Latest news with #DESE
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Weaver Elementary one of 80 Missouri learning centers to benefit from $49M literacy grant
Springfield's Weaver Elementary is one of 80 early learning programs and public schools that will benefit from a $49 million literacy grant. The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education announced July 10 that the 80 will receive funding and professional services through the U.S. Department of Education's Comprehensive Literacy State Development grant. The five-year grant, which more than doubles the previous amount awarded in 2020, aligns with the state education department's Read, Lead, Exceed initiative. It will provide teachers, literacy coaches and administrators access to top literacy specialists and family literacy support and resources. Other area communities that will benefit include Ava, Lebanon, Neosho and Mountain Grove. 'Literacy is one of DESE's priority areas, which makes this grant opportunity particularly exciting to share,' said Karla Eslinger, the state's Commissioner of Education, in a release. 'This grant will provide our schools and early learning centers with the resources they need to continue promoting literacy in Missouri. Literacy is key to getting our students on their path to success. The grant program aligns with DESE's Steps to Success state literacy plan and works to strengthen the literacy skills of children from birth through grade 12. This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Springfield's Weaver Elementary will benefit from $49M literacy grant
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New SJSD budget reflects updated priorities
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — In the middle of funding challenges for school districts throughout the country, the St. Joseph School District approved its 2025-2026 fiscal year budget in its June 23 meeting. The Board of Education unanimously approved its nearly $170 million working budget for the 2025-26 academic year, reflecting only a 2.2% increase from the previous year overall. Retiring Assistant Superintendent of Business and Operations, Dr. Robert Sigrist, said the goal was to present a conservative budget that recognizes the possibility of cuts in state and federal revenue. We tried to be very conservative," Sigrist said. "We went in most areas below what DESE's (Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education) estimate was for state funding." Given the $3.1 million deficit left over from last year's budget, the SJSD will transfer about $5.1 million from the operating fund to carry over into the new year. Noticeable cuts in outlay for building expenditures and new construction kept numbers relatively low, with Sigrist citing the completion of bond-funded projects in the previous fiscal year. "This past year, we had a lot of bond projects going on," Sigrist said. "That included the HVAC project at Central. There will still be some bond projects in this coming year, but much of the $20 million bond project money from 2024 was spent in this past year." Notable increases in projected spending in faculty and staff recruitment and placement, reflecting the ongoing staffing needs for the district. The amount will increase from about $198,000 to about $659,000 for this coming fiscal year. "We budgeted more for our 'Grow Your Own' program," Sigrist said. "This will help staff that may be interested in becoming teachers or other certified workers by providing scholarships and incentives. In the June 2025 meeting, school administrators noted crucial openings for teachers and staff as the district moves into the new school year. Enrollment is also expected to be down slightly for 2025-2026. Sigrist said federal funding accounted for about 10% of the SJSD budget for the previous academic year, and the district is prepared to adjust as needed while maintaining a goal of working toward a zero-based budget in the future. As far as revenue, the district expects slight decreases in local and county revenue sources, an approximate $2 million decrease in federal sources, and about a $ 5 million increase in state sources of funding. For a full layout of the entire school budget for 2025-2026, visit the SJSD School Board website.
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Holyoke schools join state career pilot program
HOLYOKE — The Holyoke School District is one of 14 chosen to join the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's My Career and Academic Plan pilot program. The district received about $24,976 from the $281,000 in Work-Based Learning grants awarded to schools across the state last week. Gov. Maura Healey said in an announcement that work-based learning experiences are crucial for preparing students for the future. 'These grants will help support strong partnerships between schools and employers, opening doors for students in critical STEM fields like health care, manufacturing, and technology,' Healey said. The pilot program is part of the administration's Reimagining High School initiative. DESE will assist districts in integrating the program. It seeks to help middle and high school students focus on academic, personal, and career goals. In March, the Healey-Driscoll administration announced $914,385 in funding to 135 schools in 49 districts to help them adopt the career and academic plan. Over 200 schools in more than 150 districts have engaged in the program. Education Secretary Patrick Tutwiler said the goal is to connect academic learning 'with meaningful work experiences.' Grant recipients will team up with MassHire Workforce Boards and Commonwealth Corporation to create plans and resources to better link education with job training. Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
East Elementary named one of eight Missouri Gold Star Schools
OZARK, Mo. — The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has announced eight Missouri Gold Star Schools for 2025. East Elementary in the Ozark School District has been named one of the eight Gold Star schools. The other seven schools announced were: Collegiate School of Medicine and Bioscience, St. Louis Public Schools Conway Elementary, Ladue School District Eugene Field Elementary, Poplar Bluff School District Green Forest Elementary, Green Forest R-II School District James Walker, Blue Springs School District Marion County Elementary, Marion County R-II Schools Steam Academy Middle School, Ferguson-Florissant School District The program, which aligns with the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education, recognizes schools for outstanding academic achievement or for performing at high levels while serving a significant proportion of disadvantaged students. The U.S. Department of Education's Blue Ribbon Schools will be announced this fall. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Boston Globe
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Newly proposed high school graduation requirements will lower the quality of a Mass. diploma
Advertisement Hopefully, these proposed requirements are not indicative of where the Healey administration is headed, because they are stunningly weak. Instead of setting a high common standard that reflects what students need to know before graduating, the proposal sets such a low bar that it threatens the quality of a Massachusetts diploma. The department's proposal specifies that beginning with the class of 2026, students must 'satisfactorily complete coursework' in 9th- and 10th-grade English language arts and math (Algebra I and Geometry or Integrated Math I and II), and one year of biology, physics, chemistry, technology, or engineering. The proposed regulation adds US history as a required course beginning with the class of 2027. Students must show 'mastery' in those classes, demonstrated by an end-of-course exam, a portfolio of work deemed satisfactory by teachers, or an 'equivalent measure' set by each district. Advertisement These proposed requirements would The undergraduate There is no benefit in setting statewide standards that are far below what the state currently recommends to districts through Each district will set its own level for the quality of individual courses, the extent to which course content aligns with state standards, and the expectations each student must meet to earn a passing grade. Although DESE plans to audit districts' competency determination policies, it lacks the capacity to enforce consequences for districts that do not fulfill the regulations. This has the potential to result in districts checking boxes for students' coursework without concern for how accurate their self-reporting is, or whether a D- is a sign of 'satisfactorily completing coursework.' Advertisement Compounding this concern is that these changes come when A final board vote on the proposed interim graduation requirements is expected on May 20; these standards should not be approved. They are not strong enough, even in this intermediate period. The board needs to spend more time thoughtfully recommending course requirements that align with, or are slightly above, those that exist in more than half of the high schools across the state. Methods to enforce accurate reporting on students' courses, and Opponents of eliminating MCAS as a graduation requirement warned it would weaken the quality of education. These interim standards are an indication of just how low that bar can go.
