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Inspired by the “Miami model” in Florida — where Miami-Dade County has been diverting nonviolent people with mental illness away from jails and into mental health facilities — Utah state, city and county leaders are taking the next steps to put a plan into action.  The mastermind behind the “Miami model,” former Judge Steven Leifman, sat […]

EL PASO, Texas—Gilbert Morales struggled to compose himself before addressing the El Paso City Council on Tuesday morning. Morales fought back tears as he recounted how his wife died of lung cancer in June, despite never being a smoker. He lives next to Marathon Petroleum’s El Paso Refinery, which is one of the largest sources […]

Court-administered naturalizations this year have fallen to a fraction of those in recent years.

"We may not control federal immigration policy, but we absolutely have a say in how our local public resources are used."

Sign up for Chalkbeat Philadelphia’s free newsletter to keep up with news on the city’s public school system.Typically, Philadelphia teachers and principals use state test scores from the prior school year to assess student learning, roster kids into the proper classes, and prepare for the year to come. Not this year. Several teachers told Chalkbeat this week they haven’t seen results from the 2025-26 PSSA or Keystone exams and aren’t sure why. In the past, these scores have been shared with educators and school leaders around June. Teachers returned to classrooms this week for professional development, and students will return on Aug. 24.School district officials said the holdup is with the state.The district “has been notified that the release of official statewide PSSA and Keystone results by the Pennsylvania Department of Education is on hold,” district spokespeople said in a statement to Chalkbeat Tuesday. They did not respond to requests for clarification. A spokesperson from PDE did not respond to requests for comment. The delay will have ripple effects for students, educators, and school leaders. Though they have some student data from STAR benchmark exams, school staff rely in part on state assessments to determine which students need additional support, where teachers are most needed, and where extra resources should be spent. The district “cannot use the 2025-26 assessment results to evaluate year-over-year student achievement or as the required criterion for school selection,” according to its statement.Instead, students will be able to take an “alternative assessment” in the fall and submit those results. Not having state test scores for school selection could pose a host of new issues for families when that process opens on Sept. 8, but without further information from the district, any potential impact on admissions is unclear. Typically, the state releases PSSA and Keystone test data to districts early in the summer. District officials then have a period, usually from June through July, to review the data, share it with school leaders, and make sure nothing looks awry. After that, the state sends out statewide comparison data that districts can share publicly. In past years, that comparison data was shared at school board meetings by September or October. According to a field message PDE sent Tuesday morning, the statewide comparison data is still being analyzed and is not being shared publicly. However, that message confirms districts received preliminary school-level assessment data in June. It is unclear why the district wouldn’t be able to rely on those results to measure student achievement or make school selection decisions.Several Philly charter school leaders have shared preliminary state test results with their teachers, Chalkbeat has confirmed. At least one Pennsylvania school district — Conrad Weiser Area School District in Berks County — has shared its preliminary PSSA data, according to school board documents.Philadelphia is not the only district grappling with test score controversy. Testing experts are calling for an investigation into New York City’s scores, and New Jersey educators say their state score delays are forcing schools to start their academic years without crucial data. Carly Sitrin is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Philadelphia. Contact Carly at csitrin@chalkbeat.org.

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Sign up for Chalkbeat Colorado’s free daily newsletter to get the latest reporting from us, plus curated news from other Colorado outlets, delivered to your inbox.An education group that last year authorized “Colorado’s first public Christian school” soon will dissolve, following a Monday night vote by a key member institution.The school board in School District 49 unanimously approved the dissolution of Education reEnvisioned Board of Cooperative Educational Services, or ERBOCES.Monday’s vote represents a major turnabout from two months ago, when the District 49 board briefly considered dropping out of the co-op but opted to stay another year. After 13 years of existence, ERBOCES leaves a legacy of school choice advocacy and a long string of controversies. The change of fortune for ERBOCES comes after growing scrutiny by state education officials, who this month cracked down on the co-op over what they said was an improperly constituted board, invalid contracts, and misspent state money. In addition to launching the “public Christian school,” called Riverstone Academy, ERBOCES has created dozens of publicly funded homeschool enrichment programs in the last few years. The flood of programs, including some that paid for ski passes and sports camps and others that subsidized private schools, drew the ire of state lawmakers last spring. ERBOCES is one of 21 such public education co-ops in Colorado. Most are composed of several school districts that band together to provide services such as special education. ERBOCES has operated differently, opening schools and programs that serve students across the state. About a dozen parents, students, and homeschool program providers spoke at Monday’s meeting, with several urging the board to help homeschool enrichment programs that are now in limbo and prevent students from being “collateral damage.” Others said dissolving ERBOCES will help the district avoid reputational damage, legal fees, and fines that might come with staying in the co-op. ERBOCES’ dissolution, which will take place over the coming school year, means the group can no longer authorize any schools or programs. During the wind-down process, the five-member District 49 board will take over as the co-op’s governing body and the district’s business office will assume financial oversight. ERBOCES will no longer be led by an executive director as of Sept. 15, according to the resolution approved Monday.In addition, District 49 will become the authorizer during the 2026-27 school year of six online schools previously authorized by ERBOCES: Williamsburg Academy, Pikes Peak Online School, Summit Connections Academy, and an elementary, middle, and high school all under the Colorado Preparatory Academy brand. Less clear is the fate of ERBOCES’ homeschool enrichment programs, which last year enrolled more than 8,000 students, most in one-day-a-week classes. Some closed this summer but more than 40 are up for approval by the state. According to Monday’s resolution, District 49 will not take on those programs. State officials are expected to release more information this week.Different perspectives on ERBOCESWhile District 49 board members all voted for the resolution Monday, they had different perspectives on what brought the problem to a head this summer. Board member Mike Heil urged the audience to remember that ERBOCES officials were the decision-makers who were “testing the law and finally got caught at it.” “We know for fact now, as more evidence has come forward, that some of these homeschool enrichment programs were essentially subsidizing private religious schools, and you can’t do that with public money,” he said. Board President Marie LaVere-Wright said publicly funded homeschool enrichment has been “highly, highly, highly unregulated” in Colorado because the original law that allowed it was broad and vague. “That doesn’t mean anybody … did something illegal necessarily because they operated in an unregulated environment,” she said. LaVere-Wright, who helped start ERBOCES and previously served on its board, described the group’s dissolution as an awful situation, but said it’s the right thing to do.Board member Lori Thompson, who recently joined the ERBOCES board, said the group has done incredible things.“Was every step correct?” she said. “Anyone can be a Monday morning quarterback, but I am proud of ERBOCES.”Constant controversies prompted state concernsThe demise of ERBOCES comes after a stream of controversies last school year. Those include revelations that the co-op launched Riverstone Academy at the behest of a conservative law firm to spark a lawsuit over the question of public funding for religious schools. ERBOCES filed a religious liberty lawsuit against the state in February, but the case fizzled when Riverstone closed permanently in June. ERBOCES has also drawn criticism because, for years, some of its board members have been ineligible under state law. Also, the co-op has often used contractors and subcontractors that effectively shield its programs from state oversight and public scrutiny. State lawmakers addressed some concerns about ERBOCES last spring by putting strict new limits on how and where such co-ops can authorize schools and programs. But the ongoing tumult seemed to be wearing on the group’s three members and it appeared member defections might tank ERBOCES this summer. State law requires such co-ops to have at least two member institutions, and one must be a school district.The Elizabeth School District dropped out of ERBOCES in June. District 49 considered it but opted not to. The third member, Pikes Peak State College, announced that it would leave the group in mid-August. As that deadline neared, Colorado Education Commissioner Susana Córdova urged ERBOCES to dissolve. She also chastised the group over another emerging controversy: The co-op’s plan to lend a Woodland Park charter school $3 million. But a week before Pikes Peak was set to withdraw, ERBOCES officials unearthed an old agreement that required more notice and the college agreed to stay till next summer. For a few days it seemed that ERBOCES would be able to stay open. But on Aug. 13., Córdova threw the book at ERBOCES. In a second letter urging the co-op to dissolve, she suggested that Pikes Peak State College never legally joined and that many of the group’s contracts are void because its board has been improperly constituted for years. She also ordered ERBOCES to immediately repay the state for funding provided to Riverstone Academy, citing a recent court decision. That night, District 49 Superintendent Peter Hilts recommended to his school board that ERBOCES be dissolved and Monday’s vote was quickly scheduled. Ann Schimke is a senior reporter at Chalkbeat. Contact Ann at aschimke@chalkbeat.org.

Nearly 700,000 acres have burned across Idaho so far this year, and state officials are predicting fire risk will remain high through September.  As the costs to fight fires increase, state agency staff said they plan to increase Idaho’s dedicated funding to boost firefighting resources amid tight budget conditions as staff prepare the budget request […]

Relembre personagens e produções que ajudaram a consolidar a atriz como um dos grandes nomes da dramaturgia nacional O post Cine Ninja Indica: 10 obras que marcaram a carreira de Laura Cardoso apareceu primeiro em Mídia NINJA.

The Russian Embassy in London has accused the United Kingdom of “deliberately opting for an escalation of the Ukraine crisis” after news reports said British-made drones had been used in strikes deep inside Russia.

(The Center Square) – A consumer protection trial against Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, started Tuesday in Oakland. A bipartisan coalition of attorneys general including California’s Rob Bonta made opening statements that Meta designed addictive, harmful features on Instagram and Facebook that drive excessive youth use, leading to severe mental and physical harm. The trial is being held at U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, an Obama appointee, is presiding. The lawsuit from Bonta et al, which involves 33 states suing Meta, claims the social media company unlawfully collected data from children under 13 and misled the public about platform safety. The suit was filed in 2023. “They knew their product was dangerous, and they lied to the public,” Bonta said Tuesday at a press conference following court proceedings. “They lied to Congress.” Bonta also criticized Mark Zuckerberg, founder, chairman and CEO of Meta Platforms. “Mr. Zuckerberg himself chose profits over the safety of children,” said Bonta. Meta – which did not respond to The Center Square’s request for comment – has tried to have the lawsuit dismissed. Attorneys general Phil Weiser of Colorado (a Democrat), Jennifer Davenport of New Jersey (a Democrat) and Russell Coleman of Kentucky (a Republican) are also part of the coalition suing Meta. They and Bonta are among the attorneys general present at the trial. At the press conference with Bonta, Weiser said the reason Meta “deceived” the public is because to come clean and to take steps to limit kids’ access to social media would hurt their bottom line. Weiser also told the story of Ana Schott, a young girl from Colorado who Weiser said developed a social media addiction on Instagram and ultimately died by suicide. “There are now a generation of kids who have lost sleep because of notifications and alerts all hours of the night, who performed less well in school because they were distracted and tired, and even kids like Ana, who died by suicide,” said Weiser. Attorney General Davenport said that, as the mother of two daughters, 12 and 14, she felt sick when she read the “effects” of Meta’s Instagram features on still-developing children. “I’m disgusted, I’m angry, we all should be angry,” said Davenport. Attorney General Coleman – who was not present at Tuesday’s press conference – said in a joint press release earlier this week that attorneys general will “show a jury that Meta concealed what it knew about the harms” its products would cause. According to Coleman, attorneys general are in the perfect position to get something done about this situation. “We did it with the Tobacco Settlement in the 1990s,” said Coleman. “We did it with the companies behind the opioid crisis.” Federal and state laws Meta is accused of violating include the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, California’s False Advertising Law, and California’s Unfair Competition Law. Penalties could top $1 trillion, although the attorneys general have said this is mainly about forcing Meta to change its ways. Besides California, Colorado, New Jersey and Kentucky, the suit was filed by Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington state, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Kings County voters will only see two water agency races on their ballots for the Nov. 3 General Election. Unopposed incumbents will not be included on the ballot. The two on this ballot will include: Races not on the ballot:

The proposed merger between NextEra and Dominion would create the world's largest regulated electric utility. CT has concerns.

OKLAHOMA CITY — A former bond director at Tulsa Public Schools wrongly profited from millions of dollars meant for student facilities, a state audit alleged Tuesday. State Auditor and Inspector Cindy Byrd released the final installment of her office’s multi-part audit of Tulsa schools, this time focusing on the district’s former executive director of bonds […]

Lee said he was told then-City Attorney Marci Arredondo directed Deputy Human Resources Director Alecia Figueroa to offer Roland the money. Vice Mayor Lee asks state to investigate alleged $250,000 resignation offer for city clerk  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.

In a press release, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said the rule has led to overgrown and diseased forests ripe for deadly wildfires by limiting where the U.S. Forest Service can build roads and manage timber. Rescinding the Roadless Rule, the release said, will prioritize local decision-making over national-scale regulations. The post Trump administration moves to repeal Roadless Rule appeared first on Montana Free Press.

اخبار یک بامداد، آخرین بخش خبری روز از تلویزیون صدای آمریکاست که ساعت یک بامداد به وقت ایران پخش می‌شود و با نگاهی کوتاه به تازه‌ترین تحولات و رخدادهای شبانه، مروری فشرده بر اخبار ارائه می‌دهد و مدت آن یک ساعت است.

The United States and NATO would not be ready to respond to a hypothetical coordinated attack in which China invades Taiwan and Russia simultaneously strikes a NATO member in Eastern Europe, Simon Shuster writes in The Atlantic.

Al 14 de agosto, Guatemala registraba 36,527.39 hectáreas afectadas por incendios. En Palencia, una brigada forestal comunitaria se organiza cada temporada seca para enfrentar quemas fuera de control y posibles incendios intencionales; una experiencia que muestra la capacidad de organización comunitaria frente a las brechas institucionales en prevención e investigación.  Por Glenda Álvarez En Palencia, ... Read more The post Prevención: el reto de Guatemala ante los incendios forestales appeared first on Prensa Comunitaria.

Après l'ancien président lui-même, une semaine plus tôt, c'est un cousin de Bachar el-Assad qui a été reconnu coupable mardi de crimes de guerre et de crimes contre l'humanité par la justice syrienne. Wassim el-Assad a été condamné à mort, dans une vague de procès des responsables de l'ancien régime depuis le mois d'avril, qui réjouit une bonne partie de la population syrienne, mais qui pose la question d'une éventuelle justice expéditive.