Latest news with #GradeA
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Gov. DeSantis on hand to celebrate Duval County Public Schools' first A grade in district history
In a visit to Jacksonville on Monday, Governor Ron DeSantis announced that Duval County Public Schools is celebrating a Grade A rating for the first time in history. The governor shared the news at Oceanway Elementary School. 'Duval's gone from B to A! Congratulations!' DeSantis said. While Duval celebrates a major win, districts across the state made growth during the 2024-2025 school year, too. Twenty-eight school districts received an A grade, with 31 districts at a B grade, and only eight districts receiving a C grade. No districts received a D or F grade. Here's how other Northeast Florida districts performed: Baker: B Bradford: B Clay: A Columbia: B Nassau: A Putnam: C St. Johns: A Union: B Click here to see how your child's school performed DeSantis credits the advancement to the state's new approach to end-of-year testing. This school year marked the third year since the state has adopted its Progress Monitoring Testing concept. With the new model, students are evaluated at the beginning, middle, and end of the school year. With year-round, real-time data, teachers and parents can get help for students before the end of the school year. RELATED: Duval County Public Schools achieves an A grade for the first time ever 'We decided that we would institute reforms and embrace this concept known as progress monitoring. So, with progress monitoring, teachers, students, and parents are provided real-time time continuous, actionable assessments at the beginning, middle, and end of the school year,' DeSantis said. This past school year, grades 3 through 10 grew 21 percentage points in language arts, and grades 3 through 8 grew by 44 percentage points in math. The district also shared these stats to show how some individual schools made strides in growth: Ten schools jumped two letter grades: 1. Andrew Jackson High (C to A) 2. Annie R. Morgan Elementary (F to C) 3. Holiday Hill Elementary (C to A) 4. Jean Ribault High (C to A) 5. Landmark Middle (C to A) 6. Long Branch Elementary (D to B) 7. Northwestern Legends Elementary (D to B) 8. Oceanway Elementary (C to A) 9. Pickett Elementary (C to A) 10. Rufus E. Payne Elementary (C to A) Both Andrew Jackson High and John E. Ford earned their first A-rating. Ed White High School earned its first B-rating. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] In the press conference, the governor announced a new, incentivized program for teachers. With a new civics certification curriculum for teachers, state educators can take a course designed to strengthen the way teachers deliver lessons in Civics and History. The Civic Seal of Excellence Program comes with a $3,000 bonus, too. To better teacher pay, the governor shared that the state has increased its allocation to teacher pay. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] 'This year's budget for teacher pay is $1.36 billion, so that's an increase over last year of $102 million. So that goes to folks that are in the classroom, and we've made a lot of strides,' DeSantis said. DCPS released this statement in response to the district's historic grading: 'To ensure the momentum continues, Duval County Public Schools is launching a year-long communications effort titled 'Duval Delivers.' The campaign will spotlight school success stories, amplify instructional best practices, and maintain a consistent message of progress throughout the 2025–2026 school year." Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
Edmonton Journal
03-07-2025
- Sport
- Edmonton Journal
With Morgan Frost reportedly signed to two-year deal, how much offence can Flames expect?
The Calgary Flames are banking that Morgan Frost can help solve their scoring woes. Article content According to PuckPedia, the Flames have signed Frost to a two-year contract with an annual cap hit of US$4.375 million, the sort of price tag that will bring added pressure to produce. The organization has yet to confirm the new deal for the 26-year-old centre, who was a restricted free agent this summer. Article content While Frost has all the tools to be an offensive playmaker, he posted an underwhelming stat line after arriving in late January in a mid-season swap from the Philadelphia Flyers. Article content On a positive note, he was Calgary's best regular faceoff man during that span, winning 50.5 per cent of his draws. Article content 'There was a stretch where, it felt like every game, I was getting a handful of Grade A opportunities and just couldn't put the puck in the net,' Frost told media on locker clean-out day at the Saddledome. 'Obviously, I would have liked to have put up some better numbers, but at the same time, I feel like I did some of the smaller things to help the team win and the team went on a good run to end the year. We should be in the playoffs right now. Article content 'I'm more proud of that than my individual stats.' Article content Article content If Frost could boost those individual stats, it would certainly help with the push for an invite to the NHL's next spring dance. Article content Article content The Flames finished ninth in the Western Conference standings in 2024-25, only missing the playoffs because of a tiebreaker. They remained in the race despite being the fourth-lowest scoring team in the league. Article content Flames general manager Craig Conroy didn't sign a single forward during Tuesday's free-agent frenzy. As he explained his approach to a quiet Canada Day, he mentioned Frost on a lengthy list of 20-somethings who will need to up their output. Article content 'I'm going to need (Joel) Farabee, I'm going to need Frost, (Connor) Zary, Matty Coronato … Guys like that have to come in and play better for us and give us more offence, and they're going to have to take a step,' Conroy said. 'If they do, that's going to be the difference for us. Those are the guys, with (Adam) Klapka and (Martin) Pospisil, those are the guys we need to rise and be better. But they're going to play more, so that's going to give them that chance.
Argaam
01-07-2025
- Business
- Argaam
Knight Frank sees higher demand for offices, hotels in Saudi Arabia
Knight Frank stated that government initiatives — particularly the Regional Headquarters Program — are driving increased demand for office space in Saudi Arabia, especially in Riyadh. Around 600 companies announced plans to establish their regional headquarters in the city, significantly boosting demand for prime office space and reshaping the quality of services and amenities offered in the market. In its latest report on Saudi Arabia, the firm noted that office vacancy rates in Riyadh remain low. "Grade A" office rents surged by 23% year-on-year (YoY) in Q1 2025, reaching a record high of SAR 2,700 per square meter. "Grade B" office rents also climbed 24% YoY over the same period, as a shortage of premium space led companies to seek alternatives. Knight Frank expects some improvement over the next two years, with approximately 2.7 million square meters of new office spaces projected to be delivered across the Kingdom. The report also highlighted strong occupancy levels in Jeddah, where office rents continue to rise steadily. This trend is supported by growing demand and sustained investment from leading private sector firms. "Grade A" office rents in Jeddah rose by 4%, while "Grade B" rents increased by 6% during the same period.
Arab News
30-06-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Riyadh leads Saudi Arabia's commercial real estate growth with 23% rise in office rents
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's commercial real estate sector is witnessing exponential growth, with rents for Grade A office spaces in the Kingdom's capital reaching SR2,700 ($719.95) per sq. meter by the end of March, an analysis showed. In its latest report, global real estate consultancy Knight Frank said average rents for office spaces in Riyadh witnessed an annual rise of 23 percent by the end of the first quarter, driven by the success of government-led initiatives, including the ambitious regional headquarters program. Strengthening the real estate sector is one of the key goals outlined in Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 agenda, as the nation aims to position itself as a leading business and tourism destination by the end of the decade. The Kingdom's Real Estate General Authority expects the property market to reach $101.62 billion by 2029, with an anticipated compound annual growth rate of 8 percent from 2024. 'Saudi Arabia's economic momentum continued to strengthen across key sectors in 2024, underpinned by rising private sector activity,' said Faisal Durrani, partner — head of research for the Middle East and North Africa at Knight Frank. According to the report, the Kingdom's Grade A office rents witnessed an occupancy level of 98 percent by the end of March. Grade B rents grew by 24 percent year on year by the end of the first quarter, while the occupancy level of these spaces stood at 97 percent. Grade A office spaces command higher rents than the area average, thanks to their prime locations, modern infrastructure, and newer construction. In contrast, Grade B office spaces are more affordable, offering a lower-cost alternative to Grade A units. The report further said that around 600 companies have announced plans to establish their regional headquarters by the end of February, significantly boosting demand for prime office spaces. Saudi Arabia's regional headquarters program offers benefits to international firms, including a 30-year exemption from corporate income tax and withholding tax on headquarters activities, as well as discounts and support services. 'A total of 14,303 foreign business investment licenses were issued during 2024, a 67 percent increase from 2023, marking the highest annual figure on record and underscoring the sustained appeal of Saudi Arabia to global corporates and investors,' said Durrani. The analysis added that Jeddah is also experiencing significant growth in the commercial real estate sector, with both Grade A and Grade B occupancies reaching 95 percent by the end of March. Knight Frank said Grade A office rents in Jeddah reached SR1,280 per sq. meter, marking a 4 percent year-on-year growth, while Grade B office rents grew by 6 percent to reach SR845 per sq. meter. Jeddah's total office stock is expected to rise from 1.6 million sq. meters this year to 1.8 million sq. meters by 2027. 'As more companies expand their footprint across Saudi Arabia, Jeddah is attracting a growing number of regional and local firms. This rising interest is being supported by a healthy office development pipeline,' said James Hodgetts, partner — occupier strategy and solutions at Knight Frank. He added: 'Upcoming projects include Jeddah Gate, which is expected to deliver 230,000 sq. meters between 2025 and 2028, and Jeddah Rose, a mixed-use development bringing 25,000 sq. meters of office space to the market by the end of 2025.' In May, Jeddah Municipality announced 29 new investment opportunities spanning over 1.4 million sq. meters, targeting sectors including commercial, industrial, residential, and recreational. The package includes 13 commercial opportunities featuring the development and operation of retail shops and commercial complexes across various districts. In April, a separate report released by credit rating agency S&P Global said that the Kingdom's retail real estate market is poised for growth in the near term, driven by population growth, expanding tourism, and economic diversification efforts under the Vision 2030 initiative. S&P Global added that ongoing mega projects and the expansion of international brands are expected to propel further demand for retail space nationwide. Hospitality overview According to the study, the average daily rate in Saudi Arabia's hospitality sector increased by 10.8 percent year on year by the end of March, while revenue per available room increased by 12.3 percent during the same period. The report said the growth of the Kingdom's hospitality sector was largely driven by gains in the nation's holy cities and Riyadh. In the first quarter of 2025, ADR in Makkah rose by 28.9 percent year on year to SR859, while RevPAR was up by 35.7 percent to SR673. Citing data from the Ministry of Hajj, Knight Frank said the surge in performance in Makkah reflected heightened demand linked to the rise in issued Umrah visas, which grew by 8.3 percent. With more than 8,500 rooms under construction across 12 hotel developments, Makkah's total inventory is set to increase from 63,428 to 71,643 rooms by 2027, the report added. According to the analysis, ADR in Madinah reached SR891 by the end of the first quarter, representing an 11.8 percent year-on-year rise, while RevPAR rose by 15.1 percent to SR724. Madinah currently has 20,673 hotel rooms, and an additional 2,100 keys are expected to be delivered by 2027. Major international operators continue to expand their presence, including Hilton and Marriott, with planned openings totaling over 6,000 rooms. Rua Al-Madinah, a new giga-project situated east of the Prophet's Mosque, is also poised to reshape the hospitality landscape, with over 47,000 planned hotel rooms. 'These latest figures point to resilient demand amid limited new supply and further highlight Madinah's pricing strength,' said Amar Hussain, associate partner — research, Middle East at Knight Frank. He added: 'Pilgrim arrivals in the city are expected to reach 30 million by 2030, up from 17.3 million in 2025, reflecting the city's growing role as a global hub for religious tourism.' Data Centers Knight Frank said Saudi Arabia is positioning itself as the Middle East's leading data hub, with plans to grow its data center market from $1.78 billion in 2023 to $3.2 billion by 2029, representing a compound annual growth rate of 10.1 percent. The report noted that Saudi Arabia's total IT capacity is expected to increase from around 250-300 megawatts in 2024 to more than 1,000-MW by 2030, driven by strategic government initiatives and substantial investment in digital infrastructure. During the LEAP 2025 conference in February, Cathy Mauzaize, US-based software firm ServiceNow's president for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said that the company is set to launch data centers in the Kingdom in 2026. In the same month, Alfanar Global Development also announced a $1.4 billion investment plan to develop four world-class data centers in Saudi Arabia. Knight Frank added that all tier-one US cloud providers, including Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, and Oracle, have either launched operations or announced further expansions in the Kingdom. Amazon Web Services alone has committed $5.3 billion to scale up its cloud services across key cities. Chinese firms such as Alibaba Cloud and Huawei Cloud have also established a local presence. 'Saudi Arabia is now the fastest growing market for data centers as the country continues its drive toward national digitalization,' said Stephen Beard, global head of data centers at Knight Frank. He added: 'The Kingdom's development of data center infrastructure has been driven largely by adoption of public cloud and sustained public and private investment, transforming it into one of the top five global AI superpowers — evident in the recent launch of the $100 billion Transcendence AI Initiative.' Saudi Arabia launched Project Transcendence in November, a $100 billion AI initiative aimed at building data centers, supporting startups, and developing infrastructure. The initiative promises to bring together expertise, infrastructure, and innovation to position the Kingdom at the forefront of AI advancements.
Gizmodo
26-06-2025
- Business
- Gizmodo
Apple 13.3-Inch MacBook Air Is Going for Peanuts Thanks to 79% Off on a Grade-A Refurbished Deal
Are you a creative sort who'd love to get an Apple MacBook Air but always wince when they see the price of it? You're not alone. It's no secret that Apple makes truly exceptional products when it comes to phones, smartwatches, and laptops. However, it's also no secret that these devices often come with an incredibly hefty price tag, and frankly, not everybody can afford them. Thankfully, sales exist, and more thankfully, so do really well refurbished options. See at StackSocial In fact, today we've got a Grade-A refurbished Apple 13.3-Inch MacBook Air for just $200. That's a massive $799 off the standard price, and a very rare chance to get your hands on this amazing device without breaking the bank. This deal won't last long though, so make sure you snap it up if you want it to avoid disappointment. Let's go over what Grade A means first, as that's likely to worry some people. Grade A refurbished means that it's second-hand, sure, but it'll only have light wear on the body at worst, and no scratches or screen burn on the screen. Not only that, but the keyboard and trackpad will both work as they should, and the battery will have 80% of its normal capacity. That's all of the reasons why you're not paying full price for this, but that's easy stuff to overlook for an $800 discount. You're still getting the stunning 13.3-inch display that'll help you easily view your TV shows, films, and any editing jobs with crystal clear clarity. You'll still get the Intel Core i5 processor for amazing processing speed, and you'll still get a 128 GB SSD. This is a 2017 model, so it's a little bit older, but if you're looking for a way to get a MacBook Air in a more budget way, then this could well be your best chance this year. There's no denying the power of a MacBook Air, nor is there any change in how good these devices are for the creatively inclined. According to the StackSocial page, there have been over 1,000 refurbs sold recently, and that means we're really not expecting this deal to last long. Again, it's normally $999 for a device like this, but because of this massive 79% discount, it's down to just $200 while this deal lasts. Don't miss out on this chance to save yourself some serious bucks. Apple devices hold their value very well, so deals like this are very rare. See at StackSocial
