Only 3 percent of public schools in the U.S. currently operate 12 months a year, while most students and teachers eagerly await their summer vacations.

While some blame misconceptions around year-round scheduling for its drop in popularity, others say shifting to it can make the lives of families and teachers more difficult.

Read more from The Hill.

The post Summer breaks from school get closer look in post-COVID environment appeared first on District Administration.

“We will not be silent and we will not be complicit,” said Valencea Johnson, president of the parish’s chapter of the Association of Educators teacher union. “We will not be there on Aug. 8 if Adam Smith is not appointed as superintendent of the East Baton Rouge Parish school system.”

Smith, a 28-year veteran of the school district, made an early exit from the search on June 28 when he fell one vote short of being named a finalist himself. Smith has been interim superintendent since January.

Read more from The Advocate.

The post Teacher groups threaten 1st-day sickout over East Baton Rogue superintendent choice appeared first on District Administration.

On Tuesday, Gov. Glenn Youngkin issued Executive Order 33, which directs his administration to “heed the call” of parents, public health professionals, educators and others by establishing cell phone-free policies and procedures for school divisions, in light of growing concerns over children’s health and declines in academic performance.

The Virginia Department of Education, in collaboration with the Departments of Health and Health and Human Services, must clearly define what “cell phone-free education” means, and publish model plans and draft guidance on implementing cell phone-free education in Virginia’s K-12 schools on its website by Aug. 15, according to the governor’s directive.

Read more from the Virginia Mercury.

The post Youngkin signs executive order to establish ‘cell phone-free education’ in Va. public schools appeared first on District Administration.

Cruz used an AR-15 assault rifle to massacre 17 students and staffers at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland on Feb. 14, 2018, in one of the deadliest mass shootings in the nation’s history.

An attorney for Anthony Borges, 21, who was shot five times in the attack, proposed the unusual stipulation.

Read more from Yahoo.

The post Florida mass school shooter agrees to give brain to science in stunning settlement appeared first on District Administration.

Last month, one of the largest school districts in the country, Los Angeles Unified, announced a ban on cellphones starting in January. New York City public schools could make a similar announcement soon.

A few states have passed legislation regarding phones in schools. Bills in Ohio and Indiana require school districts to pass policies to limit cellphone use, according to Education Week. Florida’s legislation completely bans the use of “wireless communication devices” in schools.

Read more from OPB.

The post Where do Oregon and Washington officials stand on cellphones in schools? appeared first on District Administration.

Today, Keyes is a special education teacher at Gilbert Spruance Elementary School in the city’s Northeast section.

“I stumbled upon what I would find as my calling,” Keyes said.

Read more from WHYY.

The post Philly teacher testifies at U.S. Senate about solutions to teacher shortage appeared first on District Administration.

Staples: “We’re really excited about it because not only do you have the ability to say, ‘Hey, I’m subscribing to community solar,’ but ‘I’m subscribing to the North High Project.’”

Jamez Staples is CEO of Renewable Energy Partners, a solar developer in North Minneapolis. He grew up in the area and graduated from North High. And he’s passionate about increasing access to solar in his community.

Read more from Yale Climate Connections.

The post Low-income residents buy into solar project at Minneapolis school appeared first on District Administration.

Some eighth graders at her public school had set up fake TikTok accounts impersonating teachers. Ms. Motz, who had never used TikTok, created an account.

She found a fake profile for @patrice.motz, which had posted a real photo of her at the beach with her husband and their young children. “Do you like to touch kids?” a text in Spanish over the family vacation photo asked. “Answer: Sí.”

Read more from The New York Times.

The post Students target teachers in group TikTok attack, shaking their school appeared first on District Administration.

So when William, a 17-year-old rising senior at Van Nuys High School, learned that cellphones would be banned across L.A. public schools, he instantly scoffed — like so many others.

Yet after the initial shock and an absolute “no” is voiced by many teenage students, more nuanced thoughts emerge: Maybe we are falling into social media and cellphone addiction. Maybe all the distractions and the obsession with “likes” are bad for us. Maybe we need some relief.

Read more from the Los Angeles Times.

The post Students scoff at a school cellphone ban. Until they really begin to think about it appeared first on District Administration.

As the national debate around school vouchers plays out across the country, the Cornhusker State is in a heated tug-of-war between school choice supporters and public school advocates over the passage of the Opportunity Scholarship Act in 2023. The Act allocates $25 million from state coffers to tax credits for private school scholarship donations.

“If it gets on the ballot, you can vote whatever way you want. It’s just signing it to give the people a voice that belongs in public schools,” Nebraska State Educators Association President and Support Our Schools sponsor Jenni Benson said. “If you get public funds, you have to be accountable just the same way any other public entity would be if you’re giving them to a private school.”

Read more from USA Today.

The post Nebraska public school supporters try to take down school vouchers appeared first on District Administration.