As school leaders reflect on the past academic year and prepare for the next, the landscape of student behavior and discipline remains a central and evolving concern. In today's dynamic educational environment, the decisions we make regarding these issues carry profound implications not only for our students, but also for our roles as educators and careers.
The AFL-CIO Executive Council, which represents 60 unions and 12.5 million workers, unanimously endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president in the 2024 election.
As you know, OST funding benefited significantly from federal COVID relief funds over the past few years. These funds allowed our schools to expand and enhance after-school services. However, as these relief funds have dried up, there has been a noticeable reduction in OST funding, which has impacted schools' ability to maintain these services.
Schools and libraries now can use funds from the E-Rate program to provide off-premises WiFi hotspots to students, following a recent rule change by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). This decision, passed by a narrow 3–2 vote, marks a significant expansion of the E-Rate program, which was established in 1996 to help schools and libraries secure affordable broadband services.
In response to yesterday’s announcement by Mayor Johnson rejecting cuts in the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) proposed budget, the Chicago Principals and Administrators Association (CPAA) calls on CPS district management to consult with principals on a more thoughtful and effective allocation. CPAA has long supported a comprehensive budget process that includes transparency and collaboration to better meet the needs of students, and this announcement creates an opportunity to collaborate on how a more effective allocation would look.
