Latest news with #DepartmentofEducation
CBS News
2 hours ago
- Business
- CBS News
Northwestern University to cut 425 positions amid budget crisis
Northwestern University announced Tuesday that it is cutting 425 positions amid a significant budget gap. The cuts involve an unspecified number of layoffs. Northwestern President Michael Schill, Provost Kathleen Hagerty, and Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Amanda Distel told the university community that mounting financial pressures remain a threat to immediate and long-term financial stability. The letter said the university has already taken several measures to address the pressures. Northwestern announced in June that it was implementing a hiring freeze and would not pay out merit bonuses, and would also reduce administrative and academic budgets, likely leading to decreases in staff positions. Also in June, Northwestern announced that it was changing its tuition benefits program and health insurance for its staff and faculty beginning next year. But this was not enough, and the letter said Northwestern could not bridge its budget gap without cutting personnel costs — which account for 56% of expenditures. "Today, the University began the painful process of reducing our budget attributable to staff by about 5%, including layoffs," Northwestern said in a statement. "Of the approximately 425 positions being eliminated across schools and units, nearly half are currently vacant." In April, the Trump administration froze $790 million in federal funding at Northwestern. The freeze affected grants from agencies like defense, agriculture, and health and human services. Northwestern was one of several universities subjected to of what the Department of Education calls "explosions of antisemitism" on college campuses in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war. The initial report cited Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which protects individuals from discrimination based on national origin and applies to schools and institutions of higher learning that receive federal funding.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
New state commissioner nominee attracts universal, bipartisan support
In contrast to the polarizing fight over a new education commissioner eight years ago, Gov. Kelly Ayotte's pick of 15-year Department of Education executive Caitlin Davis of Concord attracted unanimous, bipartisan support during a public hearing. The 2½-hour session in the Executive Council chambers Tuesday drew a parade of supporters for a candidate that vowed to be an apolitical consensus builder, looking to create pathways for students to excel. 'Listening first, leading with humility and always keeping students at the center,' Davis said of her priorities in prepared remarks. The outpouring virtually guarantees that the council, meeting in Pittsburg on Wednesday, will confirm Davis to succeed two-term Commissioner Frank Edelblut of Wilton, whom Ayotte chose not to renominate when his current stint ran out at the end of March. Several speakers across the ideological spectrum said Davis would bring stability and more tranquility to the public-school landscape that endured many divisive debates about Edelblut's reform agenda such as universal Education Freedom Accounts, the Learn Everywhere program and a total rewrite of the state's education standards. 'We would like to see a commissioner of education who both leads and supports our local public schools strongly and feel the nominee will be in that direction,' said Deb Howes, president of the American Federation of Teachers, the second-largest union that was often at odds with Edelblut's approach. 'Cooperation and collegiality' Rep. Rick Ladd, R-Haverhill, the House Education chairman, got the task of pushing many of Edelblut's policies through the State House maze, but he too signaled it was time for a change. 'We ought to figure out a way to clone her 10 times over; she is really needed,' Ladd said. "She is not political as we have seen here in the past several years.' Former Education Board Chairman Fred Bramante worked with Edelblut on the standards and said Davis will usher in an era of 'cooperation and collegiality.' 'I am expecting there will be a different tone in education circles across the state with Caitlin as commissioner,' Bramante said. Micaela Demeter serves on the Dover School Board and the New Hampshire School Funding Fairness Project and spoke only for herself. 'I am really excited for a fresh start,' Demeter said. 'There is a lot of level of trust rebuilding that needs to happen based on (the) outgoing commissioner.' Once overlooked himself, Edelblut backed her In 2017, new Gov. Chris Sununu nominated Edelblut, whom he had narrowly beaten in the GOP gubernatorial primary four months earlier. Tom Raffio, a former state board chair, said 57 pages of opposition showed a lack of confidence in the choice. One prominent sticking point was Edelblut's lack of experience in public schooling as an educator, administrator or even as a parent, having opted to home-school his seven children. The council endorsed Edelblut, 3-2, along partisan lines with Democratic Councilors Andru Volinsky of Concord and Chris Pappas of Manchester in opposition. While stunned at not getting the chance to serve four more years, Edelblut endorsed the pick of Davis this time. 'Caitlin is a respected peer within the state's education field and a pivotal member of our leadership team. We are proud to have this nomination from within our own pool of talented professionals,' Edelblut said in June on the day she was nominated. In Edelblut's final week, the state Education Department notched a win when the Trump administration released $6 million in critical federal grants it had previously frozen, part of billions of dollars unfrozen nationwide. Prosecutors from blue states had sued the White House over the decision, but Davis said the latest development showed that wasn't necessary. 'We continue to review all the legal remedies that we might have. We did not think legal action was the best step at that time,' Davis said. Several said Davis was uniquely qualified to deal with the changing federal grant landscape under a president who has favored abolishing the U.S. Department of Education. 'She is probably the best prepared candidate to lead the Department of Education ever, perhaps the best to lead any state agency,' said Labor Commissioner Ken Merrifield, who got to know Davis when she attended Bishop Brady High School in Concord with his children. Every program to come under the microscope If confirmed, Davis said no existing program will be immune from review. 'He calls himself an innovator,' Davis said of Edelblut at one point while praising the incumbent for leaving public schools in better shape upon his departure. 'I would like to spend a lot of time looking at some of those programs, understanding some of the ones that are working, some of the ones that are not working — ensuring all of the support from the Department of Education is supporting programs that are high-quality, needed by students, and are a good use of our taxpayer dollars,' Davis said. After a private career in auditing, Davis came to the Department of Education in 2010 as an internal auditor. During her tenure, Davis has overseen the department's Bureau of Assessment and Accountability, Bureau of Education Statistics, Bureau of Educational Opportunities, Bureau of School Finance and Bureau of Federal Compliance. Michael Bessette, assistant superintendent of the Kearsarge Regional School District, said the fact Davis never taught in a classroom will be no impediment. "Caitlin Davis has an exceptional capacity to listen; that is the key," Bessette added. klandrigan@ Solve the daily Crossword
New York Post
6 hours ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Tish James wages SNAP lawfare to protect illegal immigrants
Moving to protect lawbreakers, not taxpayers, state Attorney General Tish James is again suing the Trump administration, this time to block it from getting the names of illegal aliens getting SNAP benefits, a/k/a food stamps. States administer the program, signing up SNAP beneficiaries, sending out the EBT cards (loaded with federal-taxpayer cash) — and supposedly policing eligibility . . . except many don't bother. So SNAP fraud is over $10 billion a year and rising, and Team Trump wants to crack down — particularly on border-jumpers who are limited to at most one year of benefits if the Biden crew granted a temporary OK to enter the interior. Advertisement Anyone illegally collecting SNAP is stealing: States should be lining up to help the feds find and (where appropriate) deport these crooks. But James, eager to counter everything Trump, insists the feds' request for SNAP data is simply more of the prez's 'cruel and chaotic' immigration agenda — and 'unacceptable' (a favorite Tishism). Hmmm. Surely the truly chaotic policy was waving in millions of unvetted migrants, while springing violent-criminal 'asylum seekers' from jail to let them kill Americans is the real cruelty. Advertisement And handing out anti-poverty cash to people who don't qualify for it should be grossly unacceptable. This suit is just the latest in James' long history of 'performative' litigation, almost always losing. Keep up with today's most important news Stay up on the very latest with Evening Update. Thanks for signing up! Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Never miss a story. Check out more newsletters Heck, in half a year she's entangled New Yorkers in 30 politicized lawsuits against the Trump team. Advertisement She sued to stop the president from dismantling the Department of Education (and lost); she sued to prevent him from firing federal workers (and lost); she sued to keep DOGE from accessing Social Security data (and is losing). New York is among the worst states in administering SNAP; James could go after the tens of millions of dollars in organized food-stamp fraud. But that wouldn't win her the liberal-media spotlight, so state taxpayers get to underwrite yet another losing lawsuit. New York sure could use an AG who doesn't just showboat for the national stage. How about working for the people for once, General James?
Fox News
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Linda McMahon sends warning to Maine after state's education chief's emails undermining Trump surface
U.S. Department of Education Secretary Linda McMahon addressed a Fox News Digital report that the Maine education commissioner undermined President Donald Trump's executive orders in emails to schools. McMahon shared the report in a post on X Tuesday, referencing the Trump administration's lawsuit against the state for defying Title IX. "Deliberately defying federal law is exactly why [the Department of Education] found Maine in violation of Title IX- and why DOJ is continuing its lawsuit against the state. If you ignore federal law, there will be consequences," McMahon wrote. Emails obtained by Fox News Digital show Maine Department of Education Commissioner Pender Makin drafted multiple memos for schools that suggested the schools follow Maine state law and not comply with Trump's January executive orders that addressed public education. "Last week, we advised schools to adhere to the Maine Human Rights Act and your local school board policies related to nondiscrimination. We encourage you to continue to keep all people safe and we reiterate the fact that, at present, neither our state law nor your local policies are diminished by the executive orders directing action at the federal level, one memo read, as seen in a Jan. 28 email. "Most of the executive orders pertain to federal agencies and federal laws over which Maine DOE has no authority." Makin corresponded with Maine Assistant Attorney General Sarah Forster, with a draft of a memo to schools. The memo included orders to avoid complying with Trump's "Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling," executive order, in a Jan. 30 email. "… this EO changes nothing for Maine schools," part of an email discussing the memo wrote. The memo draft said "Maine schools should continue to follow the laws of our state and the provisions within their local policies." Then, in a Jan. 31 email, Makin drafted another memo to superintendents and school leaders addressing the executive order. "The Executive Order does not alter the obligations of schools under state law, including the Maine Human Rights Act, and does not require any immediate changes to locally adopted school board policies," the memo read. Maine state representative Laurel Libby addressed the report in an interview with "Fox & Friends" on Tuesday morning. "I'm not surprised at all," Libby said, later adding, "It's a woke agenda with which most Mainers don't agree. They don't agree that biological males should be participating in girls' sports. They don't agree that the focus should be on DEI and social emotional learning." Maine and Governor Janet Mills have been in a feud with Trump's administration since February after the state became one of the first to openly defy Trump's "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports" executive order. The defiance resulted in a trans athlete winning a girls pole vault competition in February, and then an in-person verbal spat between Trump and Mills at a Feb. 21 White House meeting of governors. The U.S. Department of Justice has launched a lawsuit against Mills and the state for defying Title IX, which is set to go to trial in January 2026. A survey by the American Parents Coalition found that out of about 600 registered Maine voters, 63% said school sports participation should be based on biological sex, and 66% agreed it is "only fair to restrict women's sports to biological women." The poll also found that 60% of residents would support a ballot measure limiting participation in women's and girls sports to biological females. This included 64% of independents and 66% of parents with children under age 18.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pete Buttigieg says Democratic Party's attachment to two words handed Trump the White House in 2024
Former Transportation Secretary and 2020 presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg has argued that Democrats suffered heavy losses in 2024 because they're 'too attached' to the 'status quo.' Speaking to NPR, he said Democrats shouldn't try to restore everything being torn down by President Donald Trump. "You've got an administration that is burning down so many of the most important institutions that we have in this country, which is wrong," said Buttigieg. "It is also wrong to imagine that we should have just kept everything going along the way it was." The 43-year-old argued that what Democrats attempted to do after taking power in 2021, namely, repairing institutions harmed by the first Trump administration, shouldn't be the first port of call the next time the Democrats are in charge. He said his party has been "too attached to a status quo that has been failing us for a long time." "It is wrong to burn down the Department of Education, but I actually think it's also wrong to suppose that the Department of Education was just right in 2024," he added. "You could say the same thing about USAID. It is unconscionable that children were left to die by the abrupt destruction of USAID. Unconscionable. But it's also wrong to suppose that if Democrats come back to power, our project should be to just tape the pieces together just the way that they were." The former Biden cabinet member also said that the scandal surrounding the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has had such staying power because of a 'breakdown in societal trust.' Many Americans don't trust the government and don't believe that all has been revealed about Epstein, who had expansive connections to wealthy and powerful people, including his former friend, Trump. While Buttigieg noted to NPR that Epstein "was historically more of an area of interest for the MAGA base" compared to the Democrats, he defended the pressure that the party has put on Trump. "You shouldn't have to be a Republican or a Democrat to care about making sure there's transparency on something as horrific as the abuses that happened. And to want to understand why an administration that promised to shed light on this decided not to," said the former South Bend, Indiana, mayor. When asked about the issue of the supposed cover-up of former President Joe Biden's condition as he aged in office, Buttigieg said, "I told the truth, which is that he was old. You could see that he was old. And also, when it came to my ability to do my job and have my boss, my president, support me in that job, I always got whatever I needed from him, from the Oval Office." Buttigieg told NPR that the fear of political retribution or violence "is more real than at any point in my lifetime." He added that concerns about losing funding are "already impacting who gets invited to speak at a university or who gets hired at a law firm…. We can't allow that.' "The thing about the politics of fear is the more you give into it, the worse it gets. The only antidote to a politics of fear is a politics of courage,' said Buttigieg.
