Education
FEATURE: Governor’s budget plan could cost rural schools millions of dollars in state aid
Rural school districts across New York face a significant loss in state funding this year. Governor Hochul’s 2024 executive budget proposal would change the allocation of “foundation aid”. That’s the money the state gives each school district to close the gap between what a community can afford to pay and what is needed to provide…
Read MoreLocal News: February 8, 2024
Pollack says high education is facing “gale-force” political winds in speech to Ithaca Rotary Club Cornell University President Martha Pollack was the guest speaker at Ithaca’s Rotary Club on Thursday. She spoke about Cornell’s six core values. University theme this year is “freedom of expression.” Since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war last October Cornell…
Read MoreLocal News: February 7, 2024
– Tompkins County legislature rejects ceasefire resolution – By a one-vote margin, the Tompkins County legislature rejected a resolution calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. The Ithaca Voice reports legislature heard hours of public comments mostly supporting the resolution. The vote was 7-6 in favor of the resolution but it needed 8 votes…
Read MoreLocal News: January 26, 2024
– Cornell releases draft policies on expressing and doxxing – Cornell announced two interim policies on Wednesday that address what it’s calling “expressive activities” and doxxing. University president Martha Pollock states the new policy on expression will not override any existing policies about conduct. It sets rules for when and where activities can take place…
Read MoreLocal News: Ithaca Common Council to vote on Cornell MOU tonight
The Ithaca Common Council is set to vote on a negotiated Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Cornell University in a special meeting tonight. I’ll have a report on the results of the vote tomorrow morning. This is a brief recap of what’s at stake. Cornell has tax-exempt status so it doesn’t have to pay property…
Read MoreLocal News: October 10, 2023
– Some Ithaca first responders issue statement opposing city’s new homeless encampment policy – Over 60 Ithaca police and emergency responders have signed a letter critical of the city’s new homeless encampment policy. The policy creates a “Green Zone” where camping is legal and services like toilets, garbage collection, and phone charging stations will be…
Read MoreTC3 and all of SUNY to require students to get Vaccinated
Tompkins Cortland Community College (Provided) TOMPKINS COUNTY, NY — TC3 is following SUNY’s student vaccination mandate made after the FDA approved the Pfizer COVID vaccine earlier this week. Now all institutions of higher education in Tompkins County have vaccine requirements for students starting class this for Fall 2021. Students attending TC3 must complete their vaccination shots…
Read MoreAs Kids Return to School, Mental Health is on the Mind
Recent Kaiser Family Foundation research shows more than 20% of parents with children ages 5 to 12 say their kids’ emotional health has declined since March 2020. (Adobe Stock) RIVERHEAD, N.Y. — As New York schools gear up for the fall term, physical and mental well-being of kids in grades K-12 is in the forefront,…
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