EDUCATION

Tensions mount as some Pittsburgh Public parents protest two-week delay and earlier school start times

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Many Pittsburgh families were circling Aug. 25 on their calendars and stuffing backpacks, looking to soon regain a sense of normalcy. Pittsburgh Public Schools [PPS] would be back in classrooms in school buildings five days a week. COVID concerns still loomed, especially mounting worries about new variants and masking in schools, but back-to-school planning was in full swing. All of a sudden, there was another disruptive force: a bus driver shortage.

EDUCATION

July 2021 ‘By the Book’ PGH K-12 Bulletins

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Welcome to "By The Book: PGH K-12 Bulletins," which provides updates on emerging and ever changing news in the Pittsburgh K-12 education landscape. With more than 40 school districts across Allegheny County, the Bulletins will update you on the region's latest education news, including close coverage of the Pittsburgh Public Schools, other Allegheny County school districts, the Pennsylvania Department of Education and other important agencies, which serve thousands of Pittsburgh families. Please check back frequently and email tylisa@publicsource.org with questions, tips or Bulletin ideas. Follow along on Twitter with the hashtag #PGHed for news updates on Pittsburgh education. 7/29/21: Pittsburgh Public’s students will wear masks this fall
Vaccinated or not, students and staff in Pittsburgh Public Schools will be required to mask up this fall.

EDUCATION

How is your school handling lessons on racism? Share your view.

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Calling on parents, students, teachers, school administrators and the Allegheny County community at large: Tensions have flared over anti-racism education in public schools — sometimes referred to as Critical Race Theory — and attempts to teach (or prevent the teaching of) lessons related to historic and institutional racism. Why do you feel these lessons are important? Or why shouldn’t they be taught? Should there be legislation imposing rules for the classroom?

EDUCATION

June 2021 ‘By the Book’: PGH K-12 Bulletins

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Welcome to "By The Book: PGH K-12 Bulletins," which provides updates on emerging and ever changing news in the Pittsburgh K-12 education landscape. With more than 40 school districts across Allegheny County, the Bulletins will update you on the region's latest education news, including close coverage of the Pittsburgh Public Schools, other Allegheny County school districts, the Pennsylvania Department of Education and other important agencies, which serve thousands of Pittsburgh families. Please check back frequently and email tylisa@publicsource.org with questions, tips or Bulletin ideas. Follow along on Twitter with the hashtag #PGHed for news updates on Pittsburgh education. 06/30/21: New state budget funnels millions to public education
The 2021-22 state budget signed by Gov. Tom Wolf injects millions of dollars into public schools, including special education and historically underfunded districts.

EDUCATION

After layoff uproar at Point Park, faculty voice concerns about campus diversity and stability

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In the midst of teaching during the pandemic, a Point Park University professor was not too surprised when she received an email informing her she would no longer be employed after the spring semester. 

Kendra Ross, a 45-year-old Black woman from Pittsburgh, used to work in the music industry and she knew what it was like to be in a cutthroat environment. So much so that she joked with former coworkers at Universal that she packed a box by the door just in case. Still, Ross felt optimistic about teaching at Point Park when she first started. 

She was approached by other faculty to teach in the business program in 2018 and received her doctoral degree at the university two years later. After teaching as an adjunct faculty member, Ross was placed on tenure track in 2019. Then, in February 2021, 17 faculty members, many of whom were from marginalized backgrounds, were among those told that their contracts wouldn’t be renewed for the fall.