Latest news with #OCR
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
United States Department of Education opens disability discrimination investigation into Green Bay Area Public School District
(WFRV) – The United States Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced on Wednesday that it is opening a Title VI and disability-discrimination investigation into the Green Bay Area Public School District. A release from the Department of Education's OCR said the investigation is based on a complaint from the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty. The complaint alleges that the Green Bay Area Public School District discriminated against a student with dyslexia based on their race. Groups gather outside Senator Ron Johnson's Oshkosh office to voice concerns over possible Medicaid & Medicare cutsA According to the release, the complaint specifically alleged that the District prioritizes its special education services to students based on racial priority groups. The complaint also said that the student in question did not fall into the group because he is white, the OCR release said. The complaint continues, alleging that the District 'discriminated against the student based on disability and failed to provide timely and adequate special education services.' The statement below is from the Department of Education's press release: 'In America, we do not 'prioritize' students for educational access, nor do we judge their worth, on the basis of skin color. Schools must provide special needs students access to supportive educational resources on an equal footing and on the basis of need, not on the basis of race. The Trump-McMahon Education Department rejects the false and patronizing idea that certain forms of discrimination are 'benign.' We will vigorously investigate this matter to ensure that the Green Bay Area Public School District is not discriminating against its students on the basis of race and disability.' Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor The statement below is from the press release, referring to the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty: 'We are grateful to Secretary McMahon and the Office for Civil Rights for opening this investigation into Green Bay Area Public School District. It is heartbreaking to think that, in America, a school would consider whether or not to provide services to a disabled student based not on that student's need, but on the color his skin. This is not only unlawful – it is an affront to the character of the American people. We are proud to work alongside the Department of Education to hold schools accountable for their antidiscrimination obligations and to ensure that no student is denied their equal opportunity protections under the law.' Cory Brewer, Education Counsel at Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty Menasha school district negotiating to take over Fox Cities childcare center The full release can be viewed here. The official complaint is available here. Local 5 will provide updates on this situation as needed. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
RNZ News
5 hours ago
- Business
- RNZ News
OCR cut but warnings about inflation, unemployment
Photo: RNZ A cut to the official cash rate, but warnings about the strength of the economy from the Reserve Bank yesterday. The Central Bank committee cut the OCR by 25 basis points, or a quarter of a per cent, to 3.25 percent. The committe voted 5 to 1 for the cut. Its accompanying statement predicts more jobs in time, but that in the short term the labour market will remain weak and inflation will rise. Kathryn speaks with BNZ's head of research, Stephen Toplis.
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
U.S. Education Department launches civil rights investigation into Green Bay School District
The U.S. Education Department's Office of Civil Rights has launched an investigation into the Green Bay School District after a January complaint alleged an elementary school discriminated against a White student based on his race. 'In America, we do not 'prioritize' students for educational access, nor do we judge their worth, on the basis of skin color. Schools must provide special needs students access to supportive educational resources on an equal footing and on the basis of need, not on the basis of race,' acting assistant secretary for civil rights Craig Trainor said in a May 28 news release. In the complaint, the law firm Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty alleged the district discriminated against Green Bay King Elementary parent Colby Decker's son by not providing him access to literacy resources because he was not a 'focus student,' which was defined as a First Nations, Black or Hispanic student in King's student success plan. The focus student language has since been changed. Decker's son has dyslexia, and she told WILL she requested he receive a one-on-one intervention. She said her son was put on a waiting list for reading interventions in April 2024 and was finally placed in a small group intervention last fall, which she said caused her son to fall behind. Decker and WILL allege the district violated Title VI, which prohibits racial and ethnic discrimination. The civil rights complaint also raised concerns about the way the district handled WILL's original complaint, saying the district's investigation was biased. The complaint also claimed the district didn't meet special education law needs relating to Decker's son's dyslexia, which they said would account for discrimination on the basis of disability. On May 28, OCR said it had opened a formal investigation into Green Bay based on the complaint. It will investigate whether the district violated Title VI, which prohibits racial and ethnic discrimination, and whether it failed to evaluate Decker's son as a student with disabilities, which it says is discrimination under federal law. "The district had many opportunities to change course and make clear it would be treating its students in a colorblind way, and they didn't do that," WILL legal counsel Cory Brewer said. "We really hope this investigation is eye-opening for the district, particularly for district leaders." Green Bay communications director Lori Blakeslee said the district hadn't yet received anything from OCR. Contact Green Bay education reporter Nadia Scharf at nscharf@ or on X at @nadiaascharf. This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Federal civil rights investigation launched into Green Bay Schools
The Spinoff
8 hours ago
- Business
- The Spinoff
OCR cut promises a mild boost for still-stagnant property market
Economists saw it coming, banks moved early, and mortgage holders will feel the effects – but the OCR cut heralds only a housing bump at best, writes Catherine McGregor in today's extract from The Bulletin. Called it In a move that surprised no one but still carried significant implications, the Reserve Bank yesterday cut the Official Cash Rate (OCR) by 25 basis points to 3.25% – exactly what economists had widely predicted. The central bank's monetary policy statement (MPS) struck a delicate balance: acknowledging economic recovery while noting persistent global uncertainties, especially from heightened US tariffs. Inflation is now within the 1-3% target band, and core price pressures continue to ease. Though one monetary policy committee member argued for holding the rate at 3.5% while the impact of Trump's tariffs filtered through, five others voted to cut, citing 'significant spare capacity' in the economy. The OCR is now at its lowest point since October 2022, marking a 225-point drop in nine months. The RBNZ forecasts the OCR at 2.85% by the end of the year, implying at least one more cut, possibly two, before the year's end, writes the Herald's Liam Dann (paywalled). 'Yet, countering that, Hawkesby said the committee currently had no clear bias as to what its next move will be in July. As the RBNZ has stressed many times in the past, these rate tracks are not forecasts it expects people should count on.' The MPS contained the word 'uncertain' a whopping 164 times, Dann's colleague Jenée Tibshraeny reports (paywalled). Banks move fast, and mortgage relief is coming Some banks didn't wait for the official announcement. BNZ dropped mortgage rates on Tuesday, with Westpac, ANZ and ASB following soon after. Advertised special rates – for those with a below 80% LVR – are currently sitting between 4.95% and 4.99% for one and two-year terms, and 5.39-5.49% for six months. These shifts matter: nearly half of all mortgages are due to be refixed in the June and September quarters, according to the MPS. That means hundreds of thousands of households will soon find themselves with more discretionary income – a boost not only for household budgets but also, potentially, for the wider economy. Finance minister Nicola Willis hailed the cut as good news for 'local shops, local cafes' and hopeful first-home buyers alike. Buyers return, but don't expect fireworks Predictably, real estate agents were quick to herald the cut as the signal buyers had been waiting for. LJ Hooker's Campbell Dunoon told The Post (paywalled) it could 'bolster buyer sentiment', while Ray White economist Nerida Conisbee suggested lower borrowing costs would prompt renewed activity, especially for first-home buyers. But independent economist Tony Alexander remains unconvinced. His latest surveys show weak buyer urgency and ongoing sluggishness in auction attendance. 'It's still a buyer's market,' he writes in OneRoof, adding that while the OCR cut will help some buyers financially, its psychological effect is limited. 'For now, the housing outlook remains one of high supply of new and existing properties and buyers feeling no need at all to hurry and make a purchase.' Kelvin Davidson of Cotality (formerly CoreLogic) struck a similar note, forecasting only a 'subdued upturn' in 2025. While the Reserve Bank expects home values to climb 3.5% this year and 4.8% in 2026, the housing rebound, if it arrives, will be modest. With high listings and little FOMO in sight, most experts expect vendors will need to blink first. Landlords squeezed by poor returns For residential property investors, the pain isn't over. Even before this week's cut, data shows only marginal improvements in yields and cash flow, Greg Ninness of Interest reports. National rental yields have ticked up slightly this year thanks to falling property prices and modest rent increases, but they're still far from compelling. Once costs like rates, insurance and maintenance are factored in, many investment properties continue to run at a loss. That's left landlords caught between 'the rock of negative cash flow and the hard place of capital losses' if they were to sell, Ninness writes. Alexander adds that tenants in strong financial positions are staying put – they're getting good rental deals and see no urgency to buy. That's understandable, he says, but 'with few other buyers competing to acquire property currently, this remains a very good time to make a purchase' – if you're confident you'll still have a job in a year's time, of course.
The Advertiser
16 hours ago
- Business
- The Advertiser
Reserve Bank of NZ cuts rates again as inflation falls
New Zealand's central bank has cut rates for a sixth straight meeting, confirming inflation is under control, but amid concerns about the economy. The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) reduced the official cash rate (OCR) by 25 basis points to 3.25 per cent on Wednesday. It has also issued an updated future track, suggesting at least one and perhaps two OCR cuts to come. The tracking downgrades a previous forecast to have the OCR sitting at 2.9 per cent by year's end. Wednesday's cut was not a consensus call, with Governor Christian Hawkesby revealing one committee member dissented, preferring to hold. "Core inflation is declining and there is spare productive capacity in the economy," he said. Spare capacity might be an understatement. New Zealand is enduring a tough run of low growth, or as was the case last year, a deep six-month recession when the economy shrunk by more than two per cent. Mr Hawkesby said the economy was "recovering after a period of contraction" and was currently propped up by high commodity prices. Responding to the environment, as well as shrunken inflation, the RBNZ has cut by 225 basis points in nine months. Some bankers want it to go further, and quickly, to improve business conditions. Kiwibank chief economist Jarrod Kerr said domestic weakness and overseas uncertainty put the case for a bigger rate cut now, before landing at 2.5 per cent soon. "The economy needs stimulus, not restraint," Mr Kerr told Newstalk ZB prior to the decision. "These tariffs, no matter how much they get dialled back ... it's still a tariff across the world, it's still a negative. It still puts deflationary pressure on the economy. "We're saying get it into stimulatory territory and lets kickstart the economy into next year." Arguing for the prudent pathway of the 25 basis point cut, Mr Hawkesby said it was not clear how global heavyweights would respond to the US-led trade war. "For example, it is possible that China could respond to weaker economic activity with a sizeable fiscal stimulus," he said. He said the six-person committee was "literally locked in a room for a week and a half to work it through" and the lack of consensus "reflects the degree of uncertainty that we're dealing with at the moment". Banks, including ANZ and ASB, are still backing the OCR to hit a floor of 2.75 per cent this year. The RBNZ's new forecasts also predict shallow GDP growth of just 1.8 per cent this year, but in better news, an unemployment rate peaking at just 5.2 per cent. The lack of surety from the central bank prompted tepid moves from major lenders. While BNZ cut its floating rate by 25 basis points ahead of the decision, ANZ and Westpac moved after and cut by only 20 and 15 respectively. New Zealand's central bank has cut rates for a sixth straight meeting, confirming inflation is under control, but amid concerns about the economy. The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) reduced the official cash rate (OCR) by 25 basis points to 3.25 per cent on Wednesday. It has also issued an updated future track, suggesting at least one and perhaps two OCR cuts to come. The tracking downgrades a previous forecast to have the OCR sitting at 2.9 per cent by year's end. Wednesday's cut was not a consensus call, with Governor Christian Hawkesby revealing one committee member dissented, preferring to hold. "Core inflation is declining and there is spare productive capacity in the economy," he said. Spare capacity might be an understatement. New Zealand is enduring a tough run of low growth, or as was the case last year, a deep six-month recession when the economy shrunk by more than two per cent. Mr Hawkesby said the economy was "recovering after a period of contraction" and was currently propped up by high commodity prices. Responding to the environment, as well as shrunken inflation, the RBNZ has cut by 225 basis points in nine months. Some bankers want it to go further, and quickly, to improve business conditions. Kiwibank chief economist Jarrod Kerr said domestic weakness and overseas uncertainty put the case for a bigger rate cut now, before landing at 2.5 per cent soon. "The economy needs stimulus, not restraint," Mr Kerr told Newstalk ZB prior to the decision. "These tariffs, no matter how much they get dialled back ... it's still a tariff across the world, it's still a negative. It still puts deflationary pressure on the economy. "We're saying get it into stimulatory territory and lets kickstart the economy into next year." Arguing for the prudent pathway of the 25 basis point cut, Mr Hawkesby said it was not clear how global heavyweights would respond to the US-led trade war. "For example, it is possible that China could respond to weaker economic activity with a sizeable fiscal stimulus," he said. He said the six-person committee was "literally locked in a room for a week and a half to work it through" and the lack of consensus "reflects the degree of uncertainty that we're dealing with at the moment". Banks, including ANZ and ASB, are still backing the OCR to hit a floor of 2.75 per cent this year. The RBNZ's new forecasts also predict shallow GDP growth of just 1.8 per cent this year, but in better news, an unemployment rate peaking at just 5.2 per cent. The lack of surety from the central bank prompted tepid moves from major lenders. While BNZ cut its floating rate by 25 basis points ahead of the decision, ANZ and Westpac moved after and cut by only 20 and 15 respectively. New Zealand's central bank has cut rates for a sixth straight meeting, confirming inflation is under control, but amid concerns about the economy. The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) reduced the official cash rate (OCR) by 25 basis points to 3.25 per cent on Wednesday. It has also issued an updated future track, suggesting at least one and perhaps two OCR cuts to come. The tracking downgrades a previous forecast to have the OCR sitting at 2.9 per cent by year's end. Wednesday's cut was not a consensus call, with Governor Christian Hawkesby revealing one committee member dissented, preferring to hold. "Core inflation is declining and there is spare productive capacity in the economy," he said. Spare capacity might be an understatement. New Zealand is enduring a tough run of low growth, or as was the case last year, a deep six-month recession when the economy shrunk by more than two per cent. Mr Hawkesby said the economy was "recovering after a period of contraction" and was currently propped up by high commodity prices. Responding to the environment, as well as shrunken inflation, the RBNZ has cut by 225 basis points in nine months. Some bankers want it to go further, and quickly, to improve business conditions. Kiwibank chief economist Jarrod Kerr said domestic weakness and overseas uncertainty put the case for a bigger rate cut now, before landing at 2.5 per cent soon. "The economy needs stimulus, not restraint," Mr Kerr told Newstalk ZB prior to the decision. "These tariffs, no matter how much they get dialled back ... it's still a tariff across the world, it's still a negative. It still puts deflationary pressure on the economy. "We're saying get it into stimulatory territory and lets kickstart the economy into next year." Arguing for the prudent pathway of the 25 basis point cut, Mr Hawkesby said it was not clear how global heavyweights would respond to the US-led trade war. "For example, it is possible that China could respond to weaker economic activity with a sizeable fiscal stimulus," he said. He said the six-person committee was "literally locked in a room for a week and a half to work it through" and the lack of consensus "reflects the degree of uncertainty that we're dealing with at the moment". Banks, including ANZ and ASB, are still backing the OCR to hit a floor of 2.75 per cent this year. The RBNZ's new forecasts also predict shallow GDP growth of just 1.8 per cent this year, but in better news, an unemployment rate peaking at just 5.2 per cent. The lack of surety from the central bank prompted tepid moves from major lenders. While BNZ cut its floating rate by 25 basis points ahead of the decision, ANZ and Westpac moved after and cut by only 20 and 15 respectively. New Zealand's central bank has cut rates for a sixth straight meeting, confirming inflation is under control, but amid concerns about the economy. The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) reduced the official cash rate (OCR) by 25 basis points to 3.25 per cent on Wednesday. It has also issued an updated future track, suggesting at least one and perhaps two OCR cuts to come. The tracking downgrades a previous forecast to have the OCR sitting at 2.9 per cent by year's end. Wednesday's cut was not a consensus call, with Governor Christian Hawkesby revealing one committee member dissented, preferring to hold. "Core inflation is declining and there is spare productive capacity in the economy," he said. Spare capacity might be an understatement. New Zealand is enduring a tough run of low growth, or as was the case last year, a deep six-month recession when the economy shrunk by more than two per cent. Mr Hawkesby said the economy was "recovering after a period of contraction" and was currently propped up by high commodity prices. Responding to the environment, as well as shrunken inflation, the RBNZ has cut by 225 basis points in nine months. Some bankers want it to go further, and quickly, to improve business conditions. Kiwibank chief economist Jarrod Kerr said domestic weakness and overseas uncertainty put the case for a bigger rate cut now, before landing at 2.5 per cent soon. "The economy needs stimulus, not restraint," Mr Kerr told Newstalk ZB prior to the decision. "These tariffs, no matter how much they get dialled back ... it's still a tariff across the world, it's still a negative. It still puts deflationary pressure on the economy. "We're saying get it into stimulatory territory and lets kickstart the economy into next year." Arguing for the prudent pathway of the 25 basis point cut, Mr Hawkesby said it was not clear how global heavyweights would respond to the US-led trade war. "For example, it is possible that China could respond to weaker economic activity with a sizeable fiscal stimulus," he said. He said the six-person committee was "literally locked in a room for a week and a half to work it through" and the lack of consensus "reflects the degree of uncertainty that we're dealing with at the moment". Banks, including ANZ and ASB, are still backing the OCR to hit a floor of 2.75 per cent this year. The RBNZ's new forecasts also predict shallow GDP growth of just 1.8 per cent this year, but in better news, an unemployment rate peaking at just 5.2 per cent. The lack of surety from the central bank prompted tepid moves from major lenders. While BNZ cut its floating rate by 25 basis points ahead of the decision, ANZ and Westpac moved after and cut by only 20 and 15 respectively.
