Today’s news includes a questionable choice of locations for the Christie campaign kickoff event, big education decisions by courts in Kansas and Colorado, and the USDA’s choice of Chobani greek yogurt for the nation’s schools:
Chris Christie Slashed Education Funding, But He’s Announcing His Presidential Bid At A Public School HuffPost: Christie is expected to announce his bid for the Republican presidential nomination Tuesday at the high school.But the venue may be an odd choice, given that the school’s district has experienced significant cuts in state funding during Christie’s time as governor.After coming to office in 2010, Christie cut about $1 billion in education spending, according to Politifact, to help close gaps in the state’s budget. See also EdWeek: Newark to Regain Local Control of Its Schools.
Kansas Court Orders Immediate Increase In School Funding AP: State officials and an attorney for four school districts challenging the law said the decision from the three-judge panel in Shawnee County District Court would force the state to provide between $46 million and $54 million in extra aid next week, distributing the money under an old formula that legislators junked.
Colorado’s high court blocks school voucher program AP: A school voucher program in suburban Denver violates the state constitution because it provides funding for students to attend religious schools, the Colorado Supreme Court ruled Monday…. See also Washington Post, EdWeek.
Ohio Poised to Ditch PARCC Common-Core Test in Budget Sent to Gov. Kasich State EdWatch: House Bill 64, the biennial 2015-17 budget that lawmakers sent to Gov. John Kasich, prohibits the state from purchasing the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) exam
Chobani selected as Greek yogurt provider for school lunches AP: The USDA decided in April to include Greek yogurt as a permanent option in its school lunch program after classifying it as an approved meat substitute in 2013. During the first three months of the pilot program, schools in Idaho, New York, Arizona and Tennessee consumed 200,000 pounds of Chobani Greek yogurt. By the time the program was expanded, schools were ordering 700,000 pounds of yogurt.
