EduClips: From NYC’s Teacher Retention Woes To New Fallout From Parkland Shooting, School News You Missed This Week From America’s 15 Biggest Districts
EduClips: From NYC’s Teacher Retention Woes to New Fallout From Parkland Shooting, School News You Missed This Week From America’s 15 Biggest Districts
EduClips is a compilation of the most important education news stories from the 15 largest school districts in America. These districts serve more than 4 million students in eight states. You can find previous EduClips articles here.
New York City – Departing Teachers Cause District "Crisis": Comptroller Scott Stringer has declared a "teacher retention crisis" in New York City, revealing that 41% of teachers hired during the 2012-13 school year have left their jobs. In order to address this issue, Stringer has proposed a residency program that focuses on training. Under this program, rookie educators would receive a $30,000 stipend to work in a city school during their final year of graduate school. Stringer emphasizes the need for proper training and mentorship, stating that it is unacceptable for the district to lose half of its teachers every five years. (Source: New York Post)
Broward County – Deputies Fired in Parkland Shooting Case: Two sheriff’s deputies were fired this week for their failure to locate and confront the gunman during the Parkland school shooting in Florida last year. The shooting, which took place on February 14, 2018, resulted in the death of 17 students and faculty members at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. An Internal Affairs report revealed that deputies Josh Stambaugh and Edward Eason moved away from the source of the gunshots, leading Sheriff Gregory Tony to describe their actions as a "neglect of duty." Two other deputies involved in the incident, Scot Peterson and Sgt. Brian Miller, had already been fired. Peterson is now facing criminal charges, including negligence and perjury. (Source: NPR)
Los Angeles – $7.8 Billion Budget Approved Amid Financial Turmoil: Despite concerns about the clarity of the budget documents, the L.A. Unified board members passed a budget of $7.8 billion for the 2019-20 school year. This decision follows the failure of a highly anticipated parcel tax proposal and complaints from parents about the lack of transparency in the budget documents. The accountability plan, which is updated annually for a three-year period, outlines the district’s goals and strategies for improving student performance. This budget approval comes at a time of financial struggles for the district, including the possibility of a county takeover to address their financial issues. (Source: The74Million.org)
Hillsborough County – Freshman Dies During Summer Football Drills: All summer workouts and athletic activities in the Tampa area were halted after a 14-year-old incoming freshman collapsed during football drills. Following the tragic death of Hezekiah Walters, the district ordered coaches to review safety procedures at every school. The Walters family released a statement expressing their heartbreak and requesting peace. The Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s Office is currently investigating the cause of the student’s death. (Source: Tampa Bay Times)
Fairfax County – Drama Teacher Arrested Over Inappropriate Filming of Students: A high school drama teacher in Fairfax County has been arrested for filming female students in a dressing area and other locations. Police have obtained videos that were taken between May 2017 and June 2018 using a cell phone and remote camera. Raphael Schklowsky, the teacher in question, will face multiple charges. This is not the first time he has been involved in such incidents, as he was previously charged with unlawfully filming his au pair and possessing child pornography. Schklowsky has been suspended without pay. (Source: The Washington Post)
Notable Essays & Reflections
STUDENT DEBT – The Cancellation of Student Debt Won’t Solve Problems (Source: The New York Times)
SCHOOL CHOICE – School Choice is Not a Zero-Sum Game (Source: The74Million.org)
PERSONALIZED LEARNING – Insights for Schools Implementing Personalized Learning (Source: Education Week)
PARENTS – How Parents Can Support LGBTQ Students in School (Source: The Washington Post)
HEALTH – Study Shows That Staying in School Can Reduce Heart Disease Risk (Source: U.S. News and World Report)
Quotes of the Week
"Education reform should not be seen as a magical solution. As an advocate of improving education, I concur that resolving educational inequality requires a deeper focus on the underlying systemic issues of economic inequality," stated former president Barack Obama on Twitter.
"There is a pressing issue of retaining teachers in New York City, and we cannot sugarcoat it," expressed New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer, referring to reports indicating that 41 percent of teachers hired during the 2012-13 school year left their positions within the first five years. This was reported by the New York Post.
"No one can fulfill this profession without adequate support," emphasized Ambar Quinones, a fifth-grade teacher and mentor. These words were shared on The74Million.org.
"While education may not have been the primary focus of his agenda, the President has shown great support for the work we have accomplished," commented Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on President Trump’s policy priorities. This quote can be found on Politics K-12.
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