Latest news with #education
National Post
an hour ago
- Business
- National Post
Ontario government takes over TDSB, three other school boards, citing 'mismanagement'
The Ontario government announced it will be appointing supervisors to oversee four school board districts in the province after an investigation raised concerns about the financial stability of the institutions. Article content The affected boards include some of the largest in the province, including Toronto (TDSB), Toronto Catholic (TCDSB), Ottawa-Carleton (OCDSB) and Dufferin-Peel (DPCDSB). Article content 'Each of these boards has failed in its responsibilities to parents and students by losing sight of its core mission — ensuring student success,' Minister of Education said Paul Calandra said in a news release Friday. Article content Article content The ministry's press release said an investigation into the four school boards revealed 'instances of mismanagement and poor decision-making that put its long-term financial health at risk.' The government said the TDSB has rejected nearly half of the cost-saving measures management has recommended over the past two years and the board relies heavily on proceeds from asset sales to balance its books. Article content Toronto Catholic 'is at risk of default in the coming years' after tripling its deficit, compared with the prior school year, the announcement reads. Meanwhile, Ottawa-Carleton 'depleted its reserves, incurred an accumulated deficit,' the government wrote, noting that the board plans to offset the deficit 'from asset sales to balance its books.' Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board, meanwhile, is 'at the brink of bankruptcy,' Calandra said. Article content Article content The audit of OCDSB and TDSB, according to the provincial government, was overseen by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC), while Deloitte conducted the investigation of TCDSB. Article content Article content Chandra Pasma, the education critic for the Ontario New Democratic Party (NDP), condemned the move calling it 'nothing short of a power grab.' Article content Pasma blamed the Ford government which 'has chronically underfunded our education system,' that will undermine the schooling of students. Article content Calandra framed the announcement as a step toward financial propriety and a better long-term investment in local schools. Article content 'We're strengthening oversight and accountability so that parents can have the confidence that every dollar is spent responsibly to directly benefit students. I have made it clear that if a school board veers off its mandate, I will take action to restore focus, rebuild trust and put students first.'
Bloomberg
an hour ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Platinum-Backed McGraw Hill Files for IPO Showing Narrowing Loss
Platinum Equity -backed McGraw Hill Inc. filed for an initial public offering, a sign that private equity firms are resurfacing to take more of their portfolio companies public. The education and training company had a net loss of $85.8 million on revenue of $2.1 billion in the fiscal year ended March 31, compared with a net loss of $193 million on revenue of $1.96 billion a year earlier, according to its filing Friday with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.
Associated Press
2 hours ago
- Business
- Associated Press
West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District Enhances Educators' Ability To Interpret Student Data and Improve Achievement Through New Partnership
CHARLOTTE, N.C., June 27, 2025 /3BL/ - In a first of its kind agreement, New Jersey's West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District (WWP) today announced a new partnership with Otus, the leading K-12 assessment, data, and insights solution, and Discovery Education, the creators of essential PreK-12 learning solutions used in classrooms around the world. Through this collaboration, Otus and Discovery Education are providing new resources that help WWP organize student data into actionable insights and enhance district educators' ability to interpret that data and make informed, strategic decisions that improve achievement. Located in Central New Jersey's Mercer County, WWP is a PreK-12 public school district that educates over 9,300 students and employs over 1,300 staff members in 10 schools across the West Windsor and Plainsboro Townships. Building upon their tradition of excellence, WWP's mission is to empower all learners to thoughtfully contribute to a diverse and changing world with confidence, strength of character, and love of learning. To enhance the district's ability to collect, read, and react to student assessment data, WWP's team sought a digital solution that offered unparalleled insight into student performance. In addition, school administrators sought one resource that would provide both educators and families the tools and insights needed to support student success. Following a careful review of available solutions, WWP selected the Otus platform provided through Discovery Education. Through the Otus platform, WWP educators will: DreamBox Math by Discovery Educationhost of improvementsindependently proven According to Allan Johnson, WWP's Supervisor of Technology, Training, & Media Sources, 'The addition of Otus to the district tech stack improves our educators' ability to easily pull and analyze achievement data and then adjust instruction to improve student outcomes. We look forward to deploying this new resource districtwide.' WWP educators using Otus will receive dedicated professional development from Otus' team of professional learning experts. Through these interactive professional development sessions, participants will learn best practices for integrating their new digital resources into instruction. Effective professional learning increases student engagement and supports the continued academic development of all students. 'Discovery Education is thrilled to continue to support the students and teachers of the West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District through its unique collaboration with Otus,' said Tori Byrd, Discovery Education's Manager of Educational Partnerships. 'As the first school system nationwide to leverage the unique partnership between Otus and Discovery Education to combine high-quality learning solutions and state-of-the-art data analytics, West Windsor-Plainsboro is setting a new bar for innovation in this space.' To learn about how Otus and Discovery Education have collaborated to support student achievement, visit For more information about Otus, visit and stay connected to Otus on social media through X, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook. For more information about Discovery Education, visit and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. ### About Otus Otus, an award-winning edtech platform, empowers educators to maximize student performance with comprehensive solutions for K12 assessment, data, and insights. Committed to student achievement and educational equity, Otus combines student data with powerful tools that provide educators, administrators, and families with the insights they need to make a difference. Built by teachers for teachers, Otus creates efficiencies in data management, assessments, and progress monitoring to help educators focus on what matters most—student success. Today, Otus partners with school districts nationwide to create informed, data-driven learning environments. Learn more at About Discovery Education Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art, PreK-12, digital solutions support learning wherever it takes place. Through award-winning multimedia content, instructional supports, innovative classroom tools, and strategic alliances, Discovery Education helps educators deliver powerful learning experiences that engage all students and support higher academic achievement on a global scale. Discovery Education serves approximately 4.5 million educators and 45 million students worldwide, and its resources are accessed in over 100 countries and territories. Through partnerships with districts, states, and trusted organizations, Discovery Education empowers teachers with essential edtech solutions that inspire curiosity, build confidence, and accelerate learning. Explore the future of education at Contact Mike Peterson Otus Phone: 651-307-9251 Email: [email protected] Stephen Wakefield Discovery Education Phone: 202-316-6615 Email: [email protected] Visit 3BL Media to see more multimedia and stories from Discovery Education
CBS News
2 hours ago
- Politics
- CBS News
Maryland leaders respond after U.S. Supreme Court sides with group of parents on school gender identity lessons
Leaders in Maryland have given mixed reactions to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in favor of a group of Montgomery County school parents who want to opt their young children out of lessons that include books that talk about gender and sexual orientation. The 6-3 opinion in Mahmoud v. Taylor grants the group of parents a preliminary injunction as their lawsuit continues to play out. In its decision, the Supreme Court ruled that Montgomery County Schools must notify parents and allow them to opt their children out of reading books that contain LGBTQ-inclusive content. "While we are extremely disappointed in the Supreme Court's decision, unfortunately, we are not surprised," the Montgomery County Education Association said in a statement. "MCEA believes that our public schools should remain inclusive places where differences are celebrated. This decision sets us back and is reminiscent of a time when discrimination and intolerance were the norm." Maryland leaders react to Supreme Court ruling Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown expressed his disappointment after the Supreme Court ruling. "These materials help teachers create classrooms where all students can thrive and feel safe, regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation," he said in a statement. The Maryland Senate Republican Caucus praised the decision as "a victory for common sense and for parental rights." The group of Republican leaders said the ruling, "affirms a fundamental principle that Maryland parents–not government bureaucrats–should have the final say in how their children are educated, particularly when it comes to sensitive topics like gender identity and sexuality." Senate Minority Leader Steve Hershey said the Montgomery County school district took an "extreme step" by denying parents the right to opt out of curriculum that goes against their family values. "That's not inclusive—it's authoritarian," he said in a statement. "This case should serve as a wake-up call to education officials across Maryland," said Senate Minority Whip Justin Ready. Rep. Jamie Raskin (MD-8) said the ruling opens Pandora's box for those who wish to opt out of teachings that don't align with their family's religious beliefs. "There are religions that oppose medical science, surgery, psychiatry, interracial marriage, monogamy, woman's suffrage, the right of gay people to marry, and so on. All of them will now be able to flood the courts with claims that particular curricular teachings and books offend their sincere values and their children should not be exposed to the offensive doctrines," Raskin said in a statement. WJZ has reached out to Gov. Wes Moore's office for comment.
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
New exams chief quit his council role in the wake of child death criticism
The new boss of Scotland's exams quango resigned from his previous role following child safety concerns at the council he ran. Nick Page has been announced as the chief executive of the Scottish Qualifications Authority, and will automatically switch to the same role at the new Qualifications Scotland body when it is set up later this year. But concerns have been raised about the way he left his job as chief executive of Solihull Council after a 2023 review found that children faced 'significant harm' due to delayed responses from its 'inadequate' children's services. Mr Page resigned following the Ofsted report, saying new leadership would help bring about the necessary changes. The SQA has refused to confirm his exact salary in the new role, saying only that it was 'within the range set by Scottish Government for CEOs of that grade' and that the job had been advertised with a salary of between £126,000 and £143,000. His appointment comes after new legislation was passed this week abolishing the SQA, despite concerns the new body will just be a 'rebrand'. Miles Briggs, education spokesman for the Scottish Conservatives, said: 'This appointment by the discredited and scandal-hit SQA is bound to raise eyebrows among those crying out for positive change in Scottish education. 'Many will be concerned about how he left a previously senior leadership role and if that will hang over him as he gets to work in Scotland. 'SNP ministers missed the boat this week with their education bill which was full of cosmetic rebranding, including in relation to the beleaguered SQA. 'I wish Mr Page all the best in his new role, but he will need to show that he is willing to make the tough decisions necessary to undo 18 years of SNP damage to Scotland's education system.' During his role at Solihull Council, the authority was heavily criticised after six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes was murdered by his step-mother in June 2020. Emma Tustin poisoned, starved and beat Arthur during the Covid lockdown, and was jailed along with Arthur's father Thomas Hughes, who was found guilty of manslaughter. A spokesman for the SQA said: 'Nick Page chose to step down from his last role after a critical inspection. 'It was a principled decision to allow fresh leadership to take improvements forward. 'The SQA board carried out full due diligence and was unanimous in its selection. Nick was also the unanimous choice of the SQA staff panel which interviewed all candidates.' The new appointment comes after Fiona Robertson announced she was quitting as chief executive in February. Mr Page will begin work on July 7 and will then lead Qualifications Scotland when it is established in December. He has worked in teaching and children's services, as well as local authority leadership. Mr Page said: 'I am honoured to have the opportunity to serve as chief executive of SQA and to lead Scotland's new national awarding body when Qualifications Scotland opens its doors in December. 'SQA is already transforming at pace to build strong foundations for Qualifications Scotland, harnessing the deep knowledge, skills and commitment of our people. 'We will accelerate that work to deliver a future that improves outcomes and supports learning and teaching. 'As a former teacher from a family of teachers, I am keenly aware of the challenges faced in classrooms, colleges and across the education community, especially since the pandemic.' SQA chairman Shirley Rogers, who led the recruitment process for the new chief executive, said: 'We set the bar high to find a dynamic leader with the depth of experience, values and commitment to public service and partnership that our organisation - and Scotland - needs. 'I am absolutely delighted that Nick has chosen to join us. His career spans many achievements and a proven ability to lead through both change and challenge. 'I am confident that, drawing on these experiences and a commitment to learning from them, Nick will drive the positive transformation that ensures Qualifications Scotland delivers for every learner, every educator, and every community.'
