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<p><i>Sign up for </i><a href="https://ckbe.at/4g9eqIV" target="_self" rel="" title="https://ckbe.at/4g9eqIV"><i><u>Chalkbeat New York’s free daily newsletter</u></i></a><i> to get essential news about NYC’s public schools delivered to your inbox.</i></p><p>For the first time, the Specialized High School Admissions Test <a href="https://www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2025/01/17/what-to-know-for-2025-digital-shsat-specialized-high-school-admissions-test/" rel="">went digital this year</a>, and the transition went smoothly, Education Department officials said.</p><p>Of the roughly 19,500 eighth graders who took the exam Wednesday at their middle schools, just four, so far, will be taking the test this weekend or next week due to a technical issue with extended time accommodations, officials said. </p><p>“We’re pleased to report that the shift to digital SHSAT testing on Wednesday was successful,” Education Department spokesperson Isla Gething said in a statement. “There were no citywide or schoolwide issues and we are working with schools to address the small number of technical issues that arose.”</p><p>The Specialized High School Admissions Test, or SHSAT, is the sole basis of entry for eight of New York City’s top high schools, including Stuyvesant and Bronx Science. Students at all standalone middle schools could take the test in school on Wednesday. Eighth graders at 6-12 schools, charters, and private schools will be able to take the test at central locations this weekend. (Ninth graders can take the test on Nov. 22 or Nov. 23.)</p><p>Students with disabilities who have extended time to take the test ran into some glitches at Manhattan’s M.S. 104, also known as Simon Baruch middle school. The test clock said these students had three hours for the test — but it should have said six hours.</p><p>After about 20 minutes of trying to troubleshoot, someone from the Education Department told the school to reset the exams to correct the timer, according to a letter sent to parents. That took about an hour.</p><p>“The students were obviously frustrated by this,” wrote Principal Chris Comparetto in the letter. “I know how important this exam is for families and how much time and effort goes into it.”</p><p>He offered the students the option to restart the test or take it on Nov. 18. (Three students opted for the make-up day, he noted.) Comparetto told families that the same issue happened at more than 15 Manhattan elementary schools. </p><p>Comparetto did not respond to questions from Chalkbeat. </p><p>Many students spend months studying for the exam, with some families paying thousands of dollars for tutors or classes to help them prepare. The <a href="https://www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2024/12/19/specialized-high-school-computerized-exam-approved-after-debate/" rel="">city approved a contract for the new exam</a> last school year. Before the test, the Education Department provided middle schools with a 45-minute digital SHSAT “readiness” activity so students could practice logging on, confirm accommodations, and navigate the new online features. </p><p>Some studies have found that students in general <a href="https://www.chalkbeat.org/2018/3/30/21104707/the-national-test-of-students-progress-has-gone-digital-a-state-leader-is-raising-questions-about-wh/" rel="">tend to perform worse when taking tests on computers and tablets</a>. But the research is not definitive, experts have told Chalkbeat. </p><p>Most students are accustomed to taking exams digitally, however. Students take MAP assessments online three times a year, and all students in grades 3-8 by this spring will be taking <a href="https://www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2024/03/25/schools-prepare-for-computer-based-new-york-state-tests/" rel="">computer-based state reading and math tests</a>.</p><p>Next year’s SHSAT is expected to be computer-adaptive, meaning that the level of difficulty of subsequent questions changes based on a test-taker’s responses. (This year’s test was not computer-adaptive.) </p><p>Last year, 25,933 students took the SHSAT, and 4,023, or 15.5%, received offers to the eight selective schools, according to Education Department data. </p><p><i>Amy Zimmer is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat New York. Contact Amy at</i><a href="mailto:azimmer@chalkbeat.org" rel=""><i>azimmer@chalkbeat.org</i></a><i>.</i></p>html

(The Center Square) - As Congress passed a funding deal to reopen the federal government on Wednesday night, California’s state legislators and congressional delegation spoke out about the push in D.C. to end the shutdown. Some lawmakers have expressed dissatisfaction with the deal, while some have stated their support for it. “Republicans stood strong and unified against the Democrats’ political charade,” wrote Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Palm Desert, in a statement on Facebook on Wednesday. “By standing together alongside President Trump, Republicans will continue to put America on the right path.” The federal government shutdown, at a record 43 days, started Oct. 1 after Democrats in Congress voted to not pass a funding resolution that would have kept the federal government open through the end of the year. The main sticking point for Democrats in Congress: a pandemic-era subsidy on health insurance premiums. The subsidies were meant to make health insurance more affordable for many Americans, primarily low-income families and older policy holders. Republicans in Congress wanted to wait until after passing a funding resolution to debate whether to continue funding the subsidies, which were set to expire at the end of 2025. However, without coming to an agreement before funding ran out at the end of September, the federal government was forced to shut down until Congress passed the funding resolution. On Sunday, a small contingent of Democratic senators broke with the party to vote with Republicans to pass the funding package. “Finally, thank God, eight of them put country ahead of party and voted to end this madness,” said U.S. Rep. Tom McClintock, R-El Dorado Hills, in the House chamber on Wednesday. “Hearing the bitter recriminations from our leftist colleagues, it seems unlikely we’ll see much bipartisanship today. But with or without them, we will reopen the government tonight and get back to addressing the challenges that confront our country.” As the deal to end the shutdown came close, some lawmakers started releasing statements early in the week. “I have been clear that I will not support a Republican spending bill that raises health care premiums for over 20 million Americans,” said Rep. Mark DeSaulnier, D-Antioch, in an emailed newsletter on Monday. “I have heard time and again that affordability continues to be the top concern of families here in CA-10 [the 10th House district] and across the country. I will continue fighting to lower costs, protect health care, and preserve the rule of law.” The lack of funding for federally-funded programs and services caused a slew of problems across the country - something lawmakers had in mind as they made their decision about how they were going to vote. “Today, I voted again just as I did nearly two months ago, to open the government and get essential services back up and running in our community and across the nation,” wrote Rep. Vince Fong, R-Bakersfield, in a statement released late Wednesday. This included a lapse in funding for the federally-funded food stamp program, known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or CalFresh in California. Head Start programs across the country were faced with having to close their doors during the shutdown. The Federal Aviation Administration reduced flights by as much as 10% at major airports across the country, The Center Square previously reported. Those flight reductions started last Friday, and included airports like San Francisco International, San Diego International, Los Angeles International and Ontario International. Democratic lawmakers in D.C. still voiced support for using the funding package deal as an opportunity to allow Americans to keep their insurance rates low by extending health insurance subsidies, some lawmakers said in statements sent out to their constituents earlier this week. “I was disappointed by the spending agreement proposed by the Senate because it fails to meet the urgent needs of our communities, especially protecting affordable health care,” wrote U.S. Rep. Derek Tran, D-Cypress, in a newsletter sent on Monday. “I’ll keep fighting to preserve access to the care that every member of our community deserves.” Other Democratic members of California’s Congressional delegation who said they would vote against the deal this week included Reps. Julia Brownley, D-Thousand Oaks; Pete Aguilar, D-San Bernardino, and Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-San Jose. While some Republican congressional representatives voiced “disappointment” that almost every Democrat in Congress voted against the bill that will now fund the federal government through Jan. 30, some said this week that the funding deal will return federal government operations back to normal. “Reopening the government will restore stability for our federal workers, return air travel to normal, improve public safety operations, and ensure families and businesses can rely on the government services they depend on,” wrote Rep. Jay Obernolte, R-Hesperia, in a Facebook post on Wednesday. SNAP and CalFresh benefits State legislators who didn’t voice support for or opposition to the funding deal in Congress this week instead highlighted resources their constituents could access if they needed help amid the government shutdown. “The federal shutdown has created real hardship for families across our district, particularly for federal workers and CalFresh (SNAP) recipients who may have delays with November benefits,” wrote state Sen. Maria Elena Durazo, D-Los Angeles, in a newsletter released on Wednesday. “We're monitoring developments closely and will continue fighting to protect our most vulnerable residents.” According to Durazo’s newsletter, constituents of the 26th State Senate district, which she represents, can get help with groceries by visiting lafoodbank.org or calling 211 for help. In addition, agencies such as Los Angeles County Parks and Recreation and the city of Los Angeles’ Department of Aging connect residents with food programs, Durazo wrote in the newsletter. The Center Square also reported on Thursday that in spite of the funding package passing in Congress, the federal government will reopen slowly.

WASHINGTON — The record 43-day government shutdown that ended Wednesday night scrambled air travel, interrupted food assistance and forced federal workers to go without a paycheck for weeks. It also cost the U.S. economy about $15 billion per week, White House Council of Economic Advisers Director Kevin Hassett told reporters Thursday.   As the government began to […]

About 27 scientists at the Center for Human Identification worked around the clock for two weeks testing DNA samples of flood victims.

ბრიტანეთის მაუწყებელმა, BBC-მ 13 ნოემბერს ბოდიში მოუხადა აშშ-ის პრეზიდენტს დონალდ ტრამპს მისი გამოსვლის მონტაჟისთვის, რის შემდეგაც ჩანაწერიდან ისეთი შთაბეჭდილება იქმნებოდა, რომ ტრამპი ძალადობას უჭერდა მხარს. თუმცა მედია საშუალებამ, ამასთან, უარყო აშშ-ის პრეზიდენტის მიერ კომპენსაციის მოთხოვნა. მაუწყებელმა ასევე განაცხადა, რომ პროგრამას აღარ აჩვენებს. „მიუხედავად იმისა, რომ BBC გულწრფელად ნანობს, როგორ მოხდა ვიდეოკლიპის დამონტაჟება, ჩვენ კატეგორიულად არ ვეთანხმებით ცილისწამების საჩივრის...

WASHINGTON — The record 43-day government shutdown that ended Wednesday night scrambled air travel, interrupted food assistance and forced federal workers to go without a paycheck for weeks. It also cost the U.S. economy about $15 billion per week, White House Council of Economic Advisers Director Kevin Hassett told reporters Thursday.   As the government began to […]

In today’s Daily, as President Trump continues to deploy the National Guard into cities across the United States, a small group of guard members in Ohio are sharing their concerns […]

WASHINGTON — The record 43-day government shutdown that ended Wednesday night scrambled air travel, interrupted food assistance and forced federal workers to go without a paycheck for weeks. It also cost the U.S. economy about $15 billion per week, White House Council of Economic Advisers Director Kevin Hassett told reporters Thursday.   As the government began to […]

Regents on Thursday are also set to consider rules that would restrict faculty from advocating “race or gender ideology” and from teaching material inconsistent with approved syllabi.

Operação Sem Desconto investiga esquema de corrupção no INSS; ex-presidente do órgão recebia até R$ 250 mil mensais O post PF estima que mais de R$ 640 milhões foram desviados do INSS entre 2017 e 2023 apareceu primeiro em Brasil de Fato.

Deporting women who’ve applied for sanctuary from domestic abuse is illegal, lawsuit says.

(The Center Square) – Olympia’s Proposition 1 to raise the city’s minimum wage to $20 an hour and provide some new worker protections was rejected by voters in last week’s general election. As reported by The Center Square, the measure aimed to establish a Workers’ Bill of Rights, which would have included provisions for predictive scheduling and different wage tiers based on business size. As of Wednesday, vote totals reported by the Office of the Secretary of State showed that Prop. 1 was failing by 893 votes. With only 390 outstanding votes to be added countywide, the measure has failed. Prop. 1 supporters were backed by labor groups, including the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 367, a grocery store union, which argued that raising the minimum wage to $20 per hour would help workers meet the region’s high cost of living. Opponents expressed concern about the economic impact on small businesses and nonprofits. The grassroots group Olympia Together organized the opposition campaign in the final weeks leading up to the Nov. 4 election. On Thursday morning, group members gathered to debrief on their successful campaign, which included speaking with The Center Square. “When I first looked at this, I knew it was bad for my community,” said Steve Hall, a former 13-year city manager who retired in 2020. “Since retiring, I'm on the board of several nonprofits, including the Thurston County Food Bank and the YMCA.” Hall said Prop. 1 included no safeguards for nonprofits and was “poorly written.” “It would mean it would raise childcare costs at the YMCA, and it would increase the cost for swim lessons, and would increase our youth camps. It would take food right off the shelf of the food bank,” he explained. “If you asked me as city manager to implement, I could not do it. It's just set up for failure, because it's so poorly drafted.” Group members expressed gratitude for Amalie O’Connor, co-chair of Olympia Together, crediting her for much of the organization’s success. O’Connor thanked fellow members for their compliment, but said it was a group effort. “We were working tirelessly. You know, we didn't have a lot of money, we didn't have a huge group. I mean, this was really an underdog effort,” she said. Former Olympia Mayor Cheryl Selby joined the Olympia Together movement as co-chair and said the grassroots effort that successfully defeated the ballot measure is something to be replicated. “That’s kind of what we're doing this morning is we're doing a whiteboard exercise to define exactly how we did it. Because we were just kind of flying by the seat of our pants,” she said. “Going up against almost a quarter-million dollars’ worth of union money that came in to pay signature gatherers and pay for a ground game, which, typically in Olympia, if you can win the ground game, you can win the campaign. So the odds were so stacked against us.” Meanwhile, voters in Tacoma are still waiting to find out if a similar workers' rights measure will be on the ballot in February 2026. Tacoma’s Measure No. 2 would increase the minimum wage to $20 per hour and offer guaranteed scheduling to workers. It is backed by Tacoma Democratic Socialists, which did not respond to a request for comment. Backers initially hoped to put the measure on the Nov. 4 ballot, but legal challenges prevented that. Last week, the Washington State Court of Appeals, Division Two, put a temporary halt to proceedings by issuing a stay, which pauses the Pierce County Superior Court's decision to place the initiative on the February 2026 ballot while it undergoes further review. Pierce County Auditor Linda Farmer has publicly affirmed her office's commitment to compliance. The Center Square reached out to the Office of the Pierce County Auditor for comment on the measure and the likelihood the court will make a decision in time for the proposal to appear on the Feb. 2026 ballot. “We are unable to speculate on the duration of the court process. Pierce County has provided the court with information about our printing deadlines for the February election, which fall shortly after the deadline to file a measure (December 12),” Kyle Haugh, elections manager at the Pierce County Auditor’s Office, said in an email.

L.A. Mayor Karen Bass called for a full investigation in October, following Los Angeles Times reporting that found firefighters were told to leave Lachman Fire burn site before it was out.

A empresa maranhense Internacional Marítima Limitada arrematou hoje (13), por meio do consórcio Aquavias SP, a concessão de 14 linhas de transporte aquaviário no estado de São Paulo. A vitória, superando outras três empresas em leilão público, ocorreu com proposta de desconto de 12,60% na contraprestação pública, superando outros três concorrentes. Notícias relacionadas: Consórcio PR vence leilão do Lote 4 de Rodovias do Paraná. Porto de Paranaguá é concedido ao Consórcio Canal Galheta Dragagem. Sete governadores anunciam "Consórcio da Paz" após operação no Rio. Foram licitadas três linhas na Região Metropolitana de São Paulo, três no Vale do Paraíba e oito no litoral paulista, entre elas a balsa Santos-Guarujá. Os serviços atendem, em média, 40 mil passageiros por dia, 11 milhões de passageiros e 10 milhões de veículos por ano. São previstos investimentos de R$ 2,5 bilhões direcionados à modernização dos terminais e  substituição de embarcações, que passarão a ser elétricas.  Tempo O modelo de Parceria Público-Privada adotado prevê prazo contratual de 20 anos. Entre as rotas contempladas estão São Sebastião–Ilhabela, Santos–Vicente de Carvalho, Santos–Guarujá, Bertioga–Guarujá, Cananéia–Continente, Cananéia–Ilha Comprida, Cananéia–Ariri, Iguape–Juréia, Bororé–Grajaú, Taquacetuba–Bororé, João Basso–Taquacetuba, Porto Paraitinga, Porto Varginha e Porto Natividade da Serra. A assinatura definitiva do contrato está prevista para o primeiro semestre de 2026. O grupo vencedor já opera duas linhas de transporte marítimo no Maranhão, além de embarcações de apoio portuário e rebocadores, e faz parte do grupo Cantanhede, conglomerado regional de empresas ligadas à construção civil. Em seu discurso após o leilão, o governador Tarcísio de Freitas (foto) comentou a dificuldade do projeto pela ausência de experiências prévias de concessões de transporte marítimo de passageiros no estado. Ele destacou ainda a licitação do novo Centro Administrativo do governo estadual, com valor previsto de R$ 5 bilhões, que ocorrerá em 15 dias. O projeto reconfigura o centro de São Paulo ao levar secretarias e a própria sede do governo para a região.

(The Center Square) – Coinbase, the largest U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchange, is reincorporating in Texas. Its reason: failed policies in Delaware and Texas’ new business court and business friendly environment. Its chief legal officer, Paul Grewal, said the decision to leave Delaware and reincorporate in Texas “was not made lightly, but we’ll always do what’s best for our customers, our employees, and our shareholders.” “I’ve had great experiences in Delaware as a lawyer and judicial colleague, but the state no longer has a monopoly on corporate law. And it’s now facing stiff competition from other states that are innovating to offer the right environment for business and innovators to thrive,” he said, adding that Texas’ “corporate legal framework offers the right mix of efficiency, predictability, and fairness to be our home for incorporation.” He also thanked Gov. Greg Abbott for “all he has done to create an environment that welcomes ambitious companies like Coinbase with open arms,” adding that Texas’ approach “is the bedrock of innovation in America.” He also outlined is reasoning in a Wall Street Journal op-ed, stating that “Delaware has left us with little choice. Delaware’s legal framework once provided companies with consistency. But no more.” Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong added, “Coinbase has always been about increasing economic freedom, and this factors into the state where we choose to incorporate. Texas has a strong culture of celebrating builders who are growing our economy, creating prosperity for all. They've also embraced crypto. By this metric, it was an easy choice.” Historically, Delaware has been considered a legal home for business entities because of its business-focused Court of Chancery. Under the Biden administration, anti-business sentiment and rulings increased, eroding trust in that system, causing businesses to reorganize and relocate elsewhere, including to the business-friendly state of Texas, the governor, state lawmakers and others argue. Coinbase followed other companies reincorporating in Texas after the state legislature in 2023 created the first-of-its-kind specialized trial court to oversee complex business-to-business litigation. It first convened last September. This year, the legislature passed SB 29 to create a series of corporate reforms governing certain business entities. It “enhances the predictability and efficiency of Texas entity law and governance while maintaining strong protections for entity owners and transparency,” The Center Square reported. They include codifying the business judgment rule to allow corporations to establish a minimum ownership threshold before a shareholder or group of shareholders can pursue a derivative claim, among other provisions. The legislature also passed HB 40 to amend state law to enhance Texas Business Court operations statewide, expanding subject matter jurisdiction to include intellectual property, clarifying its supplemental jurisdiction, allowing companies to designate the court as the exclusive venue in their governing documents for dispute resolution, among other measures. The new laws provide business decision makers “with certainty that sound business judgments made in the best interest of shareholders will not be second-guessed by courts. Absent acts of violent crime, business decisions are to be made by the elected officers and shareholders, not by unelected judges,” Abbott said when signing them into law. “It also eliminates rogue shareholders with just a handful of shares of stock in a company from being able to hold a company hostage from the ability to make sound business decisions.” The creation of the court and business friendly legislation was championed by Texans for Lawsuit Reform, which for decades advocated for policy changes that helped catapult Texas to the top of business rankings nationwide. TLR President and General Counsel Lee Parsley earlier this year said that establishing the Texas Business Court in 2024 “was a significant investment in Texas’s economic growth and development, creating an efficient process to help streamline the resolution of lengthy and complicated business cases.” The new laws include enhancements “that will unleash the full potential of the Texas Business Court and entice more businesses to relocate and operate in Texas.” A few months later, his prediction proved true. Coinbase and other major exchanges, including Texas’ new stock exchange (TXSE), the New York Stock Exchange Texas and Nasdaq Texas, headquartered in Dallas, all made major announcements this week, The Center Square reported. "Barely a year after opening its doors, the Texas Business Court - the first of its kind in Texas - is exceeding expectations,” Parsley told The Center Square. “With more than 220 cases filed across the state’s five largest cities, the Texas Business Court is quickly becoming a focal point for resolving complex corporate disputes.” Because of the new court, new business friendly laws and Abbott’s support, Texas is positioned “as the preeminent jurisdiction for relocation and reincorporations," he said.

Twenty brilliantly colored red-browed amazons took flight over a reserve holding one of the few remaining intact swaths of Atlantic Forest in Brazil. The green-and-red parrots had been missing from Alagoas state for generations. In January 2025, the birds returned home. Researchers say releasing the red-browed amazons (Amazona rhodocorytha) will help the species rebound and […]

New research has developed the first molecular ‘clock’ for common dolphins. It could be a game-changer for conservation.

Most states offering incentives to data centers don’t disclose which companies benefit, according to a new report. At least 36 states have crafted subsidies specifically for data center projects, according to Good Jobs First, a nonprofit watchdog group that tracks economic development incentives. But only 11 of those states — Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, […]

Moyembrie farm, a unique French facility without cells or bars, helps inmates successfully transition back into society by focusing on mental health support and life skills.

A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to release money for SNAP (Supplementary Nutritional Assistance Program) food benefits, and the White House now says they will, although late and […]