BENNINGTON — Vermont is preparing to apply for up to $50 million in federal funds to improve the quality of early childhood learning programs in the state.
The money, through the Department of Education’s Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge, would be a “game changer” in early education, said Dave Yacovone, commissioner of the state Department of Children and Families, which will lead the grant application process.
The federal government expects to release the criteria it will use to determine the awards in August, after which states will have two months to submit applications. Grants are expected to be awarded in December.
Thirty-seven governors, including Gov. P
From The Minneapolis Star-Tribune: Two national civil rights groups and a Minneapolis law firm have sued the Anoka-Hennepin (Minn.) School District, contending that staff members didn’t do enough for students bullied because of their perceived or actual sexual orientation. The suit was filed on behalf of five current and former students, who say they’ve been peppered with demeaning slurs, stabbed with pencils, even urinated on by classmates. It seeks to end the district’s sexual orientation curriculum policy, which allows teachers to discuss sexual orientation issues but requires them to maintain neutrality. District officials defend the policy and say they want to work with the civil rights groups. Video: Civil rights groups plan to sue (CNN)
CHICAGO, July 7, 2011 — The National Black MBA Association today announced its 33rd Annual Conference & Exposition will be held Tuesday, October 4 through Saturday, October 8 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. The nation’s largest African American business and professional conference and exposition will draw an audience of more than 12,000 executives, entrepreneurs, students, and more than 350 corporations and public sector organizations looking to hire MBA graduates, seasoned professionals, and interns for available positions across the country.
Designed to promote education, leadership, and economic growth amongst its membership, the NBMBAA conference will provide the tools to ensure that individuals and business owners are uniquely prepared and positioned to capitalize on new opportunities as the U.S. begins a slow economic recovery from a devastating recession.
“Our most valuable assets are our members.
At Douglas County School District, a balanced assessment program is helping students acquire knowledge and skills to become responsible global citizens. An educator evaluation system focused on continuous improvement is supporting the development of competitive compensation packages and robust professional development activities to boost teacher and leader effectiveness. “By collecting, evaluating and implementing improvements based on authentic information collected from all levels – student, teacher, school and district – we believe we can ensure all students are college- and career-ready,” explained Syna Morgan, Executive Director, System Performance and Accountability Douglas County School District.
N.C. State University officials say they have patched up a leak that shut down the campus nuclear reactor nearly three weeks ago.
The small research reactor had been leaking about 10 gallons of water an hour from a 15,600-gallon pool used to cool the superheated reactor core and radioactive fuel rods.
The leaking water was tainted with radioactivity but posed no public health risk, university officials said. The water was presumed to flow through the Burlington Nuclear Engineering Laboratory on campus and into the ground below.
Jason K. Williford, the man accused of raping and killing a state school board member in March 2010, could go to trial next spring.
Blaze damages Garner elementary school
Emergency crews put out an early morning fire at Rand Road Elementary School in Garner that damaged hallways and classrooms, fire department officials said.
North Carolina cannot limit enrollment in a pre-kindergarten program for at-risk children that saw its budget reduced by the General Assembly, the judge overseeing a long-running education-opportunity lawsuit ordered Monday.
It’s not clear whether the order by Superior Court Judge Howard Manning Jr. could force the Legislature to redo part of the $19.7 billion state budget that took effect this month. Manning said only that he is confident the state will live up to its constitutional duties to afford every child a good, basic education.
“This is not advisory. It is an order,” said Melanie Dubis, an attorney for the five poor school districts involved in the lawsuit. “The overall education budget is not sufficient to meet all of the requirements” laid down by the state Supreme Court.
Gov. Bev Perdue, who saw the budget become law after her veto was overridden, called on lawmakers to rework their spending plan in time for the coming school year.
UTEP student Claudia Lerma, left, signs for a scholarship with help from Lorenzo Reyes Jr., right, CEO of Workforce Solutions Upper Rio Grande on Monday at the University of Texas at El Paso. Lerma was among 48 students who received scholarships from Workforce Solutions to help them continue their pursuit of degrees in early childhood education and childhood development. At right of Lerma in the background is Richard Padilla, UTEP vice president for student affairs. 
Workforce Solutions Upper Rio Grande awarded 48 UTEP juniors and seniors a scholarship to continue their pursuit of a degree in early childhood education and childhood development.
Each scholarship recipient received nearly $1,200.