Welcome to this week's education news round-up.

Campaign Central- NPS Advisory School Board Elections- April 19th

The school board election is fast approaching. Last week the Trust hosted its annual Candidates Forum, which provided candidates with a platform to share their priorities and aspirations for the upcoming year. For those who could not attend our Forum, you can listen to the entire podcast on our website or download it on iTunes here.

This week, we also invited our partners to share their thoughts on the importance of voting Learn more here.

Finally, to learn more about the candidates’ backgrounds and positions on local education issues visit  our meet the candidates page.

LOCAL

Newark School Board Candidates Talk Arts Education
As part of the ArtsEdNow campaign, the Newark Arts Education Roundtable (NAER), along with Newark Trust for Education and The New Jersey Arts Education Partnership, invited all Newark school board candidates  to share their views on arts education. See respondent results here. For full state results and more click here.

Newark Councilwoman Endorses Pro-Charter School Board Candidate
Central Ward Councilwoman Gayle Chaneyfield Jenkins endorses Kim Gaddy, a member of the "Newark Unity" slate for the Newark Public Schools Advisory Board.

University High School Taps Rashawn Davis to Give 2016 Commencement Speech
University High school has confirmed that Newark-born activist and community organizer Rashawn Davis will be the commencement speaker at its high-school graduation this coming June.

Free Info Session for 16-Week Entrepreneurial Training Program Downtown Newark
The Newark Community Economic Development Corporation (Newark CEDC) and the Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership (IFEL) have announced a training program to help Newark business owners and entrepreneurs launch, expand, or strengthen their businesses. 

REGIONAL

Reformers Question If School-Aid Formula Is Out of Touch with Reality
Regionally, a number of lawmakers are advocating for a change in the school-aid formula that would distribute aid more fairly and help districts dealing with large increases in enrollment.

Trenton Reopens Search for New Schools Superintendent 
5 months into its search for a superintendent, the Trenton School District has yet to select a candidate. Though two finalists were chosen out of 39 applications, the school Board reopened its search last Monday after receiving negative feedback from members of the community.

Beyond Recognizing The Problem Paying To Purify Drinking Water In NJ Schools
With 14 schools in Paterson recently confirming high lead levels in its water sources, the remediation of drinking water in New Jersey’s public schools continues to be a pressing issue. Earlier this week, the state’s Senate Democratic leadership hosted a round-table to call for a bill that would mandate twice-a-year testing of all water outlets in schools across the state.

Interactive Map: Tracking Per-Pupil Spending, Teacher Salaries Across NJ District   
The New Jersey Department of Education released its annual Tax Payer’s Guide to Education Spending report, which includes a breakdown of each district’s per pupil spending and teachers’ salaries. In 2015, the typical NJ school district spent nearly $20,000 per student and the typical teacher salary was more than $61,000.

PARCC Close to Becoming a Graduation Requirement in N.J.
Last week, the state Board of Education came together to vote on the high school graduation requirements for the graduation classes of 2020 and 2021. Ultimately, the proposal would eliminate students’ ability to opt-out of state assessments. Met with opposition from a number of groups, the Board plans to hold a 60-day period for the public to comment on the proposal before their final vote.

NATIONAL

Taking High School Courses In College Costs Students And Families Nearly $1.5 Billion 
A new report from Education Reform Now finds that about 45% of students enrolled in remedial classes come from middle- and high-income families.
 
Massachusetts is Waking Up to Sleep-Friendly Schools
At least 3 districts in Massachusetts have announced plans to delay the start of the school day by as much as 55 minutes starting this fall. This strategy would offer students a healthier sleep schedule, thus potentially reducing the risks associated with depression, high caffeine consumption, substance abuse, and suspensions.

The Extreme Sacrifice Detroit Parents Make to Access Better Schools       
A new article from the Atlantic looks at the ways in which access to quality schools for Detroit’s low income families has become increasingly difficult. As part of the city’s strategy to improve school choice, analysts found that schools  tend to be further from where kids live and do not provide adequate transportation.