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Tag: school

  • List of school closings for Thursday as winter snowstorms hit

    Numerous school districts have opted to close classrooms on December 11 as winter storms slam multiple regions across the United States.

    The ongoing winter storms sweeping across the Midwest and Eastern United States have triggered widespread school closures this week, disrupting education and daily routines for families across several states.

    Safety concerns remain paramount as road conditions could be hazardous due to snow accumulation along with frigid temperatures.

    The storms are active and regions around the Great Lakes have seen a decent amount of storm activity, Scott Kleebauer, National Weather Service (NWS) meteorologist for the agency’s Weather Prediction Center, told Newsweek on Wednesday. “Portions of Virginia and West Virginia have already seen their yearly snow fall or close to it,” he added.

    Below is a list of school closures on Thursday, according to numerous local media outlets as of 10:20 p.m. ET Wednesday.

    Virginia

    • Grayson County Public Schools

    Michigan

    • Our Lady of Sorrows, Archdiocese of Detroit
    • Pontiac School District
    • Anchor Bay School District
    • Richmond Community Schools
    • Memphis Community Schools and Adventures Daycare
    • Walton Charter Academy, National Heritage Academies
    • Bad Axe Public Schools
    • Caseville Schools
    • Cass City Schools (Daycare open)
    • Elkton Pigeon Bay Port Laker Schools
    • Harbor Beach Community Schools
    • North Huron Schools (Early Learning Center closed)
    • Owendale-Gagetown Schools
    • Ubly Community Schools
    • Unionville-Sebewaing Area Schools
    • Huron Technical Center
    • Akron-Fairgrove Schools
    • Caro Schools
    • Kingston Schools (Daycare closed)
    • Mayville Community Schools
    • Millington Public Schools
    • Reese Public Schools
    • Tuscola Technology Center
    • Vassar Schools
    • Verona Mills School

    Numerous states are under winter weather advisories and warnings, spanning from parts of Indiana up to Maine. Montana, North and South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa are also facing weather alerts, the NWS says.

    NWS Blacksburg posted to X on Wednesday: “Along with the snow in the mountains this evening and tonight, there will be strong wind gusts, reaching 35-50 MPH at times. This will cause blowing snow, significantly reducing visibility. Use extreme caution if you must be on the roads tonight or Thursday morning!”

    Additional localized closings and delays may be reported by school districts or through media partners as the storms evolve. Officials recommend checking district websites, local news and emergency alert systems for the most current information.

    With storm warnings extending into Thursday and the weekend, forecasters predict continued cold and the possibility of snow into Friday. Public safety officials and school administrators will likely continue monitoring road conditions and weather forecasts, issuing further closure or delay guidance as necessary.

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  • High school bullying is up, attendance down as ICE raids sow ‘climate of distress,’ study says

    High school principals across California and nationwide say raids by Immigration, Customs and Enforcement have provoked a “climate of distress” among immigrant students who have been bullied on campus and whose attendance has dropped, according to a study released Tuesday.

    Seventy percent of public high school principals surveyed said students from immigrant families expressed fears for themselves or their families because of ICE crackdowns or political rhetoric related to immigrants, according to the report by researchers at UCLA and UC Riverside.

    The findings echo the narrative of what schools and districts have reported across Southern California since President Trump took office in January and began aggressive immigration raids.

    One California principal told researchers she has seen staff members “breaking down in tears about a student.”

    “It just doesn’t feel very American,” she added.

    John Rogers, a UCLA education professor who co-authored the report, said it was “striking” that principals “across every region in the country spoke of fear and concern in their school communities related to immigration enforcement.”

    The researchers surveyed 606 public high school principals from May to August to understand how schools have been affected by Trump’s immigration enforcement. More than 1 in 3 principals, about 36%, said students from immigrant families have been bullied, and 64% said their attendance has dropped.

    A drop in attendance has been verified by other researchers who collected data from California’s Central Valley and the Northeastern states. There’s also been a decline in K-12 enrollment that appears to number in at least the tens of thousands, affecting cities including Los Angeles, San Diego and Miami, based on figures provided by school district officials.

    Principals, including in Minnesota, Nebraska and Michigan, noticed an uptick in students using hostile and derogatory language toward classmates from immigrant families. Some said a political climate that has normalized attacks on immigrants was to blame.

    The vast majority of principals surveyed, nearly 78%, said their campuses created plans to respond to visits from federal agents and nearly half have a contingency plan for when a student’s parents are deported.

    In this effort, schools in Los Angeles County have been leaders, taking quick and unprecedented steps to protect and reassure families. L.A. Unified, for example, has provided direct home-to-school transportation for some students.

    Their fears are not without cause. In April, Los Angeles principals turned away immigration agents who tried to enter two elementary schools, claiming to be conducting a wellness check with family permission. School district officials said no such permission had been granted.

    At a public meeting in November, L.A. school board member Karla Griego reported that a parent was taken into custody on his way to a school meeting about an updated education plan to manage his child’s disabilities.

    Charter schools have taken measures to reassure families as well. In the days following a major ICE raid in L.A., attendance rates at Alliance Morgan McKinzie High School in East L.A. slipped from the typical high-90% range to the low 90s, principal Rosa Menendez said.

    “A lot of our families have been really impacted and terrified,” Menendez said. “A lot of our kids are afraid to come to school.”

    As ICE raids escalated last summer, the charter school ramped up supervision, posting staff members around bus and train stations to watch students arrive and leave. The school will stay open during winter break, offering sports, video games and arts and crafts so students have a safe place to go.

    Immigration enforcement is personal for Menendez, who is a child of Salvadorean immigrants and has undocumented family members.

    “Coming off the heels of COVID, we were trying to keep our kids safe and healthy, and now it’s a whole other layer of safety,” Menendez said. “But we’re also worrying about our own families … It does add a very intense layer of stress.”

    Earlier this year the Department of Homeland Security issued a statement saying ICE does not “raid or target schools.” However, the Trump administration in January rescinded long-standing protections for “sensitive” locations that since 2011 had prevented ICE from arresting people in schools and churches.

    A double duty to protect and teach

    In addition to the survey, the researchers conducted 49 follow-up Zoom interviews with principals chosen to reflect a diverse mix of schools. Names were withheld over concern that their schools could become targets for immigration enforcement.

    One California principal, whose school is located in a predominantly immigrant neighborhood, told researchers her school’s sense of safety evaporated in the spring when news of nearby ICE raids broke during an assembly.

    This account was an echo of the unease that spread through a spring graduation ceremony at Huntington Park High School when an ICE raid began at the adjacent Home Depot.

    The principals noted that parents have felt torn between keeping themselves and family members safe and supporting their children’s education. In L.A. high schools, many parents elected not to attend graduation last spring.

    Immigration enforcement isn’t just affecting students. Many school staff members feel a “double sense of duty” to protect as well as teach, the California principal said.

    This administrator also said teachers have joined local immigrant rights networks, walking the blocks in the neighborhood before school each day to ensure there is a safe pathway to campus. One teacher, whose father is undocumented, frequently worries about suspicious cars in the school’s parking lot, the principal said.

    “[W]e always want to make sure we’re not caught off guard,” she said. On top of longstanding fears of a potential active shooter situation, she now worries daily that ICE agents will show up. “It’s a lot,” she added.

    Maria Nichols, president of Associated Administrators of Los Angeles and a former LAUSD principal, praised the district for taking quick action to provide school leaders with protocols to follow in case of a raid. But she said the job of a principal has become even more taxing because LAUSD staffing cuts reduced the number of assistant principals.

    “The leader, of course, is responsible for the logistics, protocols and procedural matters, but … also has to uplift their school and their community,” Nichols said. “They’re dealing with a crisis right now and it is a very, very difficult and heavy toll at a time where we have less human capital at schools.”

    School leaders across the country echoed the sentiments of the California principal.

    One Idaho principal told the researchers she worries each day that ICE agents would show up with a judicial warrant to detain students. “As the building leader,” she said, “I feel like I’m responsible for their safety. I hate that, because I don’t feel I’m able to protect them.”

    Iris Kwok, Howard Blume

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  • School Specialty LLC Announces Acquisition of Nasco Education U.S.

    Greenville, Wis – December 8, 2025 – School Specialty®, a leading provider of learning environments, supplies and science curriculum to the preK-12 education market, today announced the acquisition of Nasco Education U.S., a trusted name in specialized, curated education solutions for K-12 schools. This strategic acquisition enhances School Specialty’s ability to serve its core customers by enhancing its value proposition to schools across the country.

    “We estimate that nearly two-thirds of Nasco Education U.S.’s customers are already School Specialty buyers,” said Ryan Bohr, CEO of School Specialty. “Like School Specialty, Nasco Education U.S. has been an industry fixture of supplying schools for decades. Combining our companies will bring procurement efficiencies to our customers and expand the scope of products available to them.”

    School Specialty has more than 60 years of leadership in transforming classrooms into future-ready learning spaces for preK-12 educational institutions, serving five in every six school districts nationwide and curating products from hundreds of trusted brands. Nasco Education U.S.  offers a broad selection of specialized products, including hands-on, activity-based resources that support instruction across subjects like science, math, and the arts. Both companies share a deep commitment to providing high-quality, relevant resources that empower teachers and students.

    Both organizations will operate independently for the near term.  School Specialty expects to integrate the businesses gradually to ensure a seamless experience for the longstanding customers of both organizations. 

    “Together, we will be able to provide even greater support, innovation, and value to schools nationwide, helping them deliver the best possible learning experiences for their students,” said Ryan Bohr, CEO of School Specialty.

    About School Specialty, LLC 

    With a 60-year legacy, School Specialty is a leading provider of comprehensive learning environment solutions for the pre-K12 education marketplace in the U.S. and Canada. This includes essential classroom supplies, furniture and design services, educational technology, sensory spaces featuring Snoezelen, science curriculum, learning resources, professional development, and more. School Specialty believes every student can flourish in an environment where they are engaged and inspired to learn and grow. In support of this vision to transform more than classrooms, the company applies its unmatched team of education strategists and designs, manufactures, and distributes a broad assortment of name-brand and proprietary products. For more information, go to SchoolSpecialty.com.

    About Nasco Education U.S.

    Nasco Education U.S. is a leading developer and distributor of instructional materials, offering a wide range of hands-on learning products for the preK-12 education market with 80+ years of experience. Nasco Education U.S. provides schools and educators with the educational materials needed to create impactful classroom experiences that enhance student engagement and academic performance. For more information, go to NascoEducation.com.

    eSchool News Staff
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    ESchool News Staff

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  • Solving the staffing crisis is key to the Science of Reading movement

    Key points:

    As someone who’s dedicated my career to advancing the Science of Reading movement, I’ve seen firsthand what it takes to help every child become a strong, fluent reader. We’ve made incredible strides in shifting the conversation toward evidence-based instruction, but I know we’re at a critical inflection point. While we–obviously–continue our work helping schools and districts adopt SOR, there’s an issue that stands in the way of real, sustained, progress: the staffing crisis and leadership churn that are leaving our educators overwhelmed and skeptical toward “change.” Without addressing these deeper structural issues, we risk stalling the momentum we’ve worked so hard to build.

    The hidden costs of constant turnover

    The data on teacher and leader turnover is bleak, and I’ve seen how it undermines the long-term commitment needed for any meaningful change. Consider this: Roughly 1 in 6 teachers won’t return to the same classroom next year, and nearly half of new teachers leave within their first five years. This constant churn is a massive financial burden on districts, costing an estimated $20,000 per teacher to recruit, hire, and onboard. But the real cost is the human one. Every time a new leader or teacher steps in, the hard-won progress on a literacy initiative can be jeopardized.

    I’ve watched districts spend years building momentum for the Science of Reading, providing extensive training and resources, only to see a new superintendent or principal arrive with a new set of priorities. This “leader wobble” can pull the rug out from under an initiative mid-stream. It’s especially frustrating when a new leader decides a program has had “plenty of professional learning” without taking the time to audit its impact. This lack of continuity completely disrupts the 3-5 years it takes for an initiative to truly take hold, especially because new teachers often arrive with a knowledge gap, as only about one-quarter of teacher preparation programs teach the Science of Reading. We can’t build on a foundation that’s constantly shifting.

    Overwhelmed by “initiative fatigue”

    I know what it feels like to have too much on your plate. Teachers, already juggling countless instructional materials, often see each new program not as a solution but as one more thing to learn, implement, and manage. Instead of excitement, there’s skepticism–this is initiative fatigue, and it can stall real progress. I’ve seen it firsthand; one large district I worked with rolled out new reading, math, and phonics resources all at once.

    To prevent this, we need to follow the principle of “pull weeds to plant flowers.” Being critical, informed consumers of resources means choosing flowers (materials) that are:

    • Supported by high-quality, third-party research
    • Aligned across all tiers of instruction
    • Versatile enough to meet varied student needs
    • Teacher-friendly, with clear guidance and instructional dialogue
    • Culturally relevant, reflecting the diverse backgrounds of students

    Now, even when a resource meets these standards, adoption shouldn’t be additive. Teachers can’t layer new tools on top of old ones. To see real change, old resources must be replaced with better ones. Educators need solutions that provide a unified, research-backed framework across all tiers, giving teachers clarity, support, and a path to sustainable student progress.

    Building a stable environment for sustained change

    So, how do we create the stable environment needed to support our educators? It starts with leadership that is in it for the long game. We need to mitigate turnover by using data to understand why teachers are leaving and then acting on that feedback. Strengthening mentorship, clarifying career pathways, and improving school culture are all crucial steps.

    Beyond just retaining staff, leaders must foster a culture of sustained commitment. It’s not enough to have a few “islands of excellence” where a handful of teachers are getting great results.

    We need system-wide adoption. This requires strong leaders to balance support and accountability. I’ve seen how collaborative teams, engaged in problem-solving and data-based decision-making, can transform a school. When teachers see students as “our students” and not just “my students,” shared ownership grows.

    A leader’s job is to protect and sustain this vision, making sure the essential supports–like collaborative planning time, ongoing professional development, and in-classroom coaching–are in place. But sustaining change goes beyond daily management; it requires building deep capacity so the work continues even if leadership shifts. This means hiring, training, and retaining strong educators, investing in future leaders, and ensuring committed advocates are part of the implementation team. It also requires creating a detailed, actionable roadmap, with budgets clearly allocated and accountability measures established, so that any initiative isn’t just a short-term priority but a long-term promise. By embedding these structures, leaders can secure continuity, maintain momentum, and ensure that every step forward in literacy translates into lasting gains for students.

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    Laura Stewart, 95 Percent Group

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  • How one school reimagined learning spaces–and what others can learn

    Key points:

    When Collegedale Academy, a PreK–8 school outside Chattanooga, Tennessee, needed a new elementary building, we faced a choice that many school leaders eventually confront: repair an aging facility or reimagine what learning spaces could be.

    Our historic elementary school held decades of memories for families, including some who had once walked its halls as children themselves. But years of wear and the need for costly repairs made it clear that investing in the old building would only patch the problems rather than solve them. At the same time, Southern Adventist University–on whose land the school sat–needed the property for expansion.

    Rather than cling to the past, we saw an opportunity. We could design a new, future-focused environment on our middle school campus–one that reflected how students learn today and how they will need to learn tomorrow.

    Putting students first

    As both a teacher and someone who helped design our middle school, I approached the project with one condition: every design choice had to prioritize students and teachers. That philosophy shaped everything that followed.

    My search for student-centered design partners led us to MiEN. What impressed me most was that they weren’t simply selling furniture. They were invested in research–constantly asking what classrooms need to evolve and then designing for that reality. Every piece we chose was intentional, not about aesthetics alone, but about how it could empower learners and teachers.

    Spaces that do more

    From the beginning, our vision emphasized flexibility, belonging, and joy. Every area needed to “do more,” adapting seamlessly to different uses throughout the day. To achieve this, we focused on designing spaces that could shift in purpose while still sparking curiosity and connection.

    Community hubs reimagined: Our cafeteria and media center now transform into classrooms, performance stages, or meeting spaces with minimal effort, maximizing every square foot.

    Interactive, sensory-rich design: An interactive wall panel with a ball run, sensory boards, and flexible seating encourages students to collaborate and explore beyond traditional instruction.

    Learning everywhere: Even hallways and lobbies have become extensions of the classroom. With mobile whiteboards, soft seating, and movable tables, these spaces host tutoring sessions, small groups, and parent meetings.

    Outdoor classrooms: Students gather at the campus creek for science lessons, spread out at outdoor tables that double as project workspaces, and find joy in spaces designed for both inquiry and play. Walking into the building, students immediately understood it was made for them. They take pride in exploring, rearranging furniture, and claiming ownership of their environment. That sense of belonging is priceless and drives real engagement in the learning.

    Supporting teachers through change

    For teachers accustomed to traditional layouts, the shift to flexible spaces required trust and support. At first, some colleagues wondered how the new design would fit with their routines. But once they began teaching in the space, the transformation was rapid. Within weeks, they were moving furniture to match their themes, discovering new instructional strategies, and finding creative ways to engage students.

    The beauty of this approach is that it doesn’t dictate a single method. Instead, it enables teachers to adapt the space to their vision. Watching colleagues gain confidence and joy in their teaching reinforced our original intent: create an environment that empowers educators as much as it excites students.

    A partnership that mattered

    No school leader undertakes a project like this alone. For us, partnership was everything. The team that supported our vision felt less like outside vendors and more like collaborators who shared our dream.

    They weren’t just delivering products; they were helping us shape a culture. Their excitement matched ours at every step, and together, we turned ideas into realities that continue to inspire.

    Immediate and lasting impact

    The outcomes of the project were visible from day one. Students lit up as they explored the new features. Teachers discovered fresh energy in their classrooms. Parents, many of whom remembered the old building, were struck by how clearly the new design signaled a commitment to modern learning and to prioritizing their children’s futures.

    Financially, the project was also a smart investment. Multi-purpose areas and durable, mobile furnishings mean that every dollar spent generates long-term value. And because the spaces were designed with flexibility in mind, they will remain relevant even as instructional practices evolve.

    Looking ahead

    The success of our elementary project has created momentum for what’s next. Collegedale is already planning high school renovations guided by the same student-first philosophy. The excitement is contagious, not just for our community but for how it models what schools can achieve when they align design with mission.

    For me, this project was never just about furniture. It was about creating a culture where curiosity, creativity, and joy thrive every day. With the right partners and a clear vision, schools can build environments where students feel they belong and where teachers are empowered to do their best work.

    As education leaders consider their own building projects, my advice is simple: design for the learners first. When students walk into a space and know, without a doubt, that it was built for them, everything else follows.

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    Beth Stone, Collegedale Academy

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  • More California students than ever are heading out of state for college. Here’s why

    Javier Perez, a senior at Benjamin Franklin Senior High School in Highland Park, dreams of studying computer science at Dartmouth College.

    “For me, it’s really important to be surrounded by the right people,” said Perez, who earlier this year spent two days on the New Hampshire campus during a spring college tour and said he felt a “genuine connection” with the people he met. Plus, he likes cold weather.

    He’s hardly alone. A Public Policy Institute of California report released this month found that the share of college-bound California high school graduates enrolling in out-of-state colleges has nearly doubled in the last two decades, rising from 8.5% in 2002 to 14.6% in 2022.

    West Coast and Southwest colleges in particular seek out students in population-rich California in their recruitment efforts. Making the move more enticing is that many public universities participate in a program offering Californians discounted tuition at public colleges in the West.

    In 2022, nearly 40,000 California high school grads enrolled in out-of-state colleges, roughly a third of whom flocked to Arizona, Oregon or New York, the researchers found in their analysis of enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics. In 2002, the number was closer to 15,000.

    In Arizona, the most popular universities included Arizona State University, Grand Canyon University — known for its online programs — and the University of Arizona. Oregon State University drew the highest number of Californians in that state.

    California grads who moved to New York for college were drawn to smaller, competitive private liberal arts colleges, usually with heftier tuitions than California’s public universities. Because of limitations in national enrollment data, the study couldn’t account for scholarships, making it hard to determine whether the California students were choosing out-of-state options because of financial aid incentives.

    The researchers found that most students leaving California attend colleges less selective on average than the competitive University of California system. About half attend colleges more selective than the California State University system, which will soon automatically admit students who meet requirements at 16 of its campuses.

    Lynda McGee, a recently retired Los Angeles Unified School District college counselor who spent more than two decades at Downtown Magnets High School, said she sees the trend as a positive development. She said she often urged students to look beyond California, as she felt out-of-state campuses would expose them to a more diverse range of people and experiences.

    Arizona State, the University of Arizona and Oregon State have strong name recognition, actively recruit in California and feel less intimidating to students because they’re relatively close to home, she said. Oregon State’s athletics programs are a particular draw.

    Under the right conditions, and after taking into account financial aid or merit-based scholarships, private colleges can sometimes end up costing less than a California public university, said Erica Rosales, executive director of College Match, a mentoring program for low-income students in Los Angeles.

    “For a low-income, first-generation student, a private institution that meets full need without loans is often the most affordable and most supportive option available,” Rosales said in an email.

    Rosales, who has spent nearly two decades helping students navigate the college admissions process, noted that Cal Grant income ceilings leave out some middle-class families unable to afford to send their children to a UC or CSU campus. Financial aid at CSU campuses typically covers tuition, not room and board, according to Rosales.

    The promise of full financial-need coverage is why Perez, who grew up in Guatemala and immigrated to the U.S. three years ago, is aiming to attend a private liberal arts college. He learned about his options through College Match. The program funded a two-week East Coast college tour this year and provided him with a laptop for his applications.

    Javier Perez, 18, takes public transit to a library. His three-hour round-trip commute to and from school involves a bike ride, two trains and a bus.

    (Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)

    Perez said leaving California would enable him to experience life in a small college town surrounded by nature. He’d like to spend his days focusing on his studies instead of commuting to school. His current commute from his Koreatown home to his Highland Park campus takes three hours round-trip, and involves a bike ride, two trains and a bus.

    Perez, an ambitious programmer who leads his school’s competitive robotics team, intends to apply to 22 colleges, including Stanford University, Caltech and a handful of UCs and CSUs.

    But his hopes are set on moving to the East Coast, as reflected by many of the schools on his list: Middlebury College, Boston College, Bowdoin College, Columbia University, Brown University and his dream school, Dartmouth College.

    “I just want to explore as much as I can in my college life,” Perez said.

    Iris Kwok

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  • Will California’s new K-12 antisemitism law make up for Trump’s civil rights cuts?

    At a time when the federal government is dismantling civil rights protections in K-12 schools, California is expanding them — although some wonder how far the state will go to combat discrimination in schools.

    A new law, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom last month, creates an Office of Civil Rights within the California Department of Education. The office will have a staff of at least six, including an antisemitism coordinator, who will educate school districts about the harms of bias and investigate discrimination complaints.

    “I think it’s a good idea and the state of California will pull it off. The risks are small and the possibility for good is large,” said Gary Orfield, co-director of the Civil Rights Project at UCLA. “But for it to be successful, it has to have real responsibility and real power.”

    The new law stems from a surge in antisemitic incidents in California last year following the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks in Israel and the ensuing war in Gaza. Authored by Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur (D-Los Angeles) and Assemblymember Dawn Addis (D-Morro Bay), the law is intended to eliminate anti-Jewish and other bias in the classroom and ensure that students of all ethnicities and religions feel protected.

    But the road to Newsom’s desk was not smooth. The bill faced tough opposition from the California Teachers Assn. , the state’s largest teachers union, which argued that the law would limit teachers’ right to free speech by curbing their ability to discuss the conflict in Gaza or other topical issues. The union declined to comment for this article.

    Zbur, who was among the law’s authors, said the new Office of Civil Rights and the antisemitism coordinator are not intended to punish teachers. The idea, he said, is to help schools stamp out bullying, discrimination and other acts targeting specific groups of students.

    “The idea that this law is about policing is hogwash,” Zbur said. “It’s intended to be productive, to provide districts with resources so they can prevent students from being harmed in school.”

    Federal layoffs and closures

    Discrimination has long been illegal in California schools. Individuals who feel they’ve been discriminated against can file complaints with the state’s Civil Rights Department or with their local school district. But much K-12 anti-discrimination enforcement has fallen on the federal government’s Office of Civil Rights. Created in the mid-1960s, the office investigates complaints about a range of issues, such as school segregation, unfair discipline practices and whether students with disabilities or English learners are receiving the services they’re entitled to.

    In March, the Trump administration announced it was laying off nearly half of the U.S. Department of Education workforce and closing numerous branches of the Office of Civil Rights, including the one in California. That’s meant a steep decline in the number of cases and long delays for those the office investigates. In the three months after the Department of Education cuts, for example, the office received nearly 5,000 complaints but investigated only 309.

    On Tuesday, the Department of Education went even further, spinning off some of the agency’s largest responsibilities to other federal departments — including much of the administration of elementary and high school funding. Project 2025, the Heritage Foundation’s conservative vision for the country that so far Trump has followed, calls for the Office of Civil Rights to become part of the Department of Justice and for it to “reject gender ideology and critical race theory.”

    The U.S. Department of Education didn’t respond to a request for comment.

    ‘Cutting off funding, that’s what works’

    California’s new Office of Civil Rights will have a director and several coordinators who will oversee anti-discrimination cases based on race and ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and religion. The director and anti-discrimination coordinators will be appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Legislature, likely after Jan. 1.

    The office will provide schools with materials about preventing discrimination, and work with districts that have been the subject of complaints from students, families or the public. In serious cases, the office will recommend more intensive assistance to the state Department of Education to correct problems. For districts that persistently flout anti-discrimination laws, “the department may use any means necessary to effect compliance,” according to laws already in place. That may include cutting funding for textbooks or other materials found to be discriminatory.

    The office will also submit an annual report to the Legislature on the overall picture of discrimination in schools, including the number of complaints, how they were resolved, and their outcomes.

    But to be successful, the office will have to be nonpartisan, transparent and fair, Orfield said. Cases against a school should include strong evidence, and schools should have the opportunity to defend themselves and appeal a verdict if they believe it was wrongly issued.

    And the office should not shy away from cutting funds to schools that don’t comply, he said. In the 1960s and ‘70s, the federal Office of Civil Rights cut funds to more than 100 schools in the South that refused to desegregate — a move that may have been the only way to force compliance, Orfield said.

    “Cutting off funding, that’s what works,” he said. “Although if you’re going to have sanctions, there must be due process.”

    Photo ops and reports?

    Mark Rosenbaum, senior special counsel for strategic litigation for the public interest law firm Public Counsel, agreed that enforcement will be the key to whether the new office is effective.

    “If the office just issues reports and does photo ops, we don’t need another one of those,” Rosenbaum said. “The issue is whether or not they can enforce these rights across the board.”

    He’d also like to see the office take a more proactive approach instead of only responding to individuals’ complaints. Education itself, he said, is a civil right, and too many students are not receiving the high-quality lessons in safe, well-equipped schools that they’re entitled to.

    Still, he’s happy to see the office get off the ground, particularly in light of the federal cuts to civil rights enforcement.

    “There’s an urgency for California to fill a void,” Rosenbaum said. “It should have happened decades ago, but it’s a good start.”

    Jones is a reporter for CalMatters.

    Carolyn Jones

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  • 3 reasons to switch to virtual set design

    Key points:

    If you’ve attended a professional show or musical recently, chances are you’ve seen virtual set design in action. This approach to stage production has gained so much traction it’s now a staple in the industry. After gaining momentum in professional theater, it has made its way into collegiate performing arts programs and is now emerging in K-12 productions as well.

    Virtual set design offers a modern alternative to traditional physical stage sets, using technology and software to create immersive backdrops and environments. This approach unlocks endless creative possibilities for schools while also providing practical advantages.

    Here, I’ll delve into three key benefits: increasing student engagement and participation, improving efficiency and flexibility in productions, and expanding educational opportunities.

    Increasing student engagement and participation

    Incorporating virtual set design into productions gets students excited about learning new skills while enhancing the storytelling of a show. When I first joined Churchill High School in Livonia, Michigan as the performing arts manager, the first show we did was Shrek the Musical, and I knew it would require an elaborate set. While students usually work together to paint the various backdrops that bring the show to life, I wanted to introduce them to collaborating on virtual set design.

    We set up Epson projectors on the fly rail and used them to project images as the show’s backdrops. Positioned at a short angle, the projectors avoided any shadowing on stage. To create a seamless image with both projectors, we utilized edge-blending and projection mapping techniques using just a Mac® laptop and QLab software. Throughout the performance, the projectors transformed the stage with a dozen dynamic backdrops, shifting from a swamp to a castle to a dungeon.

    Students were amazed by the technology and very excited to learn how to integrate it into the set design process. Their enthusiasm created a real buzz around the production, and the community’s feedback on the final results were overwhelmingly positive.

    Improving efficiency and flexibility

    During Shrek the Musical, there were immediate benefits that made it so much easier to put together a show. To start, we saved money by eliminating the need to build multiple physical sets. While we were cutting costs on lumber and materials, we were also solving design challenges and expanding what was possible on stage.

    This approach also saved us valuable time. Preparing the sets in the weeks leading up to the show was faster, and transitions during performances became seamless. Instead of moving bulky scenery between scenes or acts, the stage crew simply switched out projected images making it much more efficient.

    We saw even more advantages in our spring production of She Kills Monsters. Some battle scenes called for 20 or 30 actors to be on stage at once, which would have been difficult to manage with a traditional set. By using virtual production, we broke the stage up with different panels spaced apart and projected designs, creating more space for performers. We were able to save physical space, as well as create a design that helped with stage blocking and made it easier for students to find their spots.

    Since using virtual sets, our productions have become smoother, more efficient, and more creative.

    Expanding educational opportunities

    Beyond the practical benefits, virtual set design also creates valuable learning opportunities for students. Students involved in productions gain exposure to industry-level technology and learn about careers in the arts, audio, and video technology fields. Introducing students to these opportunities before graduating high school can really help prepare them for future success.

    Additionally, in our school’s technical theater courses, students are learning lessons on virtual design and gaining hands-on experiences. As they are learning about potential career paths, they are developing collaboration skills and building transferable skills that directly connect to college and career readiness.

    Looking ahead with virtual set design

    Whether students are interested in graphic design, sound engineering, or visual technology, virtual production brings countless opportunities to them to explore. It allows them to experiment with tools and concepts that connect directly to potential college majors or future careers.

    For schools, incorporating virtual production into high school theater offers more than just impressive shows. It provides a cost-effective, flexible, and innovative approach to storytelling. It is a powerful tool that benefits productions, enriches student learning, and prepares the next generation of artists and innovators.

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    Jared Cole, Churchill High School, Livonia Public Schools

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  • 100 Learning Spaces Transformed, $5 Million Invested: School Specialty and College Football Playoff Foundation Celebrate Impact Across Schools Nationwide

    New media center at North Dade Middle School marks milestone in initiative revitalizing learning environments to benefit the entire learning community

    GREENVILLE, WI– November 21, 2025 – School Specialty and the College Football Playoff (CFP) Foundation today announced the completion of a media center makeover at North Dade Middle School, marking the 100th learning space transformed in collaboration with the Extra Yard Makeover initiative. As a part of their nationwide effort to enhance learning environments for students and educators alike, the two organizations have now invested over $5 million into reinvigorating classrooms across the country.

    Miami will host the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship in January, and as part of its legacy work in the community, the CFP Foundation has committed to delivering more than 30 Extra Yard Makeovers alongside School Specialty to revitalize innovation spaces across schools in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties. With this latest round of makeovers, the CFP Foundation will have helped enrich learning environments in every Miami-Dade middle school.

    “Changing our middle school libraries into modern learning spaces has had a tremendous impact on engagement and learning outcomes,” said Dr. Jose L. Dotres, Superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools. “In addition to renovation, the transformation is an investment in our teachers, our students and our future. These new innovative spaces support hands-on learning for students of today and tomorrow, so they can develop greater curiosity for learning and lifelong skills.”

    These makeovers transform static spaces into flourishing learning environments, providing upgrades like flexible furniture, technology, supplies and even fresh paint or murals. Each school receives the School Specialty proprietary Projects by DesignⓇ experience, which includes comprehensive consultations to determine the type of space that best supports students, educators and the broader school community. Past rooms made over include STEM labs, broadcast classrooms, libraries, media centers, makerspace rooms, teachers lounges, wellness spaces, sensory rooms, multi-purpose rooms, an esports room and a mariachi room.

    “The transformation of our media center is truly invaluable to our students and staff,” said Nicole Fama, Executive Director at Phalen Leadership Academies, which received a makeover in 2024. “We are profoundly grateful to the College Football Playoff Foundation and School Specialty for this investment. Before the media center, we lacked a space that truly fostered community. Now, everything happens here—from senior breakfasts and college athlete signing days to family game nights and teacher appreciation events. It has become the heart of our community, a space we didn’t realize we needed until it was here.”

    These makeovers serve to benefit both students and teachers, allowing schools to improve their offerings, inspire innovation and modern learning, and directly counter some of the top issues in education today.

    “Addressing teacher burnout and maximizing student engagement starts with the physical environment,” said Jeremy Westbrooks, Director of Strategic Account Development at School Specialty. “The physical classroom is an educator’s primary tool, and by modernizing these spaces, the CFP Foundation and School Specialty are delivering a critical resource that empowers teachers to stay focused on their students’ growth and long-term success.”

    “We’re proud to work alongside School Specialty to bring these meaningful makeover projects to life,” said Britton Banowsky, Executive Director College Football Playoff Foundation. “Their expertise in the design of the spaces and incredible generosity make it possible for us to turn vision into impact for teachers and students.”

    In addition to the CFP Foundation and School Specialty, these makeovers have been supported over the years by Bowl Games, Conference partners, Sponsors and host committees of each College Football Playoff National Championship. To date, makeovers have taken place in 18 states across 58 counties.

    To learn more about the College Playoff Foundation’s Extra Yard Makeover initiative, click here.

    To learn more about School Specialty, click here.

    About School Specialty, LLC 

    With a 60-year legacy, School Specialty is a leading provider of comprehensive learning environment solutions for the infant-K12 education marketplace in the U.S. and Canada. This includes essential classroom supplies, furniture and design services, educational technology, sensory spaces featuring Snoezelen, science curriculum, learning resources, professional development, and more. School Specialty believes every student can flourish in an environment where they are engaged and inspired to learn and grow. In support of this vision to transform more than classrooms, the company applies its unmatched team of education strategists and designs, manufactures, and distributes a broad assortment of name-brand and proprietary products. For more information, go to SchoolSpecialty.com.

    About the College Football Playoff Foundation

    The College Football Playoff (CFP) Foundation is the 501(c)3 non-profit organization serving as the community engagement arm of the College Football Playoff and works in partnership with institutions of higher education, sports organizations, corporations and non-profits to support educators and improve student outcomes. The purpose of the CFP Foundation lies in supporting PK-12 education by elevating the teaching profession. The CFP Foundation inspires and empowers educators by focusing its work in four areas: recognition, resources, recruitment and retention, and professional development. To learn more, visit cfp-foundation.org and follow Extra Yard for Teachers (@CFPExtraYard) on social media.

    Media Contact
    Jon Kannenberg
    SchoolSpecialty@finnpartners.com

    eSchool News Staff
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    ESchool News Staff

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  • It’s high time to close the synthesized THC hemp legal loophole | Opinion

    The industry is loaded with bad actors selling intoxicating, largely unregulated products.

    The industry is loaded with bad actors selling intoxicating, largely unregulated products.

    AFP via Getty Images

    End run

    The U.S. hemp industry brought the federal ban on itself by repeatedly fighting attempts at regulation. Thirty-nine state and territorial attorneys general recently submitted a letter to the Justice Department in support of the ban, including some from states where cannabis is legal. That should tell us something.

    The industry is loaded with bad actors selling highly intoxicating THC synthesized from hemp. Makers of hemp products thought they could circumvent decades of established law with a loophole and a chemistry set. It doesn’t work that way, as they’re finding out.

    – Michael Moreland, Arlington

    Editor’s note: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton did not sign the letter.

    Meet needs

    The Star-Telegram’s reporting shows how close to the edge many Fort Worth single mothers live. When more than one-third of single mothers with young children in Tarrant County are in poverty — and some neighborhoods approach 70% — every bit of support matters. (Nov. 16, 1A, “Report looks at how to help Tarrant County’s single mothers”) Rent takes more than half their income, child care is scarce and many lack health insurance.

    Cuts and tighter eligibility rules for Medicaid and SNAP in the One Big Beautiful Bill threaten the families highlighted in this report. Losing Medicaid means more mothers and children without basic care. Losing SNAP means less money for groceries in a city where food banks are already stretched thin. And as we saw during the federal government shutdown, even brief SNAP delays push families into crisis.

    Fort Worth single mothers work hard to keep their families afloat. Congress should strengthen Medicaid, SNAP and housing programs — not weaken them.

    – Craig C. Roshaven, Fort Worth

    Look at Houston

    In his Nov. 16 column “Weak arguments against state’s Fort Worth ISD takeover ignore a crisis” (6C), Ryan Rusak offers zero reasons that a state takeover of Fort Worth ISD would be effective. He calls for trust in a process overseen by a governor unabashedly hell-bent on supporting private and charter schools over public ones.

    Parents resisting the Texas Education Agency takeover care deeply about students in the Fort Worth district, where my own kids attend . We know a takeover is not the solution. It has already caused uncertainty and chaos , distracting from the marked progress under Superintendent Karen Molinar.

    We’ve seen what happened when the state took over the Houston ISD, and we know that test scores do not paint the full picture. Students and teachers are leaving that district at a significantly higher rate than they did before the takeover. If it was so effective, why?

    – Zach Leonard, Fort Worth

    Editor’s note: The writer is president of Families Organized and Resisting Takeover and wrote this on behalf of the group’s board.

    Tough love

    The state was right to take over the Fort Worth school district. Houston ISD appears to be an example of getting it done. I fear elected school board members eventually will return that district to personal fiefdoms and make it awful again.

    My parents divorced when I was 10, and I frequently switched schools. While my math skills were above average, my reading and writing skills were not. By the time I was 13 and back with my mom, they lagged so badly that I never caught up.

    Today, I’m a certified public accountant. Fort Worth, Houston and other struggling school districts have many students like me. Schools need tough love, and some students need to repeat grades until they can read and write at grade level.

    – Harvey Nelson, Katy

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  • Number of children abducted in Nigerian school attack raised to more than 300

    A total of 303 schoolchildren and 12 teachers were abducted by gunmen during an attack on St. Mary’s School, a Catholic institution in north-central Nigeria’s Niger state, the Christian Association of Nigeria said Saturday, updating an earlier tally of 215 schoolchildren.The tally was changed “after a verification exercise and a final census was carried out,” according to a statement issued by the Most. Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, chairman of the Niger state chapter of CAN, who visited the school on Friday.He said 88 other students “were also captured after they tried to escape” during the attack. The students were both male and female and ranged in age from 10 to 18.The school kidnapping in Niger state’s remote Papiri community happened four days after 25 schoolchildren were seized in similar circumstances in neighboring Kebbi state’s Maga town, which is 170 kilometers (106 miles) away.No group has yet claimed responsibility for the abductions and authorities have said tactical squads have been deployed alongside local hunters to rescue the children.Yohanna described as false a claim from the state government that the school had reopened for studies despite an earlier directive for schools in that part of Niger state to close temporarily due to security threats.“We did not receive any circular. It must be an afterthought and a way to shift blame,” he said, calling on families “to remain calm and prayerful.”School kidnappings have come to define insecurity in Africa’s most populous nation, and armed gangs often see schools as “strategic” targets to draw more attention.UNICEF said last year that only 37% of schools across 10 of the conflict-hit states have early warning systems to detect threats.The kidnappings are happening amid U.S. President Donald Trump’s claims of targeted killings against Christians in the West African country. Attacks in Nigeria affect both Christians and Muslims. The school attack earlier this week in Kebbi state was in a Muslim-majority town.The attack also took place as Nigerian National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu was visiting the U.S. where he met Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday.

    ABUJA, Nigeria —

    A total of 303 schoolchildren and 12 teachers were abducted by gunmen during an attack on St. Mary’s School, a Catholic institution in north-central Nigeria’s Niger state, the Christian Association of Nigeria said Saturday, updating an earlier tally of 215 schoolchildren.

    The tally was changed “after a verification exercise and a final census was carried out,” according to a statement issued by the Most. Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, chairman of the Niger state chapter of CAN, who visited the school on Friday.

    He said 88 other students “were also captured after they tried to escape” during the attack. The students were both male and female and ranged in age from 10 to 18.

    The school kidnapping in Niger state’s remote Papiri community happened four days after 25 schoolchildren were seized in similar circumstances in neighboring Kebbi state’s Maga town, which is 170 kilometers (106 miles) away.

    No group has yet claimed responsibility for the abductions and authorities have said tactical squads have been deployed alongside local hunters to rescue the children.

    Yohanna described as false a claim from the state government that the school had reopened for studies despite an earlier directive for schools in that part of Niger state to close temporarily due to security threats.

    “We did not receive any circular. It must be an afterthought and a way to shift blame,” he said, calling on families “to remain calm and prayerful.”

    School kidnappings have come to define insecurity in Africa’s most populous nation, and armed gangs often see schools as “strategic” targets to draw more attention.

    UNICEF said last year that only 37% of schools across 10 of the conflict-hit states have early warning systems to detect threats.

    The kidnappings are happening amid U.S. President Donald Trump’s claims of targeted killings against Christians in the West African country. Attacks in Nigeria affect both Christians and Muslims. The school attack earlier this week in Kebbi state was in a Muslim-majority town.

    The attack also took place as Nigerian National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu was visiting the U.S. where he met Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday.

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  • For getting kids excited about sustainability, Fairfax Co. teacher is up for national award – WTOP News

    Laure Grove was eager to teach at Terra Centre Elementary in Burke, because the school was initially built to be environmentally efficient.

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    Fairfax Co. teacher up for national award for getting kids excited about sustainability

    Laure Grove was eager to teach at Terra Centre Elementary in Burke, because the school was initially built to be environmentally efficient.

    In an attempt to conserve energy, the school was constructed underground. When she arrived in 2018, there were a few garden beds outside, but Grove noticed they weren’t being utilized.

    When students returned to the Fairfax County school campus after the peak of the pandemic, the garden beds needed to be cleaned up, Grove said. Many people helped lead that effort, and brainstormed what could be done inside the school building during the cleanup outside.

    What started as a small project to get the gardens ready for use again evolved into a schoolwide approach to get students involved and excited about protecting the environment. The school has an “eco club,” emphasizes recycling and composting and has buy-in from parent volunteers and local businesses.

    For leading that work, Grove has been nominated for a National Wildlife Federation award.

    “What she is instilling in our kids, and actually even our staff, will continue to have an effect for years to come, and how they take care of our world and our environment, which, as we know, is so important right now,” Principal Rebecca Gidoni said.

    Growing up in Virginia, Grove spent a lot of time working with animals and plants. Her mom worked for the National Recreation and Park Association, and her family spent a lot of time on Virginia’s Eastern Shore.

    At Terra Centre, students participate in several different waste reduction programs. The school collects plastic and helps prevent it from ending up in landfills. When they reach 1,000 pounds, it can get turned into a bench. Several such benches are available in the school’s outdoor learning spaces.

    Every classroom, from kindergarten through sixth grade, has a Green Team representative. This year, the group voted to host a battery recycle center.

    Preschoolers have their own vegetable garden and usually grow a pumpkin patch. On the hilly portion of the school’s outdoor area, there’s a pollinator garden. Separately, there are a series of 720-foot bed-edible gardens.

    Last week, as part of a math unit, kindergartners made patterns with pansies in their garden bed. Fifth graders dug up potatoes that were planted last spring. As part of a social studies unit, it led to conversations about ancient civilizations.

    “This little light bulb goes off,” Grove said. “They get to do something hands-on, and they remember it, is the most important thing, and they’re able to then also articulate it, because they can recall it better.”

    To encourage spending time in the outdoor spaces, Grove helped launch a badge competition this year. A classroom gets a sticker for every 15 minutes spent outside learning.

    In the first quarter of the school year, the classes totaled 1,400 minutes of outside learning time.

    “They’re excited, and they’re guiding their own learning with enhanced concepts,” Grove said. “You get to do stuff hands-on. You get to take the stuff that might not be as thrilling in the classroom all the time and apply it in a more cool way.”

    Each week, the school hosts “Don’t Be Wasteful Wednesdays,” encouraging students to discourage waste and promote composting.

    Even parents are chipping in, Grove said. Some volunteer to help maintain the gardens. A group of dads spent a weekend putting together composting bins.

    And sixth grader Laila Turpin recalled a recent project creating a habitat for native frogs.

    “It’s more unique than other schools, because we get to be more involved with nature,” Turpin said.

    The school has a fish tank in the middle of a hallway, next to a fixture of plants being grown.

    “Everything from plastics to planting to composting, watershed, all of those real-world experiences are teaching our kids something that they could learn in a classroom, but not with the same meaning and intentionality as what we’re doing here,” Gidoni said.

    Led by Grove’s efforts, the school earned a “Green Flag” designation from the National Wildlife Federation. The honor recognizes campuses that go above and beyond in teaching students about sustainability.

    Grove, a pre-K special education teacher, called the recognition “a very big honor, because I’m just one teacher at an amazing school in Burke, Virginia. I’m sure there’s lots of other people out there doing amazing stuff too, but we have worked hard at our school, and the kids here — they’re awesome.”

    Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Scott Gelman

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  • From silos to systems: The digital advantage in schools 

    Key points:

    When I first stepped into my role overseeing student data for the Campbell County School District, it was clear we were working against a system that no longer served us.

    At the time, we were using an outdated platform riddled with data silos and manual processes. Creating school calendars and managing student records meant starting from scratch every year. Grade management was clunky, time-consuming, and far from efficient. We knew we needed more than a patchwork fix–we needed a unified student information system that could scale with our district’s needs and adapt to evolving state-level compliance requirements. 

    Over the past several years, we have made a full transition to digitizing our most critical student services, and the impact has been transformational. As districts across the country navigate growing compliance demands and increasingly complex student needs, the case for going digital has never been stronger. We now operate with greater consistency, transparency, and equity across all 12 of our schools. 

    Here are four ways this shift has improved how we support students–and why I believe it is a step every district should consider:

    How centralized student data improves support across K-12 schools

    One of the most powerful benefits of digitizing critical student services is the ability to centralize data and ensure seamless support across campuses. In our district, this has been a game-changer–especially for students who move between schools. Before digitization, transferring student records meant tracking down paper files, making copies, and hoping nothing was lost in the shuffle. It was inefficient and risky, especially for students who required health interventions or academic support. 

    Now, every plan, history, and record lives in a single, secure system that follows the student wherever they go. Whether a student changes schools mid-year or needs immediate care from a nurse at a new campus, that information is accessible in real-time. This level of continuity has improved both our efficiency and the quality of support we provide. For districts serving mobile or vulnerable populations, centralized digital systems aren’t just convenient–they’re essential.

    Building digital workflows for student health, attendance, and graduation readiness

    Digitizing student services also enables districts to create customized digital workflows that significantly enhance responsiveness and efficiency. In Campbell County, we have built tools tailored to our most urgent needs–from health care to attendance to graduation readiness. One of our most impactful changes was developing unified, digital Individualized Health Plans (IHPs) for school nurses. Now, care plans are easily accessible across campuses, with alerts built right into student records, enabling timely interventions for chronic conditions like diabetes or asthma. We also created a digital Attendance Intervention Management (AIM) tool that tracks intervention tiers, stores contracts and communications, and helps social workers and truancy officers make informed decisions quickly. 

    These tools don’t just check boxes–they help us act faster, reduce staff workload, and ensure no student falls through the cracks.

    Digitization supports equitable and proactive student services

    By moving our student services to digital platforms, we have become far more proactive in how we support students–leading to a significant impact on equity across our district. With digital dashboards, alerts, and real-time data, educators and support staff can identify students who may be at risk academically, socially, or emotionally before the situation becomes critical. 

    These tools ensure that no matter which school a student attends–or how often they move between schools–they receive the same level of timely, informed support. By shifting from a reactive to a proactive model, digitization has helped us reduce disparities, catch issues early, and make sure that every student gets what they need to thrive. That’s not just good data management–it’s a more equitable way to serve kids.

    Why digital student services scale better than outdated platforms

    One of the most important advantages of digitizing critical student services is building a system that can grow and evolve with the district’s needs. Unlike outdated platforms that require costly and time-consuming overhauls, flexible digital systems are designed to adapt as demands change. Whether it’s integrating new tools to support remote learning, responding to updated state compliance requirements, or expanding services to meet a growing student population, a digitized infrastructure provides the scalability districts need. 

    This future-proofing means districts aren’t locked into rigid processes but can customize workflows and add modules without disrupting day-to-day operations. For districts like ours, this adaptability reduces long-term costs and supports continuous improvement. It ensures that as challenges evolve–whether demographic shifts, policy changes, or new educational priorities–our technology remains a reliable foundation that empowers educators and administrators to meet the moment without missing a beat.

    Digitizing critical student services is more than a technical upgrade–it’s a commitment to equity, efficiency, and future readiness. By centralizing data, customizing workflows, enabling proactive support, and building scalable systems, districts can better serve every student today and adapt to whatever challenges tomorrow may bring.

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    Sara Douglas, Campbell County Schools

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  • Triangle school communities try to support immigrants during Border Patrol operation

    Among those responding to the presence of U.S. Border Patrol agents in the Triangle are parents and other s focused on schools.

    Durham Public School Strong, Durham For All and other organizers built “School-Based Care and Protection Teams” to gather outside Durham schools Wednesday through Friday mornings when students arrive. In Wake County, people volunteered to do the same.

    The Durham sign-up sheet said teams will “hold signs, lead chants and songs and be prepared to mobilize safe-to-school parades if Durham does become targeted.”

    The Wake County N.C. Association of Educators and other groups organized a training Tuesday evening to help school employees and community volunteers learn how to reassure students and families fearful of the federal immigration operation.

    The ultimate goal, said Wake NCAE President Christina Cole, is to keep people safe.

    “People should have the dignity and the ability to live in our country and their community and to not be afraid of getting kidnapped going to school or going to work and being terrorized,” Cole said in an interview.

    The Wake training event nearly filled Raleigh’s Pullen Memorial Baptist Church, Cole said. Experienced activists provided information about how to identify and interact with federal agents who might show up at or near a school.

    The crowd then broke into groups, depending on their role in the community. Parents and others talked about “safety patrols” around schools to watch for federal agents and help parents and children feel welcome.

    Meanwhile, school employees talked about steps they might take, such as preparing lesson plans for absent students or getting additional emergency contacts should a family member be detained.

    “We talked a little bit about mutual aid,” Cole said. “Can we deliver food or groceries or whatever to our families if they’re afraid to leave their homes?”

    Many parents appear to be keeping their kids home from school while the Border Patrol is active in the Triangle. In Wake County, nearly 19,500 students were absent from school Tuesday, about 67% more than a normal day, according to county officials.

    Durham and Chapel Hill-Carrboro schools also reported higher-than-normal absences Tuesday.

    Follow More of Our Reporting on In the Spotlight

    Related Stories from Raleigh News & Observer

    Richard Stradling

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    Richard Stradling covers transportation for The News & Observer. Planes, trains and automobiles, plus ferries, bicycles, scooters and just plain walking. He’s been a reporter or editor for 38 years, including the last 26 at The N&O. 919-829-4739, rstradling@newsobserver.com.

    Richard Stradling,Twumasi Duah-Mensah

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  • Phoebe Hearst teacher demands $2.3 million from SCUSD over carpet removal, alleging retaliation

    A Sacramento teacher is demanding $2.3 million from the Sacramento City Unified School District, alleging discrimination and retaliation after being disciplined for removing carpet from her classroom. KCRA 3 obtained a legal letter from Jeanine Rupert’s attorney, which claims the district discriminated against the long-time Phoebe Hearst Elementary School teacher.The letter describes Rupert’s removal from her class as a “cruel punishment.” Rupert said she tore up dirty, frayed carpet last year after years of complaints, similar to actions taken by two male teachers in their classrooms who removed carpet from their classrooms. She said her classroom, Room 7, was known for being in disarray before she took it over and that she and her father had previously painted its walls without objection. Rupert’s students assisted with the carpet removal by using hammers and a crowbar. She argued that the use of similar tools by students at the school was commonplace, with students using power tools, mowing the school lawn and trimming bushes with shears. In a disciplinary letter, the district labeled the carpet removal as vandalism, stating Rupert put students at risk and caused more than $22,000 in damage. A SCUSD spokesperson previously said that district staff assessed the carpet and determined it was not time for replacement. In a notice sent to Rupert, the district said that after Rupert’s actions the bulk of the cost to repair and replace the flooring, $12,600, was for asbestos removal. The notice said the students weren’t exposed to asbestos.Initially, Rupert offered to repay the district if she was reinstated. Now, she is demanding $2.3 million in damages. She also alleges that the district failed to comply with the federal Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act by never notifying her or “district employees generally that there were asbestos hazards in the classrooms.” Some students and their parents have staged walkouts in support of Rupert, who was transferred out of the school. Parents have also served the school board’s president with a recall notice. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

    A Sacramento teacher is demanding $2.3 million from the Sacramento City Unified School District, alleging discrimination and retaliation after being disciplined for removing carpet from her classroom.

    KCRA 3 obtained a legal letter from Jeanine Rupert’s attorney, which claims the district discriminated against the long-time Phoebe Hearst Elementary School teacher.

    The letter describes Rupert’s removal from her class as a “cruel punishment.”

    Rupert said she tore up dirty, frayed carpet last year after years of complaints, similar to actions taken by two male teachers in their classrooms who removed carpet from their classrooms.

    She said her classroom, Room 7, was known for being in disarray before she took it over and that she and her father had previously painted its walls without objection.

    Rupert’s students assisted with the carpet removal by using hammers and a crowbar. She argued that the use of similar tools by students at the school was commonplace, with students using power tools, mowing the school lawn and trimming bushes with shears.

    In a disciplinary letter, the district labeled the carpet removal as vandalism, stating Rupert put students at risk and caused more than $22,000 in damage.

    A SCUSD spokesperson previously said that district staff assessed the carpet and determined it was not time for replacement. In a notice sent to Rupert, the district said that after Rupert’s actions the bulk of the cost to repair and replace the flooring, $12,600, was for asbestos removal.

    The notice said the students weren’t exposed to asbestos.

    Initially, Rupert offered to repay the district if she was reinstated. Now, she is demanding $2.3 million in damages.

    She also alleges that the district failed to comply with the federal Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act by never notifying her or “district employees generally that there were asbestos hazards in the classrooms.”

    Some students and their parents have staged walkouts in support of Rupert, who was transferred out of the school. Parents have also served the school board’s president with a recall notice.

    See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

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  • Sacramento man arrested, weapons cache seized after suspicious activity at schools

    A 29-year-old Sacramento man has been arrested after an investigation into suspicious activity at schools in east Sacramento County led to the seizure of multiple firearms, law enforcement patches and tactical gear, the sheriff’s office said. The investigation of Dalmin Muran began after he was repeatedly observed engaging in suspicious activity at schools, according to the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office. In one case, he allegedly drove his vehicle onto the grounds of Rosemont High School during the evening and was observed wearing military-style clothing and night-vision optics. After a security guard told him to leave, he allegedly said he should be allowed access because the schools are “public grounds.” The sheriff’s office said during other visits he erroneously claimed to have prior military service and expressed interest in joining law enforcement. Deputies executed a search warrant at a home last week in connection with Muran and found “numerous” guns that had been modified, including an unserialized “ghost gun” rifle hidden in an attic, the sheriff’s office said. Hundreds of firearm parts and components for building or altering weapons were also seized, along with multiple smoke grenades, flash bangs and “pepper spray deployable smoke grenades.” Deputies also found multiple law enforcement patches and tactical gear, “including those from the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office.”Muran was released on bond hours after being booked into custody at the Sacramento County Main Jail, the sheriff’s office said.Muran faces four felony counts related to weapons offenses, according to a criminal complaint filed on Nov. 13. One of the counts alleges that he stole firearm accessories from a gun range. An earlier complaint filed on Dec. 11, 2024, accuses Muran of unlawfully carrying a concealed firearm. He was arraigned on that case in June. He is next due in court in connection with both cases on Jan. 14. The sheriff’s office said it is concerned there may be unreported incidents where Muran represented himself as a law enforcement agent.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

    A 29-year-old Sacramento man has been arrested after an investigation into suspicious activity at schools in east Sacramento County led to the seizure of multiple firearms, law enforcement patches and tactical gear, the sheriff’s office said.

    The investigation of Dalmin Muran began after he was repeatedly observed engaging in suspicious activity at schools, according to the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office. In one case, he allegedly drove his vehicle onto the grounds of Rosemont High School during the evening and was observed wearing military-style clothing and night-vision optics. After a security guard told him to leave, he allegedly said he should be allowed access because the schools are “public grounds.”

    The sheriff’s office said during other visits he erroneously claimed to have prior military service and expressed interest in joining law enforcement.

    Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office

    Deputies executed a search warrant at a home last week in connection with Muran and found “numerous” guns that had been modified, including an unserialized “ghost gun” rifle hidden in an attic, the sheriff’s office said.

    Weapons cache

    Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office

    Hundreds of firearm parts and components for building or altering weapons were also seized, along with multiple smoke grenades, flash bangs and “pepper spray deployable smoke grenades.”

    Gun parts

    Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office

    Deputies also found multiple law enforcement patches and tactical gear, “including those from the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office.”

    Patches

    Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office

    Muran was released on bond hours after being booked into custody at the Sacramento County Main Jail, the sheriff’s office said.

    Muran faces four felony counts related to weapons offenses, according to a criminal complaint filed on Nov. 13. One of the counts alleges that he stole firearm accessories from a gun range.

    An earlier complaint filed on Dec. 11, 2024, accuses Muran of unlawfully carrying a concealed firearm. He was arraigned on that case in June.

    He is next due in court in connection with both cases on Jan. 14.

    The sheriff’s office said it is concerned there may be unreported incidents where Muran represented himself as a law enforcement agent.

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  • Jamichael Stillwell stuffs statsheet as UCF holds off Oakland

    (Photo credit: Sophia Scheller-Imagn Images)

    Jamichael Stillwell notched his first career UCF double-double and made two key free throws with 38 seconds to go, lifting the Knights to their third straight win by edging the feisty Oakland Golden Grizzlies 87-83 on Monday night in Orlando, Fla.

    The Knights (4-1) led by four at halftime then raced out to a 15-point advantage in the second half, but the Golden Grizzlies (1-4) rallied and tied the game with eight minutes to play.

    Stillwell, Themus Fulks and Riley Kugel made all six of their free throws in the final minute for the victory.

    Stillwell totaled 20 points and 14 rebounds, while Kugel had 18. Jordan Burks scored 13 with seven rebounds. Fulks had 11 points, six rebounds and 10 assists.

    Oakland’s Isaac Garrett had 23 points and seven rebounds. Brett White II had 21 points on 6-of 11-shooting from deep. Brody Robinson scored 20, and Tuburu Navailurua had 11 points, six rebounds and five assists.

    After a big road win over Texas A&M their last time out, the Knights created a 10-4 lead over the Horizon League school behind two buckets from Stillwell and three points from Fulks, but the visitors knotted it 10-all on twin 3-pointers by White.

    White, a 27-year-old senior guard, helped shoot Oakland back into it. His long shot and Robinson’s at 8:06 cut it to 17-16 as the Michigan school made 4 of 8 from long range, but Kugel soon hit a pair from the stripe to reach 1,000 career points.

    White’s shooting helped keep the Golden Grizzlies within striking distance in the first half, which UCF led just 44-40.

    He sank 5 of 7 treys — his only shots from the floor — for his 16 points.

    The Knights’ answer was Stillwell, who scored 12 first-half points on 5-of-9 shooting with seven rebounds.

    Stillwell sparked a 9-0 second-half run that pushed the edge to 53-42 and continued to dominate on the glass, especially at the offensive end.

    Kugel’s 3-point play at 11:20 increased the gap to 70-55, but Oakland stormed back and evened it 70-all on a 15-0 run behind Robinson’s three-point play at 8:17.

    The Knights regained the lead on a 3-pointer from Kugel, then mostly held a tenuous lead from there, closing out the win at the line.

    –Field Level Media

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  • Teaching math the way the brain learns changes everything

    Key points:

    Far too many students enter math class expecting to fail. For them, math isn’t just a subject–it’s a source of anxiety that chips away at their confidence and makes them question their abilities. A growing conversation around math phobia is bringing this crisis into focus. A recent article, for example, unpacked the damage caused by the belief that “I’m just not a math person” and argued that traditional math instruction often leaves even bright, capable students feeling defeated.

    When a single subject holds such sway over not just academic outcomes but a student’s sense of self and future potential, we can’t afford to treat this as business as usual. It’s not enough to explore why this is happening. We need to focus on how to fix it. And I believe the answer lies in rethinking how we teach math, aligning instruction with the way the brain actually learns.

    Context first, then content

    A key shortcoming of traditional math curriculum–and a major contributor to students’ fear of math–is the lack of meaningful context. Our brains rely on context to make sense of new information, yet math is often taught in isolation from how we naturally learn. The fix isn’t simply throwing in more “real-world” examples. What students truly need is context, and visual examples are one of the best ways to get there. When math concepts are presented visually, students can better grasp the structure of a problem and follow the logic behind each step, building deeper understanding and confidence along the way.

    In traditional math instruction, students are often taught a new concept by being shown a procedure and then practicing it repeatedly in hopes that understanding will eventually follow. But this approach is backward. Our brains don’t learn that way, especially when it comes to math. Students need context first. Without existing schemas to draw from, they struggle to make sense of new ideas. Providing context helps them build the mental frameworks necessary for real understanding.

    Why visual-first context matters

    Visual-first context gives students the tools they need to truly understand math. A curriculum built around visual-first exploration allows students to have an interactive experience–poking and prodding at a problem, testing ideas, observing patterns, and discovering solutions. From there, students develop procedures organically, leading to a deeper, more complete understanding. Using visual-first curriculum activates multiple parts of the brain, creating a deeper, lasting understanding. Shifting to a math curriculum that prioritizes introducing new concepts through a visual context makes math more approachable and accessible by aligning with how the brain naturally learns.

    To overcome “math phobia,” we also need to rethink the heavy emphasis on memorization in today’s math instruction. Too often, students can solve problems not because they understand the underlying concepts, but because they’ve memorized a set of steps. This approach limits growth and deeper learning. Memorization of the right answers does not lead to understanding, but understanding can lead to the right answers.

    Take, for example, a third grader learning their times tables. The third grader can memorize the answers to each square on the times table along with its coordinating multipliers, but that doesn’t mean they understand multiplication. If, instead, they grasp how multiplication works–what it means–they can figure out the times tables on their own. The reverse isn’t true. Without conceptual understanding, students are limited to recall, which puts them at a disadvantage when trying to build off previous knowledge.

    Learning from other subjects

    To design a math curriculum that aligns with how the brain naturally learns new information, we can take cues from how other subjects are taught. In English, for example, students don’t start by memorizing grammar rules in isolation–they’re first exposed to those rules within the context of stories. Imagine asking a student to take a grammar quiz before they’ve ever read a sentence–that would seem absurd. Yet in math, we often expect students to master procedures before they’ve had any meaningful exposure to the concepts behind them.

    Most other subjects are built around context. Students gain background knowledge before being expected to apply what they’ve learned. By giving students a story or a visual context for the mind to process–breaking it down and making connections–students can approach problems like a puzzle or game, instead of a dreaded exercise. Math can do the same. By adopting the contextual strategies used in other subjects, math instruction can become more intuitive and engaging, moving beyond the traditional textbook filled with equations.

    Math doesn’t have to be a source of fear–it can be a source of joy, curiosity, and confidence. But only if we design it the way the brain learns: with visuals first, understanding at the center, and every student in mind. By using approaches that provide visual-first context, students can engage with math in a way that mirrors how the brain naturally learns. This shift in learning makes math more approachable and accessible for all learners.

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    Nigel Nisbet, Mind Education

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  • Truth vs. risk management: How to move forward

    Key points:

    In the world of K-12 education, teachers are constantly making decisions that affect their students and families. In contrast, administrators are tasked with something even bigger: making decisions that also involve adults (parents, staff culture, etc.) and preventing conflicts from spiraling into formal complaints or legal issues. Therefore, decisions and actions often have to balance two competing values: truth and risk management.

    Some individuals, such as teachers, are very truth-oriented. They document interactions, clarify misunderstandings, and push for accuracy, recognizing that a single misrepresentation can erode trust with families, damage credibility in front of students, or most importantly, remove them from the good graces of administrators they respect and admire. Truth is not an abstract concept–it is paramount to professionalism and reputation. If a student states that they are earning a low grade because “the teacher doesn’t like me,” the teacher will go through their grade-book. If a parent claims that a teacher did not address an incident in the classroom, the teacher may respond by clarifying the inaccuracy via summarizing documentation of student statements, anecdotal evidence of student conversations, reflective activities, etc.

    De-escalation and appeasement

    In contrast, administrators are tasked with something even bigger. They have to view scenarios from the lens of risk management. Their role requires them to deescalate and appease. Administrators must protect the school’s reputation and prevent conflicts or disagreements from spiraling into formal complaints or legal issues. Through that lens, the truth sometimes takes a back seat to ostensibly achieve a quick resolution.

    When a house catches on fire, firefighters point the hose, put out the flames, and move on to their next emergency. They don’t care if the kitchen was recently remodeled; they don’t have the time or desire to figure out a plan to put out the fire by aiming at just the living room, bedrooms, and bathrooms. Administrators can be the same way–they just want the proverbial “fire” contained. They do not care about their employees’ feelings; they just care about smooth sailing and usually softly characterize matters as misunderstandings.

    To a classroom teacher who has carefully documented the truth, this injustice can feel like a bow tied around a bag of garbage. Administrators usually err on the side of appeasing the irrational, volatile, and dangerous employee, which risks the calmer employee feeling like they were overlooked because they are “weaker.” In reality, their integrity, professionalism, and level-headedness lead administrators to trust the employee will do right, know better, maintain appropriate decorum, rise above, and not foolishly escalate. This notion aligns to the scripture “To whom much is given, much is required” (Luke 12:48). Those with great abilities are judged at a higher bar.

    In essence, administrators do not care about feelings, because they have a job to do. The employee with higher integrity is not the easier target but is easier to redirect because they are the safer, principled, and ethical employee. This is not a weakness but a strength in the eyes of the administration and that is what they prefer (albeit the employee may be dismissed, confused, and their feelings may be hurt, but that is not the administration’s focus at all).

    Finding common ground

    Neither perspective (truth or risk management) is wrong. Risk management matters. Without it, schools would be replete with endless investigations and finger-pointing. Although, when risk management consistently overrides truth, the system teaches teachers that appearances matter more than accountability, which does not meet the needs of validation and can thus truly hurt on a personal level. However, in the work environment, finding common ground and moving forward is more important than finger-pointing because the priority has to be the children having an optimal learning environment.

    We must balance the two. Perhaps, administrators should communicate openly, privately, and directly to educators who may not always understand the “game.” Support and transparency are beneficial. Explaining the “why” behind a decision can go a long way in building staff trust, morale, and intelligence. Further, when teachers feel supported in their honesty, they are less likely to disengage because transparency, accuracy, and an explanation of risk management can actually prevent fires from igniting in the first place. Additionally, teachers and administrators should explore conflict resolution strategies that honor truth while still mitigating risk. This can assist in modelling for students what it means to live with integrity in complex situations. Kids deserve nothing less.

    Lastly, teachers need to be empathetic to the demands on their administrators. “If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day’s out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ’s law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived” (Galatians 6:1-3). This scripture means that teachers should focus less on criticizing or “keeping score” (irrespective of the truth and the facts, and even if false-facts are generated to manage risk), but should work collaboratively while also remembering and recognizing that our colleagues (and even administrators) can benefit from the simple support of our grace and understanding. Newer colleagues and administrators are often in survival mode.

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    Dr. Yuvraj Verma, Bessemer City Middle School and William Howard Taft University

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  • 2 Massachusetts men arrested in explosion on Harvard University medical campus

    Two men were arrested in connection with an explosion on Harvard University’s Longwood Medical Campus, federal officials said Tuesday. The explosion happened Saturday just before 3 a.m. on the fourth floor of Harvard’s Goldenson Building, which is on the university’s medical campus.Special agents and officers with the FBI Boston’s Joint Terrorism Task force and Harvard University Police Department arrested the Massachusetts men, who were not identified. A news conference is planned for 1 p.m.There was no structural damage to the building in the aftermath, and all labs and equipment remained fully operational. “It’s a shame that people do things like that,” said Boston police commissioner Michael Cox. “I’m pretty confident we will hold people accountable for that.”University police released photos of two suspects in the explosion, saying that the two were seen running from the building when police arrived at the scene.Cleaning crews were at the site of the explosion on Sunday, ensuring everything was cleared and fully operational. A sweep of the building was done, and no additional devices were found.”I haven’t heard anything like that going on here, so to hear that is wild,” said student Therese Lipscombe. “Big-name people are going to listen. So whatever their motive was, I’m sure they thought people were going to hear about it.””I do feel like this is a safe area. There’s a hospital nearby and a school, and just a lot of people in general,” said Lindsey Birmingham, who works nearby. “So I usually feel safe. I think I do still feel safe, but it definitely raises a lot of questions and alarms.”A person who lives nearby says they heard two explosions about five minutes apart.No one was injured in the incident.There will be an increased police presence at Harvard’s Longwood campus as officials continue to investigate. There is no threat to the public.

    BOSTON —

    Two men were arrested in connection with an explosion on Harvard University’s Longwood Medical Campus, federal officials said Tuesday.

    The explosion happened Saturday just before 3 a.m. on the fourth floor of Harvard’s Goldenson Building, which is on the university’s medical campus.

    Special agents and officers with the FBI Boston’s Joint Terrorism Task force and Harvard University Police Department arrested the Massachusetts men, who were not identified.

    A news conference is planned for 1 p.m.

    There was no structural damage to the building in the aftermath, and all labs and equipment remained fully operational.

    “It’s a shame that people do things like that,” said Boston police commissioner Michael Cox. “I’m pretty confident we will hold people accountable for that.”

    University police released photos of two suspects in the explosion, saying that the two were seen running from the building when police arrived at the scene.

    Hearst OwnedHarvard University

    Cleaning crews were at the site of the explosion on Sunday, ensuring everything was cleared and fully operational. A sweep of the building was done, and no additional devices were found.

    “I haven’t heard anything like that going on here, so to hear that is wild,” said student Therese Lipscombe. “Big-name people are going to listen. So whatever their motive was, I’m sure they thought people were going to hear about it.”

    “I do feel like this is a safe area. There’s a hospital nearby and a school, and just a lot of people in general,” said Lindsey Birmingham, who works nearby. “So I usually feel safe. I think I do still feel safe, but it definitely raises a lot of questions and alarms.”

    A person who lives nearby says they heard two explosions about five minutes apart.

    No one was injured in the incident.

    There will be an increased police presence at Harvard’s Longwood campus as officials continue to investigate. There is no threat to the public.

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