The First 2018 Priority for America’s 14 Top School Districts: School Closures, New Leadership, Hurricane Recovery & More
Every day, EduClips at provides a quick summary of the day’s most important education news from the largest school districts in the United States. These districts collectively educate over 4 million students across eight states. If you want to stay up to date with school and policy news, be sure to sign up for the TopSheet Education Newsletter. In today’s edition, we will briefly review the performance of the top 14 districts at the end of 2017 and highlight some of the key issues, debates, and storylines that district leaders will face when they return to work tomorrow.
Top Story
REAUTHORIZING AMERICA’S HIGHER EDUCATION ACT – Back in 1965, when the Higher Education Act was first passed by Congress, only 1 in 4 students was an adult. Today, almost 40 percent of college students are 25 years or older. In 2018, a bill led by the GOP will be presented for a vote in the House of Representatives. This bill encourages schools to provide faster and shorter credentials, as well as credit for skills acquired through work experience. This bill passed out of committee in December. (Source: The Wall Street Journal)
From the 14 Biggest Districts
NEW YORK CITY SCHOOLS SEEK NEW LEADER – After serving as the head of the nation’s largest school system under Mayor Bill de Blasio for four years, Carmen Fariña will retire in the upcoming months. The New York Times describes her tenure as a steady progression, evident through increasing graduation rates and test scores. However, there has been no significant transformation within the district. Prior to her departure, the New York City Education Department announced a scaling back of the Renewal program, which was initiated by de Blasio in 2014 to improve low-performing schools. The department plans to close or merge 14 schools within the program and move 21 schools that have shown academic progress out of it. (Source: The New York Times)
NEARING THE FISCAL CLIFF IN LOS ANGELES – The editorial board of the Los Angeles Times recently warned that waiting for the next fiscal crisis is not a plan but rather the complete opposite. The Los Angeles Unified School District is nearing a fiscal cliff due to unsustainable pension and healthcare costs. Additionally, enrollment in the district is decreasing at a faster rate than anticipated, leading to reduced revenue. (Source: The Los Angeles Times)
THE SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH BEGINS IN CHICAGO – The Chicago Public Schools are in the process of searching for a new chief executive officer to replace Forrest Claypool, who resigned after being accused of lying and covering up an ethics violation. The Chicago Tribune’s editorial board believes that the new superintendent will inherit a district that has made improvements financially and academically, but will also face significant challenges, including the necessary consolidation and closure of many schools. (Source: The Chicago Tribune)
PUERTO RICO’S HURRICANE FALLOUT – When Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico on September 20, all 1,113 public schools on the island were forced to close. As of early December, most schools have reopened, but 38 remain permanently shut due to damage from the storm. The student enrollment on the island is fluid and currently stands at 331,000, compared to the 350,000 before Maria. Over 8,500 students from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands have enrolled in public schools in Florida, supported in part by state waivers that facilitated their enrollment. (Source: The74Million.org)
IMPRESSIVE GRADES IN MIAMI-DADE – The Miami-Dade County Public Schools will face the challenge of maintaining their achievements from this year. For the first time since the state began grading schools in 1999, none of the schools in Miami-Dade County received an "F" grade on the state’s annual grading system. Student scores on standardized tests, graduation rates, and the number of students taking advanced courses heavily influence the school grades. The Miami Herald highlighted that this accomplishment is even more significant considering that state legislators have consistently made the state test more difficult. (Source: The Miami Herald)
Fort Lauderdale Approves Revised Teacher Contract and Pay Incentives
On December 19, the Broward County School Board gave their approval to a new teacher contract that includes a 2.5 percent salary increase for the majority of teachers. With the support of 91 percent of teachers, the new contract will provide raises between 2.6 percent and 3.5 percent for teachers who were previously paid under the old tenure system. Additionally, highly rated teachers under the new pay-for-performance system will receive a 3.51 percent raise, while effective teachers will receive a 2.6 percent increase.
Houston Allocates Funds for Hurricane Harvey Rebuilding Efforts and Adjusts Testing Rules
Four elementary schools in Houston that were severely affected by Hurricane Harvey will be reconstructed under a plan worth $126 million, which was approved in December. Furthermore, students in fifth and eighth grades within the affected areas will not be required to repeat their grade level if they do not pass state tests this school year, according to an announcement made by Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath. However, Morath did not grant the request to waive school and district ratings, a plea submitted by superintendents and educators in the federal disaster area.
Tampa Bay Faces Contract Dispute
As the Christmas holiday approached, teachers and school officials in Tampa Bay continued to grapple with a dispute over a pay package that affects more than 20,000 employees, the majority of whom are teachers. The union is pushing for around a third of its teachers to progress along a schedule that would raise their salaries by $4,000. However, the district claims it cannot financially support this measure, which would add between $15 million and $17 million to annual payroll costs. Instead, an alternative proposal of a total bonus package worth $1.8 million has been offered.
Hawaii Confronts Aging School Buildings and Repair Backlog
While Hawaii has made some progress in terms of repairing older school buildings, a recent report from the Hawaii Department of Education reveals that the cost of backlogged repairs escalated by 5 percent over the past school year. The current price tag for backlogged repairs and maintenance in Hawaii’s aging school buildings now amounts to $293 million, significantly less compared to a decade ago when it exceeded twice that amount. Nevertheless, more than one out of every five school buildings in Hawaii are over a century old, with the average age of a school in the state being 61.
Orlando Experiences Influx of Puerto Rican Students and English Language Learners
Orange County Public Schools in Orlando announced that they have taken in the largest number of students from Puerto Rico and other hurricane-affected islands in the past year. Among the 1,793 new students accepted, 1,561 are from Puerto Rico, resulting in a 0.8 percent increase in a district with more than 200,000 students. Overall, over 7,900 students impacted by hurricanes enrolled in Florida public schools. The influx of new students brings challenges to Orlando schools, mostly due to language barriers as the majority of these students do not possess English as their primary language.
Palm Beach Charter Law Faces Legal Challenge
A local circuit judge denied the state’s request to dismiss a lawsuit filed by the Palm Beach County School Board that challenges a controversial state law. This law mandates that school boards share a portion of property tax revenues, usually used for building projects, with charter schools. On December 19, the circuit court judge rejected the state’s motion for dismissal, following the argument made by the Palm Beach County board that the new law infringes upon the rights of local school boards stated in the Florida constitution.
Fairfax County Teacher Removed Over Pledge of Allegiance Controversy
In December, Fairfax County school administrators decided not to reinstate a teacher who allegedly disciplined a high school student for refusing to stand during the Pledge of Allegiance. The student, attending Centreville High School, claimed that the teacher yelled at him to stand and forcibly removed him from his seat when he refused. Fairfax Superintendent Scott Brabrand stated that the incident demonstrated "unacceptable behavior by a classroom instructor."
Philadelphia Establishes New School Board and Alters School Governance
After governing Philadelphia’s public schools for 16 years, the state-sanctioned School Reform Commission will disband, allowing for the appointment of a new school board. This development has elicited a range of responses from local education observers, with some expressing excitement and others expressing concern. The members of the new board will be faced with immediate challenges, including a decrease in public school enrollment and significant structural deficits.
RESEARCH – Ten Infographics That Revolutionized Our Perception of American Schools in 2017 (Accessible at The74million.org)
SEGREGATION – Perspective: Is it Beneficial for Black Students to Have White Peers? (Accessible at the Wall Street Journal)
Quote of the Day
"Anticipating the impending crisis is not a strategy; in fact, it is the complete opposite." – The Editorial Board of The Los Angeles Times, regarding the severe financial projections of the school district. (Accessible at The Los Angeles Times)
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