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Sign up for Chalkbeat Philadelphia’s free newsletter to keep up with the city’s public school system. The Philadelphia Board of Education voted to ratify a new union contract Thursday for the 1,000-member Commonwealth Association of School Administrators Teamsters Local 502, or CASA, which represents school principals and other school staff. The contract includes 3% annual across-the-board raises for the next four years and introduces five weeks of paid parental leave along with other bonuses and stipends. It also adjusts salary levels for several district positions, which CASA president Robin Cooper previously said is meant to create more equitable pay for staff with years of experience. “We didn’t get everything we wanted, but we are leaving feeling heard,” Cooper told the board Thursday. “We are leaving with what we believe is a fair contract.” CASA members had been working without a contract since the union’s previous agreement expired in August. Members showed up with posters at last month’s board meeting urging the board to finalize a new agreement. Cooper said negotiations had “come a long way from two weeks ago” and it was “clear from actions over the weekend that we were heard loud and clear.” More than half of the union’s membership voted on the new contract Wednesday, she said, and ratified it with 97% of the vote. Several board members said they welcomed the new contract and thanked union leaders and CASA members for their work. But some board members noted that negotiations came during a difficult financial moment. The district had to borrow around $585 million to make up for delayed state funding during a four-month-long state budget impasse that ended last month. “This year’s negotiations [were] in a very tough time,” said Board President Reginald Streater. “Late budgets, a lack of adequate funding, individuals who say that our babies don’t deserve to be invested in.” The new contract also includes a $1,500 bonus for each member this year and again in 2028, expanded health benefits, and incentives for principals at “hard-to-staff” schools. It is retroactive to September and valid through August 2029. The school board Thursday also voted to reelect Streater as president and to reelect board member Sarah-Ashley Andrews as vice president. Streater has been board president since December 2022. Andrews was first elected as board vice president last year. The board of education voted Thursday to approve several other contracts. Those include: A $3.7 million contract with Apple for computers and other devices for computer labs, staff, and administrative staff. $2.5 million in contracts with other companies for technology hardware, software, and other supplies for the Office of Information Technology. A $230,000 contract with the consulting firm AKRF to develop a plan for how Philadelphia’s schools could be more resilient to climate change, including how schools may prepare for extreme heat, flooding, poor air quality, and severe storms. An additional $250,000 in the school district’s contract with Motorola Inc. for radios and other school safety communication equipment. The board also approved a $43,390 contract with Mothers in Charge, a community group that works with Dobbins High School to respond to safety concerns and other school issues. Last year, the first year the group was involved with school safety at Dobbins, the number of overall assaults at the school dropped by 46%, and the number of assaults resulting in injury dropped by 80%, according to board meeting documents. .subtext-iframe{max-width:540px;}iframe#subtext_embed{width:1px;min-width:100%;min-height:556px;} fetch("https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alpha-group/iframe-resizer/master/js/iframeResizer.min.js").then(function(r){return r.text();}).then(function(t){return new Function(t)();}).then(function(){iFrameResize({heightCalculationMethod:"lowestElement"},"#subtext_embed");}); Rebecca Redelmeier is a reporter at Chalkbeat Philadelphia. She writes about public schools, early childhood education, and issues that affect students, families, and educators across Philadelphia. Contact Rebecca at rredelmeier@chalkbeat.org.

WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth violated official policy when he used the publicly available Signal app to message about military plans from his personal cell phone, including imminent bombings in Yemen, according to a report released Thursday by the Pentagon’s own watchdog.  The Defense Department Inspector General’s 84-page report concluded Hegseth sent information about the […]

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration Thursday announced new restrictions for immigrants, reducing the work authorization periods from five years to 18 months, the latest crackdown on legal immigration. The new policy follows the shooting of two West Virginia National Guard members by an Afghan national granted asylum earlier this year.  The shift will not only […]

WASHINGTON — Americans who purchase their health insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplace are bracing for a steep rise in costs next year that many say they will not be able to afford, according to a poll released Thursday by the nonpartisan health organization KFF. Nearly 60% of enrollees surveyed could not cover the […]

Arizona voters will continue to vote to retain appeals court judges in the same way they’ve done for the past 50 years, the state’s highest court ruled Thursday.  In a unanimous decision written by Justice James Beene, the Arizona Supreme Court affirmed a trial court’s decision to dismiss a lawsuit that claimed the way Arizona […]

Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani said Thursday he will not continue sweeps of homeless encampments — which city data shows have not yielded any permanent or supportive-housing referrals in more than a year. Advocates slept outside City Hall on Wednesday night to protest the crackdowns, which Mayor Eric Adams began at the start of his administration. Asked […] The post Mamdani Vows to Sweep Out Crackdowns on Homeless Camps appeared first on THE CITY - NYC News.

Louisiana leaders have recently touted a string of major industrial projects with the promise of creating thousands of jobs, but critics say these business negotiations lack transparency and pose great risk to the health and prosperity of the communities where this investment is taking shape.  They also believe state officials have shut them out of […]

WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth violated official policy when he used the publicly available Signal app to message about military plans from his personal cell phone, including imminent bombings in Yemen, according to a report released Thursday by the Pentagon’s own watchdog.  The Defense Department Inspector General’s 84-page report concluded Hegseth sent information about the […]

The European Union plans to add Russia to its list of countries with a high risk of money laundering and terrorist financing, Politico reported this week. Once official, the decision will exacerbate Russia’s international pariah status, jeopardizing investment and trade flows that emerged in response to Western sanctions against Moscow after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Meduza spoke with anti-corruption expert Ilya Shumanov to understand what Russia’s inclusion on the E.U.’s blacklist will mean for the Kremlin, Russian businesses, and ordinary citizens.

Steeds meer steden en gemeenten roepen op tot een onmiddellijk staakt-het-vuren in Gaza, ook Stad Lier sluit zich daarbij aan. De stad eist ook een veilige humanitaire toegang en een duurzame politieke oplossing voor het conflict. De resolutie werd door de lokale politieke partij Missie 2500 ingediend en kon rekenen op brede steun. “Symbolisch is het belangrijk dat er in de Lierse gemeenteraad een breed front is voor een duurzame vrede. Voor ons dit een start- en geen eindpunt”, vertelt Gemeenteraadslid Stijn Coenen (Missie 2500).

Sign up for Chalkbeat Indiana’s free daily newsletter to keep up with Indianapolis Public Schools, Marion County’s township districts, and statewide education news. A coalition supporting Indianapolis Public Schools is blasting a task force’s proposals to dilute the power of the elected school board, and is also calling for IPS to have the power to authorize charter schools. The coalition’s response on Thursday comes on the heels of recommendations advanced by the Indianapolis Local Education Alliance on Wednesday that would dramatically alter how district and charter schools in the city are governed. The groups in the coalition — the Central Indiana Democratic Socialists of America, the Concerned Clergy of Indianapolis, the Indianapolis Education Association, and the IPS Parent Council — have been critical of the growth of charters. The coalition also shared an alternative proposal, authored by the Central Indiana DSA, for changing how schools are run that would provide the elected IPS school board more power, not less. Kristen Phair of the IPS Parent Council said at a press conference that the alliance’s proposals ignored the wishes of more than 1,000 families who signed a letter calling for an elected school board to serve as the sole authorizer of charter schools. “Parents have consistent serious concerns: the weakening of democratic oversight, the creation of new authorities with unclear accountability over transportation, facilities, and public funds, and a rushed timeline that has allowed only limited and shallow engagement,” Phair said. “There is no evidence that these changes will benefit our kids.” The charter school community, meanwhile, welcomed some aspects of the ILEA’s preferred recommendations while cautioning the alliance not to restrict charter schools’ autonomy. The Mind Trust, an influential Indianapolis nonprofit that has helped start many local charters, applauded the alliance’s work, saying it has recognized “the need for multiple quality charter school authorizers.” The Indianapolis Local Education Alliance advanced two proposals for changing oversight of public schools for further public input on Wednesday. One would create an advisory board made up of appointees from the mayor’s office, IPS, and charters. It would collect and levy taxes, and both charters’ boards and the elected IPS board would report to this board. The other would concentrate more power in the hands of the mayor, who would appoint a new secretary of education and make appointments to a nine-member board. Both models leave open the possibility for more than one charter authorizer. Public pressure is mounting on members of the alliance as they consider recommendations for how to address falling IPS enrollment, long-term fiscal concerns for traditional public schools, and the growth of charters in the city. After gathering more public input, the alliance will vote Dec. 17 on final recommendations to send to state lawmakers. Many Republican legislators have sought to divert money and other resources away from IPS in recent years. Voice and a Choice plan emphasizes IPS authority The Voice and a Choice plan supported by the pro-IPS coalition would keep authority under an elected school board, which would also gain the sole power to open and close charter schools. IPS would continue operating buildings and transportation services for charter and district schools, and an elected school board would set policy that would hold both district and charter schools to the same standard. The coalition’s model differs sharply from the transportation and facilities proposals advanced by the task force, which would strip the district’s authority over those services and instead move it to either an advisory board or an independent authority. “The ILEA’s other proposed options add needless complexity and create further opportunities for wealthy, private actors to personally profit rather than address the real issues: underfunding, systemic racism, and a lack of public accountability,” said Adrea McCloud, an IPS teacher and co-chair of a campaign run by the Central Indiana DSA in support of traditional public schools. In general, shifting control of transportation and buildings away from IPS is something pro-charter advocates have supported. “Even with the best intentions, we can play favorites,” said Sashah Fletcher, a parent affiliated with EmpowerED Families, said at the alliance meeting on Wednesday. “When we talk about sharing assets specific to school transportation, I believe the best path is a transportation and authority that is not housed in any school system.” The proposals the ILEA advanced represent wins for charters in other respects, although the ILEA could change them before putting them to a final vote. The ILEA has discussed a moratorium on new public schools in the city while it undergoes structural changes, but it did not include that in the proposals it advanced this week. Charter leaders have opposed such a moratorium. They also argued against restrictions on the number of charter authorizers, and the ILEA did not move forward with such proposals. “Eliminating independent authorizers concentrates authority in ways that increase political risk,” said Tommy Reddicks, the CEO of Paramount Schools of Excellence, a network of charters. “A ban on charter expansion denies families access to proven models.” Mind Trust CEO Brandon Brown also cautioned the task force against concentrating too much power in a small group of officials. “As the ILEA continues its deliberations, we encourage members to guard against creating a new overarching governance structure that could unintentionally infringe upon school autonomy,” Brown said. Amelia Pak-Harvey covers Indianapolis and Lawrence Township schools for Chalkbeat Indiana. Contact Amelia at apak-harvey@chalkbeat.org.

Idaho is seeing more money, and more out-of-state money in lobbying than it likely ever has.  Secretary of State Phil McGrane told attendees at the Annual Associated Taxpayers of Idaho Conference Wednesday that more than $2.5 million was spent on lobbying in 2025.  McGrane highlighted new data visualization tools available online at voteidaho.gov, including to […]

“Code blue is when the temperature is 20 degrees or lower, and if people sleep outside, they will die.” Outlier Media · Briana Rice · Where to find overnight shelters in Detroit during extreme cold

Two vigils Wednesday evening memorialized the lives lost to violent crime in San Joaquin County, including the four victims of a mass shooting. Annual vigil honoring victims of violence coincides with Stockton shooting prayer service is a story from Stocktonia News, a rigorous and factual newsroom covering Greater Stockton, California. Please consider making a charitable contribution to support our journalism.

Join VIA Community Development Corp. for its annual gathering; visit Fruition MKE for a holiday market; attend La Familia De Arte’s open house; and more. The post 5 things to know and do the weekend of Dec. 6 appeared first on Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service.

O Comitê Paralímpico Brasileiro abriu a votação popular para a escolha da categoria Atleta da Galera da 14ª edição do Prêmio Brasil Paralímpico. O vencedor será anunciado na próxima terça-feira (9), em cerimônia que será realizada a partir das 20h (horário de Brasília) no Tokio Marine Hall, na capital paulista. As concorrentes deste ano são: Alessandra Oliveira (natação), Ana Paula Marques (halterofilismo), Edwarda Dias (badminton), Verônica Hipólito (atletismo), Sabrina Custódia (ciclismo) e Wanna Brito (atletismo). Notícias relacionadas: COB anuncia indicados a Melhor Atleta do Ano no Prêmio Brasil Olímpico. Flamengo derrota Ceará e coroa ano mágico com título Brasileiro. Fifa escolhe Village People para sorteio da Copa do Mundo. Quem leva o troféu? A escolha é sua! 😎 pic.twitter.com/1db9PZMqDs December 2, 2025 A votação para Atleta da Galera é realizada pela internet, por meio deste LINK disponibilizado pelo Comitê Paralímpico Brasileiro (CPB). Assim como no ano passado, o Prêmio Brasil Paralímpico será realizado em uma única noite. Além do Atleta da Galera serão anunciados os vencedores de cada uma das 25 modalidades que compõem o cronograma paralímpico. Além disso serão revelados os vencedores das categorias especiais: melhor técnico coletivo, melhor técnico individual, atleta revelação, Aldo Miccolis, memória paralímpica, prêmio Loterias Caixa, prêmio Braskem, melhor atleta feminina e melhor atleta masculino.

The longtime associate of Shapiro will bring broad experience in public finance to the agency, which manages nearly $80 billion in investments for the pensions of more than 500,000 teachers, school staff and retirees, PSERS said in a statement.

The Southern Ocean is the engine room of global heat and carbon uptake – and it’s changing faster and more dramatically than we thought.

OKLAHOMA CITY — For the first time in Epic Charter School’s history, its next superintendent will be a newcomer hired from outside the virtual charter school. Epic’s governing board, with four of its five members present, unanimously voted Thursday to hire Shaun Ross from Oklahoma City Public Schools, where he is senior executive director of […]

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, a longtime champion of creating legal status for immigrants brought into the country as children who will retire next year, re-introduced his trademark immigration bill for the last time Thursday.  Durbin, an Illinois Democrat, first introduced the measure now known as the Dream Act in 2001 with Utah Republican […]