Education category, Page 14
Quaker Valley School District no longer accepting tuition students
Quaker Valley School District is no longer accepting tuition students. The school board unanimously voted on March 25 to update the district’s policy on nonresident students, including terminating the section that permits them to attend Quaker Valley if they pay tuition. The district currently has four tuition students, all in...
Brown University to see half a billion in federal funding halted by Trump administration
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is planning to halt more than half a billion dollars in contracts and grants awarded to Brown University, adding to a list of Ivy League colleges that have had their federal money threatened as a result of their responses to antisemitism, a White House official...
Pitt, CMU, among 20 schools Forbes dubs ‘New Ivies’
The University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon are among the country’s finest schools of higher education, according to a new list from Forbes that identifies 20 colleges as “New Ivies” — schools that produce quality graduates without the pretension and liberal political baggage that comes with an Ivy League pedigree....
Penn-Trafford Drama Guild to perform ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ musical
Penn-Trafford High School’s upcoming performance of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” has taken senior Isaiah Cordera back to his childhood. Having grown up watching the film, Cordera is excited to bring the character Charlie to the stage during the show’s debut weekend, April 4 to 6. “It’s a really fun...
First draft of Burrell School District budget proposes roughly 4% tax increase
Burrell School District’s draft budget for next school year has just under a 4% real estate tax increase for property owners. The draft budget totals close to $37.7 million, which is a 3% increase from this school year’s budget, said Business Manager Jennifer Callahan. The real estate tax increase included...
Letter calls on Carnegie Mellon to denounce higher-ed actions by Trump administration
A letter signed by more than 150 Carnegie Mellon University faculty, staff, alumni and students calls on the university to denounce what it calls the Trump administration’s “punitive withholding of federal funding and detainment and deportation of international scholars.” The letter also asks Carnegie Mellon not to comply with federal...
There’s a new push to put whole milk back in school meals. Here’s what you should know
More than a dozen years after higher-fat milk was stripped from school meals to slow obesity in American kids and boost their health, momentum is growing to put it back. Federal lawmakers have revived bills that would allow whole and 2% milk to be served again in schools, in addition...
Trump task force to review Harvard’s funding after Columbia bows to federal demands
WASHINGTON — Harvard University has become the latest target in the Trump administration’s approach to fight campus antisemitism, with the announcement of a new “comprehensive review” that could jeopardize billions of dollars for the Ivy League college. A federal antisemitism task force is reviewing more than $255 million in contracts...
New Oakland Catholic principal was on faculty of Murrysville, McKeesport schools
The new principal of Oakland Catholic High School has more than three decades of experience as an educator and has proven leadership skills, said Pittsburgh Catholic Bishop David Zubik. Karen Kolenik will start the job on July 1. “She is not only a strong academic leader, but also a faithful...
Interest in online learning, cyber charters increase in wake of covid pandemic
As the covid-19 pandemic eased and Canon-McMillan School District reopened its doors in August 2021, elementary student Camille Postlewaite told her parents she did not want to return to in-person classes. “That was what she wanted to do, and we’re not big on, ‘Well, you’re going to do it this...
From technology to learning loss to mental health, covid’s impact on education still felt today
Wayne Walters can still recall the enormous logistical challenge of handing out thousands of paper packets of classwork to Pittsburgh Public Schools students in 2020. The covid-19 pandemic had taken hold in the region. Schools closed buildings, students were left to learn online, and educators scrambled over how best to...
Trump administration investigates Maine for claims of withholding gender transitions from parents
PORTLAND, Maine — The administration of President Donald Trump is investigating Maine with a claim that dozens of school districts in the state violate federal law by withholding information about students’ gender transitioning from parents. The U.S. Department of Education said it launched the investigation on Friday, the day after...
Utah becomes first state to ban LGBTQ+ pride flags in government buildings and schools
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah became the first state to prohibit flying LGBTQ+ pride flags at schools and all government buildings after the Republican governor announced he was allowing a ban on unsanctioned flag displays to become law without his signature. Gov. Spencer Cox, who made the announcement late Thursday...
Shady Side Academy computer science students prepare for multi-district competition
Two Shady Side Academy students, bonded by a common love of zeros and ones, are preparing to expand their multi-school district technology-based competition. Zeros and ones are the two digits used in binary code, often described as the fundamental language of computers. Juniors Thomas Wang of Fox Chapel and Vivan...
Colleges rely on federal research funding. Under Trump, its future is in doubt
After decades of partnership with the U.S. government, colleges are facing new doubts about the future of their federal funding. President Donald Trump’s administration has been using the funding spigot to seek compliance with his agenda, cutting off money to schools including Columbia University and the University of Pennsylvania. All...
Pittsburgh college students fear ICE could hit campuses after string of national arrests
After several high-profile arrests of foreign nationals attending college in New York, Alabama and, now, Massachusetts, students at Pittsburgh universities wonder if it’s only a matter of time before federal immigration agents target their campuses. Spokespeople for the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University said Thursday they weren’t aware...
Carnegie Mellon president addresses China-based ties
The federal government has requested information about Carnegie Mellon University’s international students and possible collaborations it has with China-based universities and research institutions. CMU President Farnam Jahanian said it was one of six American universities to receive a letter from the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party regarding...
Penn Hills teachers reach contract agreement, avoid strike
Penn Hills teachers were able to avoid a strike after a contract agreement was reached with district administration. According to a news release from the Penn Hills Education Association, an unspecified majority of the membership voted to ratify their collective bargaining agreement with the district Wednesday night. The school board...
Trump asks Supreme Court for OK to cut teacher-training money as part of anti-DEI push
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is at the Supreme Court with a new emergency appeal Wednesday, this time seeking approval to go ahead with cuts of hundreds of millions of dollars for teacher training. A federal judge in Boston temporarily blocked the cuts, finding they were already affecting training programs...
Penn State commonwealth campus leader leaves for College of New Jersey
Penn State’s vice president for commonwealth campuses and executive chancellor Margo DelliCarpini is set to depart the university to accept a position at a different school. She will leave Penn State effective June 30 to take on a new position as the provost and vice president for academic affairs at...
Researchers in limbo as Columbia bows to Trump’s demands in bid to restore $400M federal funding
NEW YORK — When President Donald Trump canceled $400 million in funding to Columbia University over its handling of student protests against Israel’s war in Gaza, much of the financial pain fell on researchers a train ride away from the school’s campus, working on things like curing cancer and studying...
Norwin School Board candidates face hearing on petition challenges
Three Norwin School Board candidates should be removed from the May 20 primary ballot, according to legal challenges filed by two opponents. Westmoreland County Judge Harry Smail is scheduled to hear challenges Wednesday to the nominating petitions of Alex Detschelt, a current school board member seeking a nomination on the...
State police release IUPatty’s weekend arrest, investigation activity
State police conducted 77 investigations and arrests over the three-day IUPatty’s weekend centered around the Indiana University of Pennsylvania campus. The three-day annual celebration is popular with university students. Spanning from March 21 to 23, the event drew the following activity from state police:187 traffic stops50 traffic citations issued47 written...
Laurel Technical Institute predicts ‘tremendous growth’ with new Penn Township location
Westmoreland County high school students interested in pursuing a health care or trade school education upon graduation will have another option available to them this summer. Fayette County-based Laurel Technical Institute will launch its first semester of classes at its new Penn Township location in May, with the fall semester...
2 veteran Hempfield Area school board members decide not to seek reelection
Hempfield Area school board will see at least two new faces next year, as veteran members Paul Ward and Diane Ciabattoni are opting not to run for reelection. Board President Jerry Radebaugh and Vice President Scott Learn will seek another term, according to Westmoreland County records. The former Westmoreland County...
