Unless members of Congress act quickly and come to a budget agreement the country will once again face a government shutdown starting October 1. That would mean cuts of 1.4 percent to education and all other non-defense discretionary programs including public health, housing, and social services. These cuts would hurt our neediest children the most.…
DetailsWith another school year now underway many parents are back at a difficult daily task: packing lunches for their children. Every morning brings a series of questions: What will kids actually eat? Is it healthy? Would children be better off buying lunch? The answer to that last question is yes, according to two studies published…
DetailsMembers of the new Mastery Examination Committee, created by the legislature to examine student assessment, pledged to do what’s best for children at their first meeting today in Hartford. But there were no indications that the committee has consensus to act quickly to fix Connecticut’s flawed testing system that has SBAC as its centerpiece. Educator…
DetailsWhat impact does students’ use of computers at home and at school have on their learning? A new report from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) looks into questions about students’ technology use that are on the minds of many parents and teachers and comes up with some surprising findings. The report looked…
DetailsIt still feels like summer today, but fall does officially begin next week and we’ll soon be encountering a nip in the air and red and yellow on the trees. Explore autumn with your students using lessons, activities, poetry, and songs compiled by Phil Nast for NEA. Resources for: Grades K-5 Grades 6-8 Grades 9-12
DetailsA lot is up in the air for the future of teacher evaluation as members of the U.S. House and Senate hash out new federal education policy this fall. The versions of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) passed by the House and Senate don’t require teacher evaluation plans, so Connecticut will likely have…
DetailsSuicide is the third leading cause of death for 10- to 24-year-olds, and a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) survey found that 16 percent of students in grades 9–12 reported seriously considering suicide. What can you do to help? NEA members should familiarize themselves with suicide prevention resources and information available to school…
DetailsAs the school year has started up you’ve been reviewing your curriculum and figuring out if you have the right instructional game plan in place. So why not do the same with your personal finances? To get started working on your financial game plan, ask yourself these four important questions from NEA Member Benefits. 1. Do…
DetailsFair wages and benefits, workplace rights and protections—unions are important for many reasons, but one only recently discovered benefit of unions is that they increase the likelihood of low-income children making it into the middle class. This finding comes from a recently released report by the Center for American Progress that found children from low-income…
DetailsAt least 25 Connecticut public school districts closed early today due to excessive heat and humidity. NBC Connecticut reported a record-breaking temperature of 92 degrees in Bridgeport, and tomorrow’s forecast predicts temperatures nearly as warm as today’s and even higher humidity levels. In a communication to parents announcing that the town’s elementary schools would close early today, Madison Superintendent Thomas…
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