Recess round-up: June 30, 2010

A daily dose of education news around the nation – just in time for a little mid-day break!

College tuition: Private, nonprofit colleges will increase tuition by an average of 4.5 percent next year, the second smallest increase in nearly 40 years. Student aid will also go up by 6.9 percent. (Inside Higher Ed)

School budgets: Property taxes are set to increase by an average of 2.9 percent in Iowa, which will bring in an additional $136 million for the state’s schools. (Des Moines Register)

Testing: Students in Louisiana start strong and finish weak, according to a new report. Fourth-graders score well on standardized tests, while eighth-graders fall behind. (NoLa.com)

Charter schools: Boston School Superintendent Carol R. Johnson is proposing to have Unlocking Potential Inc., a new Boston nonprofit charter management organization, take over one of the city’s lowest-performing schools. (Boston Globe)

School reform: Nevada gubernatorial hopeful Brian Sandoval unveiled his plans for improving the state’s schools, including ending teacher tenure and firing administrators at low-performing schools. (Reno Gazette-Journal)

Education spending: Utah spends the least of all 50 states on its students, according to a report by the Census Bureau. The state spends an average of $5,765 per student, compared to a national average of $10,259. (Examiner.com)

State standards: A new report says that Georgia needs to strengthen its standards in math and reading and get more of its eighth-graders to enroll in college-prep math courses. (Augusta Chronicle)

Sarah Butrymowicz