In The News

Each morning, students head to classrooms to learn the day's lessons, but one school is providing children with the same education in a different environment. California Virtual Academies, or CAVA, provides students with the same K12 curriculum they'd have in a public school, but they access it online.

A proposed millage increase to pay for school technology is supported by a majority of adults polled in Muskegon County, according to the intermediate school district superintendent. Of the 400 people who responded to a telephone survey, 68 percent were supportive of the proposed 10-year, 1-mill tax increase, said Dave Sipka, superintendent of the Muskegon Area (Mich.) Intermediate School District.

At Saturday's budget hearing in Madison (Conn.) Middle School, Daniels Farm School parent and school PTA member Jen Kehley asked the finance board to fund smartboards. "Schools and teachers are now looking to the PTA for help," she said. However, parent Lainie McHugh later added that, by law, PTAs cannot buy technology for school districts, and risk losing their IRS status if they do.

Gov. Rick Snyder got some hands-on experience Tuesday with the type of cyber charter school program that will be expanding next fall under a new Michigan law. The self-described nerd’s tech skills came in handy as he read “Memoirs of a Goldfish” to roughly 90 children in grades K-3 who watched and listened online through the Michigan Virtual Charter Academy.

A Florida Senate budget proposal includes money for teacher raises, but the State Board of Education is worried the spending plan does not set aside enough money to expand Internet access at state schools. The Senate budget proposal unveiled Wednesday sets aside $76 million to expand Internet access at state schools.

San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee would like to get public schools' tech levels up to that of private schools, and has asked successful tech firms to “adopt” one of San Francisco’s 12 middle schools to provide them with learning tools. As a result of his request, he may be able to announce a large private gift to schools within the next few weeks.

The Sioux Falls, S.D. school board unanimously approved a new technology plan to put Chromebooks or iPads in every student’s hands over the next two years. Starting next school year, the 17,000 computers will be phased in and will go to grades three to 12, while grades K to 2 will receive iPads.

The pursuit of the newest technology can make people do some unusual things. The Lincoln-Sudbury Parent Organization, it turns out, is no exception. This Saturday, the group will be holding its first charity auction to raise money to buy new laptops, tablets and other devices for the high school, which recently launched a major campaign to update its aging technology.

Northville Public Schools is working quickly with technology upgrades, approving two crucial measures to get work started as part of its technology bond package, according to the Northville Record.

Easton (Mass.) school officials will take their request for technology funding to the Town Meeting floor this spring. The school committee approved a measure Friday that will allow Superintendent Michael Green to draft a Town Meeting Warrant article that could ask for up to $250,000 in technology funding.