In The News

The York County School of Technology budget for 2013-2014 has been approved by 11 school districts and rejected by three. The entire proposed YCST budget is $25.1 million -- slightly more than $21.6 million goes to high school operations and the rest is for the adult education center.

A $100 million database has been built to chart the academic paths of public school students from kindergarten through high school. In operation just three months, the database already holds files on millions of children identified by name, address, and sometimes social security number. Learning disabilities are documented, test scores recorded, attendance noted. In some cases, the database tracks student hobbies, career goals, attitudes toward school - even homework completion.

The chairman of Florida's Senate education committee, John Legg, has introduced a bill postponing the next generation of standardized tests until Florida schools prove they have technology and broadband capable of handling the computerized tests.

St. Peter School in Quincy, Ill. has been making technological strides with financial help from an electronics recycling program. Under the program, the school collects cellphones, ink cartridges, laptops and small electronics and sends them to FundingFactory. In return, the school receives points, which can be converted to cash or used to buy new electronics from the FundingFactory's catalog.

Porter High School (Texas) was host to the Regional Technology Student Association competition held March 1-2 between school districts in the region, including Bryan, College Station, and Conroe. Several students won at the regional level, and will now compete at TSA State Competition April 11-13 in Waco, Texas.

The Dansville (N.Y.) Central School, southeast of Buffalo, is eligible for nearly $32,000 in grant money to purchase new technology and software to improve their readiness for computer-based testing and a technology-rich learning environment, according to the state Education Department. The funding is part of a $225 million settlement agreement reached between Microsoft and New York State consumers, of which schools will get $87 million.

This week, Collier County (Fla.) Public School District Superintendent Kamela Patton will lead a team of 38 district officials heading to Georgia to learn more about bring your own technology, or BYOT, through a conference held by the Forsyth County school district, which oversees Kelly Mill Elementary in Cumming, Ga. The 39,000-student district north of Atlanta has a BYOT policy at all 36 of its schools.

Carthage (Mo.) R-9 School District students went to work on Feb. 28th as part of Hacemos' National High School Technology Day. They spent the day job shadowing at the AT&T Call Center to get a first hand look at different careers in technology.

School districts will now be able to use lottery funds to buy technology devices and wire schools thanks to a bill that cleared the House Education Committee Tuesday.

Thirteen Hahnville High School students placed third in the Louisiana High School Technology Challenge held on Feb. 6. The Challenge is a unique annual educational statewide team competition intended to renew a commitment to improvement in Louisiana through a concerted effort by high school students to demonstrate creative teamwork skills.