marrero to recognize a labor union of district employees, among other allegations.

Hunter and Torres have said the allegations are baseless and exaggerated.

“I am saddened that interpersonal conflicts continue to dominate this school board,” Hunter said on Friday. “I look forward to a full, transparent investigation.”

Board member John Youngquist said he supports ordering an investigation. Other board members didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment Friday or said they hadn’t yet read the letter from Hunter and Torres demanding the investigation.

Youngquist was the subject of a board investigation and censure last year. The board ordered that investigation after meeting in a closed-door session to receive legal advice on how to respond to allegations by Marrero about Youngquist’s behavior toward DPS staff of color. The investigation found that Youngquist likely exhibited bias but did not conclude that it was deliberate.

Before Youngquist, the last Denver school board member to be censured was Auon’tai Anderson in 2021. That censure also came after a board-directed investigation, which found that the most serious allegations against Anderson could not be substantiated.

Gaytán moved to censure Anderson a second time in 2023 for allegedly disclosing confidential information to the press, but that effort was not successful.

Melanie Asmar is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Colorado. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org.

Court order: Lindsey Cornett is back on the ballot for IPS school board

2026-09-12T00:31:20+00:00

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After a court order, Lindsey Cornett is back on the ballot for the Indianapolis Public Schools Board of School Commissioners election but without a political party affiliation.

“I am really excited to get to move forward and head to November,” Cornett said, adding that she’s not worried about no longer having a Democratic affiliation, saying she’ll make her thoughts and ideas clear to voters.

Marion Superior Court Judge John M.T. Chavis II ordered the ballot change on Friday.

Cornett faces Democrat and incumbent Chris Bultman in the race for District 4, representing the southwestern part of the school district. She was running as a write-in candidate after being removed from the ballot. Five of the seven of the IPS school board seats are on the ballot this November.

Voter guide 2026: Meet the 15 candidates vying for 5 seats on the IPS board

Cornett was previously on the ballot, and the Marion County Election Board decided to remove her in August after a successful challenge to her party affiliation. Cornett filed a judicial review shortly after that decision.

The challenge against her alleged that Cornett didn’t meet the requirements to run as a Democrat because she hadn’t voted in two Indiana Democratic primary elections, as she thought she did and indicated on her filing paperwork.

Due to a 2025 law, school board candidates have the option to include a party affiliation on the ballot this election. To do that, candidates can either have voted in two party primaries or seek approval from the county chairman of that political party.

Bultman also faced a challenge to his party affiliation, saying he needed to vote in the two most recent Indiana Democratic primaries in 2026 and 2024 to qualify. Bultman’s most recent primary votes were in 2026 and 2020.

However, the election board decided that Bultman met the requirement to run as a Democrat because he had voted in at least two Democratic primaries, but Cornett had not and should be removed from the ballot.

The board cited guidance from the Indiana Election Division and interpretation from the author of the law on partisan school board candidates and pointed to state law about candidates running for office in its decision.

Cornett, however, argued that the law was unfairly applied and the board should have used a state law that points specifically to school board candidates. She said she and Bultman should both be on the ballot, but neither should be listed as a Democrat, and asked the court to review the election board’s decisions on the challenges against her and Bultman.

In his Friday decision, Chavis wrote that the election board’s reading of state law and decision to remove Cornett was incorrect for a party affiliation challenge. He agreed that the state law around school board elections should have been used and added that the guidance from the state election division is “advisory only” and not binding.

The only time state law says a school board candidate can be removed from the ballot is when the candidate moves outside the district and fails to withdraw, per the court order.

Chavis did not revisit the election board’s decision about Bultman, saying the issue was not properly filed with the court and the deadline had passed.

Chalkbeat Indiana reached out to Bultman for comment, but didn’t immediately hear back.

The court decision comes just as ballots are being printed. The election board said it will now print ballots and mail absentee ballots next week.

The District 4 IPS school board seat is on the ballot following the resignation of board member Allissa Impink. She resigned after winning the Democratic primary for Indiana State Senate District 46. The winner of the IPS District 4 race in November would serve the remainder of Impink’s term until 2028.

Election Day is Nov. 3 and early voting starts Oct. 6. Voters can apply for absentee ballots by mail at vote.indy.gov.

MJ Slaby oversees Chalkbeat Indiana’s coverage as bureau chief. Contact MJ at mslaby@chalkbeat.org.

Colorado’s 2027 Teacher of the Year: Meet the 8 finalists

2026-09-11T23:27:41+00:00

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This story has been updated with more finalists.

Colorado education officials have announced the eight finalists for Colorado’s 2027 teacher of the year award after winnowing down the 21 semifinalists announced in June.

The finalists include a Summit County humanities teacher, a Denver language arts teacher, a Jeffco construction trades teacher, a Douglas County computer science teacher, a Trinidad middle school language arts teacher, a Pueblo elementary teacher, a Strasburg science teacher, and an Aurora Spanish and world language teacher.

Last week and this week, the Colorado Department of Education surprised the eight finalists with a classroom celebration and gave each of them a $1,000 check from the department and the Boettcher Foundation. Their schools also received $500 from the foundation.

The department received nearly 300 teacher of the year applications from 76 districts this year.

The state will announce the winner in October. They will receive $10,000 from the department and Boettcher Foundation and serve as a Colorado teaching ambassador, whose duties include acting as spokesperson for teachers and participating in education policy discussions. They are also eligible for the National Teacher of the Year program.

Social studies teacher Stephen Paulson was Colorado’s 2026 teacher of the year. He was the first-ever winner from the Greeley-Evans school district.

This year’s finalists are:

Alex Adkisson, math, construction trades, and business teacher, Green Mountain High School, Jeffco Public Schools

Alex Adkisson teaches at Green Mountain High School.

“Alex Adkisson embodies what an exceptional educator can be — innovative, student-centered, and committed to creating meaningful opportunities for all to succeed,” said Rob Stein, interim Jeffco superintendent. “Through hands-on and minds-on learning, he helps students find relevance in their education, discover their strengths, and envision a future for themselves that they might not have thought possible.”

Shandra Botello, language arts and AVID, Merrill Middle School, Denver Public Schools

Shandra Botello teaches at Merrill Middle School.

“Shandra Botello represents the very best of Denver Public Schools and what it means to be an educator,” said Denver Superintendent Alex Marrero. “As a language arts and AVID teacher at Merrill Middle School, she doesn’t just teach foundational literacy and critical thinking skills; she builds the habits, confidence, and determination students need to navigate college and future career paths.”

Melissa Corwin, dual language humanities teacher at Summit High School, Summit School District

Melissa Corwin teaches at Summit High School.

“Melissa creates the kind of classroom every student deserves, a place where students know they belong, are challenged to think deeply, and are supported to achieve at the highest level,” said Summit Superintendent Tony Byrd. “Her impact reaches far beyond her classroom as she elevates those around her and keeps what is best for students at the center of every conversation.”

Jason Cochrane, science and cybersecurity teacher, Mountain Vista High School, Douglas County School District.

Jason Cochrane teaches at Mountain Vista High School.

“This well-deserved honor recognizes a phenomenal educator whose curiosity for science and technology empowers students to explore new horizons,” said Erin Kane, Douglas County School District’s superintendent. “We are so fortunate to have such a high-caliber educator as part of the Mountain Vista High School and Douglas County School District family.”

Arjun Sahdev, fifth grade teacher, Minnequa Elementary School, Pueblo School District 60.

Arjun Sahdev teaches at Minnequa Elementary School.

“Mr. Sahdev’s selection as a finalist for this honor serves as a testament to his passion for our learners and their success, to his professional expertise, and to his willingness to continue to develop his reflective practice as a teacher,” said Barbara Kimzey, Pueblo 60’s superintendent. “His deep commitment to using his expertise, talents, and creativity to support our young learners inspires not only his students, but also his colleagues, and our entire Pueblo community.”

Jessie Russett, sixth grade English language arts teacher, Trinidad Middle School, Trinidad School District.

Jessie Russett teaches at Trinidad Middle School.

“Ms. Russett is a breath of fresh air,” said Olivia Bachicha, Trinidad’s superintendent. “Her dedication to our students and our community is evident in everything that she does. She is a true leader of learning for our students and ESL community.”

Viviana Martínez, Spanish and world language teacher, Vista PEAK Preparatory High School, Aurora Public Schools.

Viviana Martínez teaches at Vista PEAK Preparatory High School.

“The true measure of a teacher’s success is in the inclusive culture they create in their classroom and the indelible impact they leave long after a student walks out of their school doors,” said Aurora Superintendent Michael Giles Jr. “Mrs. Martínez is an expert at both and we are honored to call her an Aurora Public Schools teacher.”

Merci Ames, science teacher, Strasburg High School, Strasburg School District 31J.

Merci Ames teaches at Strasburg High School.

“Ames is an exceptional educator whose compassion, integrity, and selfless service make every student feel seen, valued, and supported,” said Strasburg Superintendent Kelle Bongard. “She brings warmth, demand, purpose, and unwavering dedication to her classroom and the entire school community, leading through the small, often unseen acts that change lives. Mrs. Ames stands out because she consistently does the right thing, the right way, and gives of herself without expectation, and all for the benefit of her students.”

IPS to stop using Enroll Indy, drawing criticism from charter school leaders

2026-09-11T21:24:55+00:00

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Indianapolis Public Schools is leaving Enroll Indy, upending the one-stop school enrollment website shared by IPS and most charter schools in the city.

The district is moving its “application, lottery, and registration into PowerSchool — an existing platform our parents already know and use,” IPS Superintendent Aleesia Johnson said in a Friday statement, in which she also said the move would save money for the district. But other education leaders quickly criticized the move, and some said it might run afoul of state law.

Families use Enroll Indy to enroll in the vast majority of both IPS and charter schools within Center Township. Enroll Indy, a nonprofit, launched about a decade ago and aims to streamline the enrollment process with a common application, information about each school, and enrollment specialists to help families. The district’s decision means families will no longer have one place to both review and enroll in district and charter schools.

The change will take effect for the 2027-28 application cycle and applies to schools directly managed by IPS, as well as Innovation Network schools that aren’t charters, according to IPS spokesman Marc Ransford. (Innovation Network schools are part of the district but independently operated, and many of them are charters.)

The lottery for the 2027-28 school year opens Nov. 5. Ransford said the district planned to send a message to families about the change on Friday evening. He also said the district’s contract with Enroll Indy ended in June.

The IPS decision comes as a new board appointed by Mayor Joe Hogsett, the Indianapolis Public Education Corporation, takes over key responsibilities for IPS and charter schools from school boards — including the elected IPS board — in an effort to share resources more efficiently between schools. The vast majority of IPEC board members have charter school ties.

In a Friday statement, Enroll Indy’s board, which is made up of IPS and charter representatives, expressed disappointment that IPS is ending its relationship with Enroll Indy after working collaboratively “to build a coherent system, regardless of school type.”

“While this decision creates confusion and instability during a major transition for education in our city, we remain focused on our charge: to give families more efficient, equitable access to enrollment at the city’s highest-quality schools,” the Enroll Indy board said.

Charter leaders at the Indiana Charter Innovation Center, a statewide group, and The Mind Trust, an influential Indianapolis charter incubator, also criticized the move and called on IPS to reverse it.

“IPS’ decision will take us back to the days of a disjointed, difficult to navigate system that can easily be gamed,” said Brandon Brown, CEO of The Mind Trust, in a Friday statement.

The Mind Trust helped launch Enroll Indy and has supported it, giving the nonprofit $575,000 in 2025, per tax forms.

However, Johnson said the district’s priority was “making the enrollment process as simple as possible for IPS families.”

“We’re creating a one-stop experience that allows our team to directly support families at every step of the enrollment process,” she said.

Johnson also said the move “allows IPS to redirect cost-savings back into our classrooms.” According to IPS documents, the district paid up to $21,730 a month to Enroll Indy from September 2022 to June 2023.

Ransford added that the change will save more than $300,000 in annual software/service costs in the first year.

The district expects to make $20 million in budget cuts, and even more if voters reject a tax measure on the ballot this November.

In addition, the Indiana Charter Innovation Center and Brown at The Mind Trust argued that IPS lacks the power to leave Enroll Indy because power over enrollment management lies with IPEC. The state law that established IPEC says the organization has the power to “manage a unified enrollment system applicable to all participating school students.”

Ransford said in an email that “state law does not prohibit IPS from using a different enrollment platform at this time” but didn’t elaborate as to why.

IPEC didn’t respond to questions about the district’s legal authority to leave Enroll Indy.

Shaina Cavazos, director of the Office of Education Innovation in the mayor’s office, wrote in a Friday email to charter school leaders that all OEI schools must keep using Enroll Indy.

Chalkbeat Indiana reporter Aleksandra Appleton contributed to this article.

MJ Slaby oversees Chalkbeat Indiana’s coverage as bureau chief. Contact MJ at mslaby@chalkbeat.org.

Your guide to 2026 school board elections in Marion County

2026-09-11T11:15:12+00:00

Sign up for Chalkbeat Indiana’s free daily newsletter to keep up with Indianapolis Public Schools, Marion County’s township districts, and statewide education news.

This article was co-published by Chalkbeat Indiana, Mirror Indy and WFYI as part of a collaboration ahead of the 2026 school board elections.

Update, Sept 11: This guide was updated to reflect that Lindsey Cornett is now on the ballot for IPS school board and not a write-in candidate.

This November, more than 50 candidates are on ballots across Marion County for 31 seats on 10 district school boards. And it’s the first time that school board candidates can opt to include a party affiliation on the ballot.

Winning candidates will start their terms in January 2027.

As school board members, they will set and enforce policies for students and staff, approve budgets, and set goals. One of the biggest roles of a school board is to hire and oversee a superintendent. Board members vote on decisions collectively, and individual members can’t make decisions for the district on their own.

School board members can be paid a stipend that is up to 10% of the lowest starting salary of a district teacher.

In Marion County, the number of members per school board varies, as does whether they are at-large or represent a specific area of their school district. School boards in the county are elected, except for Speedway Schools, where the school board is appointed by the town board.

How can I learn more about school board candidates in Marion County?

Chalkbeat Indiana, Mirror Indy, and WFYI partnered to send candidate surveys and publish voter guides on each Marion County school board election. Read each guide:

Additionally, Chalkbeat Indiana and WFYI are co-hosting an IPS school board candidates forum at 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 19, at the Indianapolis Public Library, Central Branch. RSVP and submit questions here.

How many school board candidates picked a political party?

In the first year for partisan school board candidates, more than half the candidates in Marion County picked a party. Twenty-one are Democrats, eight are Republicans, and seven are Independents. Twenty candidates didn’t select a party. Marion County bucks statewide trends for party affiliation; the vast majority of Indiana’s partisan school board candidates are Republicans.

Most of the school board members whose terms are ending are running for reelection, and nearly half of all the school board candidates in the county are incumbents.

In six districts — IPS and Decatur, Franklin, Pike, Warren, and Wayne township schools — all the eligible incumbents are running again. Washington Township schools is the only district where no current board members are on the ballot.

Additionally, most candidates are facing at least one opponent, and in three races, there are four candidates running for a single seat. Two of those elections are for IPS school board and one is for Franklin Township schools.

The district with the most candidates overall is IPS, with 15 candidates for five seats. Next is Decatur Township with eight candidates for three seats.

In four districts — Beech Grove as well as Perry, Washington and Wayne township schools — all the candidates are unopposed.

How can I vote in school board elections?

School board elections are not included in straight-ticket voting. Even though school board candidates can now include a party affiliation, candidates of the same party can run against each other.

Voter registration is underway and ends on Oct. 5. Marion County residents can check their voter status and register to vote here.

Early voting begins on Oct. 6 at the Indianapolis City-County Building at 200 E. Washington St. Additional early voting sites open on Oct. 24.

On Election Day on Nov. 3, Marion County residents can vote at any of the county’s voting centers, which can be found online. Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

MJ Slaby oversees Chalkbeat Indiana’s coverage as bureau chief. Contact MJ at mslaby@chalkbeat.org.

Tennessee kids could see major Meta settlement windfall. How will it be spent?

2026-09-11T11:00:01+00:00

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Tennessee state lawmakers next year will have access to an unprecedented pot of money earmarked for child mental health support, but it’s not yet clear where the funds will go and whether school programs will directly benefit.

Lawmakers in January will get to decide when and where to spend tens of millions of dollars from a landmark settlement with Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta, after Tennessee and 46 other states sued over psychological damage caused to kids by social media addiction.

In August, Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti announced a nearly $752 million payout from the lawsuit that will go to the Children’s Digital Protection Fund, set up by lawmakers this year to handle potential settlement funds.

“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity,” said Tennessee Rep. Gary Hicks, who sponsored the legislation to launch the protection fund. Hicks is also the director of technology at Rogersville City Schools, where he says he sees the daily impact of student mental health concerns.

The amount of money that will actually flow to the protection fund will be less than $752 million, though.

Tennessee is guaranteed a payout of nearly $517 million, slated to be spread over 10 years in annual installments of $51.7 million. The first installment payment is expected this fall.

The state is eligible for an additional $222.7 million under a contingency agreement in the settlement, in which Meta will pay more if tech competitors like Snapchat and TikTok also settle and agree to new industry-wide social media guardrails like daily usage limits and nighttime blocks for teenagers. But that money is not guaranteed.

The attorney general’s office can use some of the settlement to fund its legal costs, so Skrmetti ultimately gets to decide how much actually goes into the Children’s Digital Protection Fund. Skrmetti’s office has not responded to questions about how much that will be. Tennessee is also getting an additional $12.5 million settlement that Skrmetti will have direct control over.

Lawmakers have guardrails on how the money must be spent. But the limits are broad, spanning mental health supports and treatments for minors to law enforcement resources, in addition to social media education and research.

Hicks said some money could go to school-based programs like advanced filtering technology for schools or threat assessment programs.

“I want us to be intentional in what we’re doing. I don’t want to measure success and get caught up in how quickly we spend it,” Hicks said. “I want to be able to measure that in 10 years we’ve made a difference in how kids are harmed by technology.”

The often chaotic budget process in the Tennessee General Assembly could lead to competing priorities for the settlement money.

J.C. Bowman, executive director of Professional Educators of Tennessee, said “every dollar should be transparent, measurable, and connected to students” in things like mental health supports, responsible technology use education, and safe after-school opportunities.

“Tennessee’s Meta settlement should not become a legislative Christmas tree filled with unrelated projects,” Bowman said. “This money exists because children were allegedly harmed. It should follow those children into their schools and communities.”

Lawmakers may also look back at a similarly focused fund as a cautionary tale for spending the Meta money. In 2021, Gov. Bill Lee earmarked $225 million for a new trust fund aimed at supporting K-12 mental health initiatives. Critics of the fund said tying the money up in investments was a mistake instead of using the money to quickly hire more counselors, social workers, psychologists, and nurses at schools.

And the state has been slow to spend the proceeds from the investment, waiting until fiscal year 2024 to begin spending $6 million annually on a school-based mental health liaison program. The state increased spending to $10 million this year, and lawmakers could choose to direct some Meta settlement money to the K-12 trust fund.

“One thing we’ve learned – I hope we’ve learned – is just creating an endowment fund is not enough,” Hicks said. “It has to have structure to how we get the money out to the schools, and out to the kiddos.”

Melissa Brown is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Contact Melissa at mbrown@chalkbeat.org.

Perry Township school board voter guide 2026: Meet the 3 candidates

2026-09-11T11:00:00+00:00

Sign up for Chalkbeat Indiana’s free daily newsletter to keep up with Indianapolis Public Schools, Marion County’s township districts, and statewide education news.

This article was co-published by Chalkbeat Indiana, Mirror Indy and WFYI as part of a collaboration ahead of the 2026 school board elections.

Three of seven school board seats are up for election this November at Metropolitan School District of Perry Township, a district of around 16,000 students located on the south side of Indianapolis.

Just three candidates are running for those open seats. Incumbents Lee Shively and Chris Lewis are running for re-election, while newcomer Brianna Bible is running for a seat currently held by Hre Mang, who is not seeking re-election.

In the last election in 2024, there were just two candidates running for four seats, in addition to one write-in candidate. One incumbent held his seat as outlined by Indiana law when there aren’t enough candidates.

Over the last two years, Perry students have improved their proficiency on the IREAD, the state third grade reading test. The district also has recently been recognized for its work on English instruction for English language learner students, who represent nearly one-third of the student population.

The next Perry board will oversee the construction of a new, grant-funded building on the University of Indianapolis campus to provide more career education opportunities for district students.

The district passed a $154 million operating referendum in 2022.

Who votes and how to vote

Perry’s school board is made up of at-large seats, meaning all voters can vote for any candidate. Each Perry board member is elected to a 4-year term.

Early voting begins Oct. 24 and runs through Nov. 1 at the Perry Township Government Center, 4925 Shelby St. #400, Indianapolis. Additionally, early voting is available at the Indianapolis City-County building, 200 E. Washington St., Indianapolis, from Oct. 6 to Nov. 2.

Voter registration information can be found at the Secretary of State’s website. Voters must register by Oct. 5 to vote Nov. 3.

Marion County voters can find their polling place here.

Meet the candidates

Shively, Bible, and Lewis each filled out our referendum guide questionnaire. Their answers have been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Brianna Bible, at-large candidate

Democrat Brianna Bible, 42, is a step-up housing navigator, working to secure housing for individuals leaving incarceration. She also founded Impact Her Behavioral and Mental Health Services, which supports girls and women with mental and physical health needs. She is a Perry parent and community member. Her campaign can be found on Facebook.

Perry Township school board candidate, Brianna Bible.

List your top 3 priorities if elected.

Strengthen student achievement through high-quality academics and individualized support.
Support the whole child by expanding access to mental health resources, counseling, and community partnerships.
Build trust through transparency and collaboration by engaging families, educators, students, and community stakeholders in meaningful dialogue.

What do you see as the most pressing issue currently facing the district? What will be your approach to addressing it?

One of the most pressing issues facing Perry Township is ensuring every student has the support they need to succeed both academically and personally. Many students face challenges outside the classroom, including mental health concerns, food insecurity, housing instability, and family hardships. These challenges directly impact learning.

My approach will be to use my expertise in community engagement and outreach to strengthen partnerships between our schools, families, community organizations, and local government so students have access to the resources they need. I also believe in listening to educators, using data to inform decisions, and ensuring district resources are directed where they can have the greatest impact.

What area of academics do you think the district needs to focus on and why?

I believe Perry Township should continue strengthening literacy and career readiness while ensuring students receive the individualized support they need to succeed.

Strong reading skills are the foundation for success in every subject. At the same time, students should graduate prepared for college, careers, military service, or skilled trades. Expanding career exploration, workforce partnerships, and real-world learning opportunities will help prepare every student for life after graduation.

Affordability and finances are top of mind for districts and voters. What will be your approach to district finances?

Taxpayer dollars should be managed responsibly, transparently, and strategically. My approach is to prioritize classroom instruction, student services, and teacher support while carefully evaluating spending decisions.

I also believe the district should actively pursue grants, partnerships, and other funding opportunities to maximize resources without placing unnecessary financial burdens on taxpayers.

How will you engage with the community if elected? What role will their feedback have in your decision making?

Community engagement is ongoing, not limited to election season. I plan to attend school events, hold listening sessions, communicate regularly through social media and community meetings, and remain accessible to families, staff, and students.

Feedback is essential. While school board members must make decisions that serve the entire district, those decisions should be informed by listening respectfully to diverse perspectives and considering what is in the best interest of all students.

What would you like to see the district do to attract and retain teachers and staff?

Teachers and staff deserve to feel valued, respected, and supported. I would like to see continued investment in competitive compensation, diversity, professional development, mentorship opportunities, wellness resources, and safe working environments.

Equally important is ensuring educators have a meaningful voice in district decisions. When teachers feel heard and supported, students benefit.

Lee Shively, at-large candidate

Independent Lee Shively, 42, is a teacher at Beech Grove schools, as well as an alum of Perry schools, parent to 4th-generation Perry students, and a current board member.

Perry Township school board candidate, Lee Shively.

List your top 3 priorities if elected.

1. Maintain competitive compensation levels.

2. Develop K-12 articulation for innovation and entrepreneurship.

3. Maintain fiscal responsibility that provides ample opportunities to our students while also respecting the budgets of Perry Township taxpayers.

What do you see as the most pressing issue currently facing the district? What will be your approach to addressing it?

Even though Perry Township has maintained a fiscally responsible outlook since I first joined the board (fall 2019), the passage of SB 1 last year has made school funding, at best, complicated for both Perry Township and every public school system across the state of Indiana. In order to continue to offer the best possible education to Perry Township students, we need to maintain competitive compensation levels to maintain and attract talented educators. I have every confidence in the people who create, monitor and maintain our budget but will be sure to regularly attend Finance Committee Meetings and check in to see the extent to which the aforementioned goal is realistic to maintain.

What area of academics do you think the district needs to focus on and why?

I look forward to building a robust program as part of our recently announced partnership with UIndy to build an Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program (thanks to generous support from the Lilly Endowment). Even though that is a high school specific program, I know innovation and entrepreneurship is not something that starts when students show up at PMHS/SHS and will want to see how we can make those priorities a K-12 focus. Knowing the world into which our students are graduating, innovation and entrepreneurship are probably the two most important skills we can develop in our students from the earliest age possible.

Affordability and finances are top of mind for districts and voters. What will be your approach to district finances?

As mentioned, I have every confidence in the people who create, monitor and maintain our budget but will continue my commitment to attend Finance Committee Meetings to ensure we’re walking the walk of fiscal responsibility.

How will you engage with the community if elected? What role will their feedback have in your decision making?

This shouldn’t be terribly difficult in my mind since, as a parent, I am regularly attending and/or volunteering at many school related activities. While I welcome interactions with community members in those scenarios I would also continue to ask all stakeholders (students and staff) to feel welcome to attend a school board meeting and make public comment. As I often share with people who brave the podium at a meeting, we can’t help make change on issues or concerns we don’t know about!

What would you like to see the district do to attract and retain teachers and staff?

See above answer related to compensation.

Chris Lewis, at-large candidate

Republican Chris Lewis, 49, is a Perry parent and current board member. He is an analyst at the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission. His campaign can be found on Facebook.

Perry Township school board candidate, Chris Lewis.

List your top 3 priorities if elected.

Student achievement
School funding and teacher salaries
Updating and maintaining facilities.

What do you see as the most pressing issue currently facing the district? What will be your approach to addressing it?

I believe the most pressing issue facing the district in the near future will be school funding. My approach will be to ensure the funding available is being prudently spent for the needs versus the wants the district is requesting.

What area of academics do you think the district needs to focus on and why?

I trust district leaders, principals, and teachers are constantly collecting data to identify and address student needs.

Affordability and finances are top of mind for districts and voters. What will be your approach to district finances?

With the passing of SEA 1 in 2025, schools are going to have to do more with less. It will be important that available funding is going towards items that are going to make teachers and students successful.

How will you engage with the community if elected? What role will their feedback have in your decision making?

I believe the best way to engage with the community is to attend community events. I love talking to community members and listening to their concerns and suggestions for making Perry Township schools better.

What would you like to see the district do to attract and retain teachers and staff?

As a member of the board, I would like to help and work with administrators to find ways to provide teachers with the tools and resources necessary to educate our diverse population and help see to it that Perry Township Schools continue to offer competitive salaries for teachers.

Aleksandra Appleton covers Indiana education policy and writes about K-12 schools across the state. Contact her at aappleton@chalkbeat.org.

Voter guide 2026: Here’s who’s running for school board in Wayne Township

2026-09-11T11:00:00+00:00

Sign up for Chalkbeat Indiana’s free daily newsletter to keep up with Indianapolis Public Schools, Marion County’s township districts, and statewide education news.

This article was co-published by Chalkbeat Indiana, Mirror Indy, and WFYI as part of a collaboration ahead of the 2026 school board elections.

Four school board members are running uncontested this year to keep their seats in Wayne Township. The district of about 15,700 students sits on Indianapolis’ west side.

This year, Wayne Township administrators are pursuing a tax referendum that would replace the district’s existing one with a new, slightly higher rate. Candidates reached by Mirror Indy say they support the referendum, which will be used to recruit and retain teachers and support school security.

Candidates elected this year will take their seats in January and serve four-year terms ending in December 2030.

4 board members running to keep seats

Four incumbents are running to keep their seats. Brandon Bowman, Mikeal Gordon, and Raimeka Graham are seeking reelection as Democrats. Benjamin Wakefield did not declare a party affiliation.

This is the first year candidates in Indiana could declare a party affiliation when filing to run for a school board seat.

All four positions on the ballot this fall are at-large seats. That means Wayne Township residents can choose candidates for all the school board openings regardless of where they live within the district.

Election Day is Nov. 3. In-person early voting begins Oct. 6 at the City-County Building, 200 E. Washington St. Additional early voting centers open across the city Oct. 24.

You must be registered to vote by Oct. 5. You can check your voter registration status and find the polling location closest to you by visiting indianavoters.in.gov.

Brandon Bowman, At-large

Brandon Bowman is running as a Democrat.

He is currently president of the Wayne Township school board. He was first elected to the board in 2014 and is seeking his fourth term.

Mirror Indy attempted to reach every candidate in this district. Bowman did not respond to multiple emailed requests to complete the candidate survey.

Mikeal Gordon, At-large

Mikeal Gordon, 55, is running as a Democrat.

He was appointed to the board in December to fill a vacancy left open following the death of longtime member Mike Nance.

Gordon is a purchasing manager with the sheet metal fabrication company Newjac Industrial, based in Lebanon, Indiana. His wife, MiChelle, is the secretary of McClelland Elementary School.

The couple has seven children, including a daughter who graduated from the district’s THRIVE Program for students with cognitive and developmental needs.

Gordon ran unsuccessfully for school board in 2020. He told Mirror Indy last year that he opted not to run again in 2022 or 2024 out of respect for current members of the board.

He is an active volunteer in Wayne Township schools and works as a Santa for public and private events.

Gordon answered questions about his vision for the Wayne Township school board in a short candidate survey. Responses have been lightly edited for grammatical purposes.

Wayne school district candidate, Mikeal Gordon.

List your top three priorities, if elected.

Fiscal responsibility, teacher retention and student test scores.

What do you see as the most pressing issue currently facing the district? What will be your approach to addressing it?

Fiscal issues. We are starting with the referendum this fall on the ballot. The legislature has made it tough on schools. So, finding ways to cut back without hurting our students will be key whether the ballot question passes or not.

What area of academics do you think the district needs to focus on and why?

I would love to see the district continue to focus on the whole student. Continue to be strong in the basics with math, English, history and science as well as the arts. Teaching each student holistically where they are at.

Affordability and finances are top of mind for districts and voters. What will be your approach to district finances?

Find a way to use what we have been entrusted with from our voters. Being newer on the school board this year, I still admittedly have a lot to learn on the finance side, but I believe that is the key to keeping this district strong in the coming years.

How will you engage with the community, if elected? What role will their feedback have in your decision-making?

This is my strong suit. I love being out in the community and volunteering, whether that be at schools during their events, during local community events, or even just being social walking through the store. With my beard, I am easily recognizable and hope everyone stops to say hi and have a conversation as long as it is appropriate.

Do you support the district’s effort to pursue a continuation of its operating referendum at a rate not to exceed 70 cents? Why or why not?

Absolutely. With SEA 1, many schools in this state have been put into a very difficult situation. I think it is prudent to get back on the right track and show that we can do so responsibly. If we were the only district looking to get a referendum passed, it would be easy to say we are not doing that, but I think two things show differently. First, there are over 30 school districts seeking to pass a ballot measure and many more that will struggle with the decision in the next few years. Second, when we allowed the 2015 referendum to expire without seeking another one, we showed that we were only going to take what we truly needed to run this district because that was our commitment to our voters. If this ballot measure passes, the 2019 referendum will be zeroed out and we will once again just have the single referendum. We understand that strong schools are important for a vibrant community. Wayne Township is not a community with massive businesses to help carry it. As a school district, Wayne Township must be a strong presence with our community, our families, our educators and staff, and our students. This is how we continue in that way.

Raimeka Graham, At-large

Raimeka Graham is running as a Democrat.

She is principal of Deer Run Elementary School in Pike Township and is a past president of the Wayne Township school board. She was appointed to the Wayne Township board in 2020.

Mirror Indy attempted to reach every candidate in this district. Graham did not respond to multiple requests to complete the candidate survey.

Benjamin Wakefield, At-large

Benjamin Wakefield, 42, is running with no party affiliation.

He is the lead pastor of Lynhurst Baptist Church and a past president of the Wayne Township school board. He was first elected to the board in 2018 and is seeking his third term.

Wakefield has three children attending Wayne Township schools.

Wakefield answered questions about his vision for the Wayne Township school board in a short candidate survey. Responses have been lightly edited for grammatical purposes.

List your top three priorities, if elected.

Strong schools: Ensure every school has the resources needed to provide an excellent education. Supported teachers: Give teachers the tools, support and respect they need to help students thrive. Successful students: Help every student discover their strengths and graduate prepared for the future.

Wayne school board candidate, Benjamin Wakefield.

What do you see as the most pressing issue currently facing the district? What will be your approach to addressing it?

The most pressing issue is meeting the diverse needs of our students while ensuring every school has the opportunity to thrive. My approach is to listen first, collaborate with educators and families, make data-informed decisions, and keep students at the center of every decision.

What area of academics do you think the district needs to focus on and why?

I believe our district is already doing many things well. My focus is helping students become lifelong learners by strengthening critical thinking, technology, and career readiness while continuing to value the arts, skilled trades, and the well-rounded education that prepares students for life.

Affordability and finances are top of mind for districts and voters. What will be your approach to district finances?

I recognize that costs are rising for families and for our schools. We must be good stewards of taxpayer dollars, balancing resources wisely while ensuring students have what they need to succeed. Great schools carefully manage every dollar and advocate for the investments that make a lasting difference for students.

How will you engage with the community, if elected? What role will their feedback have in your decision-making?

I believe the best decisions are made by listening first. I’ll seek input from students, families, educators, staff and our community, because every perspective matters. Their feedback will be an important part of my decision making, along with data and a commitment to always put students first.

Do you support the district’s effort to pursue a continuation of its operating referendum at a rate not to exceed 70 cents? Why or why not?

Yes. I support continuing the operating referendum because our students deserve well-funded schools. At the same time, I recognize the financial pressures facing families, so we must be transparent, accountable, and thoughtful stewards of every taxpayer dollar while ensuring our schools have the resources they need to succeed.

Mirror Indy reporter Carley Lanich covers early childhood and K-12 education. Contact her at carley.lanich@mirrorindy.org or follow her on X @carleylanich.

Voter guide 2026: Franklin Township school board race has 7 candidates for 3 seats

2026-09-11T11:00:00+00:00

Sign up for Chalkbeat Indiana’s free daily newsletter to keep up with Indianapolis Public Schools, Marion County’s township districts, and statewide education news.

This article was co-published by Chalkbeat Indiana, Mirror Indy, and WFYI as part of a collaboration ahead of the 2026 school board elections.

Seven candidates are running for three seats on the Franklin Township Community School Corporation board in the November election. The most competitive race is the at-large seat in which the incumbent faces three competitors.

Enrollment in the southeast Marion County district grew by 48% in the past 20 years. Today, nearly half of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch because of their family income. Of all students enrolled, half are white, about 20% are Asian, and 14% are Black.

The district recently received two major philanthropic investments for academic programs. Last year, the Lilly Endowment gave $29.5 million for the district to build a 38,617-square-foot health sciences facility to teach students in pre-nursing, emergency medical services, and other areas related to biomedical sciences. In 2024, it received a $1.5 million grant from the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation toward increasing college enrollment.

Candidates elected this year will be sworn in as board members in January and will serve four-year terms ending in December 2030. School board members oversee district policies, goal setting, and budgeting. They also hire and oversee the superintendent.

7 candidates running in 3 races

Franklin Township’s five-member board includes one at-large seat and four seats tied to geographic quadrants of the township. This year, three seats are on the ballot: the at-large seat and the northeast and southeast quadrant seats. The northwest and southwest quadrant seats are up for election in 2028.

Franklin Township voters can cast a ballot in all three races, regardless of where in the district they live. Board members elected to quadrant seats represent their specific areas of the township, while the at-large member represents the entire district.

This is the first year Indiana school board candidates could declare a party affiliation when filing to run. The opportunity led to one of the more diverse groups of candidate affiliations in Marion County: three Republicans, one Democrat, one independent, and two candidates not declaring a party.

Zachary Smith Howard, the board’s current president, is running unopposed for reelection in the northeast quadrant seat.

Southeast quadrant incumbent Larry Walker faces a challenge from Matt Morgan.

The at-large race attracted three challengers against incumbent Dawn Downer, who is seeking reelection: Komal Chohan, Antonio Key Sr., and Tim McVey.

Election Day is Nov. 3. Early voting opens Oct. 6 at the City-County Building, 200 E. Washington St., with additional sites opening across the city Oct. 24. Residents must be registered by Oct. 5; voters can confirm their registration and find their polling location at indianavoters.in.gov.

Candidates answered questions in a short candidate survey. Responses have been lightly edited for grammatical purposes.

Komal (Komal Kaur) Chohan, At-large

Chohan, 31, is running as an independent. She is a mental health therapist at Salam Therapy and mental health hub director at Umeed-Hope. Chohan holds a master’s degree in social work and graduated from Franklin Central High School. She said seven of her cousins graduated from the district between 2009 and 2013, and younger relatives are now enrolled in the district.

You can learn more about Chohan at her campaign’s Facebook page.

Franklin Township school board candidate, Komal Chohan.

List your top three priorities, if elected.

If elected, my top three priorities are: first, expanding on-site mental health and early intervention supports so students get help before reaching a crisis point. Second, driving fiscal transparency through resource audits that keep funding centered on classroom tools and competitive educator pay. Third, restoring true community collaboration by giving parents, teachers, and township residents a meaningful voice in district decisions.

What do you see as the most pressing issue currently facing the district? What will be your approach to addressing it?

The most pressing issue facing Franklin Township is that as our community grows, the complex needs of our students are outpacing our current support systems. When you have worked on the frontlines of our schools, you see firsthand that you cannot separate academic success from emotional well-being. To address this, my approach centers on three practical strategies. First, we must expand our on-site mental health infrastructure and early interventions so students get support before they are in crisis. Second, we need rigorous budget transparency by auditing our expenditures to ensure resources are actually reaching the classrooms and the frontline staff who support our kids every day. Finally, we must build true partnerships with parents, local organizations, and businesses, moving beyond just giving district updates to actually solving problems together. By anchoring our decisions in fiscal accountability and whole-child support, we can build a resilient school system for every family.

What area of academics do you think the district needs to focus on and why?

The district needs to expand our definition of academic success beyond a narrow culture of test-prep. While standardized tests and AP courses are vital pathways for many of our students, treating them as the only barometer of success creates a hollow metric that traps classrooms in memorization loops. We need to shift our academic focus toward real-world problem-solving and critical thinking. That means giving our educators the instructional freedom to teach students how to think, not just what to think. By prioritizing genuine capability alongside traditional metrics, whether a student’s next step is a university, a trades apprenticeship, or a career, we ensure they graduate not just with a test score, but with the practical resilience to navigate whatever future they choose.

Affordability and finances are top of mind for districts and voters. What will be your approach to district finances?

My approach to district finances is rooted in absolute transparency, fiscal responsibility, and equity-driven resource allocation. Taxpayers and families deserve to know precisely how their dollars are utilized and whether those investments directly impact student success. To achieve this, my financial strategy focuses on three core pillars: conducting rigorous, open-book audits to eliminate administrative bloat and direct resources to schools based on actual need, actively pursuing state and federal grants alongside smart community partnerships to stretch our budget further, and prioritizing direct classroom impact by protecting frontline educators, keeping class sizes manageable, and investing in sustainable long-term tools rather than short-term fixes. By filtering every budgetary decision through how it supports our students and educators, we can build a fiscally resilient district that honors both our taxpayers and our children.

Franklin Township received a $29.5 million grant from the Lilly Endowment to construct a Health Sciences Academy. While the grant covers the initial implementation and construction, how will you approach the long-term operational budgeting to ensure the academy remains fully funded without diverting resources from existing programs?

While the $29.5 million Lilly Endowment grant provides an incredible foundation for constructing the Health Sciences Academy, relying on one-time funding without a sustainable operational roadmap is a financial trap. We cannot build state-of-the-art facilities at the expense of our most valuable asset: our educators. My approach to long-term operational budgeting for the academy is built on strict fiscal accountability that protects existing classroom resources and educator compensation. First, we must bake recurring state funding streams, such as Career and Technical Education per-pupil weights, directly into the academy’s baseline model to offset ongoing costs. Second, we need to establish formal industry partnerships and equipment-sharing agreements with regional healthcare networks that benefit from this direct talent pipeline, helping subsidize specialized operational expenses. Finally, we must subject non-classroom expenditures to rigorous audits while treating educator compensation as a non-negotiable fixed line item. We cannot celebrate state-of-the-art facilities while failing to properly pay the educators actually running them.

Dawn Downer, At-large

Downer, 60, is the board’s at-large incumbent and did not declare a party affiliation. She is a project manager in early childhood education. Downer previously was state director of Indiana’s First Steps early intervention program and chief of staff for Indiana’s disability services agency. She is a graduate of Franklin Central High School and Purdue University, and the parent of a district graduate.

You can learn more about Downer at her campaign website.

Franklin Township school board candidate, Dawn Downer.

List your top three priorities, if elected.

1. Fiscal Responsibility: Maintain a balanced and sustainable budget while making thoughtful investments in student achievement, competitive and equitable staff compensation, and the resources our teachers and staff need to be successful. 2. Academic Growth: Continue improving student achievement by supporting effective curriculum, innovative learning opportunities, and pathways that prepare students for college, careers, and life after high school. This should be accomplished in partnership with teachers, staff, parents, and students, whose experience and expertise are essential to making these efforts successful. 3. Safety and Student Well-Being: Maintain safe, supportive learning environments for students and staff. This includes addressing physical safety concerns as well as behaviors that interfere with learning. Students and staff should feel safe, respected, and supported in our schools.

What do you see as the most pressing issue currently facing the district? What will be your approach to addressing it?

One of the most pressing issues facing FTCSC is maintaining financial stability while continuing to meet the growing needs of our students and staff. A strong school system depends on having the resources to attract and retain excellent teachers and staff, provide reasonable and supportive working environments, and give educators the tools they need to help students succeed.

As a board member, I would continue to support a balanced and sustainable budget while looking for opportunities to maximize existing resources, pursue outside funding and partnerships, and advocate at the state level for fair and equitable school funding.

Fiscal responsibility and support for our employees should not be viewed as competing priorities. We need to make thoughtful decisions about where resources can have the greatest impact, including competitive and equitable compensation, appropriate staffing, manageable classroom environments, and the resources necessary for teachers and staff to do their jobs effectively. The district must remain proactive rather than waiting for financial challenges to force difficult decisions.

What area of academics do you think the district needs to focus on and why?

FTCSC has a broad range of academic opportunities, and I believe we should continue strengthening both foundational academics and pathways that prepare students for their futures. At the elementary level, continued emphasis on reading literacy is particularly important. Like many districts across the country, FTCSC experienced declines in reading achievement in recent years. The district responded by fully implementing a new reading curriculum, and we are seeing encouraging improvements in student achievement. We need to continue monitoring the data and supporting our teachers and staff to ensure those gains are sustained and expanded.

At the secondary level, I support continuing to expand Career and Technical Education, Health Sciences, dual-credit, advanced coursework, and other pathways that allow students to graduate prepared for college, careers, Armed Services, work or additional training. This achievement should be both on campus, as well as an increased collaboration through our partnership with Central Nine Career Center. Our goal should be to ensure that every student has a pathway to success after graduation, not just one definition of success. None of this can happen without our teachers and staff. They are the professionals working directly with students every day, and their experience and input should be part of decisions about curriculum, instructional practices, classroom needs, and student support.

Affordability and finances are top of mind for districts and voters. What will be your approach to district finances?

FTCSC has demonstrated a strong commitment to financial responsibility and has maintained a balanced budget for more than a decade, despite significant changes and reductions in state funding. Going forward, I believe we must continue to live within our means while prioritizing investments that directly support our strategic goals and student outcomes. That means carefully evaluating programs and expenditures, maximizing available revenue, and making sure taxpayer dollars are producing the greatest possible benefit for students and families. At the same time, responsible budgeting must include our teachers and staff. Competitive and equitable compensation is important to retaining experienced educators and attracting the high-quality employees our students deserve. We also need to consider staffing levels, classroom sizes and workloads, professional development, and the resources employees need to do their jobs effectively.

I support pursuing additional funding opportunities and partnerships, maximizing the value of existing tax resources while remaining within Indiana’s property tax limitations, and continuing to explore innovative opportunities such as expanded online learning. Growing and strengthening programs that meet the needs of more students can also help keep students within FTCSC while strengthening the district’s financial position. Financial responsibility does not simply mean spending less. It means making thoughtful choices about where resources can have the greatest impact, including investments in students and the people who educate and support them, while protecting the quality of education our community values.

The Health Sciences Academy is viewed as a long-term investment in our students and community, not simply as a grant-funded project. The ongoing academic and operational costs associated with the program are incorporated into the district’s long-term financial planning and annual budgeting process. I support closely monitoring enrollment, staffing, operating costs, and student outcomes to ensure the program remains financially sustainable and delivers the intended educational benefits. This includes ensuring that the academy has the appropriate staffing and resources to provide a high-quality program without creating unreasonable demands on teachers and staff.

We should also maximize opportunities to leverage Career and Technical Education funding and develop partnerships with health-care providers, higher education institutions, and other community organizations. As the program develops, there may also be opportunities to serve students from outside the district when capacity allows, creating additional revenue while expanding access to the program. Most importantly, the academy’s long-term success should not come at the expense of existing programs, students, or staff. The board’s responsibility will be to evaluate the academy as part of the district’s overall budget and ensure that it remains sustainable alongside the educational needs of all FTCSC students and the staffing and resources necessary to serve them well.

Antonio Key Sr., At-large

Key, 48, filed to run as a Democrat. He is CEO and owner of Pacers Behavioral Services LLC, and works as a mental healthcare professional and psychology professor. Key holds a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University and a master’s degree in community psychology from Martin University. He is the parent of two Franklin Township students — a son in eighth grade and a senior daughter.

You can learn more about Key at his campaign’s Facebook page.

Franklin Township school board candidate, Antonio Key.

List your top three priorities, if elected.

1. Student Achievement and Opportunity — Strengthen academic outcomes while expanding college, career, trade, dual-credit and workforce pathways so every student graduates prepared for their next step. 2. Student Mental Health, Safety and Support — Invest in early intervention, behavioral and mental-health resources, and strong school environments where students feel safe, supported and ready to learn. 3. Fiscal Responsibility and Transparency — Protect classroom resources, support and retain quality educators, pursue outside funding and partnerships, and ensure taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly and transparently.

What do you see as the most pressing issue currently facing the district? What will be your approach to addressing it?

I believe one of the most pressing issues facing our district is making sure every student has a real opportunity to succeed, regardless of where they start. Academic achievement matters, but we also have to address the barriers that keep students from reaching their potential — mental health, attendance, behavior, family challenges, and whether students truly feel connected to their school.

My approach would be to listen first — to teachers, parents, students and staff — and then use the data to identify where students are falling through the cracks. I believe in early intervention rather than waiting until a student is failing or in crisis. We must strengthen academic support, mental health resources, family engagement and accountability while giving our educators the tools they need to do their jobs. Every child may not start at the same place, but our responsibility is to make sure every child has a fair opportunity to reach the finish line.

What area of academics do you think the district needs to focus on and why?

I believe our academic focus should be on strong foundational skills while connecting education to real life. Reading, writing, math and critical thinking will always be essential, but students also need to understand how what they are learning connects to college, careers and adulthood. I want us to continue expanding career and technical education, dual-credit opportunities and partnerships with colleges and local employers while making sure students who are struggling with foundational skills receive intervention early. Success should not have only one definition. For one student it may be a four-year university. For another it may be a trade, certification, apprenticeship, military service or entrepreneurship. Our job is to make sure a Franklin Township diploma prepares students to have choices.

Affordability and finances are top of mind for districts and voters. What will be your approach to district finances?

My approach would be fiscal responsibility with the classroom as the priority. Every dollar belongs to the taxpayers, and the board has a responsibility to make sure those dollars produce the greatest possible benefit for students. Franklin Township also faces a unique funding challenge because approximately 85% of our property-tax base is residential, which limits local revenue compared with districts that have larger commercial and industrial tax bases. That means we have to be especially strategic with the resources we have. I would support transparent budgeting, regular review of expenditures, aggressive pursuit of grants and partnerships, and long-term financial planning rather than short-term fixes. At the same time, fiscal responsibility cannot simply mean cutting. We must protect effective classroom programs, retain quality educators and make investments that improve student outcomes. My standard would be simple: Is this necessary, is it sustainable, and does it benefit our students?

The $29.5 million Lilly Endowment grant is an incredible investment in our students, but responsible leadership means planning beyond the ribbon cutting. Before permanent operating expenses are absorbed into the district’s budget, I would want a clear multi-year sustainability plan showing the academy’s projected staffing, maintenance, equipment and program costs. I would also pursue a diversified funding model that includes healthcare partnerships, higher-education partnerships, additional grants, workforce-development opportunities and other outside funding sources wherever appropriate. Organizations that benefit from a strong pipeline of future nurses, technicians and healthcare professionals should have an opportunity to invest in developing that pipeline. Most importantly, I would not support building an outstanding new program by quietly taking resources away from successful programs our students already depend on. The Health Sciences Academy should expand opportunity in Franklin Township — not redistribute scarcity. We have been given an extraordinary opportunity. Our responsibility now is to make sure it remains an asset for students not just when it opens, but for generations.

Tim McVey, At-large

McVey, 46, is running as a Republican. He works in executive management and graduated from Franklin Central High School in 1998. McVey has two sons currently attending the district.

You can learn more about McVey at his campaign’s Facebook page.

List your top three priorities, if elected.

1. Student safety 2. Partnering with state and local elected officials to find better alternatives to funding our schools without raising property taxes. 3. To bridge the gap between the constituency and school administration by being a voice and resource for the community.

Franklin Township school board candidate, Tim Mcvey.

What do you see as the most pressing issue currently facing the district? What will be your approach to addressing it?

There is a large staffing shortage in our school system that impacts the quality of education for our students. While a referendum is not the answer, the school system is at a breaking point for being able to afford the influx of new students from the dense population in the township. Partnering with state and city officials to allocate more funding to our school district must be a priority.

What area of academics do you think the district needs to focus on and why?

I think it’s important to focus on practical “life skills” to prepare our children for the professional world. I think providing a wide array of options for areas of study, but we need to teach skills that are useful for life after high school.

Affordability and finances are top of mind for districts and voters. What will be your approach to district finances?

I plan to be a conduit between the community and state and city government to find ways to allocate more of their budgets to the local school systems.

I think it’s important to maintain a long term relationship with Eli Lilly by creating internship programs beyond high school to the mutual benefit of both Franklin Township and Eli Lilly. Just because Lilly makes an initial investment doesn’t mean they will discontinue investing if it’s beneficial to them.

Zachary Smith Howard, Northeast quadrant

Howard, 38, is the board’s current president and is running unopposed for reelection as a Republican. He is director of state relations for Indiana University. Howard has a bachelor’s degree in political science from Missouri State University and a master’s degree in public affairs from Indiana University Indianapolis. He does not have children.

You can learn more about Howard at his campaign’s Facebook page.

List your top three priorities if elected?

1. Ensuring FTCSC remains the Best CHOICE for Franklin Township children and families; 2. Putting students first and preparing them to succeed in our AI-driven world; 3. Recruiting and retaining quality educators.

Franklin Township school board candidate, Zachary Smith.

What do you see as the most pressing issue currently facing the district? What will be your approach to addressing it?

The most pressing issue facing FTCSC is maintaining excellence in student achievement and programmatic offerings due to the makeup of how school funding works in Indiana and the long-term effects of SEA 1-2025. Franklin Township is over 85% residential, meaning the mix of property tax funding received from the district is primarily from homeowners (1%), versus a larger rental (2%) and commercial (3%) mixes of other districts in Marion County. Maintaining and growing student enrollment is essential to the success of Franklin Township Schools, which is why having strong educators and quality facilities are crucial to sustaining student success in the township.

What area of academics do you think the district needs to focus on and why?

FTCSC needs to continue to focus on its Science of Reading implementation, with the goal of exceeding the district’s 90% IREAD passage rate. Franklin Township Schools are implementing the Indiana enVision Mathematics curriculum for grades 4-8 this academic year and hopes to see student achievement growth because of this change. Franklin Central High School has a 98.64% graduation rate, so maintaining pathways is essential for all FC graduates to continue to be successful in enrollment, enlistment and/or employment post-high school.

Affordability and finances are top of mind for districts and voters. What will be your approach to district finances?

Franklin Township Schools continues to navigate their finances with a balanced budget, while working to grow educator and staff salaries. Understanding school finance can feel overwhelming, but FTCSC is working to make it easier for the community to understand where school funding comes from and how it impacts students at tinyurl.com/flashesfinancials. Continuing to get more dollars to the classroom and the staff who make student achievement possible is reflected in all my 2026 campaign priorities.

The Franklin Central Health Sciences Pavilion is a game-changer for FC students and the Franklin Township community writ large, as it will offer students the ability to earn multiple health science stackable credentials while in high school. These credentials will lead to immediate employment in the healthcare field and can seamlessly allow for higher credentials with additional training post-high school. Offering these opportunities at Franklin Central allows students to have the full academic and extra-curricular experience without leaving the building and additional Career and Technical Education and performance funding from the State to sustain these programs.

Matt Morgan, Southeast quadrant

Morgan, 46, declared as a Republican. He owns and operates a handyman business based in Franklin Township. Morgan graduated high school in 1998 and attended two years of community college. He has two children in Franklin Township schools, a sophomore and a fourth grader.

You can learn more about Morgan at his campaign’s Facebook page.

List your top three priorities, if elected.

Finding additional revenue in lieu of funding cuts set to take effect after the recent legislative session. Addressing the current atmosphere of athletics and coaching within our High School. Fully supporting all front line and support staff as they’re the “fuel” that runs the proverbial engine.

Franklin Township school board candidate, Matt Morgan.

What do you see as the most pressing issue currently facing the district? What will be your approach to addressing it?

Like any other school district, funding and spending as wisely as possible to eliminate or significantly delay the need for a referendum.

What area of academics do you think the district needs to focus on and why?

I would like to see the high school explore avenues for pathing students that aren’t interested in attending college. C9 is a great option but I feel there are more things that all schools could be doing to prepare our children for life after school.

Affordability and finances are top of mind for districts and voters. What will be your approach to district finances?

I need to learn the intricacies of the school finances, funding, vouchers and many other aspects of finances before I can speak on a plan. The numbers I’ve seen are so in depth that I’d like to educate myself better on them.

I believe the district needs to implement a plan to explore use of facilities by outside groups and the income that can be generated from that. We have amazing facilities and a field house about to come online. Attracting high level events to the township would benefit both the schools and local businesses as well.

Larry J. Walker, Southeast quadrant

Walker, 79, is running as a Republican for reelection to the southeast area board seat. He is a custom home builder, realtor, and land developer. Walker is a graduate of Franklin Central High School. Walker says two nieces, a nephew, nine great-nieces and great-nephews, and a younger sister and brother all attended and graduated from the district.

Walker’s comments during a public school board meeting in 2024 were the subject of a Mirror Indy story.

You can learn more about Walker at his campaign’s Facebook page.

Franklin Township school board candidate, Larry Walker.

List your top three priorities if elected.

(1) Continuing safety first for our students and the entire Franklin Township Community Corp. (2) Continuing for a balanced budget, (3) Continue to oppose any referendum.(4) Open door policy for parents concerns.(5) Also our new health science academy which is exciting for Franklin Central High School students.

What do you see as the most pressing issue currently facing the district? What will be your approach to addressing it?

Housing explosion in Franklin Township and to make sure we have the facilities for the students to get a good education and opportunities.

What area of academics do you think the district needs to focus on and why?

Reading and math. We deal with those two items daily in life. Also our new health science academy to make sure it is properly staffed with quality people. Health care is our future in education.

Affordability and finances are top of mind for districts and voters. What will be your approach to district finances?

Keep trying to draw commercial and industrial uses in the right areas of Franklin Township.

Working with our school superintendent & COO and working with local hospitals and health care facilities for donations . Btw, the health science academy is a 1st for Central Indiana and I am really excited about it for our students and community.

Eric Weddle is WFYI’s education editor. Contact Eric at eweddle@wfyi.org or follow him on X at @ericweddle.

Beech Grove school board voter guide 2026: Meet the 3 candidates

2026-09-11T11:00:00+00:00

Sign up for Chalkbeat Indiana’s free daily newsletter to keep up with Indianapolis Public Schools, Marion County’s township districts, and statewide education news.

This article was co-published by Chalkbeat Indiana, Mirror Indy, and WFYI as part of a collaboration ahead of the 2026 school board elections.

Three school board seats are up for election this year in Beech Grove.

The district of nearly 5,500 students sits on Indianapolis’ southeast side.

This year, Beech Grove administrators are pursuing a tax referendum that would replace the district’s existing referendum tax rate. Candidates reached by Mirror Indy say they support continuing the referendum, which provides funding for bus services, building maintenance, and school resource officers.

Candidates elected this year will take their seats in January and serve four-year terms ending in December 2030.

3 candidates running at large

Three candidates are running to keep their seats this year.

Board members Brian Downard and Madison West did not declare a party affiliation.

Jannis King, who is president of the Beech Grove board, is running as an independent. This is the first year candidates in Indiana could declare a party affiliation when filing to run for a school board seat.

All three positions on the ballot this fall are at-large seats. That means Beech Grove residents can choose candidates for all the school board openings regardless of where they live in the district.

Election Day is Nov. 3. In-person early voting begins Oct. 6 at the City-County Building, 200 E. Washington St. Additional early voting centers open across the city Oct. 24.

You must be registered to vote by Oct. 5. You can check your voter registration status and find the polling location closest to you by visiting indianavoters.in.gov.

Brian Downard, At-large

Brian Downard, 40, is running with no party affiliation. He works in aerospace engineering and has two children attending Beech Grove schools — one is elementary-aged and the other is middle-school-aged.

Downard was appointed to the Beech Grove board in January 2024 to fill a vacancy left by former longtime member Rick Skirvin. Skirvin retired from his seat early following allegations he falsely accused three Black teenagers of stealing from a local convenience store.

The Beech Grove board chose Downard to serve the remainder of Skirvin’s term, which ends this December. Downard is now running to keep the seat for the next four years.

Beech Grove school board candidate, Brian Downard.

You can learn more about him through his campaign’s Facebook page.

Downard answered questions about his vision for the Beech Grove school board in a short candidate survey. Responses have been lightly edited for grammatical purposes.

List your top three priorities, if elected.

Priority one is the educational quality, academic experience, safety, and well-being of our Beech Grove students. Priority two is maintaining accountability to the parents, students, education professionals and community that I serve on the school board. Priority three is to strengthen Beech Grove City Schools by continuing to build our financial health, creating opportunities for student growth and programs, and to make BGCS better than I found it.

What do you see as the most pressing issue currently facing the district? What will be your approach to addressing it?

Beech Grove City Schools faces overwhelming impacts from the legislation and tax base that determines school funding in Indiana. I support the 2026 operational referendum for Beech Grove City Schools that will allow us to continue vital services for our school community, such as facilities maintenance, custodial services, repairs and transportation. I also advocate for continuing to improve operational efficiency through financial stewardship, strategic resource allocation and improving revenues wherever it is possible.

What area of academics do you think the district needs to focus on and why?

There is important work to do in improving foundational literacy and math skills, but my passion is in the development of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) opportunities for students to have access to education and careers that shape our future. I want to encourage our students to pursue vocational callings that can be life-changing for the next generation of our community.

Affordability and finances are top of mind for districts and voters. What will be your approach to district finances?

Beech Grove City Schools has done an amazing job of doing more with less, achieved through financial discipline, strategic reductions in district leadership, deliberate resource decisions, and identifying revenue sources. There is more work to be done in this space, but an immediate focus is to successfully navigate this year’s operating referendum with our community, focusing on the commitment of only asking for what we need and to be transparent and trustworthy with the tax dollars we receive from the people of this city.

How will you engage with the community, if elected? What role will their feedback have in your decision making?

I am always willing to discuss any topic concerning our school system with the community. I am available to listen to any concerns and appreciate any feedback of what I can do better to represent our community in school district decisions.

Do you support the district’s effort to pursue a renewal of its operating referendum at a rate not to exceed 57 cents? Why or why not?

I absolutely support the 2026 operating referendum for Beech Grove City Schools for the sake of our students and community. The school system operates on an extremely thin budget for operations due to legislative funding formulas and a fixed tax base — all disadvantages for small community school corporations like Beech Grove. The referendum will allow us to continue providing essential services to our community and students. The proposed referendum rate was carefully decided to limit impact to our taxpayers and to only ask for what we need to operate our schools. I am proud of what we can do with these limited funds to make such a significant impact on our ability to support our students in their educational experience.

Jannis King, At-large

Jannis King is president of the Beech Grove school board. She’s served on the board for more than a decade and is running as an independent.

Mirror Indy attempted to reach every candidate in this district. King did not respond to multiple requests to complete the candidate survey.

Madison West, At-large

Madison West, 32, is running with no party affiliation. West very recently joined the Beech Grove school board. She was appointed in July to fill a seat vacated by Rob Challis.

Challis resigned this summer after being hired as the district’s new school safety coordinator. Indiana law prohibits school employees from serving on their district’s board.

West works in government affairs and has three young children. One is a third grader at South Grove Elementary, another is a kindergartener at Hornet Park Elementary and the third is starting preschool.

You can learn more about West by visiting her campaign website.

West answered questions about her vision for the Beech Grove school board in a short candidate survey. Responses have been lightly edited for grammatical purposes.

Beech Grove school board candidate, Madison West.

List your top three priorities, if elected.

Advancing student achievement through support for students and educators, ensuring fiscal responsibility and long-term financial stability, and providing collaborative, student-centered leadership.

What do you see as the most pressing issue currently facing the district? What will be your approach to addressing it?

The most pressing issue facing Beech Grove City Schools is ensuring long-term financial stability while continuing to provide every student with a high-quality education. Like many school districts across Indiana, Beech Grove is faced with the difficult decision of pursuing an operating referendum to address immediate funding needs and avoid cuts that could impact students, teachers and classrooms. While the referendum is an important short-term solution, we must also continue working toward a sustainable, long-term funding model. My approach will be to make fiscally responsible decisions, maintain open communication with our community, and collaborate with state leaders to advocate for lasting solutions. Our students shouldn’t have to wait for long-term policy changes to receive the education and opportunities they deserve.

What area of academics do you think the district needs to focus on and why?

One area I believe we should continue to focus on is ensuring every student builds strong foundational skills while also expanding opportunities that prepare them for life after graduation. That means strengthening early literacy, supporting academic growth at every grade level, and providing students with pathways to college, careers and skilled trades. Every student should graduate with the knowledge, skills and opportunities to succeed in whatever future they choose.

Affordability and finances are top of mind for districts and voters. What will be your approach to district finances?

Affordability and fiscal responsibility must remain top priorities. Beech Grove has made significant progress over the past several years, and I commend the superintendent and school board for making difficult, but necessary decisions to strengthen the district’s financial position, while keeping students at the center of those decisions. My approach will be to build on that work by making thoughtful, transparent financial decisions, ensuring taxpayer dollars are used responsibly, and continuing to advocate for long-term funding solutions at the state level. Every budget decision should support student success while protecting the district’s financial future.

How will you engage with the community, if elected? What role will their feedback have in your decision making?

I believe effective leadership begins with listening. I will engage with parents, students, teachers, staff and community members by being accessible, attending school and community events, and encouraging open, respectful dialogue. Community feedback is an important part of the decision-making process, because those closest to our schools provide valuable perspectives. While every decision must ultimately be based on what is in the best interest of all Beech Grove students, I am committed to ensuring our community feels heard, informed and represented throughout that process.

Do you support the district’s effort to pursue a renewal of its operating referendum at a rate not to exceed 57 cents? Why or why not?

Yes. I support the district’s efforts to renew the operating referendum at a rate not to exceed 57 cents because it provides critical funding needed to maintain the high-quality education our students deserve, while avoiding unnecessary impacts on classrooms, teachers and essential student programs. Like many school districts across Indiana, Beech Grove is facing financial challenges that cannot be solved by local efforts alone. While I believe we must continue advocating for long-term improvements to the state’s school funding formula, we also have a responsibility to address today’s needs so our students are not left behind. Supporting this renewal is a fiscally responsible step that helps provide stability as we work toward sustainable, long-term funding solutions.

Mirror Indy reporter Carley Lanich covers early childhood and K-12 education. Contact her at carley.lanich@mirrorindy.org or follow her on X @carleylanich.

Voter guide 2026: 4 candidates are running for 3 seats on Pike Township school board

2026-09-11T11:00:00+00:00

Sign up for Chalkbeat Indiana’s free daily newsletter to keep up with Indianapolis Public Schools, Marion County’s township districts, and statewide education news.

This article was co-published by Chalkbeat Indiana, Mirror Indy, and WFYI as part of a collaboration ahead of the 2026 school board elections.

Four candidates are running for three seats on the Metropolitan School District of Pike Township school board in the November election.

The northwest Marion County district enrolls around 10,640 students. About 60% are Black and 27% are Hispanic, and 47% qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.

Pike leaders are navigating several issues central to the district’s operations. On Sept. 9, the board released a letter that alleged some staff feared district leaders and described their leadership style as dictatorial and authoritarian.

In July, the home mailbox of school board president Terry A. Webster Sr. was vandalized. Webster, and other board members, said they would not be intimidated and would work only to do what was best for the district. The incident happened as some in the community were frustrated over the hiring process for a new co-director of athletics.

The board is also overseeing a complex financial landscape following voters’ 2024 approval of a $14.5 million property tax referendum. Most of those funds are going toward teacher pay. The district is also one of the first in the state to share those ballot-approved tax funds with charter schools that enroll students who live within the district.

Candidates who win in the election will be sworn in as board members in January and serve four-year terms ending in December 2030. School board members oversee district policies, goal setting, and budgeting. They also hire and oversee the superintendent.

4 candidates running for 3 seats

Three incumbents — Alonzo Anderson, Wayne Moore, and Terry A. Webster Sr. — are seeking new terms. Sherie Latoya Scott is running as a challenger.

All four candidates filed as Democrats. This is the first year Indiana school board candidates could declare a party affiliation when filing to run.

The three seats on this year’s ballot are at-large, meaning all Pike Township voters can choose among all the candidates. The winners represent the entire district rather than a specific area within it.

Election Day is Nov. 3. Early voting starts Oct. 6 at the City-County Building, 200 E. Washington St., and additional sites open across the city Oct. 24. Voters must be registered by Oct. 5; registration status and polling locations are available at indianavoters.in.gov.

Candidates answered questions in a short candidate survey. Responses have been lightly edited for grammatical purposes.

Alonzo Anderson, At-large

Anderson, 49, is running as a Democrat, and is Pike’s board vice president. He is a firefighter and previously spent 15 years as a financial banker. Anderson studied at Vincennes University. His daughter graduated from Pike High School in 2026.

Anderson said his social media campaign will begin in September.

Pike Township school board candidate, Alonzo Anderson.

List your top three priorities if elected.

1. Maintain Fiscal Responsibility — Protect taxpayer dollars through responsible budgeting, financial oversight, and long-term fiscal sustainability. 2. Evolve an Already Excellent Educational Experience — Build on our district’s strengths while continuously improving academic achievement, innovation, student opportunities, and educational standards. 3. Expand Community Engagement and Transparency — Create more meaningful opportunities for families, staff, students, and the broader community to participate, provide feedback, and stay informed about district decisions.

What do you see as the most pressing issue currently facing the district? What will be your approach to addressing it?

With state education and fiscal statutes constantly evolving, Pike must remain nimble and prepared to adapt. My approach will be to ensure that changes in state law are implemented responsibly without compromising Pike’s high-quality educational experience our students and families expect. Just as importantly, our community deserves to understand how these changes may directly or indirectly affect our schools, students, staff, and taxpayers. Transparency should not come after a decision is made — it should be part of the process from the beginning. I would expand opportunities for proactive communication through community town hall meetings, legislative-session podcasts hosted through the district website, informational updates, and other accessible communication platforms.

What area of academics do you think the district needs to focus on and why?

Pike will always adhere to the educational requirements established by the State of Indiana while continuing to look for innovative opportunities to expand what we offer our students. College is one pathway, but it is not the only pathway to a successful future, I myself can attest to that.

We should continue exploring and strengthening opportunities for students interested in skilled trades, technical careers, education and teaching, entrepreneurship, and other workforce pathways. I believe we should also explore opportunities to strengthen financial literacy, helping students understand budgeting, credit, saving, investing, debt, and responsible financial decision-making before they enter adulthood.

Affordability and finances are top of mind for districts and voters. What will be your approach to district finances?

Pike Township Schools has a strong public history of responsible financial stewardship, and we must continue to protect that reputation. As a board member, I will remain committed to responsible budgeting, accountability, and careful oversight of taxpayer resources.

Some members of the Pike Township community have been frustrated over communication around the hiring of a new co-athletic director. How would you make sure the administration and board handle staff hires when the community has a high level of interest?

As a community member myself, I understand the frustration many in our community experienced during what was a difficult Co-Athletic Director hiring process. I also understand that, from the community’s perspective, a lack of information can create uncertainty and frustration. In addition, our Human Resources confidentiality requirements prohibited the Board from sharing certain details of the hiring process. While those requirements are important and must be respected, the experience reinforced the importance of finding better ways to communicate with our community while protecting the confidentiality of applicants and employees.

This experience provided the Board and administration with an opportunity to evaluate and develop a more streamlined and equitable hiring process. Transparency does not mean compromising confidentiality. It means being as open as we can be, explaining what we can, and continually improving the processes that serve our students, staff, candidates, and community.

Wayne Moore, At-large

Moore, 64, is running as a Democrat and is a current board member. He is pastor at Olivet Baptist Church. Moore has a bachelor’s degree in theology from Central Baptist Theological Seminary and a master’s degree from Simmons Bible College, according to his biography on the Pike website. He has three children.

You can learn more about Moore through his Facebook page.

List your top three priorities if elected.

1.) A continued support for public education. 2.) A continued support for students and parents. 3.) A continued support for teacher staff and support systems that make the district run effectively.

Pike Township school board candidate, Wayne Moore.

What do you see as the most pressing issue currently facing the district? What will be your approach to addressing it?

Fiscal responsibility, and strong elected school board members … Who understand the constituency in which they are accountable to.

What area of academics do you think the district needs to focus on and why?

English, math, reading and give the community a greater understanding of the proficiency of our students, not just graduation rates.

Affordability and finances are top of mind for districts and voters. What will be your approach to district finances?

Holding the superintendent and staff accountable for finances and communicating it to voters as often as possible.

Great question. Many of the stakeholders in the community are not familiar with the hiring process in Pike Township. This is one of the main issues as a board member I think the hiring process needs to be reevaluated and revisit it. At this point, the community is not aware that HR does not have the control of the hiring process. This is something that I think is problematic. If elected, one of my goals will be to make HR more transparent as it relates to the hiring process and give the community more understanding about how it works.

Sherie Latoya Scott, At-large

Scott is a longtime educator who held positions in Pike Township and at the Indiana Charter School Board, and was a founding principal at Global Prep Academy, according to her LinkedIn profile.

You can learn more about Scott through her campaign’s Facebook page.

WFYI attempted to reach every candidate in this district. Scott did not respond to multiple requests to complete the candidate survey.

Terry A. Webster Sr., At-large

Webster, 65, is the Pike school board president and is running as a Democrat. He is senior pastor of Nu Corinthian Baptist Church. Webster studied at Newburgh Seminary, according to his biography on the Pike website. He has three children.

Webster said he does not have a campaign website.

Pike Township school board candidate, Terry Webster.

List your top three priorities if elected.

School safety, academic improvement and student retention.

What do you see as the most pressing issue currently facing the district? What will be your approach to addressing it?

The district faces the challenge of raising the current percentage of scholars with low test scores to being college ready by graduation. The approach will be to set District goals that will help reflect improvement yearly by measurable outcomes.

What area of academics do you think the district needs to focus on and why?

Math and reading continue to be focused areas of improvement for our scholars. These areas are a national focus.

Affordability and finances are top of mind for districts and voters. What will be your approach to district finances?

District finances should continue to be monitored by board/administration and be fiscally responsible, with state budget cuts the district must be prudent and prepared for the unknown.

Continue to explore the best options available or introduce new options.

Eric Weddle is WFYI’s education editor. Contact Eric at eweddle@wfyi.org or follow him on X at @ericweddle.

Voter guide 2026: Here’s who is running for Washington Township school board

2026-09-11T11:00:00+00:00

Sign up for Chalkbeat Indiana’s free daily newsletter to keep up with Indianapolis Public Schools, Marion County’s township districts, and statewide education news.

This article was co-published by Chalkbeat Indiana, Mirror Indy, and WFYI as part of a collaboration ahead of the 2026 school board elections.

Two candidates are running unopposed for two school board seats in Metropolitan School District of Washington Township on the November ballot.

The district, in the northern part of Marion County, enrolls around 11,325 students — 46% of whom qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Around 40% of students are Black and 22% are Hispanic.

The district is also asking voters to renew a property tax increase in the election as new state tax reforms combined with existing property tax caps stress the district’s budget. If approved, the referendum would generate a maximum annual revenue of $24 million, with most funds going toward retaining teachers and staff. If the referendum fails, the district could reduce staff and increase class sizes, according to its referendum presentation.

Candidates elected this year will be sworn in as board members in January and serve four-year terms ending in December 2030. School board members oversee district policies, goal setting, and budgeting. They also hire and oversee the superintendent.

2 candidates running

Two newcomers — Leslie Bowles and Jocelyn Sisson — are seeking seats on the five-member board. Neither declared a party affiliation. This is the first year school board candidates in Indiana could choose to declare a political affiliation for an election.

Incumbent board members Kristina Frey and William Turner did not file for reelection.

Both board seats on the ballot are at-large seats. That means all residents living in the district can vote for candidates, and the candidates represent the entire district, regardless of their own residence district.

Election Day is Nov. 3. Early voting opens Oct. 6 at the City-County Building, 200 E. Washington St., with additional sites opening across the city Oct. 24.

Residents must be registered by Oct. 5; voters can confirm their registration and find their polling location at indianavoters.in.gov.

Candidates answered questions in a short candidate survey. Responses have been lightly edited for grammatical purposes.

Leslie Bowles, At-large

Bowles, 47, is running with no party affiliation. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Marian University and a master’s degree from Indiana University in public affairs. She is managing director of development partnerships for the League of Conservation Voters, a national environmental and voter-engagement organization. Bowles is a North Central High School graduate and has three children enrolled in the district.

You can learn more about Bowles through her campaign’s Facebook page.

List your top three priorities, if elected.

The top three priorities I will be focused on are shrinking the achievement gap in our district; ensuring our district is well-funded so that every student who enters our schools has equitable access to both rigorous academics and resources; and every family in this district feels seen, supported, and represented.

Washington Township school board candidate, Leslie Bowles.

What do you see as the most pressing issue currently facing the district? What will be your approach to addressing it?

The most pressing issue facing Washington Township is the achievement gap, and it is one I have been focused on since I moved back to the district in 2021. I believe every student is capable and full of potential, and that no students’ access to the programs and resources they need to excel should ever be determined by race, the side of town they live on, or their family’s income.

As a school board member I will continue to explicitly name the achievement gap as a priority, require disaggregated data by race and income at board meetings, ensure the data is shared more widely with parents in a way that is visible and transparent to our school community, and hold district leadership accountable for measurable progress. I will also be focused on ensuring our district has the resources to continue the progress we have made to continue investing in the programs and interventions that work and centering the voices and experiences of the families most affected.

What area of academics do you think the district needs to focus on and why?

The district must continue to focus on the achievement gap, reading literacy, math proficiency and advanced placement courses for students. As a parent I know reading is our students’ foundation to excel in other courses they will take.

Equitable access to advanced placement courses is also important because it exposes our students to college-level thinking, writing, and problem-solving while they are in high school. Offering AP courses also ensures our district is competitive with other similarly sized school districts across central Indiana.

Affordability and finances are top of mind for districts and voters. What will be your approach to district finances? Do you support the district’s referendum? Why or why not?

As a parent in the district, homeowner affordability is at the top of my mind. If elected, I will work to ensure the district continues to be diligent in using our resources to support our diverse student body.

I support the operating referendum renewal for Washington Township schools because it is not funding buildings, but protecting what we already have. In 2022 I co-founded the Washington Township Parents in Support of Public Education PAC, dedicated to protecting our high-quality, diverse public schools. I have seen, up close, the growing efforts to privatize and defund public education — efforts that put our schools, our teachers, and our children’s futures at risk. This year we are working to educate parents and help pass the operating referendum renewal in our district because it will ensure the district is able to keep counselors, teachers, and support staff our students need. About 300 positions depend on the referendum and ensuring our schools are properly staffed will help maintain academic programs and support services our students deserve.

Washington Township has historically faced significant academic achievement gaps between student groups. In 2025, 20% of Hispanic students and 22% of Black students in grades three to eight passed the math and English Language Arts position of the state exam — compared to 54% of their white classmates. What specific performance metrics will you use to hold the administration accountable for closing the gap, and what board-level policy changes do you believe are necessary to achieve improvement in student outcomes?

As a Black parent I am focused on eliminating the achievement gap between white students and Black and Brown students in our district. As a school board member I will continue to explicitly name the achievement gap as a priority, require disaggregated data by race and income at board meetings, ensure the data is shared more widely with parents in a way that is visible and transparent to our school community, and hold district leadership accountable for measurable progress. I will also work to ensure funding for wraparound support including counseling, mental health services, and family engagement support. I will also review enrollment data in the district’s advanced placement and high ability classes, which is disproportionately accessed by white students even in a diverse district like ours. As a school board member I will advocate for the outreach, identification practices, and support structures needed to ensure that Black and Brown students are fully and equitably represented in every opportunity the district offers.

Jocelyn Sisson, District 2

Sisson is running with no party affiliation. She taught English for 35 years, including 25 years at North Central High School, before retiring. Sisson graduated from Brown University and has a graduate degree from Harvard University. She continues to tutor students at North Central’s Learning Center. Her two daughters graduated from the district in 2014 and 2017.

You can learn more about Sisson through her campaign website.

List your top three priorities, if elected.

Increasing and/or creating support systems to maximize all students’ achievement. For Middle and High School students, this would include encouraging a wider participation in Honors and Advanced Placement classes of under-represented students. Ensuring high standards for student achievement, grading policies and teacher instruction. Aligning Washington Township’s curriculums from Kindergarten to Senior year to expand all students’ eligibility for the Enroll Honors Seal diploma.

Washington Township school board candidate, Jocelyn Sisson.

What do you see as the most pressing issue currently facing the district? What will be your approach to addressing it?

My number one priority is this year’s referendum that will continue the existing property tax assessment. Unfortunately, the ballot statement is misleading. It implies an increase when in fact if passed, the referendum will not raise taxes. Given the funding changes passed by the state legislature, the passage of this referendum is especially important if Washington Township is to continue to hire and retain teachers, staff and administration.

I am working with the Washington Township referendum committee to share accurate information about the referendum with the Washington Township families who have students attending our schools as well as with those residents in our district who do not have students attending our schools.

Good schools benefit all. When schools maintain their funding, they continue to provide excellent education to their students. Good schools also maintain property values for all, including those who do not have children attending Washington Township schools.

What area of academics do you think the district needs to focus on and why?

As a former teacher of 35 years, I know from experience that student mastery of skills depends on teachers having high standards for their students while also holding students accountable. At the high school, the trend toward mid-term and semester exam eliminations and exemptions impairs students’ college readiness and skill mastery. For teachers, without the data that exams provide, class instruction cannot be improved, nor can assessments be revised. Exams provide important information for teachers in terms of how well students understand the class material taught, and for students, exam grades reveal how well they have mastered class materials.

The district needs to ensure academic alignment from kindergarten through grade 12. By doing so, it is more likely that all MSDWT students will earn the Enrollment Honors Seal — one seal on the new Indiana diploma.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has increasingly become a shortcut for students. The result: a decreased ability to read texts accurately and write convincingly. Washington Township must develop and implement a district-wide policy regarding AI that preserves students’ skills.

Affordability and finances are top of mind for districts and voters. What will be your approach to district finances? Do you support the district’s referendum? Why or why not?

I absolutely support Washington Township’s referendum. Public schools are a bastion of democracy: we teach all children. The passage of the referendum ensures that our schools continue to educate and serve all who enter their doors. As indicated above, the language on the upcoming ballot is misleading. The referendum implies that there will be an increase in the property tax rate. This is misleading as the referendum merely continues the existing tax rate without any additional burden on taxpayers.

This question highlights the need for a data-driven education policy for all students from Kindergarteners to 12th graders. I would carefully consider data from Washington Township and the results from national educational research. I am particularly interested in these influences: foundational reading and math skills, attendance patterns, the current number of non-white students enrolled in the middle schools’ and high school’s honors-level and Advanced Placement classes.

We should learn from any state or district that has a track record of success. As an example, I am interested in how we can replicate the steps that Mississippi took to improve 4th grader reading literacy from 49th in the nation to the top 10.

Our district is committed to all students earning the Enrollment Honors Seal — one seal on the new Indiana diploma. With the knowledge gained from the data I indicate above, Washington Township can develop programs that ensure that all students meet grade level markers and that all our students have access to and are prepared for success in the AP and honors-level classes required by the Enrollment Seal.

I was the director of the cohort program. As director, I asked middle school teachers to identify under-represented students who they believed could succeed in at least one honors-level class at the high school. These students were then placed in special homerooms that provided academic support and guidance. Due to the current political environment, this program was terminated. However, I would like to see a similar program renamed, revised, and reestablished.

Sept. 12: Corrections and Clarifications: This article has been updated to reflect that Jocelyn Sisson is running for the District 2 seat.

Eric Weddle is WFYI’s education editor. Contact Eric at eweddle@wfyi.org or follow him on X at @ericweddle.

Metropolitan School District of Decatur Township: School board election voter guide

2026-09-11T11:00:00+00:00

Sign up for Chalkbeat Indiana’s free daily newsletter to keep up with Indianapolis Public Schools, Marion County’s township districts, and statewide education news.

This article was co-published by Chalkbeat Indiana, Mirror Indy and WFYI as part of a collaboration ahead of the 2026 school board elections.

Three of the five school board seats are up for election in the Metropolitan School District of Decatur Township on the southwest side of Marion County.

The new board members will serve through 2030 and steer the district — which last year enrolled roughly 6,500 students — through potential fiscal challenges incurred by the state’s recent property tax reforms. The district recently changed school start times to help offset rising transportation costs, but it still estimates losing $3 million annually from those tax reforms.

Decatur Schools are asking voters for a property tax increase in November, but will be replacing its existing rate with a lower one. If passed, the referendum would be a tax increase from the base amount through 2034.

Who is running and how to vote

Eight candidates — four nonpartisans, three Republicans, and one independent — are vying for three at-large seats, which are filled by voters throughout the entire district.

Early voting begins on Oct. 6. The general election is Nov. 3. Find out how to register to vote in Marion County here, and find polling locations at https://vote.indy.gov/.

Candidate survey responses have been edited lightly for length and clarity.

Randi Berryman, at-large candidate

Randi Berryman, 42, is running as a nonpartisan. She has a child who does not attend a school in the district. Berryman has a bachelor of science degree, and works as a scientist.

Please list your top 3 priorities if elected.

Responsible decision making, data-driven change, positive school culture.

Decatur Township school board candidate Randi Berryman.

What do you see as the most pressing issue facing your district? What will be your approach to addressing it?

The most pressing issue facing our district is underperformance. When I compare our schools to neighboring districts, it’s clear that Decatur Township is falling behind academically. To address this I will take a comprehensive, data-driven approach. I will conduct a thorough budget analysis across all departments and reallocate resources to directly impact students and teachers. I will also review our curriculum against neighboring and top performing schools so we can adopt evidence-based instructional practices.

What area of academics do you think the district needs to focus on and why?

The district needs to focus on Math, Science, and Language Arts. These are the foundational subject areas where our students underperform compared to state benchmarks and neighboring districts. Strengthening these core subject areas is critical because they form the basis for all future learning. By focusing our resources, professional development, and curriculum improvements in these areas, we can make measurable progress in student achievement and close performance gaps that currently exist.

How will you engage with the community if elected? What role will their feedback have in your decision making?

Community engagement will be the foundation of my leadership. I believe strongly in creating continuous feedback loops with all parents, teachers, staff, and students because they are the ones who experience the direct impact of our decisions. If parents and teachers are not seeing meaningful improvement, then we are not doing our job. This feedback is essential. Without it there is no way to know whether the changes we implement are truly creating the outcomes we intend.

I plan to hold regular listening sessions, create accessible channels for ongoing input, and report back transparently. Your voice matters. My commitment is to actively listen, thoughtfully respond, and make data informed decisions that reflect the needs and priorities of our community.

Do you support the referendum? Why or why not?

Yes, I support the referendum. Investing in our children’s education is an investment in our community’s future, and adequate funding is essential to providing the resources our students need to succeed.

However, funding alone is not enough. We must also elect leaders who will use those additional dollars wisely, strategically, and transparently. If we don’t have a clear plan for how funds will directly improve students, even increased revenue will not create the impact our district needs. That’s why I’m committed to ensuring every dollar is allocated effectively toward proven programs and competitive teacher salaries that truly support learning.

The district recently changed school start times to reduce costs. As school districts across the state face increasing financial pressure, what other suggestions or ideas do you have on ways that Decatur Township could save money?

While I understand schools are facing financial challenges, I have serious concerns about the recent changes to school start times in Decatur Township schools. Research consistently shows that age-appropriate schedules are critical to student health, development, and academic performance.

Students must come first, even when making tough budget decisions. Cost savings should never come at the expense of what we know is best for kids. That said, I’m committed to finding smarter ways to reduce costs without compromising student outcomes. If elected, I will conduct a comprehensive budget review to identify inefficiencies and compare our spending to districts across the state. I’ll prioritize investments that directly impact the classroom while scrutinizing administrative overhead, vendor contracts, and operational expenses. I’ll also explore what neighboring districts have done to reduce costs. I believe in reviewing the data behind what works, implementing proven strategies, and placing students first.

Teresa A. Burns, at-large candidate

Teresa A. Burns is running as a nonpartisan.

Chalkbeat Indiana attempted to reach every candidate in this district. Burns did not respond to multiple requests to complete the candidate survey.

Judith Collins, at-large candidate

Judith Collins is a Republican incumbent who has served on the board for two decades.

Chalkbeat Indiana attempted to reach every candidate in this district. Collins did not respond to multiple requests to complete the candidate survey.

Dale Henson, at-large candidate

Dale Henson, 69, is a Republican incumbent who has served on the board for two decades. He is a graduate of Decatur Central High School and the National Fire Academy and does not currently have children attending district schools. He retired as Decatur Township’s fire chief in 2014 after 35 years, and also previously served as the executive director of the Indiana Fire Chiefs Association.

Please list your top 3 priorities if elected.

Maintain a 95% graduation rate or higher. We achieved our highest graduation rate in 2025 of 97.48%. IREAD-3 passing rates meeting state average with a goal of 95% or see proficiency and achieve a 3% increase from previous year. We want to see our scores increase by 3% for Language Arts and Mathematics on our ILEARN assessments.

Decatur Township school board candidate Dale Henson.

What do you see as the most pressing issue facing your district? What will be your approach to addressing it?

I want us to continue be fiscal responsibility to the community. State funding & legislative decisions that continue to decrease our funding each year. Safety conscious for our students and staff.

How will you engage with the community if elected? What role will their feedback have in your decision making?

As a current board member have always been open to listen to any community member. I attend many events throughout the year besides our monthly board meetings.

What area of academics do you think the district needs to focus on and why?

Reading, reading, every student needs to be able to read to be successful as they go through school and as they graduate. This continues to be our top academic focus.

Do you support the referendum? Why or why not?

Yes, I support the referendum. I support because of changes made for funding of schools through legislation. We have seen a 3-million-dollar reduction in 2026 as a result of legislative changes.

We are always looking at ways to reduce cost across the district and the new school start times is a way we will reduce fuel costs with reduced miles traveled daily. We are the only Marion County School Corporation to reduce our total budget in 2026 by half million dollars.

Steve Jacobi, at-large candidate

Steve Jacobi is running as a nonpartisan.

Chalkbeat Indiana attempted to reach every candidate in this district. Jacobi did not respond to multiple requests to complete the candidate survey.

Patrice Johnson, at-large candidate

Patrice Johnson, 36, is running as a nonpartisan and has a daughter who graduated from Decatur Central High School. Her son attends school online. She has a bachelor of science in public health education and works as a community service provider.

See her campaign Facebook page here.

Decatur Township school board candidate Patrice Johnson.

Please list your top 3 priorities if elected.

Transparency, student success, and building a stronger school community.

What do you see as the most pressing issue facing your district? What will be your approach to addressing it?

One of the biggest challenges facing our district is rebuilding trust while balancing increasing financial pressures. Families want to understand not only what decisions are being made, but why they are being made.

My approach is to ask questions, listen to all stakeholders, review the data, and make decisions based on facts rather than assumptions. I believe school board members should communicate openly with the community, hold the district accountable for measurable results, and ensure every dollar is spent with students as the priority.

How will you engage with the community if elected? What role will their feedback have in your decision making?

Community engagement shouldn’t begin and end at board meetings. I plan to remain accessible through regular communication, community events, social media, and by encouraging conversations with parents, teachers, students, and taxpayers.

Feedback is an important part of good governance. While no single voice can determine every decision, listening to different perspectives helps identify concerns, improve policies, and make better-informed decisions that reflect the needs of the district as a whole.

What area of academics do you think the district needs to focus on and why?

I believe we need to continue strengthening foundational academic skills, particularly reading and math, because they impact success in every other subject area. We should regularly evaluate student achievement data, identify where students are struggling, and support evidence-based strategies that help close learning gaps while also challenging students who are ready for advanced coursework.

Academic success should remain our primary mission, and we should continually look for ways to improve outcomes for every student.

Do you support the referendum? Why or why not?

I believe the referendum deserves thoughtful consideration rather than a simple yes or no answer. My responsibility as a board member would be to ensure the community has a clear understanding of why additional funding is being requested, how the money would be spent, what accountability measures would be in place, and what alternatives have been explored.

I support transparency and informed decision making. Taxpayers deserve complete information before being asked to make an important financial decision, and I believe the district should clearly demonstrate responsible stewardship of existing resources alongside any future requests.

Before asking taxpayers for additional funding, I believe we should continually evaluate opportunities to improve efficiency. Some areas worth exploring include:

* Reviewing operational expenses to identify unnecessary or duplicate spending.

* Evaluating contracts and vendor agreements to ensure the district is receiving the best value.

* Pursuing additional grants and partnerships when appropriate.

* Regularly reviewing programs to ensure resources are aligned with measurable student outcomes.

* Looking for operational efficiencies that reduce costs without negatively impacting classroom instruction.

My priority would always be protecting student learning while ensuring taxpayers can trust that every dollar is being used responsibly.

Chase Lyday, at-large candidate

Chase Lyday, 39, is a Republican incumbent who has served on the board since 2023. He has no children in the district. He graduated from Decatur Central High School and attended Ivy Tech Community College. He previously served as the police chief for Avon Community Schools but resigned in 2022 while under investigation by the Hendricks County prosecutor, who alleged Lyday lied about past disciplinary actions against him. No charges were filed.

Decatur Township school board candidate Chase Lyday.

Lyday called the allegations against him “patently false” and “baseless.”

“I would encourage anyone evaluating my candidacy to look at the totality of my record, the people I have served alongside, and the impact I have made on students, schools, and my community,” he said. .

Please list your top 3 priorities if elected.

Continue comprehensive approach to school safety, increase literacy test scores in early elementary students, solidify fiscal plans in light of budget deficit created by tax code revisions.

What do you see as the most pressing issue facing your district? What will be your approach to addressing it?

The most pressing issue facing the district is taking care of our teachers and procuring the additional resources necessary to provide students with critical supports like literacy specialists, mental health counselors, school resource officers, and coaches. These services are at risk of being cut if we do not close the gap in funding created by recent legislation.

How will you engage with the community if elected? What role will their feedback have in your decision making?

I love coffee meetings and lunch with community members to discuss needs of the district. I take calls at all hours to be responsive to needs and concerns. My passion is serving and I am confident anyone who has interacted with me in regards to the school district sees that. When a concern arises, I direct that issue to the appropriate administrator and follow up to ensure it has been addressed.

I serve as a representative for the community. Their input is highly valued in how the school district operates.

What area of academics do you think the district needs to focus on and why?

Literacy is the key to all education. Our early elementary students must pass the IREAD test by 3rd grade to continue on to 4th grade. We have to focus substantial resources on our rsrly elementary students reading at grade level and ensure older students have access to every literacy resource available to be proficient.

Do you support the referendum? Why or why not?

Yes I support the referendum. The referendum is necessary for us to continue providing the quality of education and services like mental health support, school resource officers, and child nutrition workers. These supports are necessary to maintain and improve our ability to provide a high quality education.

The district has done an excellent job at saving and executing an efficient spending plan. Our team will continue finding ways to eliminate inefficiencies and increase savings. Our focus with finances will be to let our data direct spending decisions and focus on external sources of funding such as grants and local partnerships.

Kristyn Stoddard, at-large candidate

Kristyn Stoddard is running as an independent.

Chalkbeat Indiana attempted to reach every candidate in this district. Stoddard did not respond to multiple requests to complete the candidate survey.

Corrections and Clarifications: This guide has been updated to reflect Randi Berryman’s child doesn’t attend Decatur schools.

Amelia Pak-Harvey covers schools for Chalkbeat Indiana. Contact Amelia at apak-harvey@chalkbeat.org.

Warren Township school board voter guide 2026: Meet the 6 candidates

2026-09-11T11:00:00+00:00

Sign up for Chalkbeat Indiana’s free daily newsletter to keep up with Indianapolis Public Schools, Marion County’s township districts, and statewide education news.

This article was co-published by Chalkbeat Indiana, Mirror Indy, and WFYI as part of a collaboration ahead of the 2026 school board elections.

Three school board seats are up for election this year in Warren Township.

The district of about 11,500 students stretches across Indianapolis’ far east side.

Warren Township leaders this year are gearing up for a major effort to move fifth-grade students, currently placed in intermediate buildings, back to the elementary schools. Some students’ elementary school building assignments could change as a result. The transition is expected to take place in time for the start of the 2027-28 school year.

Candidates reached by Mirror Indy say they support the change and want to provide students with the resources they need to have a smooth transition.

Candidates elected this year will take their seats in January and serve four-year terms ending in December 2030.

6 candidates vie for 3 seats

Six candidates are running for seats on the Warren Township school board.

Three current board members will run to keep their seats. Three challengers are also running.

Five candidates, Terri Amos, Rachel Burke, Jerry Crites, Samantha Douglas, and Kevin Humphrey Sr., did not declare an affiliation with a political party. Steve Tutsie, a challenger, is running as an independent. This is the first year candidates in Indiana could declare a party affiliation when filing to run for a school board seat.

All three positions on Warren Township school district ballots this fall are at-large seats. That means district residents can choose candidates for all the board openings regardless of where they live within the school district.

Election Day is Nov. 3. In-person early voting begins Oct. 6 at the City-County Building, 200 E. Washington St. Additional early voting centers open across the city Oct. 24.

You must be registered to vote by Oct. 5. You can check your voter registration status and find the polling location closest to you by visiting indianavoters.in.gov.

Terri Amos, At-large

Terri Amos, 55, is running without a party affiliation.

Amos serves as president of the Warren Township board. She was first elected to the board in 2014 and is running this fall for what would be her fourth term.

Amos is a teacher in another school district. Her three children attended Warren Township schools for kindergarten through 12th grade and are now graduates.

Amos answered questions about her vision for the Warren Township school board in a short candidate survey. Responses have been lightly edited for grammatical purposes.

Warren township school board candidate, Terri Amos.

List your top three priorities, if elected.

As a school board member, I would advocate for increased state funding by working with state legislators and collaborating with other school districts to push for a more equitable funding formula. I would prioritize responsible budgeting to ensure teacher salaries remain as competitive as possible, helping our district attract and retain high-quality educators. I also believe in being transparent with the community about the district’s financial challenges, and explaining why referendums may be necessary to maintain strong academic programs, safe facilities and student services. By focusing on fiscal responsibility, advocacy and open communication, I would work to ensure Warren Township schools have the resources needed to provide every student with a high-quality education.

What do you see as the most pressing issue currently facing the district? What will be your approach to addressing it?

One of the most pressing issues currently facing Warren Township schools is the challenge of inadequate state funding. As the cost of educating students continues to rise, many school districts are struggling to provide competitive teacher salaries, maintain programs, and meet the diverse needs of their students. Low teacher pay makes it difficult to recruit and retain high-quality educators, placing additional strain on schools. At the same time, many districts have been forced to seek voter approval through referendums to secure the funding needed for essential operations and improvements. These financial challenges highlight the need for more sustainable and equitable state funding to ensure that all students receive a high-quality education without placing an increasing burden on local taxpayers.

What area of academics do you think the district needs to focus on and why?

Warren Township schools have made steady progress in student achievement over the past three years. IREAD scores have continued to improve, with more than 83% of third-grade students passing the assessment. This success reflects the district’s commitment to strengthening early literacy skills and supporting student learning. While celebrating these gains, the district is now focused on improving ILEARN math scores. As a school board member, I would support evidence-based instructional practices, provide teachers with the resources and professional development they need, and monitor student achievement data to ensure we continue making progress in mathematics while maintaining our success in reading.

Affordability and finances are top of mind for districts and voters. What will be your approach to district finances?

As a school board member, I would approach district finances with a focus on transparency, accountability and long-term planning. I believe every dollar should be spent wisely to maximize student learning while being respectful of taxpayers. I would carefully review the district’s budget, prioritize funding for classroom instruction, student support services, and competitive teacher salaries, and look for opportunities to improve efficiency without sacrificing educational quality. I would also work to build community trust by clearly communicating financial decisions, and ensuring that any requests for additional funding, such as referendums, are supported by a demonstrated need and a clear plan for how the funds will benefit students.

How will you engage with the community, if elected? What role will their feedback have in your decision making?

As a school board member, I believe strong community engagement is essential to the success of our schools. I would make it a priority to be visible and approachable by attending school events, community meetings, and district activities, while listening to the concerns and ideas of parents, students, teachers, and community members. I would encourage open communication by providing regular updates on board decisions, and being transparent about district goals and challenges. By building relationships, seeking feedback and ensuring every voice is heard, I hope to strengthen the partnership between our schools and the community and make decisions that reflect the needs and priorities of Warren Township families.

The district anticipates moving fifth graders back into elementary schools by fall 2027. What do you believe is needed to ensure a smooth transition? As a board member, how would you help?

As a school board member, I would support a thoughtful and well-planned transition as Warren Township moves fifth-grade students back to the elementary schools. A successful transition will require clear communication with families, staff and students, careful planning for staffing and classroom space, and ensuring each school has the resources needed to meet the academic and social-emotional needs of fifth graders. I also believe it is important to create a unique experience for our fifth-grade scholars by providing leadership opportunities, age-appropriate extracurricular activities, and programs that prepare them for middle school. By working collaboratively with district leaders, teachers and families, I would help ensure this transition is a positive experience that supports student growth, strengthens school communities, and sets our scholars up for future success.

Rachel Burke, At-large

Rachel Burke did not declare a party affiliation.

Burke is a past secretary, vice president, and president of the board seeking her fourth term.

She was born and raised in Warren Township, attending Warren Central, Heather Hills, Lakeside, and Stonybrook schools.

She is a mom to three children who have attended the district. She has volunteered with robotics and Science Olympiad teams as well as school parent-teacher council groups.

In June, Burke was elected as the National PTA’s vice president of advocacy. You can learn more about her by visiting her campaign website.

Mirror Indy attempted to reach every candidate in this district. Burke did not respond to multiple emailed requests to complete the candidate survey.

Jerry Crites, At-large

Jerry Crites, 62, did not declare a party affiliation. Crites is a retired facilities director for Warren Township schools. He doesn’t have students currently enrolled in the district. He is running for what would be his first term on the school board.

Crites answered questions about his vision for the Warren Township school board in a short candidate survey. Responses have been lightly edited for grammatical purposes.

Warren township school board candidate, Jerry Crites.

List your top three priorities, if elected.

Improve student outcomes: Raise test scores and strengthen the curriculum through targeted instruction, tutoring/intervention, and clear progress monitoring.

Support and retain staff: Offer competitive salaries and professional incentives for both certified and classified personnel to attract and keep high-quality employees.

Evaluate and upgrade facilities: Conduct a thorough facility review and prioritize repairs, safety upgrades, and learning-space improvements based on need.

What do you see as the most pressing issue currently facing the district? What will be your approach to addressing it?

One of the most pressing issues facing our district right now is the impact of federal cutbacks on feeding programs and the broader safety net that supports kids outside of the school day. As a board member, my approach would be to safeguard these programs in our own budget priorities, build stronger partnerships with local food banks and nonprofits to help close the gap, and advocate at the state and federal level for their continued support. A child who is hungry cannot focus on learning, so protecting these programs means protecting our ability to educate every child in this district.

What area of academics do you think the district needs to focus on and why?

I believe the district needs to prioritize technology and digital literacy, ensuring students build real skills in areas like coding, data literacy, and responsible use of emerging tools like artificial intelligence — not just access to devices. In a rapidly changing job market, this is essential for preparing every student for future success, and it’s especially important for closing equity gaps for students who may have less exposure to technology outside of school.

Affordability and finances are top of mind for districts and voters. What will be your approach to district finances?

My approach will be to work collaboratively with the board and chief financial officer to make responsible, transparent budget decisions — reviewing spending, identifying efficiencies, and maintaining accountability to taxpayers. Above all, every financial decision should keep students and the quality of their education first.

How will you engage with the community, if elected? What role will their feedback have in your decision making?

I will make myself accessible by responding directly to those who attend board meetings and by making sure my contact information is available through the district website for anyone unable to attend or who needs to reach me at another time. I also plan to attend community events to stay connected and support the district, and I will remain open and available to answer questions at any time. Community feedback will play a real role in my decision making, since the board’s decisions should ultimately reflect the needs and voices of the families we serve.

I believe a thorough evaluation of facilities is needed to ensure our elementary schools have adequate classroom space and capacity to support this change. As a board member, I would meet regularly with district officials to track construction and renovation progress, ensure timelines stay on schedule, and make sure teachers and staff have the training and resources needed to support fifth graders in a new setting.

Samantha Douglas, At-large

Samantha Douglas, 36, did not declare a party affiliation.

Douglas is a community advocate and president of the Far Eastside Community Council. She is running for what would be her first term on the Warren Township school board.

Douglas is a mom to a fourth grader at Brookview Elementary School, an eighth grader at Stonybrook Intermediate and Middle School, and a junior at Warren Central High School. Her oldest graduated from Warren Central in the spring.

You can learn more about Douglas by visiting her campaign website.

Douglas answered questions about her vision for the Warren Township school board in a short candidate survey. Responses have been lightly edited for grammatical purposes.

Warren township school board candidate, Samantha Douglas.

List your top three priorities, if elected.

Strengthening school and community connections. Schools should be the heart of our communities. They should be community hubs where students, families and neighbors can find not only a quality education, but the resources, relationships and support that help everyone thrive. I’ll build stronger partnerships between our schools, families, nonprofits, businesses and neighborhood organizations so students have the support they need both inside and outside the classroom. I’ve spent 10 years cultivating relationships that continue to help build a better community. I want to bring those relationships to Warren.

Supporting the whole student. Student success goes beyond academics. I’ll advocate for policies that strengthen families, support teachers and staff, increase parent engagement, and ensure every student has the opportunity to thrive. Schools are so much more than ABCs & 123s, and I want to help build more opportunities for our kids to be successful inside and outside of the classroom.

Leading with collaboration and accountability. I’ll bring thoughtful, transparent leadership that values collaboration, uses data to guide decisions and prepares Warren Township schools for the changing future of education. I want all our families, students and staff to feel like they are a part of what’s happening at Warren schools and that they’re being represented well.

What do you see as the most pressing issue currently facing the district? What will be your approach to addressing it?

I believe the most pressing issue facing Warren Township schools is ensuring we remain the first choice for families. Warren has long been known as the “Pride of the Eastside,” and we should live up to that reputation by offering an exceptional educational experience that prepares every student for success. Rather than focusing on competing out of fear, we should focus on being so innovative, supportive, and connected to our community that families choose Warren because it’s the best place for their children to learn, grow and thrive.

What area of academics do you think the district needs to focus on and why?

It’s difficult for me to choose just one academic area because every year Warren serves nearly 12,000 unique students, each with different strengths, goals, and needs. My priority is ensuring every student has access to the academic support and opportunities they need to succeed. That means maintaining strong literacy and math instruction, while also investing in STEM, the arts, career and technical education, and other pathways that prepare students for whatever future they choose. Success isn’t about one subject. It’s about helping every student reach their full potential.

Affordability and finances are top of mind for districts and voters. What will be your approach to district finances?

I believe every financial decision should begin with one question: How does this improve outcomes for students? My approach would be grounded in transparency, fiscal responsibility, and long-term planning, while recognizing that we can’t simply cut our way to excellence. We should be thoughtful stewards of taxpayer dollars, invest strategically in what helps students and educators succeed, and seek partnerships that expand opportunities without placing unnecessary burdens on families.

How will you engage with the community, if elected? What role will their feedback have in your decision making?

At the most basic level, I am elected to represent this community. That means listening first and ensuring my decisions are informed by the perspectives, values and priorities of the families I serve. I also recognize that effective representation requires transparency and communication. My goal is to provide information, access and education that helps residents understand the issues before the board so they can engage in meaningful dialogue. While I won’t always be able to make every decision everyone agrees with, I will always strive to make decisions with the community, not just for the community.

I support this transition because I believe decisions like this should always be guided by what’s best for students. A smooth transition will require thoughtful planning, clear communication with families, well-prepared staff, and ensuring our elementary schools have the space, resources, and programming needed to support fifth graders. As a board member, I will ask thoughtful questions, listen to the experiences of families and educators throughout the process, and ensure the district has the resources and accountability necessary for a successful implementation. Change is most successful when the people it impacts feel informed, supported and heard.

Kevin Humphrey Sr., At-large

Kevin Humphrey Sr., 64, is running without a party affiliation.

Humphrey served in the U.S. Marine Corps. and is a retired postal worker. He serves as vice president of the Warren Township board. He was first elected in 2022 and is seeking his second term this fall.

Humphrey is a longtime volunteer in youth sports. Children in his family attend the Warren Early Childhood Center, Grassy Creek Elementary School, and Creston Intermediate Middle School.

Humphrey Sr. answered questions about his vision for the Warren Township school board in a short candidate survey. Responses have been lightly edited for grammatical purposes.

Warren township school board candidate, Kevin Humphrey.

List your top three priorities, if elected.

Continue academic growth, increasing teachers’ salary, and increasing ADM. (ADM stands for average daily membership, a term used in education to refer to a school’s student enrollment count.)

What do you see as the most pressing issue currently facing the district? What will be your approach to addressing it?

The new budget cuts. Must work with legislators to reevaluate things.

What area of academics do you think the district needs to focus on and why?

It’s a matter of policy changes. New regulations and changes in policy keep moving the goal post.

Affordability and finances are top of mind for districts and voters. What will be your approach to district finances?

To stay fiscally disciplined.

How will you engage with the community, if elected? What role will their feedback have in your decision making?

In every way possible. The voice of the community is key to our decision making.

The space is being added to accommodate another grade. For the students, it’s just a matter of another year in their buildings. For some teachers, it will be transitioning to a new building. As a board, we will give the teachers all the support they need.

Steve Tutsie, At-large

Steve Tutsie, 60, is running as an independent candidate.

If elected, Tutsie would serve his first term on the Warren Township board. He is an assistant head football coach at Marian University and held multiple stints coaching at Warren Central, including the 2006 state-championship-winning Warrior team.

He does not have family currently attending Warren Township schools. You can learn more about Tutsie on his Facebook page.

Tutsie answered questions about his vision for the Warren Township school board in a short candidate survey. Responses have been lightly edited for grammatical purposes.

Warren township school board candidate, Steve Tutsie.

List your top three priorities, if elected.

Student achievement, student retention and recruitment, and responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars.

What do you see as the most pressing issue currently facing the district? What will be your approach to addressing it?

Student retention and recruitment at our middle schools. Sending fifth graders back to the elementaries in 2027 is one vital strategy. Another critical component that needs to be explored is establishing paths for student success.

What area of academics do you think the district needs to focus on and why?

This needs to be addressed from three different lenses. Regarding the elementaries, continue the upswing in reading and math scores. The middle school strategy must focus on better identification of academic and extra curricular needs of each student. This will aid in retention. The high school focus must be the successful navigation of the new state graduation requirements.

Affordability and finances are top of mind for districts and voters. What will be your approach to district finances?

We must be responsible stewards of taxpayers’ dollars with accountability.

How will you engage with the community, if elected? What role will their feedback have in your decision making?

I will be visible and present at as many school activities as possible. It is critical that you listen and encourage feedback. No one has better information than people with boots on the ground.

Engage with the teachers, parents and students affected by the transition. The best way to ensure a smooth transition is to anticipate and avoid possible pitfalls before they take place. That is where my experience as an educator for all three grade levels and 12 years of service for Warren Township schools will pay dividends.

Mirror Indy reporter Carley Lanich covers early childhood and K-12 education. Contact her at carley.lanich@mirrorindy.org or follow her on X @carleylanich.

Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township: School board election voter guide

2026-09-11T11:00:00+00:00

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This article was co-published by Chalkbeat Indiana, Mirror Indy and WFYI as part of a collaboration ahead of the 2026 school board elections.

Two of the five school board seats are up for election in the Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township on the northeast side of Marion County.

The new board members will shepherd the district — which last year enrolled roughly 16,700 students — through its massive building improvement plan. They also will guide the district through any potential fiscal challenges incurred by the state’s recent property tax reforms. The district has never asked voters to increase property taxes through an operating referendum, and several of the candidates stress fiscal responsibility and transparency as among their top priorities.

The district’s pay for administrators, which according to self-reported data has been among the highest of Marion County’s 11 school districts in recent years, has been a point of contention recently among board members.

Who is running and how to vote

Two nonpartisan candidates are vying for one at-large seat, which is filled by voters throughout the entire district.

Another two nonpartisan candidates are competing for the District 2 seat, which encompasses the northeast corner of the district.

The new board members will serve through 2030.

Early voting begins Oct. 6. The general election is Nov. 3. You can find out how to register to vote in Marion County here, and you can find polling locations at https://vote.indy.gov/.

Candidate survey responses have been edited lightly for length and clarity.

Maria Bertram Cartagena, at-large candidate

Maria Bertram Cartagena, 49, is running as a nonpartisan for the at-large seat. She has a master’s degree in business administration and has children attending district schools.

Lawrence Township school board candidate Maria Bertram Cartanega.

Cartagena has previously worked as an engineer and owns a local business advising and capital investing company. She serves as a board member of the Lawrence Township School Foundation.

Her campaign website is https://www.mariabertramcartagena.com/.

Please list your top 3 priorities if elected.

• Creating Opportunities: Empowering every student to flourish through strong schools and diverse academic pathways designed for long-term success.

• Family Engagement: Strengthening the partnership between our families and schools to ensure every child has the community support they need.

• Fiscal Transparency: I will insist on fiscally prudent budgets and make sure that we dedicate sufficient resources to improve classroom learning and student services.

What do you see as the most pressing issue facing your district? What will be your approach to addressing it?

SB 1 & SB 518 Property tax relief results in reduced school district revenue.

I think my approach to addressing this issue is going to be to work side by side with the other board members and to bring to state legislators our concerns with these bills and the ways these bills are affecting our students and district in general. I will work with state legislators on both sides of the aisle to be of influence for our students. My approach is one of collaboration, with our students in mind.

What area of academics do you think the district needs to focus on and why?

32% of the student demographic in MSD of Lawrence Township is of Hispanic origin. ESL is always going to be a challenge for our district. Although we focus on all our students and all levels of academic advancement and achievement, I think additional focus must be placed on our ESL students to help them be successful academically and pass the State exams. I do think we already do a great job helping those students with tutoring and extra support in each school. Our School Vision is “The district of destination where excellence empowers everyone to reach their full potential.”

How will you engage with the community if elected? What role will their feedback have in your decision making?

I would like to create one or more Parent Advocacy groups if elected. For example, I would like to create a forum in Spanish where parents of LT students feel welcome and can ask questions about the district. As another example, I would visit the communities where most of the Hispanics reside in our district to connect with them in that way since some of them lack transportation. Community feedback is something I will bring immediately to our Superintendent and other board members to be evaluated. I will value and consider all feedback.

Administrator pay has often been a point of contention between school board members. What are your thoughts on the amount the district spends on administrators, which includes principals and assistant principals, and how would you strengthen public trust in district administration?

Teachers, administrators, and staff are all important for student success. My parents were teachers first and later became administrators of their own school. They lived and breathed for the profession whether serving as teachers or administrators. I saw firsthand their sacrifice, their hard work, and how that reaped benefits in having great staff and amazing school workers that stood with them for 20+ years. My parents valued loyalty and hard work and because of that they incentivize the employees for it. Great administrators support and develop teachers and staff. If elected as a board member I will work with the other board members to show our community that we have the finances to support our administrators’ raises. Transparency is key at all levels. People need to know. If we don’t, then we need to provide reasons for not passing raises.

Jessica Dunn, at-large candidate

Jessica Dunn, 54, is running as a nonpartisan for the at-large seat. She has a bachelor of arts from Indiana University and a master’s degree from Butler University, and she has children attending district schools. She has served on the board since 2023.

Dunn is the director of English as a new language for Indianapolis Public Schools. Her campaign website is https://www.jessicadunn4msdlt.com/.

Please list your top 3 priorities if elected.

My platform centers on three interconnected priorities:

First, driving academic achievement and investing in our educators. That starts with collaborating with the board and superintendent to set transparent, measurable goals. We must continue strengthening our graduation pathways while ensuring we recruit and retain top-tier teachers to lead our classrooms.

Lawrence Township school board candidate Jessica Dunn.

Second, delivering exceptional district programs through responsible fiscal management. I am committed to making sure taxpayer dollars are used efficiently, living within our means while expanding community partnerships, and maintaining robust before- and after-school programming for our families.

Third, supporting the safety, health and well-being, and culture of our schools. We will continue prioritizing safe physical environments, actively measuring the impact of our mental health support systems, and listening to our parents and staff through annual survey feedback to continuously improve school climate.

What do you see as the most pressing issue facing your district? What will be your approach to addressing it?

The most pressing issue facing our district is maintaining long-term financial stability and academic excellence in the face of reduced state educational funding.

My approach is to maintain strict fiduciary oversight so the district lives within its means.

(MSDLT) has done a phenomenal job of balancing the operational budget without asking homeowners for an operating referendum tax increase. I will continue to prioritize strategic budgeting, protect our classroom dollars, and ensure we maximize every state dollar before ever considering turning to our local taxpayers for additional funds.

What area of academics do you think the district needs to focus on and why?

To drive real student achievement, our focus must center on growth at key transitions: building strong early literacy foundations and ensuring 9th-grade pathway completion.

Indiana’s updated accountability model aligns perfectly with this goal by looking beyond single test scores to evaluate continuous progress, attendance, and true post-secondary readiness. By equipping educators with early, data-driven interventions and broadening high school career pathways, we ensure no student falls through the cracks between kindergarten and graduation. With strong existing programs and continued investment in state-of-the-art facilities at the McKenzie Center for Innovation & Technology, MSDLT is primed to lead the way.

How will you engage with the community if elected? What role will their feedback have in your decision making?

I view community engagement as an ongoing conversation. My role is to represent the people who place their trust in our school system, which requires proactive outreach to students, parents, teachers, district staff, and taxpayers.

Feedback from our stakeholders serves as the foundation for the board’s three primary responsibilities: maintaining strong fiscal accountability, shaping responsive district policies, and holding district leadership accountable to our shared goals. Before voting on major policy updates or financial decisions, I prioritize seeking out diverse perspectives, especially from those most directly impacted, so our school board reflects the community it serves.

When I first joined the school board, I questioned administrative compensation. But through my experience on the board, my perspective has evolved because I’ve seen the reality: you get what you pay for.

Our principals, assistant principals, and district leaders don’t work 40-hour weeks. They are in our buildings long before the first bell, navigating complex student needs, supporting teachers, and spending countless evenings and weekends managing athletics, fine arts, and community events. Compared to executive leadership roles in the private sector requiring similar hours and levels of responsibility, public school administrators earn far less; yet they hold the safety and academic future of thousands of children in their hands.

However, maintaining competitive pay requires maintaining public trust. We strengthen that trust by focusing on radical transparency. We must communicate clearly with taxpayers about how administrative oversight protects our more than $200 million operational budget, keeps our schools safe, and prevents costly operational mistakes; all while maintaining balanced budgets without asking property owners for an operating referendum.

Larry Brown, District 2 candidate

Larry Brown is running as a nonpartisan for the District 2 seat. He has a master’s in business administration from Indiana Wesleyan University, and has children in the district. He works as an implementation coordinator with Elevance Health.

Please list your top 3 priorities if elected.

Lawrence Township school board candidate Larry Brown.

1. Student Attendance 2. Safety in school 3. Fiscal Transparency

What do you see as the most pressing issue facing your district? What will be your approach to addressing it?

The biggest challenge facing our district is student attendance. When students are not in school, they miss valuable instruction, fall behind academically, and are less likely to reach their full potential. Improving attendance must be a priority because every day in the classroom matters.

As a school board member, I will support policies that focus on identifying and addressing the reasons students are absent. That means strengthening communication with parents, partnering with community organizations to help families overcome barriers such as transportation, health, or other challenges, and ensuring our schools are safe, welcoming, and engaging environments where students want to learn.

I also believe in using attendance data to identify trends, intervene early, and hold ourselves accountable for measurable improvement. The board’s role is to provide oversight, support effective strategies, and ensure resources are directed where they will have the greatest impact.

My goal is simple: remove barriers, build stronger partnerships with families, and help every student be present, engaged, and prepared for success.

What area of academics do you think the district needs to focus on and why?

I believe the district’s biggest academic priority should be improving literacy while closing the achievement gaps that exist across our schools. In an urban district, many students face challenges outside the classroom that can impact learning, but every child still deserves the opportunity to read, learn, and succeed at a high level.

I will support early literacy programs, targeted academic interventions, and resources that help students who are behind catch up. I also believe we must invest in our teachers by providing quality training and the tools they need to be successful in the classroom.

Academic success doesn’t happen by schools alone. We need strong partnerships with parents, community organizations, and local businesses to support students both inside and outside the classroom.

As a school board member, I will advocate for policies that use data to measure progress, invest resources where they are needed most, and hold the district accountable for improving student outcomes. Every student, regardless of their ZIP code or background, should graduate prepared for college, a career, or military service.

How will you engage with the community if elected? What role will their feedback have in your decision making?

If elected, I will make it a priority to be visible, accessible, and engaged throughout the Lawrence Township community—not just at board meetings. I plan to regularly attend school events, PTO meetings, neighborhood association meetings, faith-based gatherings, and community events to hear directly from students, parents, teachers, and residents.

I believe the best decisions are made when leaders listen first. Community feedback will play an important role in my decision-making by helping me better understand the needs, concerns, and ideas of those we serve. While I know every decision may not satisfy everyone, I will always be transparent about how and why decisions are made and ensure every voice is heard and respected.

As a school board member, I will be committed to building trust through consistent communication, visibility, and accountability. My goal is for the community to know they have a representative who is present, approachable, and committed to putting students first.

I understand that administrator compensation is an important issue for many taxpayers and families. My understanding is that Lawrence Township’s administrator salaries are generally comparable to those of similar school districts in our region. To attract and retain strong principals and district leaders, we must offer competitive compensation while also being responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars.

I believe the focus should not be solely on how much administrators are paid, but on the value they bring to our schools and the results they produce. The board should ensure that compensation is tied to performance, accountability, and the district’s goals for student achievement and operational excellence.

To strengthen public trust, I will support greater transparency by clearly communicating how compensation decisions are made, how administrators are evaluated, and how district resources are being used to improve student outcomes. I believe trust is built through openness, accountability, and consistent communication. Taxpayers deserve to know that every dollar is being invested wisely, and I am committed to ensuring that district leadership remains focused on serving students, families, and the community.

Craig J. Willey, District 2 candidate

Craig J. Willey, 46, is running as a nonpartisan for the District 2 seat, and has children attending district schools. He serves as an associate dean and professor for the Indiana University Indianapolis School of Education.

Willey has a bachelor of arts in Spanish and a bachelor of arts in actuarial science from Butler University, as well as a doctorate in curriculum studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Lawrence Township school board candidate Craig Willey.

Please list your top 3 priorities if elected.

If elected, my priorities would be to 1) continue the work with families to maintain schools that are welcoming and help all kids thrive; 2) advocate for Lawrence schools and community, especially when it comes to educational policy; and 3) sustain Lawrence’s efforts to attract and retain exceptional educators and leaders.

What do you see as the most pressing issue facing your district? What will be your approach to addressing it?

The most pressing issue facing school districts today is making sure that there are adequate resources to support the programs and educators that students need to be successful. I would do this by carefully monitoring the implications of SEA 1 on school district budgets and explore solutions to any shortcomings that surface.

The other piece of this is making sure we teachers are properly supported to meet the student achievement standards set by local and state policy.

What area of academics do you think the district needs to focus on and why?

I am confident that the district will continue to lead in compliance with respect to reading and foundational mathematics instruction, as well as providing robust opportunities for STEM learning and career and technical education.

We also must continue to provide focused services for multilingual learners and exceptional learners. This combination of focusing on foundational skills while continuing to update programming to be future-ready will ensure that Lawrence graduates continue to lead in the community and beyond.

How will you engage with the community if elected? What role will their feedback have in your decision making?

I am a person who is available and accessible. I would invite community members to weigh in on the issues facing MSDLT. It is important to me to bring this feedback forward when considering solutions to the challenges that come up.

Because of my decades of experience as a teacher and collaborator with school districts, I understand the roles administrators play in leading successful school districts. Attracting and retaining leaders that help keep MSDLT functioning at the highest level is crucial, and this involves appropriate compensation. At the same time, our students deserve the best teachers in front of them on a daily basis.

It is no secret that teachers give endlessly of themselves for our students, and they deserve to be properly compensated and supported. Teacher retention matters. We can do both in MSDLT: pay administrators competitively and provide teachers what they need and deserve.

Amelia Pak-Harvey covers schools for Chalkbeat Indiana. Contact Amelia at apak-harvey@chalkbeat.org.

Chicago school board looks at possible preschool expansion, despite opposition from district leadership

2026-09-10T22:31:57+00:00

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The Chicago school board is weighing a resolution to explore offering full-day preschool to all 3-year-olds and shifting how it provides services for young children with disabilities.

The resolution, drafted by board member Anusha Thotakura, would give the district until next summer to study how families access early childhood programs and how it can better meet their needs before crafting a plan for a possible overhaul. For children with disabilities, Thotakura wants the district to consider sending staff to provide special education services in private childcare settings rather than busing children to district schools.

In a memo to school board members, CPS Superintendent Macquline King voiced strong opposition to the resolution. She suggested the administration was blindsided by it and argued the proposal could saddle the financially strained district with significant costs. King also said she was concerned that if the district starts sending special education staffers to daycares, it might also have to dispatch them to private and faith-based schools, which vie with district-run campuses for enrollment. The district conducted a small pilot starting in 2023 to provide federally required services for young children with disabilities in Head Start programs and found few families took advantage, the memo said.

But Thotakura and other board members said it’s worthwhile to study what early childhood access and services currently look like — including for bilingual students — and how the district can strengthen them. Thotakura said she understands the district’s financial constraints but argued that more robust early services could help reduce spending needed later to help students who fall behind academically.

“When we invest early in our students, that sets them up for success throughout their entire time in CPS,” she said.

The resolution echoes a campaign proposal from Hilario Dominguez, who was until recently the Chicago Teachers Union’s deputy political director and is running for school board president this fall with union support. Thotakura and other board members who voiced support for the resolution were appointed by Mayor Brandon Johnson, a staunch union ally, or elected with CTU backing.

The district expanded access to preschool for 4-year-olds in recent years, and it offers programs for 3-year-olds in some schools. Those programs are generally half-day, a format that Thotakura noted is a poor fit for working families who might need full-day childcare.

Supporters on the board argued special education services in children’s childcare settings would spare them lengthy bus rides and disruptive transitions. The resolution also calls on the district to take a closer look at the city’s current Child Find system for identifying children who qualify for early childhood disability services, which Thotakura said is likely missing too many children.

School board member Debby Pope said research has shown that early childhood programs and interventions for students with disabilities can be especially helpful for children from low-income families and other disadvantaged students. She said her grandson, who has a disability, thrived after receiving special education support at his daycare in Pennsylvania.

“These types of programs can really benefit our struggle for equity and our desire to diminish the achievement gap that exists,” she said.

In her memo, King said the district was not involved in developing the resolution and that it could lead to a duplication of existing services.

“For the record, the District does not support moving forward with this proposal, given our current operational and financial context and the significant implications for students, families, schools, and District operations,” she wrote, adding that the plan could undermine the district’s credibility as it lobbies the state for more funding.

Some board members said they only learned of the resolution in recent days and have questions and concerns. Member Therese Boyle said she worries that moving some services to private childcare providers could hurt district enrollment. She also raised concerns about sending CPS staff to private schools.

“It seems like the resolution is biting off very large pieces to chew,” she said. “My head is swimming with it all, to be honest.”

Member Jennifer Custer said the board should not govern the district by resolution but instead work closely with district officials through new committees the board is launching later this year focused on student achievement, finance, and operations. Member Ellen Rosenfeld said she is concerned that a preschool expansion is something the cash-strapped district cannot afford.

“The district has to be able to implement something this massive and this expensive,” she said.

Thotakura said the board will continue conversations about the resolution in groups of five or fewer members, which would allow them to discuss it without calling a public meeting, and could vote on it later this month.

In an interview with Chalkbeat, Thotakura said she reached out several times to the district’s administration about working together on a proposal. She stressed that her resolution simply asks the district to explore the issue and identify barriers to access without committing it to take any specific action. Officials would have to develop recommendations for improving services based on next year’s study by June 30, 2028.

“The district’s memo made it seem like the resolution is asking for huge policy changes overnight,” she said.

Reema Amin contributed to this report.

Mila Koumpilova is Chalkbeat Chicago’s senior reporter covering Chicago Public Schools. Contact Mila at mkoumpilova@chalkbeat.org.

Detroit mayor announces 7 new after-school program sites with $2.2 million in city funds

2026-09-10T21:48:56+00:00

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Seven new after-school sites will open across Detroit this school year using $2.2 million in city funding, Mayor Mary Sheffield announced Thursday.

As part of Sheffield’s initiative to improve life for the city’s youth, the funding will allow the existing after-school program Get On And Learn, or GOAL Line Detroit, to expand to parts of the city lacking access to affordable out-of-school opportunities. The free program also will provide transportation for K-8 students from city schools to the new sites.

The program currently has 33 sites and serves more than 2,700 students, according to the city. With the expansion, it will serve around 1,000 more children in the city, Sheffield said at a press conference Thursday at the Northwest Activities Center.

For the first time in the program’s history, there will be sites in all seven City Council districts, Ricky Fountain, executive director of the Community Education Commission, said at the press conference.

“Our parents now can finish their workday knowing their children are safe and engaged, instead of having to leave work early or arrange transportation every afternoon,” Sheffield said.

At Thursday’s press conference, Sloan Gibson, the father of a fourth grader at Foreign Language Immersion and Cultural Studies School, said GOAL Line has helped his son grow as a student. The program also made his work schedule more manageable, he added.

“Those few extra hours, you know, it gives us a chance to get work done, just take a deep breath,” he said.

Out-of-school programs can have a number of benefits for kids, including improvements in schoolday attendance, academic performance, and behavior.

But parents in Detroit and southeast Michigan have long lacked access to high-quality, affordable after-school programs.

Nikolai Vitti, superintendent of the Detroit Public Schools Community District, said at the press conference that transportation is a barrier for families trying to get their kids to such programs.

“Our families are struggling,” he said. “They’re working. They’ve got multiple jobs. Their kids are coming home and maybe just watching TV or sitting on a phone.”

GOAL Line also expanded this school year to offer after-school programming at four more DPSCD elementary-middle schools, Vitti said.

The nonprofit was created in 2018 through the city’s Community Education Commission under former Mayor Mike Duggan as an incentive for parents to keep students in Detroit schools. Since then, it has expanded with philanthropic and state funding. It now offers 57 different enrichment activities, including robotics, athletics, tutoring, financial literacy, and coding.

Sheffield said the expansion is a first step toward her goal of having an after-school program within 2 miles of every Detroit school.

The new GOAL Line sites will be located at:

Helen Moore Community Center
Coleman A. Young Recreation Center
Joseph Walker Williams Recreation Center
Community Center at A.B. Ford Park
Detroit Public Library, Conley branch
Detroit Public Library, Lincoln Branch
Detroit Public Library, Chaney Branch

Existing GOAL Line sites are located at:

Northwest Activities Center
Heilmann Recreation Center
Patton Recreation Center
Engaged Detroit
Association for the Advancement of Deaf/Hard of Hearing
Cass Community Services Center
Detroit Public Library - Hubbard Branch
Detroit Public Library, Edison Branch
Detroit Public Library, Parkman Branch
Detroit Public Library, Redford Branch
Detroit Public Library, Sherwood Forest Branch
Detroit Academy of Arts and Sciences
Bagley Elementary School of Journalism and Technology
Bow Elementary-Middle School
Bunche Preparatory Academy
Detroit Achievement Academy
Cornerstone Adams-Young Elementary Academy
Cornerstone Adams-Young Middle Academy
Foreign Language Immersion and Cultural Studies School
John R. King Academic and Performing Arts Academy
Palmer Park Preparatory Academy
Pasteur Elementary School
Schulze Academy for Technology and Arts
The School at Marygrove
Vernor Elementary School
Warrendale Charter Academy
Fisher Magnet Academy
Durfee Elementary-Middle School
Thirkell Elementary-Middle School
Munger Elementary-Middle School
Paul Robeson Malcolm X Academy
Nolan Elementary-Middle School
Edison Elementary School

Hannah Dellinger covers Detroit schools for Chalkbeat Detroit. You can reach her at hdellinger@chalkbeat.org.

Cost savings, first-day jitters, payment delays: NYC launches 2-K for 2,000 toddlers

2026-09-10T21:15:10+00:00

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As her 2-year-old son bounded into his brightly colored Brooklyn preschool classroom on Thursday morning, Mirlene Casimir lingered on the outskirts of the room with other parents.

It was a bittersweet moment for Casimir, a nurse and the daughter of Haitian immigrants.

Her son was part of the inaugural class of New York City’s new childcare program for 2-year-olds. The free 2-K program at the Friends of Crown Heights center in East Flatbush, which runs from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. year-round, would save her money she could spend on her mortgage and student loans, she said. It would allow her to cut back on overtime shifts. She hoped it would also help her son, who doesn’t speak much English at home, with his language skills.

Mirlene Casimir after dropping her son off at 2-K.

Across four boroughs, roughly 2,000 toddlers began the school year Thursday as part of the 2-K program that Mayor Zohran Mamdani has made a centerpiece of his affordability agenda. Mamdani is betting big that the program, which opened in every borough except Staten Island, can make a dent in the often crushing costs of childcare for city families and keep some from leaving the city. He plans to expand the program to 12,000 kids by next fall, and bring it citywide by the end of his first term.

“While this morning has brought a new kind of stress to thousands of young families across the city, it is the stress of excitement and new beginnings, not the stress of wondering whether they can afford to be here at all,” Mamdani said Thursday morning at a press conference in Washington Heights with Gov. Kathy Hochul and schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels.

Hochul, who has pledged state funding for the program next year, but not after that, said she was optimistic that the state would find a way to continue supporting it.

“We’ll keep it going,” she said. “You don’t start something this incredible and stop it.”

Casimir had previously relied on her parents to watch her son, so Thursday was the first time sending him outside of the house for childcare. She was having a hard time saying goodbye.

“I’m very nervous, but I’m trusting the teachers here,” she said.

Soon, a staffer announced it was time for caregivers to depart.

“Detach, detach — come on, mommies, daddies!” family worker Lisa Joseph-Mayers bellowed.

Payment delay problems loom

Reminders of the challenges still dogging the 2-K program weren’t far away. The Dominican Women’s Development Center, the organization that runs the 2-K program Mamdani and Hochul visited Thursday morning, is still waiting for contracts with the city Education Department to be finalized and for a city-issued loan to arrive, Executive Director Marielys Divanne said.

“Community-based organizations simply cannot deliver without the payments necessary to pay our staff and keep our doors open,” she said.

Typically, programs contracting with the city Education Department get a chunk of their funding in advance of the school year to help with startup costs. But many providers were still waiting for their contracts to be approved by the Education Department in the weeks leading up to the school year, pushing some to the brink of closure, the New York Times found.

Providers were still waiting for payments on Thursday, with some even delaying opening their programs because of a lack of funds, according to reports Thursday.

Delays in the Education Department’s system for approving early childhood education contracts are longstanding, and grew worse because of steep staffing cuts in the Division of Early Childhood Education, officials said. That office shrunk from nearly 1,200 staffers at the beginning of 2022 to fewer than 500 in August, 2024, according to the Education Department.

Mamdani announced a new effort last week to speed up contract reviews and loan applications and bolster the staff in the Education Department’s Division of Early Childhood Education. Officials also announced earlier this week a new deputy chancellor to oversee that division.

The Education Department has approved more than 500 contracts and issued more than 300 loans, Mamdani said. Programs applying for a new loan will receive their funds within five business days, he added.

Divanne said that the recent efforts to speed up the contract and loan process seem to be bearing fruit.

“We are beginning to see movement and greater intentionality around contracting, and that is encouraging,” she said.

Triana Nuñez, a staffer at one of the programs run by the Dominican Women’s Development Center, said she was excited to welcome a new group of 2-year-olds, including her younger sister, Jayilani.

“It’s going to help us a lot financially,” she said, allowing their dad to get to work earlier and their stepmom to resume working full time at a daycare.

Michael Elsen-Rooney is a reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Michael at melsen-rooney@chalkbeat.org.

Alex Zimmerman is a senior reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Alex at azimmerman@chalkbeat.org.

Irvington data center poses health concerns for school community — and could also impact enrollment

2026-09-10T20:44:30+00:00

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It’s quiet in the back yard of Irvington Community Elementary School, which sits along the Pennsy Trail on the east side of Indianapolis.

Inside, students are writing in notebooks — a break from screens in an effort to limit technology instruction. Yet hundreds of feet away, a digital infrastructure company hopes to build a controversial data center that the close-knit Irvington community is now fighting in court.

The charter school is in the crosshairs of a data center battle being fought in neighborhoods across the country. In Irvington, residents have voiced concern over the potential noise from the maximum 31 generators that the DC Blox company is proposing for its two-building, $2 billion data center. They’re also worried about construction kicking up potential contaminants from the property, once home to a Ford Motor Company car manufacturing plant.

School leaders have echoed these concerns and worry about the impact on students. The proposed facility also comes at an already challenging time for one of the city’s oldest charter schools, risking student enrollment as public schools statewide grapple with a decline in students and increasingly tight budgets.

Irvington Community Elementary in Indianapolis sits just north of the proposed DC Blox data center. According to a lawsuit challenging the project, the proposed data center campus would be about 850 feet from the school.

While families may be deterred from enrolling their children hundreds of feet from a data center, school leaders are focused on keeping the roughly 300 elementary students safe. The school is one of several plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed last month to stop the data center.

DC Blox did not respond to requests for comment.

“The fears about it from the general public are a given,” said charter network CEO Rachel Maldonado, of the proposed data center’s proximity to the school. “We don’t have enough research. And that’s, I think, the biggest issue.”

Commitments aren’t enough to quell concerns from school

The site at 305 Fintail Drive — which the lawsuit states is 850 feet from the school — is now classified as a brownfield, a designation given to many former industrial sites that could contain hazardous substances.

Activities on the former Ford site included coal storage, hazardous waste storage, wastewater treatment, and wastewater sludge burning, and some contaminants remain in the soil and groundwater, according to documents filed with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM). The school opened next door about a decade before Ford ceased operations.

The data center won approval from the Metropolitan Development Commission just before the city enacted a moratorium on new data center applications through 2027, as the city crafts zoning regulations for these facilities. That leaves the DC Blox site as one of three that could continue as approved.The company plans to complete construction on the first building within two years.

DC Blox must test for or mitigate any contaminants in the air through a vapor mitigation system. The site must also include a two-foot soil and vegetative barrier in areas not occupied by buildings, parking lots, or sidewalks.

The company has listed a set of binding commitments, in accordance with state law — including the requirement to share generator testing schedules with the school. A sound study must show that sound levels at the edge of the data center campus do not exceed 65 decibels, which is roughly the level of a normal conversation or a business office.

Across the country, thousands of schools are less than a mile from an existing or future data center, according to an analysis reported by the 74 Million. Yet research on the effects on students is limited.

“We have kids that have asthma, and we have kids that have health conditions,” Maldonado said of the potential for soil contaminants to enter the school’s ventilation system. “We don’t know what the impacts of that would be yet.”

Past construction on the former Ford site was already enough to kick up dust toward the elementary school, documents show. In 2022, the principal reported that concrete demolition placed a dust film on staff cars, according to an incident report filed with IDEM.

School leaders visited a DC Blox center in Atlanta earlier this year, but that did not quell concerns.

Irvington Community Elementary, one of the city's oldest charter schools, is one of multiple plaintiffs in a lawsuit to stop the DC Blox data center.

Maldonado could hear the hum of the generator kick on from 700 feet away, she said, and the construction noise was loud enough to “potentially prohibit a conducive learning environment.”

“We’re only getting a snapshot,” Maldonado said. “And we’re getting the snapshot that they want us to see.”

Data center makes financial struggles even harder

As community members launch fundraising efforts for the legal battle against the data center, Irvington Community Schools faces a financial challenge of its own.

The network, which consists of three schools at locations throughout Irvington, ended with a $2.85 million deficit last school year due to declining enrollment, Maldonado said at a board meeting last month.

This year, the network also struggles to meet its projected enrollment of 817.

In response, the network has launched a three-pronged sustainability plan, including cutting programs like prekindergarten and their staffs, and seeking alternative sources of funding like grants.

But the backdrop of a data center could make increasing enrollment even harder.

Katie Welch, principal of Irvington Community Elementary in Indianapolis. Welch said parents have expressed concerns about the impact of a data center slated to be built near the school.

“I don’t know that the data center is hindering,” Maldonado said of DC Blox’s impact on enrollment. “But long term, it’s not helping.”

Principal Katie Welch has heard concerns from parents and staff about dust and noise.

“They have questions,” she said. “How will this impact learning? Will it impact my students’ health? They just want some answers.”

Amelia Pak-Harvey covers schools for Chalkbeat Indiana. Contact Amelia at apak-harvey@chalkbeat.org.

NYC back to school: New AI and screen time limits give parents relief

2026-09-10T19:24:11+00:00

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The school year started Thursday with a new policy restricting artificial intelligence and screen time for New York City’s youngest students, and many parents feel relieved.

They welcome the limits, not only for what they mean in the classroom but also for what they could mean at home: Parents hope the policy will help them rein in their children’s screen time and AI use — and potentially quell some of the battles they have with their kids over those limits.

“I really appreciate there’s a rule,” said Julia Jackson, a Brooklyn mom to twin 10-year-olds in fifth grade and twin 9-year-olds in fourth grade. “Then I can point to the rule. I’m not on my own navigating this crazy jungle of newness, of technology all the time.”

Thursday marked the start of a yearlong moratorium on student-facing generative AI tools, such as chatbots and tutors that respond to prompts, in preschool through eighth-grade classrooms. The policy allows limited AI use in high school.

Brooklyn's P.S. 235 welcomes students back to school on Thursday.

For screen time, the Education Department is banning individual devices from preschool through second grade. Students in grades 3-5 can use individual devices for up to 30 minutes a day, and in middle school, the limit is 45 minutes, per the policy’s recommendations. There are no screen time guidelines for high school.

The new policy was crafted after a groundswell of parent pushback to AI and technology use in schools. When announcing the guidance, Mayor Zohran Mamdani called it the “broadest generative AI moratorium in the nation.” The next day, however, Los Angeles announced an even more restrictive policy, limiting AI use for high schoolers.

Unanswered questions, but welcome support

Questions remain. Although New York City officials plan to convene a coalition of educators, students, parents, union officials, and experts to help assess the policy and consider future changes, they have offered few specifics on how they plan to ensure schools adhere to the AI policy and follow the recommended screen time limits. Still, several parents said Thursday that they planned to use the new policy as a jumping-off point for discussions with their kids about AI use and screens.

Jackson, who considers herself “anti-screen-time,” has not allowed her kids to have phones or iPads, much to their dismay because they claim they are the only ones without such devices. She’s glad more families are trying to delay giving their kids devices, too, and hopes the school system’s policy will help shape that conversation.

“We’re trying to hold out as long as we can,” she said. “It helps that other parents feel the same way, but it’s tough.”

Bora Lee, who has a sixth grader at the Brooklyn Urban Garden Charter School and a fourth grader at P.S. 107 in Park Slope, plans to sit down with her children this weekend to discuss the school policy and set boundaries around how — and where — they use their Chromebooks. Lee said she plans to have them only use their devices in the living room, rather than their bedrooms, to keep better tabs on what they’re searching.

“It’ll be easier to have the conversations at home about screen time limits because school is setting limits, and so hopefully there will be fewer battles over it,” Lee said. “My children do better when we say, ‘Well, school says that really you should only be using 30 minutes,’ and they are more likely to stick to that guidance.”

Students returned to P.S. 107 in Brooklyn on Thursday for the first day of school.

Lee was surprised last year to find her older daughter had used AI, perhaps unintentionally when searching on Google, to write a paragraph for a school assignment. It “freaked” Lee out, she said, and prompted her to seek guidance from the school on navigating AI use.

The new guidance, however, doesn’t address students’ use of AI for homework.

Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels told reporters Thursday that school leaders and superintendents will assess how well the overall policy is working.

“The people who know schools best — our principals, our superintendents — they’re going to be looking at what implementation looks like on a daily basis,” he said.

Samuels also emphasized that the screen time limits for grades 3-8 are guidelines and said he did not expect schools to enforce them strictly.

“The idea is not to go around and say you’re at 31 minutes,” he said, noting that the “spirit” of the policy is to move students away from screens when possible.

Not all parents and students are on board with new policies

Nickel Douglas, whose fourth grader attends P.S. 235 in Brooklyn’s East Flatbush neighborhood, didn’t think AI belonged in the classroom but said her daughter has occasionally used ChatGPT to help guide her when she’s stuck on a math problem or other schoolwork.

Douglas said she was disappointed with the limits on individual devices. The school had previously provided a laptop to her daughter, which she found easier to transport to and from school than a stack of books.

“I think she learns more on the laptop,” Douglas said. “Even at home, she uses the laptop to do research.”

But Sereta Smith, another mom from P.S. 235, disagreed. “I’m old school,” Smith said. “I believe that peer-to-peer interaction is better than screens.”

From left, Zay, Priscilla and Yasmina pose for a portrait on their first day of sixth grade on Thurs., Sept. 10., 2026 at P.S./I.S. 206 in Brooklyn.

Sixth graders at P.S./I.S. 206 in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, said their previous schools often used i-Ready for regular assessments and schoolwork and used other apps for reading. One student, Yasmina, said she likes how digital platforms give her more reading options. But she admitted her eyes “did kind of hurt.” She added, “I guess it helps to use devices less, so I can focus more.”

Her classmate Zay prefers print. “The actual copy’s better,” he said. “You can actually feel the book and see it in your eyes.”

Parents of high schoolers are perhaps having other conversations around AI use and screens, with more focus on responsible use.

“I’m less worried about the developmental and the biology aspects,” said Abe Asoli about his older daughter, a freshman at Brooklyn Tech. Instead, he is asking: “Are we doing this right? Are we optimizing to the best of our abilities to find that balance between relying on AI but also pursuing a healthy education?”

He also wants his daughter to be informed about technology’s potential impact on learning. The night before the first day of school, he sent his daughter an article about how reading proficiency is declining in countries around the world.

“Part of our approach is simply talking about it and creating awareness,” he said.

“All of this is just a part of the beginning of a discussion,” Asoli added. “Yes, schools will set limits, parents will set limits, and policymakers will begin to build task forces and committees, and so that’s hopefully the silver lining.”

Alex Zimmerman is a senior reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Alex at azimmerman@chalkbeat.org.

Amy Zimmer is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat New York. Contact Amy at azimmer@chalkbeat.org.

The rise, fall — and possible future — of high-dosage tutoring

2026-09-10T18:56:26+00:00

Chalkbeat Ideas is a section featuring reported columns on the big ideas and debates shaping American schools. Sign up for the Ideas newsletter to follow our work.

In 2020, a wonky but buzzy new phrase entered the common educational lexicon: “high-dosage tutoring.”

Academics, policymakers, and journalists, myself included, began describing the idea as a potential solution to the moment’s unfolding learning loss crisis. After all, an average student might vault to the 65th percentile of performance when regularly tutored during the school day, according to widely circulated research summaries.

Education is usually beset with intense political divides — not here. “Tutoring was a shockingly broadly supported policy,” says Matthew Kraft, a Brown University professor who has studied and touted the benefits of tutoring.

At first the barrier seemed to be money — school budgets were tight at that moment — but then in early 2021 schools received a windfall of federal funds.

Among many others, then Education Secretary Miguel Cardona began evangelizing the new strategy. Students who are behind should get “at least 30 minutes per day, three times a week, with a well-trained tutor,” he said in January 2022. If learning loss was the problem, high-dosage tutoring was the research-backed, expert-sanctioned, federally funded answer.

Did it live up to the hopes and hype?

Complications soon emerged as schools sought to build out tutoring. Third-party companies rushed to fill demand, branding themselves as “high-dosage” and “high-impact.” In reality, many companies offered only remote homework help for students who sought it — nothing like the vision of a tutor regularly sitting with a student throughout the school year. These companies often had trouble engaging students, according to reporting from Chalkbeat, other news outlets, and external researchers.

Even when schools kept tutoring in-house, they faced their own issues. In Nashville, Tennessee, district officials initially looked for volunteers, retired teachers, college students, and others to serve as tutors. But these people proved difficult to find and train, according to a study coauthored by Kraft. Nashville schools ended up largely relying on their own teachers and staff. Yet teachers had little free time during the school day, so many tutoring sessions were done before or after school — rather than during the school day, a key tenet of the high-dosage tutoring model.

Denver schools contracted with two external companies to conduct tutoring. One company struggled to find qualified tutors. The other conducted tutoring virtually, which made staffing easier, but students often missed tutoring sessions. Many students in the district didn’t get the recommended hours of tutoring. “It’s great if you can do it with fidelity and if you have qualified tutors,” a district official previously told Chalkbeat. “There are just a lot of components that go into it that make it effective or ineffective.”

The timing was tough in many ways. Schools were still reeling from the pandemic and its consequences, making it tough to stand up a complex new initiative. And a hot labor market made it hard to find would-be tutors.

Meanwhile, the $190 billion in federal money for schools was dwindling quickly. Tutoring was competing with a variety of other needs and demands. Some districts were wary of using one-time funds for staffing so poured much of it into building upgrades. Others used part of the money to lower property tax rates rather than expand education programs.

One widely missed complication was with the underlying research base. When Kraft and colleagues recently re-analyzed prior tutoring studies they found a striking pattern: Larger programs tended to produce meaningful but notably smaller gains. Kraft theorized that as tutoring efforts scaled they skimped on costs and quality. This implied that widely touted effect sizes were unrealistic.

Indeed, studies began to emerge showing only modest gains from tutoring — far smaller than initial research suggested. In Nashville, tutoring produced moderate improvements in reading scores, but null results in math, according to the study by Kraft and colleagues.

A paper released by the University of Chicago Education Lab also found modest gains from tutoring and described the results as both encouraging and “sobering.” These findings kicked off a post-mortem among policy wonks, including in a piece in the Hechinger Report and an extended discussion on the Substack Schooled. Some even suggested the money going into tutoring had largely been wasted.

To Monica Bhatt, coauthor of the University of Chicago research, there’s a ready explanation for the smaller effects of tutoring seen in recent studies. Prior research had focused on deluxe programs that cost multiple thousands of dollars per student to ensure they received regular tutoring.

In contrast, the pandemic-era tutoring was often spread thin. “You spend less, you get less dosage, you get less learning gains,” Bhatt says. In other words, despite its name, high-dosage tutoring was often not high-dosage. Bhatt has been studying ways to keep tutoring costs down while maintaining dosage and effects.

Like many hyped initiatives before it, tutoring produced some gains but fell short of initial hopes. That is disappointing but in some ways was inevitable. The real shame will be if the idea is simply cast aside as another failure, rather than a complicated story with both setbacks and successes that we can continue to learn from.

“An effort to increase personalized and individualized instruction in school, in my view, is following the right North Star,” Kraft says. “But if I had to go back and make the pitch, I would be more conservative about the effects that we might expect and far more vocal about the challenges.”

Matt Barnum is Chalkbeat’s ideas editor. Reach him at mbarnum@chalkbeat.org.

Federal program wants to study young people whose health was affected by the 9/11 attacks

2026-09-10T18:41:23+00:00

This story was originally published by Healthbeat: Public health, explained. Sign up to receive Healthbeat’s free New York City newsletter here.

Twenty-five years after the World Trade Center attacks in Lower Manhattan, the federal government wants to study the health effects on an overlooked demographic: children, teens, young adults, and those in utero on Sept. 11, 2001.

Previous health studies have mainly focused on adults, in particular the emergency responders who rushed to Ground Zero in the hours and days after the Twin Towers crumbled on 9/11 and fell ill because of toxic exposure at the site. Hundreds of studies have looked at issues involving the lungs and upper respiratory tract, the stomach and esophagus, and various cancers — but not for younger New Yorkers.

Overseen by the World Trade Center Health Program and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Youth Research Cohort is in its infancy. Those involved are trying to find eligible participants. The study, with projected funding of $50 million, comes five years after Congress directed the World Trade Center Health Program Administrator to establish the study of young people affected by 9/11. Advocates have noted the delay in bringing the effort to fruition. It is expected to kick off July 1, 2027, according to a government website announcing federal grants. The same site says research will begin once the number of people participating “grows large enough.”

Forty-thousand youngsters lived in Lower Manhattan and western Brooklyn — what officials designated as the “disaster area” — during 9/11, said Dr. Matt Karwowski, chief of research at the WTC Health Program.

Many schools and daycare centers, some mere steps from Ground Zero, also dot Lower Manhattan, including Stuyvesant High School and Children’s Discovery Center at the World Trade Center.

Karwowski noted that children experience “environmental exposures differently than adults” and could fall ill in ways different from adults.

“Children are exposed to more dust and other potential sources of exposure through just normal activities that they do, like crawling on the floor, exploring things with their mouths,” said Karwowski.

CDC spokesperson Stephanie Stevens didn’t respond to questions seeking clarification on its plans to reach eligible people beyond pointing to a CDC website. Some of the 9/11 survivors may have left New York City.

Others have stayed put, including Mariama James, a 9/11 health advocate who was eight months pregnant during the attacks and lived in an apartment on Gold Street in Lower Manhattan.

Her daughter, who is now 24, and two other adult children suffer from respiratory issues, PTSD, and other mental health issues, James said.

“She wasn’t even here, but the experience of growing up ill from an event that occurred before you were even born, and you don’t even know why you’re impacted.”

In recent years, the attacks have taken on greater significance as a major public health concern as the death toll for people who died from illnesses such as cancer have surpassed the nearly 3,000 people who were killed on 9/11.

Since that day, more than 96,000 people have been diagnosed with physical and mental health conditions as a result of exposure to the dust, smoke, debris, and traumatic events of 9/11, according to the WTC Health Program. The program says it has recorded more than 9,000 deaths since 9/11, but it’s not clear what role 9/11 played in those deaths.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani underscored the 9/11-related public health dangers this week, as his administration released more than 170,000 pages of documents showing that the city’s air quality was much more toxic than officials said at the time. At a news conference at City Hall, Mamdani accused unnamed city and federal officials before him of lying about air quality safety. Records note that buildings less than a mile from the World Trade Center found evidence of asbestos.

The World Trade Center Program was born 10 years after 9/11

In 2011, Congress passed the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010, which created the WTC Health Program to provide healthcare to more than 140,000 responders and survivors nationwide who fell ill because of exposure to the 9/11 attack sites in Lower Manhattan, the Pentagon, and Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

In December 2022, Congress directed the WTC Health Program Administrator to establish the research cohort of young people willing to participate in studies on the health and educational impacts of 9/11 on children, teens, and young adults up to age 21, including those who were in utero during the attacks. The program will study people who were in those age groups and were physically present south of 14th street in Manhattan or in Brooklyn from Sept. 11, 2001 to July 31, 2002.

Karwowski didn’t say how the program arrived at the geographical boundaries for the study.

Efforts since the congressional order to get the Youth Research Cohort up ran into delays and more recently, cuts from the Department of Government Efficiency. The turbulence included the termination and rehiring of Dr. John Howard, head of National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, or NIOSH, and director of the World Trade Center Health Program. Howard has served as administrator since the program was established in 2011.

The staffing shortages at the WTC Health Program drew the attention of a group of New York and New Jersey members of Congress, all of them Republican. In a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., they raised concerns at the WTC Health Program, citing “devastating medical consequences” that threatened 9/11 responders and survivors. Health advocate Lila Nordstrom said efforts to promote the Youth Research Cohort, including a talk by a physician at a recent panel on 9/11 at Manhattan’s Mount Sinai, bode well.

“This newest call seems promising,” said Nordstrom, a youth advocate who was a student at Stuyvesant High School on 9/11 and parlayed that experience into a life of healthcare advocacy as the founder of an organization called StuyHealth. “I think everyone’s feeling really hopeful about it.”

Trenton Daniel is a reporter covering public health in New York for Healthbeat. Contact Trenton at tdaniel@healthbeat.org or on the messaging app Signal at trentondaniel.88.

Voter guide 2026: Meet the 15 candidates vying for 5 seats on the Indianapolis Public Schools board

2026-09-10T11:00:00+00:00

Sign up for Chalkbeat Indiana’s free daily newsletter to keep up with Indianapolis Public Schools, Marion County’s township districts, and statewide education news.

This article was co-published by Chalkbeat Indiana and WFYI as part of a collaboration ahead of the 2026 school board elections.

Update, Sept 11: This guide was updated to reflect that Lindsey Cornett is now on the ballot for IPS school board and not a write-in candidate.

The majority of seats on the Indianapolis Public Schools Board of School Commissioners are on the November ballot in the first election since the creation of a new board appointed by the mayor to manage key aspects of city schools.

The election is the first for partisan school board candidates, which led to one IPS candidate being removed from the ballot, but then added back.

Fifteen candidates are vying for five seats on the seven-member school board. All five incumbents are seeking re-election.

While three seats - districts 3 and 5 and one At-Large - were regularly scheduled to be on the ballot this year, two more are also there due to resignations earlier this year. The District 2 and District 4 seats were filled with appointed members until the election.

IPS school board members oversee district policies, goal setting, and some financial decisions. They also hire and oversee the superintendent. The new Indianapolis Public Education Corporation or IPEC took over key responsibilities for IPS and charter schools in the city from school boards including managing school buildings and transportation and the ability to put a tax measure on the ballot.

The outcome of the November tax measure, or referendum, will also determine potential budget cuts. Officials have estimated that the district will need to make around $20 million in cuts even if the tax measure passes.

Also new this year is the option for school board candidates to be partisan. A vast majority of IPS school board candidates are running as Democrats, a stark contrast to the rest of central Indiana and the state.

What to know before you vote for IPS school board

Voters living anywhere within IPS boundaries can vote for the one at-large seat on the ballot. For the four district seats, voters must live in that district to vote in the race.

Three of the districts on the ballot represent the northern half of the IPS district boundaries: District 5 to the west, District 3 in the central portion, and District 2 in the east. And District 4 represents the southwestern part of the school district.

The most crowded races are four candidates each in District 3 and for the at-large seat. There are three candidates in District 5 and two in District 2. District 4 has two candidates.

Chalkbeat and WFYI sent survey questions to each of the candidates to help voters learn more ahead of the Nov. 3 election. Chalkbeat and WFYI will host a candidate forum on Oct. 19 at the Indianapolis Public Library Central Branch, 40 E St Clair St. RSVP here.

How can I vote in school board elections?

School board elections are not included in straight ticket voting. Despite school board candidates now having the option to include a party affiliation, candidates of the same party can be running against each other.

Voter registration is underway and ends Oct. 5. Marion County residents can check their voter status and register to vote here.

Early voting begins Oct. 6 at the Indianapolis City-County Building, 200 E. Washington St. Additional early voting sites open Oct. 24.

On Election Day Nov. 3, Marion County residents can vote at any of the county’s voting centers, which can be found online. Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Update, Sept 14: Daqavise Winston’s photo was updated.

Contact WFYI Government Reporter Caroline Beck at cbeck@wfyi.org.

MJ Slaby oversees Chalkbeat Indiana’s coverage as bureau chief. Contact MJ at mslaby@chalkbeat.org.

Denver school board discusses alleged use of antisemitic language, other accusations

2026-09-10T00:11:17+00:00

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A discussion of alleged policy violations by two Denver school board members began with a quarrel about whether the board was properly following the policy on alleged violations.

It ended with most members saying they take such accusations seriously, especially an allegation that Vice President Monica Hunter used antisemitic language. But they didn’t say how they would vote on a possible censure, with some saying they don’t have all of the facts.

Last Friday, board President Xóchitl Gaytán sent emails to Hunter and board member DJ Torres listing the alleged violations, including that Torres repeatedly missed meetings. Hunter and Torres have said the allegations are baseless and exaggerated.

The board is set to discuss the allegations again, and possibly take a vote on whether to censure Hunter and Torres, on Sept. 17.

Wednesday’s discussion during a virtual meeting was the latest and most robust public display of the tension and interpersonal conflict that vex the Denver school board, an elected body that has struggled off and on with such issues for years.

Superintendent Alex Marrero said he and his staff are “in the middle of what’s happening here” and would be willing to provide testimonials. He expressed concerns this summer that board members were overstepping their bounds.

Board member Amy Klein Molk, who is Jewish, said the board should act with decorum.

“We have a responsibility to model how people can disagree without hatred,” she said.

The accusations against Hunter include that she allegedly used derogatory language directed at “a colleague’s Jewish identity,” disparaged other board members in a social media post, failed to review the superintendent’s weekly email to the board, and bypassed the chain of command by speaking to district employees to advocate for her family and another.

The accusations against Torres include that he repeatedly missed board and committee meetings, did not attend a board-related conference in Canada after the district paid for it, and has provided only “limited” reporting on board expenses in his role as treasurer.

Gaytán also accused Hunter and Torres of refusing to speak with her by phone, preferring written communication, and allegedly giving a “possible unauthorized directive” to Marrero to recognize a labor union of district employees.

Gaytán said the allegations came from other board members, the superintendent, district staff, and community members whom she didn’t name. But Torres referred to the allegations as “your lengthy and singular opinion piece,” implying they stemmed solely from Gaytán.

“I have had to pivot scheduled commitments to respond to unexpected dysfunctions of this board, including matters just like this,” Torres said at Wednesday’s meeting. “You are entitled to wish I attended more meetings or made myself more available to you. Those are, however, only your preferences and not my legal obligations.”

Torres said he limits communication with Gaytán to ensure their interactions are documented. After his childcare arrangement fell through, he said he paid the district back for the Canada trip except for the conference fee, which allowed him to access the materials.

Hunter, who is Black, said “continuing to attack the only Black member of the board does not feel good and is rooted in anti-Blackness.” She said the board should be focusing on whether Black and Latino students can read, not on “baseless allegations with no evidence presented.”

“I welcome an investigation, and I welcome the actual opportunity to present facts,” she said.

DPS board members fight over protocol for allegations

At the start of the discussion, Hunter, Torres, and board member John Youngquist — who was the subject of a board investigation and censure last year — questioned whether Gaytán followed the proper steps for addressing potential violations: a private one-on-one conversation, then a public board discussion, followed by a potential censure vote.

Hunter and Torres said the first step didn’t happen. Gaytán said she tried via email.

“Not only myself, but other board members, are wanting me to present this information to them, as well as to the public,” Gaytán said. “That’s unfortunate that this is where we’re at. This is a really tough conversation. I understand. I get it —”

“Point of order,” Torres said, interrupting Gaytán. He and Hunter repeated the procedural phrase several times, seeking to interject while Gaytán was talking.

“When a point of order is called, it has to be acknowledged, whether it’s agreed upon or not,” Hunter said. She added, addressing Gaytán, “You said that I ignored you, and that’s not true.”

“It is very much true,” Gaytán said.

“Can I speak please?” Hunter said.

Aaron Thompson, the district’s attorney, eventually weighed in. He said the board’s policy “wouldn’t have much teeth if all I had to do as a board member is not answer the phone.” If a board member declines to have a one-on-one conversation, Thompson said his advice was to memorialize that in an email “and that could be sufficient” for following proper protocol.

Gaytán then gave a 26-slide presentation detailing the alleged violations. When she was done, each of the seven board members spoke.

“The students are watching us,” board member Marlene De La Rosa said. “They watch how we disagree. They watch how we treat each other. They watch whether we follow the rules that we have committed to follow. They watch: are we taking responsibility when we make mistakes?”

Board member Kimberlee Sia said it was “very tough” to hear about some of the alleged violations, especially the one involving antisemitic language.

Youngquist asked whether the board should investigate that allegation before any censure vote.

“I don’t know what it was,” Youngquist said. “I don’t know who said what. I don’t know where that lies. But I take it very, very seriously, and I feel a very distinct need to be able to understand.”

Melanie Asmar is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Colorado. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org.

How much stricter will homeschool enrichment rules get in Colorado? These officials will decide.

2026-09-10T00:03:53+00:00

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Should private contractors be allowed to run state-funded programs for Colorado’s homeschoolers? If so, what guardrails should exist and how much public money should the contractors get?

These are some of the questions Colorado’s nine-member State Board of Education will answer over the next three months as they set rules governing a lightly regulated and fast-growing slice of the public education system: homeschool enrichment. The board will finalize the new rules by the end of December and they will take effect for the 2027-28 school year.

The rulemaking process, which began at Wednesday’s State Board meeting, represents the second step of a state crackdown on homeschool enrichment programs. Changes to state law last spring got the ball rolling, including a stricter approval process for certain enrichment programs seeking to operate this school year.

Huge homeschool enrichment program closes in Colorado, following stricter rules and demise of authorizer

Of 54 enrichment programs that applied for state approval over the summer, five were approved or partially approved and 11 are awaiting decisions. Most others were rejected, didn’t submit complete applications, or couldn’t find a new authorizer after theirs abruptly dissolved.

Lawmakers changed the requirements in May amid revelations that some homeschool enrichment programs were using public dollars to subsidize private schools or provide tuition discounts to private school students. Others were providing homeschoolers with high-end activities that public school families have to pay for: skiing, horseback riding, and sports camp. Finally, some homeschool programs operated with layers of contractors and subcontractors that shielded them from public transparency, even as they received millions in state funding.

Homeschool enrichment programs typically offer one day of classes a week and are meant to give homeschooled students socialization opportunities or access to courses that are hard to provide at home. Such programs may offer math, reading, and electives such as art, music, and physical education. Others fill a niche: forest schools, aviation classes, or performing arts programming.

Colorado Department of Education staff presented two versions of homeschool enrichment rules on Wednesday, but told board members their components can be combined or amended in the coming months.

Option A would allow only public entities, such as school districts or charter schools, to operate homeschool enrichment programs — a major change from what’s currently allowed. This option would allow the district or charter school to contract with a private group for a specific class, but the public entity would maintain control of enrollment, finances, and other operational responsibilities.
Option B allows both public entities and private groups — but only nonprofit groups — to operate homeschool enrichment programs. Private groups could offer classes in a variety of subjects but not art, music, or physical education.

Also on Wednesday, board members discussed a separate set of rules that could require homeschool enrichment programs to double the class hours they provide to receive half-time per-pupil funding, which is about $6,000 a year on average.

Many homeschool enrichment programs currently offer about six hours of class a week, and 90 per semester. Under the proposed rule, they would have to offer 180 hours per semester. The change would make the homeschool enrichment rate less generous than it is now and similar to what public schools get for educating their students.

During Wednesday’s discussion, some State Board members advocated for substantial oversight and accountability measures.

Board member Karla Esser said she’s received comments from constituents suggesting the board has been complicit in misappropriating funds to homeschool enrichment programs in the past.

“So I am leaning very heavily towards stricter (rules) that can be verified, rather than just trust that it’s happening the way someone says it is,” she said.

Some board members, including Board Chair Rebecca McClellan, said they want to ensure parity between public school and homeschool enrichment students.

Giving the example of a flight training program offered through homeschool enrichment, she said, ”If we don’t have parity, we actually unwittingly create a motivation for people who otherwise would not have removed their child from full-time public schooling to do so in order to access the subsidized program.”

During Wednesday’s public comment period, a few people urged board members to go beyond just creating rules for future homeschool enrichment programs, and hold bad actors accountable for past problems. They suggested getting the state attorney general involved, or giving the state the ability to levy fines or other penalties.

“Stopping future abuse matters and the public appreciates that work,” said Liz Wilson, co-founder of the Pro-Colorado Education Project, a public education advocacy group. “Recouping money that never should have been distributed in the first place, or was not legally spent, matters too.”

Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated Rebecca McClellan’s title. She is the chair of the State Board of Education.

Ann Schimke is a senior reporter at Chalkbeat. Contact Ann at aschimke@chalkbeat.org.

For America’s 250th birthday, Philadelphia students get a civics lesson in a time capsule

2026-09-09T21:44:45+00:00

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To mark America’s bicentennial in 1976, the names of 816 children were sealed in a time capsule in Philadelphia.

On Wednesday, at the visitor center for the city’s storied Independence Hall, a new crop of elementary school students opened that capsule.

In addition to the names, a binder in the capsule was full of newspaper clippings and letters from 50 years ago, including one from then-Mayor Frank Rizzo.

“There was so much history,” said Vera, 9, a fourth grader at General George A. McCall School.

All summer, Philadelphia has been immersed in celebrating the country’s 250th year and highlighting the city’s history as the birthplace of the nation. In 1776, America’s founders signed the Declaration of Independence on the site of Independence Hall, just a few blocks from McCall. Amid the festivities, school leaders have put a renewed focus on civics instruction. Officials hope that America’s 250th will also provide an unmatched opportunity to connect young people with civics and help them understand how democracy works.

The time-capsule reveal kicked off a day of civic learning organized by the Pennsylvania Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial, which was created by the state legislature. Students sat down with members of Pennsylvania’s appellate courts, met with elected leaders, and planned to watch the House conduct a legislative session inside the historic Congress Hall Wednesday evening.

The event took place after the city hosted several training sessions for teachers across the country related to the semiquincentennial celebration, along with dozens of other educational events for families and visitors.

“You have a place in creating our next chapter of history,” Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Joanna McClinton told the group of roughly 200 students from across the state. “There will be one of you leading the Pennsylvania House, one of you leading our state court systems, one of you in City Hall.”

Students get a view into lawmaking

Several students at the event said they weren’t sure if they were interested in running for office one day. But they looked forward to asking elected officials some questions about their roles and how they make decisions for the state.

Many students said they usually got their news from TikTok and Instagram, and didn’t feel like they or their peers had a deep understanding of civic issues. They said they appreciated the opportunity to learn more from the people in charge of making laws. For most, it would be their first time watching a legislative session.

Students from George A. McCall School in Philadelphia speak with Pennsylvania House Speaker Joanna McClinton on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026, about the nation’s 250th birthday.

Nyla Brown, 17, a senior at John Bartram High School in Southwest Philadelphia, said her school nominated her to attend the day’s events. She liked that the time capsule gave her a glimpse into what people were thinking fifty years ago, and enjoyed learning how elected leaders try to improve things for Pennsylvanians.

“I think it’s cool to understand how those things are solved, and how (elected officials) even get here,” she said.

But the event also made Brown notice the inequities and lack of resources the city and state still struggle with, she said. The majority of students she met at the civic learning day were from suburban districts. Kids at those schools seemed to get more access to field trips like this one, she said. She hadn’t met anyone else from her neighborhood.

Brown watched as officials put new letters in the time capsule for Philadelphians to open fifty years from now.

Chief Deputy Mayor Vanessa Garrett Harley read a letter from Mayor Cherelle Parker to the future mayor: “My hope is that you have inherited a Philadelphia where opportunity is never determined by ZIP code.”

To Brown, it was clear that’s not the case yet. “I live in a low-income ZIP code, and there aren’t really a lot of opportunities for students,” she said.

In 50 years, she hopes the people in charge will ensure that changes.

25 years later, teaching 9/11: How NYC educators navigate the anniversary

2026-09-09T20:38:07+00:00

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Twenty-five years ago, about 1 million New York City children were in school on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, when hijackers flew planes into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and a Pennsylvania field.

Today, some teachers as well as parents of children in the city’s public schools weren’t even born when the terrorist attacks occurred.

But city and state officials are trying to ensure the day is remembered: The City Council recently announced $1 million for the 9/11 Memorial & Museum to provide free field trips to New York City students, with a focus on eighth graders. The museum also offers lessons for educators and also on-site and virtual visits for students in grades 3-12. The Education Department offers an instructional guide with links to books, lesson plans, archival materials, and more.

With the anniversary this year falling on the second day of school, it might be trickier to talk about the attacks — which killed nearly 3,000 people in Lower Manhattan — as educators are still building their classroom communities. But many city schools still plan to commemorate 9/11 in some way, whether with a classroom discussion, or at minimum, a moment of silence, as required under state law.

Nighttime view of rescue workers as they watch an excavator clear debris in the World Trade Center plaza at Ground Zero, in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks on Sept. 12, 2001.

At least 40 states require students to learn about 9/11 in some form, but these lessons are much more personal in New York. Chalkbeat talked to three teachers about what they remember about that day 25 years ago and how they plan to teach about 9/11 to their students this year.

These interviews have been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Miriam Sicherman, fourth grade teacher at the Children’s Workshop School in Manhattan’s East Village

I still teach in the same classroom. It was my second year of teaching and I had a combined second/third grade class. I teach on East 12th Street — so, not very far from the World Trade Center. One student was picked up by his babysitter at about 9 a.m., which I thought was strange, and shortly afterwards, another teacher came to my daughter and whispered to me what had happened (simply that planes had crashed into the towers, nothing more). Soon more parents came for their kids, and all the kids began wondering what was going on.

Fourth grade teacher Miriam Sicherman from the Children’s Workshop School in Manhattan.

I ultimately told them that planes had crashed into the Twin Towers, and some families felt more comfortable having their kids with them, while others felt more comfortable having the kids at school. I had no source of information about what was going on, other than what parents would tell me when they came to my door (some of which turned out to be accurate and some didn’t). One parent came back and forth several times and eventually took her kid. As the numbers dwindled, I gave the kids choice time and they used blocks to build towers.

The students I will have this year were born in 2017, and most of them are aware of 9/11 in a sort of vague way. Many of their parents were still kids in 2001. Nowadays, I do teach about 9/11, but not in a very in-depth way, as the kids are only about 9 years old and not ready for complex geopolitics. I often read “The Man Who Walked Between the Towers” about Philippe Petit’s tightrope walk. And we talk a little bit about what happened, and I answer their questions.

I don’t get into the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, or the killing of Osama bin Laden, unless the kids specifically ask. I have never taught anywhere but here, so I don’t know what it’s like elsewhere, although I can imagine it may not be taught in elementary school at all since it’s scary and complicated.

Nancy Re, fifth and sixth grade English teacher, St. Francis de Sales Catholic Academy, in Belle Harbor, Queens

I remember the personal fear and horror because my brother-in-law was in the towers. He died. He was a partner at Cantor Fitzgerald. It was hard to maintain the class when my personal life and my cellphone were exploding.

9/11 can never be forgotten. It does not matter what subject you teach, every teacher must address it, because that gives a strong message of its importance and how we can never forget.

We start the year studying 9/11. We read several books on the subject. Most importantly we read “ Message on a Wing,” “The Little Trinity Church,” “Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes,” and we study Mychal Judge (a Catholic priest and chaplain for the New York City Fire Department, who was killed by falling debris and was designated as the first recorded casualty of the terrorist attacks). Then we read about the survivor tree and we go outside where a piece of the survivor tree is actually on our street. I teach in Rockaway Beach, and part of the survivor tree was given to our school after Hurricane Sandy.

After doing all the readings, we discuss, share out, and start a poetry unit. I have a huge bulletin board set up with spaces for them to each add one poem. They are taught haiku, across it, and Free Verse. Many do more than one. On 9/11, our entire school has a prayer service in the prayer garden outside. Our neighborhood of Rockaway Beach was extremely affected. Many families of fallen firefighters attend our prayer service. Then, all the names of people from the Rockaway Peninsula are read aloud.

Jen Chapin, 10th grade Global History 2 teacher at Brooklyn Prospect High School in Downtown Brooklyn

I was working as a singer-songwriter at the time and not yet a history teacher. I saw the second tower fall from my rooftop and lost my childhood friend Kristy Irvine Ryan that day.

Jen Chapin lost her friend Kristy Irvine Ryan (pictured) on 9/11.

I try to contextualize 9/11 in our first unit of the year (Industrial Revolution) and our course emphasis on critical thinking and historical context. Why did this event occur/what are the historical circumstances that led to 9/11? We analyze Osama bin Laden’s statement from several weeks after the attack to identify and analyze his references to historical events (fall of Ottoman Empire, atomic bombing of Japan) cited as rationale for the attacks, and discuss how 9/11 was motivated at least in part by a historical awareness and sense in the Arab/Muslim world of having been left behind and wronged by Western powers, which can be connected to the Ottoman Empire’s lag in industrialization compared to the West.

Jen Chapin teaches global history at Brooklyn Prospect High School.

It is notable that in the first 10-15 years after 9/11, so many New Yorkers seemed to be resistant to any evidence-based analysis of the event, given the heightened emotions and the jingoism of the time. Even when I started at my school nine years ago, my former co-teacher was resistant to us even mentioning it, given the lingering notion that to try to understand terrorist motives is to steer dangerously close to justifying it. Today we have the opportunity to bring more big-picture critical thinking and myriad topical connections to our teaching of this event. I think history teachers have a responsibility to teach the historical context of 9/11. If we can’t try to understand the why of 9/11 with our students, why are we even teaching history?

Amy Zimmer is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat New York. Contact Amy at azimmer@chalkbeat.org.

As NYC schools open, 5 big questions about Mamdani’s education agenda

2026-09-09T20:31:24+00:00

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On Thursday, New York City’s public schools will begin the first full school year under Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

His signature initiative will provide free childcare to about 2,000 2-year-olds — the initial phase of his ambitious promise to create a universal program. New York City is also implementing a year-long policy with strict limits on student-facing AI use and screen time for the city’s youngest students.

But much of the mayor’s K-12 agenda still remains murky. Here are five questions we’ll be asking this school year.

When will Mamdani’s education agenda come into focus?

The city’s schools are grappling with immense challenges. Significant learning disparities continue to fall along race and class lines. Recent test score results raise fresh questions about whether student achievement, particularly in reading, is heading in the wrong direction. Chronic absenteeism, which spiked during the pandemic, remains elevated.

More than eight months in, neither Mamdani nor schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels have laid out detailed plans to tackle those challenges nor have they sketched out clear goals for the nation’s largest school system. And on several key issues — ending mayoral control of the school system, reducing class sizes, and boosting pay for paraprofessionals — the mayor has backtracked from campaign promises.

How will a new administration grapple with big enrollment declines?

The influx of tens of thousands of migrant students starting in 2022 temporarily slowed the enrollment losses that have been hollowing out New York City schools for a decade. But that migration came crashing to a halt last year when President Donald Trump took office, and the enrollment losses resumed. The city’s K-12 public school enrollment fell to about 790,000 last year, a drop of nearly 150,000 students since the 2017-18 school year. That’s a loss of 16%. The latest enrollment projections predict the decline will continue over the next decade.

There are now nearly 340 schools with fewer than 250 students. Such small schools have a hard time providing a robust education, and they’re more expensive for the city to operate. Samuels has said that consolidating underenrolled schools is a priority, but he has yet to lay out any citywide plans. And school mergers and closures are always contentious, provoking strong reactions and blowback. We’ll be watching to see how Samuels approaches the enrollment challenge and whether officials try to pick up the pace of school mergers and closures.

Can Mamdani’s free childcare rollout overcome early payment snafus?

While Mamdani hasn’t yet staked out a clear agenda on K-12 education, it’s a different story in the early childhood education arena.

Just days into his administration, Mamdani sketched out plans to begin delivering on his promise to expand free childcare — starting with 2,000 free 2-K seats for 2-year-olds in select districts this fall. Officials got more than enough applicants to fill those seats. But long-running challenges in the childcare sector — from bureaucratic delays in approving contracts, to low rates of pay for many childcare providers, to thousands of unfilled seats in the city’s 3-K and prekindergarten programs — continue to hang over Mamdani’s efforts.

With a new deputy chancellor for early childhood education taking the helm, we’ll keep an eye on how the city tries to chip away at those longstanding challenges, while also laying the groundwork to expand the 2-K program to reach 12,000 kids next year.

How will big changes in school technology policies affect students and educators?

Shortly before students returned to classrooms, Mamdani announced a ban on generative AI tools from preschool through eighth grade and restrictions on individual devices for the city’s youngest students.

Those changes come on the heels of outcry from many families and educators and represent an early test of how reducing technology and screen time in schools affects student learning. In some cases, schools will be required to ditch student-facing tools they’ve been using to aid their teaching. Other major school systems will be watching closely, as AI-fueled technology tools continue to proliferate, and New York City’s technology policy is among the most aggressive in the country.

Will Mamdani make good on his vow to improve special education?

As city officials warn of potential yellow bus shortages this school year, Mamdani will face an early test of his pledge to prioritize students with disabilities, who represent about 43% of the 150,000 children who depend on school buses. Roughly 24% of the city’s public school students have a disability.

Samuels has vowed to tackle the longstanding dysfunction in the school bus system “once and for all” in part by renegotiating contracts that are nearly a half century old. Doing so will be a complicated task that requires action from Albany.

The mayor has also pledged to reduce the cost of private school services and tuition for students with disabilities, which now represents more than $1 out of every $40 the Education Department spends. So far, officials have announced plans to add capacity to the city’s own special education programs, though it remains to be seen whether it’s enough to make a dent.

Alex Zimmerman is a senior reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Alex at azimmerman@chalkbeat.org.

Michael Elsen-Rooney is a reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Michael at melsen-rooney@chalkbeat.org

Memphis schools stopped giving laptops to every student this year

2026-09-09T15:33:04+00:00

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Memphis-Shelby County Schools has quietly ended a yearslong policy of giving every student their own personal laptop or tablet.

Parents and educators at Memphis’ White Station High School were taken by surprise last month when school began without students receiving the devices they had in years past. The apparent change has caused confusion and last-minute scrambling to adjust classroom instruction.

In an Aug. 18 email obtained by Chalkbeat, White Station Principal Carrye Holland told parents that the school was shifting classroom instruction to be less “heavily based on technology” because it could no longer assign each student their own device.

“At this time, we are not able to provide devices for all students and do not anticipate being able to do so moving forward,” she wrote.

It’s unclear how many schools are being affected by the change. Although Superintendent Roderick Richmond called the district’s laptop policy unsustainable in last month’s board meeting, MSCS has not answered specific questions about how the policy change is being applied.

Richmond said in the Aug. 25 meeting that MSCS purchased enough devices to maintain the policy using COVID relief funding several years ago.

“But with the number of students that are losing, damaging computers, there’s no way we can sustain it without having a large influx of funding,” he added.

The district has over 300,000 devices on hand, spokesperson Terrica Cleaborn-Thornton wrote in an email, but it is also facing rising equipment and repair costs. Amid national pushes to dial back student access to technology and a new state law requiring clear technology policies for elementary school, the spokesperson said MSCS is being “more intentional” with digital resources.

At last month’s board meeting, Richmond said that his team would be “working closely” with principals, teachers, and parents to adjust to the change. He also said the district is looking to hire a new chief of its IT department.

Some White Station parents told Chalkbeat that they don’t mind the limits on classroom technology. Others raised concerns about online testing and access to digital materials, especially for students who do not have devices to bring from home.

“The biggest problem is we need daylight and clarity,” said Sarah Hadskey, parent of a ninth grader at White Station. “The parents don’t know what to provide, the teachers don’t know what’s coming … and nobody knows why (the device policy) was discontinued.”

Holland, the White Station principal, said in a parent group meeting last week that classrooms are mostly “returning to pencil and paper” because of the laptop policy change. She added that the shift is “not always a bad thing,” given students’ reliance on technology and AI.

But White Station parents, who preferred not to be named to protect their kids’ privacy, told Chalkbeat that classes often don’t have enough printed resources for every student. During an open house event at the end of August, one parent said she noticed that one of her ninth grader’s classes only had 20 books for over 30 students.

“At some point, it’s a hindrance,” she said. “And each teacher is allotted so many sheets of paper to print at the school … (the district) needs to increase that allotment so you don’t have teachers buying paper and buying ink at home.”

MSCS leaders said students will have access to technology to take online tests and complete virtual classwork like in years past. But Hadskey, the other ninth grade parent, said some students had to bring their own devices for an online test last week when there weren’t enough available from the school.

Hadskey said she’s concerned the change could affect state test scores during a period when MSCS is already facing increased scrutiny and accountability for academic performance.

“They’re not putting their best foot forward,” she said. “And if these numbers are being used for something like, ‘Where do we put money? (Is the state) going to take over the schools?’ There’s a real consequence to that.”

This story has been updated to include comments from Superintendent Roderick Richmond in an Aug. 25 school board meeting.

Is your school experiencing a similar digital device policy change? Reach out to share your experience.

Bri Hatch covers Memphis-Shelby County Schools for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Reach Bri at bhatch@chalkbeat.org.

School vaccine data can expose hidden outbreak risks. But access depends on where you live.

2026-09-09T14:08:00+00:00

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As Pennsylvania’s growing measles outbreak gets closer to her community on the west side of the state, Amanda Clear is taking actions to assess the risks to her son Dylan.

One of her first stops: A new state website that lets anyone look up the student vaccination rates at individual Pennsylvania schools. That’s how she learned that about 86% of the students at Dylan’s school are vaccinated against measles. That’s well below the 95% that’s considered necessary to prevent an outbreak of the highly contagious virus.

“Having that data point is very informative to help parents decide what they need to do,” Clear told me. Even though Dylan, 9, is vaccinated, he has an immune disorder that makes her worry he could be at increased risk for a breakthrough infection.

But across the country, not all parents can easily get access to this information. In some states, even public health officials don’t routinely know the vaccination rates at individual schools.

That’s despite research highlighting the importance of this data nationally in assessing the risks of outbreaks of measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases within local communities.

Here’s what I found.

What the research shows

Since measles was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000, CDC scientists have found that outbreaks involving more than 50 people have largely involved close-knit communities that for varying reasons have chosen not to get vaccinated. In the past few years, declining vaccination rates have contributed to these outbreaks spreading further within communities.

A prime example was the recent record-setting measles outbreak in South Carolina, which centered on a vaccine-hesitant Ukrainian- and Russian-speaking community in Spartanburg County and resulted in 997 documented infections by the time it ended in April. Most of those infected were school-age children and teens, and measles exposures that occurred at 33 schools resulted in 874 students being asked to quarantine at home for up to 21 days.

Yet across the country, data about childhood vaccination rates is often reported at a county or state level – averaging the vaccination status of kids over a broad geographic area.

It’s an approach that obscures localized pockets of unvaccinated people who live near each other, send their children to the same schools, and often share the same cultures, traditions, and beliefs, including about whether to vaccinate their children. In some cases these clusters may indicate shared barriers to accessing healthcare, such as transportation or language.

By analyzing South Carolina’s school-level immunization data, Clemson University researchers have identified clusters of undervaccinated students and their geographic relationship to measles exposures during the state’s recent outbreak.

As Clemson research associate Emily Serman mapped the data, it revealed that the risk from measles wasn’t spread evenly across Spartanburg County, which has one of the state’s lowest childhood vaccination rates.

Inside the largest U.S. measles outbreak in decades: Records reveal spread in vaccine-hesitant community

“It’s really concentrated in the northern half of Spartanburg County,” she told Healthbeat. The Clemson team’s findings suggest that the geographic clustering of undervaccinated students may pave the way for outbreaks.

At the national level, researchers from Cornell University warned in the journal Nature Medicine last month that county-level vaccination averages can appear high enough to protect against measles spreading, yet still hide dense clusters of unvaccinated children that can fuel outbreaks.

How states compare

Knowing how many children are — and are not — vaccinated at individual schools is a powerful indicator of local outbreak risks, these researchers say. Yet whether parents, researchers, or even health departments have routine access to that information varies significantly by state.

Some states post easily accessible, up-to-date maps and data. Others require a public records request or suggest the public seek the information from school districts, which might also require a public records request. Some don’t collect it until an outbreak strikes.

Texas: Neither the public nor the state’s health department have routine access to school-level vaccination data. State law only requires school districts to report student vaccination rates at an aggregated district-wide level, said Chris Van Deusen, spokesperson for the Texas Department of State Health Services, which posts an annual report of the information it receives. The report includes some information about individual private schools. Legislation to require reporting at the individual school level failed amid concerns from some legislators that it could result in students and families being harassed.

“In the event of an outbreak in a particular school or area, public health can get campus-level data from schools,” Van Deusen said.

Minnesota: The state’s health department has posted vaccination rates for individual schools and school districts since 2014, said Ben Christianson, senior epidemiologist in the department’s vaccine preventable disease section. The department uses the data to identify at-risk areas and its public availability has helped make school and childcare leaders better aware of immunization coverage in their local areas, Christianson said. It’s also reduced the department’s workload responding to data requests, he said.

Florida: Obtaining school-level data doesn’t appear to be easy. The Florida Department of Health — which last month announced a proposed rule that would reduce the number of required school vaccines — only posts aggregated county-level data for the state’s kindergartners and seventh graders on its website.

Isabella White, the department’s press secretary, said by email that “school-specific rates are not publicly available unless requested directly from the relevant health department or school district.” Does the state collect school-level data so it can prepare for and respond to outbreaks? White wouldn’t say. Two school districts — Broward County Public Schools and Miami-Dade County Public Schools — told Healthbeat they only submit aggregated district-wide data to the state health department. Neither district makes its school-level data public without a public records request.

South Carolina: During the state’s recent measles outbreak, the state health department began posting school-level data on its website that shows the percentage of children who were up-to-date on all of their required school shots, but not by individual vaccines. The department told Healthbeat that the data helps it prioritize outreach to schools with low vaccine coverage and that it plans to continue posting updated data online each winter. Previously the state had only published school vaccination data at the county and regional level.

During South Carolina’s recent measles outbreak, exposures occurred at 33 schools, including Boiling Springs Elementary School in Spartanburg County.

California: While the state health department posts school-level vaccination data on its website, it’s outdated — in some cases by several years, Healthbeat found. The most recent data displayed by the state’s interactive database and map is from the 2021-2022 school year. Elsewhere, the department posts some more recent, but still outdated, spreadsheets with school-level data for kindergarteners during the 2024-25 school year, plus some older data for seventh graders. Health officials have access to current data, the department told Healthbeat, and the 2025-26 school reports and data will be posted online over the next year.

“In the meantime, parents and members of the public may check with their school or local health department about coverage,” a department spokesperson said by email. School-level data can be found on at least some county health department websites, such as these for Los Angeles County and San Diego County.

Pennsylvania: This summer, the state’s health and education departments launched a new interactive website that details vaccination rates in key grades at individual schools. “Pennsylvania parents deserve clear, accessible data about the health of their children’s schools,” Dr. Debra Bogen, the state’s secretary of health, said in announcing the tool. The data will help families and local leaders work to reduce vaccine-preventable diseases, such as measles and whooping cough, she said.

Why it matters

Knowing the percentage of children immunized in individual schools can inform where and how health officials focus their resources, whether that’s for deploying staff to do contact tracing during an outbreak, assessing barriers to immunization, or conducting focused communication campaigns, the Clemson research team told Healthbeat.

“What the analysis did was it took a massive state-level problem and broke it down into several big, but more manageable, areas,” said Lior Rennert, a professor and director at the Clemson Center for Public Health Modeling and Response. “If you want to do an intervention, you now have targeted areas where you could do that.”

S.C. measles cases surged after holiday school closures delayed outbreak investigations

For the public, the data can provide a way to gauge outbreak risks in their immediate area. This can be especially useful for people at higher risk from certain diseases, such as pregnant women, infants, and young children who have not been vaccinated, and people with compromised immune systems, such as Dylan Clear.

After looking up Dylan’s school and learning not enough students were fully vaccinated against measles to prevent the virus spreading, his mother has begun working with school officials on a specialized plan in case he needs to miss school should Pennsylvania’s measles outbreak reach their area.

“If you have the knowledge,” Amanda Clear said, “you know how to respond appropriately rather than out of fear.”

What to watch

With the U.S. experiencing another record-breaking year for measles and outbreaks becoming a new norm, Pennsylvania and South Carolina this year made school-level vaccination data more transparent. We’re watching whether:

The resurgence in measles prompts other states to reconsider what information they make visible about vaccination coverage in local schools.
Parents and communities push for greater access to information about the outbreak risks at individual schools.

Alison Young is Healthbeat’s senior national reporter. Sign up to receive her free national newsletter here. You can reach her at ayoung@healthbeat.org or through the messaging app Signal at alisonyoungreports.48.

Denver school board president accuses members of policy violations, including antisemitic language

2026-09-09T01:19:29+00:00

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The Denver school board president is accusing two board members of a long list of policy violations, including that Vice President Monica Hunter allegedly used antisemitic language and board member DJ Torres repeatedly missed meetings.

The allegations against Hunter and Torres are indicative of escalating tension among the elected board members of Colorado’s largest school district, Denver Public Schools. The board is set to publicly discuss the allegations Wednesday.

‘The students are watching us:’ Denver school board discusses alleged use of antisemitic language

Board President Xóchitl Gaytán levied the accusations in emails to Hunter and Torres on Friday, according to copies obtained by Chalkbeat. Gaytán declined to comment Tuesday. Board policy calls for a public discussion of alleged violations before any censure.

Hunter called the accusations “baseless” and disappointing in a statement Tuesday. In a separate statement, Torres said, “I have broken no Board policy.”

The allegations against Hunter, a former Denver Public Schools teacher and current teachers union employee who has a blended family of six children, include that:

She allegedly used derogatory language directed at a “colleague’s Jewish identity and/or perceived political identity.”
A social media post in which she wrote that she was “told by folks who are not working, have adult children, and have full-time nannies that I need to make myself more flexible,” allegedly disparaged other board members.
Her job with the Colorado Education Association, the statewide teachers union, “may create an actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest.”
She allegedly contacted two district employees in the school choice office to advocate on behalf of another parent and discuss her own son’s potential transfer to another school.
She allegedly failed to regularly review the superintendent’s weekly email to the board.

Hunter said she is saddened that the board continues “to center interpersonal conflicts” rather than focusing on students’ education and mental health. Hunter, who is Black, said accusations such as these “can be used to discredit, silence and cause harm, particularly when directed at people or communities already facing marginalization.”

“I unapologetically believe in the dignity, respect, and safety of all people, and that no one should face discrimination because of their identity,” Hunter said.

The allegations against Torres, who is also a former Denver Public Schools teacher and the father of a DPS student, include that:

He allegedly missed one regular board meeting, several board work sessions, and canceled or failed to attend meetings with district staff.
He allegedly missed some meetings of the Latino Education Advisory Committee, to which he is one of two board representatives.
As board treasurer, he allegedly canceled, missed, or arrived late to some meetings of the board’s Finance and Audit Committee.
He allegedly did not attend a board-related conference in Canada in June after the district had paid his travel and conference fees.

Torres said his schedule “has changed repeatedly over the last nine months” since he was elected. He said he’s had to redirect his time toward “unexpected Board matters, urgent community concerns, school and constituent needs, and dysfunction that required attention outside of what had been planned.”

“A changed calendar is not evidence that I am disengaged or unwilling to govern,” he said. “In many cases, it is evidence that I was governing somewhere else.”

Torres said he canceled the Canada trip because he didn’t have childcare, and that he paid back all of the costs except for the conference fee, which allowed him to access the materials.

Gaytán also accused Hunter and Torres of failing to communicate with her as president in a direct and reasonable way, which she alleged can impair the board’s ability to function. Her emails said the two prefer “to receive certain communications in writing.”

Torres said he was not surprised by what he deemed false accusations, given that he and Hunter spent the summer advocating for “meaningful conversations and Board action, only to have meeting requests blocked, ignored, or delayed.”

Hunter and Torres were among the board members who wanted to meet over the summer to discuss Superintendent Alex Marrero’s employment after Marrero alleged that the board was overstepping its authority. That meeting didn’t happen.

Melanie Asmar is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Colorado. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org.

A free Commerce City program might foreshadow the demand for Workforce Pell in Colorado

2026-09-09T00:52:45+00:00

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Natalia Antezana fully expected Commerce City residents to embrace the opportunity for short-term, tuition-free workforce education and training at the Community College of Aurora.

The city launched the temporary Commerce City Promise program last year using part of a $7.5 million federal pandemic relief grant. Antezana, an Elevate Commerce senior economic vitality specialist, said Commerce City participants shared their enthusiasm about the opportunity with her just as she expected.

So far, about 120 students have signed up to learn in healthcare, manufacturing, and information technology. The six total programs offer courses that can take from four weeks to many months to complete.

For some, Antezana said the excitement stems from having an opportunity to study and learn new skills that could lead to a better-paying job.

Commerce City Promise, which will end this year, offers insight into the potential demand and work required to connect students and certificates to Workforce Pell, a new federal program that will allow eligible students to use Pell grants, which don’t need to be repaid, for certain short-term training programs. Colorado officials will soon help determine which programs qualify.

Commerce City Promise started in May 2025, after the city asked residents in 2023 how it should use federal pandemic relief funding. The priorities included mortgage and rental assistance and food access. Officials wanted to try something new with about $500,000 of the budget to help educate residents and boost the city’s economic growth.

The city partnered with several organizations to get Commerce City Promise started. The teamwork “put all of the puzzle pieces together,” said Jim DeLung, CCA’s associate vice president of workforce and Commerce City.

Rocky Mountain Partnership Cradle to Career, a nonprofit focused on economic and social mobility in the region, helped analyze labor market data. Chamber of commerce officials connected the city and school with business partners. Adams County School District 14 provided Commerce City facilities for classes. The Community College of Aurora offered the courses, and nonprofit Centro de los Trabajadores helped reach out to families.

One of DeLung’s biggest takeaways has been the collaboration and partnership required to stand up this type of workforce program.

He believes that work will serve as a basis for what’s now being asked for with Workforce Pell.

The federal Workforce Pell program took effect in July, with estimates projecting about 187,000 students nationwide will receive funding each year. The awards are expected to average about $2,200 per student and cover programs lasting eight to 15 weeks.

To be included, Colorado programs must be accredited, have a documented history in the state, and help graduates earn a higher income. Certificate programs must also have a high completion and job placement rate.

DeLung said the early enrollment results and groundwork required to connect residents with Commerce City Promise could help officials create and tailor certificate programs that are eligible for Workforce Pell.

It’s unclear how many Community College of Aurora programs will be eligible. Some programs are too short to meet federal standards, DeLung said. But their results can help the college understand what works, he said.

The Pell programs are expected to undergo regular review and approval.

“It’s high stakes, and you don’t want to fall out of compliance,” he said.

The Aurora college is also collecting data about whether Commerce City Promise students have found jobs after graduating. The school is building a process to track job placement, a spokeswoman said.

Credit recovery enrollment rose 13% since 2017, raising questions about graduation rigor

2026-09-08T21:37:30+00:00

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Data analysis by Kae Petrin.

The number of students taking courses designed to help them pass after failing a class — classes often compressed to just a few weeks administered online — rose significantly since before the pandemic.

The increase in credit recovery enrollment nationally was likely fueled by more students failing classes during the COVID pandemic and the rise of virtual education. Credit recovery encompasses a broad range of programs, but generally allows students to earn missed course credits so they can graduate from high school on time.

High school credit recovery has long been a controversial stop on the way to graduation for some of America’s struggling students. Champions of these programs say they help vulnerable students graduate when they otherwise wouldn’t, and some superintendents say they’re an important tool. But while the programs may help more students cross the finish line, skeptics say they also allow students to skate through while accomplishing little academically.

The number of students enrolled in credit recovery courses increased by 13% following the pandemic, according to a Chalkbeat analysis of federal data comparing the 2017-18 and 2023-24 school years, the most recent data available. The 2017-18 data reflects the closest collection taken prior to the 2020 COVID-19 school shutdowns.

In North Carolina, the number of students enrolled increased by 173%, from 16,882 to 46,133 in the 2023-24 school year. In Maryland, enrollment increased by 75%.

Samantha Viano, an education professor at Johns Hopkins University who studies credit recovery, said she was not surprised by the rise. Students struggled and failed more courses when schools halted in-person classes during the pandemic.

Research provides strong evidence that schools are using credit recovery programs to increase four-year graduation rates, she said, an important metric used to judge a high school’s success. But the trade-off might be that students aren’t learning what they were supposed to in the classes they failed and are instead simply checking off a box.

“They are pushing students into credit recovery sometimes in the middle of the school year when they haven’t even failed the class yet,” she said.

The new data comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s Civil Rights Data Collection, which includes a vast array of information from every public school in the country. The data is self-reported by school districts and then processed by the Education Department, which has laid off staff members in the Office for Civil Rights. There have been ongoing questions about data quality under the second Trump administration.

Some of the nation’s largest school districts showed substantial increases in credit recovery enrollment. In Houston’s school district, the number of students enrolled in credit recovery rose by 122%, from 12,202 students to 27,074, even as total district enrollment fell during the same time period.

Houston has been under state takeover since 2023. The superintendent installed by the state, Mike Miles, has been praised for improved school ratings under the state’s accountability system. But a recent Houston Chronicle investigation examining the increase in students taking controversial online college prep courses — Miles disputed the newspaper’s analysis — has cast doubt on those improvements. The state accountability ratings also take graduation rates into account, which may be affected by an increase in credit recovery enrollment.

Houston’s press office did not respond to multiple requests for comments about credit recovery numbers.

In Philadelphia, district leaders have not been shy about using credit recovery as a strategy to get students to graduation. Credit recovery enrollment more than doubled from 1,459 to 3,624 students, a 148% rise, the data shows. The district has promoted summer credit recovery programs for students deemed academically off-track.

At a credit recovery program this summer, Superintendent Tony Watlington said getting students to graduate saves “young people’s lives.”

“When kids graduate and don’t drop out of school, we save the taxpayer in the city of Philadelphia and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania $405,000 right off the bat,” Watlington said. “Dropping out of school really is a life or death issue in Philadelphia, as well as many other places around the country.”

One study found that every dropout costs the city $357,000 over their lifetime, while graduates have a positive economic impact of $48,000. Another 2019 report found that more homicides occur in census tracts with low proportions of high school graduates. Officials in that report identified increasing graduation rates as one strategy to reduce violence.

While national test scores have largely stagnated or declined in key subjects like math and reading, graduation rates continue to creep up nationally. The use of credit recovery to help students graduate could be playing a role.

But there’s also evidence that online credit recovery courses could hurt students down the line: It’s associated with lower wages after high school. Online credit recovery is also not heavily regulated by states.

While graduation is important, Viano said it is also vital to consider those other outcomes.

“Honestly, I have found schools and districts to be very blasé about their credit recovery enrollment and not really understand who’s in those classes, what they’re doing in those classes, how long it takes them to work on them,” Viano said. “Which is part of the reason why we’re concerned about other kinds of outcomes other than high school graduation, because it’s such a wild west.”

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Chalkbeat Philadelphia reporter Rebecca Redelmeier contributed reporting for this story.

Lily Altavena is a national reporter at Chalkbeat. Contact Lily at laltavena@chalkbeat.org. Lily is on Instagram, Tik Tok, and Facebook.

Voter guide: Meet the candidates running for the Detroit school board

2026-09-08T21:29:06+00:00

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Thirty-four people are vying for five open seats on the board for the Detroit Public Schools Community District, a pivotal race that could result in multiple new people overseeing the largest district in Michigan.

It’s the largest slate since 2016, the year DPSCD was created and more than 60 people ran to serve on the new district’s board.

This race could be consequential because only two incumbents — Steve Bland and Bessie Harris — are running for reelection. Both were appointed to their seats last year to fill out the remaining terms of members who resigned.

The board’s current leaders — Board President LaTrice McClendon and Board Vice President Corletta Vaughn — are not running for re-election. The fifth open seat belonged to Iris Taylor, who died in July.

Just 19 of the 34 candidates responded to a questionnaire Chalkbeat sent via email and text in July. They have a plethora of ideas of how to address some of the biggest challenges, including fighting high rates of chronic absenteeism, increasing enrollment, and dealing with the pending loss of the funding that allowed the district to hire academic interventionists.

In our voter guide below, you’ll read the candidate bios and their answers to our questions as they wrote them. Chalkbeat did not edit for grammar or punctuation. For more information on voting, go here.

Lori Higgins is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Detroit. You can reach her at lhiggins@chalkbeat.org.

NYC student OMNY cards expired early, leaving families confused and paying out-of-pocket

2026-09-08T20:30:52+00:00

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Many New York City students last week were caught off guard when they tried to use the OMNY cards they received last school year and found they no longer worked.

Now, families are scratching their heads, asking: When do the student OMNY cards issued last school year expire?

According to the Education Department’s website, it says: “Valid all year long. Your Student OMNY card doesn’t expire until the next school year.”

On the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s website, however, it says: “Valid September through August. One card for the entire school year, and the summer.”

Several students told Chalkbeat their cards stopped Aug. 31. (Other students said their cards had stopped working some weeks back, likely from the wear and tear of the thin cards.)

This is particularly a hardship for the many high school athletes who have started commuting to their team practices before Thursday’s first day of school. It adds a big expense for many families, and it also means that more teens might be hopping turnstiles and could get tangled up with law enforcement.

Students are expected to get new cards when they return to school later this week.

New York City families heralded the student OMNY cards when they were released during the 2024-25 school year. Officials at the time said the cards would provide four free rides a day, 365 days a year, at any time, a significant upgrade from the three daily rides during limited hours on school days.

And MTA officials confirmed this week that the cards are supposed to work year-round.

“Every year the MTA sends 1.5 million Student OMNY cards, which are valid 365 days a year, for schools across New York City,” MTA spokesperson Kalya Shults wrote in an email on Tuesday.

That would mean the cards should have at least worked until Sept. 4, a year from when school started last academic year. Shults did not respond to a follow up question about that timeline.

Education Department officials did not respond to requests for comment.

Chalkbeat called 311 on Tuesday to inquire about the student OMNY card expiration date and was told to reach out to the Education Department’s Office of Pupil Transportation’s hotline. The person answering the phone for OPT said the cards should expire on Thursday, when students returned to school, and acknowledged that they were getting calls about expired cards.

Amy Zimmer is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat New York. Contact Amy atazimmer@chalkbeat.org.

Newark students head back to class as district rolls out cellphone ban

2026-09-08T19:54:25+00:00

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Newark Public Schools Superintendent Roger León started the first day of classes with a tour of elementary schools across the city, beginning at Elliott Street Elementary School.

León’s top priority for the day? It’s making sure students are coming to school on time, he told Chalkbeat Tuesday morning. The district’s chronic absenteeism rate, which had remained in the double digits for years, fell to 8.5% during the 2025-26 school year.

León stood near the school entrance, shaking hands with students and greeting parents and faculty as they entered the building.

Newark School Superintendent Roger León greets a student on the first day of school at Elliot Street School.

Tuesday marked the first day of the 2026-27 school year for Newark students. This year, the district’s 43,200 students will experience some new changes: a bell-to-bell cellphone ban and newly elected school board members overseeing New Jersey’s largest school district amid issues like lagging literacy rates and aging infrastructure.

This is León’s ninth year as the district’s superintendent and the seventh of his 10-year strategy, known as “The Next Decade: 2020-30.” His strategy focuses on reopening closed schools and programs, lowering chronic absenteeism, shoring up school infrastructure, and strengthening curriculum and instruction. At last month’s school board retreat, León laid out his goals for this academic year, including improving student achievement, enhancing students’ literacy and writing skills, and boosting enrollment in advanced classes.

One factor educators and school officials hope will help students stay focused and improve academically is the new statewide cellphone ban. Newark piloted a ban at several schools last year with some apparent success.

Asked about his expectations for the ban, León said research shows that time spent interacting with other students is “super paramount.”

“A lot was learned during the pandemic, so keeping the students focused,” and communicating face to face with one another in classes is “the ultimate expectation of school,” León said.

Outside school walls, Newark families and teachers have also expressed concern about an increased Immigration and Customs Enforcement presence in the city.

Vivian Vasquez, a mother of two Elliott Street Elementary School students, told Chalkbeat in Spanish that she had no fears. But she added, “Sometimes for the kids, there’s a lot of fear that happens with immigration.”

Asked how the district is responding to a surge in ICE arrests across New Jersey, León told Chalkbeat that counseling is available to parents and students dealing with immigration-related concerns at home or in their neighborhoods. The district’s website has a section on immigration resources that includes immigrant-rights information and emergency preparedness plans for families in case of an ICE detention or deportation.

“It’s extremely important for our immigrant community to understand that our schools are safe, that we welcome our students,” León said.

Ethan, a student entering fifth grade at Elliott Street Elementary School, said he’s looking forward to “being better at reading” this school year. His summer reading assignment was “Ban This Book,” a middle-grade novel by Alan Gratz about censorship.

Ethan’s grandfather, Kevin, who asked that their last names be withheld for privacy, accompanied him at drop-off. Kevin, a self-described “helicopter grandpa,” said he works hard to keep Ethan focused on school and away from any negative outside influences in the city that could distract him from his studies.

Also new this year, Bard High School Early College is temporarily sharing a building with the inaugural ninth grade class of New Media High School.

New Media is expected to remain there until it moves into a permanent building in the South Ward near Lionsgate Studios.

León said New Media aims to train students to become camera operators, producers, and directors. The school is part of the district’s push for specialized, career-focused high school programs, including programs centered on film and emergency response.

Max, a Bard junior, said he likes that the building is going to be shared with the New Media School. “It’s cool,” he said.

2-K, contract delays, pay parity: Mamdani taps new early childhood education head at critical moment

2026-09-08T17:15:00+00:00

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With just two days until the start of the new school year and a preschool payment crisis still simmering, Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Tuesday named a new leader for the beleaguered office in charge of executing his ambitious childcare agenda.

Erica Phillips, a nonprofit leader with a history of supporting family childcare providers, will take over as deputy chancellor for the Education Department’s Division of Early Childhood Education at a critical juncture.

The inaugural year of Mamdani’s signature free childcare program for 2-year-olds is set to start Thursday, along with city-funded 3-K and pre-K programs for tens of thousands of 3 and 4-year-olds.

But the division is still digging out of a severe contract backlog that pushed some providers to the brink of closure. A Mamdani spokesperson last week called the delays “unacceptable,” and officials launched an “all government” effort to rush payments to providers before the start of school.

Phillips’ appointment will thrust her into a highly visible and challenging position managing the sprawling and disjointed childcare system. How she shepherds the division over the coming months will play a critical role in how effectively Mamdani delivers on perhaps his most high-profile policy pledge. The 2-K program launching this year for 2,000 toddlers is expected to grow sixfold by next fall, enrolling 12,000 kids. Mamdani has promised it will be available to every 2-year-old in the city who wants a spot by the end of his first term, though Gov. Kathy Hochul has only committed funding for the first two years.

Erica Phillips, the new Deputy Chancellor for Early Childhood Education. Courtesy of Erica Phillips

Phillips is beginning her preparations this week and will officially take over in mid-September, she said.

“I’m eager to get started,” Phillips told Chalkbeat. “What the city is doing is ambitious and exciting, and there is a lot of work and opportunities here.”

She added that she is “confident in the plan” Mamdani and schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels have put forward to ensure providers have what they need to start the school year.

“In the weeks, months and years ahead, Deputy Chancellor Phillips and Chancellor Samuels will show New Yorkers what it looks like when government works for every family,” Mamdani said in a statement.

Getting there will require a massive operational push in the Division of Early Childhood Education, which oversees publicly funded programs for some 150,000 kids under age 5.

Taking over a division that has been battered

Phillips steps into the leadership role of a division that has been battered by years of staff cuts and turmoil.

Former Mayor Bill de Blasio ramped up the division’s headcount and responsibility when he rolled out his universal prekindergarten initiative starting in 2014. By the time he left office in 2022, the division had roughly 1,170 employees, according to an Education Department spokesperson.

De Blasio’s successor, Eric Adams, scaled back de Blasio’s promise to make 3-K universal, emphasizing the need to fill the thousands of vacant pre-K and 3-K seats that emerged following the COVID-19 pandemic. He proposed hundreds of millions of dollars in cuts to the system, many of which were ultimately reversed.

Many of the key staffers who built up the division during the de Blasio years left when Adams took office, and former Chancellor David Banks and former division head Kara Ahmed reassigned hundreds of other division staffers as part of a broader reorganization.

By August 2024, the division had 495 employees — less than half of the number just two and a half years earlier.

Current and former staffers and people who work closely with the division say the deep staffing cuts have affected every aspect of the office’s work — from its capacity to monitor and support providers, to its ability to quickly respond to logistical and financial questions, to the speed at which the division can approve new contracts.

“It’s quite staggering,” said Nora Moran, the policy director for United Neighborhood Houses, an umbrella organization that represents childcare providers. “It’s going to take a long time to rebuild what was there.”

There are currently about 560 employees in the division, and 86 vacant positions that the Education Department is trying to fill, a spokesperson said. On top of that, Mamdani last week pledged a $43 million investment to hire an additional 200 staffers.

Phillips said rebuilding staffing is a “huge priority” and added that she’s “deeply appreciative of staff who have held together the division.” She said she doesn’t have a final headcount goal in mind yet, but said she hopes to “have a division that looks more like it did before the reductions.”

Phillips’ appointment reflects key role for family childcare

The July announcement that former early childhood chief Simone Hawkins was departing sent shockwaves through the early childhood sector. Hawkins, a longtime government employee in both the Education and Health Departments with expertise in the complex budget and contract processes that hold up the early childhood system, had served in the role since summer 2024.

Some advocates said Hawkins had made positive changes, including loosening a curriculum mandate imposed by her predecessor. Phillips told Chalkbeat that she supported continuing to give providers flexibility in their curriculum choices.

Other parent leaders expressed concerns about the departure of the only Black woman serving as a deputy chancellor in the Education Department. Phillips, like Hawkins, is a Black woman.

Phillips will work alongside Emmy Liss, the executive director of the Mayor’s Office of Childcare and Early Childhood Education — an office created by Adams and expanded by Mamdani to coordinate childcare efforts across city agencies.

Phillips most recently served as the director of the National Association for Family Child Care, an organization that does policy advocacy and support for home-based childcare providers. Before that, Phillips served as president of All Our Kin, another national nonprofit dedicated to supporting family childcare providers, and she founded multiple networks that help family childcare providers contract with the city government.

Phillips acknowledged she hasn’t worked directly in city government, but said she has a “deep understanding of the full early childhood landscape.”

Her appointment reflects the key role that family childcare providers, who often run small programs and operate on razor-thin margins, will play in the 2-K rollout and any later efforts to expand free childcare to babies and infants.

Many of those providers were largely left out of the previous 3-K and pre-K expansions. Some have bristled at the requirement to join a network that provides additional oversight, monitoring, and contracting support. And even with city funding, many home-based providers are just scraping by, earning an average of just $6 an hour, a recent report found.

Phillips said it’s “unacceptable” for home-based providers to earn so little, and it will be a “priority” to “really tackle what pay parity means to make sure that family child care providers and all early child providers are receiving compensation for the work that they’re doing.”

But she pledged to continue expanding the system, even as she works to shore up the foundation.

“We have to do both,” she said. “Fix those longstanding issues but also continue to work towards this vision of universal childcare.”

Michael Elsen-Rooney is a reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Michael at melsen-rooney@chalkbeat.org

U.S. moves up in PISA test score rankings because other countries are doing worse

2026-09-08T07:31:00+00:00

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In the early 2000s, politicians and pundits were swept up in anxiety about U.S. performance on a key international test known as PISA. Delegations traveled to learn from high-achieving countries like Finland. Journalists and researchers wrote books on the topic. Leaders like President Obama bemoaned the country’s dire results.

The good news from the latest PISA results, released Tuesday, is that the U.S. has gained relative standing in recent decades. Today, U.S. students score well above average in science and reading. Math scores, long America’s weakest subject, are now on par with other developed countries.

The bad news is how this happened. The U.S. has steadily moved up largely because other countries’ scores have deteriorated faster than ours over the last decade. A bevy of data points show American students are learning less than they used to. Even U.S. PISA scores in math and reading are at or near their lowest level.

Tuesday’s international release suggests student achievement is not something that only the U.S. is struggling with. Whatever factors are driving down scores here — and academics aren’t sure what those are — might also be affecting children elsewhere.

“There’s an ongoing global decline, and it seems like the pandemic has a long, long tail,” said Tracey Burns, chief of global strategy and research at the National Center on Education and the Economy, an organization that studies education systems globally.

The declines in reading proficiency are particularly concerning, Burns said, due to the role reading plays “not just in scholastic and later life success, but also democracy and civic participation.”

Scores have declined across the globe with smaller dips in U.S.

PISA is an international test administered by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to 15-year-olds from countries across the world. Thousands of American students from dozens of schools sat for the exam last year. PISA tests problem solving skills in math, reading, and science.

U.S. scores were reported with an asterisk — literally. OECD chose to report the U.S. results but warned that because of incomplete responses from schools, it “is not possible to rule out bias in PISA performance results, nor to determine its most likely direction.” That means U.S. students might be doing better or worse than the test results suggest.

While many countries have some issues with sampling, only Albania’s results were flagged with a similar level of uncertainty this year.

In most countries, math and reading scores fell sharply between 2022 and 2025, which follows similar drops between 2018 and 2022.

“Learning outcomes have stagnated or declined in many countries, in some cases for well over a decade, and gaps in achievement persist across socioeconomic groups,” wrote OECD’s Andreas Schleicher.

Singapore, Japan, the United Kingdom, and Canada were among a handful of countries that scored better than average on all four tests.

In the U.S., reading scores fell, but math and science results were essentially flat between 2022 and 2025. Seventy-four percent of American 15-year-olds reached basic proficiency in reading, compared to 69% among 38 relatively affluent countries that are part of the OECD. In math, U.S. proficiency was 65%, the same as the OECD average.

These are more encouraging proficiency rates than those reported by the U.S. federal government on the widely cited NAEP test. This reflects the subjective nature of measuring mastery.

U.S. students scored above average on a new test measuring computational problem solving skills in the digital age. American students were also less likely than those in other countries to hastily respond to questions, indicating that most 15-year-olds here took the exam seriously.

By some measures, the U.S. has unusually unequal educational results. The gap between the top and bottom performers in science and reading was larger in the U.S. than most other countries.

U.S. results were not broken out by race and family poverty, key drivers of academic gaps, because more than 40% of U.S. students who took the tests did not take an accompanying questionnaire. The Education Department acknowledged a “month-long pause in PISA activity in spring 2025” resulting in some questionnaires not being administered.

This was also when the U.S. DOGE Service was cutting contracts and staff at the Education Department research arm, the Institute of Education Sciences. Matthew Soldner, acting director of IES, did not respond to questions about whether these cuts were related to the data gaps.

PISA scores effectively measure not only countries’ educational systems, but also cultural and economic factors that contribute to — or detract from — success in schools. Researchers have repeatedly linked countries’ scores on PISA to future economic growth.

NCEE officials said that despite the “good story” of the nation’s rise relative to other countries, the PISA results still raise serious questions about how well the U.S. is serving its most disadvantaged students.

“Is it able to deliver on the aspirations that the U.S. holds as the world’s major economic power?” Burns said. “That’s where the story becomes less clear.”

On a different international test of fourth and eighth graders’ math skills, U.S. scores between 2019 and 2023 fell faster than most other countries.

There are no definitive answers for why test scores have fallen in so many countries. What’s clear is that this was not just a pandemic-era blip. In many places, scores dropped just as sharply — if not more so — after the pandemic ended.

OECD officials offered a number of hypotheses: heightened student absenteeism, greater classroom disruptions, and the proliferation of phones and screens. Educators and researchers in the U.S. have raised similar theories.

Burns noted that U.S. students report relatively positive relationships with teachers, higher growth mindset, and more access to peer-to-peer tutoring. They also are less likely to learn in schools with teacher or material shortages. These factors may contribute to American students declining less than those in other countries.

Matt Barnum is Chalkbeat’s ideas editor. Reach him at mbarnum@chalkbeat.org.

Erica Meltzer is Chalkbeat’s national editor based in Colorado. Contact Erica at emeltzer@chalkbeat.org.

‘The kids simply cannot handle it’: Why New York students are reading fewer books

2026-09-06T13:12:11+00:00

This story originally appeared in New York Focus, a nonprofit news publication investigating power in New York.Sign up for their newsletter here.

More than a decade ago, Queens teacher Nicole Radosti Pipia’s fifth- and sixth-grade students seemed to love reading novels in school.

“The Giver” by Lois Lowry was prized for its mystery. “Wonder” by R.J. Palacio taught them about kindness and acceptance. “Freak the Mighty” by Rodman Philbrick showed them the power of friendship.

Now, she said, they don’t read any. Instead, students often spend class time reading excerpts and short stories to better prepare them for the sorts of questions they’d encounter on standardized exams.

The demands of her school’s reading program leave no room to study novels, the English teacher said.

“We’re told that we cannot deviate from the program, and if you have to do the program, there’s literally no time,” Pipia said.

Another New York City middle school teacher, who asked to remain anonymous out of fear of retaliation, said her school taught novels before the pandemic. Now, “it can be done, but not with the constraints placed on us as teachers,” she said.

For the past few years, her school has required her to have her students — most of whom are English language learners and struggling readers — spend half of each 40-minute class period, four days a week, completing an online targeted reading intervention program, she said. They often end up clicking through the program and visiting Spotify and YouTube instead. The remainder of the period is devoted to the school’s core curriculum, which does not require novel studies.

The classroom library she spent a decade building has become “purely decorative,” she said. With teachers no longer using books, her school is “literally throwing them away.” Even if she had the time to teach a book, the veteran teacher said, her students either have no interest in reading or barely know how.

“Half of them have never read a book,” she said. “In 10 years, we went from kids reading multiple novels in class to them having never opened a book.”

All New York City elementary schools and most middle schools use one of three city-approved reading curricula. Two of them — EL Education and Wit and Wisdom — require full-length books, while HMH Into Reading and Into Literature do not.

In a statement provided to New York Focus, New York City Public Schools Press Secretary Nicole Brownstein emphasized that English class is “not the only time students have access to full texts.”

“Literacy is foundational for every child’s success and every New York City Public Schools student has access to whole books both in their classrooms and via the citywide digital library,” she said, adding that there was a 14 percent increase in digital book checkouts last school year compared to the year prior.

There’s limited data on how much students are actually reading in school. In New York state, where districts have significant autonomy over curriculum, reading programs can vary widely depending on the district, campus, and even classroom.

For more than a decade, classrooms across the state have been shifting away from full-length books and toward shorter literary works, largely to align with state learning standards and assessments. In interviews with New York Focus, English teachers from across the state lamented that teaching novels has also become more challenging because students have less stamina for or interest in reading them anymore — even in districts that still encourage it.

“I teach fewer novels because the kids simply cannot handle it,” said Lori Atkinson, a 37-year high school English teacher at the rural Copenhagen Central School District in the North Country.

Atkinson has seen a slump in endurance and attention span. She cited the impact of the Common Core, a set of academic standards for English and math that most US states, including New York, adopted in the 2010s. It placed a greater emphasis on students’ ability to analyze short, complex passages of text. (In 2017, New York eliminated Common Core and adopted a similar state-specific set of standards.)

“I believe the decline in reading happened when we were forced to excerpt everything, because when you excerpt, you are not building stamina or background knowledge,” Atkinson said. “It became all about standardized tests and trying to get the mark that you were proficient.”

But Atkinson primarily blames students’ lack of reading skills on technology, social media, and the rise of artificial intelligence. Teenagers addicted to instant gratification do not have the concentration and skills they need to stay engaged through a long novel, she said, and turn to AI to generate summaries for required reading.

When Atkinson taught ninth and 10th grade in the 1990s, she typically taught five novels and a Shakespeare play each year. Now, teaching 11th and 12th grade, she considers herself lucky to get through three books. She said she used to lend out 20 books a week to students, and now lends out one or two a month.

The challenge extends beyond novels. Atkinson said that when she assigns a two-page article at the beginning of class, she often sees about half the class stop reading within three minutes.

Even things that were once a treat are now a challenge to their attention spans. Last school year, after her seniors read “Remarkably Bright Creatures” by Shelby Van Pelt, she showed them a five-minute movie trailer for the Netflix adaptation. She said most of the teenagers stopped paying attention halfway through.

Saranac Lake Central School District in the Adirondacks, where high school English teacher Kelsey Francis has worked for 26 years, still encourages educators to teach full-length texts.

In recent years, however, the number of books Francis can get through during the school year has dropped dramatically. She attributes that, in part, to how AI has affected teaching and learning. Francis has largely stopped assigning homework because she expects students will turn to AI to complete it. Instead, students have to do most of their work by hand in class.

Making those changes has left significantly less class time for reading.

It also takes students much longer to get through a book. Since the pandemic, Francis said, she’s seen a major decline in student vocabulary skills and stamina.

“They fatigue after more than a few pages,” she said. “If I were to ask them to independently read for 30 minutes, that is going to be really tough.”

English teacher and education consultant Emily Aierstok had a similar experience in her Capital Region school district.

Because students have shorter attention spans, she’s had to slow down the pace of reading assignments. Instead of assigning two chapters of reading for kids to do at home, she now assigns one. And in addition to requiring 20 minutes of independent reading for homework, she now begins each class with five minutes of reading time to support struggling readers.

But last school year, Aierstok’s seventh graders read eight books through in-class and independent reading — the most in her 26 years of teaching English. She said she’s been able to overcome challenges with student stamina and interest by giving her students agency in choosing which books to read.

New York state’s English Language Arts standards require that students read “both shorter-text and excerpts, as well as full-length works.” In a statement to New York Focus, State Education Department spokesperson JP O’Hare said the agency is committed to ensuring all students have access to skilled instruction, but also noted that local school boards and districts are responsible for selecting curricula and instructional materials.

“Exposing all students to grade-level reading materials with age-appropriate complex ideas and language is critical to mastering the learning standards and developing the knowledge and skills necessary for success beyond the classroom,” the statement reads.

Fewer than half of New York students in grades 3–8 are proficient in reading, according to state data. Jeff Smink, deputy director at the advocacy group EdTrust-New York, said students’ lack of exposure to full-length books has contributed to the state’s literacy crisis.

Smink said it’s important for students to read full-length books to build stamina, learn about context, and develop a love for reading. But he’s also concerned that too many students don’t have the foundational skills to reap the benefits of reading and said that teachers should be focused on building literacy earlier.

“Just giving a book to a kid that doesn’t have those foundational reading skills is also problematic and can lead to disengagement,” he said.

Atkinson, the Copenhagen teacher, said it’s critical teachers continue teaching students full-length books to “rewire their brain” and show students the rewards of persistence. Younger educators are not being taught the importance of novel studies in college and in teacher preparatory programs, she said, so it’s up to veteran educators to spread awareness.

“If we never teach them a novel, then shame on us because we’re the ones who are not giving them the opportunity to build those skills,” she said. “If all we expect from them is an excerpt, then all we’re going to get from them is the bare minimum.”

Huge homeschool enrichment program closes in Colorado, following stricter rules and demise of authorizer

2026-09-04T23:43:43+00:00

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A publicly funded homeschool enrichment program that last year enrolled nearly 2,800 Colorado students will cease operating after a turbulent summer in which its authorizer dissolved and the state launched a strict approval process for such programs.

Colorado Homeschool Enrichment, or CHE, sent an email informing families of the decision Thursday evening.

“We have recently become aware that there was no path forward for the state to approve our application,” wrote Renee Miller, the group’s CEO. “As a result, CHE will not operate this season.”

CHE’s demise is notable because over four years it had grown into one of Colorado’s largest publicly funded homeschool enrichment programs, last year receiving around $15 million in state dollars to operate dozens of campuses and microcampuses. The offerings varied widely by location, with some providing lessons in subjects like reading and science, and field trips to farms or zoos.

But other offerings illustrate the excesses that recently prompted lawmakers to crack down on homeschool enrichment programs. In addition to activities like skiing, taekwondo, and horseback riding, some campuses provided public funding for private school students.

CHE was authorized by a controversial public education group — Education reEnvisioned Board of Cooperative Educational Services — until the group dissolved in August. To continue operating, CHE would have had to quickly find a new authorizer, then get its application approved by the state.

This fall, in response to a recent law change, state education officials are drafting new rules for publicly funded homeschool enrichment programs. One version under consideration would require all such programs to be operated by public providers like school districts or charter schools. Another version would still allow private operators like CHE, but with some restrictions.

Miller said in the email to families that CHE will wait for the new rules before deciding whether to revive its operations next year.

“We encourage you to never relinquish your responsibility for your child’s education,” she wrote. “Children are an extraordinary gift from God, and the responsibility to raise and educate them is not something to take lightly.”

Miller said by email on Friday she’s not doing interviews at this time.

Homeschool enrichment programs typically offer six hours of class a week and are meant to give home-schooled students socialization opportunities or access to courses that are hard to provide at home. Some school districts and charter schools have long operated such programs but after the pandemic, ERBOCES fueled massive growth in homeschool programs that were publicly funded but privately operated.

Often that meant little public transparency about what was being offered to home-schoolers, who was offering it, and where the money went. ERBOCES officials repeatedly declined last spring to provide Chalkbeat a list of their more than 50 homeschool enrichment programs.

In addition, when Chalkbeat asked CHE in an open records request to provide contact information, enrollment numbers, and state funding by campus, Miller declined, saying the group’s lawyer had determined CHE is not subject to Colorado’s open records law.

“Thus, CHE will not provide the requested information,” she wrote.

But a trove of detailed information came out this summer when ERBOCES submitted 44 homeschool enrichment applications to the Colorado Department of Education as part of the state’s new approval process. The applications were for programs operating outside of ERBOCES’ one member school district in El Paso County.

According to application materials, CHE campuses together use 430 contractors and operate at about 1,300 locations around Colorado. These include private homes, rented classroom space, parks, and museums like History Colorado, and historic sites like Bent’s Old Fort.

But they also include less conventional destinations: indoor skydiving centers, trampoline parks, climbing gyms, skating rinks, batting cages, and ski resorts. In addition, some CHE groups visit pickleball complexes like Chicken N Pickle, indoor water parks like Great Wolf Lodge, and hotel resorts like Gaylord Rockies. One CHE campus offers a trip to a local whiskey, rye, and gin distillery — a business that offers some production process tours that don’t include alcohol tasting.

The CHE campus leader who listed the distillery as a location for her program in western Colorado did not respond to Chalkbeat’s request for additional information about what students learn during the distillery visit.

Part of the law change passed last spring barred public funding for homeschool enrichment activities that are not generally available to public school students. Perhaps in response to this criteria, CHE leaders attempted to show how some activities are comparable to public school courses.

CHE’s application claims a trip to iFly, an indoor skydiving center in Lone Tree, supports instruction in the physics of flight, and compares to high school aviation or aerospace classes. A visit to Ouray Hot Springs supports instruction in earth science and geology, and compares to high school earth science or chemistry classes. A trip to the Aspen Snowmass ski resort supports instruction in snow sports and outdoor recreation and is similar to a high school class in adventure sports and leadership.

Ann Schimke is a senior reporter at Chalkbeat. Contact Ann at aschimke@chalkbeat.org.

As Michigan reading scores fall again, state superintendent is clear: ‘We need to improve.’

2026-09-04T22:03:12+00:00

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Michigan third grade reading scores continued to slide in the state’s most recent standardized tests this year, even as schools began to implement reading reforms.

Just 38.2% of third grade students in Michigan are proficient in English Language Arts, down from 38.9% the previous year, according to results released Friday from the Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress, commonly known as the M-STEP. Students took the tests in spring 2026.

It’s the lowest third graders have scored in the 12-year history of the exam. The news comes after leaders have tried a variety of efforts over the last decade to improve reading scores with literacy coaches, optional teacher training, and a short-lived law to retain struggling third graders.

Meanwhile, fourth through seventh grade reading scores are also down from the previous year. Just 44% of students grades 3-8 are proficient in reading, according to a Chalkbeat analysis of M-STEP and PSAT 8/9 tests.

“We need to improve the results of all these assessments for our students moving forward,” said State Superintendent Glenn Maleyko. “Michigan proficiency rates are not where we want them to be. We must increase proficiency rates in all subjects and areas, and in all grades. And we must do this over time, showing steady improvement in all areas.”

Use the tool to search your local district’s test results.

It’s the first M-STEP release since Maleyko took over the Michigan Department of Education last December. The tests measure if students are able to achieve skills outlined in state standards.

Only 35.5% of students grades 3-8 are proficient in math.

Many proficiency rates moved less than one percentage point, which MDE acknowledged in a news release.

“Most proficiency rates are essentially flat when compared to 2025 results on the tests, with the rates on all except four of 20 tests staying within 2 percentage points of the numbers in 2025 and most staying within a percentage point,” the department said.

Other takeaways include:

Math proficiency is up in third and sixth grades compared with last year, down in fifth grade and flat in fourth and seventh grades.
Fifth grade science and social studies proficiency is down.
Eighth graders improved their proficiency in social studies but results dropped in science.
In the 11th grade, science and social studies proficiency is up but performance is down in reading and math

Brian L. Love, state director of EdTrust-Midwest, praised the state’s recent boost in funding for at-risk students and literacy reforms but said more must be done, calling the results “extremely troubling.”

“Funding alone is not enough. The state should put in place fiscal accountability and transparency systems so that the dollars reach the students in their schools.”

Venessa Keesler, president and CEO of Launch Michigan, said Michigan has taken the right steps, including passing legislation that requires literacy training for K-5 educators.

“It is too bad the results aren’t better, but the results are just a symptom of a system that hasn’t been set up for success. But we’re making the right moves toward them.”

Socioeconomic gaps persist

The third grade reading proficiency rate for noneconomically disadvantaged students is more than twice the proficiency rate of economically disadvantaged students.

The gap is even wider for third grade math: 28.8% of students who are economically disadvantaged are proficient compared to 60.5% of students who are not economically disadvantaged.

What to know about key districts in the state:

Detroit Public Schools Community District, the state’s largest district, saw gains in reading and math. In third grade, 14.1% of students are proficient in reading, up from 12.9% the previous year. In math, 20.1% are proficient, up from 15.7%.
In Grand Rapids, third grade reading made a slight gain from 19.6% reading proficiency to 20.1%. Math increased from 19.6% to 23.5%.
Lansing School District saw gains in reading proficiency in third, fourth, fifth and sixth grades. But proficiency declined in seventh and eighth grades.

In Ypsilanti Community Schools, the results mirrored the state: Small declines in most areas, with exceptions in English language arts for fifth and seventh graders. The biggest gains in grades 3-8 were for eighth graders taking the PSAT, who went from 39.8% proficiency in English language arts to 46.8%. In math, the eighth graders went from 10.1% proficiency to 19.5%.

Superintendent Alena Zachery-Ross told Chalkbeat that the district’s own assessments, given to students multiple times during the school year, tell a more encouraging story.

“We’re seeing that 80% of our scholars are growing, and that’s what’s really important because many of our scholars come to us behind,” she said.

The results are impacted by a number of factors, including attendance. Nearly half of the district’s students are considered chronically absent, meaning they’ve missed 18 or more days in a 180-day school year. Assistant Superintendent Carlos Lopez said students frequently missing school affects student performance on state and district assessments.

“Students who have great attendance that are not chronic perform significantly better,” Lopez said. “Attendance matters.”

Zachary-Ross and Lopez said strong partnerships with parents and in the community are key to efforts to improve student achievement. So has been adopting strong curriculum, such as the HMH Into Reading, which is among those the state has approved. The district has also put emphasis on training, intervention, tutoring, and other efforts.

“We’re leveraging everything we can,” Lopez said.

Test scores are important and help shine a light on data that informs decisions, said Kevin Polston, superintendent for Kentwood Public Schools. But he said it’s just one piece of information.

“It’s important for us to take time to digest the data, look at the other sources of data for the things that matter for us, and keep designing plans for each of our individual students to thrive in Michigan,” said Polston, whom Whitmer this week named chair of the newly-formed Every Child Reads Champions Council, which will advise and strengthen Michigan’s statewide literacy plan.

His district had some gains and declines in English language arts, while there was mostly growth in math. The gains in math come as the district just started its third year using a new math curriculum.

The new HMH Into Reading curriculum launched this school year, replacing a district-created curriculum that had been in place for 20 years. The district’s previous curriculum was good, but required a lot of time and resources to keep it current and teachers trained, Polston said.

MDE also shared information on what it is doing to improve student proficiency.

It plans to release the “Michigan Mathematics Framework” this fall that will include “a shared vision for mathematics learning; evidence-based curriculum, instruction, and assessment; and coordinated systems for mathematics,” according to a news release. MDE is also creating a committee focused on science, technology, engineering, and math, commonly known as STEM.

State is focused on literacy, but results are down

These are the last state test scores that will come out before term-limited Gov. Gretchen Whitmer leaves office. She has said literacy is her number one priority in her final year.

Voters will decide whether Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson or Republican U.S. Rep. John James will be the next governor.

Both candidates blamed the other party in their response to the scores and touted their education platforms.

“These test scores are not just numbers, they represent real Michigan children who are being left behind by a system that has failed them for far too long,” James said in a statement.

“Jocelyn Benson and Lansing Democrats have failed our students, failed our teachers and failed Michigan families at every turn. This is the civil rights issue of our time.”

Meanwhile, Benson said: “These scores are deeply troubling, and Michigan families deserve better. We are here after decades of Republicans defunding Michigan schools at a higher rate than any other state instead of doing what’s necessary to help every student succeed.”

Both candidates called the school system “broken.”

Maleyko emphasized that laws aimed at improving literacy are not fully in effect yet. He said the Legislature, governor, State Board of Education, and educators needed to work together to improve outcomes.

Among those changes is a requirement that school districts use evidence-based reading instruction and screen students for characteristics of dyslexia by the 2027-2028 school year.

Under a new law signed this summer, elementary teachers will be required to complete science of reading training by the 2031-2032 school year. Some school districts will receive state help as they work to fully train their teachers. Michigan also has funding for literacy coaches, vetted curriculum, and teacher training.

If a district uses a literacy curriculum not from a state-vetted list and fails to inform parents, the district loses its state funding. But MDE does not have a mechanism where districts report what curriculum they use because state law doesn’t allow the department to “require a new report to be submitted unless state or federal law requires or authorizes the report,” said MDE spokesman Bob Wheaton.

The law requiring the parent notification kicked in during the 2025-26 school year, and Wheaton said thus far, no districts have lost funding because they didn’t comply.

While department officials emphasize the need to improve literacy, they caution that state test scores are only one way to measure student achievement.

Delsa Chapman, a deputy superintendent at MDE, told Bridge that “if a student is not proficient or partially proficient, that does not mean that the student cannot read.

“On that one test in time, their demonstration of mastering the standards is determined through a proficiency rating. But that absolutely, again, does not state or say that the student cannot read or cannot do mathematics.”

Who gets tested in Michigan

Third through seventh graders in public schools throughout the state take the English language arts and math test.

Fifth grade students also take a science and social studies test. Eighth grade students take the PSAT 8/9 test for English language arts and math and the M-STEP for science and social studies.

Ninth graders take the PSAT 8/9 while 10th graders take the PSAT 10.

In 11th grade, students take the SAT, WIN Readiness Assessment, and science and social studies M-STEP.

Some students with disabilities take the MI-Access tests instead of the other tests.

Isabel Lohman is a reporter for Bridge Michigan. You can reach her at ilohman@bridgemi.com.

Chalkbeat Data Reporter Kae Petrin contributed to this report.

Detroit district maintains growth in literacy and math on the 2026 M-STEP

2026-09-04T21:04:00+00:00

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The Detroit school district made small year-over-year gains in reading, writing, and math in nearly every grade on state standardized tests last spring, results released Friday show.

The district reached a 12-year high in the percentage of third graders scoring proficient or above in reading and writing, and it bucked a statewide trend of little to no improvement in early literacy.

Students in the Detroit Public Schools Community District still lag far behind statewide averages on the Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress, or M-STEP, however. For example, 14.1% of DPSCD third graders scored proficient or better on the 2025-26 exam compared to 38.2% of Michigan public school students.

Superintendent Nikolai Vitti said in a statement Friday that the results, many of which represented all-time highs for the district, reflect a broader trend of improvement.

“While students across the state (and country) continue to regress academically, our students are improving,” Vitti said.

The superintendent added the district needs to continue to “refine and scale” its success, particularly in literacy.

LaTrice McClendon, chair of the district’s board, said the results showed encouraging growth in math, adding “literacy still needs stronger gains.”

“We are not finished,” she said. “Detroit’s children deserve nothing less, and we will not rest until they get it.”

Researchers said long-term improvements in DPSCD on the exams, coupled with data showing fast student growth, indicate the district is making big strides to get students closer to where they should be academically.

Tara Kilbride, associate director of the independent research center Education Policy Innovation Collaborative at Michigan State University, said progress across all areas of the M-STEP over time suggests a systemic turnaround.

“That tells me that the improvements are likely not just an anomaly,” Kilbride added.

When evaluating test scores, an important factor to consider is that students in Detroit start out much further behind their peers in wealthier communities due an array of issues tied to poverty and systemic racism, said Jeremy Singer, assistant professor of educational leadership and policy at the University of Michigan-Flint.

“If a student is making a lot of progress every year and they are learning at an accelerated rate, they may still not cross proficiency,” said Singer, also a research affiliate at Wayne State University’s Detroit Partnership for Education Equity & Research.

Kilbride added, “That doesn’t mean the lower levels of proficiency aren’t something we should be concerned about.”

DPSCD’s results show continued growth

Each spring, Michigan public school students in grades 3-7 take the M-STEP in English language arts and math. Fifth graders also take science and social studies M-STEP exams. Eighth graders take the PSAT in English and math. Eleventh graders take the SAT in the same subjects.

Exams were not given in the 2019-20 school year due to school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020-21, the tests were optional.

Compared to spring 2019 – the last year of testing before the pandemic upended learning – the improvements in DPSCD were noticeable in every subject and grade. For example, there was a 7.6 percentage point increase in eighth graders scoring proficient or better in English and a 6.8 percentage point increase in seventh grade math.

The year-over-year growth was smaller for the district in early literacy. A small dip in proficiency rates for sixth graders is attributed in part to unfinished learning when they were in kindergarten in 2019-20, Vitti said.

The district’s seventh grade cohort “continues to demonstrate large strides in their achievement,” and has consistently outperformed their peers, said Vitti.

On SAT results, also released Friday, 35.1% of students were at or above English benchmarks, as were 15.7% of students in math. Compared to spring 2019, those numbers increased by 6.6 and 4.3 percentage points respectively.

With smaller class sizes and more intervention for this year’s ninth graders as part of the DPSCD’s high school redesign, Vitti said the district anticipates more growth on the SAT.

Singer said the progress students make from the beginning to the end of the school year gives a clearer picture of district performance than the M-STEP, which is a snapshot of students’ performance on a single day.

A recent research analysis called The Education Scorecard suggests DPSCD is one of the best among similar districts across the country when it comes to the speed at which students are learning per school year.

DPSCD attributes progress to better attendance, specialized support

Vitti told Chalkbeat in an email Friday that the district’s investments in recruiting and retaining certified teachers, using evidence-based curriculum, student interventions, as well as wraparound services for children and families, contributed to DPSCD’s academic improvements.

“We also have clear targets and stretch targets at the district and school level to hold one another accountable but to also problem solve and support when achievement is not improving,” he said.

Vitti said that might be what setDetroit apart from some statewide trends.

“I don’t see evidence of all of this with great consistency throughout Michigan and I believe nationally school districts have not completely shifted from the legitimate challenges of the pandemic.”

DPSCD has used a large portion of its $94.4 million “right to read” literacy lawsuit settlement to support students who are below grade level. The district has hired hundreds of additional academic interventionists and contracted more tutoring services.

As the district must spend the last of the settlement this school year, Vitti said it will likely have to make difficult budget decisions in order to keep the interventionists.

Imani Foster of 482Forward, a nonprofit focused on educational equity, said she believes the targeted support has helped students. She added more time is needed to see the full effect of the literacy funds.

“I think in five years we can look and see if the incremental change marked sustainable change,” she said.

In math, Vitti said teachers and students are becoming more familiar with curriculum based on the “why” behind math instead of only procedural skills.

“We have also been more targeted in our interventions to make sure that we are filling the gaps in pre-requisite skills at each grade level,” he said. “Younger students who were exposed to the math curriculum at earlier ages are higher performing than their older peers.”

Venessa Keesler, president and CEO of Launch Michigan, said DPSCD is “proof of concept” of what happens “if you get good curriculum, you train your educators, you stay the course, and you really are honest about what’s working and what’s not.”

Maria Montoya, a Detroit parent and education consultant, said consistency is key for the district to continue improvements.

Since pandemic-era school closures, DPSCD has significantly improved its rates of chronic absenteeism, defined as a student missing around 18 or more days in a typical 180-day school year. Missing too much school can make students fall behind and struggle to catch up for years.

While performance on the M-STEP has significantly improved for DPSCD since 2018-19, chronic absenteeism has only fallen back to a slightly lower rate, at 60.9%.

Singer said those data points could suggest DPSCD’s academic achievement is due to more than just better success in getting kids to school.

Both Singer and Kilbride said the data can’t definitively say which efforts have led to better performance on the M-STEP.

“My best hypothesis would be that it was a combination of coordinated support and strategies rather than one particular thing,” said Kilbride.

Hannah Dellinger covers Detroit schools for Chalkbeat Detroit. You can reach her at hdellinger@chalkbeat.org.

Micah Walker is a reporter covering arts and culture and education for BridgeDetroit. You can reach her at mwalker@bridgedetroit.com.

7 key changes shaping NYC schools for the 2026-27 academic year

2026-09-04T15:19:01+00:00

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While all eyes this school year will be on New York City’s new artificial intelligence rules, that’s not the only new policy coming in 2026-27.

When it comes to instruction, Mayor Zohran Mamdani has yet to change things up, essentially just continuing to expand his predecessor Eric Adams’ curriculum mandates. The state is phasing in financial literacy and phasing out Regents exam requirements for diplomas. And all New York City schools now will have school avoidance liaisons to tackle student chronic absenteeism due to mental health or social emotional issues.

Here are seven things expected to change this school year.

The next phase of the city’s math curriculum mandate is coming to elementary schools.

Under the Adams administration, the Education Department overhauled its approach to instruction by phasing in curriculum mandates for literacy and math — a practice the Mamdani administration has continued.

All elementary schools must now teach one of three approved literacy curriculums, and all schools — from elementary to high school — must use one of nine city-approved intervention programs designed to help struggling readers.

Calculus students at a Manhattan charter school.

The city requires nearly all high schools to use a particular curriculum for Algebra 1, and all middle schools will be mandated to teach certain literacy and math curriculums by fall 2027.

Starting this fall, the city will require elementary schools in four local districts to use city-approved math curriculums.

It’s the last year that students will need Regents exams to graduate.

The Class of 2027 will be the last cohort that must pass Regents exams to graduate, according to the current timeline from the state’s Education Department.

After this year, students will no longer be required to earn their diplomas based on passing Regents tests — exit exams that date back to the mid-1800s — and instead will have to demonstrate they’ve mastered six high-level qualities that comprise a “portrait of a graduate,” including effective communication skills, critical thinking, and being a global citizen. The state’s Board of Regents has yet to formally approve the change but is expected to consider new regulations this fall.

In place of the exams, schools will have a variety of ways to assess students, including through research projects and internships, state officials have said. But officials have yet to provide more concrete examples of what the new graduation standards will look like.

“Teachers are going to need time to figure out what the requirements are and how to translate that,” Robert Effinger, a teacher at the Bronx High School of Business, previously told Chalkbeat. “There’s no information.”

School districts across the country have moved away from exit exams, and research suggests these tests do little to promote student learning. Many educators are hopeful the change could free them to focus on more hands-on projects and that it will help reduce some students’ test anxiety. But others have raised equity concerns, fearing the changes could push schools to graduate students even if they haven’t mastered key skills.

Get ready for financial literacy classes.

New York state is now mandating that schools teach personal finance — a topic that many students have said they want. Starting this year, students in grades 5-12 will learn about budgeting and money management, credit and debt, and saving and investing. The mandate will apply to K-4 students the following year. New York City already had been making inroads into financial literacy, with a pilot program to give students hands-on experience with saving and managing money through affordable on-site banking options.

“After high school, some of us will never again solve a calculus problem. Our test scores and GPAs will fade into inconsequential measures of past achievement,” a Stuyvesant student previously wrote for Chalkbeat. “But every single one of us will have to manage our finances. That is what we need to learn.”

Every school must designate a school avoidance liaison.

School avoidance — or school refusal as it’s sometimes called — is when students consistently don’t show up to class due to social or emotional disabilities, such as severe anxiety or depression. Between 1% and 15% of children are school avoidant, researchers estimate. Parents believe the problem increased after the pandemic’s shift to remote learning, and now the Education Department is mandating every school designate a staffer as a school avoidance liaison by Oct. 31 to help tackle the issue. Staffers, however, aren’t getting extra money for the role.

Without systemwide guidance, the city’s nearly 1,600 schools have responded unevenly to school avoidant students. The new policy is meant to change that. Liaisons will get a two-hour training on behaviors that lead to school refusal, and they will provide families information about mental health programs and options such as special education evaluations or reevaluations.

Middle schools are now required, along with high schools, to add students to their school leadership teams.

New York City students will now have a bigger say in shaping their schools’ direction.

School leadership teams, or SLTs, are committees of educators, parents, and students who collaborate to develop and evaluate school policies aimed at improving student outcomes and ensuring that a school’s goals and budget align. These teams create a blueprint for the school year, known as a comprehensive education plan.

The city already required high schools to have at least two students on their SLTs. In practice, however, this doesn’t always happen: Nearly a quarter of high schools have no student representatives assigned to their SLTs, Education Department officials said.

Now, the city is requiring middle schools to add at least two students to their SLTs. And officials are encouraging elementary schools to add students to their leadership teams. All SLT members can earn up to $300 for their service.

NYC plans to pilot virtual student OMNY cards at 7 schools.

Student OMNY cards have been a gamechanger for many kids since the city introduced them two years ago. Students now get four free rides a day, 365 days a year, at any time, a significant upgrade from the three daily rides during limited hours on school days. But complaints have been growing about the flimsy, paper-thin student OMNY cards and the delays in getting replacement cards.

Student OMNY cards from the 2025-26 school year.

Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels said at a recent school board meeting that he was “deeply concerned” by the quality of the cards and that the city was planning to provide students with plastic sleeves for them. He also confirmed that the Education Department and Metropolitan Transportation Authority planned to pilot virtual cards at seven schools “some time” this school year, although names of the schools have not been released.

For virtual cards, students will be able to use their cellphones to tap for their commutes (though, of course, they can’t use phones in school). The school system has been in talks with the MTA about virtual cards for more than a year. Students who don’t have phones still will be able to use physical cards.

The Education Department is replacing its outmoded platform that manages student data, scheduling, attendance, and admissions.

For decades, New York City schools have relied on the Automate The Schools, or ATS, a platform that manages everything from student biographical information — such as home language, contact information, and immunization records — to attendance, grades, standardized test scores, and admissions. The Education Department is in the process of transitioning to a new system known as the Online Academic and Student Information System, or OASIS. Officials switched to OASIS for its Office of Pupil Transportation this summer, and schools already had some issues using the tool to find routes for students attending summer school who required busing. Some school leaders are preparing for a bumpy rollout.

Issues during the summer rollout “were immediately addressed,” Education Department spokesperson Onika Richards told Chalkbeat after this story initially published.

The system is taking a “phased, module-by-module approach,” she said, “allowing us to carefully manage the modernization and support schools throughout the process.”

Correction: Sept. 5, 2026: ATS stands for Automate The Schools, not Automated Teaching System.

Additional reporting by Alex Zimmerman.

Amy Zimmer is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat New York. Contact Amy at azimmer@chalkbeat.org.

What to know from Philadelphia’s review of its English language arts curriculum

2026-09-03T21:04:58+00:00

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Philadelphia school district officials have pledged that this will be the year students’ reading proficiency improves.

But as the district starts the third year of a $25 million reading curriculum overhaul, more evidence points to problems with the rollout.

According to a new district research report, educators reported serious concerns with the new K-8 English language arts curriculum during the first year, including its phonics instruction, a lack of time and resources for students to read full books, and little support for students who start or fall behind.

The researchers, who hosted focus groups with more than 100 K-8 Philly teachers, principals, and administrators, concluded that most principals believe the new curriculum, designed by EL Education, “is a step in the right direction.”

But “genuine teacher buy-in remains a challenge” due to insufficient training, mixed messages about how to comply with district mandates, problems locating and preparing lessons and materials, and little time to address students’ foundational learning before moving to something new.

The district has tweaked its approach to the curriculum since that first year of implementation, including adjusting pacing, adding “flex days” for teachers to go over material, increasing professional development, and reorganizing grade-specific materials to be more accessible, according to a statement from Chief Academic Officer Michael Farrell.

It has also added support specifically for K-2 teachers for teaching foundational literacy skills, he said.

State test scores released last year showed that K-8 students’ reading scores fell after the first year of the new curriculum’s implementation, with around one-third of students reading proficiently. That’s far from the Board of Education’s goal that more than half of students will be proficient in reading by 2030. Anticipation is high for state test scores from the curriculum’s second year of implementation, but those have not been released yet because of a delay at the state level, district leaders said.

Mary Jean Tecce DeCarlo, a clinical professor of literacy at Drexel University who helps train Philly teachers, said many of the concerns educators voiced in the report were predictable. Some problems, like sourcing materials and organizing lessons, get easier as teachers get used to the new content, she said.

However, Tecce DeCarlo echoed educators’ concerns about the curriculum’s phonics instruction in particular. Though she said EL Education is great at increasing students’ background knowledge, which is key for reading comprehension, its approach to phonics instruction is not systematic or direct enough.

“I think right now, the district is operating — as are a lot of people in this new ‘science of reading’ renaissance — that any phonics instruction is good phonics instruction,” Tecce DeCarlo said. “It turns out that’s not true.”

Here are three major findings from the report.

Teachers say phonics instruction is not effective

Nearly all teachers and principals for K-2 students reported problems with how the EL Education curriculum taught phonics, which experts say is essential for kids to learn how to read.

Many teachers said the phonics lessons included in the curriculum were not direct or explicit enough for the district’s youngest learners, leaving them worried that it does not effectively teach struggling readers how to sound out words.

EL Education states on its website that its K-8 curriculum is based on the science of reading and includes structured phonics instruction. In a Friday statement, Paul Curtis, the organization’s managing director of communications, said “successful literacy instruction depends not only on strong materials, but also on consistent implementation, high-quality professional learning, and support for meeting a range of student needs.”

Several teachers said they believed the district’s previous phonics materials from programs like Saxon and Fundations were more effective. Some opted to return to using those programs, disobeying the district’s directive to stick to the new curriculum.

“When you know better, you do better,” one teacher reported. “I feel like this program is going against what we have learned and know to be better.”

Not enough reading for pleasure, educators report

Some teachers reported that the curriculum did not allow time for them to “foster a joy of reading,” the researchers found. Though the curriculum refers to books students can read to go along with lessons, teachers said they didn’t always have access to copies for their students. Most Philadelphia schools don’t have libraries, and teachers are sometimes on their own to get class materials.

One principal said that middle school students wanted to read more full chapter books, but didn’t get to do so. “They’re sick and tired of the gist of an excerpt or just reading excerpts,” the principal reported. “They’re begging their teachers. Can we just read a couple of chapters and read it straight through?”

Other principals reported similar concerns, saying they thought the curriculum could work well if it was adjusted to include more novel-based learning for students.

Students behind grade-level have few supports

Many teachers reported they had little time to teach students who aren’t yet at grade level. That kind of teaching, often called Tier 2 instruction, can be essential for students who may join a school partway through the year, which is common in Philadelphia.

But teachers reported that there were no lessons dedicated to this kind of teaching, and they worried about taking time away from other parts of the fast-paced curriculum.

Superintendent Tony Watlington has previously said he wants teachers to spend more classroom time on grade-level work rather than remedial instruction. But when students are missing foundational skills, they may not be able to complete the work the curriculum demands, teachers reported.

Specific interventions for students who are significantly behind “is not in this curriculum,” one teacher reported.

This story has been updated with a post-publication comment from EL Education.

Borderless Magazine: He watched his mother advocate for special ed support in CPS. Now, he’s voting for change

2026-09-03T20:15:00+00:00

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15West: Chicago school board accessible voter guide

2026-09-03T19:19:36+00:00

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https://www.15west.org/chicago-school-board-voter-guide/

WTTW: How this year’s Chicago Board of Education elections will work

2026-09-03T18:30:29+00:00

https://news.wttw.com/2026/08/24/wttw-news-explains-how-year-s-chicago-board-education-elections-will-work

Support tax increases for schools as the cost of living rises? Indiana voters face a tough choice.

2026-09-03T11:00:00+00:00

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Lindsay Bohney stares at her house’s property tax bill. There’s one figure she has trouble swallowing: roughly $4,000 for the school district.

That’s in addition to the roughly $18,800 she says she already pays in taxes to the district for the farmland in Lowell she co-owns with her mother.

As a fourth-generation Lowellian, she’s held on to her family’s farmland even as she’s watched the town’s agricultural spaces give way to new housing subdivisions, a data center, and — ironically enough — a future John Deere factory. Bohney, a single mom, works multiple jobs to make ends meet.

And if a proposed tax increase from the local Tri-Creek School Corporation passes, she estimates it will cost her nearly $4,000 more on her farmland alone. But if it doesn’t pass, Tri-Creek will eliminate school buses. Bohney would have to drive her daughter to and from school and lose about an hour of pay.

Lindsay Bohney, a fourth-generation farmer in Lowell, Indiana, hopes to keep her land in the family. But rising property taxes present an affordability problem. "I just want to preserve what my family has worked for generations," she said. "And I don't want it to end with me."

“I feel like it’s a lose-lose. Either maybe I can’t pay some bills because of it, and then what if I were to lose my house?” she said. “Or what if it doesn’t pass, and then the kids suffer anyway?”

She and her neighbors face a tough choice. They can vote to raise property taxes as they grapple with the rising cost of living. Or they can vote no, and cuts to student services will follow. And this year, voters in a record number of Indiana communities are facing essentially the same decision.

If Tri-Creek’s proposed tax increase fails, the district will also eliminate K-8 extracurricular activities next year — and cuts to high school sports could be next. In Gas City, the small Mississinewa Community School District also plans to eliminate bus services in 2027 if a ballot question fails. And thirty miles north of Lowell in Whiting, the school district estimates it will run out of money altogether by 2032 without a mix of cuts and voter-approved tax increases.

From now until the November election, school districts are trying to educate the public about state property tax reforms lawmakers approved this year that significantly reduce the local revenue available to schools. In order to compensate, districts say, voters must approve new local tax increases.

But getting voters on board will take more than yard signs, T-shirts, or pamphlets, said Andrew Larson, superintendent of the Tri-Central Community Schools in Sharpsville that is also seeking a property tax increase.

“It’s going to be individual conversations with people that live in these communities,” he said. “They need to understand why we’re doing what we’re doing.”

It’s not an easy task: Lowell voters rejected a tax increase proposed by Tri-Creek schools in 2023. So did Whiting voters. And some say schools should have to make tough financial choices just like voters.

“The cost of living is affecting Hoosiers all across the state,” said Cody White, deputy state director for the Indiana chapter of Americans for Prosperity, a conservative group opposed to such tax increases. “It’s a real problem, and everyone’s tightening their belts.”

School districts battle mistrust, rising cost of living

The state property tax changes under State Enrolled Act 1, or SEA 1, ultimately aim to reduce the assessed value of land and reduce taxes.

The state already limits how much property can be taxed, and restricts how much the tax revenue can grow from the previous year.

Plus, Indiana’s strong school choice environment and an ongoing decline in student enrollment leave many districts scrambling to keep the students they have.

“When we lose enrollment, we lose money, and so the problem exacerbates,” Andy Anderson, Tri-Creek’s superintendent, said at an August town hall meeting on the tax measure, which would raise about 17 cents per $100 in assessed value. “It’s like the bottom will fall out.”

Elementary school students get off the school bus in front of their home in Lowell, Indiana, on Aug. 19. The Tri-Creek School Corporation encompasses a large area for school buses to cover, stretching across three townships and 179 square miles.

After voters rejected a tax increase in 2023, the roughly 3,300-student Tri-Creek district eliminated 10% of its staff — including 14 teachers and 10 classroom assistants.

“We are at a bare-bone minimum,” Anderson told Chalkbeat. “Our class sizes are near capacity or have exceeded capacity. There are really no other positions that we can eliminate to make up the nearly $3 million deficit that we need to maintain status quo.”

Bohney attended the town hall and listened to Anderson’s arguments. She still has questions about how the district spends money — did Tri-Creek need to issue new iPads this year, for instance?

“It’s a lot,” she said of the district’s funding. “We’re talking millions and millions and millions of dollars in multiple accounts. Where does it go?”

District leaders fear public education is being devalued

After a roof collapsed on the middle school side of Whiting Middle/High School in 2024, incoming Superintendent David Verta knew it was time for action.

The School City of Whiting’s three school buildings are over 100 years old and haven’t had major renovations in over 40 years, he said.

Whiting is making a particularly big bet: It’s the only district in the state asking for two tax increases, one for capital costs and one for operating expenses. But it will be a tall order: Like Lowell, Whiting voters also rejected a tax increase for operating costs in 2023.

“For some reason public education is not valued anymore, and I don’t know why,” he said. “We’ve been taking hit after hit after hit, slap after slap.”

Tri-Creek School Corporation Superintendent Andy Anderson talks with residents and the district's August town hall on a proposed tax increases. Anderson stresses that the district's financial challenges are due not to local mismanagement but changes in state law.

In Sharpsville, the Tri-Central district — which educates under 1,000 students — is eating into its reserves, Larson said. The district is also “hemorrhaging” students in part because of school choice.

“They’ve pitted school districts against one another because you can move around, so districts send buses into other (districts) to pick up kids,” he said.

Schools are also competing with other government entities looking for extra cash — including potential wheel taxes for roads in communities like Lowell.

And there will be organized resistance. Americans for Prosperity plans to train residents who want to actively oppose these tax measures.

School tax measure could hinge on social media

In Lowell, arguments over the referendum have proliferated on social media.

“It’s dividing people,” Bohney said. “No one can just have a healthy discussion.”

Local organizations that could help set the tone for debate haven’t so far. The Lowell Chamber of Commerce told Chalkbeat it won’t take a stance on the measure. Lowell’s town council is still weighing whether to support it.

Jason Sickinger, who owns a local jewelry store, understands the hesitation about giving the district more money.

“People always have this bad taste in their mouth about the way money is handled around here,” he said.

Some may be wondering why the district couldn’t use funding for its new buildings to save transportation, Sickinger said — although such a move is prohibited by state law.

Others may worry about administrative bloat. Yet Anderson said that even eliminating all the district’s administrators would still leave a deficit of over $2 million.

Still, Sickinger plans to vote yes. His son still has four years left in the district.

Andrea Blandford, a Tri-Creek bus driver for 13 years, is concerned about what will happen to the school district if the proposed tax increase doesn't pass in November.

Andrea Blandford, a bus driver for the Tri-Creek district, also owns 56 acres of farmland in Lowell. When the district proposed a tax increase in 2023, she did not vote. But this time, with her job on the line, she plans to vote in favor.

She’s worried the measure won’t pass.

“The state might just step in and see what the issues are, and hopefully they’ll figure something out if this referendum doesn’t pass,” she said. “I don’t know what other options there are.”

Correction: Sept. 11, 2026: This story has been corrected to accurately reflect Andrea Blandford’s voting history in the 2023 referendum for the Tri-Creek School Corporation.

Amelia Pak-Harvey covers schools for Chalkbeat Indiana. Contact Amelia at apak-harvey@chalkbeat.org.

To change football culture, Philly’s high school coaches tackle emotions

2026-09-03T09:30:00+00:00

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As head football coach at Martin Luther King High School in Philadelphia, Jordan Alexander faces dual challenges as the team begins its fall season.

His players are looking for a turnaround, after losing nine of their 10 games in 2025.‌ ‌

But Coach Alexander says most of the 60-man team has also experienced a loss at home, or a friend shot, or a parent sent to prison. He regularly takes phone calls from players dealing with housing instability or brushes with the law.

So this year, he’s hoping to tackle both challenges. He is among dozens of Philly-area football leaders who have been trained on trauma-informed coaching methods that teach players to pause before their emotions spiral into disorder or, in the worst case, violence. The coaches, some of whom are also educators, receive a stipend and a continuing education credit in exchange for taking 30 hours of cognitive science coursework.

Coach Alexander hopes that it will help his players improve not only their game, but also their lives.‌‌

Football remains the most played sport by American teenage boys. But in recent years, it has drawn more attention for its potential to provoke trauma than to address it. As legal battles continue over traumatic brain injuries in the N.F.L., new research has found that they are significantly more common than previously known. A recent study, which analyzed the cases of hundreds of former professional players, found that roughly one in four players had chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Some studies have shown that people who play heavy contact sports in their youth are more likely to commit violence later on.

Martin Luther King High School head football coach Jordan Alexander, left, at the Open Door Abuse Awareness Prevention football combine at the Mastery Charter Pickett campus in Philadelphia on Saturday, June 20, 2026.

Valencia Peterson, known as Coach V by the teams she works with, is a longtime Philadelphian and football lover who saw an opportunity to change the sport and save lives. Her father killed her mother when she was a child, which led her to later form Open Door Abuse Awareness Prevention, the organization leading the training program for coaches.

Five years ago, Coach V became‌ certified as a trauma-competent professional. She designed her football program based on coursework from multiple experts and organizations that teach about trauma and emotional regulation.

“I put it in what I would call ‘layman terms for the hood,’” she said. She has trained 30 coaches through the program and has 15 more signed up for this fall.

Some Philadelphia youth coaches say they‌’re unlearning bad habits gleaned from leaders who yelled at or antagonized players to get them to perform.

Khalif Mimms, 16, at the football combine.

At Cheltenham High School, about 40 minutes north of Philadelphia, four former coaches are facing criminal charges for not acting after learning about a pair of alleged locker-room assaults on a player.

Megan Bartlett, founder of the Center for Healing and Justice Through Sport in Illinois, described football as “ground zero for some of what’s wrong in sport coaching” because of its “inherent orientation towards violence.”‌‌

She has seen youth violence prevention programs in other sports, but she believes Coach V’s is one of the few that are focused on changing football culture.

“There are some things you have to rectify in football that you don’t have to address in cross country,” Ms. Bartlett said. “Convincing football coaches that this is necessary is harder work than it is in some other sports.”

Acknowledging emotions, teaching control

Some of the changes Coach V and her trainees hope to achieve on Philly’s high school football fields have already begun at the national level. Trauma awareness is popping up in professional football discussions, sometimes couched in terms like “mental toughness” or “mental performance.”

In March, the N.F.L. began requiring every team to hire a full-time mental health clinician, a step up from its 2019 mandate for part-time mental health staff members.

But Wade Gilbert, a professor at Fresno State and a former Olympic-level mental performance coach, said the model is more difficult to pull off in the high school and youth world, where many coaches are also educators making substantial sacrifices to keep teams afloat.

The program from Valencia Peterson, known as Coach V, echoes efforts like the Becoming a Man program in Chicago, which teaches young people impulse control and “positive anger expression.”

Coach V said that’s a big part of why she’s trying to support coaches, especially the ones in Philadelphia’s roughest neighborhoods, who deal with problems way bigger than football plays.

Her program echoes efforts like the Becoming a Man program in Chicago, which teaches young people impulse control and “positive anger expression.” It reduced violent crime arrests among participants by about 50% and increased graduation rates by nearly 20%, according to an independent study from the University of Chicago Crime Lab.

Though Becoming a Man isn’t a football program, Jens Ludwig, a lead researcher on that independent study, said sports create a perfect environment for putting youth in situations that “feel high stakes.” With the right training, coaches can turn arguments that erupt on the field into teaching moments, he said. The hope is that players use the same stop-and-think strategies on the streets.

“They’re giving you practice at navigating those difficult moments and giving you feedback where there’s no real risk,” Dr. Ludwig said.

In Philadelphia, arguments were the motive for about half of shootings, according to a 2022 analysis from multiple city agencies.

This is why at Vaux Big Picture High School in North Philly, Coach Jordan Holbert is more set on getting his players to graduation with decent grades than he is on getting them to the pros.

Head football coach Jordan Holbert reviews core values with the team at Vaux Big Picture High School in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026.

In 2024, one of Coach Holbert’s players was shot and killed while riding his bike. Since then, another player has been shot in the leg. And at one practice, Coach Holbert had to confront and calm a young person who showed up at the field with a firearm.

This year, a mother was shot dead at the corner store where the guys like to stop before and after practice.

Coach Holbert took Coach V’s course to learn how to respond to this kind of situation, and take care of himself in the process.

At a recent practice, his players sat down at desks and placed their helmets neatly next to their notebooks. Coach Holbert passed out a handwritten list of emotions and told the players to circle those that resonated with them most. “If you can identify your emotions, experience your emotions, then move with logic, then you are better than everyone else,” he said.

He hopes that players learn to get ahead of their feelings and express them calmly, instead of bottling them up and letting them explode at a later time. Coach Holbert’s players agree that managing their emotions keeps them safe. They also think it improves their game.

“Outside of football, if you is involving yourself in violence, if you got the wrong mind-set and you outside,” said Semaj Pridgen, a 17-year-old Vaux wide receiver, “it’s gonna get to you once you on the field.”

Semaj Pridgen, a wide reciever, left, and Jadon Bracy, a lineman and edge rusher at Vaux.

Jadon Bracy, an 18-year-old lineman and edge rusher starting his senior year at Vaux, said he used to be a hothead. But working with Coach Holbert helped him better manage his emotions.

“Me using anger as my motivation, it was a lot of mistakes,” he said. “You take out the anger on yourself, or maybe take it on your teammates, and it really messes up the dynamic, messes up the teamwork.”‌‌

As they bounce back from a challenging season, the players at Martin Luther King High School have embraced that approach as well. “Last year, people had been caught up in their emotions, attitudes,” said Lacey Johnson, a 17-year-old wide receiver at M.L.K. “They were crashin’ out.”

This is why at Vaux Big Picture High School in North Philly, Coach Jordan Holbert is more set on getting his players to graduation with decent grades than he is on getting them to the pros.

Lacey’s mother died of an overdose last winter. He said he leaned on the weight room as a way to stay grounded.

“If you play from anger, you’ll mess up,” Lacey said. “It’s about disciplining yourself. If you control your emotions the right way, you can use it at the right moment.”

The Vaux Big Picture High School football team at the locker room at the school in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026.

Can trauma-informed football win?

“When I first started coaching, I coached like people coached me,” Coach Alexander said. “Cursing kids out, yelling and screaming at kids, just not being supportive and understanding.”

Now Coach Alexander, who is also a dean of students and a father of three, shows up to practice ready to listen. He sits down with players who seem on edge or withdrawn and asks them what they need. He gives them breaks and tries to get them to refocus.

During Coach V’s course, coaches study psychological concepts such as secondary traumatic stress and acute versus chronic trauma exposure. Since taking it, Coach Alexander has started asking players: red or blue?

“The red brain is you’re in a very, very bad situation, you’re very upset, and now all of your decisions are being done through anger,” he said. “The blue brain means you’re calm, you’re collected, you can think.”

Mikaal Alexander, 16, at the Open Door Abuse Awareness Prevention football combine.

Mikaal Alexander, unrelated to the coach, is a 16-year-old M.L.K. offensive lineman. He lost a close friend to gun violence last year, and he has been around multiple other shootings.

He said his coaches always checked in on him and his teammates. “They say boys not supposed to cry,” Mikaal said. “If you got a mental problem, cry a little bit. It won’t hurt to shed a few tears.”

Coach V wants to expand her program as funding allows. She’s about to start applying it to boxing. But she doesn’t want to lose the tailored attention for coaches that’s at the model’s core.

“We do life with the people that we work with,” she said. “I’m bringing something I believe in to my little corner of the world.”

Vaux Big Picture High School Cougars football team huddle together after their morning warm up.

This article was published as part of a collaboration between Chalkbeat Philadelphia and The New York Times’s Headway Initiative, focused on gun violence in Philadelphia. This reporting is supported by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, with the Local Media Foundation serving as fiscal sponsor. Funders have no control over the selection, focus of stories or the editing process and do not review stories before publication.

Sammy Caiola covers solutions to gun violence in and around Philadelphia schools. Have ideas for her? Get in touch at scaiola@chalkbeat.org.

American Psychological Association calls for higher ed tech standards, not screen bans in new report

2026-09-03T04:08:35+00:00

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Badges, tokens, and flashing lights: The widespread gamification of education technology harms learning and harms children, the American Psychological Association said in a new report out Thursday.

While the organization is calling for much higher standards for widely used learning apps and platforms, outright bans on screens or arbitrary time limits are not the answer, the report says.

“It is much easier for a school district to say we’re putting an all-out ban on something than do the harder work of actually vetting to make sure that learning is happening,” said Nicole Barnes, the APA’s executive lead psychologist for education. She said science supports the idea that technology “can be a very powerful tool to support learning, and it can be one that harms it at the same time.”

RSVP for Chalkbeat's virtual event on the two tech debates shaping schools this year: AI and screen time.

The report comes as debates about education technology in general and AI specifically are roiling American classrooms, school boards, and state legislatures. New York City’s school system just adopted what might be the most restrictive AI policy in the country. Los Angeles Unified School District, meanwhile, banned laptops and tablets for young learners and prohibited the use of AI tools on school-issued devices. Other school districts are following suit.

The APA report aims to inform that debate with the science of how children learn and develop, to help people make decisions “from a place of evidence and not a place of hysteria or fear,” Barnes said.

People on all sides of that debate may find evidence in the report to support their position.

Key findings include:

Time spent on learning apps, student enjoyment, and completion rates are often mistaken for learning.
Features designed to maintain student attention can district from learning.
The amount of time students spend on learning platforms is not as important as what those platforms may be replacing, such as interaction with teachers or classmates.
Learning platforms can be good for practicing specific skills, but claims about improved critical thinking are rarely supported by evidence.
AI can improve student performance while reducing learning — a more polished finished product or higher score doesn’t necessarily mean the student learned more.

The report includes recommendations for educators, policymakers, and parents on what questions to ask and how to evaluate learning platforms.

Schools should ask for independent evaluations of the effectiveness of learning tools, not studies commissioned by ed tech vendors, the report says. They should also pay attention to which students benefit and which students continue to struggle when using certain tools, rather than looking at broad averages.

There are tools with a proven track record, Barnes said, including tools that have made learning more accessible for students with disabilities and English learners.

But too often, children are regularly exposed to technology that replaces human connections and productive struggle with the illusion of better scores and student engagement, Barnes said.

“Close the app. Ask the student to explain. Ask the student to solve a new problem, or to apply the skill in a different setting,” Barnes said. “This success that you might be seeing, this performance that you might be equating with learning, might just be that the student is really skilled in navigating that platform.”

The origin’s of the report predate the current ed tech debate and go back to pandemic-era online learning.

Barnes recalled looking over her son’s shoulder in 2020 and asking why he was playing a game rather than doing his homework. But the game was his homework.

“I only had to look at it for a minute to see that it wasn’t resulting in the type of learning that I’m sure it was being sold or marketed as,” she said. “If your child is spending more time dressing a character than doing a problem, that app is probably not resulting in learning taking place.”

Barnes’ first piece of advice to parents is to take that minute to pay attention to what apps and platforms their children are using for school. Then, if something doesn’t seem right, take another minute to ask the principal what evidence there is that the program supports learning.

She acknowledges this isn’t a silver bullet. Her conversation with her child’s principal didn’t lead the school to ditch the app. The longer-term solution would involve school systems and governments agreeing to hold ed tech vendors to a higher standard.

“All we’re really saying is, if you’re going to claim learning, you should prove it,” she said. “To me, that doesn’t seem too much to ask.”

Erica Meltzer is Chalkbeat’s national editor based in Colorado. Contact Erica at emeltzer@chalkbeat.org.

As his family self-deports, this teen is leaving behind his friends, his church, and his education dreams

2026-09-02T22:39:05+00:00

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This time last year, Bruno was picking out a new backpack, asking friends about their junior year class schedules, and starting college courses through his Newark high school.

The 16-year-old should be preparing for his first day of senior year, but instead, he’s packing his bags to head back to Brazil.

Bruno and his family, who came to the United States in 2022 to pursue a better life, have grown increasingly alarmed by the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration. After months of consulting with their immigration attorney, his parents decided that leaving on their own terms, rather than waiting to be deported, would give Bruno and his 14-year-old sister the best chance of returning to the United States one day.

“Our dream is for our children to finish their schooling and go to college,” said Lourdes, Bruno’s mom, to Chalkbeat in Portuguese. (Chalkbeat is identifying Bruno and Lourdes using first names only due to risks associated with their immigration status.) “We are just hardworking parents. We shouldn’t have to live in fear of being pursued by ICE.”

Bruno will leave behind his friends, the church he serves, and his passion for making movies. But his family’s gamble has the biggest impact on his education.

Immigrants across the country are grappling with whether to stay and risk being swept up by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, or return to their home countries and face an uncertain future. The Department of Homeland Security has said that more than a million immigrants have chosen voluntary departure since President Donald Trump took office, the legal option that lets people leave the country on their own by a set deadline. For Bruno’s family, the decision will be yet another setback to his educational journey.

The pandemic, moving to a new country, and learning English have already disrupted Bruno’s K-12 education. Now, moving back to Brazil could blow up the timeline for his schooling and nullify his coursework in both high school and college.

It also means Bruno won’t get to choose between attending seminary school or going to college to study filmmaking or biology. He also won’t get to shop for a tux for prom, or earn a high school diploma and associate’s degree in June.

Many people he’s met in the U.S. are “very important for me … and also I have more opportunities here than in Brazil.”

Parents hope self-deportation will help children’s future

Earlier this year, Bruno’s parents received an immigration summons letter in the mail for a meeting. The family was waiting on a judge’s ruling on their case, but in the meantime, they were still undocumented.

There were family friends who received similar letters and got deported. The number of ICE arrests and deportations grew in New Jersey over the summer. And they worried that being deported would make it harder for their children to secure U.S. student visas later.

Bruno is an active member of the Saint James Roman Catholic Church in Newark, New Jersey.

A deportation order also carries a reentry bar, a set period during which someone can’t reenter the country, although the details of that prohibition can vary.

So they applied for voluntary departure rather than wait for ICE to decide their case for them.

Still, Priscilla Monico Marin, executive director of the New Jersey Consortium for Immigrant Children, cautioned that self-deportation doesn’t guarantee future benefits and comes with risks.

“It’s one thing to be deported and fall into the shadows, but it’s another to be given the benefit of voluntary departure and not do it,” Monico Marin said.

The family was originally supposed to leave in May, but Lourdes asked for more time so Bruno could finish his junior year. The federal government gave them until Aug. 3 to leave, and they were supposed to receive plane tickets on July 20. But the tickets never came, and now the family has a self-imposed deadline to leave by October, with or without them.

“If we stayed here without authorization, my husband and I could be arrested, which would complicate matters and make our children even sadder than they already are,” Lourdes said.

In the meantime, Bruno goes to the gym, helps out at church, and works with his dad while his friends head back to school. He also enjoys walks around the Ironbound, his neighborhood in Newark, but he has to carry his passport around just in case ICE is nearby.

“My mother, she doesn’t trust me to walk alone some days,” Bruno said.

What a student loses when leaving the U.S.

Bruno used to spend his mornings at East Side High School taking classes and making documentaries with friends through a school club where he led the video production team.

In the afternoons, he would take classes at Essex County College. He was on track to earn a high school diploma and an associate’s degree in June 2027.

“I miss everyone there,” Bruno said.

In Brazil, the school year typically runs from February to December, Bruno said. So arriving in October would put Bruno towards the end of Brazil’s school year. Bruno says he will likely have to repeat his junior year from scratch.

Bruno poses for a picture outside East Side High School on July 29, 2026, in Newark, New Jersey.

After pandemic-related education disruptions in Brazil, Bruno came to Newark midway through seventh grade but said he “didn’t speak English so I couldn’t understand anything.” Bruno said he didn’t really start learning English or class material until his freshman year at East Side.

Despite all that, Bruno’s optimistic things will improve and that he’ll stay in touch with his friends: “I will try to talk through Instagram, WhatsApp with them sometimes. So I’m trying to figure out what good things can happen.”

Bruno’s plans once he’s back in Brazil are modest. In addition to enrolling in school and finding work, he wants to continue serving as an altar boy. He’s been in that role at Newark’s Saint James Roman Catholic Church, which has served as a steadying force in his life and reaffirmed his faith.

He hopes to come back to the U.S. from Brazil “one day.”

Jessie Gómez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org.

NYC’s new school AI ban explained: What’s changing? What’s still murky?

2026-09-02T21:58:19+00:00

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After months of waiting, Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Wednesday released the outlines of New York City’s approach to dealing with artificial intelligence and screen time in schools next year.

But just eight days before the start of the school year, there are still many details to be worked out.

The city will ban student-facing generative AI tools, like chatbots and tutors that respond to prompts, in preschool- through eighth-grade classrooms, while allowing limited AI use in high school. It will also limit screen time for younger kids.

Officials said they’re “disabling” AI features on 38 software programs already in use in city schools, but haven’t shared what those products are. Officials posted the written guidance online Wednesday evening.

NYC to ban student AI tools in 2-K through 8th grade and limit classroom screen time

The policy opens up a host of thorny new questions, including how the city will determine what level of AI is acceptable in tech products, what happens to existing programs that violate the policy, and how the guidelines will be enforced.

And city officials have admitted they have little hard data on how much AI is currently in use across the 1,600 schools. They declined to release the results of a survey asking schools about AI use, despite repeated requests.

The new policy, which Mamdani described as the “broadest generative AI moratorium in the nation,” has already drawn a mix of reactions.

A coalition of advocates pushing for a two-year moratorium on AI use said the new policy is a “step in the right direction,” but raised concerns about pilot programs that will allow tens of thousands of high school students to use tools involving generative AI.

Others said the new policy will be disruptive for schools. Richard Buery, a former deputy mayor and CEO of the Robin Hood Foundation, said educators are already using tech tools to quickly generate lessons that parents can use for their children at home or get faster feedback on their students’ classroom assignments.

“While well-intentioned, a blanket one-year AI ban, without exceptions, on all uses through middle school is not the right call,” he said in a statement.

Here’s what we know so far, and what we’re still waiting to learn.

How long will the AI moratorium last?

The prohibition on student-facing AI tools from preschool through eighth grade will run for at least this coming school year. City officials vowed to convene a coalition of educators, students, parents, union officials, and experts to help assess the policy and whether to change it in the future.

Which specific products are being banned, and who decides?

New York City principals can buy education technology in two basic ways: For smaller purchases, they can contract directly with a vendor. For larger ones, they generally have to use a vendor that already has a citywide contract with the Education Department.

Mamdani described the AI moratorium as the most sweeping in the nation. But key details are still unclear.

Mamdani said Wednesday that the Education Department is “disabling” AI features in 38 existing citywide ed tech contracts. Officials haven’t provided a list of those companies. But Mamdani’s education adviser Ailish Brady said that the widely used digital tutor Amira and the digital version of the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt reading curriculum — the most popular of the three mandated NYC Reads literacy programs — will both “turn off” their AI components.

A spokesperson for HMH said “there is no student-facing AI in Into Reading,” the company’s elementary school reading curriculum.

An Amira spokesperson said the product is currently used in 222 schools, and that the company has reached out to the Education Department for clarity on what the new AI policy will mean for the product.

Brady didn’t directly respond to a question about whether Google’s AI chatbot Gemini, which comes pre-loaded on many students’ Chromebook laptops, would be disabled. But advocates who met with city officials said they were told that Gemini would be shut off.

In cases where a company can’t simply turn off the AI features of a product, the city will no longer use that product, Brady added.

How city officials will determine whether AI has been sufficiently scrubbed from a product isn’t clear.

After freezing all new education purchases for nearly two months, officials gave principals the green light Wednesday to resume buying software, with a big caveat. Any new request for ed tech under $25,000 will now undergo an extra layer of review from the Education Department’s IT, legal, and contracts teams, Deputy Chancellor Lindsey Oates told principals in a Monday webinar. Oates warned the reviews will “take some time,” potentially creating an additional bottleneck in a contracting process that can already be slow.

Who will be exempt from the ban?

Technology that supports students with disabilities and English language learners with specific educational needs will be exempt, officials said. Brady offered examples: an eye-tracking technology that helps students with cerebral palsy type and an Education Department-created program called Hello App that helps students learning English communicate with teachers.

There will also be exceptions for required reading and math assessments that students take on computers to track their progress throughout the year.

How is AI being used in high schools?

High schools have the most leeway with AI tools and are allowed to use them in career and technical education programs. There are also five AI pilot programs involving generative tools that city officials have already approved, ranging from platforms that help students conduct close analysis of texts to a math program that prompts students to explain their thinking. The five programs are: Quill, Edia, Brisk Teaching, Playlab, and Intel AI-Ready Schools.

Officials said a maximum of 50,000 high school students would participate in those pilot programs, or roughly 17% of all high school students.

How will students learn AI literacy?

All high school students across the city will be required to complete two 45-minute AI literacy modules every year that cover the basics of AI, as well as issues related to bias and misinformation.

Which students do the new screen time recommendations apply to?

The city’s youngest students — from preschool to second grade — are not supposed to use individual laptops and other devices under the new policy. In grades 3-5, students are allowed to use individual devices but for no more than 30 minutes a day, officials recommend. In middle school, the recommended limit is 45 minutes. There are no screen time guidelines for high school.

As school districts across the nation are moving to limit screens, one reason some are allowing devices beginning in third grade: It’s the year state testing begins, and exams are increasingly administered digitally, including in New York.

How will teachers be allowed to use AI?

Teachers are allowed to use AI tools to help plan lessons, translate materials, or draft communications, according to an Education Department summary of the policy. They may not use AI tools to grade student work, monitor behavior, develop special education plans, or assist with student mental health challenges.

How will this be enforced?

Officials didn’t spell out any clear enforcement mechanism for ensuring schools adhere to the AI policy.

Mamdani conceded much of the enforcement will have to happen at the classroom and school level. “Whenever there’s been a shift, teachers have had to be at the forefront,” he said during the press conference. “And so we trust that teachers, principals, superintendents will be there.”

He added that central Education Department officials will subject all new ed tech purchase requests to a “rigorous” review process.

United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew, who has recently clashed with Mamdani on several major policy priorities, expressed concern that it will largely fall on “school communities or individual educators to figure out after the fact if what their school uses fits the new policy.”

What about students using AI outside of school?

One of the big critiques of the Education Department’s first draft of the AI guidance from March was that it completely dodged the biggest question on many teachers’ minds: how to respond to students using AI outside of school, including to cheat on writing assignments.

So far, the new guidance doesn’t seem to offer any more specifics on that front. Samuels noted that teachers have been dealing with the AI cheating issue for years (many schools developed their own AI policies while waiting for citywide guidance) and emphasized that schools will need to enlist parents for support.

Michael Elsen-Rooney is a reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Michael at melsen-rooney@chalkbeat.org

Alex Zimmerman is a reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Alex at azimmerman@chalkbeat.org.

States urge schools to use AI, but leave teachers on their own to stop cheating

2026-09-02T12:00:00+00:00

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Paige Wyatt heard plenty from administrators about using AI to generate lesson plans at the school where she taught high school English.

Her students used AI to cheat so frequently she resorted to spending her own money on detection tools. Yet she never got help with what she really wanted: how to effectively catch and stop the cheaters, some of whom were very clearly just copying and pasting from Google’s AI summaries.

Teachers like Wyatt consistently identify cheating as a major concern in the AI era, and 70% of teens report using AI for schoolwork, a Common Sense Media survey published last month found. But that concern is getting little recognition from states. While at least 13 states have passed laws about AI in education, the laws most often direct state agencies and districts to create their own AI guidance, meaning lawmakers have frequently absolved themselves from making tough decisions.

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Meanwhile, roughly three out of four states have published information to help guide AI use in education. But a Chalkbeat review found these documents tend to skirt the issue of cheating, offering little in the way of concrete steps to halt or deter students from offloading work to AI. Instead, they dedicate more real estate to AI literacy and ways teachers can use AI for efficiency.

All of that beating around the bush has left educators and districts to their own devices to come up with ways to deter and catch AI-enabled cheaters. It’s become an exhausting endeavor that hasn’t turned up any definitive solutions, educators and researchers said.

There’s no surefire way to detect AI-generated content. Nor is there an agreed-upon definition for cheating: Can students use AI to outline an essay but not write it? Can they use it to copy edit? Some states have crafted acceptable use policies which make some, but not all, of these distinctions.

Wyatt quit her teaching job last year. She didn’t leave solely due to AI, but its impact on her work was a factor.

“We really need real consequences,” she said. “We need workshops for teachers to detect cheating. We need workshops for kids.”

Most of the nation’s 10 largest school districts are developing or have developed more specific policies to try to prevent using generative AI to cheat. But it hasn’t always been easy: New York City delayed the rollout of its AI guidance for months amid fierce backlash, before announcing a new policy this week. Half of those districts explicitly discourage using AI detection tools.

Many of the official responses might underscore the urgency of the problem without helping to address it, which could only increase teachers’ anxiety.

“I think the situation teachers are in feels bad, and feels like they ought to have a solution now that they don’t have,” said Justin Reich, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the host of a podcast about how AI is shaping K-12 education.

Letting AI ‘run amok’ could ruin student learning

Historically, state policymakers haven’t rushed to create laws governing new technology and education.

States didn’t really start to adopt computer science requirements until the 2010s. And while the iPhone launched a smartphone revolution in 2007, the first state restrictions on cell phone use in schools didn’t come until 16 years later, in 2023.

States may be moving faster when it comes to mainstream generative AI, which took off with the advent of ChatGPT in late 2022.

“Folks can’t just hope this will pass. This is a major change, and students are already using it,” said John King, former U.S. education secretary and current chancellor of the State University of New York system. “This isn’t tomorrow’s problem. This is today’s problem.”

The District of Columbia and at least 37 states have issued recommendations for public schools about AI. Their documents range from short webpages to Illinois’ 400-page behemoth. Many define different types of AI, stress that any AI use should still be led by humans, and link to outside resources — some of which have been developed with the support of big AI companies.

But they often devote just a page or a few paragraphs to academic integrity.The documents also seem light on actual guidance and don’t include many citations, Reich said. That’s because there’s little evidence to show how effective AI tools are in the classroom, or what policies would effectively stop cheating.

“If you just let this run amok in secondary schools, all kinds of learning activities will stop,” he said. “We do not know what to do. There’s no evidence-based policy. There’s no basis for development and professional development. Like we’re just making stuff up.”

More than a third of states urge schools not to rely solely on tools that promise to detect the use of AI, citing studies showing they are not effective and incorrectly flag genuine student writing as AI.

But many states then offer little else other than acceptable use policies. In California’s case, the state offers a list of questions for districts to mull when making policies around integrity in addition to an acceptable use policy.

In the absence of hard and fast rules, teachers have reported requiring students to complete more graded work in class, using pencil and paper.

Christopher Harris, the director of the school library system for the Genesee Valley BOCES, a regional district in western New York, wants educators to go further than that and reconsider how they measure learning. Writing may be less of a valid tool to assess if students are learning, now that AI “can suddenly write anything.”

He said students could submit an oral assignment, or teachers could focus on the learning process more than the product by asking students to explain how they respond to feedback when developing a project or presentation.

New York is one of the 13 states that hasn’t published AI resources for educators. Harris’ library system has been developing resources about AI for the state’s educators using grant money.

“I really wanted to help teachers understand they can’t control what kids do with AI,” he said. “The only control they have is their agency in developing assignments.”

Adopting AI policies not straightforward for school districts

Sara Brescia thought she had a no-brainer policy proposal for her fellow Manassas City Public Schools board members: adding AI misuse to the district’s code of student conduct.

The policy she proposed for the district in northern Virginia — a hotbed for the data centers AI relies on — would prohibit students from trying to pass off AI-generated content as their own. It specified that AI could only be used with a teacher’s permission, and required students to cite AI use. Students would be punished, up to and including with expulsion, for violating any of those provisions.

But other board members voted her idea down in late July. Lisa Stevens, another school board member who is also a teacher according to her LinkedIn page, worried the policy would add a burden onto teachers without giving them any tools to identify AI-generated work.

Brescia is skeptical about the value of those tools.

“We do not have a comprehensive approach,’’ she said. “We have the student code of conduct that says nothing.”

Wyatt said when she left the classroom, students were only becoming more fluent in methods to cheat. They were finding tools like QuillBot to disguise AI-generated writing and make it sound more like student writing.

She’s open to going back to the classroom, if she gets more administrative support to help detect the kind of AI misconduct that felt out of control when she left.

“As a community, we need a support network,” she said.

Lily Altavena is a national reporter at Chalkbeat. Contact Lily at laltavena@chalkbeat.org. Lily is on Instagram, Tik Tok, and Facebook.

Guide: What to know about the public schools tax referendum in Indianapolis

2026-09-02T11:00:00+00:00

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This November, Indianapolis voters will decide a question that’s make-or-break for the city’s public school district.

If the property tax referendum fails, it will likely mean deep cuts and state intervention at Indianapolis Public Schools. If it passes, $95 million annual revenue will be shared between IPS and many of the city’s charter schools.

This change is a result of new state laws that created the Indianapolis Public Education Corporation — which assumed IPS’ taxing powers — and require districts to share more property tax funding with charter schools. The referendum comes as more districts than ever are asking voters to approve tax increases to offset other changes in state law.

Leaders of both types of public schools say the referendum revenue is a critical source of funding for staff, programs, and transportation. The election holds particularly high stakes for IPS, which expects to make budget cuts in the next year even if the referendum passes, and could face state takeover if the referendum doesn’t pass.

But the laws that created IPEC and mandated sharing have been controversial. Critics of the referendum say it raises taxes without protecting district schools from cuts.

What does it mean for voters? Below is your guide of what to know before heading to the polls:

What is the referendum?

Generally, a referendum is a property tax increase that local voters approve to support schools.

The Indianapolis Public Education Corporation is asking for an operating referendum expected to generate around $95 million in annual revenue for staff and programming.

Why is IPEC asking for a referendum?

First, the district’s 2018 referendum expires this year. For IPS, this is a critical source of revenue that pays for staff and programs.

Other key state laws also affect the district’s financial picture.

In 2025, the state made sweeping changes to property taxes, limiting the future property tax revenue that districts could expect to raise.

Lawmakers also limited referendums to the general elections, when turnout is higher and referendums are less likely to pass. The time constraint is one reason there are more referendums this year than in years past, as districts whose referendums are set to expire in 2027 seek renewals.

One of the biggest sources of financial strain at the district is the cost of special education services, which the district is required by federal law to provide. Officials have estimated that the district has incurred a $24 million deficit from special education costs.

What will the money be used for?

Around $63 million of the funds will be used for programming, including programming for students with disabilities and those learning English, according to the spending plan submitted by IPEC.

The remaining $32 million will be used for staff retention and professional development.

IPEC is planning to launch a spending tracker for the money.

How much will it cost homeowners?

The referendum will cost homeowners 37 cents per $100 of the home’s assessed value. The ballot language approved by IPEC estimates that voters would pay around $221 more on their annual tax bill for a $150,000 home.

The referendum will last four years rather than the typical eight. The IPEC board decided that was enough time to stabilize the district’s finances and allow IPEC to begin operating a transportation system for the city, as well as a buildings plan.

Officials have also pointed out out that the language on the ballot — which is prescribed by state law — does not clearly articulate to taxpayers that their annual increase is likely to be less than $221. The statutory language does not take into account the rate that taxpayers are already paying that was imposed by IPS’ 2018 referendum.

According to a calculator on the district’s website, taking into account the 2018 referendum means an increase of around $100 for a typical homeowner in 2027.

What does the ballot language look like?

“Shall the Indianapolis Public Education Corporation increase property taxes paid to the Indianapolis Public Schools (“IPS”) and participating charter schools for no more than four (4) years for the purpose of funding teacher and staff retention, professional development, and advancing academic programs and opportunities by imposing a property tax rate that does not exceed $0.372 per $100 of assessed value and results in a maximum annual amount that does not exceed $95,000,000? If this operating referendum public question is approved by the voters, for a median residence of $150,000, the property’s annual property tax bill would increase by $221 per year.”

Is there a referendum right now?

IPS voters approved a referendum in 2018 and have been paying that rate of 19.6 cents per $100 of assessed property value ever since. That’s about $116 per year on an average $150,000 house.

The 2018 referendum expires this year and would be replaced by the 2026 referendum, if approved. The 2018 referendum was expected to raise $27.5 million annually for IPS, but raised around $40 million annually due to rising property values. The district shared a portion of this revenue with charter schools.

Who is asking for a referendum?

IPEC is an appointed board created this year by a new state law. It was given taxing powers, as well as oversight of buildings, buses, and accountability for IPS and Indianapolis charter schools.

The Yes for Indianapolis Public Education Campaign is campaigning for the referendum’s success. The campaign is funded privately and will be co-chaired by:

Diane Arnold, former IPS board president
Marianne Glick, chair of the Glick Foundation’s Board of Directors
Bart Peterson, former mayor of Indianapolis
William Shrewsberry, former deputy mayor of Indianapolis
Morgan Snyder, an IPS parent

The campaign also includes 10 advisory committee members who represent community groups around the city or have a connection to Indianapolis schools.

The Indianapolis Education Association voted against supporting the referendum because it would still require IPS to make cuts. The group has appealed to Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett for a reallocation of the referendum revenue to keep IPS whole.

Which schools will get the referendum money?

The referendum revenue will be split between IPS and around 60 charter schools that enroll IPS students and have opted to participate.

IPS voluntarily shared referendum revenue with some charter schools before a 2023 law that mandated that districts in certain counties — including Marion — share operating referendum revenue.

Around half the revenue will go to IPS. The other half will be split among the charter schools based on the number of students that they enroll whose residence is within IPS boundaries, a formula specified in state law.

What happens if it passes?

IPS still expects to make around $20 million in cuts even if the referendum passes, which is on top of $24 million in cuts already made.

But Superintendent Aleesia Johnson said the referendum revenue would protect the district from drastic cuts and state intervention.

“It is absolutely necessary for our district’s financial survival,” Johnson said at a kickoff event for the referendum campaign.

The revenue will be spent largely on staff salaries and retention. A portion will also be spent on programming, especially for students with disabilities and those who are learning English.

At some charter schools, the funding will also support transportation — something charter advocates have long advocated for. But in other charter schools, it’s not publicly clear how the money will be spent.

What happens if it fails?

Without referendum revenue, IPS expects to need to make drastic cuts of around $40 to $45 million, leading to staffing freezes and program closures, and the possibility of state takeover, in which appointed managers would handle the district’s finances.

The failure of the referendum would have less of an impact on charter schools, which currently receive only a limited amount of property tax funds, and rely primarily on state tuition support and other grants earmarked for charter schools.

Where do I find out more?

Chalkbeat’s previous coverage includes stories about the IPEC meeting where the referendum was approved, support and opposition to the referendum, and how charter schools plan to spend their share of referendum revenue.

Community forums, such as this one from the African American Coalition of Indianapolis, have also featured IPS, IPEC, and charter school leaders discussing the referendum.

Both IPS and the Yes for Indianapolis Public Education campaign have information on their websites about the referendum.

Who can vote for the referendum and when?

Voters in Indianapolis Public Schools boundaries can vote on the referendum. Find your polling place here.

Election Day is Nov. 3, and early voting is available at the Indianapolis City-County building from Oct. 6 to Nov. 2.

Voter registration information can be found at the Secretary of State’s website. Voters must register by Oct. 5, to vote in November.

Correction: This story has been updated to include the revised revenue amount for IPS’ 2018 referendum.

Aleksandra Appleton covers Indiana education policy and writes about K-12 schools across the state. Contact her at aappleton@chalkbeat.org.

One measles case could upend a campus for weeks. Colleges urge faculty to locate proof of immunity now.

2026-09-02T09:53:00+00:00

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While reporting a recent story on the surge in older adults seeking measles immunity tests, I kept coming across something I hadn’t expected. Colleges and universities were encouraging faculty and staff to gather proof of their immunity to measles before an exposure ever occurred on campus.

The more universities I spoke with, I realized there was another story unfolding. It wasn’t just that individuals were taking a personal interest in knowing their immunity. Some educational institutions also were preparing for the growing threat of measles, including looking for ways to prevent the disruption a single case could bring.

Here’s what I learned.

The lead signal

When a measles outbreak hit a suburban Denver school district earlier this year, it sent 80 exposed students and employees into home quarantine for weeks. It also spurred officials at the University of Northern Colorado to start preparing for the disease to arrive on their campus.

“This is going to be a problem that more and more educational entities are dealing with, both K-12 and higher ed, so we’re trying to be proactive about it,” Blaine Nickeson, the university’s associate vice president for administration, told Healthbeat.

The university has begun alerting students, faculty, and staff about the importance of having documentation of measles vaccination or immunity.

The push is not only to protect against the disease, but to help individuals avoid the significant disruptions that could result from just a single case of measles on campus — even for those who aren’t known to be infected.

“If even a single measles case is confirmed at UNC, state and county public health officials will collaborate with the university to orchestrate a significant public health response. This may include exclusion from campus for 21 days or more … Having a vaccine exemption on file will not prevent exclusion,” the university’s new measles awareness web page warns.

Students and their parents might not fully realize how a decision not to get vaccinated against measles could result in their exclusion from campus — including campus housing — during an extended quarantine period, Nickeson said.

Faculty and staff might not have thought about their measles immunization status in many years, but would face missing work if they are exposed to measles and lacked proof of vaccination or immunity, he said.

Unlike students, faculty and staff at colleges and universities generally don’t have campus vaccination requirements unless they work in certain hospital or health sciences settings.

The university highlights that measles shots and titer tests to check for immunity are available at the campus health center. The vaccine is typically covered by insurance, and the out-of-pocket cost of the titer test at the center is about $20 if insurance won’t cover it.

Where else we’re seeing this

University of Colorado Boulder: The university’s measles web page says: “To prevent unnecessary absences, faculty and staff are encouraged to have their immunization records or other evidence of immunity readily available for review if requested.” Faculty and staff can receive walk-up measles immunity testing on the Boulder campus for an out-of-pocket cost of $5.

University of Tennessee Chattanooga: The school’s measles preparedness efforts and recommendations for having proof of immunity were spurred in part by watching South Carolina’s Clemson University deal with measles earlier this year, said Jordan Jacobs, a UTC infectious disease nurse practitioner.

“For the majority of our faculty and staff, it is a new concept,” Jordan said. Their main question: How do they find their old immunization records? If their shots aren’t in state immunization registries, Jordan advises checking with past healthcare providers and schools. “Some staff do ask about titers and vaccinations,” she said.

University of Massachusetts Amherst: “Knowing and documenting your immunity status is critical as it determines whether you may continue working in the event of a confirmed exposure,” says the university’s measles web page, which was launched last year in response to the West Texas measles outbreak and continues to be updated. Dr. Khama Ennis, associate medical director for university health services, said there has been little feedback from faculty and staff, but the campus plans to do additional outreach this fall.

The national playbook

On the national level, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has created a checklist for higher education institutions to help prepare to respond to measles cases on campus.

The checklist notes the importance of maintaining records in accordance with legal requirements for privacy and confidentiality. Some university officials told Healthbeat that navigating privacy issues and the continued fallout from COVID vaccine mandates are among the reasons they are only advising faculty and staff to have their measles immunity documentation readily available, but not asking them to turn it in.

Some state health departments also are providing guidance: Among the proactive steps recommended by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, colleges and universities should create a list of students who do not have appropriate documentation of immunity and recommend that faculty and staff have their evidence of immunity readily available.

“Obviously quarantining can have a significant impact,” said Dr. Emma Doran, medical director of the department’s Vaccine Preventable and Respiratory Diseases Medical Consultation Unit.

“Health systems and local health departments and the state health department have been preparing for this for a while, but I think we’re getting a little bit more traction in terms of preparing school systems and universities to think about it.”

How we got here

Historically, school vaccination laws and requirements were created as conditions of student enrollment as a way to combat childhood diseases — not usually as conditions for employment. So faculty and staff pose different challenges.

Many older faculty and staff don’t have easy access to records from shots given decades ago, before the creation of electronic medical records and state immunization registries. Unless they work in healthcare or laboratory settings, universities don’t generally require or track employee immunizations.

And in fact, the American College Health Association’s vaccination recommendations are specific to students and do not provide guidance related to faculty and staff.

JoLynn Montgomery, chair of the ACHA’s vaccine-preventable diseases committee, said the focus is on students because of their unique risk factors. “Many are navigating the healthcare system on their own for the first time,” she said.

But with measles cases at high levels, Montgomery said that generally it’s a good idea for all individuals, including faculty and staff, to be ready.

“Personally, I don’t have documentation for my doses, and I just went and got revaccinated,” said Montgomery, who is the senior manager for applied public health at the University of Michigan. She said her husband decided to get a measles titer test to check his immunity.

Why it matters

A single measles infection on campus can impact far more people than just the person who becomes sick.

As the infected person moves about campus, hundreds more can be exposed — and required to quarantine for up to 21 days — if they don’t have proof of vaccination or immunity.

“It’s not only disruptive to the patient, to the person who’s quarantined, but it’s disruptive to the school, the university. It’s very disruptive to have people out of work,” said Dr. Alan Melnick, the public health director in Clark County, Washington, and a board member of the National Association of County and City Health Officials.

The virus is highly contagious and spreads through the air. It can linger in a room for up to two hours. People can spread the disease in lecture halls, cafeterias, and communal housing beginning four days before the telltale measles rash appears.

What to watch

With U.S. measles cases so far this year already surpassing last year’s record number — the worst since 1991 — we’re watching whether:

More colleges and universities take measles preparedness actions.
Faculty and staff become a larger focus of campus communications, and how they respond.
More health departments and public health organizations issue guidance about having readily available documentation of measles immunity to avoid quarantine.

The bottom line

By urging faculty, staff, and students to gather proof of measles immunity before an exposure occurs, some colleges and universities hope to reduce weeks of disruption if measles reaches their campuses. It’s another example of how the return of measles across the United States is changing how we live.

Alison Young is Healthbeat’s senior national reporter. You can reach her at ayoung@healthbeat.org or through the messaging app Signal at alisonyoungreports.48

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NYC to ban student AI tools in 2-K through 8th grade and limit classroom screen time

2026-09-02T01:46:42+00:00

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New York City is expected to release its school policy for artificial intelligence on Wednesday, with a ban on student-facing AI tools for 2-K through eighth grade, according to four people briefed on the plans and Education Department documents obtained by Chalkbeat.

Under the new rules, the youngest children in the nation’s largest school system — those in its early childhood programs, elementary schools, and middle schools — would not have access to generative AI, including chatbots and AI tutors, sources said.

The guidelines bar schools from giving individual devices to students in preschools through second grade, though classrooms will be allowed to have smart boards, sources said. For students in grades 3 to 5, the policy recommends limiting screen time on individual devices to 30 minutes and 45 minutes for middle school students.

High schoolers are expected to have restricted access to AI, but might be able to use it for literacy, career readiness programs, and in five pilot programs at an unspecified number of schools, according to the Daily News, which was first to report on the new policy. Screen time recommendations depend on subject matter and school approach.

The restrictions would represent a significantly more aggressive stance against AI and screen time in schools than the city had taken. Education leaders across the country are likely to be watching as they also grapple with how students should interact with the fast-changing technology.

“Younger students need hands-on learning, social interaction, play, and teacher-guided instruction,” Education Department officials wrote in a presentation outlining the policy obtained by Chalkbeat. “Routine individual screen use can crowd out those experiences.”

In high school, the presentation continued, “students need guided preparation for a world and economy increasingly driven by AI and new technologies -paired with instruction on how AI works, its biases and risks, and how to evaluate its outputs.”

Teachers will be allowed to use approved AI tools for such instructional tasks as lesson planning, translation, and drafting communications, according to the presentation. They will not be allowed to use the technology for grading, behavior monitoring, counseling, or developing special education plans.

City officials are in the process of creating a task force that will offer input on the policy’s implementation going forward, multiple people briefed on the Education Department’s plans said.

An Education Department spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment.

Multiple people said there would be some exceptions to the policy to account for regular assessments in reading and math that students typically complete on computers, as well as for some student groups, including English language learners and students with disabilities.

When the city unveiled its preliminary AI guidelines in March, the backlash was swift and fierce, forcing the city to rethink its approach and delay its timeline for a comprehensive policy by about two months, leaving little time for schools to prepare for the change before the first day on Sept. 10. It’s unclear how the Education Department plans to enforce the policy.

The initial guidance used a traffic-light framework to delineate risk levels of different AI uses in the classroom, mainly by teachers. Student AI use — one of the thorniest issues educators and families are currently confronting — got little attention.

The city seemed caught off guard by the momentum of grassroots parent groups calling for an AI moratorium, with thousands of people signing a petition to stop the use of generative AI in schools and scores voicing their concerns at school board meetings.

More than half of City Council members signed a letter urging Mayor Zohran Mamdani and schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels to pause AI use in schools, citing concerns about learning and mental health. Samuels acknowledged in May that the city had “missed the mark” with its initial guidance, indicating that the final version would have more stringent rules on AI use, especially for younger students.

In July, as the city hashed out its new guidance, Samuels told schools to pause the software purchases until officials released the new policy, causing headaches for some principals who worried they would not have access to key software programs, such as electronic gradebooks and platforms to communicate with families, when welcoming students back to school next week.

Alex Zimmerman is a senior reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Alex at azimmerman@chalkbeat.org.

Amy Zimmer is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat New York. Contact Amy at azimmer@chalkbeat.org.

Emily Griffith Technical College to buy $11 million building for move out of DPS headquarters

2026-09-01T23:55:19+00:00

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An $11 million building purchase, and millions more in renovation costs, are key to a plan for Emily Griffith Technical College to move out of Denver Public Schools headquarters and expand.

The move comes at a time of rising popularity for career and technical education nationwide.

Founded in 1916, Emily Griffith Technical College is the adult education arm of DPS, and some of its programs are housed at the district’s downtown headquarters. But limited and expensive parking is a barrier for students, many of whom can’t afford to live nearby, officials said.

“If you’re going to school and working toward economic mobility, $40 to $60 a week is a big hit,” said college President Sarah Heath, referencing the cost of parking.

The Denver school board voted in April to buy a different building, called Centennial Hall, from the Urban Land Conservancy. It’s located on the former campus of Johnson & Wales University in east Denver, which Heath said has more parking and better public transportation access.

DPS bought four other buildings on that campus in 2021 for $30 million, in part for an expansion of the Denver School of the Arts magnet school.

Emily Griffith Technical College is funded by a mix of tuition and state higher education money. The college serves about 7,000 students per year, and their average age is 29, Heath said.

The $11 million for Centennial Hall won’t come out of DPS’ main budget, officials said. About $6 million will come from the college’s share of a bond measure Denver voters passed in 2020. The other $5 million will come from the college’s budget reserves.

The college will also use its budget reserves to pay for an estimated $17 million renovation of another DPS-owned building on the former Johnson & Wales campus called Aspen Hall. The timeline calls for renovations to begin in January so students can use it by early 2028.

The college’s information technology, healthcare, and esthetician programs will move to Aspen Hall, Heath said. The workforce development and career coaching services will relocate to Centennial Hall, which until recently housed a private school. Emily Griffith’s adult English language acquisition classes are already taking place at that campus.

Emily Griffith’s student-run businesses, including a cafe and barbershop, would likely stay downtown, Heath said. The college’s skilled trades programs, such as welding and automotive repair, are located in a leased space in west Denver.

Melanie Asmar is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Colorado. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org.

Tennessee TCAP testing time to increase in 2027 due to new, unscored writing test

2026-09-01T21:42:39+00:00

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The amount of time Tennessee students spend taking state standardized tests next spring will increase significantly due to an additional writing test that won’t actually be scored.

Tennessee is adding an unscored field test writing subpart to the English Language Arts section of the 2027 Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program. It will increase total test time by more than an hour for older children and 40 minutes for lower grades.

Field testing is not unusual in standardized testing. Testing companies and administrators often use unscored prompts or questions as trials to determine their efficacy before using them on scored exams. Tennessee previously administered writing field tests at other times of the school year.

But some Tennessee teachers say they are concerned about adding a significant block of testing at the beginning of an already high-stake testing window next spring.

“I feel powerless at times because we see what these weeks of testing do to the kids,” said Chantel Kluemper, a middle school English teacher in Knox County. “The teachers really care about the kids. It’s not that we just don’t want to do tests. It’s that this couple of weeks is draining, and it’s hard to bolster motivation for kids.”

A Tennessee Department of Education spokesperson confirmed the state will add the writing field test during the 2027 TCAP and high school end-of-course exams.

“The state has always and will continue to field test items as a necessary component of constructing a valid, reliable test,” TDOE Director of Media Amanda Chin said. “We made small adjustments to the testing calendar to give schools more flexibility.”

For grades 6 and above, this means an additional 85 minutes in ELA testing. That brings the total ELA testing time for higher grades to 315 minutes.

Grades 4 and 5 will have an additional 80 minutes of testing time with the new field test.

Grade 3, which faces the high-stakes reading retention law, will now have six separate subparts in the ELA test with the additional 40-minute writing field test. Third graders will now take three separate writing subparts, all 40 minutes, in addition to three additional reading-focused subparts. In total, third graders will have 220 minutes of ELA testing next spring.

Tennessee requires schools administer the TCAP within a specific testing window, and the state has established a standalone writing testing window from April 7 to 14. A second testing window, for the remainder of the ELA portion and other TCAP subjects, is slated for April 19 through May 6.

Kluemper said she believes standardized testing can be very beneficial for educators, particularly with assessments that provide real-time benchmarks to track student progress and tweak teaching strategies to directly align with what is working and what isn’t.

The TCAP scoring formula doesn’t provide individualized feedback for teachers, Kluemper said, in the way that district-led formative and summative assessments do.

“I don’t feel teachers feel good about this because it’s just more, more, more,” Kluemper said. “We don’t get information from TCAP that I think is genuinely beneficial and specific for us to know how we can do better, how we can teach that standard better.”

Melissa Brown is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Contact Melissa at mbrown@chalkbeat.org.

Fresh faces, AI fears: 4,000 new teachers gear up for NYC’s first day of school

2026-09-01T21:36:29+00:00

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Career stability. The chance to give back to neighborhoods that shaped them. A knack for working with children.

As more than 4,000 new teachers streamed into orientation at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center before next week’s first day of school, they shared what made them feel hopeful about joining the nation’s largest school system.

But some of the challenges of teaching in 2026 were also top of mind, particularly around artificial intelligence as educators eagerly await New York City’s new AI policy.

One science teacher wondered how he would grapple with students outsourcing their thinking to AI. An incoming middle school teacher said her student teaching stint prepared her for the Education Department’s “organized chaos.” And in an address to the new cohort of teachers, schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels advised them to brace for a challenging start.

His first year in the classroom was “probably the hardest year of my life,” Samuels said. “I want you to think about January when it’s cold, when it’s rough outside … you have to make sure that you rely on your why. And for me, that was the belief in the brilliance of every young person.”

New York City officials are hoping to hire roughly 6,600 teachers this school year, as the Education Department scrambles to meet a state mandate to reduce class sizes. Yet the profession is facing headwinds that could complicate those efforts: Educators in New York state report lower morale than the national average, according to a survey by the news organization Education Week.

Education officials did not say how many teachers they’ve hired so far this year overall. Recruitment typically continues through September.

Gabriella Puleri, a 23-year-old incoming sixth-grade English language arts teacher in Queens, said she felt up for the challenge after completing a master’s degree program at New York University that offered a year of student teaching experience. “There’s really nothing that compares to being put in a classroom,” she said.

She also felt reassured by a recent cellphone ban and a mandate to reduce class sizes to 20-25 students depending on the grade level.

Thousands of new New York City teachers gather inside Barclays Center for an orientation ahead of the first day of school.

Even as some recent policy changes are making the job feel more manageable, other questions about the coming school year remain unanswered, including how the school system will grapple with AI.

Officials are expected to release a more detailed AI policy before students return on Sept. 10. A draft version of AI guidance released in March did not include clear guardrails for student use and generated sharp criticism, delaying the release of a more comprehensive policy.

Jasmine Hall, who is returning to a city-run high school in Queens after a stint at a charter school, said she has seen the rise of AI in classrooms first hand and is craving more guidelines for student writing.

“I really hope that there is incentive to steer kids away from AI,” she said. “The kids have just become accustomed to using it for everything.”

For Hall, job security was part of the appeal of returning to a district school. Others said they want to give back to a system that nurtured them.

Moshab Rahman, who grew up in public housing and went to public schools in East Harlem, credited his teachers with setting him up for success and wants to do the same for his students. “I want to live in a world where people care about each other,” he said.

The 25-year-old studied environmental biology and landed a part-time job as a conservation educator at the Prospect Park Zoo teaching visiting school groups. In search of a career involving education, he wound up joining the city’s Teaching Fellows, a fast-track program into public schools that counts Samuels as an alum. Rahman described the experience as being thrown in the deep end: fast-paced, rigorous, and “basically torturous.”

This year’s class of Teaching Fellows cohort includes roughly 1,100 new educators, among the largest numbers in recent years, Samuels said.

In an interview with reporters following the orientation event, United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew acknowledged that teachers are facing uncertainty this year over technology use. The union chief said he’s looking for a more “practical approach” that includes more vetting of the platforms schools are using.

Still, he was skeptical that an outright ban is workable. “How are we banning AI in a high school?” he said. “The students are using it anyway. It’s embedded in so many platforms now.”

Rahman is still thinking the issue through and said he personally finds AI tools helpful. But he also wonders about how to use it without allowing students to “offload” their thinking.

“It’s a real can of worms,” he said.

Alex Zimmerman is a senior reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Alex at azimmerman@chalkbeat.org.

The promise and limits of career and technical education

2026-09-01T21:32:25+00:00

Chalkbeat Ideas is a section featuring reported columns on the big ideas and debates shaping American schools. Sign up for the Ideas newsletter to follow our work.

Career and technical education may be the last bipartisan issue in America.

From President Donald Trump to various Democratic governors, like Maryland’s Wes Moore, there’s wide consensus that U.S. high schools should do more to prepare students for the workforce. Often this is contrasted with promoting college, as more Americans and politicians question the value of a four-year degree.

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Know a young musican? Chalkbeat’s back-to-school rap contest is here.

2026-09-01T20:01:43+00:00

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UPDATE: The deadline has been extended to Monday, Sept. 14.

School is almost back in session, and Chalkbeat Philadelphia wants to know which of Philadelphia’s young lyricists can lay down some bars about the school system.

Entries will be judged by Amir ‘The Bul Bey’ Richardson, whose music has been featured on “Abbott Elementary” and WHYY’s Albie’s Elevator. Submissions will be judged on lyrics, musicality, and performance.

The first place winner will receive three hours of staffed session time at Marsten House Recording studios and a performance slot in their Saturday cypher.

One runner-up will receive three hours of staffed session time at Audeoboi Studios.

A second runner-up plus the first two winners will receive the following:

An interview segment on Power 99 (WUSL/98.9 FM) and 105.3 WDAS-FM.
An invitation to perform on the mic at Deke’s Bar-B-Que, located at 137 Berkley St., Suite B, Philadelphia, Pa. on Sept. 23 at 7 p.m.

Entries can address what students are focused on or excited about at the start of the school year, their overall thoughts on the school system, or anything related to education.

This contest follows Chalkbeat’s earlier reporting on teens making anti-violence rap music as a way to prevent shootings in the city.

Need inspiration? Here’s a first-day-of-school song from rapper Tacori Aaria aka Philly Princess, and a rap about school closures from Philadelphia teen duo Zay Money and Tre da dancer.

Those 19 and younger are welcome to enter. Oh, and three more rules: no cursing, no violence, and no AI.

Interested students should record one original verse by Monday, Sept. 14 and follow these steps:

1. Follow Chalkbeat on Instagram at @chalkbeatorg.

2. Post your video and tag @chalkbeatorg, @thebulbey, @marstenhouse, and @audeoboi_studios.

3. DM us the entry along with the lyrics, your name, school, and grade level.

Sammy Caiola covers solutions to gun violence in and around Philadelphia schools. Have ideas for her? Get in touch at scaiola@chalkbeat.org.

What do Memphis schools need to improve? Here’s what local experts say.

2026-09-01T19:30:38+00:00

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Memphis-Shelby County Schools is under state and local pressure to boost student achievement as the battle over district control continues to play out in federal court.

People advocating to establish a state-appointed oversight board for MSCS cite years of academic underperformance. But concrete ideas for policy and resources that could improve Memphis student outcomes are often missing from debates about the state takeover.

During a Chalkbeat virtual panel Monday, local education experts said improving MSCS won’t be an easy or short-term task. Joshua Glazer, an education policy professor at George Washington University who studies the Achievement School District and iZone, said the district needs a long-term, public plan that outlives any single superintendent or board iteration, especially in a district that has seen four superintendents in the last five years.

“That way, when you have that inevitable turnover, there is community-wide buy-in and commitment,” Glazer said. “And that can sort of buffer a bit when a new superintendent comes because he can’t come in and say, ‘OK, I’m going to start all over again.’”

A state-run forensic audit of MSCS said high leadership turnover degraded internal policies and processes. While most panelists agreed that the district needs a common goal and vision, they disagreed on what that should look like.

Glazer said the plan needs to include a common curriculum and classroom structure across the district. Liz Marable, president of the United Education Association of Shelby County, said MSCS needs universal pre-kindergarten and smaller class sizes.

Cardell Orrin, executive director of local education advocacy group Stand for Children, said there needs to be increased investment in small-group literacy tutoring. But Mark Sturgis, who founded local nonprofit Seeding Success, said one-off programs like high dosage tutoring aren’t the solution.

Instead, he said, there needs to be systemic change, including closing more schools to better concentrate district resources.

“You look at our things like our district footprint, which hasn’t changed in, you know, 30, 40 years,” he said. “People have had lists of schools that needed to be either consolidated or closed or rebuilt for decades.”

Sturgis said change won’t happen with a locally elected school board because of political tension. Seeding Success has been a vocal supporter of state takeover pushes in the past year, partnering with organizations like Memphis Lift and Together4Students to lobby local leaders to drop the lawsuit that temporarily blocked the oversight board in late June.

But Orrin argued that local school boards aren’t to blame for school closure decisions. MSCS’ school board voted to close five schools at the end of last school year, and Superintendent Roderick Richmond plans to close up to 10 more in the next two years.

“That’s the final stage of a process that has been surrounded by disinvestment, by non-focus on our communities,” Orrin said. “And so, really, we should be looking at our city, our county, our state, and asking, ‘How have you supported communities, or how are you not supporting communities?’”

Bri Hatch covers Memphis-Shelby County Schools for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Reach Bri at bhatch@chalkbeat.org.

How Whitney Houston’s funeral director got a $700,000 deal with Newark schools to teach food service

2026-09-01T17:33:00+00:00

This story was originally published by NJ Spotlight News through the NJ News Wire.

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What, exactly, does a funeral home director know about running a restaurant?

That’s what some experts are asking after the Newark school board unanimously handed a local mortician a $700,000 contract to train students in hotel and food-service business leadership.

Carolyn Whigham — whose roster of celebrity funeral arrangements includes Whitney Houston’s — holds degrees in mortuary science, divinity, and pastoral counseling, according to her online bio. It lacks mention, though, of any teaching expertise or leadership roles in hotels, restaurants, or tourism.

Neither Whigham nor the district would answer any of NJ Spotlight News’ questions about her credentials. Nor would they disclose her plans for “Developing Next-Level Awareness,” her training program for students and staff. And they won’t say how she got on the district’s radar for this contract award, either.

“The essence of Carolyn Whigham is captured within her powerful name,” the funeral home’s website says. “It is synonymous with trust & influence, and she wears it well.”

Whigham Funeral Home in the Central Ward has handled services for high-profile figures like jazz singer Sarah Vaughan; Rep. Donald Payne; the poet and activist Amiri Baraka, father of Mayor Ras Baraka; and Lance Owens, the brother of entertainer Queen Latifah. Whigham has also hosted a retreat for the Newark school board and a summer program for Newark teens at her mountain property in Warren County, she says.

Some of her clients aren’t so well known. An online obituary shows she handled the funeral arrangements for Newark Superintendent Roger León’s mother, Edith León, in 2023.

“It’s absolutely hysterical,” Michael Iovino, secretary-treasurer of the Newark Teachers Union and a veteran educator, said of the planned teacher training led by a mortician. Decades in the district have made him hard to faze, he says, but “This is still weird.”

He imagined a more logical choice — say, a hotel operator. “If you had told me it was, you know, somebody from the Hilton administration who was going to be doing this, I would be less surprised.”

Experts question Newark district’s spending, funeral director’s qualifications

This “definitely raises red flags,” said Shaun Dougherty, a Boston College professor of education and policy with 15 years of research experience in career and technical education, the updated term for vocational training.

In the 1980s and 1990s, some schools used job training to filter out kids who were struggling with required academic courses, he said. “It put poor Black and brown kids into programs that were pretty low value-added,” he told NJ Spotlight News.

Now, this Newark pact — along with a massive policy and funding push nationally to expand vocational training in the past five years or so — makes him wonder whether more low-value programs are creeping back in.

Officials “might have a real hard time answering your questions” about tangible student benefits, says Dougherty, placing these offerings in a “more concerning sort of category.”

The Newark schools’ deal with the funeral home director comes amid intense political and community scrutiny of district finances. Under León, the district has faced criticism for lavish spending — from a $500 million elementary school lease to a staff “fun day” party that state officials flagged as misuse of funds, forcing the district to reimburse the state.

Community members and outsiders have also questioned why the district has sent so many administrators to conferences in resort destinations like Miami; Palm Springs, California; and Puerto Rico.

New Jersey’s largest school district has a 2026-27 budget of $1.67 billion, more than 80% from state taxpayers.

It’s not known whether Whigham intends to act as the classroom instructor or subcontract the work. It’s also not clear whether she plans to pay herself a hefty executive director salary. The district heavily redacted her proposal, including who will be on her management team, when it was provided to NJ Spotlight News via a public records request.

If she plans to outsource classroom work, observers ask, why send a substantial education contract through a funeral home in the first place?

According to her proposal, Whigham’s program “prepares students for early exposure to the hospitality industry, including food service, event management, tourism and hotel operations.”

Organizing funerals and networking with vendors is different from training students in restaurant and hotel business leadership, or even wedding planning, critics say. And without proper certifications, instructors can’t provide the industry credentials that students need to get hired, experts warn.

Industry-recognized credentials vary in quality

Vocational programs function a lot like advanced placement classes in academic tracks. Students take specialized courses in computer science or health care, for instance, and can pass certification exams to earn industry-recognized credentials.

New Jersey offers a huge range of quality in these programs, experts say. When done right, vocational training can transform low-achieving 8th graders into focused high school students who learn skills and earn credentials like a two-year associate’s degree, says Rachel Rosen, an education researcher who has studied these initiatives in New York City.

Still, such education has widespread challenges. It can be hard to find teachers with the appropriate professional licenses. Students might not take, let alone pass, the final test. Many kids walk away short of credentials.

In the county-run Essex County Newark Tech, for example, only about 30% of the students enrolled in career pathways earned one or more industry-recognized credential in 2024-2025. About 19% did that year at the district-run Technology High School.

And at the district-run Newark Vocational High School, zero students obtained credentials. Fewer than 10% could do math on grade level, and only about 40% read proficiently. What’s more: The school already has a hospitality and tourism program including event planning, leadership and industry “soft skills” among its offerings, according to its website.

Funeral director’s proposal was recommended by León

Public reports don’t generally track how many students in individual schools earn college credits or professional internships, making it hard to evaluate whether they’re truly being set up for success. Historically, experts also noted a mismatch in New Jersey, in which students’ credentials often didn’t align with the jobs in top demand.

Amid those challenges, Newark school officials approved a funeral director for a six-figure, three-year contract running through June 20, 2029 — with the option to renew for two more years — to train students in hotel and restaurant leadership.

Whigham’s proposal was recommended by León, among other administrators, and backed 9-0 by the school board. Of 41 vendors asked to submit competitive bids, 22 responded. Whigham’s proposal was ranked fourth, securing one of five awards to provide student enrichment, expanded learning and teacher professional development.

According to the district’s request for proposals, approved providers would offer “a high quality, research-based program that has compelling evidence of demonstrated success.”

In her proposal, Whigham cited her prior work with the Newark school board and city teens as evidence of her effectiveness, noting “positive participant feedback and continued collaboration efforts.”

District evaluators praised her prospective program for “building essential soft skills” like empathy, conflict resolution, and leadership, while saying it aligns with the district’s hospitality, tourism, event planning, and entrepreneurship curricula.

According to her proposal, Whigham’s curriculum meets state standards by focusing on a requirement for hospitality and tourism industry jobs that students “demonstrate leadership qualities and collaboration with others.”

It also says her program will align with state standards for guest communications and safety risks in kitchens and hotels.

Funeral director’s program could start at 5 schools

John Hillard, a retired career and technical education expert with decades of experience in New Jersey, said it was “totally unusual” for a district vocational program to be run by someone with unrelated expertise.

State-approved vocational tracks usually feature a multiyear course series, industry certifications and college partnerships, he says, with teachers certified in career and technical education.

A spokesperson for the state Department of Education confirmed that Whigham’s program is not a state-approved track leading to “a high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand occupation.” Nor does it yield industry-recognized credentials.

It operates more like an uncertified extracurricular program bought from a vendor, which requires no credentialed instructor and does not fall under state oversight. That is “basically, a fluff, career exploration program type-of-thing,” said Hillard, former president of the Career and Technical Education Association of New Jersey.

Whigham plans to provide three-hour sessions for groups of 25 students at $2,500 per class, offered to grades 6-12, according to her approved proposal. She intends to start with at least five high schools: Newark Vocational, Arts High, West Side, Eagle Academy and Newark School of Global Studies.

From September to June, her school-year program totals $200,000, with a summer intensive program in July and August totaling $80,000, or $20,000 per week. The contract covers all student field trip admissions and transportation, paid for by the Newark school board.

Additionally, Whigham submitted a cost proposal for teacher training. For one or two instructors to train teachers in hotel and restaurant leadership soft skills, she would charge $2,500 per half-day and $4,500 per full day for three years, with a chance to renew for years four and five. Her virtual and in-person sessions for teachers total $200,000 for the school year, plus $20,000 per week for a summer intensive and $25,000 for supplies.

A nationwide push toward high school job training was motivated by findings from the late 1980s that showed roughly half of diploma-holders who did not go on to college failed to land jobs for nearly a decade after graduating, experts say.

Well-done vocational programs use data on regional needs to align their training directly with the labor market so students are prepared for available jobs, says Rosen, head of the Center for Effective Career and Technical Education, a national research hub.

Their lessons are taught by experts in growing fields and give students valuable credentials like licenses or college credits, which can help them nab entry-level positions in tech or as visiting nurses, emergency medical technicians or medical secretaries, for example.

Fly-by-night programs, on the other hand, are disconnected workshops that leave kids with a useless certificate and vague soft-skill credits, experts say. They often lack a clear plan and are taught by people without experience in the field.

Most vocational programs operate within strict state and federal guardrails, according to Adriana Harrington, the head of policy at ExcelinEd, a nonprofit that helps states audit their vocational programs. As a result, she said, low-quality offerings are “an extreme outlier.”

Chicago school board candidates sign pledge to ban AI use in schools

2026-09-01T15:07:13+00:00

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Roughly half of the 45 candidates running for the Chicago school board have signed a pledge to adopt a three-year ban on artificial intelligence use by CPS students and educators.

Crafted by a local nonprofit, the pledge also calls for eliminating school screen time before third grade and limiting it in later grades. It demands that the district hire a chief privacy officer and ban the collection of student biometric data, such as voice recordings captured by literacy software.

“The risks of AI are absolutely outweighing the benefits right now,” said Cassie Creswell, the head of Illinois Families for Public Schools, a parent advocacy group that has lobbied for more student privacy protections. “It’s perfectly possible to have a low-tech education and learn everything you need to know.”

The nonprofit wanted to leverage the city’s first races to elect all 21 members of the school board to exact commitments from candidates, Creswell said, though last week she also called on the current, partly elected board to consider AI restrictions this fall. So far, 23 candidates have signed the pledge.

The local push comes amid a national parent backlash against education technology, including AI-powered software. But some Chicago school board candidates, district officials, and others said the pledge goes too far, denying educators useful tools and limiting their ability to help students thoughtfully and safely navigate an ubiquitous technology.

“I think an outright ban is unproductive, and it really negates our responsibility, which is to come up with better solutions so our kids can both access this stuff, but also so that we don’t do irreparable harm to them,” said Janice Jackson, a former CPS CEO who is now leads the Education and Society Program at the nonpartisan think tank the Aspen Institute.

In a statement, Chicago Public Schools said it remains “steadfast in its deliberate, responsible approach to artificial intelligence.” It noted that the Illinois State Board of Education’s recently released AI guidelines for school districts references CPS’ AI guidebook as a model.

Creswell points to a recent move by CPS to shelve a plan to give high school students access to Gemini — Google’s AI chatbot — as an early win for the effort, though CPS officials said they only briefly weighed that plan and nixed it last spring.

The district said officials considered “an aspirational plan” to enable Gemini access on its high schoolers’ Google Classroom accounts after a small group of educators tested the tool without letting students access it. But the plan was put on hold last May based on input from teachers “to prioritize individual school readiness and educator training.”

“CPS embraces AI’s potential to enhance learning while remaining fully committed to safeguarding critical thinking and student data privacy,” the district’s statement said.

The district said a group of high school students spent the summer designing a new Student Voice AI Council and drafting a Student AI Playbook.

Board member Debby Pope, an appointee and retired educator running to represent district 2b, who signed the pledge, worries about AI’s potential to undermine students’ ability to think creatively, write, and ferret out misinformation.

“It’s extremely important to take an approach of caution and care so we raise a generation that has critical thinking abilities and understands the importance of using multiple sources of information,” she said.

But she said she is concerned that an outright ban might hamper the district’s ability to teach kids already widely using the technology how AI works and how to navigate its pitfalls.

Ellen Rosenfeld, who is running to represent district 4b unopposed, didn’t sign the pledge. She shares many of the concerns in the pledge and supports taking a more critical look at tech use in CPS.

“I am concerned that on AI, we are building the plane while we’re flying it,” she said.

But she said she was uncomfortable signing a sweeping document with a yearslong commitment. She said she is unsure how much jurisdiction the board has to impose such a policy.

Some momentum for technology restrictions is building nationally. Earlier this year, Illinois joined a majority of states in adopting a new law restricting student cell phone use in schools that will go into effect next year.

But the state’s AI guidance is nonbinding, imposing no requirements on how districts regulate the technology’s use. Earlier this summer, the school board in Los Angeles — whose superintendent resigned amid a federal probe into a costly failed AI chatbot contract — passed a policy banning screen time before the second grade. This week, New York City is releasing a new policy that would restrict student AI use in the elementary and middle grades and set screen time limits though it stops short of a full moratorium.

Creswell, of Illinois Families for Public Schools, said the nonprofit’s Pledge to Protect Human-Centered Education was also inspired by a recent Brookings report suggesting that AI’s potential harms to students exceed the possible benefits. She said tech use in CPS and its cost to the district have expanded without enough evidence these tools are improving learning or vendors are safeguarding student privacy. The nonprofit is taking particular aim at Amira, an AI-powered tool for struggling readers that CPS says has shown promising results in supplementing more traditional instruction.

Jackson, the former CPS CEO, said school districts need to be more discerning in selecting education technology tools. A lot of them are “junk,” she said, and she does worry about how companies are collecting and using student data.

At the same time, she said teachers are embracing helpful AI-powered tools, for example using AI to more efficiently plan lessons geared to diverse student needs. Failing to teach smart, responsible use of a technology that has come to permeate daily life can leave students at a disadvantage compared with peers at better resourced districts.

“I don’t think we get rid of technology and educate a bunch of kids who don’t know how to use these tools efficiently, because that doesn’t set them up for success,” she said. “But I do think it’s a moment to take a step back and make sure there are guardrails in place.”

This story has been updated to include information on a newly released New York City policy on student use of AI.

Mila Koumpilova is Chalkbeat Chicago’s senior reporter covering Chicago Public Schools. Contact Mila at mkoumpilova@chalkbeat.org.

Fewer Colorado schools are on the state’s watchlist for low performance, according to new ratings

2026-09-01T01:15:00+00:00

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Fewer schools are on Colorado’s watchlist for low performance this year, according to preliminary data released Monday by the Colorado Department of Education.

More than 50 schools exited what Colorado calls the accountability clock, so named because it ticks toward state intervention. They include Abraham Lincoln High in Denver, Highland Park Elementary in Pueblo, and the Aurora Central Campus.

Nearly two-thirds of Colorado’s more than 1,700 schools earned a green rating — the highest — this year, which is slightly fewer than last year. About 55% of the state’s 184 school districts and co-ops earned a high rating, which is the same as last year.

Colorado’s largest school district, Denver Public Schools, earned a green rating for the second year in a row. The second-largest district, Jeffco Public Schools, was also green. Twelve districts, including Boulder Valley and Littleton, earned top-tier blue ratings.

The ratings are largely based on state standardized test scores, and they matter because the State Board of Education can order schools and districts with five or more years of low ratings to undergo changes to improve student performance. Those changes could be as drastic as closing a school, although the State Board has only ever done that once.

Schools and districts can appeal their preliminary ratings by presenting additional academic data. After considering appeals, the state will finalize the ratings later this fall.

“It is encouraging to see that most Colorado schools are meeting or exceeding state expectations and that fewer schools are on the Accountability Clock,” Colorado Education Commissioner Susana Córdova said in a statement.

“At the same time, we know that too many students are still attending schools that are struggling to meet their needs,” she said. “Our job is to learn from what is working, strengthen instruction where it matters most and partner with local leaders to provide the support schools need so that every student has access to a high-quality education.”

Only one district and 30 schools earned the lowest rating this year, signified by the color red. That’s fewer than last year. The district, the tiny Deer Trail 26J located 60 miles east of Denver, had its preliminary rating downgraded due to low participation on state tests.

The 30 red schools include two in Denver Public Schools (Joe Shoemaker and Kaiser Elementary), one in Jeffco Public Schools (Swanson Elementary), and two in Adams 12 Five Star Schools (Leroy Elementary and Northglenn Middle).

A Denver official said Monday that the district submitted incorrect data related to student enrollment for some of its schools, including Joe Shoemaker, that erroneously lowered those schools’ ratings.

Twelve districts are on the accountability clock this year, which is less than last year. The Fort Morgan, East Otero, and Las Animas districts were among those that exited.

The Adams 14 district in Commerce City has spent 13 years on the clock, the longest of any district. The State Board of Education ordered Adams 14 to reorganize in 2022 but later backed down in the face of community pressure. Adams 14 earned an orange rating this year, which is the second lowest on a five-color scale. But two of its schools, Alsup Elementary and Central Elementary, showed enough improvement to exit the clock.

The number of schools on the accountability clock based on their preliminary ratings fell from 176 to 148 this year. The number of schools that have been on the clock the longest, for six years or more, also decreased from 10 to four. Among the four that remain are two in Aurora Public Schools: Gateway High and North Middle.

This story has been updated with information about Denver submitting incorrect data for some schools.

Melanie Asmar is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Colorado. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org.

Four Denver schools are safe from closure under a new district policy because they boosted their ratings

2026-08-31T23:54:25+00:00

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Denver Public Schools will not close any schools this year under a new policy that calls for shuttering persistently low-performing campuses.

Four schools that were at risk under the policy boosted their state ratings, saving them from a closure recommendation, according to preliminary data released Monday by the Colorado Department of Education. The ratings are largely based on state test scores.

The higher ratings are a boon for those schools. They may also be a positive sign for Superintendent Alex Marrero’s carrots-and-sticks strategy of providing extra support to a cohort of struggling schools but threatening closure if they don’t improve.

“Yes, the threat prompted a response,” Marrero said in an interview. “But I wouldn’t say the threat by itself is the reason.”

Rather, he attributed the progress to how the threat mobilized the community to get involved and the district to deploy “the who’s who” of leaders to help the schools.

Only one of the four schools, Oakland Elementary, was part of last year’s extra-support cohort, called the Elevate Schools Network. Oakland improved its rating from orange, the third-highest of four ratings, to yellow, the second-highest, preliminary data shows.

The largest of the four schools, John F. Kennedy High, increased its rating from orange to green, which is the highest possible rating. Kennedy wasn’t part of the Elevate Schools Network, but its leaders participated in another district improvement strategy called the Data MINE that is part help desk, part accountability hearing.

Two independently run Denver charter schools were also facing a possible closure recommendation. Rocky Mountain Prep Noel boosted its rating from orange to yellow. Academy 360 earned a green rating for the second year in a row. Because Academy 360 has a history of low ratings, it could have been at risk for closure if its rating had dipped.

Marrero introduced the School Transformation Process last year as a way to beat what’s known as the state accountability clock, which ticks toward intervention. After five years of low ratings, the State Board of Education can order an intervention.

Marrero doesn’t want the state to step in. Instead, his policy calls for Denver Public Schools to take action after four years of low ratings, preempting any state orders.

Although the four schools are safe for now, three of them — John F. Kennedy High, Oakland Elementary, and Rocky Mountain Prep Noel — could be at risk for intervention next fall if their ratings were to backslide to orange or red, which is the lowest.

The preliminary ratings show another three schools could be at risk next fall, too: Ashley Elementary, Cheltenham Elementary, and Traylor Academy. All three earned preliminary orange ratings this year, marking their third year of low ratings.

Schools can appeal their preliminary ratings to the state by presenting additional academic data. The state will finalize the ratings later this fall.

But if those orange ratings stick, and if the three schools earn orange or red ratings next fall, they could be subject to closure under the School Transformation Process.

Under the policy, a school with one to three years of low ratings could be “renewed” or “reconfigured,” which means the principal could be fired, the teachers could have to reapply for their jobs, or the district could cut some grade levels from the school.

After four years of low ratings, a school could be “reimagined,” a euphemism for closure. The school could be permanently closed or replaced with another school.

Melanie Asmar is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Colorado. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org.

Philadelphia’s school selection process postponed to October

2026-08-31T21:50:50+00:00

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Philadelphia’s school selection process this year will begin later than usual as the district waits for state officials to finalize standardized test scores.

The process will now open on Oct. 5 at 4 p.m. and close on Nov. 24, according to a statement from district officials late on Monday.

The selective admissions process was originally scheduled to open on Sept. 8, Superintendent Tony Watlington told families as much in his back-to-school letter just last week. The district’s subsequent decision to postpone the admissions process was done to ensure “families have access to official, verified 2026 assessment data when making their school choices,” according to the district statement.

Delays in releasing scores from the 2025-26 PSSA and Keystone exams have left educators and school leaders scrambling this year, and created uncertainty for families. District officials did receive preliminary PSSA score information in June but have opted not to release those scores to educators and families. Instead, they’re waiting for the state to review and release official results, which officials expect sometime this fall.

Criteria-based schools in the city usually rely on the most recent PSSA exams as part of their admissions requirements. District officials had previously said students would take an “alternative assessment” that could replace the PSSAs.

Monday’s statement said students will use both their 2025 assessment results and the official 2026 data as part of their applications this year.

“Once the verified 2026 PSSA and Keystone results are released … later this fall, District staff will contact all applicants to assist them with submitting their scores,” the district said. “Families do not need to take any action regarding their 2026 assessment scores at this time.”

There are several other important updates to the selective admissions process this year:

The district will only consider final grades in English Language Arts (or reading), math, and science. Grades in social studies, writing, or any other class won’t be used to determine a student’s eligibility for school admission.
Students who attended the district’s summer career and technical education program will get priority if they are applying to such a program for the 2027-28 school year.
ZIP code preference is still a factor in the admissions system. Families whose home address is within one of the following eligible ZIP codes may receive priority consideration when applying to Masterman, Central, Carver, and Palumbo: 19132, 19133, 19135, 19138, 19140, 19141.
Prekindergarten students seeking to enroll in the same school for kindergarten will get lottery preference.
The individualized review process has been expanded. This process is used for students who are English learners and those with disabilities or 504 plans. Those students will receive an individualized review regardless of whether they meet the eligibility requirements for any criteria-based school to which they applied. District officials said this is designed to allow more qualifying students applying to criteria-based middle and high schools to be considered.

Carly Sitrin is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Philadelphia. Contact Carly at csitrin@chalkbeat.org.

Mamdani pledges $43 million to fix NYC childcare payment delays before school starts

2026-08-31T18:47:31+00:00

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Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Monday pledged to address payment delays that are threatening the rollout of his signature free childcare program for 2-year-olds and pushing some providers to the brink of closure ahead of the Sept. 10 school opening.

Mamdani, who made the expansion of free childcare a major plank of his mayoral campaign, pledged to invest $43 million to rebuild depleted staffing at the Education Department’s Division of Early Childhood Education. He also vowed to reassign staffers from other parts of city government to help speed up the registration of new contracts and expedite interest-free loans to providers whose contracts haven’t been approved.

“We are bringing every resource to bear to get providers paid, get classrooms open and make sure families have the care they were promised,” Mamdani said in a statement.

At an unrelated press conference Monday, Mamdani said the Education Department has reached out to every childcare provider and tripled the number of staffers working on contracts. Providers who applied for a loan by Monday will have it processed by the end of the week, he added.

The inaugural year of free 2-K is set to enroll roughly 2,000 toddlers across five school districts. But some 2-K providers, as well as those contracting with the city to care for 3- and 4-year-olds, have been waiting weeks or months for money they need to pay staff, cover their electric bills, and purchase supplies.

“That puts a stress on providers, not knowing when you’re going to get paid,” said Doris Irrizary, a childcare provider in the Bronx and co-founder of the group ECE on The Move, which advocates on behalf of home-based providers. “Most of us live check to check.”

To provide subsidized childcare for about 150,000 kids under age 5, New York City’s Education Department relies on a sprawling system of private daycare operators like Irrizary who win contracts from the city to provide programs that are free to families.

Contract and payment delays have bedeviled that system for more than a decade. When former Mayor Bill de Blasio launched his Universal Prekindergarten program for 4-year-olds in 2014, roughly two-thirds of the new contracts were delayed by the start of school in September, the comptroller at the time said. In the years that followed, the early childhood department gradually built up the personnel and expertise to help mitigate those delays, former staffers recalled.

But when Mayor Eric Adams took office in 2022, the Division of Early Childhood Education faced a rocky transition. Some longtime staffers left, and the city reassigned hundreds of others as part of a reorganization, including 200 instructional coordinators who worked directly with providers.

Payment delays to providers again grew so acute that some organizations closed their doors for good. That prompted former Chancellor David Banks to deploy a “rapid response team” to speed up payments.

City officials say the staffing reductions from the Adams administration continue to hamstring the early childhood division. An Education Department spokesperson didn’t share the division’s current headcount and how it compares to past years. But Mamdani has pledged to hire 200 new staffers to expand the contracting and outreach teams and ensure there are more staffers providing direct support to programs.

Mamdani’s administration has already faced some operational complexity in recruiting providers — particularly the small, home-based providers who have largely been left out of past childcare expansions — and getting the word out about the program. The program is set to expand to 12,000 2-year-olds next year, and Mamdani has promised it will grow to cover any family who needs care by the end of his first term.

In July, Simone Hawkins, the deputy chancellor overseeing the Division of Early Childhood Education, announced her departure — a worrying sign for some advocates who said Hawkins was making long-needed changes. Mamdani and schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels have not yet named a replacement.

Some longtime providers are hopeful that the latest efforts can speed up payments, but wary after seeing similar reforms come and go over the past decade.

“To me, they keep on reinventing the wheel,” said Irrizary. The pressure to quickly open 2-K seats put further strain on a system already dealing with existing issues, such as low pay for providers, a long waitlist for state-funded childcare vouchers, and thousands of unfilled seats, she said.

Michael Elsen-Rooney is a reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Michael at melsen-rooney@chalkbeat.org.

As federal immigration arrests rise in New Jersey, teachers share strategies to help students

2026-08-31T17:03:02+00:00

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As New Jersey students head back to school, teachers say they are preparing for a school year shaped by uncertainty for immigrant families.

The impact of stepped-up immigration enforcement is showing up in classrooms, particularly in schools with larger immigrant populations. Immigration enforcement isn’t a new topic for students, but teachers say the situation is now taking a heavier toll, even as they try to create a sense of normalcy in school.

Arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in New Jersey rose by nearly 150% from May to July, and reached the highest level for any month in at least four years. The number of deportation orders and voluntary departures also increased in New Jersey courts from May to June.

At a rally over the weekend outside Delaney Hall, a federal immigration detention facility in Newark, teachers from Newark, Orange, and Passaic joined labor unions and Newark library workers to speak out against immigration enforcement activity they say is disrupting students’ education.

They described the steps they will take to support students who may be grappling with immigration issues at home. Some teachers said they will create classrooms for students to talk through what they’re seeing and hearing, including discussions of immigration enforcement throughout U.S. history. Others said they are trying to make room for students to process anxieties or fears and validate their experiences.

In New Jersey, ICE agents generally can’t enter public schools without a judicial warrant signed by a judge, per the state. But state and local policies aren’t always clear to students, and teachers are often the ones to explain them.

Tracey Luz, a Newark Public Schools high school teacher in the Ironbound, a neighborhood where most of the residents are immigrants, recalled last spring when news about an ICE raid at a nearby seafood depot reached students mid-class. Based on what they were seeing online, students thought ICE agents were at the school, until Luz clarified the situation, she said.

“They were really upset,” Luz said. “We talked about it and told them you have to keep one foot in the reality that these people are stalking your neighborhood and your family, but you also have to keep one foot in the reality that you’re a senior, and you’re going to graduate.”

In the Passaic Public Schools district, U.S. history and geography teacher Terry Fitzgibbons said he’s focused on building the topic into the curriculum itself, rather than addressing it head-on, so students can open up more easily.

“I certainly don’t have all the answers and can’t 100% relate to what they’re going through,” Fitzgibbons said.

He said he weaves in lessons on migration, labor, and the history of political movements, and lets students engage with the topic on their own terms.

A comment from one of his students last year stuck with him: “‘Hey Mr. Fitz, we are more vulnerable than we appear.’”

For other teachers, the current political climate calls for acknowledging what students are experiencing, even if it means departing from how they usually handle classrooms.

Bradley Gonmiah, a former Newark Public Schools high school physics teacher, recalled an instance this past school year where a student pulled out his phone mid-class to show classmates a post about ICE activity near a school.

Instead of telling the student to put his phone away, as he would have in other situations, Gonmiah said he acknowledged that the situation was “messed up.” A short conversation about the issue followed.

“Validating that it’s something that’s affecting us inside and outside the classroom is something that needs to be addressed,” Gonmiah said.

Some teachers say talking things through is not always the right answer. Sonya Noebels, a math teacher at Orange High School in the Orange Public Schools district, said she and her colleagues try to keep classroom routines consistent and give students time where they don’t have to focus on what’s happening outside of school.

“Some of these students who are living this just need a place where they know what’s going to happen and where they don’t have to be thinking about everything that’s going on, and they can just be kids and do school,” said Noebels.

For Andrew Worthington, an English teacher also at Orange High School, making students feel comfortable and helping them think critically about the political landscape is crucial.

“Hopefully they can start thinking about these issues themselves, which they already are but maybe not in the most organized or structured way,” Worthington added.

While teachers are struggling to find the balance between incorporating conversations about immigration during class time and creating a sense of normalcy in school, some advocates say schools should offer more direct support to students.

The New Jersey Consortium for Immigrant Children has a partnership with Jersey City Public Schools to offer free legal services to high school students through the Beacon program, an effort other school districts could replicate, said Katarina Martucci, an attorney with the program. Students can enter the program by themselves if they don’t want to involve an adult, Martucci said.

Martucci and her team also speak with teachers who often say they don’t know how to help students. She said simple things like putting up “pro-immigrant welcoming posters are a good way to show students that their existence at school is also important and helps instill trust.”

Jessie Gómez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org.

A new Colorado report is unlikely to quiet renewed national debate about test-optional admissions

2026-08-28T22:00:52+00:00

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Making standardized test scores optional for college admissions in Colorado hasn’t hurt students and may have helped increase applications and admissions, according to a new state report.

In 2020, Colorado lawmakers temporarily allowed four-year institutions to stop using national assessments such as the SAT or ACT to determine eligibility for high school seniors graduating in 2021. A year later, lawmakers made that policy permanent.

The July analysis comes during a renewed national debate over test-optional admissions policies, which became widespread during the pandemic. About 90% of universities nationwide for fall 2027 will maintain a test-optional approach like the policy in Colorado, according to FairTest, a national nonprofit that advocates against the use of tests in admissions.

The report says many of the findings remain inconclusive due to the influence of COVID on students’ college decisions. Some students chose to defer college or skip altogether.

Despite the reliability of the pandemic-era data, the report points to some possible benefits, such as clearing barriers to enrollment, said Carl Einhaus, Colorado Department of Higher Education chief student success and academic affairs officer. First‑time freshman acceptances increased from 101,208 in 2019 to 124,617 in 2021.

And the policy certainly hasn’t harmed students, he said.

“We don’t see anything alarming in terms of a negative impact on retention, enrollment, and so forth,” Einhaus said. “So I think that that is a potential positive.”

Since tests became optional in 2021, freshman acceptance rates increased across racial groups, including among Black and Hispanic students, according to the report.

The report also found that more students returned during their second year among those who did and did not submit test scores. The rate jumped to 72.6% in 2021, up from 45.5% in 2019. Students who submitted scores still had higher retention rates, which increased from 74.8% in 2019 to 78.6% in 2021.

Several universities reported that test-optional policies have prompted a greater reliance on high school grades to determine student college readiness — a point that is central to the national debate about rolling back test-optional admissions policies.

Some Colorado university officials said the test-optional policy didn’t impact their admissions operations. Total applications to Colorado schools increased from 134,748 to 153,441, driven mostly by a 469.4% increase in students who didn’t submit a test. More than 98,482 students didn’t submit.

The University of Colorado Boulder, for example, has maintained a holistic admissions approach, and students can choose whether to submit test scores. The school looks at “the full picture of each applicant and a range of academic and other factors that can help us assess their potential to succeed in our academic environment,” a spokesperson said in a statement.

Colorado Mesa University President John Marshall said that while he agrees that tests don’t determine success, the reliance on grades has created more work for his university as it determines what academic support students need.

“We have some academic preparation holes that often have nothing to do with kids, it’s just where they grew up,” he said. “For whatever shortcomings these tests have, one of the things they do a good job is shining a light on some of those holes.”

Marshall said he’s seen more incoming freshmen who aren’t ready for college since the switch to test-optional admissions. Those students must take a pre-college assessment to determine whether they are prepared for certain courses, he said.

This is a similar argument to faculty in the University of California system, who have said restoring testing requirements would help determine academic readiness and could help identify students who might need additional support.

Some elite institutions reverted to requiring tests after the pandemic, citing research that said test scores can help predict student success in college.

Akil Bello, FairTest’s admissions testing policy expert, said in a Wednesday news release that other studies show “high school GPA is still the best indicator of college success except perhaps at a handful of unique institutions.”

Correction: Aug. 28, 2026: This story has been corrected to clarify that applications and admissions may have increased since Colorado colleges went test optional, not enrollment.

NYC school board rejects $1.65 million tech deal in early setback for Mamdani

2026-08-28T21:14:19+00:00

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New York City’s school board failed to approve a technology contract advanced by Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration this week, a month after Mamdani’s slate of board members began their terms.

The $1.65 million contract would allow the Education Department to continue using Oracle software that supports “mission critical” functions including an HR help center serving more than 150,000 employees and an enrollment support center fielding roughly 1,000 calls a day about issues ranging from student transportation to special education, officials said. Losing access to the software could result in lost data and prevent families from accessing enrollment information online, a department spokesperson added.

But after fierce pushback against Oracle and its co-founder Larry Ellison during the board’s public comment period, including over the company’s investment in artificial intelligence, city officials could not muster the votes to approve the contract.

Two mayoral appointees to the Panel for Educational Policy, as the board is known, abstained from the vote. Three other mayoral appointees did not attend the meeting. The contract failed with nine votes in favor, six opposed, and two abstentions, falling four votes short of the 13 needed to pass.

Shortly before the vote, Deputy Chancellor Lindsay Oates, who oversees human resources, urged the board to approve the contract. She argued that the Education Department relies on Oracle for HR systems that are essential as the city welcomes thousands of new hires to the nation’s largest school system.

“Many of them are coming in and calling the call center with questions about their benefits,” she said. “We are worried about the disruption of service if this contract is tabled.”

Education Department officials said the service would run through September. They did not elaborate on whether they have backup plans to avoid disruptions.

The contract represents a small part of the roughly $13 billion the Education Department spends on outside vendors. But the administration’s inability to secure enough votes for the deal suggests the board may not be a rubber stamp for the Mamdani administration’s agenda. Under previous administrations, the board has generally voted in line with the administration’s proposals, with some notable exceptions.

The vote also suggests that growing pressure on the panel to scrutinize AI and technology contracts could complicate efforts to continue using existing education technology or adopt new tools. Education Department officials have promised to release new guidelines for artificial intelligence and technology before the first day of school on Sept. 10.

In the run-up to the vote, several educators and other tech skeptics criticized the Oracle contract and Ellison, who has embraced AI and supported Donald Trump’s 2024 election bid.

Liat Olenick, a parent, educator, and climate activist, said she worried about the company’s environmental footprint connected to growing AI use. Though the city’s contract with Oracle indicates it would not include student- or teacher-facing AI products, Olenick wondered if there might be other AI applications embedded in it.

“Will Oracle services include AI use by administrators?” she asked before the vote. “Is it necessary to contract with a company that’s fueling the climate crisis and putting New York City students’ health and futures at risk?”

An Education Department spokesperson said there is “no AI use associated with this contract.” Reps for Oracle did not respond to a request for comment.

Others raised concerns about how Oracle would protect sensitive data, including names, addresses, and Social Security numbers. Education Department officials implemented Oracle’s cloud software service “as a proactive measure to safeguard this information,” rather than relying on email, according to contract documents.

One board member said she was reluctant to vote against the contract in part because Education Department contract documents say Oracle would be required to delete the department’s data from its systems within 90 days of the contract’s expiration.

Raysa Rodriguez, whom Mamdani appointed last month, said she took concerns about Oracle “very seriously” but felt it would be riskier to let the contract lapse. She said a new agreement would “further protect the data that we have.”

The two mayoral appointees who abstained, Crystal Vera-Montalvo and Karla Cordero, did not respond to requests for comment. Primo Lasana, another mayoral appointee, said he wished the contract had been tabled until a future meeting so the board could consider it more carefully. He ultimately voted in favor.

Some panel members elected by parent leaders said they voted against the contract because they believed the city should control its sensitive technology systems.

“The staff that manages it should be public servants,” said panel member Naveed Hasan.

Panel chair Greg Faulkner, whose term ends in September, said in an interview that he was frustrated by the vote and worried the Education Department would be forced to scramble to fix its HR systems. But he acknowledged that panel members are feeling pressure to be cautious around tech contracts.

“Anything we do with technology gets scrutinized,” Faulkner said.

Alex Zimmerman is a senior reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Alex at azimmerman@chalkbeat.org.

Why the Indianapolis teachers union opposes a proposed tax increase for city public schools

2026-08-28T19:18:09+00:00

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A who’s who of Indianapolis community and education leaders gathered Tuesday at the Shepherd Community Center for a campaign kickoff event in support of a tax referendum to raise money for the city’s public schools.

But the absence of Indianapolis Public Schools on the campaign signs at the event served as a reminder that this referendum is like no other.

For the first time, IPS is not in control of the push to ask voters for a tax increase to support schools. And unlike with past ballot measures, the district would receive just half of the expected $95 million in annual revenue.

The Indiana General Assembly gave taxing powers this year to the Indianapolis Public Education Corporation, or IPEC, a new school oversight body. If voters approve the tax increase proposed by IPEC in November, the revenue will be split between IPS and roughly 60 participating charters.

Should it pass, the referendum revenue would be enough to keep IPS from reaching a level of financial insolvency that could lead to state takeover, said Superintendent Aleesia Johnson. But even if it passes, IPS expects to make around $20 million in further cuts — a step that has spurred opposition to the measure, including from the Indianapolis Education Association. That unusual stance taken by the local teachers union could make it harder for the measure to pass.

Opponents like IEA say it’s unfair to ask voters for a tax increase while their neighborhood schools face cuts anyway.

“We’ve already seen one round of cuts that have hit classrooms and programs and it’s scary to know that we could be going through another set that could be even worse than the last,” said IEA Co-Vice President Monica Shellhamer. “It’s hard to support something and say you’re OK with being cut.”

According to the tax measure’s ballot language, the owner of an average Indy home worth $150,000 could expect to pay around $221 more per year in property taxes. The referendum would last for four years.

Opponents seek a reallocation of revenue

Opponents of the referendum hope to persuade IPEC to allocate more referendum funding for IPS in order to reduce the need for further budget cuts.

Shellhamer said one of the key arguments in favor of creating IPEC was that it would stabilize district finances.

“IEA wants to support a referendum that would positively affect the schools, I don’t think this one does,” said Shellhamer, whose union supported the 2018 referendum.

IEA has appealed to Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett’s office for help in convincing IPEC to change the allocation of the referendum. Hogsett appointed the members of IPEC.

Newly appointed IPEC Executive Director Karega Rausch said IPEC has not received a proposal to reallocate the funding. He said such a change wouldn’t be possible because the distribution formula is specified in state law and based on the number of students who live within IPS boundaries and attend each participating charter school.

“All we can do is follow what’s in state law,” he said.

But Rep. Ed DeLaney, a Democrat who represents Indianapolis, said a standard per-pupil allocation doesn’t make sense when the cost of educating every student isn’t equal.

To solve this, DeLaney said, IPEC could allot additional referendum revenue for every student who receives special education or transportation services, for example. That could benefit IPS, which educates a greater share of students with disabilities, and has a large deficit related to those services.

If the IPEC board believes its hands are tied, it could agree to “go back to the legislature for a more rational allocation,” DeLaney said.

“If every kid in every school is the same, then maybe this idea that you put your tuition in your backpack and walk into the school of your choice makes sense,” DeLaney said. “But not every kid is the same, and not every building is the same.”

Supporters: Tax measure would prevent deeper IPS cuts

Rausch said the actual average increase paid by homeowners would be less than what the ballot language says. That’s because the language doesn’t take into account that taxpayers are already paying for the tax increase for IPS voters approved in 2018.

The IPEC board approved the proposed referendum unanimously in June. The measure has the support of a number of community groups such as the Indy Chamber, and IPS leadership, even though district leaders had hoped for a higher tax increase to address budget woes.

The 2026 operating referendum “isn’t a luxury” but a necessity for the district’s financial survival, Johnson said Tuesday.

“If it were not to pass, I would expect there would be some additional state intervention or oversight of our district,” Johnson said. “We will have to continue to do further reductions even with the successful passage of this referendum, but ultimately we want the future of our district to be in the hands of our community.”

Speaking at the Vote Yes for Indianapolis Public Education kickoff event, former Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson praised the growing cooperation between school types that had led to more options for Indianapolis students than ever before. The referendum is a key next step in that process, he said, supporting transportation, buildings, and teachers at all schools.

“If we do all of those things, we will give real high-quality options to every single family,” Peterson said. “We’ve made great progress but we’re not there yet, and we’re going to go backwards if we don’t pass this referendum.”

Asked how $20 million in cuts would affect the quality of IPS-run schools, Peterson said he believed the district would determine how to make the reductions, and that every organization must manage its budget.

“This referendum will give them the opportunity to make the budget changes they need to make and also deliver the highest quality education,” he said.

The election is Nov. 3. Check your voter status and register to vote here.

Correction: This story has been updated to accurately reflect the full name of the Indianapolis Education Association, as well as Monica Shellhamer’s title with the IEA.

Aleksandra Appleton covers Indiana education policy and writes about K-12 schools across the state. Contact her at aappleton@chalkbeat.org.

DPSCD board addresses funding gaps between sports teams

2026-08-28T16:33:43+00:00

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The Detroit school district spends more than $300,000 a year on high school athletics, but one school board member wants more investment in younger athletes and girls’ sports.

Superintendent Nikolai Vitti gave an update on the athletics program for Detroit Public Schools Community District during a board committee meeting Wednesday. Out of the $4.82 million spent annually on sports, $340,441 is allocated to high school athletics and $112,000 goes to K-8 sports.

When the budget is broken down, $1.4 million is allocated for coaching pay, $1.1 million for contracted coaches that do not work for the district full-time and $691,295 for transportation. Other associated costs include paying DPSCD and non-DPSCD game-day staff and officials, and security and police support.

But there are gaps when it comes to funding and how much each sports team receives, especially between K-8 and high school sports, said board President LaTrice McClendon.

As a mother of a student athlete in the district, she’s noticed that some K-8 teams don’t have enough uniforms for everyone.

“There are several things missing,” she said. “There’s not enough shorts, not enough jerseys and a lack of a refresh happening at a lot of our schools. I really encourage you guys to do a survey and do an inventory, especially in basketball on the K-8 level, because these students are invested and they deserve to have good-looking uniforms.”

Some of the K-8 offerings include boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, track and field, and flag football. Meanwhile, the district high schools have sports like boys and girls golf, tennis and swimming, competitive cheer, and wrestling.

Beginning this school year, all teams district-wide will receive new uniforms every four years, instead of having to wait between four and six years, Vitti said. Additionally, after Labor Day, the district plans to distribute a survey in grades K-12 to determine what students’ interests are based on courses that are available, including enrichment programming. The survey will help identify gaps at individual schools, Vitti said.

McClendon also wants to see a budget increase for K-8 sports, which receive $200 per team. Meanwhile, high school varsity football is allotted $3,000 per team while junior varsity football receives $2,000 per team. All other varsity high school teams receive $1,000 each and junior varsity teams receive $535.

The allotments pay for things such as uniforms and required game attire, Vitti said.

“We at central office fund first aid supplies, training and practice equipment, team warm-ups and we repair or replace a damaged uniform,” he said.

McClendon called the budget for K-8 sports “terrible,” saying the district could do better.

“Two hundred dollars does not go a long way and a lot of the coaches have to come out of their pocket to pay for equipment for our children because we are not giving them more money,” she said. “Athletics can give our students college scholarships and give them a well-rounded experience as far as relationships and playing on a team.”

McClendon added that the district should level the playing field and have all of the high school varsity teams receive $3,000 for both boys’ and girls’ sports.

“Girls’ athletics is on the come-up, and so, we should be investing as much in female sports as we are investing in male sports,” she said.

Vitti said the budget for the football teams is significantly more because supplying the equipment is more expensive. He added that when teams need more equipment and supplies beyond the basics the district provides, coaches can talk to the school principal or the athletic director about the gaps that need to be filled.

“The district provides the standard items, not the extras,” Vitti said. “The extras come through the school budget or through fundraising.”

Board member Steven Bland asked if money from the DPSCD Foundation can be used to help cover the funding gaps. Vitti said the board sets the priorities for the foundation, so athletics could become one of those priorities. However, he isn’t sure if he wants the foundation to focus on athletics.

“My recommendation would be to focus on the larger costs that are more prohibitive — let the foundation focus on those,” Vitti said.

DPSCD board members seek easier access to games

In addition to gaps in funding, McClendon and board secretary Monique Bryant brought up the inconsistencies in ticketing for sports games. McClendon thought tickets for DPSCD students and the elderly were free, but mentioned she’s had to buy tickets for her children and grandparents.

According to the athletics page on the DPSCD website, tickets are $6 for high school varsity sports games, $4 for junior varsity games and $11 for varsity championships. Students 12 years old and younger accompanied by a paying adult are free. K-8 sports games and championships are $3, and children under 8 years old accompanied by paying adults are free. People can buy tickets online through the GoFan app.

Vitti said the policy was inconsistent in the past, but DPSCD students should be able to attend games for free at all schools this year.

“We should have a unified policy and an expectation for students and for our seniors,” Bryant said.

Vitti said that there will be two entrances at games — one for students and one for the general population. Students will have to show their ID or another form of verification to prove they’re part of the district. Students can also pull up PowerSchool on their phone to show they are enrolled, Vitti said.

“We probably need to get clarification on the ticketing process in a separate meeting,” McClendon said. “Maybe we can have some follow-up emails about that.”

Micah Walker is a reporter for BridgeDetroit. You can reach her at mwalker@bridgedetroit.com.