College students across the United States are protesting the occupation of Palestinian territory by Israeli forces. Last week Emory University became one of the sights to see student resistance. On April 25th, protestors in Atlanta established an encampment on Emory’s campus to demand the university divestment from Israel and Cop City, a police and fire […]
Category: National News
Posted inForsyth County Schools
Forsyth County Schools created a hostile environment for students with books bans
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) ended an investigation this week on Forsyth County Schools that alleges that the removal of books from Black or LGBTQI+ authors from school libraries created a hostile environment for students based on sex, race, color, or national origin under Title IX of the Education Amendments […]
Posted inHot Topics in Teaching
Legislation Roundup: Here are the education bills introduced this week
This week, the Senate Joint Education and Youth and Higher Education Committees held their first meetings of this year’s legislative session. Topics discussed in the committee included an overview of current literacy programs and new teacher training on reading instruction and professional development. Several education bills were also introduced in both the state House and […]
Posted inGeorgia Department of Education
Kemp announces teacher pay increase in inauguration speech
Governor Brian Kemp announced raises for teachers and other government employees during his second-term inauguration speech on Jan. 12, 2022. The governor’s 2023 budget proposes $2,000 pay raises for all state employees including state law enforcement, pre-kindergarten teachers, and kindergarten through 12th-grade personnel. Before the announcement, the average entry-level salary for a K-12 teacher in […]
Posted inNational News
Congress Passes Gun Violence Bill; FY 2023 Experiences Increases
In the wake of the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, and other mass shootings in the United States, Congress has passed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act–intended to reduce gun violence and also includes new investments for K-12 schools. The bill includes promoting state “red flag” laws, expanded protections for victims of domestic violence, more substantial […]
Posted inGeorgia Politics
Georgia PTA Issues Statement on Culturally Responsive Curricula
In the aftermath of concerned parents storming school board meetings throughout the metro Atlanta area, Georgia PTA has issued a statement on the need for culturally responsive curricula in schools. The statement comes after the State Board of Education passed a resolution essentally the ‘banning’ of critical race theory being taught in K-12 despite dozens […]
Posted inGeorgia Politics, Hot Topics in Teaching, National News, Teaching in Atlanta
Morehouse College Clears Account Balances for Previously Enrolled Students
In a historic move, Morehouse College announced today that outstanding balances of students who have not enrolled for fall 2021 but were previously enrolled in spring 2020, summer 2020, fall 2020, spring 2021, and summer 2021 semesters have been cleared, effective Friday, July 30. The College’s goal is to provide assistance to students experiencing financial […]
Posted inCommunity
McIntosh High boys soccer team ranked No.1 in nation
The McIntosh High Chiefs boys soccer team of Fayette County Schools was ranked the No. 1 boys soccer team in the nation by the United Soccer Coaches Association, according to a Wednesday press release from the district. The team received the honor after finishing the year 22-1 and winning the state title 2-1 over Johnson […]
Posted inNational News
Emory President gives Update on University’s Reconciliation Plan
Emory University President Gregory L. Fenves gave an update Monday on his plan to analyze the university’s history and reconcile parts of its past with its present day values. “Last fall, Interim Provost Jan Love and I reconvened the Task Force on Untold Stories and Disenfranchised Populations with a charge to help our university tell […]
Posted inGeorgia Politics
Georgia State University Welcomes Dr. M. Brian Blake as President
ATLANTA — Dr. M. Brian Blake, executive vice president for academic affairs and provost at George Washington University, has been named Georgia State University’s president by the University System Board of Regents. He begins his tenure Aug. 9. Blake, a computer scientist and software engineer, succeeds President Mark Becker, who led the university to unparalleled […]
Posted inClayton County Schools
American Rescue Plan gives Metro Atlanta Schools over a Billion Dollars
Senator Jon Ossoff held a press conference Monday with Metro Atlanta school officials to discuss the effect that the American Rescue Plan will have on metro Atlanta school districts this fall. “Thanks to the federal funds coming through the American Rescue Plan passed by congress and signed by President Biden, every single school district in […]
Posted inGeorgia Politics
Fund Georgia’s Future Response to Brian Kemp and the State Board, Regarding Critical Race Theory
Fund Georgia’s Future released a response last Friday regarding Georgia Governor, Brian Kemp’s letter to the (Georgia) State Board of Education and the State Board’s resolution change regarding the teaching of critical race theory in Georgia schools. The letter goes against Kemp’s statements on critical race theory and also goes against the assertion that critical […]
Posted inGeorgia Politics
Georgia Public Schools Will Receive $3.8 Billion Dollars in Federal Funds
Under the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act, public schools in Georgia will receive more than $3.8 billion in federal stimulus funds after the State Board of Education approved Superintendent Richard Woods’ recommendation to begin allocated the funds. These funds were awarded were determined by federal law and based on the share of Title I funding […]
Posted inNational News
U.S. Department of Education to Cancel $1 Billion in Student Loans for Borrowers
On Thursday, The U.S. Department of Education announced that it will streamline debt relief for millions of borrowers with claims that their secondary institution engaged in misconduct. Recalculating the formula made in the DeVos administration, Cardona and staff will rescind the formula for calculating partial relief and streamline an approach for granting full relief. This […]
Posted inAnti Racism
Opinion: Stop the Hate Against Asian Americans Forces Us to Speak Up
Caroline Diaz is the preschool director for Westminster Schools, an independent school in Atlanta. She has a strong passion for leadership and mentorship in the field of early childhood education. Caroline began her career as a lecturer for De La Salle University’s Psychology Department in Manila, Philippines. She also operated two early childhood learning centers while […]
Posted inNational News
Trump Hold American Schools Hostage Until After the Election
In true fashion, Donald Trump took to Twitter today to let the world know that a new Coronavirus relief package wouldn’t come until after the November 3rd election. This decision has the possibility of being a hurdle to the thousands of K-12 schools who are depending on the aid from Washington to operate during the […]
Posted inNational News
Changes to Advanced Placement Will Focus on Access and Preparation for 2019-2020 Exams
As the country has shifted to virtual learning, it looks likes the College Board, the organization behind Advanced Placement has issued new guidelines for schools effected by COVID-19 closures. The most telling one is that all exams will now be digital, 45 minutes long with a heavy concentration of early semester learning. Now that students […]