Latest news with #EnglishLearner
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Madison County Schools will offer free summer meals for children
MADISON, Miss. (WJTV) – For two weeks in June, the Madison County School District will offer free breakfast and lunch. All children, regardless of residency, ages 18 and younger are eligible for the free meals through the National School Lunch Program's Seamless Summer Option. Mississippi third-graders set record in reading assessment According to the school district, the meals will be available at Ann Smith Elementary School on weekdays beginning on Monday, June 9 through Friday, June 20. The dates coincide with the district's English Learner camp hosted by the Madison County Schools Department of Federal Programs. Students attending camp at the school will enjoy the free meals each day, and the public is also invited to take part in the free meal service. Breakfast will be served from 7:40 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and lunch from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Meals may be eaten in the Ann Smith Elementary School cafeteria, but takeout service will not be offered. Officials said adults accompanying children may purchase breakfast for $2.75 and lunch for $4.25. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Roanoke City School Board facing 'hard decisions' before finalizing budget
ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR) — Roanoke City School Board members met Tuesday to hear budget updates after City Council made the final decision to approve level funding. The school district will receive the same money from the city as they did last year, but they had already factored in extra funds when they presented their budget in March. The city also voted Monday night to change their annual funding for schools from 40% of local taxes received, to 'up to' 40%. The district's Chief Financial Officer shared new costs for the next fiscal year, like the 40 additional English Learner teachers required by the State, and possible cuts, like the 13 elementary school Spanish teachers who will be trained to fill some of those English Learner teacher jobs. Budget recommendations made to Roanoke City Council Tuesday night, the CFO Kathleen Jackson proposed using about $9.35 million from the fund balance, or rainy day fund. In March, the district originally wanted to use almost $3.8 million. After receiving level funding locally, they're tacking another almost $6.7 million onto that. They reported a $881,000 variance in State funding between what they'd planned for in March and the number they were quoted in May, so Jackson added that. The district cut close to $2 million in expenditures, which was subtracted from the total they want to use from the fund balance. Jackson says the board will continue to meet with City leadership about the budget and whether or not they'll have access to the fund balance. Final budget considerations will be presented to the School Board May 27, and the Board will approve a final budget June 10. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Department of Justice ends 9-year oversight of Worcester schools
The Department of Justice (DOJ) will stop monitoring how Worcester Public Schools (WPS) provides English as a Second Language, the school district announced Monday. In a notification received on April 30 by WPS, the DOJ announced it would end the monitoring of the district, citing that WPS 'substantially complied with its obligations' as outlined in a 2016 legal agreement, according to WPS. For the past nine years, WPS has been overseen by the DOJ over how the district offers English as a Second Language, according to the press release from Worcester Public Schools. In 2016, the district entered an agreement with the federal government to address the concerns about the adequacy of the WPS instruction and services for English Learner students, according to the letter from the DOJ. This agreement was an update to a previous agreement the school signed with the DOJ in 2008. English learners students are classified as students who are learning English or have limited to no proficiency in English, according to the DOJ in the 2016 agreement. WPS had to provide reports to the federal government to demonstrate its efforts to comply with the agreement. 'The Worcester Public Schools has demonstrated that it has strong systems in place to ensure we are effectively providing English as a Second Language instruction for our scholars,' said Dr. Rachel H. Monárrez, superintendent of WPS, in the press release. 'Systems have been enhanced over the past three years specifically to not only provide required instructional services but to monitor them in a systematic and timely manner. I express my deep thanks to the many educators and administrators who have worked tirelessly to ensure our scholars are getting the education for which they are entitled.' In addition to the news that the DOJ would cease its monitoring efforts, WPS announced there were increases in English Learner students who have proven mastery in the language. These students are known as 'former' English Learner students. A total of 10.9% of the student body in the 2024-25 school year are former English Learner students, according to the district — an increase from 9.4% from the 2021-22 school year. The largest increase in students who became former English Learners is those in middle school, increasing from 4.9% to 8.4% in the same period. In total, 32.2% of Worcester's student body are classified as English Learners, while 58.4% are labeled as having English not as their first language, according to the Massachusetts Department of Education. 'Speaking, reading and writing in more than one language is an asset to be celebrated,' Monárrez said. 'When children move on from English learner status, by demonstrating proficiency in English, they have access to more opportunities and courses while possessing the gift of multilingualism. This is a benefit to our scholars, community and future workforce advancement.' Worcester man who killed and burned woman on rooftop asks for parole 'She made the world better': Funeral held for Molly McGovern, Rep. McGovern's daughter When children get evicted, they lose homes, health, chance at education and a future Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Unrest over 50 threatened school jobs in Mass. city sparks rally
Teachers, parents and students will gather at Methuen City Hall on Wednesday evening to protest against the potential cuts of up to 50 positions by the school district. Many education positions that could be on the chopping block include reading specialists and English Learner teachers, said Kara Blatt, co-President of the Methuen Education Association (MEA) and a special education teacher at the Comprehensive Grammar School. 'This would be absolutely devastating to our schools. We are a community where more than one third of our students' first language is not English. I am in utter disbelief,' Blatt said. Alongside MEA, the group will attend the Methuen School Committee's meeting at 6 p.m. at the Searles Building Great Hall, located at 41 Pleasant St. The protesters will call on the School Committee to tell Methuen Mayor David Beauregard and city councilors 'that Methuen's children deserve better.' Staff were informed of the possible job losses during recent 'building-level meetings,' a statement from the MEA read. The group claimed city officials have given 'mixed messages' on the decision that have 'only added to the confusion and fear.' Methuen Superintendent Brandi Kwong did not immediately respond to MassLive for comment. The cuts 'will cause our class sizes to explode,' Blatt said, and would target programs that are 'essential to many of our highest-need students.' The MEA cited data from the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education that showed 67% of Methuen students are classified as 'High Needs.' The news comes just weeks after expired contracts with the MEA were settled by city leaders, a sign the MEA said it took to show the leaders were 'publicly committed to investing in schools.' 'The city has the money,' said Nicholas Desrosiers, a father of five with two children at the Comprehensive Grammar School. 'What our students and families need at this moment are elected leaders who want to stand up for our schools,' Desrosiers said. 'We were told our work mattered. We were told there would be investment. They're going to slash the Wellness programs in the lower schools, and critical arts programs that enrich learning for all students. It's a betrayal,' said Sharon LaPlante, a high school parent and Marsh Grammar School teacher. One of the most haunted houses in Massachusetts is now on sale Judge overturns 1985 Springfield murder conviction Fall River kitten given 'life-saving' surgery to amputate leg; will need new home Show goes on as famous country singer has onstage tumble Man living in Lawrence illegally arrested after discovery of 65K fentanyl pills
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
General Assembly passes bill giving schools more say on classroom phone rules
A group of teenagers checking their cellphones. (Photo courtesy of SDI Productions via Getty Images) Virginia school boards may soon have more control over how cell phones and smart devices are governed in classrooms. Legislation granting local districts the authority to craft their own policies cleared the General Assembly on Friday and now heads to Gov. Glenn Youngkin for consideration. House Bill 1961, introduced by Sam Rasoul, D-Roanoke, and it's companion measure, Senate Bill 738 by Sen. Stella Pekarsky, D-Fairfax, comes amid growing concerns over the impact of smartphones on children's health. While research has linked excessive phone use to adverse effects on students' well-being, advocates also recognize the role devices play in providing educational resources and communication tools. Last year, a similar measure aimed at allowing school boards to ban phones and other 'handheld communication devices' during school hours failed to pass. However, many schools had already implemented their own restrictions. Unlike Yougkin's existing guidelines, Rasoul emphasized that his proposal provides more local flexibility and ensures age-appropriate policies across different schools. It also includes critical exceptions for students with disabilities who rely on electronic devices for communication. Importantly, Rasoul said the legislation prevents harsh disciplinary measures, ensuring that violating a school's phone policy alone wouldn't lead to suspension or expulsion. 'We just wanted to ensure that this new cell phone policy wasn't weaponized against the students and that would lead to suspension and expulsion,' Rasoul said. 'While the student can be pulled from the classroom, of course, if they're acting up, we want to ensure that we are not utilizing this new policy in a way that, in and of itself, just by violating the policy would lead to expelling a student.' Last summer, Youngkin signed Executive Order 33, directing his administration to implement cell phone-free policies amid rising concerns over children's mental health and declining academic performance. Citing research by the American Psychological Association, the order highlights that adolescents who spend more than three hours daily on social media daily are twice as likely to experience poor mental health. It also references studies showing that children spend an average of 4.8 hours a day on social media and that students who use their phones during class learn less and earn lower grades. Under the guidelines, which took effect on Jan. 1, elementary, middle, and high school students are required to be phone-free during the entire school day, with middle and high schoolers permitted to use their phones only before or after school. Local school divisions have the flexibility to tailor specific rules to their district's needs. The policy also includes exemptions for students with disabilities and English Learner students with documented language barriers. During a Senate Education and Health subcommittee hearing last month, Pekarsky said that the response to Youngkin's order was 'successful' and 'positive.' However, she stressed the need to formally establish these policies in state law to ensure consistency and local control. 'We just need to codify this to make sure that everyone knows that you have to have a policy, you have to talk with your community [and] discuss what policy works for you,' Pekarsky said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
