EduClips: Principals At NYC’s Troubled Schools Face Investigations; Teachers Are Running For Office — And More Must-Reads From America’s 15 Biggest School Districts

EduClips: Principals at NYC’s Troubled Schools Face Investigations; Teachers Are Running for Office — and More Must-Reads From America’s 15 Biggest School Districts

EduClips is a compilation of the most important education news stories of the day from the largest school districts in America. These districts serve over 4 million students across eight states. You can find previous installments of EduClips here. To receive the top school and policy news directly in your inbox, sign up for the TopSheet Education Newsletter.

Top Story

Governors’ Races – A hidden divide is emerging among Democrats in the gubernatorial primaries, with some supporting teachers unions and others favoring charter schools and other innovative educational initiatives. This divide is becoming increasingly significant, even as issues like guns, inequality, and President Donald Trump dominate the races. For example, the campaign of former Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa in California has received significant financial support from a political committee funded by charter school supporters and advocates for educational reform. In New York, actress Cynthia Nixon, a vocal critic of charter schools, is challenging Governor Andrew Cuomo, who has clashed with teachers unions. The most prominent split, however, is in Colorado, where the state’s largest teachers union has attacked two Democrats with extensive backgrounds in education policy in support of the former state treasurer, Cary Kennedy. (Read more at PBS NewsHour)

National News

Elections – Teachers, emboldened and inspired, are stepping out of the classroom and running for public office. (Read more at The Washington Post)

Teacher Strikes – A detailed analysis of the numbers that explain why teachers across the country are taking part in strikes and protests. (Read more at The New York Times)

Janus – If the Janus ruling means that teachers are no longer required to join unions, there may be a surge in educators breaking away from state and national affiliates to save local membership. (Read more at The74Million.org)

School Safety – A comprehensive profile of a school shooter sheds light on this pressing issue. (Read more at The Wall Street Journal)

Civil Rights – A federal lawsuit claims that the U.S. Department of Education is closing "meritorious" civil rights cases in an effort to decrease the burden of complaints. (Read more at The74Million.org)

Immigration – Lawmakers and civil rights groups are calling on Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to provide clarity on immigration policies and their impact on schools. (Read more at The Washington Post)

Bloomberg – Former Mayor Michael Bloomberg has pledged $375 million towards college and workforce readiness initiatives. (Read more at Education Week)

ESSA – How are states handling testing opt-outs under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)? (Read more at Politics K-12)

District and State News

New York – A new principal pushes for change in a school, only to face investigations soon after. (Read more at The New York Times)

Illinois – An investigation reveals that the Chicago schools failed to report cases of abuse. (Read more at U.S. News and World Report)

California – Workers in the Los Angeles Unified School District have ratified a new contract after coming close to going on strike. (Read more at the Los Angeles Daily News)

Texas – Many Texas school districts struggled to utilize a law that could have prevented a state takeover. (Read more at Houston Public Media)

Pennsylvania – In one neighborhood in Philadelphia, concerns arise about gentrification and its impact on the local high school. (Read more at The Philadelphia Inquirer)

New York – After a long wait, Mayor Bill de Blasio has announced support for a plan to overhaul admissions at New York City’s elite high schools. (Read more at Chalkbeat)

Georgia – 80 high school students in Gwinnett are caught cheating on their final exams, according to teachers. (Read more at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Florida – Fact-checking reveals that claims of a per-student funding increase of 47 cents in Florida are exaggerated. (Read more at the Tampa Bay Times)

California – As the Janus decision approaches, California’s teachers unions are reinforcing their stance. (Read more at The Orange County Register)

Florida – Jimmy Fallon brings hope and laughter to the somber Parkland graduation ceremony. (Read more at the Miami Herald)

Think Pieces

Charter Schools – Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos’s support for charter schools may actually be detrimental to their success. (Read more at The New York Times)

De Blasio – Mayor Bill de Blasio acknowledges the diversity problem in specialized schools and proposes a solution. (Read more at Chalkbeat)

Camden – With the departure of Paymon Rouhanifard in Camden, there are important lessons to learn about equity and innovation from the turnaround he led. (Read more at The74Million.org)

Risky Behavior – Can increased academic demands lead to a decrease in risky behavior among teenagers? (Read more at Education Week)

Today’s Quote

"We have reached a critical juncture." – Christine Marsh, an accomplished high school English teacher who was awarded the title of Arizona Teacher of the Year in 2016. Marsh is among the many dedicated educators who have decided to run for election this year. (Source: The Washington Post)

*Disclaimer: receives financial support from Bloomberg Philanthropies.

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