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Whitmer: Schools should inform parents about ineffective curriculum

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www.chalkbeat.org – Lori Higgins – 2025-02-10 09:51:00

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Whitmer: Schools should be required to inform parents about ineffective curriculum

Lori Higgins, Chalkbeat

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Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s education budget proposal for the 2025-26 school year would require elementary schools to notify parents if they are using a high-quality curriculum to teach students.

It’s one of the initiatives in her budget proposal, introduced Wednesday to the Michigan Legislature, that requires schools to be more transparent with parents about how their children’s schools are performing.

Her proposal also includes an increase in state per-pupil funding for schools, as well as increases in funding for early childhood programs, at-risk students, and career and technical education programs, and to increase funding for districts that follow best practices.

The parent transparency efforts are a key part of the governor’s hopes. The recommendations come on the heels of the state’s disappointing scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, or NAEP, a national exam given to a representative sample of students in each state. The scores released last week show Michigan students aren’t making much progress academically.

“By providing this information to parents, buildings using less-than-effective curriculum will be held more accountable,” the proposal says of the parent notices.

Schools serving students in grades kindergarten through five would have to mail parents a report if their curriculum isn’t “evidence-based” and include a “plan for how and when the district will implement more effective instructional practices.” It was unclear Wednesday afternoon who would determine what is considered evidence-based and how they would make that determination.

Several other parent transparency efforts include:

  • Parents would also have to be notified if their children’s schools fall in the bottom 5% academically among schools statewide on the state’s accountability system, or if subgroups of students — such as students from low-income homes — perform near the bottom of academic rankings. “Districts will be required to outline a plan to remedy this situation as well as a mechanism for parental feedback,” the proposal reads.
  • Districts would have to send a report to parents showing how they are spending money provided by the state for at-risk students. The report must show how the districts will “equitably target those dollars toward highest need schools,” and what evidence-based interventions are being used.
  • School boards would need to have a discussion and provide time for public input on how it will enhance parental engagement, on school academic outcomes, on improvement on benchmark and state exams.
  • Districts would be required to add a link on the main page of their website that links back to the state parent dashboard, which is aimed at giving parents information to gauge how their children’s schools are performing.

Here are some of the governor’s other education spending proposals:

  • The minimum per-pupil grant for Michigan schools would increase by $392 dollars, to $10,000 per student. Online cyber schools that operate virtually 100% of the time would receive 20% less than that amount, or $8,000 per student.
  • The state would increase by 4.1%, or $94 million, the amount of money targeted at students who are considered at risk, students with disabilities, and English language learners. It also includes increased payments for students enrolled in career and technical education programs, students enrolled in rural and isolated districts, and for intermediate school districts.
  • The state would continue to invest in providing its PreK for All initiative. That includes increasing the per child allocation by $392, to $10,577. The proposal also includes allocating $25 million in start-up grants for new providers and classrooms.
  • The budget would also provide increased funding for literacy supports, mental health, teen health centers, and before- and after-school programs.
  • A proposed $232 million for districts that implement best practices and high impact tutoring. It’s unclear what those best practices would be, but the proposal said it would be a “pre-defined list” of best practices.

Correction: Feb. 10, 2025: This story was corrected to note that full-time cyber schools would receive 20% less than the $10,000 per pupil all other K-12 schools would receive.

Lori Higgins is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Detroit. You can reach her at lhiggins@chalkbeat.org.

Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools.

News from the South - Tennessee News Feed

Rome Ramirez: Solo Debut

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Rome Ramirez: Solo Debut

www.youtube.com – WKRN News 2 – 2025-04-18 15:12:58

SUMMARY: Rome Ramirez, former Sublime member, celebrates his solo debut with the single “Why Me.” The song reflects his 15-year journey with Sublime, flipping the negative question “Why me?” into a message of gratitude and perseverance. Written with close friend Chris Galbuta, the track showcases Ramirez’s personal growth. The debut single’s cover artwork features a young Ramirez with a Sublime poster, symbolizing his roots. Ramirez, now living in Nashville, is also gearing up for upcoming festivals, including Summerfest in Milwaukee, while releasing more music throughout the year. He remains grateful for his experiences with Sublime and his musical journey.

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He is a multi-platinum singer and songwriter, and now He is debuting his solo career today on Local On 2! You know Rome Ramirez from his time as the front man of Sublime and Rome! Now he is stepping out on his own with his new song, “Why Me?”

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News from the South - Tennessee News Feed

Tennessee’s March revenues below estimates | Tennessee

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Tennessee's March revenues below estimates | Tennessee

www.thecentersquare.com – By Kim Jarrett | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-04-18 12:36:00

(The Center Square) – Tennessee’s revenues for March were $33.3 million less than the budgeted estimates, according to Department of Finance and Administration Commissioner Jim Bryson.

The $1.6 billion in collections is $69.3 million less than March 2024.

“Sales tax receipts, which reflect February’s consumer activity, were likely impacted by adverse weather conditions,” Bryson said. “Corporate tax collections came in slightly below target but remained largely in line with expectations.”

Fuel taxes exceeded budget expectations, increasing by $9.1 million, a 10.39% jump.

Corporate collections are down 13.9% when compared to March 2024, a difference of $44 million. Corporate tax revenues year-to-date are 9.65% below estimates and down 22% when compared to August 2023 to March 2024 numbers. The General Assembly passed a corporate franchise tax cut in 2024 that was estimated to cost the state $1.6 billion. Corporations started applying for the tax break in May 2024.

Bryson reported a decline of $35.4 million in general fund revenues for March.

“Although we fell short of our monthly target, year-to-date revenues remain just below forecast,” Bryson said. “We will continue to closely monitor economic indicators and revenue trends to maintain fiscal stability.”

March is the eighth month of the fiscal year 2024-2025 budget.

The General Assembly passed the $59.8 billion budget for fiscal year 2025-2026 earlier this week, which does not include any tax breaks.

Lawmakers from both parties raised concerns about possible federal budget cuts that could affect Tennessee. Sen. Bo Watson, R-Hixson, said when the budget process began in February that the state was already seeing a freeze in some programs.

House and Senate Democrats sent a letter to Bryson this week asking for more details on federal budget cuts.

The post Tennessee’s March revenues below estimates | Tennessee appeared first on www.thecentersquare.com

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U.S. Supreme Court to hear case on Trump’s birthright citizenship order

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tennesseelookout.com – Jennifer Shutt – 2025-04-17 17:00:00

by Jennifer Shutt, Tennessee Lookout
April 17, 2025

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court announced Thursday it will hear oral arguments next month over President Donald Trump’s efforts to restructure birthright citizenship, though the justices won’t decide on the merits of the case just yet. 

Instead, they will choose whether to leave in place nationwide injunctions from lower courts that so far have blocked the Trump administration from implementing the executive order.

The oral arguments, scheduled for May 15, will likely provide the first indication of whether any of the nine justices are interested in revisiting the Court’s interpretation of the 14th Amendment, which was ratified in 1868 following the Civil War.

The amendment states that “all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”

The Supreme Court ruled in 1898 in United States v. Wong Kim Ark that the 14th Amendment guarantees any child born in the United States is entitled to U.S. citizenship, even if their parents are not citizens.

Trump disagrees with that ruling and signed an executive order on his first day in office seeking to change which babies born in the United States become citizens. If that order were implemented, babies whose parents were “unlawfully present in the United States” or whose parents’ presence “was lawful but temporary” would not be eligible for citizenship.

Several organizations and Democratic attorneys general filed lawsuits seeking to block the executive order, leading to nationwide injunctions against its implementation.

Last month, the Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to intervene in the lower court’s nationwide injunctions, limiting them to the organizations and states that filed suit.

The three cases are Trump v. State of Washington, Trump v. CASA, Inc. and Trump v. State of New Jersey.

Legislation

Nationwide injunctions by lower court judges have become an issue for Republicans in Congress as well as the Trump administration.

Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley introduced a bill in Congress that would bar federal district court judges from being able to implement nationwide injunctions.

“We all have to agree to give up the universal injunction as a weapon against policies we disagree with,” Grassley said during a hearing earlier this month. “The damage it causes to the judicial system and to our democracy is too great.”

Tennessee Lookout is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Tennessee Lookout maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Holly McCall for questions: info@tennesseelookout.com.

The post U.S. Supreme Court to hear case on Trump’s birthright citizenship order appeared first on tennesseelookout.com

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