A daily dose of education news around the nation – just in time for a little mid-day break!
Budget cuts: Residents in at least 16 districts in California have approved an increase to property taxes in order to help school budgets. But these measures are mostly taking place in more affluent communities, and experts worry they will only increase educational inequality in the state. (Education Week)
Taxes aren’t the only way to increase the budget, though; schools in Michigan are turning to advertisements in schools to raise some extra money. (Detroit Free Press)
Community colleges: U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan praised community colleges as “an unrecognized gem of education” at graduation ceremonies in California. (San Jose Mercury News)
Technology: The Colorado Convention Center hosted the annual meeting of the International Society for Technology in Education, featuring iPod touches, Flip cams and the latest in whiteboard technology. (Denver Post)
Meanwhile, Wilmington University in Delaware is busy preparing for its first class of video game design and development majors. (Delaware Online)
Class size: Administrators in Central Florida this summer will have to tackle the last part of Florida’s class size law, which was approved in 2002. Beginning in August, there can be no more than 18 students in elementary school core classes, 22 in middle school classes and 25 in high school. That’s going to mean hiring hundreds of new teachers. (Orlando Sentinel)
School choice: A new study by the Pew Charitable Trusts shows that Philadelphia parents want more school choice. (Philadelphia Inquirer)
Meanwhile, a school choice bill in New Jersey has been sent to the governor; it would expand the number of school districts that can take students from other districts. (NJ.com)
