Alaska legislators concluded their session with a flurry of bills addressing critical issues such as education, underground carbon storage, and energy. Despite prior conflicts, there was less heated debate over the budget, and major successes were claimed. However, efforts to override Governor Mike Dunleavy’s veto of additional school funding failed.
Education ministers have presented a united front, demanding an additional $12 billion in public school funding from the federal government over the next decade. States like Victoria and New South Wales have expressed concerns that the proposed conditions would burden teachers with more administrative tasks, reducing their time with students.
Las Vegas has experienced a surge in excitement with the recent hosting of major events such as the Formula One race and Super Bowl, boosting revenue for casinos. However, despite its status as a food, entertainment, and sports capital, the city’s educational system ranks poorly, hindering economic diversification. To lure industries and improve education, funding is needed for vocational schools and a new revenue stream. The gaming industry could embrace lottery legislation or increase the gaming tax to support education, mental health, and homelessness, propelling Las Vegas to educational excellence.
New Jersey’s new school funding formula, first enacted in 2008, is now fully in place, resulting in significant changes in state aid allocations for Warren County districts. The formula, which considers factors such as district size, low-income and special education student enrollment, has led to major increases in some districts while others have experienced substantial decreases. Knowlton Township School District saw the largest percentage loss in funding, with a 76% drop since 2007-08, attributed to a 41% enrollment decline. Conversely, Hackettstown School District witnessed a 285.5% funding increase, coinciding with an 8.6% enrollment growth.
The European Union auditors expressed their inability to determine the effectiveness of billions of euros provided to Turkey for assisting Syrian refugees. The 2016 deal between the EU and Turkey committed to allocating at least $6.4 billion in aid, with additional funds pledged in 2021. The auditors faced difficulties in obtaining necessary information from Turkey’s education ministry, hindering their assessment of the impact of EU-funded education projects. Concerns were also raised about the accuracy of project budgets and the lack of systematic comparisons between costs of similar projects.
After three failed attempts in 2011, 2017, and 2018, the Parma City Schools Board of Education is exploring the possibility of placing a 6.88-mill emergency operating levy on the ballot in the upcoming fall election. This potential levy, if approved by voters, would provide much-needed funding for essential district operations, ensuring that students continue to have access to quality educational programs and services.
Approximately 8,000 individuals participated in a rally in Perth, organized by teachers from Western Australia advocating for improved salaries and working conditions.
Portland Public Schools could potentially eliminate 210 positions, with approximately 100 of those being roles that directly support students. This reduction represents roughly 3% of the district’s full-time workforce.
Maine Governor Janet Mills has signed a $430 million supplemental budget into law. The budget includes $302 million in one-time expenses for winter storm relief, general fund appropriations, and investments in affordable housing, education, and healthcare. The budget also creates a minimum wage increase for certain school staff starting in July 2025. Additionally, Governor Mills signed bills authorizing bonds for research and development projects and trail improvements.
Portland Public Schools (PPS) has unveiled its proposed budget for the upcoming school year, which includes plans to eliminate 251 full-time positions to address a $30 million shortfall. The cuts will impact both central offices and schools, with a focus on minimizing the impact on students.
