Effective Strategies to Lift and Sustain Teacher Morale: Lessons from Texas
Learn about the state of teacher morale in Texas and strategies that could lift educators' satisfaction there and around the country.
14 May 2026
‘Deskilling’ is bad. This is worse.
Science & Tech ‘Deskilling’ is bad. This is worse. Liz Mineo Harvard Staff Writer May 11, 2026 4 min read Authors of book about AI in K-12 classrooms say loss of foundational knowledge is biggest threat Educators should teach students how to use AI tools but with an emphasis on the ethics, social impact, and potential biases of the tech, experts said Thursday during a conversation sponsored by Harvard Education Press. Stephanie Smith Budhai and Marie Heath, who co-authored “Critical AI in K–12 Classrooms,” told Teddy Svoronos , senior lecturer of public policy at the Kennedy School, that responsible use of AI requires a healthy dose of skepticism. In other words: Resist the hype by asking hard questions. “Does this really align with our visions of education?” said Heath , associate professor of learning design and technology at Loyola University Maryland. “Does this serve communities, as opposed to the folks who are developing this technology and telling us it’s going to be transformative?” Budhai , associate professor of educational technology at the University of Delaware, said that teacher education programs should include training on how to help students examine the effects of AI inside and outside the classroom, including its environmental impact. A sort of critical AI literacy is needed, she said. “We’re not saying we have to be anti-tech,” said Budhai. “We’re saying: Let’s think about the bigger questions. … Students need to build a critical consciousness around the ways we interact with AI and understand how it works.” She added: “They need to really understand the harms of it.” “For people who train teachers to use technology, it’s really important to have a framing where anytime you’re using technology, it’s for a purpose.” Stephanie Smith Budhai Educators are concerned about students’ over-reliance on AI and its possible impact on critical thinking, problem-solving, and relationships, the authors noted. The threat is not just to skills students have already developed but might lose as they outsource essays and other assignments to machines, they said. It runs much deeper. “Students don’t know how to write a topic sentence because they’re asking AI for the topic sentence,” said Budhai. “They’re ‘never-skilling,’ which is even scarier than ‘de-skilling,’ which is losing the skills they had because they’re over-relying on AI. Never-skilling means they’ve never learned the skill because they are using AI for everything, so they don’t even have foundational skills.” Heath, a former high school social studies teacher, worries about the impact of AI on social interactions and civic life. “I think about the ways that these technologies, particularly generative AI, allow us to be frictionless in our activities, and it sort of reduces the need for human interaction,” she said. “For democracy to function, we need to be able to sit in discomfort, and we need to know what it feels like to disagree and to be disagreed with. One of the things that we give up when we turn to this technology is the ability to sit in discomfort and practice being uncomfortable.” The authors also zeroed in on the problem of biases, explicit and implicit, in AI tools. In researching “Critical AI in K–12 Classrooms,” they asked AI for book recommendations for Black and white high school students, and they found that the lists and even the feedback had implicit biases, with the books for Black students disproportionately about crime and poverty. In a separate research project, Heath detected biases when AI provided feedback on students’ written work. “AI is laden with all the biases of society,” she said. “If it perceives that the student is either from a higher socio-economic class or white, the feedback it gives is very conversational in tone, like, ‘Have you thought about XYZ?’ If AI perceives that the student is either socio-economically disadvantaged or is a Black or brown student, it uses a very direct, authoritative tone.” The message from the tool, Heath said, is, “‘I know what’s right’ and ‘You should do this this way.’” Sharing takeaways from their findings, Budhai and Heath urged educators to pause over a simple question — why? — before deploying AI the classroom. “For people who train teachers to use technology, it’s really important to have a framing where anytime you’re using technology, it’s for a purpose,” said Budhai. “We call it ‘purposeful technology use.’ I tell students, ‘How does this help meet the learning objectives?’ Because if it’s not actually doing it, why are we using it?”
11 May 2026
Justice Alito Extends Administrative Stay of Mifepristone Order
This afternoon, Justice Alito extended the administrative stays pausing the order of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit halting the prescription of the abortion medication mifepristone via telemedicine. The new deadline is Thursday (when the Court is also expected to issue one or more opinions in argued cases). What explains the extension? The justices are presumably deciding what to do about the stay applications. One possibility is that they will either grant or deny the stay requests, with one or more justices filing opinions. Another possibility is they are considering whether to grant certiorari before judgement to consider the threshold standing question, as the Fifth Circuit's order created a split with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. One factor potentially complicating the Court's consideration of these stay requests is the failure of the Food and Drug Administration to file anything with the Court. This complicates things because in the usual course the federal government is among those asking the Court to intervene when a lower court blocks a federal action. The Court generally assumes that orders blocking federal action cause irreparable harm to the federal government, and such harm is generally a threshold consideration for the Court to consider providing extraordinary relief. But here the FDA (or, rather, the Solicitor General) is silent, suggesting that the federal government is not too concerned about the Fifth Circuit's order. It also means there is no thumb on the scale when the justices balance the remaining equities. Insofar as the justices' sense of which party is likely to prevail on the merits will do the work, I would think a stay will ultimately be granted, unless the justices decide to grant cert. Louisiana's arguments for Article III standing, like those in the AHM litigation , sound superficially plausible, but wilt under examination. Even assuming Louisiana has alleged cognizable injuries, it remains fairly speculative that the alleged injuries are fairly traceable to the FDA's decision to allow mifepristone prescriptions via telemedicine and quite uncertain that blocking the 2023 regulatory change would provide any meaningful redress. It is fair to complain that this could mean no one has standing to challenge FDA drug approvals or regulatory relaxations, but so be it . It is fair to complain that the Court has not been particularly vigilant enforcing limits on state standing claims in recent years ( U.S. v. Texas notwithstanding), but that's more an argument for granting cert, and ending "special solicitude" for state standing claims, than for compounding the error. Indeed, curtailing state standing is a necessary (but not sufficient) step the justices should take if they wish to scale back the demand for emergency relief on the interim docket. Meanwhile, those who are generally critical of the Court's handling of the "shadow docket" must feel a bit conflicted. On the one hand, they surely want an immediate order blocking the action of the Fifth Circuit. On the other hand, they generally insist that the justices explain themselves, and drafting opinions takes time. It is almost as if there are trade-offs involved. The post Justice Alito Extends Administrative Stay of Mifepristone Order appeared first on Reason.com .
11 May 2026
Brendan Carr's 'Equal Time' Threat Against The View Is Blatantly Unconstitutional, ABC Says
President Donald Trump is not a fan of The View , an ABC talk show whose panelists frequently criticize him. Neither is Brendan Carr, the Trump-appointed chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), who has suggested that the show could face regulatory consequences because of its political bias. Specifically, Carr is threatening to revoke The View 's exemption from the "equal time" rule, which in practice would amount to a ban on interviews with candidates for public office. That threat, ABC argues in an FCC petition filed on Friday, is blatantly inconsistent with the First Amendment, which protects the editorial discretion of news and opinion outlets. Notably, ABC is represented by Paul Clement, a veteran Supreme Court litigator who served as solicitor general during the George W. Bush administration. Clement says the "equal time" rule itself "raises profound First Amendment concerns," a problem that will be aggravated if the FCC reverses its longstanding policy of exempting talk shows like The View . Under 47 USC 315 , a TV or radio station that gives airtime to "a legally qualified candidate for any public office" must "afford equal opportunities" to all other candidates for that office. Universal application of that requirement would have a crippling impact on news coverage. If a station aired an interview with one of the leading candidates for California governor, for example, it would also have to accommodate the 60 other candidates on the ballot. Congress recognized the chilling impact of that situation in 1959, when it added a "bona fide news exemption" to Section 315. Under current law, the "equal time" rule does not apply to a "bona fide newscast," a "bona fide news interview," a "bona fide news documentary" (provided the candidate's appearance is "incidental" to coverage of other subjects), or "on-the-spot coverage of bona fide news events" such as political conventions. Since 1984, when the FCC granted a "bona fide news interview" exemption to Phil Donahue's daytime talk show, it has given similar leeway to a wide range of programs, including Geraldo , Sally Jessy Raphael , Later With Bob Costas , The Jerry Springer Show , The Howard Stern Show , and The Tonight Show. In 2002, the FCC added The View to that list based on the three-part test it has been applying for decades, which allows an exemption for any "regularly scheduled" show when its content is controlled by its producers and their decisions are based on judgments of newsworthiness. Carr wants to change that test. "For years," he complained on X in January, "legacy TV networks assumed that their late night & daytime talk shows qualify as 'bona fide news' programs—even when motivated by purely partisan political purposes. Today, the FCC reminded them of their obligation to provide all candidates with equal opportunities." That "reminder" was a public notice that claimed to provide "guidance on the application of the statutory equal opportunities requirement and the bona fide news exemptions to broadcast television stations, including their airing of late night and daytime talk shows." Although "a wide variety of shows can be eligible" for the "bona fide news interview" exemption, the commission's Media Bureau said, "the FCC has not been presented with any evidence that the interview portion of any late night or daytime television talk show program on air presently would qualify." A program "motivated by partisan purposes," the FCC warned, "would not be entitled to an exemption." Or as Carr put it at a press conference in January, "If you're fake news, you're not going to qualify [for] the bona fide news exception." And as Carr sees it, a program is "fake news" when it is biased against his boss. The FCC's notice said "any program or station that wishes to obtain formal assurance that the equal opportunities requirement does not apply (in whole or in part) is encouraged to promptly file a petition for declaratory ruling that satisfies the statutory requirements for a bona fide news exemption." At the end of March, the FCC went beyond encouragement, ordering KTRK, the ABC-owned station in Houston, to file such a petition regarding The View . The ostensible impetus for that order was the show's February 2 interview with James Talarico, a Texas state legislator who would later win the Democratic nomination in that state's U.S. Senate race. The FCC's Media Bureau instructed KTRK to submit "a petition for declaratory ruling regarding The View that satisfies the statutory requirements for a bona fide news exemption." The Media Bureau "lacks the authority to issue an order mandating a licensee to file a petition for declaratory ruling," Clement argues. But that is by no means his only objection. The FCC's actions "threaten to upend decades of settled law and practice and chill critical protected speech, both with respect to The View and more broadly," Clement says. " The View has been broadcasting under a bona fide news exemption granted to it more than twenty years ago, consistent with longstanding Commission interpretations designed to minimize the serious First Amendment problems inherent in the equal time regime. The View 's exemption remains valid and the constitutional infirmities in the equal time doctrine are even more pronounced today, when the broadcast airwaves account for a slice of the numerous media options through which Americans get their political information." Clement is referring to the dramatic changes in the U.S. media landscape since the Supreme Court's 1969 ruling in Red Lion Broadcasting v. FCC , which upheld the "personal attack" prong of the Fairness Doctrine. "Although broadcasting is clearly a medium affected by a First Amendment interest, differences in the characteristics of new media justify differences in the First Amendment standards applied to them," Justice Byron White wrote for the unanimous Court. "Because of the scarcity of radio frequencies, the Government is permitted to put restraints on licensees in favor of others whose views should be expressed on this unique medium." That "scarcity" rationale for FCC regulation of broadcast content never made much sense , and it has not aged well. "The marketplace of ideas has never been more robust," Clement notes. "People can hear virtually any brand of political commentary by listening to a podcast, watching cable, scrolling social media, or streaming on a phone, computer or connected TV. The free flow of ideas flourishes on these non-broadcast platforms even though the equal opportunities rule does not apply there." The Supreme Court's rationale for upholding the Fairness Doctrine was "dubious then" and is "unsupportable now in an age of information ubiquity," Clement says. "At a minimum, the equal opportunities rule could not survive constitutional scrutiny without the kind of robust bona fide news exemption that the Commission has applied for decades." By 1985, the FCC was arguing that the proliferation of media outlets had cast doubt on the Supreme Court's reasoning in Red Lion . Two years later, the FCC formally abandoned the Fairness Doctrine, which required that broadcasters cover public issues in an evenhanded and balanced manner. Far from promoting free and open debate, the FCC concluded, that policy had discouraged it by "inhibit[ing] the presentation of controversial issues." The agency also noted that the Fairness Doctrine "unnecessarily restricts the journalistic freedom of broadcasters" and "creates the opportunity for intimidation of broadcasters by government officials." As Carr seems determined to prove, other FCC policies pose the same risk. Because broadcasters are supposed to operate in the "public interest," Carr thinks , he has the authority to intervene whenever he believes they are falling short of that amorphous standard. In pursuit of that mission, Carr has treated editorial decisions he does not like as potential violations of the FCC's rule against "broadcast news distortion," demanded changes to a TV network's journalistic practices as a condition of approving a merger, and threatened broadcasters with fines and license revocation if they failed to punish an anti-Trump comedian by suspending his show. Carr's use of the "equal time" rule to retaliate against programs that irk him is part of that broader pattern. Even as Carr deploys that rule against left-leaning TV shows that offend him, Clement notes, he has not shown any interest in demanding "equal opportunities" for political candidates from stations that air conservative radio shows. On February 16, for example, Mark Levin interviewed Dan Patrick, who is running for reelection as lieutenant governor of Texas. Two days later, Glenn Beck interviewed Rep. Chip Roy (R–Texas), a candidate for attorney general of Texas. Roy also appeared on the Guy Benson Show around the same time. As far as we know, none of those incidents triggered FCC inquiries. "While The Mark Levin Show , The Glenn Beck Program , and the Guy Benson Show are all popular, long running radio talk shows, there is no indication that any of them has ever received a Declaratory Ruling that it is a bona fide news interview program," Clement notes. Yet the FCC "has not made any public announcements that it is investigating" those shows or the stations that carry them. "Such a clear disparity in the treatment of broadcasters that ought to be subject to the same treatment under law raises serious concerns about viewpoint discrimination and retaliatory targeting," Clement says. Robert Corn-Revere, chief counsel at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, is more blunt. "Brendan Carr's FCC is continuing its streak of naked partisanship by wielding the agency's power in new and laughable ways," Corn-Revere complained in February after CBS nixed a Late Show interview with Talarico based on concerns about the FCC's new "equal time" policy. That policy did not extend to talk radio, Carr had said , because "there wasn't a relevant precedent that we saw that was being misconstrued on the radio side." Corn-Revere did not buy it: "By putting pressure on late night talk shows critical of the Trump administration while openly admitting that conservative talk radio is immune from the FCC's ire, he's making himself the poster boy for big government putting its thumb on the scale of political debate." Such meddling is plainly unconstitutional, Clement argues. "Some may dislike certain—or even most—of the viewpoints expressed on The View or similar shows," he writes. "Such dislike, however, cannot justify using regulatory processes to restrict those views." He warns that "uncertainty as to the scope of broadcast licensees' editorial discretion threatens to limit news coverage of political candidates and chill core First Amendment-protected speech for years and potentially decades to come." Although Republicans might be inclined to cheer on Carr as he attacks TV programming they loathe, that attitude would be shortsighted as well as unprincipled. Although "it might feel good right now to threaten Jimmy Kimmel," Sen. Ted Cruz (R–Texas) said after Carr publicly threatened TV stations that aired Kimmel's show, "we will regret it" when similar tactics are "used to silence every conservative in America." When the Democrats retake the White House, "they will use this power, and they will use it ruthlessly," Cruz warned. "It is unbelievably dangerous for government to put itself in the position of saying, 'We're going to decide what speech we like and what we don't, and we're going to threaten to take you off air if we don't like what you're saying.'" The same analysis applies to Carr's "equal time" threats. "If the government is allowed to discriminate on the basis of viewpoint in a Republican administration," Clement warns, "there is little preventing it from doing so when the Democrats are in charge." The post Brendan Carr's 'Equal Time' Threat Against <i>The View</i> Is Blatantly Unconstitutional, ABC Says appeared first on Reason.com .
11 May 2026
Featured Spotlight: Ayotunde Giwa
Ayotunde Giwa , a doctoral student studying philosophy and political science, was one of 20 students to earn a 2026 Horowitz Foundation Award in recognition of outstanding dissertation research in social policy. The Horowitz Foundation for Social Policy received 845 applications this year, meaning it chose the students in the top 2.4% of that pool whose research demonstrates potential to inform public understanding and policy practice. Those selected receive grants for policy-related research in the social sciences for the 2025-26 award year.
11 May 2026
What Might Matter More Than Phonics in Early Literacy
A district invested in evidence-based literacy instruction but reaped uneven results. Here's why.
11 May 2026
The Struggle to Move From Data to Outcomes in Career and Technical Education
The head of a major organization focused on preparing students for careers talks about its new vision.
11 May 2026
Ontario | Le fédéral implantera un radar arctique en terre agricole
Le gouvernement fédéral rejette les demandes de certains habitants du sud de l’Ontario qui souhaitent que d’autres sites soient trouvés pour l’implantation d’un radar transhorizon pour surveiller l’Arctique.
11 May 2026
State Of Play: NPRMs
On May 11, 2026, the Administration released two announcements specific to child care and early learning at the federal level through the “Notices of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM)” process. Here’s what to know. Background Head Start NPRM Child care final rule Background Reauthorization vs. Regulation Reauthorization: A process through which Congress provides structural updates and policy reforms to improve a program through legislation. Federal programs including Head Start and the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), are typically reauthorized every five years – though programs can, and often do, function with expired authorizations because they can continue through annual funding decisions made by Congress. Regulation: Rules written by administration officials to explain “how” to carry out the mandates established by laws. Regulations help fill technical gaps when interpreting statute, but relying solely on regulation to adapt policy can leave programs outdated and vulnerable to shifting administrative priorities across administrations. CCDBG was last reauthorized by Congress in 2014 (authorization expired in 2020). Head Start was last reauthorized by Congress in 2007 (authorization expired in 2012). https://www.regulations.gov/learn has more information. Overview: Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) An NPRM (Notice of Proposed Rulemaking) is a formal announcement published in the Federal Register when a Federal Agency intends to add to, remove from, or otherwise change policy through a rule or regulation. Interested parties then have a set number of days (usually 30 or 60) to submit public comments, after which the agency is required to review and analyze all comments. After considering all comments the agency issues a Final Rule including a “preamble” explaining the rule’s purpose and responding to major public concerns. Published in the Federal Register today, May 11, 2026 Head Start Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) “ Restoring Flexibility to Support Head Start Program Access ,” a proposed rule by the Department of Health And Human Services, Administration for Children and Families. What’s Included: The NPRM removes requirements that were effective October 1, 2024, related to wages (implemented by August 1, 2031) and benefits (implemented by August 1, 2028) in the Head Start program. The following requirements are now proposed for elimination: Rolling Back Wage Requirements, including: Developing or updating formal pay scales for all staff Paying education staff wages comparable to public preschool teachers Providing salaries sufficient to cover basic living costs Promoting wage comparability between Head Start Preschool and Early Head Start staff Rolling Back Benefits Requirements, including: Health insurance and paid leave benefits Behavioral health supports Access to child care subsidies and student loan forgiveness Periodic reassessment of benefits packages NOTE: The Following 2024 Requirements Are NOT Currently Proposed for Removal The 5/11/26 NPRM explicitly states that other portions of the 2024 Head Start rule are not currently being rescinded , although HHS invites comments on whether additional changes should be considered later. These include: Mental health and wellness supports outside compensation mandates. Staff breaks and workforce wellness provisions not tied directly to compensation. Various program quality and operational changes. Most education, family engagement, and health requirements. Next Steps: Interested parties have 30 days to provide comments and feedback to the Administration for Children and Families, with instructions provided in the Federal Register. Learn More The Core Elements of Head Start About Early Head Start/Head Start : An Overview Child Care and Development Fund (Final Rule) “ Restoring Flexibility in the Child Care and Development Fund ,” a Final Rule by the Department of Health And Human Services, Administration for Children and Families. Background: A NPRM was originally released in January 2026. During its 30-day comment period, “HHS received 1,244 comments from State human services and educational agencies; members of the U.S. Congress; national, State, and local early childhood and family-focused advocacy organizations.” What’s Included : The final rule repeals the following requirements in the Child Care and Development Fund Program: (Note: It remains allowable for States to implement these measures in their subsidy programs; it is no longer a requirement to do so.) Capping CCDF family co-payment at 7% of income. Paying child care providers prospectively (at the start of the service period). Pay providers based on a child’s enrollment rather than daily attendance. Providing some direct services through grants or contracts. Next Steps: The Final Rule will go into effect 60 days after it is published in the Federal Register. Learn More Reauthorizing CCDBG through the bipartisan Child Care Modernization Act Enrollment vs. Attendance : What it means for providers Please contact Amanda Guarino, Managing Director of Policy & National Partnerships, at aguarino@ffyf.org with any questions. The post State Of Play: NPRMs appeared first on First Five Years Fund .
11 May 2026
Hantavirus | Les Canadiens à bord n’ont pas eu de contact direct avec une personne infectée
La médecin hygiéniste en chef de la Colombie-Britannique a déclaré lundi qu’aucun des Canadiens qui se trouvaient à bord d’un navire touché par une épidémie mortelle d’hantavirus n’avait eu de contact direct avec une personne infectée.
11 May 2026
Infractions pédosexuelles | L’avocat Daniel Rochefort accusé d’agression sexuelle sur une mineure
De nouvelles accusations de nature pédosexuelle ont été déposées lundi contre Daniel Rochefort. L’avocat réputé est accusé d’avoir touché et agressé sexuellement une mineure sur une période de cinq ans.
11 May 2026
The mindset shift that could transform Canadian health care
Share Medical innovation leader and former politician Frank Baylis says Canada’s health care system could be an economic driver Provincial, territorial and local governments in Canada consistently spend the largest portion of their budgets on health care . For most Canadians, this isn’t surprising. We’ve all felt the pinch of health care costs — in our doctors' offices, emergency waiting rooms or on waitlists. As Executive Chairman of Baylis Medical Technologies, a health innovation investor and former politician, Frank Baylis (BASc ’86) is deeply familiar with the issues in our health care system — but he still believes in it. “By virtue of what we do [at Baylis Medical Technologies], I’ve interacted with many health care systems around the world, including Europe, Japan, the United States. No country has the perfect system, but I believe sincerely that we in Canada can have the best health care system in the world. While we need to adapt it, change it, evolve it, I believe in the system fundamentally.” Baylis points to a mindset shift that can help Canada achieve this goal. Instead of viewing our health care system as a cost, we need to view it as an economic driver. He laid out these thoughts at an exclusive event for the University of Waterloo community in Toronto. The event featured a fireside chat with Vivek Goel, President and Vice-Chancellor of Waterloo. Together, they discussed how innovation could improve Canada’s health care system in the future and the obstacles standing in our way. Learn more Global Futures Event Series Data is key A major barrier to this shift is data. Across provinces and institutions, health data remains siloed, making it difficult to evaluate what works, scale successful solutions or adopt emerging technologies like artificial intelligence. “I took it upon myself to have a number of conversations,” Baylis explained. “I went across the country back and forth, talking to leaders in health care, and found that everybody gets it. We need to pull our health data together.” Implementing a pan-Canadian health data strategy could solve issues for patients and health care providers by smoothing the process of information sharing and referrals. It could also improve regulatory practices and create new opportunities for preventative care, research and economic growth. Baylis considers our health data a powerful resource. With a universal health care system and a highly diverse population, the country holds a rich body of health information. With the right strategy, our data could attract research investment, clinical trials and global partnerships. “If we had this data today, pharmaceutical companies would want to come here to run clinical trials. We would have access to the first and best medicines because they would say we can test with these different groups and collect the data.” Focus on productivity, not cost Our homegrown medical innovations would benefit too, making way for economic growth. As a health care advocate, Baylis wants Canadian leaders to focus on productivity when making health care decisions. It’s a natural approach for other countries, like the United States, because their health care systems are set up as businesses. If you’re a medical technology entrepreneur in Canada, it’s often easier to secure customers within a system that looks to increase productivity and business opportunities. Baylis points to the importance of first in man — the initial phase of clinical trials where a new drug, device or procedure is administered to a human subject for the first time. This is a critical point in medical innovations, but it can be very difficult to achieve within the Canadian health care system. “Inevitably, a product can be developed in Canada with Canadian medical doctors and expertise, but we can’t do first-in-human trials here. We can’t wait around for the hospital to get on with the procedure. We can’t wait around for Health Canada’s approval. But we can get it approved in the States, so we do first-in-human trials there, or in other countries that are open to innovation.” It’s a frustration that Baylis has seen many times in his career. His current work is focused on improving our health care system, but he knows the effects extend to our country’s resilience and sovereignty. Building and adopting health innovation domestically will provide better patient care and economic strength. “All of this is in front of us,” Baylis said. “It’s a question of whether we decide to use what we already have.” Learn more Global Futures Event Series Financial inflection point: How do we move from analogue to digital-first? Letting go of these three myths could help build more homes In an age of acceleration, universities are poised to seize opportunity Campus Community Global Futures Health Futures Share
11 May 2026
Zelensky accuse la Russie de poursuivre la guerre malgré le cessez-le-feu
Russes et Ukrainiens se sont mutuellement accusés d'avoir violé le cessez-le-feu, de samedi à lundi.
11 May 2026
90+ Best 3D Printing Ideas for Kids in 2026
Plus, helpful tips for newbies and experts alike!
11 May 2026
Nids-de-poule | Martinez Ferrada se donne un an pour mettre fin à la crise
Critiquée de toutes parts en raison de l’omniprésence des nids-de-poule, la mairesse Soraya Martinez Ferrada se donne un an pour acquérir de nouveaux équipements fiables pouvant effectuer du colmatage automatisé de nids-de-poule. Entre-temps, les trous se rempliront à la pelle partout sur l’île.
11 May 2026
Steven Guilbeault evasive about political future after criticizing major projects reform
OTTAWA — Liberal MP Steven Guilbeault, a former federal environment minister, remained evasive about his political future after starkly criticizing his government’s new proposal to speed up Canada’s regulatory process for major projects. Read More
11 May 2026
Ohio State APR Rates Continue to Shine
NCAA Division I Academic Progress Rate (APR) data shows Ohio State, its student-athletes and athletic programs continue to perform at an outstanding level in the classroom. For 22 years, APR data has provided a real-time look at a team’s academic success each semester by tracking the academic progress of each student-athlete on scholarship. The APR accounts for academic eligibility, retention and graduation and provides a measure of each team’s academic performance. The most recent APR scores are based on a multiyear rate that averages scores from the 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25 academic years. Ohio State posted a cross-sport multiyear rate of 991. Of the 31 Buckeye sport programs in the data, nine have a multiyear score of 1000, with another eight posting a score of at least 990. Ohio State football is one of two Division I football programs with a score of 1000. The 2024-25 single-year rate for Ohio State as a department was 995, the highest Ohio State score since 2019-20. John Davidson, the university’s faculty athletics representative, highlighted the success across the department’s programs. “Despite increasing volatility in the age of NIL and nearly unlimited transfer in college athletics, Ohio State shows remarkably high and consistent academic achievement across its sports — and continues to strive for improvement,” Davidson said. “Two-thirds of our teams improved or maintained their single-year APR scores, and 20 of those teams scored 1,000 for the 2024-25 year. This is a testament to the concern for academics that is built into the athletics culture here. Ohio State’s student-athletes, coaches and academic support staff have an unparalleled dedication to success in the classroom.” In all, nine programs had perfect multiyear scores, with men’s and women’s cross country, men’s golf, field hockey, women’s gymnastics, women’s soccer, women’s tennis and women’s volleyball joining football. “The results of the Buckeye football program will garner the most attention, and rightly so — to attain perfect multiyear rates in three consecutive years sets a standard that few programs across the country could even conceive of meeting,” Davidson said. “But beyond that, we should be exceptionally proud that 29% of Ohio State’s sports teams show perfect multiyear scores in this cycle.” In the single-year results for 2024-25, 20 Ohio State programs had perfect scores: men’s basketball, men’s cross country, football, men’s golf, men’s gymnastics, men’s ice hockey, men’s swimming, men’s tennis, men’s volleyball, wrestling, women’s basketball, women’s cross country, women’s fencing, field hockey, women’s golf, women’s gymnastics, women’s ice hockey, women’s lacrosse, women’s tennis and women’s volleyball. This academic year, 227 Buckeyes have been named to the Academic All-Big Ten team, including 137 honored from fall sports, with spring and at-large sports honors to be awarded later this month, and 804 were recognized as Ohio State Scholar-Athletes. At autumn commencement, 42 current and former student-athletes received their degrees, and 181 received their degrees at spring commencement on May 11. Additional Ohio State Academic Progress Rate details (2022-25) 24 programs either maintained or increased their single-year APR score from 2023-24 to 2024-25: baseball, field hockey, football, men’s basketball, men’s cross country, men’s golf, men’s gymnastics, men’s ice hockey, men’s swimming, men’s tennis, men’s volleyball, men’s wrestling, women’s basketball, women’s cross country, women’s fencing, women’s golf, women’s gymnastics, women’s ice hockey, women’s lacrosse, women’s rowing, women’s swimming, women’s tennis, women’s track, women’s volleyball. Based on NCAA research, only 25.5% of NCAA Division I programs have a perfect (1000) multiyear APR. 29% (9/31) of Ohio State programs currently have a perfect (1000) multiyear APR. 21 programs either maintained or increased their multiyear APR score from 2023-24 to 2024-25: field hockey, football, men’s basketball, men’s cross country, men’s golf, men’s gymnastics, men’s ice hockey, men’s lacrosse, men’s swimming, men’s tennis, men’s track, men’s volleyball, women’s cross country, women’s fencing, women’s gymnastics, women’s ice hockey, women’s lacrosse, women’s rowing, women’s soccer, women’s tennis, women’s volleyball. 23 programs were at or exceeded the national average multiyear APR in their respective sport: baseball, field hockey, football, men’s basketball, men’s cross country, men’s fencing, men’s golf, men’s ice hockey, men’s lacrosse, men’s soccer, men’s track, men’s volleyball, men’s wrestling, women’s cross country, women’s fencing, women’s gymnastics, women’s ice hockey, women’s lacrosse, women’s soccer, women’s softball, women’s tennis, women’s track, women’s volleyball. 10 programs earned multiyear APRs in the top 10% of all squads in their respective sport: field hockey, football, men’s cross country, men’s golf, men’s volleyball, women’s cross country, women’s gymnastics, women’s soccer, women’s tennis, women’s volleyball. This is the third consecutive multiyear perfect score for football. Ohio State and the University of Alabama are the only football programs (from both FBS and FCS) that currently have perfect (1000) multiyear APRs. The overall Ohio State multiyear APR increased to 991 (from 990) for the 2024-25 academic year. Based on NCAA research, the multiyear average APR is 986. 26 Ohio State programs have a single-year APR of 990 or greater. 17 Ohio State program have a multiyear APR of 990 or greater.
11 May 2026
FSU research: Solid neon gives quantum bits a quieter, tougher home
FAMU-FSU College of Engineering researchers contribute to landmark study demonstrating ultra-low noise levels in innovative qubit platform Florida State University and FAMU-FSU College of Engineering faculty members Wei Guo and Xianjing Zhou are part of a multi-institution research team whose latest findings advance one of the most promising platforms in quantum computing. A new qubit, the fundamental building block of quantum information processing, invented at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory exhibits noise levels thousands of times lower than those of most traditional qubits. The study was published in Nature Electronics . Noise refers to disturbances in the environment that diminish a qubit’s performance. The platform is built by trapping single electrons on the surface of frozen neon gas, and the recent findings position it as a strong contender in the field of high-performance quantum technologies. The new study was jointly led by Argonne and the University of Notre Dame. Faculty at Florida State University, the University of Chicago, Harvard University and Northeastern University collaborated on the research. “One of the biggest obstacles in quantum computing is finding a material environment that is quiet enough for qubits to survive, yet practical enough for building larger systems,” said Guo, a professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and researcher at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory . “This study shows that solid neon offers a very compelling combination of cleanliness, stability and resilience. That is exactly the kind of foundation we need if we want quantum hardware to become more robust and scalable.” Quantum computing: Potentially transformative, but challenged by noise Today’s computers and smartphones run on bits, which are tiny switches that can be either 0 or 1. Quantum computers use a special kind of bit known as qubits that can be 0 and 1 at the same time. What’s more, the state of one qubit can instantly affect another qubit’s state, even if they are on opposite sides of the planet. The remarkable properties of qubits can endow quantum computers with exponentially greater computational power than that of classical computers. This opens the door to solving challenging problems like inventing disease-curing drugs, advancing materials design, enabling secure communication and optimizing complex supply chains. Yet quantum computers are still an emerging technology. Qubits are extremely sensitive to noise — tiny disturbances in the environment such as electromagnetic fields, heat and particle vibrations. As a result, qubits tend to have short coherence times, meaning they can only retain information for a fraction of a second. Most of today’s chip-based qubits are made of semiconducting or superconducting materials. But these qubits are often challenged by noise from material defects, embedded charges and fabrication variability. The electron-on-neon qubit has the potential to address these limitations. An electron (represented by the ball) is controlled by a resonator (red wires) above a solid neon surface (the transparent square piece under the ball). Noise (disturbances) in the environment (represented by the distortion) becomes quiet around the electron and neon (clear area). (Image by Xu Han/Argonne National Laboratory.) Solid neon is less noisy In 2022, Argonne scientists at the Center for Nanoscale Materials (CNM) , a DOE Office of Science user facility, invented a fundamentally new type of qubit made by freezing neon gas into a solid and spraying electrons from a light bulb filament onto the solid. A special electrode traps a single electron just above the neon’s surface. The electron serves as the qubit, with the electron’s motion in space representing the qubit’s 0 and 1 states. In this platform, electrons reside in a vacuum just above the neon surface rather than deep inside a conventional solid, which means they are naturally less exposed to the defects and fluctuating environments that often limit qubit performance in other solid-state platforms. Earlier studies had already shown that electrons on solid neon could function as qubits and achieve remarkably strong coherence under highly protected conditions. This new work takes an important next step by showing that the platform remains quiet and functional under less ideal conditions more relevant to future quantum hardware. Testing for resilience The study evaluated the platform’s quietness with a systematic noise characterization. Rather than testing the device only under its most protected operating condition, the team examined how the qubit behaved away from the charge-insensitive “sweet spot” and at elevated temperatures, where environmental disturbances become more consequential, allowing researchers to probe the practical resilience of the platform under realistic operating conditions. The study team found that the noise in the neon qubit platform is 10 to 10,000 times lower than that in most semiconducting qubits and rivals the lowest semiconductor noise records. The researchers also found that the qubits can maintain coherence times above 1 microsecond at temperatures up to 400 millikelvins, a noteworthy result because quantum devices generally become more vulnerable to decoherence as temperature rises. “Our work shows that solid neon is not only an exceptionally clean host for trapped-electron qubits, but also a surprisingly robust one,” said Xianjing Zhou, assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and a corresponding author of the paper. “That is exciting because reducing noise and relaxing temperature constraints are both essential for pushing quantum devices beyond carefully protected laboratory demonstrations toward more realistic technologies.” That temperature robustness could prove especially valuable for scaling. Quantum processors typically operate at extremely low temperatures, where cooling power is limited and system engineering becomes increasingly difficult. A qubit platform that remains coherent at higher temperatures could ease one of the major bottlenecks in building larger and more practical quantum systems. “By carefully characterizing the noise seen by the qubit, we can begin to understand why this platform performs so well and where further improvements can be made,” said Xu Han, scientist at Argonne National Laboratory and co-corresponding author of the study. “That insight is important as we work toward more advanced trapped-electron quantum devices.” A growing quantum hub in Tallahassee Guo’s and Zhou’s contributions to this research reflect a broader and growing investment in quantum science taking shape at FSU. Florida State University’s Quantum Initiative aims to advance quantum science and engineering and accelerate the development of technologies that could reshape computing, communication, sensing and understanding of the physical world. The FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, in partnership with Florida A&M University, is establishing the Center for Quantum Science and Engineering . Together, these institutional investments are helping build a strong regional ecosystem for quantum research and education, creating opportunities for students to engage in cutting-edge research, deepen their technical expertise and prepare for careers in the rapidly growing quantum workforce. The study’s authors included Xu Han and Yizhong Huang at Argonne, and Xinhao Li, who was at Argonne when this research was conducted; Yutian Wen and Dafei Jin at the University of Notre Dame; Christopher S. Wang and Brennan Dizdar at the University of Chicago; Wei Guo and Xianjing Zhou at FSU and the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering; and Xufeng Zhang at Northeastern University. The research was supported by DOE’s Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Argonne’s Laboratory Directed Research and Development program, Julian Schwinger Foundation for Physics Research, Air Force Office of Scientific Research, National Science Foundation, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Program, and the France and Chicago Collaborating in the Sciences program. Guo’s research was additionally supported by an NSF grant through Florida A&M University and the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory and by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation Grant through Florida State University. The post FSU research: Solid neon gives quantum bits a quieter, tougher home appeared first on Florida State University News .
11 May 2026
Droit du sol et tarifs douaniers : Trump cible deux juges qu’il a nommés à la Cour suprême
Le président réitère ses attaques contre deux juges qui ont déclaré ses droits de douane illégaux.
11 May 2026
John Ivison: Carney may finally be unhitching Liberals from Guilbeault’s hardcore eco-activism
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11 May 2026
Parking and Commuter Services announces new Open Enrollment process for 2026–27
Vanderbilt is introducing a new approach to parking and commuting designed to make getting to and around campus more predictable, flexible, and easier to navigate.
11 May 2026
Court Strikes Allegations About Israeli History from Lawsuit Alleging Anti-Semitism at CUNY
From today's decision by Judge Jeannette Vargas (S.D.N.Y.) in Goldstein v. CUNY : On January 9, 2026, Plaintiff Avraham Goldstein ("Plaintiff") filed his Third Amended Complaint in this action. Plaintiff alleges that he is employed as an assistant professor at City University of New York, Borough of Manhattan Community College. He is an Israeli citizen, an Orthodox Jew, and a Zionist. Plaintiff alleges that he was the subject of discrimination and retaliation after he complained about a program on campus called the "Palestinian Solidarity Series." Plaintiff asserts claims for religious and national origin discrimination and retaliation under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, New York State Human Rights Law ("NYSHRL"), New York City Human Rights Law ("NYCHRL"), and New York Civil Rights Law ("NYCRL"), as well as claims under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 for violation of his rights to due process and equal protection. Defendant Nadia A. Saleh ("Defendant") brings this motion to strike Paragraphs 34 through 46 of the Third Amended Complaint. These paragraphs purport to outline the historical origins of the current state of Israel, beginning in Biblical times, then outlining events that took place during the Roman empire through the present day. For the following reasons, Defendant's Motion to Strike is GRANTED. Pursuant to Rule 12(f), a court "may strike from a pleading … any redundant, immaterial, impertinent, or scandalous matter." … "'Immaterial' matter is that which has no essential or important relationship to the claim for relief, and 'impertinent' material consists of statements that do not pertain to, and are not necessary to resolve, the disputed issues." To prevail on a Rule 12(f) motion, the movant must show "(1) no evidence in support of the allegations would be admissible; (2) that the allegations have no bearing on the issues in the case; and (3) that to permit the allegations to stand would result in prejudice to the movant." Although motions to strike are disfavored, Defendant has met the high bar required for such a motion in this case. Evidence regarding the history of the Jewish state, including events that occurred several thousand years ago, have no bearing on whether Plaintiff was subject to discrimination or retaliation on the basis of his nationality or religion. Requiring Defendant to either admit or deny allegations regarding historical events that took place in 136 C.E. would serve no purpose. Moreover, to the extent certain of these paragraphs set forth controverted and charged contentions regarding the creation of separate Israeli and Palestinian states in the Middle East, requiring Defendant to respond to those immaterial allegations would be prejudicial. Here are the struck allegations : The Jewish people originated in the Middle East and established their homeland in what is termed in the Bible as the Land of Israel, where for over 1,400 years they lived either as a sovereign nation, in the united kingdoms of Israel and Judah (hence the term, "Jew") or, at times, a nation under occupation by foreign empires. The City of Jerusalem, also called "Zion" in the Bible, was its capital. In approximately 70 C.E., the Roman empire conquered the Jewish nation, destroyed the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem, and enslaved large numbers of Jews from the Land of Israel and transported them all over the Roman Empire. In 136 C.E., the Roman empire defeated the final Jewish rebellion and exiled almost all of the remaining Jews from the Land of Israel, where they lived in Diaspora as stateless and often persecuted refugees, forcibly evicted from country to country, earning the moniker, "the wandering Jew". The Roman conquerors, in an attempt to wipe out the memory of Jewish sovereignty, renamed Israel and Judah "Palestine." The Land of Israel continued to be governed by foreign empires, most recently by the Ottoman Empire based in Turkey beginning in approximately the 16th Century. While a minority of Jews remained in the Land of Israel across the millennia even after the Roman exile, with the rise of national political self-determination across the world in the 1800's, Jews began returning from the Diaspora around the world to the Land of Israel in increasing numbers, purchasing or renting land subject to the Turkish Ottoman empire, with the hope of someday re-gaining Jewish political self-determination, commonly called Zionism. In 1918, Turkey was defeated in World War I after allying itself with Germany, and Britain was given a mandate to govern Palestine, the site of the biblical Land of Israel. During this time, Jews continued returning to the Land of Israel, purchasing or renting land and housing. By the 1940's, Jews were the majority population in a significant portion of the Land of Israel. In 1947, the United Nations ("UN") General Assembly voted to end the British Mandate by partitioning Palestine, the site of the biblical Land of Israel, into two states: a re-establishment of a sovereign Jewish state in that portion of the Land of Israel in which the Jewish population was the majority, and the establishment, for the first time in history, of an independent Arab state in the portion of the Land of Israel where the Arab population was the majority ("United Nations partition plan"). This is despite that fact that no independent Arab state ever existed within Biblical Israel until that time, as Arab settlement in Israel took place exclusively when the land was under occupation by foreign powers. The Jewish leadership in the Land of Israel accepted the United Nations partition plan, and on May 14, 1948, declared the establishment of the Jewish State of Israel in the portion of the land allotted to it by the UN resolution. Arab leadership rejected the United Nations partition plan, rejected Jewish self-determination, declared war, and vowed to drive all the Jews into the sea. The Jewish state of Israel survived that war and is now in its eighth decade. In the 1948 war, the neighboring countries of Egypt and Jordan conquered most of the land allotted in the 1947 U.N. resolution to the future independent Arab state, but did not establish an independent Arab state in those areas. These items followed the statements, which were not struck, that "Plaintiff is a Zionist by dint of his religion and his national origin" and "Zionism is the movement for the re-establishment, and now the development and protection, of a sovereign Jewish nation in its ancestral homeland. Zionism is not just a political movement; for the vast majority of Jewish people across time and space, including Plaintiff, Zionism is and always has been an integral part of their Jewish, often religious, identities." The post Court Strikes Allegations About Israeli History from Lawsuit Alleging Anti-Semitism at CUNY appeared first on Reason.com .
11 May 2026
Les Néo-Brunswickois aux urnes pour les élections municipales
Les représentants des 77 gouvernements locaux de la province sont choisis lundi.
11 May 2026
Conservatives, NDP voice common concerns about MAID
OTTAWA — The Conservatives and NDP sit on opposite sides of the spectrum, but they're voicing similar concerns about the trajectory of Canada's medical assistance in dying (MAID) regime. Read More
11 May 2026
Hantavirus : aucun Canadien n’aurait eu de contact direct avec les passagers malades
Depuis leur retour d'une croisière, sept Canadiens sont en quarantaine forcée, mais aucun n'a de symptômes.
11 May 2026
Elected Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice Switches from Democrat to Independent
From David Wecht's public statement: Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice David Wecht makes this statement in his personal capacity. This statement is not made on behalf of any other person, nor on behalf of the Supreme Court or any other institution. The people of Pennsylvania elected me. They put their faith in me, and I reciprocate. I have faith in Pennsylvanians, and they deserve to know the following. In 1998, my wife and I were married at Pittsburgh's Tree of Life Congregation, on whose Board of Trustees I served. Twenty years later, in the very same sanctuary where our wedding occurred, the worst massacre of Jews in American history was perpetrated. That terror came from the right. Jew-hatred has always festered on the fringe of that sector. In the years that have followed, that same hatred has grown on the left. Increasingly, it has moved from the fringe to the mainstream. It is the duty of all good people to fight this virus, and to do so before it is too late . My jurisprudence and adjudication have always been independent, and they always will be. Now, my voting registration reflects that independence as well. From 1998 to 2001, years that preceded my judicial career, I served as Vice-Chair of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party. In the quarter century that has passed since then, the Democratic Party has changed. Nazi tattoos, jihadist chants, intimidation and attacks at synagogues, and other hateful anti-Jewish invective and actions are minimized, ignored, and even coddled. Acquiescence to Jew-hatred is now disturbingly common among activists, leaders and even many elected officials in the Democratic Party. I can no longer abide this. So, I won't. I am no longer registered within any political party. As a jurist, I always have, and always will, vindicate the legal rights that haters and extremists of all stripes enjoy in our country and in our Commonwealth . This is the land of freedom to which my mother and my father's parents immigrated, seeking refuge and opportunity . They found it, and my mother and father were both proud to wear the uniform and serve in the armed forces of the United States. I have dedicated most of my adult life to public service in this nation and Commonwealth, and most of that to rendering impartial justice in the judicial branch. In Pennsylvania, and in the United States of America, we enjoy robust rights and liberties, bequeathed to us by our great Founders. These freedoms have helped to make this the greatest civilization that the world has ever seen. There have been other great civilizations in the past, and almost all of them have deteriorated and declined when Jew-hatred grew and metastasized. We all should awaken now to what is happening. I am confined to a judicial role, and in that role, I maintain independence at all times and in all respects. My voting registration now reflects my independence as well. As Shakespeare's Polonius told his Laertes: "This above all: to thine own self be true." It is my hope that Pennsylvanians, and Americans, of all viewpoints and backgrounds will oppose and resist the scourge of Jew-hatred before it undermines what our ancestors have built here. Note that, unlike federal judges but like the judges in many states, Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justices are elected officials, and ones first elected in clearly partisan elections. From the Ballotpedia entry for Justice Wecht: David Wecht is a judge of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court . He assumed office on January 7, 2016. His current term ends on December 31, 2035. Wecht ran for re-election for judge of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court . He won in the retention election on November 4, 2025 . Wecht first became a member of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court through a partisan election. He was first elected to the court in 2015. To read more about judicial selection in Pennsylvania, click here . In 2020, Ballotpedia published Ballotpedia Courts: State Partisanship , a study examining the partisan affiliation of all state supreme court justices in the country. As part of this study, we assigned each justice a Confidence Score describing our confidence in the degree of partisanship exhibited by the justices' past partisan behavior, before they joined the court. Wecht received a confidence score of Strong Democrat . Click here to read more about this study. The post Elected Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice Switches from Democrat to Independent appeared first on Reason.com .
11 May 2026
Des ministères fédéraux retardent le retour au bureau par manque d’espace
Plusieurs ministères fédéraux ont reporté ou envisagent de reporter le retour de leur personnel au bureau quatre jours par semaine, prévu pour cet été, en raison d’un manque d’espace.
11 May 2026
Q&A: UW researchers discuss their work on the Mariana Islands and the impact of devastating early-season typhoon
In early April, a powerful typhoon formed over the northwestern Pacific Ocean, growing stronger and stronger as it swirled toward the Mariana Islands, a 15-island archipelago east of the Philippines. By the time it reached the islands of Saipan and Tinian on April 14, the wind was gusting 130 miles per hour, rain fell in sheets and huge waves pounded the shores. This super typhoon, called Typhoon Sinlaku, was among the strongest early-season storms recorded in the past 75 years. It caused widespread damage on the islands — home to approximately 50,000 people — leaving most without power, tearing roofs off homes and destroying vital infrastructure. The U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, or CNMI, includes 14 of the islands in the archipelago and the remaining island, Guam, is a U.S. territory. The residents, a mix of Indigenous Chamorro people and settlers, are American citizens and U.S. institutions and agencies are well represented on the islands. On Rota, University of Washington researchers have been working to stabilize the population of the endangered Mariana crow for decades after research signaled rapid decline . Beth Gardner , a UW professor of environmental and forest sciences, and Jonathan Bakker , a UW professor of environmental and forest sciences, oversee several projects on Tinian, a small forested island roughly 12 miles long and 6 miles wide. The first project, launched in 2021, focused on a small, formerly endangered songbird called the Tinian monarch . It has since expanded into broader study of native birds and plant restoration. UW News spoke with Gardner, Kaeli Swift , a research scientist in Gardner’s lab, and Fletcher Moore , a graduate student in Bakker’s lab, about the impacts of the typhoon and how they plan to resume their work on the islands. What first brought you to Tinian? What makes the island unique? Beth Gardner: We were initially approached by a consulting firm with a contract to study the Tinian monarch, which led us to form a relationship with the U.S. Navy based on the island. They were impressed by our work and efforts to integrate into the community and funded our group to continue developing research on Tinian. Kaeli Swift: Tinian’s unique ecological character reflects its complicated history. The island is about 60% forested but the forests are primarily composed of a mix of introduced species. Centuries of colonization — by the Spanish, Germans, Japanese and now U.S. — has resulted in immense habitat destruction. Tinian was heavily bombed during World War II and then became the U.S. assembly and launch point for the atomic bomb. Fletcher Moore: By the end of the war, over 95% of the forest had been cleared, obviously to the extreme detriment of all the native plants and animals. Now, over two-thirds of the island is controlled in a lease agreement by the U.S. military. That land is largely undeveloped, but the U.S. military plans to invest in major new projects on Tinian in the next decade. What does your work involve? KS: We have been doing forest bird monitoring on Tinian for five years. We’re trying to understand threats to native birds by studying offspring survival and predator populations — primarily rats and cats. Our recent work involves acoustic monitoring, specifically looking at how birds are impacted by human-related noise associated with development on the island. FM: We are working on a long-term native forest restoration project based on the observation that the lack of native plants was limiting wildlife populations on Tinian. We are supporting development of a native plant nursery by partnering with local entities to enhance the space, hire full time staff, and collect and propagate plants. We had about 2,000 native trees representing 20 different species in the nursery, and planted about 300 of those trees in the past six months. The native plant nursery on Tinian in August 2025. The nursery fences were destroyed by a typhoon in 2018 and repaired by FEMA just months before Typhoon Sinlaku. Photo: Fletcher Moore The nursery after the typhoon. The fences and roof were torn away, leaving the young plants vulnerable to high winds and rain. Photo: Ellie Roark How will it be impacted by Typhoon Sinlaku? FM: The site where we planted the young trees is on an isolated corner of the island that is difficult to get to in the best of times. Right now, the road is totally inaccessible. We’re not sure when we will be able to get out there to assess the damage and resume regular restoration work, like controlling invasive species and planting other species. The nursery also suffered a lot of damage; almost half of its plants were destroyed. So it’s going to require a pretty big reset. KS: Our work involves venturing into the jungle to set up cameras and acoustic recording devices for monitoring birds. Our access to those sites will be limited until the roads are cleared and even then, the nature of the vegetative landscape will have changed. We can’t really compare data on birds from one year to the next when there have been major changes to vegetation on the island. BG: That little songbird we study has probably gone quiet for now. As we’ve seen in the past, their populations will likely suffer from this type of devastation. The typhoon sat on top of Tinian and Saipan for somewhere around 50 hours. We don’t know the full extent of the damage yet, but I think things will be completely different when we get back out there. What happens now? FM: It is difficult to access resources on the Marianas and especially hard on Tinian. We had to transport everything we needed for these projects from elsewhere. Shipping can take weeks or months and building materials are often twice as expensive as they would be on the mainland U.S. When it comes to our work, it’s really difficult to see the nursery destroyed and to see the materials we spent months and a lot of money gathering torn apart. But, it’s going to be especially hard for the people who live on the island and don’t have grants funding their rebuilding efforts. So there are just a lot of practical challenges to recovery out there that even folks affected by disasters in the mainland U.S. might not face to the same degree. Related Swift and Moore started a community outreach organization called Marianas Nature that sells wildlife stickers to raise awareness. All sales currently go toward the Micronesian Climate Change Alliance . KS: This area is known as ‘typhoon alley’ because it is a very storm-adapted place. To some extent, the wildlife has evolved to tolerate these kinds of events. However, this was a particularly dramatic storm, and storms like this are projected to become more common in the region. Just because they are adapted doesn’t mean they are unaffected, but scientists are interested in understanding how animals respond after big storms. So yes, lots of things have been lost, but there is also opportunity to better understand these systems by continuing to study them. For more information, contact Gardner at bg43@uw.edu , Swift at kaeli.swift@gmail.com , and Moore at moorefj@uw.edu .
11 May 2026
At least 352,000 Russian soldiers have died fighting Ukraine: report
By the end of 2025, at least 352,000 Russian soldiers had died in the war against Ukraine, a new investigation has found . Read More
11 May 2026
Les ministres libéraux comprennent Steven Guilbeault, mais défendent le projet de réforme
« Steven est un homme de principes et j’ai toujours respecté ses opinions », dit Marc Miller.
11 May 2026
Funding roundup
Montgomery County Community College’s (MCCC) Challenger Learning Center will continue to provide immersive STEM education thanks to new $500,000 federal grant. The funding, secured by U.S. Rep. Madeleine Dean and Sen. John Fetterman, will support expanded programming, enhanced technology and simulation experiences and increased access for students, helping more young learners explore STEM. MCCC joined the national network of 30-plus Challenger Learning Centers in 2022, when it opened the first and currently only Challenger Learning Center in Pennsylvania. Since opening, the center has held 16,000 youth engagements through in-person and virtual missions. Following the Challenger tragedy in 1986, the crew’s families established the Challenger Center to honor their loved ones and carry forward their education mission. The MCCC community last month celebrated 40 years of the center. California Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC) has received a $710,000 grant from the Wildlife Conservation Board to support the college’s work in restoring Trout Creek Meadow. The meadow is adjacent to the LTCC campus. The college will partner with the Washoe Tribe of California and Nevada in this work. LTCC also will team with the Washoe Tribe on a new $110,000 Tahoe for All grant project. It will provide three-day wilderness education trips for tribal youth and young adults. Participants will learn about camping, backpacking, kayaking and wilderness first aid. The California Tahoe Conservancy awarded the grant. Michigan Bay College students at the Iron Mountain Campus will benefit from new training equipment thanks to an anonymous donor. A recent gift helped to buy a new muscular anatomy model and hospital beds, providing valuable resources for students preparing for careers in healthcare. The new anatomy model allows students to study human body systems in detail, strengthening their understanding of anatomy and physiology. The addition of hospital beds provides a realistic setting for students to practice patient positioning, mobility assistance, and other fundamental clinical techniques before entering clinical placements. * * * Glen Oaks Community College and the Glen Oaks Community College Foundation announced recently a $100,000 endowed gift from Dr. Richard Wedemeyer to help students facing unexpected financial hardships. It will cover essential expenses such as housing, transportation, childcare, textbooks and medical needs. North Carolina Southwestern Community College’s soon-to-launch dental hygiene associate degree program received a $225,000 boost from the Cannon Foundation and Charles A. Cannon Charitable Trust No One. The funds will help with the purchase of new dental simulation equipment for the dental simulation lab. Southwestern already has a thriving dental assisting program and completed a brand-new clinic last year. The new dental simulation lab is equipped with 16 high-tech simulators and cabinetry. The dental hygiene clinic, expected to be fully operational in 2028, will offer low-cost preventative dental healthcare for area residents. Services that students will provide through the clinic include teeth cleanings, fluoride treatments, X-rays and other preventative treatments. Southwestern Community College completed a brand-new dental clinic last year. (Photo: SCC) Tennessee OxyChem recently presented Nashville State Community College leaders with a $4,000 donation for the college’s industrial processing control technician (IPCT) program. Since 2013, OxyChem has contributed $42,500 to the IPCT program. Texas There are more scholarship opportunities at McLennan Community College (MCC) with the new Magnolia Scholarship Endowment, established by Chip and Joanna Gaines and Magnolia. The new fund, housed at the MCC Foundation, will begin this fall and is expected to support more than 50 Central Texas students annually. Joanna Gaines, who founded Magnolia with husband Chip Gaines, began her academic journey at MCC. “Education has the power to transform lives,” said Chip and Joanna Gaines. “We’re honored to partner with McLennan Community College to help create opportunities for students to pursue their passions and chase after their dreams.” Wisconsin Madison College will use a $156,000 Wisconsin Technical College System Career Pathways Grant to launch a new education program to address teacher shortages in rural communities. The college will expand its Education Pre-Major University Transfer program to the Reedsburg campus, where education courses will be offered beginning in spring 2027. The initiative aims to create a more accessible pathway for students in northern and rural regions to begin their education degrees locally before transferring to four-year institutions, said education department chair Penny Johnson. “This is something we’ve worked toward for a long time,” Johnson said. “Rural school districts face unique challenges, especially when it comes to attracting and retaining teachers. In rural communities, students often must travel significant distances to access education programs. This pathway helps remove that barrier.” The new program is part of a broader effort to strengthen the teacher pipeline in rural Wisconsin, where many school districts face ongoing staffing challenges. Also at the Wisconsin college, trade apprenticeship students are getting a boost in their education and careers, thanks to $228,000 in Ascendium Tools of the Trade grants . A total of 114 Madison College students received individual awards of up to $2,000 to support their training in high-demand technical fields. Apprentices can use the funds for training-related expenses such as tools, equipment, clothing and tuition. Ascendium has awarded more than $8.8 million in scholarships to over 5,000 apprentices across Wisconsin in the last 13 years. The post Funding roundup first appeared on Community College Daily .
11 May 2026
Tohid Didar named Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering
Tohid Didar, Professor of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering and Canada Research Chair in Nano-biomaterials, has been named a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering , one of the highest professional recognitions accorded to Canadian engineers. Didar’s work, which tackles global challenges in food insecurity , antimicrobial resistance and women’s health , places him at a unique threshold between engineering and health sciences. In addition to his research, he also co-founded FendX, a publicly traded nanotechnology company developing antimicrobial materials, and has developed award winning innovations including RepelWrap and SentinelWrap . “Receiving this recognition from the Canadian Academy of Engineering is truly remarkable,” says Didar. “I look forward to continuing my work to advance engineering and improve the lives of Canadians.” Fellowship to the Canadian Academy of Engineering is extended to those who have demonstrated their dedication to the application of science and engineering principles to advance social, environmental, economic and technical solutions. This news comes on the heels of an exceptional year for Didar. Last summer, he was appointed to the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences , one of the highest honours for individuals in the Canadian health sciences community and a rare feat for professional engineers. “Being a member of first the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences and now the Canadian Academy of Engineering is quite an honour,” says Didar. “Seeing these two fields — health sciences and engineering — come together in this way has been amazing and highlights the interdisciplinary nature of our work.” In addition to being named a Fellow of the two biggest academies in his field, Didar was also awarded NSERC’s Arthur B. McDonald Fellowship last October. One of the country’s most prestigious awards for outstanding young researchers, this honour celebrates transformative contributions to the natural sciences and engineering and enables fellows to expand their labs, grow their research platforms and position themselves as the next generation of leaders in their respective fields. The post Tohid Didar named Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering appeared first on McMaster News .
11 May 2026
Scarce oversight: State let Newark charter crisis flourish, staff say
Sign up for Chalkbeat Newark’s free newsletter to get the latest news about the city’s public school system delivered to your inbox. This story was first published on NJ Spotlight News, a content partner of Chalkbeat Newark. Charter schools in Newark educate about a third of the city’s students, have proved popular among parents, and overall deliver higher scores on math and reading tests. What happens, though, when a charter school struggles? In theory, the state is supposed to shut it down if it can’t improve. Even supporters of charters say that’s important for the overall success of the charter movement, like pruning dead branches from a healthy tree. Yet is the state doing its job? That’s the question raised in the wake of reported troubles at New Horizons, an underenrolled, roughly 370-student school. It’s been put on probation by the state for three years due to poor test scores, ineffective instruction, and rising chronic absenteeism, according to a letter from the state Department of Education. Staff members, most of whom spoke to NJ Spotlight News on condition that their names not be used, describe a dysfunctional environment rife with executive self-dealing, falsification of key metrics, a toxic work culture, and failures to handle violence or provide vital services for kids. The charter school denied those allegations. Through a lawyer, school leaders called the claims “meritless” and made by “disgruntled former staff members.” New Horizons “has undergone review, monitoring and improvement processes, as many schools do, and we have continued to make progress in strengthening systems, instruction, compliance, and student support,” the lawyer, Perry L. Lattiboudere, said in a statement. “We remain focused on teaching and learning, continuous improvement and serving our students well.” The FBI recently requested financial records from a former New Horizons staffer, who told NJ Spotlight News about providing board minutes showing large compensation, including bonuses and stipends, paid to its top administrators. That raises a question: Why didn’t this school get closer scrutiny from the state? Critics say previous governors were lax on charter school oversight “It is part of the responsibility of the charter school office in New Jersey to make sure that public dollars are being spent effectively,” said former New Jersey Education Commissioner Christopher Cerf. During his tenure under Gov. Chris Christie — a charter school supporter — Cerf shut down roughly 10% of such schools for low performance. Of New Jersey’s 84 charter schools, four are on probation, including New Horizons. All the state’s charters are overseen by a state Department of Education office with a staff of about six people. If a charter school’s remedial plan is insufficient or if it fails to meet its probation terms, the state can shut it down. Christie’s successor, Gov. Phil Murphy, was lax on charter school oversight, critics say. High-performing charters were denied expansion while those with “operational concerns” faced no intervention, according to Harry Lee, head of the New Jersey Charter Schools Association. The state Department of Education “has broad oversight authority and must hold schools accountable when they aren’t doing the right thing,” Lee said. He expressed hope that Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s administration more proactively will limit “unnecessary and unreasonable expenditures” for schools on probation. Charter school teachers and leaders typically are paid less than those in traditional public school districts, he added. A new law aims to curb payroll abuses by requiring the Department of Education, both annually and during charter renewals, to review pay for the top three administrators, and to publish clearer budgets showing total executive compensation. Former staffers allege problems at New Horizons Founded in the late 1990s, New Horizons is a small school that’s consistently underperformed compared with major charter networks. It performs about level with the city’s public school district, with 27% of students reading and 13% doing math on grade level, and has been on probation for the past three years. The floundering isn’t limited to academics, according to 10 current and former staffers interviewed by NJ Spotlight News. They allege that it’s being irresponsible with public funds, filing inaccurate reports and treating students and staff inappropriately. The school denied any wrongdoing. It declined to comment on specific allegations, citing staff and student privacy laws. The charter’s superintendent, Rhonda Wilson, had a publicly funded salary of almost $240,000, while the state average is less than $198,000. Many of those administrators oversee operations for multiple schools with thousands of students. New Horizons’ enrollment is less than half the maximum 750, public records show. She also was paid nearly $60,000 in bonuses and $11,000 in stipends in 2024 -25, and $3,000 a week to substitute as principal in 2023, expense records show. Staff members allege she used school employees for personal chores and showed favoritism in pay, awarding herself and her inner circle high overtime and other perks. The business administrator, Tom Omwega ,received $57,000 in bonuses and stipends in 2024-25, records show. Wilson has “been operating like this for a long time,” a former staffer, who requested anonymity for fear of retribution, told NJ Spotlight News. “They keep their files a mess on purpose.” The FBI’s Newark office, like the state comptroller’s office, would neither confirm nor deny any investigation. The charter says it is unaware of any inquiry and operates “with integrity and transparency.” New Horizons staff ‘run that building very much like a penitentiary,’ parent claims Strict state Department of Education oversight limits New Horizons, a charter school on probation, to “reasonable and necessary” spending. Asked if the state Department of Education approved all bonuses, a spokesman for the department said those decisions “are made solely by a charter school board of trustees.” That board is closely allied with Wilson, former staffers say. Its president, Edgar Nemorin, did not respond to questions from NJ Spotlight News. Relying solely on the judgment of the charter’s own board is “philosophically inconsistent with the duty of the state,” says Cerf, the former education commissioner. Current and former staff at New Horizons say administrators pressured them to falsify data to the federal government and the state. The charter fabricated hours for employees who worked at an after-school program funded by federal Title I money, a former staffer alleged. Staff say they were told to log inaccurate attendance and safety data: inflating attendance figures, labeling suspensions as “resets” in order to report zero such removals to the state, sending students home for a week without home instruction, and failing to report fights. Adonijah Williams, the parent of a former student at New Horizons, confirmed that her son was suspended multiple times, including for a week. Top administrators berated students harshly for small infractions, current and former staff said. “They run that building very much like a penitentiary,” said Wesley Collins, a former teacher. One student, lacking a required aide, “terrorized” the school, current and former staff say. New Horizons, though, reported virtually no violence, they say, and her suspensions were deemed “resets.” One time, at least a dozen students waited in a staircase for the student so they could record one of her fights, current and former employees say. The school also denied assistance to roughly 100 students with disabilities — waitlisting them for years to be evaluated, just to qualify for services, according to the current and former staffers. At least one student was sent elsewhere because a needed elevator was broken, they said. An eighth grader was added to the evaluation waiting list two years ago, they said. About to leave for high school, the student had yet to be tested, they said. Newark school board supported New Horizons’ renewal with one condition The treatment extended to staff as well, the employees say, and New Horizons had a nearly 50% staff turnover rate during a recent 18-month period. The reason, they say, is a toxic work environment. Principal Stephen Webb, also a pastor, is accused of making inappropriate sexual comments by three former employees, one of whom filed a formal complaint. He reportedly brushed off concerns about potential lawsuits, saying that’s “why I keep a good lawyer.” Staff also allege selective accountability. A social worker was fired for sending a child in a medical crisis to a hospital while administrators were at a Disney resort in Orlando for a conference, current and former staffers said. The dismissal came after a parent objected for reasons that were unclear, according to staff. Former teacher Terrence Knox and others recalled one odd incident in particular. A teacher received a disciplinary letter for mocking a student with special needs in front of the class, allegedly saying, “At least I’m not special ed.” The letter was rescinded, they said. Despite state findings that New Horizons failed to provide a high-quality education, the acting commissioner under Murphy, Angelica Allen-McMillan, renewed its charter with probation in 2023, citing confidence that its initiatives to improve culture and emotional support would reverse poor academic trends. The Newark school board, including Superintendent Roger León – who has fought other charter schools – supported New Horizons’ renewal on the condition that it improve special services programs, which a former staffer described as resources for special education students. While the charter isn’t at half capacity and lacks approval to expand, the principal tells students that New Horizons is opening a high school next year, current and former staff said. New Horizons’ leaders deny that. Knox, the former teacher, called such claims “putting on a show for the public.” The goal: “to make it seem like everything is great and fine and dandy.” Julie O’Connor has written about politics, legal issues and education in New Jersey for more than 15 years. She was a member of the Star-Ledger editorial board and previously reported on criminal trials in Superior Court in Elizabeth. Now she covers urban education, particularly in Newark, Trenton, Paterson, Camden, Plainfield and Jersey City. Email her at OConnorJ@njspotlightnews.org.
11 May 2026
Scarce oversight: State let Newark charter crisis flourish, staff say
Sign up for Chalkbeat Newark’s free newsletter to get the latest news about the city’s public school system delivered to your inbox. This story was first published on NJ Spotlight News, a content partner of Chalkbeat Newark. Charter schools in Newark educate about a third of the city’s students, have proved popular among parents, and overall deliver higher scores on math and reading tests. What happens, though, when a charter school struggles? In theory, the state is supposed to shut it down if it can’t improve. Even supporters of charters say that’s important for the overall success of the charter movement, like pruning dead branches from a healthy tree. Yet is the state doing its job? That’s the question raised in the wake of reported troubles at New Horizons, an underenrolled, roughly 370-student school. It’s been put on probation by the state for three years due to poor test scores, ineffective instruction, and rising chronic absenteeism, according to a letter from the state Department of Education. Staff members, most of whom spoke to NJ Spotlight News on condition that their names not be used, describe a dysfunctional environment rife with executive self-dealing, falsification of key metrics, a toxic work culture, and failures to handle violence or provide vital services for kids. The charter school denied those allegations. Through a lawyer, school leaders called the claims “meritless” and made by “disgruntled former staff members.” New Horizons “has undergone review, monitoring and improvement processes, as many schools do, and we have continued to make progress in strengthening systems, instruction, compliance, and student support,” the lawyer, Perry L. Lattiboudere, said in a statement. “We remain focused on teaching and learning, continuous improvement and serving our students well.” The FBI recently requested financial records from a former New Horizons staffer, who told NJ Spotlight News about providing board minutes showing large compensation, including bonuses and stipends, paid to its top administrators. That raises a question: Why didn’t this school get closer scrutiny from the state? Critics say previous governors were lax on charter school oversight “It is part of the responsibility of the charter school office in New Jersey to make sure that public dollars are being spent effectively,” said former New Jersey Education Commissioner Christopher Cerf. During his tenure under Gov. Chris Christie — a charter school supporter — Cerf shut down roughly 10% of such schools for low performance. Of New Jersey’s 84 charter schools, four are on probation, including New Horizons. All the state’s charters are overseen by a state Department of Education office with a staff of about six people. If a charter school’s remedial plan is insufficient or if it fails to meet its probation terms, the state can shut it down. Christie’s successor, Gov. Phil Murphy, was lax on charter school oversight, critics say. High-performing charters were denied expansion while those with “operational concerns” faced no intervention, according to Harry Lee, head of the New Jersey Charter Schools Association. The state Department of Education “has broad oversight authority and must hold schools accountable when they aren’t doing the right thing,” Lee said. He expressed hope that Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s administration more proactively will limit “unnecessary and unreasonable expenditures” for schools on probation. Charter school teachers and leaders typically are paid less than those in traditional public school districts, he added. A new law aims to curb payroll abuses by requiring the Department of Education, both annually and during charter renewals, to review pay for the top three administrators, and to publish clearer budgets showing total executive compensation. Former staffers allege problems at New Horizons Founded in the late 1990s, New Horizons is a small school that’s consistently underperformed compared with major charter networks. It performs about level with the city’s public school district, with 27% of students reading and 13% doing math on grade level, and has been on probation for the past three years. The floundering isn’t limited to academics, according to 10 current and former staffers interviewed by NJ Spotlight News. They allege that it’s being irresponsible with public funds, filing inaccurate reports and treating students and staff inappropriately. The school denied any wrongdoing. It declined to comment on specific allegations, citing staff and student privacy laws. The charter’s superintendent, Rhonda Wilson, had a publicly funded salary of almost $240,000, while the state average is less than $198,000. Many of those administrators oversee operations for multiple schools with thousands of students. New Horizons’ enrollment is less than half the maximum 750, public records show. She also was paid nearly $60,000 in bonuses and $11,000 in stipends in 2024 -25, and $3,000 a week to substitute as principal in 2023, expense records show. Staff members allege she used school employees for personal chores and showed favoritism in pay, awarding herself and her inner circle high overtime and other perks. The business administrator, Tom Omwega ,received $57,000 in bonuses and stipends in 2024-25, records show. Wilson has “been operating like this for a long time,” a former staffer, who requested anonymity for fear of retribution, told NJ Spotlight News. “They keep their files a mess on purpose.” The FBI’s Newark office, like the state comptroller’s office, would neither confirm nor deny any investigation. The charter says it is unaware of any inquiry and operates “with integrity and transparency.” New Horizons staff ‘run that building very much like a penitentiary,’ parent claims Strict state Department of Education oversight limits New Horizons, a charter school on probation, to “reasonable and necessary” spending. Asked if the state Department of Education approved all bonuses, a spokesman for the department said those decisions “are made solely by a charter school board of trustees.” That board is closely allied with Wilson, former staffers say. Its president, Edgar Nemorin, did not respond to questions from NJ Spotlight News. Relying solely on the judgment of the charter’s own board is “philosophically inconsistent with the duty of the state,” says Cerf, the former education commissioner. Current and former staff at New Horizons say administrators pressured them to falsify data to the federal government and the state. The charter fabricated hours for employees who worked at an after-school program funded by federal Title I money, a former staffer alleged. Staff say they were told to log inaccurate attendance and safety data: inflating attendance figures, labeling suspensions as “resets” in order to report zero such removals to the state, sending students home for a week without home instruction, and failing to report fights. Adonijah Williams, the parent of a former student at New Horizons, confirmed that her son was suspended multiple times, including for a week. Top administrators berated students harshly for small infractions, current and former staff said. “They run that building very much like a penitentiary,” said Wesley Collins, a former teacher. One student, lacking a required aide, “terrorized” the school, current and former staff say. New Horizons, though, reported virtually no violence, they say, and her suspensions were deemed “resets.” One time, at least a dozen students waited in a staircase for the student so they could record one of her fights, current and former employees say. The school also denied assistance to roughly 100 students with disabilities — waitlisting them for years to be evaluated, just to qualify for services, according to the current and former staffers. At least one student was sent elsewhere because a needed elevator was broken, they said. An eighth grader was added to the evaluation waiting list two years ago, they said. About to leave for high school, the student had yet to be tested, they said. Newark school board supported New Horizons’ renewal with one condition The treatment extended to staff as well, the employees say, and New Horizons had a nearly 50% staff turnover rate during a recent 18-month period. The reason, they say, is a toxic work environment. Principal Stephen Webb, also a pastor, is accused of making inappropriate sexual comments by three former employees, one of whom filed a formal complaint. He reportedly brushed off concerns about potential lawsuits, saying that’s “why I keep a good lawyer.” Staff also allege selective accountability. A social worker was fired for sending a child in a medical crisis to a hospital while administrators were at a Disney resort in Orlando for a conference, current and former staffers said. The dismissal came after a parent objected for reasons that were unclear, according to staff. Former teacher Terrence Knox and others recalled one odd incident in particular. A teacher received a disciplinary letter for mocking a student with special needs in front of the class, allegedly saying, “At least I’m not special ed.” The letter was rescinded, they said. Despite state findings that New Horizons failed to provide a high-quality education, the acting commissioner under Murphy, Angelica Allen-McMillan, renewed its charter with probation in 2023, citing confidence that its initiatives to improve culture and emotional support would reverse poor academic trends. The Newark school board, including Superintendent Roger León – who has fought other charter schools – supported New Horizons’ renewal on the condition that it improve special services programs, which a former staffer described as resources for special education students. While the charter isn’t at half capacity and lacks approval to expand, the principal tells students that New Horizons is opening a high school next year, current and former staff said. New Horizons’ leaders deny that. Knox, the former teacher, called such claims “putting on a show for the public.” The goal: “to make it seem like everything is great and fine and dandy.” Julie O’Connor has written about politics, legal issues and education in New Jersey for more than 15 years. She was a member of the Star-Ledger editorial board and previously reported on criminal trials in Superior Court in Elizabeth. Now she covers urban education, particularly in Newark, Trenton, Paterson, Camden, Plainfield and Jersey City. Email her at OConnorJ@njspotlightnews.org.
11 May 2026
Scarce oversight: State let Newark charter crisis flourish, staff say
Sign up for Chalkbeat Newark’s free newsletter to get the latest news about the city’s public school system delivered to your inbox. This story was first published on NJ Spotlight News, a content partner of Chalkbeat Newark. Charter schools in Newark educate about a third of the city’s students, have proved popular among parents, and overall deliver higher scores on math and reading tests. What happens, though, when a charter school struggles? In theory, the state is supposed to shut it down if it can’t improve. Even supporters of charters say that’s important for the overall success of the charter movement, like pruning dead branches from a healthy tree. Yet is the state doing its job? That’s the question raised in the wake of reported troubles at New Horizons, an underenrolled, roughly 370-student school. It’s been put on probation by the state for three years due to poor test scores, ineffective instruction, and rising chronic absenteeism, according to a letter from the state Department of Education. Staff members, most of whom spoke to NJ Spotlight News on condition that their names not be used, describe a dysfunctional environment rife with executive self-dealing, falsification of key metrics, a toxic work culture, and failures to handle violence or provide vital services for kids. The charter school denied those allegations. Through a lawyer, school leaders called the claims “meritless” and made by “disgruntled former staff members.” New Horizons “has undergone review, monitoring and improvement processes, as many schools do, and we have continued to make progress in strengthening systems, instruction, compliance, and student support,” the lawyer, Perry L. Lattiboudere, said in a statement. “We remain focused on teaching and learning, continuous improvement and serving our students well.” The FBI recently requested financial records from a former New Horizons staffer, who told NJ Spotlight News about providing board minutes showing large compensation, including bonuses and stipends, paid to its top administrators. That raises a question: Why didn’t this school get closer scrutiny from the state? Critics say previous governors were lax on charter school oversight “It is part of the responsibility of the charter school office in New Jersey to make sure that public dollars are being spent effectively,” said former New Jersey Education Commissioner Christopher Cerf. During his tenure under Gov. Chris Christie — a charter school supporter — Cerf shut down roughly 10% of such schools for low performance. Of New Jersey’s 84 charter schools, four are on probation, including New Horizons. All the state’s charters are overseen by a state Department of Education office with a staff of about six people. If a charter school’s remedial plan is insufficient or if it fails to meet its probation terms, the state can shut it down. Christie’s successor, Gov. Phil Murphy, was lax on charter school oversight, critics say. High-performing charters were denied expansion while those with “operational concerns” faced no intervention, according to Harry Lee, head of the New Jersey Charter Schools Association. The state Department of Education “has broad oversight authority and must hold schools accountable when they aren’t doing the right thing,” Lee said. He expressed hope that Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s administration more proactively will limit “unnecessary and unreasonable expenditures” for schools on probation. Charter school teachers and leaders typically are paid less than those in traditional public school districts, he added. A new law aims to curb payroll abuses by requiring the Department of Education, both annually and during charter renewals, to review pay for the top three administrators, and to publish clearer budgets showing total executive compensation. Former staffers allege problems at New Horizons Founded in the late 1990s, New Horizons is a small school that’s consistently underperformed compared with major charter networks. It performs about level with the city’s public school district, with 27% of students reading and 13% doing math on grade level, and has been on probation for the past three years. The floundering isn’t limited to academics, according to 10 current and former staffers interviewed by NJ Spotlight News. They allege that it’s being irresponsible with public funds, filing inaccurate reports and treating students and staff inappropriately. The school denied any wrongdoing. It declined to comment on specific allegations, citing staff and student privacy laws. The charter’s superintendent, Rhonda Wilson, had a publicly funded salary of almost $240,000, while the state average is less than $198,000. Many of those administrators oversee operations for multiple schools with thousands of students. New Horizons’ enrollment is less than half the maximum 750, public records show. She also was paid nearly $60,000 in bonuses and $11,000 in stipends in 2024 -25, and $3,000 a week to substitute as principal in 2023, expense records show. Staff members allege she used school employees for personal chores and showed favoritism in pay, awarding herself and her inner circle high overtime and other perks. The business administrator, Tom Omwega ,received $57,000 in bonuses and stipends in 2024-25, records show. Wilson has “been operating like this for a long time,” a former staffer, who requested anonymity for fear of retribution, told NJ Spotlight News. “They keep their files a mess on purpose.” The FBI’s Newark office, like the state comptroller’s office, would neither confirm nor deny any investigation. The charter says it is unaware of any inquiry and operates “with integrity and transparency.” New Horizons staff ‘run that building very much like a penitentiary,’ parent claims Strict state Department of Education oversight limits New Horizons, a charter school on probation, to “reasonable and necessary” spending. Asked if the state Department of Education approved all bonuses, a spokesman for the department said those decisions “are made solely by a charter school board of trustees.” That board is closely allied with Wilson, former staffers say. Its president, Edgar Nemorin, did not respond to questions from NJ Spotlight News. Relying solely on the judgment of the charter’s own board is “philosophically inconsistent with the duty of the state,” says Cerf, the former education commissioner. Current and former staff at New Horizons say administrators pressured them to falsify data to the federal government and the state. The charter fabricated hours for employees who worked at an after-school program funded by federal Title I money, a former staffer alleged. Staff say they were told to log inaccurate attendance and safety data: inflating attendance figures, labeling suspensions as “resets” in order to report zero such removals to the state, sending students home for a week without home instruction, and failing to report fights. Adonijah Williams, the parent of a former student at New Horizons, confirmed that her son was suspended multiple times, including for a week. Top administrators berated students harshly for small infractions, current and former staff said. “They run that building very much like a penitentiary,” said Wesley Collins, a former teacher. One student, lacking a required aide, “terrorized” the school, current and former staff say. New Horizons, though, reported virtually no violence, they say, and her suspensions were deemed “resets.” One time, at least a dozen students waited in a staircase for the student so they could record one of her fights, current and former employees say. The school also denied assistance to roughly 100 students with disabilities — waitlisting them for years to be evaluated, just to qualify for services, according to the current and former staffers. At least one student was sent elsewhere because a needed elevator was broken, they said. An eighth grader was added to the evaluation waiting list two years ago, they said. About to leave for high school, the student had yet to be tested, they said. Newark school board supported New Horizons’ renewal with one condition The treatment extended to staff as well, the employees say, and New Horizons had a nearly 50% staff turnover rate during a recent 18-month period. The reason, they say, is a toxic work environment. Principal Stephen Webb, also a pastor, is accused of making inappropriate sexual comments by three former employees, one of whom filed a formal complaint. He reportedly brushed off concerns about potential lawsuits, saying that’s “why I keep a good lawyer.” Staff also allege selective accountability. A social worker was fired for sending a child in a medical crisis to a hospital while administrators were at a Disney resort in Orlando for a conference, current and former staffers said. The dismissal came after a parent objected for reasons that were unclear, according to staff. Former teacher Terrence Knox and others recalled one odd incident in particular. A teacher received a disciplinary letter for mocking a student with special needs in front of the class, allegedly saying, “At least I’m not special ed.” The letter was rescinded, they said. Despite state findings that New Horizons failed to provide a high-quality education, the acting commissioner under Murphy, Angelica Allen-McMillan, renewed its charter with probation in 2023, citing confidence that its initiatives to improve culture and emotional support would reverse poor academic trends. The Newark school board, including Superintendent Roger León – who has fought other charter schools – supported New Horizons’ renewal on the condition that it improve special services programs, which a former staffer described as resources for special education students. While the charter isn’t at half capacity and lacks approval to expand, the principal tells students that New Horizons is opening a high school next year, current and former staff said. New Horizons’ leaders deny that. Knox, the former teacher, called such claims “putting on a show for the public.” The goal: “to make it seem like everything is great and fine and dandy.” Julie O’Connor has written about politics, legal issues and education in New Jersey for more than 15 years. She was a member of the Star-Ledger editorial board and previously reported on criminal trials in Superior Court in Elizabeth. Now she covers urban education, particularly in Newark, Trenton, Paterson, Camden, Plainfield and Jersey City. Email her at OConnorJ@njspotlightnews.org.
11 May 2026
Scarce oversight: State let Newark charter crisis flourish, staff say
Sign up for Chalkbeat Newark’s free newsletter to get the latest news about the city’s public school system delivered to your inbox. This story was first published on NJ Spotlight News, a content partner of Chalkbeat Newark. Charter schools in Newark educate about a third of the city’s students, have proved popular among parents, and overall deliver higher scores on math and reading tests. What happens, though, when a charter school struggles? In theory, the state is supposed to shut it down if it can’t improve. Even supporters of charters say that’s important for the overall success of the charter movement, like pruning dead branches from a healthy tree. Yet is the state doing its job? That’s the question raised in the wake of reported troubles at New Horizons, an underenrolled, roughly 370-student school. It’s been put on probation by the state for three years due to poor test scores, ineffective instruction, and rising chronic absenteeism, according to a letter from the state Department of Education. Staff members, most of whom spoke to NJ Spotlight News on condition that their names not be used, describe a dysfunctional environment rife with executive self-dealing, falsification of key metrics, a toxic work culture, and failures to handle violence or provide vital services for kids. The charter school denied those allegations. Through a lawyer, school leaders called the claims “meritless” and made by “disgruntled former staff members.” New Horizons “has undergone review, monitoring and improvement processes, as many schools do, and we have continued to make progress in strengthening systems, instruction, compliance, and student support,” the lawyer, Perry L. Lattiboudere, said in a statement. “We remain focused on teaching and learning, continuous improvement and serving our students well.” The FBI recently requested financial records from a former New Horizons staffer, who told NJ Spotlight News about providing board minutes showing large compensation, including bonuses and stipends, paid to its top administrators. That raises a question: Why didn’t this school get closer scrutiny from the state? Critics say previous governors were lax on charter school oversight “It is part of the responsibility of the charter school office in New Jersey to make sure that public dollars are being spent effectively,” said former New Jersey Education Commissioner Christopher Cerf. During his tenure under Gov. Chris Christie — a charter school supporter — Cerf shut down roughly 10% of such schools for low performance. Of New Jersey’s 84 charter schools, four are on probation, including New Horizons. All the state’s charters are overseen by a state Department of Education office with a staff of about six people. If a charter school’s remedial plan is insufficient or if it fails to meet its probation terms, the state can shut it down. Christie’s successor, Gov. Phil Murphy, was lax on charter school oversight, critics say. High-performing charters were denied expansion while those with “operational concerns” faced no intervention, according to Harry Lee, head of the New Jersey Charter Schools Association. The state Department of Education “has broad oversight authority and must hold schools accountable when they aren’t doing the right thing,” Lee said. He expressed hope that Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s administration more proactively will limit “unnecessary and unreasonable expenditures” for schools on probation. Charter school teachers and leaders typically are paid less than those in traditional public school districts, he added. A new law aims to curb payroll abuses by requiring the Department of Education, both annually and during charter renewals, to review pay for the top three administrators, and to publish clearer budgets showing total executive compensation. Former staffers allege problems at New Horizons Founded in the late 1990s, New Horizons is a small school that’s consistently underperformed compared with major charter networks. It performs about level with the city’s public school district, with 27% of students reading and 13% doing math on grade level, and has been on probation for the past three years. The floundering isn’t limited to academics, according to 10 current and former staffers interviewed by NJ Spotlight News. They allege that it’s being irresponsible with public funds, filing inaccurate reports and treating students and staff inappropriately. The school denied any wrongdoing. It declined to comment on specific allegations, citing staff and student privacy laws. The charter’s superintendent, Rhonda Wilson, had a publicly funded salary of almost $240,000, while the state average is less than $198,000. Many of those administrators oversee operations for multiple schools with thousands of students. New Horizons’ enrollment is less than half the maximum 750, public records show. She also was paid nearly $60,000 in bonuses and $11,000 in stipends in 2024 -25, and $3,000 a week to substitute as principal in 2023, expense records show. Staff members allege she used school employees for personal chores and showed favoritism in pay, awarding herself and her inner circle high overtime and other perks. The business administrator, Tom Omwega ,received $57,000 in bonuses and stipends in 2024-25, records show. Wilson has “been operating like this for a long time,” a former staffer, who requested anonymity for fear of retribution, told NJ Spotlight News. “They keep their files a mess on purpose.” The FBI’s Newark office, like the state comptroller’s office, would neither confirm nor deny any investigation. The charter says it is unaware of any inquiry and operates “with integrity and transparency.” New Horizons staff ‘run that building very much like a penitentiary,’ parent claims Strict state Department of Education oversight limits New Horizons, a charter school on probation, to “reasonable and necessary” spending. Asked if the state Department of Education approved all bonuses, a spokesman for the department said those decisions “are made solely by a charter school board of trustees.” That board is closely allied with Wilson, former staffers say. Its president, Edgar Nemorin, did not respond to questions from NJ Spotlight News. Relying solely on the judgment of the charter’s own board is “philosophically inconsistent with the duty of the state,” says Cerf, the former education commissioner. Current and former staff at New Horizons say administrators pressured them to falsify data to the federal government and the state. The charter fabricated hours for employees who worked at an after-school program funded by federal Title I money, a former staffer alleged. Staff say they were told to log inaccurate attendance and safety data: inflating attendance figures, labeling suspensions as “resets” in order to report zero such removals to the state, sending students home for a week without home instruction, and failing to report fights. Adonijah Williams, the parent of a former student at New Horizons, confirmed that her son was suspended multiple times, including for a week. Top administrators berated students harshly for small infractions, current and former staff said. “They run that building very much like a penitentiary,” said Wesley Collins, a former teacher. One student, lacking a required aide, “terrorized” the school, current and former staff say. New Horizons, though, reported virtually no violence, they say, and her suspensions were deemed “resets.” One time, at least a dozen students waited in a staircase for the student so they could record one of her fights, current and former employees say. The school also denied assistance to roughly 100 students with disabilities — waitlisting them for years to be evaluated, just to qualify for services, according to the current and former staffers. At least one student was sent elsewhere because a needed elevator was broken, they said. An eighth grader was added to the evaluation waiting list two years ago, they said. About to leave for high school, the student had yet to be tested, they said. Newark school board supported New Horizons’ renewal with one condition The treatment extended to staff as well, the employees say, and New Horizons had a nearly 50% staff turnover rate during a recent 18-month period. The reason, they say, is a toxic work environment. Principal Stephen Webb, also a pastor, is accused of making inappropriate sexual comments by three former employees, one of whom filed a formal complaint. He reportedly brushed off concerns about potential lawsuits, saying that’s “why I keep a good lawyer.” Staff also allege selective accountability. A social worker was fired for sending a child in a medical crisis to a hospital while administrators were at a Disney resort in Orlando for a conference, current and former staffers said. The dismissal came after a parent objected for reasons that were unclear, according to staff. Former teacher Terrence Knox and others recalled one odd incident in particular. A teacher received a disciplinary letter for mocking a student with special needs in front of the class, allegedly saying, “At least I’m not special ed.” The letter was rescinded, they said. Despite state findings that New Horizons failed to provide a high-quality education, the acting commissioner under Murphy, Angelica Allen-McMillan, renewed its charter with probation in 2023, citing confidence that its initiatives to improve culture and emotional support would reverse poor academic trends. The Newark school board, including Superintendent Roger León – who has fought other charter schools – supported New Horizons’ renewal on the condition that it improve special services programs, which a former staffer described as resources for special education students. While the charter isn’t at half capacity and lacks approval to expand, the principal tells students that New Horizons is opening a high school next year, current and former staff said. New Horizons’ leaders deny that. Knox, the former teacher, called such claims “putting on a show for the public.” The goal: “to make it seem like everything is great and fine and dandy.” Julie O’Connor has written about politics, legal issues and education in New Jersey for more than 15 years. She was a member of the Star-Ledger editorial board and previously reported on criminal trials in Superior Court in Elizabeth. Now she covers urban education, particularly in Newark, Trenton, Paterson, Camden, Plainfield and Jersey City. Email her at OConnorJ@njspotlightnews.org.
11 May 2026
Scarce oversight: State let Newark charter crisis flourish, staff say
Sign up for Chalkbeat Newark’s free newsletter to get the latest news about the city’s public school system delivered to your inbox. This story was first published on NJ Spotlight News, a content partner of Chalkbeat Newark. Charter schools in Newark educate about a third of the city’s students, have proved popular among parents, and overall deliver higher scores on math and reading tests. What happens, though, when a charter school struggles? In theory, the state is supposed to shut it down if it can’t improve. Even supporters of charters say that’s important for the overall success of the charter movement, like pruning dead branches from a healthy tree. Yet is the state doing its job? That’s the question raised in the wake of reported troubles at New Horizons, an underenrolled, roughly 370-student school. It’s been put on probation by the state for three years due to poor test scores, ineffective instruction, and rising chronic absenteeism, according to a letter from the state Department of Education. Staff members, most of whom spoke to NJ Spotlight News on condition that their names not be used, describe a dysfunctional environment rife with executive self-dealing, falsification of key metrics, a toxic work culture, and failures to handle violence or provide vital services for kids. The charter school denied those allegations. Through a lawyer, school leaders called the claims “meritless” and made by “disgruntled former staff members.” New Horizons “has undergone review, monitoring and improvement processes, as many schools do, and we have continued to make progress in strengthening systems, instruction, compliance, and student support,” the lawyer, Perry L. Lattiboudere, said in a statement. “We remain focused on teaching and learning, continuous improvement and serving our students well.” The FBI recently requested financial records from a former New Horizons staffer, who told NJ Spotlight News about providing board minutes showing large compensation, including bonuses and stipends, paid to its top administrators. That raises a question: Why didn’t this school get closer scrutiny from the state? Critics say previous governors were lax on charter school oversight “It is part of the responsibility of the charter school office in New Jersey to make sure that public dollars are being spent effectively,” said former New Jersey Education Commissioner Christopher Cerf. During his tenure under Gov. Chris Christie — a charter school supporter — Cerf shut down roughly 10% of such schools for low performance. Of New Jersey’s 84 charter schools, four are on probation, including New Horizons. All the state’s charters are overseen by a state Department of Education office with a staff of about six people. If a charter school’s remedial plan is insufficient or if it fails to meet its probation terms, the state can shut it down. Christie’s successor, Gov. Phil Murphy, was lax on charter school oversight, critics say. High-performing charters were denied expansion while those with “operational concerns” faced no intervention, according to Harry Lee, head of the New Jersey Charter Schools Association. The state Department of Education “has broad oversight authority and must hold schools accountable when they aren’t doing the right thing,” Lee said. He expressed hope that Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s administration more proactively will limit “unnecessary and unreasonable expenditures” for schools on probation. Charter school teachers and leaders typically are paid less than those in traditional public school districts, he added. A new law aims to curb payroll abuses by requiring the Department of Education, both annually and during charter renewals, to review pay for the top three administrators, and to publish clearer budgets showing total executive compensation. Former staffers allege problems at New Horizons Founded in the late 1990s, New Horizons is a small school that’s consistently underperformed compared with major charter networks. It performs about level with the city’s public school district, with 27% of students reading and 13% doing math on grade level, and has been on probation for the past three years. The floundering isn’t limited to academics, according to 10 current and former staffers interviewed by NJ Spotlight News. They allege that it’s being irresponsible with public funds, filing inaccurate reports and treating students and staff inappropriately. The school denied any wrongdoing. It declined to comment on specific allegations, citing staff and student privacy laws. The charter’s superintendent, Rhonda Wilson, had a publicly funded salary of almost $240,000, while the state average is less than $198,000. Many of those administrators oversee operations for multiple schools with thousands of students. New Horizons’ enrollment is less than half the maximum 750, public records show. She also was paid nearly $60,000 in bonuses and $11,000 in stipends in 2024 -25, and $3,000 a week to substitute as principal in 2023, expense records show. Staff members allege she used school employees for personal chores and showed favoritism in pay, awarding herself and her inner circle high overtime and other perks. The business administrator, Tom Omwega ,received $57,000 in bonuses and stipends in 2024-25, records show. Wilson has “been operating like this for a long time,” a former staffer, who requested anonymity for fear of retribution, told NJ Spotlight News. “They keep their files a mess on purpose.” The FBI’s Newark office, like the state comptroller’s office, would neither confirm nor deny any investigation. The charter says it is unaware of any inquiry and operates “with integrity and transparency.” New Horizons staff ‘run that building very much like a penitentiary,’ parent claims Strict state Department of Education oversight limits New Horizons, a charter school on probation, to “reasonable and necessary” spending. Asked if the state Department of Education approved all bonuses, a spokesman for the department said those decisions “are made solely by a charter school board of trustees.” That board is closely allied with Wilson, former staffers say. Its president, Edgar Nemorin, did not respond to questions from NJ Spotlight News. Relying solely on the judgment of the charter’s own board is “philosophically inconsistent with the duty of the state,” says Cerf, the former education commissioner. Current and former staff at New Horizons say administrators pressured them to falsify data to the federal government and the state. The charter fabricated hours for employees who worked at an after-school program funded by federal Title I money, a former staffer alleged. Staff say they were told to log inaccurate attendance and safety data: inflating attendance figures, labeling suspensions as “resets” in order to report zero such removals to the state, sending students home for a week without home instruction, and failing to report fights. Adonijah Williams, the parent of a former student at New Horizons, confirmed that her son was suspended multiple times, including for a week. Top administrators berated students harshly for small infractions, current and former staff said. “They run that building very much like a penitentiary,” said Wesley Collins, a former teacher. One student, lacking a required aide, “terrorized” the school, current and former staff say. New Horizons, though, reported virtually no violence, they say, and her suspensions were deemed “resets.” One time, at least a dozen students waited in a staircase for the student so they could record one of her fights, current and former employees say. The school also denied assistance to roughly 100 students with disabilities — waitlisting them for years to be evaluated, just to qualify for services, according to the current and former staffers. At least one student was sent elsewhere because a needed elevator was broken, they said. An eighth grader was added to the evaluation waiting list two years ago, they said. About to leave for high school, the student had yet to be tested, they said. Newark school board supported New Horizons’ renewal with one condition The treatment extended to staff as well, the employees say, and New Horizons had a nearly 50% staff turnover rate during a recent 18-month period. The reason, they say, is a toxic work environment. Principal Stephen Webb, also a pastor, is accused of making inappropriate sexual comments by three former employees, one of whom filed a formal complaint. He reportedly brushed off concerns about potential lawsuits, saying that’s “why I keep a good lawyer.” Staff also allege selective accountability. A social worker was fired for sending a child in a medical crisis to a hospital while administrators were at a Disney resort in Orlando for a conference, current and former staffers said. The dismissal came after a parent objected for reasons that were unclear, according to staff. Former teacher Terrence Knox and others recalled one odd incident in particular. A teacher received a disciplinary letter for mocking a student with special needs in front of the class, allegedly saying, “At least I’m not special ed.” The letter was rescinded, they said. Despite state findings that New Horizons failed to provide a high-quality education, the acting commissioner under Murphy, Angelica Allen-McMillan, renewed its charter with probation in 2023, citing confidence that its initiatives to improve culture and emotional support would reverse poor academic trends. The Newark school board, including Superintendent Roger León – who has fought other charter schools – supported New Horizons’ renewal on the condition that it improve special services programs, which a former staffer described as resources for special education students. While the charter isn’t at half capacity and lacks approval to expand, the principal tells students that New Horizons is opening a high school next year, current and former staff said. New Horizons’ leaders deny that. Knox, the former teacher, called such claims “putting on a show for the public.” The goal: “to make it seem like everything is great and fine and dandy.” Julie O’Connor has written about politics, legal issues and education in New Jersey for more than 15 years. She was a member of the Star-Ledger editorial board and previously reported on criminal trials in Superior Court in Elizabeth. Now she covers urban education, particularly in Newark, Trenton, Paterson, Camden, Plainfield and Jersey City. Email her at OConnorJ@njspotlightnews.org.
11 May 2026
Scarce oversight: State let Newark charter crisis flourish, staff say
Sign up for Chalkbeat Newark’s free newsletter to get the latest news about the city’s public school system delivered to your inbox. This story was first published on NJ Spotlight News, a content partner of Chalkbeat Newark. Charter schools in Newark educate about a third of the city’s students, have proved popular among parents, and overall deliver higher scores on math and reading tests. What happens, though, when a charter school struggles? In theory, the state is supposed to shut it down if it can’t improve. Even supporters of charters say that’s important for the overall success of the charter movement, like pruning dead branches from a healthy tree. Yet is the state doing its job? That’s the question raised in the wake of reported troubles at New Horizons, an underenrolled, roughly 370-student school. It’s been put on probation by the state for three years due to poor test scores, ineffective instruction, and rising chronic absenteeism, according to a letter from the state Department of Education. Staff members, most of whom spoke to NJ Spotlight News on condition that their names not be used, describe a dysfunctional environment rife with executive self-dealing, falsification of key metrics, a toxic work culture, and failures to handle violence or provide vital services for kids. The charter school denied those allegations. Through a lawyer, school leaders called the claims “meritless” and made by “disgruntled former staff members.” New Horizons “has undergone review, monitoring and improvement processes, as many schools do, and we have continued to make progress in strengthening systems, instruction, compliance, and student support,” the lawyer, Perry L. Lattiboudere, said in a statement. “We remain focused on teaching and learning, continuous improvement and serving our students well.” The FBI recently requested financial records from a former New Horizons staffer, who told NJ Spotlight News about providing board minutes showing large compensation, including bonuses and stipends, paid to its top administrators. That raises a question: Why didn’t this school get closer scrutiny from the state? Critics say previous governors were lax on charter school oversight “It is part of the responsibility of the charter school office in New Jersey to make sure that public dollars are being spent effectively,” said former New Jersey Education Commissioner Christopher Cerf. During his tenure under Gov. Chris Christie — a charter school supporter — Cerf shut down roughly 10% of such schools for low performance. Of New Jersey’s 84 charter schools, four are on probation, including New Horizons. All the state’s charters are overseen by a state Department of Education office with a staff of about six people. If a charter school’s remedial plan is insufficient or if it fails to meet its probation terms, the state can shut it down. Christie’s successor, Gov. Phil Murphy, was lax on charter school oversight, critics say. High-performing charters were denied expansion while those with “operational concerns” faced no intervention, according to Harry Lee, head of the New Jersey Charter Schools Association. The state Department of Education “has broad oversight authority and must hold schools accountable when they aren’t doing the right thing,” Lee said. He expressed hope that Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s administration more proactively will limit “unnecessary and unreasonable expenditures” for schools on probation. Charter school teachers and leaders typically are paid less than those in traditional public school districts, he added. A new law aims to curb payroll abuses by requiring the Department of Education, both annually and during charter renewals, to review pay for the top three administrators, and to publish clearer budgets showing total executive compensation. Former staffers allege problems at New Horizons Founded in the late 1990s, New Horizons is a small school that’s consistently underperformed compared with major charter networks. It performs about level with the city’s public school district, with 27% of students reading and 13% doing math on grade level, and has been on probation for the past three years. The floundering isn’t limited to academics, according to 10 current and former staffers interviewed by NJ Spotlight News. They allege that it’s being irresponsible with public funds, filing inaccurate reports and treating students and staff inappropriately. The school denied any wrongdoing. It declined to comment on specific allegations, citing staff and student privacy laws. The charter’s superintendent, Rhonda Wilson, had a publicly funded salary of almost $240,000, while the state average is less than $198,000. Many of those administrators oversee operations for multiple schools with thousands of students. New Horizons’ enrollment is less than half the maximum 750, public records show. She also was paid nearly $60,000 in bonuses and $11,000 in stipends in 2024 -25, and $3,000 a week to substitute as principal in 2023, expense records show. Staff members allege she used school employees for personal chores and showed favoritism in pay, awarding herself and her inner circle high overtime and other perks. The business administrator, Tom Omwega ,received $57,000 in bonuses and stipends in 2024-25, records show. Wilson has “been operating like this for a long time,” a former staffer, who requested anonymity for fear of retribution, told NJ Spotlight News. “They keep their files a mess on purpose.” The FBI’s Newark office, like the state comptroller’s office, would neither confirm nor deny any investigation. The charter says it is unaware of any inquiry and operates “with integrity and transparency.” New Horizons staff ‘run that building very much like a penitentiary,’ parent claims Strict state Department of Education oversight limits New Horizons, a charter school on probation, to “reasonable and necessary” spending. Asked if the state Department of Education approved all bonuses, a spokesman for the department said those decisions “are made solely by a charter school board of trustees.” That board is closely allied with Wilson, former staffers say. Its president, Edgar Nemorin, did not respond to questions from NJ Spotlight News. Relying solely on the judgment of the charter’s own board is “philosophically inconsistent with the duty of the state,” says Cerf, the former education commissioner. Current and former staff at New Horizons say administrators pressured them to falsify data to the federal government and the state. The charter fabricated hours for employees who worked at an after-school program funded by federal Title I money, a former staffer alleged. Staff say they were told to log inaccurate attendance and safety data: inflating attendance figures, labeling suspensions as “resets” in order to report zero such removals to the state, sending students home for a week without home instruction, and failing to report fights. Adonijah Williams, the parent of a former student at New Horizons, confirmed that her son was suspended multiple times, including for a week. Top administrators berated students harshly for small infractions, current and former staff said. “They run that building very much like a penitentiary,” said Wesley Collins, a former teacher. One student, lacking a required aide, “terrorized” the school, current and former staff say. New Horizons, though, reported virtually no violence, they say, and her suspensions were deemed “resets.” One time, at least a dozen students waited in a staircase for the student so they could record one of her fights, current and former employees say. The school also denied assistance to roughly 100 students with disabilities — waitlisting them for years to be evaluated, just to qualify for services, according to the current and former staffers. At least one student was sent elsewhere because a needed elevator was broken, they said. An eighth grader was added to the evaluation waiting list two years ago, they said. About to leave for high school, the student had yet to be tested, they said. Newark school board supported New Horizons’ renewal with one condition The treatment extended to staff as well, the employees say, and New Horizons had a nearly 50% staff turnover rate during a recent 18-month period. The reason, they say, is a toxic work environment. Principal Stephen Webb, also a pastor, is accused of making inappropriate sexual comments by three former employees, one of whom filed a formal complaint. He reportedly brushed off concerns about potential lawsuits, saying that’s “why I keep a good lawyer.” Staff also allege selective accountability. A social worker was fired for sending a child in a medical crisis to a hospital while administrators were at a Disney resort in Orlando for a conference, current and former staffers said. The dismissal came after a parent objected for reasons that were unclear, according to staff. Former teacher Terrence Knox and others recalled one odd incident in particular. A teacher received a disciplinary letter for mocking a student with special needs in front of the class, allegedly saying, “At least I’m not special ed.” The letter was rescinded, they said. Despite state findings that New Horizons failed to provide a high-quality education, the acting commissioner under Murphy, Angelica Allen-McMillan, renewed its charter with probation in 2023, citing confidence that its initiatives to improve culture and emotional support would reverse poor academic trends. The Newark school board, including Superintendent Roger León – who has fought other charter schools – supported New Horizons’ renewal on the condition that it improve special services programs, which a former staffer described as resources for special education students. While the charter isn’t at half capacity and lacks approval to expand, the principal tells students that New Horizons is opening a high school next year, current and former staff said. New Horizons’ leaders deny that. Knox, the former teacher, called such claims “putting on a show for the public.” The goal: “to make it seem like everything is great and fine and dandy.” Julie O’Connor has written about politics, legal issues and education in New Jersey for more than 15 years. She was a member of the Star-Ledger editorial board and previously reported on criminal trials in Superior Court in Elizabeth. Now she covers urban education, particularly in Newark, Trenton, Paterson, Camden, Plainfield and Jersey City. Email her at OConnorJ@njspotlightnews.org.
11 May 2026
Scarce oversight: State let Newark charter crisis flourish, staff say
Sign up for Chalkbeat Newark’s free newsletter to get the latest news about the city’s public school system delivered to your inbox. This story was first published on NJ Spotlight News, a content partner of Chalkbeat Newark. Charter schools in Newark educate about a third of the city’s students, have proved popular among parents, and overall deliver higher scores on math and reading tests. What happens, though, when a charter school struggles? In theory, the state is supposed to shut it down if it can’t improve. Even supporters of charters say that’s important for the overall success of the charter movement, like pruning dead branches from a healthy tree. Yet is the state doing its job? That’s the question raised in the wake of reported troubles at New Horizons, an underenrolled, roughly 370-student school. It’s been put on probation by the state for three years due to poor test scores, ineffective instruction, and rising chronic absenteeism, according to a letter from the state Department of Education. Staff members, most of whom spoke to NJ Spotlight News on condition that their names not be used, describe a dysfunctional environment rife with executive self-dealing, falsification of key metrics, a toxic work culture, and failures to handle violence or provide vital services for kids. The charter school denied those allegations. Through a lawyer, school leaders called the claims “meritless” and made by “disgruntled former staff members.” New Horizons “has undergone review, monitoring and improvement processes, as many schools do, and we have continued to make progress in strengthening systems, instruction, compliance, and student support,” the lawyer, Perry L. Lattiboudere, said in a statement. “We remain focused on teaching and learning, continuous improvement and serving our students well.” The FBI recently requested financial records from a former New Horizons staffer, who told NJ Spotlight News about providing board minutes showing large compensation, including bonuses and stipends, paid to its top administrators. That raises a question: Why didn’t this school get closer scrutiny from the state? Critics say previous governors were lax on charter school oversight “It is part of the responsibility of the charter school office in New Jersey to make sure that public dollars are being spent effectively,” said former New Jersey Education Commissioner Christopher Cerf. During his tenure under Gov. Chris Christie — a charter school supporter — Cerf shut down roughly 10% of such schools for low performance. Of New Jersey’s 84 charter schools, four are on probation, including New Horizons. All the state’s charters are overseen by a state Department of Education office with a staff of about six people. If a charter school’s remedial plan is insufficient or if it fails to meet its probation terms, the state can shut it down. Christie’s successor, Gov. Phil Murphy, was lax on charter school oversight, critics say. High-performing charters were denied expansion while those with “operational concerns” faced no intervention, according to Harry Lee, head of the New Jersey Charter Schools Association. The state Department of Education “has broad oversight authority and must hold schools accountable when they aren’t doing the right thing,” Lee said. He expressed hope that Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s administration more proactively will limit “unnecessary and unreasonable expenditures” for schools on probation. Charter school teachers and leaders typically are paid less than those in traditional public school districts, he added. A new law aims to curb payroll abuses by requiring the Department of Education, both annually and during charter renewals, to review pay for the top three administrators, and to publish clearer budgets showing total executive compensation. Former staffers allege problems at New Horizons Founded in the late 1990s, New Horizons is a small school that’s consistently underperformed compared with major charter networks. It performs about level with the city’s public school district, with 27% of students reading and 13% doing math on grade level, and has been on probation for the past three years. The floundering isn’t limited to academics, according to 10 current and former staffers interviewed by NJ Spotlight News. They allege that it’s being irresponsible with public funds, filing inaccurate reports and treating students and staff inappropriately. The school denied any wrongdoing. It declined to comment on specific allegations, citing staff and student privacy laws. The charter’s superintendent, Rhonda Wilson, had a publicly funded salary of almost $240,000, while the state average is less than $198,000. Many of those administrators oversee operations for multiple schools with thousands of students. New Horizons’ enrollment is less than half the maximum 750, public records show. She also was paid nearly $60,000 in bonuses and $11,000 in stipends in 2024 -25, and $3,000 a week to substitute as principal in 2023, expense records show. Staff members allege she used school employees for personal chores and showed favoritism in pay, awarding herself and her inner circle high overtime and other perks. The business administrator, Tom Omwega ,received $57,000 in bonuses and stipends in 2024-25, records show. Wilson has “been operating like this for a long time,” a former staffer, who requested anonymity for fear of retribution, told NJ Spotlight News. “They keep their files a mess on purpose.” The FBI’s Newark office, like the state comptroller’s office, would neither confirm nor deny any investigation. The charter says it is unaware of any inquiry and operates “with integrity and transparency.” New Horizons staff ‘run that building very much like a penitentiary,’ parent claims Strict state Department of Education oversight limits New Horizons, a charter school on probation, to “reasonable and necessary” spending. Asked if the state Department of Education approved all bonuses, a spokesman for the department said those decisions “are made solely by a charter school board of trustees.” That board is closely allied with Wilson, former staffers say. Its president, Edgar Nemorin, did not respond to questions from NJ Spotlight News. Relying solely on the judgment of the charter’s own board is “philosophically inconsistent with the duty of the state,” says Cerf, the former education commissioner. Current and former staff at New Horizons say administrators pressured them to falsify data to the federal government and the state. The charter fabricated hours for employees who worked at an after-school program funded by federal Title I money, a former staffer alleged. Staff say they were told to log inaccurate attendance and safety data: inflating attendance figures, labeling suspensions as “resets” in order to report zero such removals to the state, sending students home for a week without home instruction, and failing to report fights. Adonijah Williams, the parent of a former student at New Horizons, confirmed that her son was suspended multiple times, including for a week. Top administrators berated students harshly for small infractions, current and former staff said. “They run that building very much like a penitentiary,” said Wesley Collins, a former teacher. One student, lacking a required aide, “terrorized” the school, current and former staff say. New Horizons, though, reported virtually no violence, they say, and her suspensions were deemed “resets.” One time, at least a dozen students waited in a staircase for the student so they could record one of her fights, current and former employees say. The school also denied assistance to roughly 100 students with disabilities — waitlisting them for years to be evaluated, just to qualify for services, according to the current and former staffers. At least one student was sent elsewhere because a needed elevator was broken, they said. An eighth grader was added to the evaluation waiting list two years ago, they said. About to leave for high school, the student had yet to be tested, they said. Newark school board supported New Horizons’ renewal with one condition The treatment extended to staff as well, the employees say, and New Horizons had a nearly 50% staff turnover rate during a recent 18-month period. The reason, they say, is a toxic work environment. Principal Stephen Webb, also a pastor, is accused of making inappropriate sexual comments by three former employees, one of whom filed a formal complaint. He reportedly brushed off concerns about potential lawsuits, saying that’s “why I keep a good lawyer.” Staff also allege selective accountability. A social worker was fired for sending a child in a medical crisis to a hospital while administrators were at a Disney resort in Orlando for a conference, current and former staffers said. The dismissal came after a parent objected for reasons that were unclear, according to staff. Former teacher Terrence Knox and others recalled one odd incident in particular. A teacher received a disciplinary letter for mocking a student with special needs in front of the class, allegedly saying, “At least I’m not special ed.” The letter was rescinded, they said. Despite state findings that New Horizons failed to provide a high-quality education, the acting commissioner under Murphy, Angelica Allen-McMillan, renewed its charter with probation in 2023, citing confidence that its initiatives to improve culture and emotional support would reverse poor academic trends. The Newark school board, including Superintendent Roger León – who has fought other charter schools – supported New Horizons’ renewal on the condition that it improve special services programs, which a former staffer described as resources for special education students. While the charter isn’t at half capacity and lacks approval to expand, the principal tells students that New Horizons is opening a high school next year, current and former staff said. New Horizons’ leaders deny that. Knox, the former teacher, called such claims “putting on a show for the public.” The goal: “to make it seem like everything is great and fine and dandy.” Julie O’Connor has written about politics, legal issues and education in New Jersey for more than 15 years. She was a member of the Star-Ledger editorial board and previously reported on criminal trials in Superior Court in Elizabeth. Now she covers urban education, particularly in Newark, Trenton, Paterson, Camden, Plainfield and Jersey City. Email her at OConnorJ@njspotlightnews.org.
11 May 2026
Scarce oversight: State let Newark charter crisis flourish, staff say
Sign up for Chalkbeat Newark’s free newsletter to get the latest news about the city’s public school system delivered to your inbox. This story was first published on NJ Spotlight News, a content partner of Chalkbeat Newark. Charter schools in Newark educate about a third of the city’s students, have proved popular among parents, and overall deliver higher scores on math and reading tests. What happens, though, when a charter school struggles? In theory, the state is supposed to shut it down if it can’t improve. Even supporters of charters say that’s important for the overall success of the charter movement, like pruning dead branches from a healthy tree. Yet is the state doing its job? That’s the question raised in the wake of reported troubles at New Horizons, an underenrolled, roughly 370-student school. It’s been put on probation by the state for three years due to poor test scores, ineffective instruction, and rising chronic absenteeism, according to a letter from the state Department of Education. Staff members, most of whom spoke to NJ Spotlight News on condition that their names not be used, describe a dysfunctional environment rife with executive self-dealing, falsification of key metrics, a toxic work culture, and failures to handle violence or provide vital services for kids. The charter school denied those allegations. Through a lawyer, school leaders called the claims “meritless” and made by “disgruntled former staff members.” New Horizons “has undergone review, monitoring and improvement processes, as many schools do, and we have continued to make progress in strengthening systems, instruction, compliance, and student support,” the lawyer, Perry L. Lattiboudere, said in a statement. “We remain focused on teaching and learning, continuous improvement and serving our students well.” The FBI recently requested financial records from a former New Horizons staffer, who told NJ Spotlight News about providing board minutes showing large compensation, including bonuses and stipends, paid to its top administrators. That raises a question: Why didn’t this school get closer scrutiny from the state? Critics say previous governors were lax on charter school oversight “It is part of the responsibility of the charter school office in New Jersey to make sure that public dollars are being spent effectively,” said former New Jersey Education Commissioner Christopher Cerf. During his tenure under Gov. Chris Christie — a charter school supporter — Cerf shut down roughly 10% of such schools for low performance. Of New Jersey’s 84 charter schools, four are on probation, including New Horizons. All the state’s charters are overseen by a state Department of Education office with a staff of about six people. If a charter school’s remedial plan is insufficient or if it fails to meet its probation terms, the state can shut it down. Christie’s successor, Gov. Phil Murphy, was lax on charter school oversight, critics say. High-performing charters were denied expansion while those with “operational concerns” faced no intervention, according to Harry Lee, head of the New Jersey Charter Schools Association. The state Department of Education “has broad oversight authority and must hold schools accountable when they aren’t doing the right thing,” Lee said. He expressed hope that Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s administration more proactively will limit “unnecessary and unreasonable expenditures” for schools on probation. Charter school teachers and leaders typically are paid less than those in traditional public school districts, he added. A new law aims to curb payroll abuses by requiring the Department of Education, both annually and during charter renewals, to review pay for the top three administrators, and to publish clearer budgets showing total executive compensation. Former staffers allege problems at New Horizons Founded in the late 1990s, New Horizons is a small school that’s consistently underperformed compared with major charter networks. It performs about level with the city’s public school district, with 27% of students reading and 13% doing math on grade level, and has been on probation for the past three years. The floundering isn’t limited to academics, according to 10 current and former staffers interviewed by NJ Spotlight News. They allege that it’s being irresponsible with public funds, filing inaccurate reports and treating students and staff inappropriately. The school denied any wrongdoing. It declined to comment on specific allegations, citing staff and student privacy laws. The charter’s superintendent, Rhonda Wilson, had a publicly funded salary of almost $240,000, while the state average is less than $198,000. Many of those administrators oversee operations for multiple schools with thousands of students. New Horizons’ enrollment is less than half the maximum 750, public records show. She also was paid nearly $60,000 in bonuses and $11,000 in stipends in 2024 -25, and $3,000 a week to substitute as principal in 2023, expense records show. Staff members allege she used school employees for personal chores and showed favoritism in pay, awarding herself and her inner circle high overtime and other perks. The business administrator, Tom Omwega ,received $57,000 in bonuses and stipends in 2024-25, records show. Wilson has “been operating like this for a long time,” a former staffer, who requested anonymity for fear of retribution, told NJ Spotlight News. “They keep their files a mess on purpose.” The FBI’s Newark office, like the state comptroller’s office, would neither confirm nor deny any investigation. The charter says it is unaware of any inquiry and operates “with integrity and transparency.” New Horizons staff ‘run that building very much like a penitentiary,’ parent claims Strict state Department of Education oversight limits New Horizons, a charter school on probation, to “reasonable and necessary” spending. Asked if the state Department of Education approved all bonuses, a spokesman for the department said those decisions “are made solely by a charter school board of trustees.” That board is closely allied with Wilson, former staffers say. Its president, Edgar Nemorin, did not respond to questions from NJ Spotlight News. Relying solely on the judgment of the charter’s own board is “philosophically inconsistent with the duty of the state,” says Cerf, the former education commissioner. Current and former staff at New Horizons say administrators pressured them to falsify data to the federal government and the state. The charter fabricated hours for employees who worked at an after-school program funded by federal Title I money, a former staffer alleged. Staff say they were told to log inaccurate attendance and safety data: inflating attendance figures, labeling suspensions as “resets” in order to report zero such removals to the state, sending students home for a week without home instruction, and failing to report fights. Adonijah Williams, the parent of a former student at New Horizons, confirmed that her son was suspended multiple times, including for a week. Top administrators berated students harshly for small infractions, current and former staff said. “They run that building very much like a penitentiary,” said Wesley Collins, a former teacher. One student, lacking a required aide, “terrorized” the school, current and former staff say. New Horizons, though, reported virtually no violence, they say, and her suspensions were deemed “resets.” One time, at least a dozen students waited in a staircase for the student so they could record one of her fights, current and former employees say. The school also denied assistance to roughly 100 students with disabilities — waitlisting them for years to be evaluated, just to qualify for services, according to the current and former staffers. At least one student was sent elsewhere because a needed elevator was broken, they said. An eighth grader was added to the evaluation waiting list two years ago, they said. About to leave for high school, the student had yet to be tested, they said. Newark school board supported New Horizons’ renewal with one condition The treatment extended to staff as well, the employees say, and New Horizons had a nearly 50% staff turnover rate during a recent 18-month period. The reason, they say, is a toxic work environment. Principal Stephen Webb, also a pastor, is accused of making inappropriate sexual comments by three former employees, one of whom filed a formal complaint. He reportedly brushed off concerns about potential lawsuits, saying that’s “why I keep a good lawyer.” Staff also allege selective accountability. A social worker was fired for sending a child in a medical crisis to a hospital while administrators were at a Disney resort in Orlando for a conference, current and former staffers said. The dismissal came after a parent objected for reasons that were unclear, according to staff. Former teacher Terrence Knox and others recalled one odd incident in particular. A teacher received a disciplinary letter for mocking a student with special needs in front of the class, allegedly saying, “At least I’m not special ed.” The letter was rescinded, they said. Despite state findings that New Horizons failed to provide a high-quality education, the acting commissioner under Murphy, Angelica Allen-McMillan, renewed its charter with probation in 2023, citing confidence that its initiatives to improve culture and emotional support would reverse poor academic trends. The Newark school board, including Superintendent Roger León – who has fought other charter schools – supported New Horizons’ renewal on the condition that it improve special services programs, which a former staffer described as resources for special education students. While the charter isn’t at half capacity and lacks approval to expand, the principal tells students that New Horizons is opening a high school next year, current and former staff said. New Horizons’ leaders deny that. Knox, the former teacher, called such claims “putting on a show for the public.” The goal: “to make it seem like everything is great and fine and dandy.” Julie O’Connor has written about politics, legal issues and education in New Jersey for more than 15 years. She was a member of the Star-Ledger editorial board and previously reported on criminal trials in Superior Court in Elizabeth. Now she covers urban education, particularly in Newark, Trenton, Paterson, Camden, Plainfield and Jersey City. Email her at OConnorJ@njspotlightnews.org.
11 May 2026
Scarce oversight: State let Newark charter crisis flourish, staff say
Sign up for Chalkbeat Newark’s free newsletter to get the latest news about the city’s public school system delivered to your inbox. This story was first published on NJ Spotlight News, a content partner of Chalkbeat Newark. Charter schools in Newark educate about a third of the city’s students, have proved popular among parents, and overall deliver higher scores on math and reading tests. What happens, though, when a charter school struggles? In theory, the state is supposed to shut it down if it can’t improve. Even supporters of charters say that’s important for the overall success of the charter movement, like pruning dead branches from a healthy tree. Yet is the state doing its job? That’s the question raised in the wake of reported troubles at New Horizons, an underenrolled, roughly 370-student school. It’s been put on probation by the state for three years due to poor test scores, ineffective instruction, and rising chronic absenteeism, according to a letter from the state Department of Education. Staff members, most of whom spoke to NJ Spotlight News on condition that their names not be used, describe a dysfunctional environment rife with executive self-dealing, falsification of key metrics, a toxic work culture, and failures to handle violence or provide vital services for kids. The charter school denied those allegations. Through a lawyer, school leaders called the claims “meritless” and made by “disgruntled former staff members.” New Horizons “has undergone review, monitoring and improvement processes, as many schools do, and we have continued to make progress in strengthening systems, instruction, compliance, and student support,” the lawyer, Perry L. Lattiboudere, said in a statement. “We remain focused on teaching and learning, continuous improvement and serving our students well.” The FBI recently requested financial records from a former New Horizons staffer, who told NJ Spotlight News about providing board minutes showing large compensation, including bonuses and stipends, paid to its top administrators. That raises a question: Why didn’t this school get closer scrutiny from the state? Critics say previous governors were lax on charter school oversight “It is part of the responsibility of the charter school office in New Jersey to make sure that public dollars are being spent effectively,” said former New Jersey Education Commissioner Christopher Cerf. During his tenure under Gov. Chris Christie — a charter school supporter — Cerf shut down roughly 10% of such schools for low performance. Of New Jersey’s 84 charter schools, four are on probation, including New Horizons. All the state’s charters are overseen by a state Department of Education office with a staff of about six people. If a charter school’s remedial plan is insufficient or if it fails to meet its probation terms, the state can shut it down. Christie’s successor, Gov. Phil Murphy, was lax on charter school oversight, critics say. High-performing charters were denied expansion while those with “operational concerns” faced no intervention, according to Harry Lee, head of the New Jersey Charter Schools Association. The state Department of Education “has broad oversight authority and must hold schools accountable when they aren’t doing the right thing,” Lee said. He expressed hope that Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s administration more proactively will limit “unnecessary and unreasonable expenditures” for schools on probation. Charter school teachers and leaders typically are paid less than those in traditional public school districts, he added. A new law aims to curb payroll abuses by requiring the Department of Education, both annually and during charter renewals, to review pay for the top three administrators, and to publish clearer budgets showing total executive compensation. Former staffers allege problems at New Horizons Founded in the late 1990s, New Horizons is a small school that’s consistently underperformed compared with major charter networks. It performs about level with the city’s public school district, with 27% of students reading and 13% doing math on grade level, and has been on probation for the past three years. The floundering isn’t limited to academics, according to 10 current and former staffers interviewed by NJ Spotlight News. They allege that it’s being irresponsible with public funds, filing inaccurate reports and treating students and staff inappropriately. The school denied any wrongdoing. It declined to comment on specific allegations, citing staff and student privacy laws. The charter’s superintendent, Rhonda Wilson, had a publicly funded salary of almost $240,000, while the state average is less than $198,000. Many of those administrators oversee operations for multiple schools with thousands of students. New Horizons’ enrollment is less than half the maximum 750, public records show. She also was paid nearly $60,000 in bonuses and $11,000 in stipends in 2024 -25, and $3,000 a week to substitute as principal in 2023, expense records show. Staff members allege she used school employees for personal chores and showed favoritism in pay, awarding herself and her inner circle high overtime and other perks. The business administrator, Tom Omwega ,received $57,000 in bonuses and stipends in 2024-25, records show. Wilson has “been operating like this for a long time,” a former staffer, who requested anonymity for fear of retribution, told NJ Spotlight News. “They keep their files a mess on purpose.” The FBI’s Newark office, like the state comptroller’s office, would neither confirm nor deny any investigation. The charter says it is unaware of any inquiry and operates “with integrity and transparency.” New Horizons staff ‘run that building very much like a penitentiary,’ parent claims Strict state Department of Education oversight limits New Horizons, a charter school on probation, to “reasonable and necessary” spending. Asked if the state Department of Education approved all bonuses, a spokesman for the department said those decisions “are made solely by a charter school board of trustees.” That board is closely allied with Wilson, former staffers say. Its president, Edgar Nemorin, did not respond to questions from NJ Spotlight News. Relying solely on the judgment of the charter’s own board is “philosophically inconsistent with the duty of the state,” says Cerf, the former education commissioner. Current and former staff at New Horizons say administrators pressured them to falsify data to the federal government and the state. The charter fabricated hours for employees who worked at an after-school program funded by federal Title I money, a former staffer alleged. Staff say they were told to log inaccurate attendance and safety data: inflating attendance figures, labeling suspensions as “resets” in order to report zero such removals to the state, sending students home for a week without home instruction, and failing to report fights. Adonijah Williams, the parent of a former student at New Horizons, confirmed that her son was suspended multiple times, including for a week. Top administrators berated students harshly for small infractions, current and former staff said. “They run that building very much like a penitentiary,” said Wesley Collins, a former teacher. One student, lacking a required aide, “terrorized” the school, current and former staff say. New Horizons, though, reported virtually no violence, they say, and her suspensions were deemed “resets.” One time, at least a dozen students waited in a staircase for the student so they could record one of her fights, current and former employees say. The school also denied assistance to roughly 100 students with disabilities — waitlisting them for years to be evaluated, just to qualify for services, according to the current and former staffers. At least one student was sent elsewhere because a needed elevator was broken, they said. An eighth grader was added to the evaluation waiting list two years ago, they said. About to leave for high school, the student had yet to be tested, they said. Newark school board supported New Horizons’ renewal with one condition The treatment extended to staff as well, the employees say, and New Horizons had a nearly 50% staff turnover rate during a recent 18-month period. The reason, they say, is a toxic work environment. Principal Stephen Webb, also a pastor, is accused of making inappropriate sexual comments by three former employees, one of whom filed a formal complaint. He reportedly brushed off concerns about potential lawsuits, saying that’s “why I keep a good lawyer.” Staff also allege selective accountability. A social worker was fired for sending a child in a medical crisis to a hospital while administrators were at a Disney resort in Orlando for a conference, current and former staffers said. The dismissal came after a parent objected for reasons that were unclear, according to staff. Former teacher Terrence Knox and others recalled one odd incident in particular. A teacher received a disciplinary letter for mocking a student with special needs in front of the class, allegedly saying, “At least I’m not special ed.” The letter was rescinded, they said. Despite state findings that New Horizons failed to provide a high-quality education, the acting commissioner under Murphy, Angelica Allen-McMillan, renewed its charter with probation in 2023, citing confidence that its initiatives to improve culture and emotional support would reverse poor academic trends. The Newark school board, including Superintendent Roger León – who has fought other charter schools – supported New Horizons’ renewal on the condition that it improve special services programs, which a former staffer described as resources for special education students. While the charter isn’t at half capacity and lacks approval to expand, the principal tells students that New Horizons is opening a high school next year, current and former staff said. New Horizons’ leaders deny that. Knox, the former teacher, called such claims “putting on a show for the public.” The goal: “to make it seem like everything is great and fine and dandy.” Julie O’Connor has written about politics, legal issues and education in New Jersey for more than 15 years. She was a member of the Star-Ledger editorial board and previously reported on criminal trials in Superior Court in Elizabeth. Now she covers urban education, particularly in Newark, Trenton, Paterson, Camden, Plainfield and Jersey City. Email her at OConnorJ@njspotlightnews.org.
11 May 2026
Stamps urges Ohio State graduates to ‘safeguard your most valuable asset’
In his keynote address at The Ohio State University’s spring commencement at Ohio Stadium on Sunday, philanthropist and private investor E. Roe Stamps IV shared life lessons for success with graduates. Stamps said he achieved personal and career success by following the principles he laid out. He holds degrees in industrial engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a Master of Business Administration from Harvard. Stamps co-founded Boston-based private equity and venture capital firm Summit Partners. He also founded the Stamps Scholars Program, a charitable initiative that provides scholarships to students at over three dozen universities worldwide. At Ohio State, around 50 students each year receive scholarships through the affiliated Stamps Eminence Scholarship Program. Stamps outlined four life lessons: · Continue building your life’s foundation. · Figure life out sooner versus later. · Join a winning team and contribute to its success. · Safeguard your most valuable asset – your future. “I would recommend that you invest in yourselves, educationally and financially,” Stamps said. “You’re taking a great step today with this degree, but we all know how rapidly things are changing, so keep up with those changes, either in graduate/professional school, or in whatever way you find possible if you are in the workforce.” In addition to delivering his address, Stamps received an honorary Doctor of Public Service degree in recognition of his dedication to advancing educational opportunities and his other philanthropic contributions. Ohio State President Ravi V. Bellamkonda encouraged the graduates to maintain ties with Ohio State and each other, furthering the community they developed as students as they embark on the next phase of their lives. “As I often say, excellence is a team sport. This is true of many of life’s great achievements. This moment belongs to all of you,” he said. “This event fills me with such joy, because it reminds me of the very heart of our mission – to change lives through the power of education.” John W. Zeiger, chair of Ohio State’s Board of Trustees, presented Distinguished Service Awards to Ohio State alumnus Tahlman Krumm Jr., journalist, communications professional and former Ohio State lecturer and administrator; and Edgar Lampert, vice chairman of real estate development firm The Georgetown Company. The company has overseen master planning efforts at the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center and numerous community development initiatives. Of the 12,315 degrees and certificates awarded, 1,125 were doctorates, 1,997 master’s and 195 professional, and 8,998 were undergraduate and associate degrees and certificates.
11 May 2026
In Photos: USask community welcomes President Vince Bruni‑Bossio
Celebration highlighted shared purpose, partnership, and the start of a new chapter for USask
11 May 2026
"Man Pleads Guilty to 'Doxxing' Home Address of United States Supreme Court Justice" with Intent to Threaten or Incite Violence
From Wednesday's Justice Department press release : Kyle Andrew Edwards, 59, of Alexander, N.C., appeared in federal court today and pleaded guilty to a "doxxing" charge for posting online the home address of a United States Supreme Court Justice with the intent to threaten, intimidate, or incite a crime of violence against the Justice, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina…. According to information contained in documents filed as part of Edwards' plea and the plea hearing, from April through June 2026, Edwards frequently used an online social media account that was publicly accessible to post comments critical of certain United States Supreme Court Justices. Many of the posts were threatening in nature or were responses to threatening comments made by other users. For example, on June 27, 2025, Edwards posted that the Supreme Court "must be destroyed." Two days later, on June 29, Edwards posted that a certain Supreme Court Justice should "buy Kevlar robes." According to court documents, on April 8, 2025, Edwards used his social media account to post the correct home address of a United States Supreme Court Justice. On the same day, Edwards posted partial or historical information about the neighborhoods or former home addresses of two other United States Supreme Court Justices. On the day Edwards publicly disclosed the Justice's home address, he made several threatening posts toward other Justices. For example, Edwards posted that a different Justice's home address was unavailable online "to prevent people from assassinating him." Edwards also posted that Justices should "think again" if they thought that "their families are safe." Edwards also encouraged others to "start dragging the SC out by their robes," and to turn the Justices "into charcoal." Court documents show that Edwards posted these comments publicly on his own social media account and within conversations in which some other posters were also making similar threats…. To be specific, the charcoal statement was apparently "turn all these motherfuckers into charcoal." Whether the law can generally bar publishing the home addresses of government officials is an unsettled and difficult question; compare Kratovil v. City of New Brunswick (N.J. 2025) with Publius v. Boyer-Vine (C.D. Cal. 2017) , Brayshaw v. City of Tallahassee (N.D. Fla. 2010) , and Sheehan v. Gregoire (W.D. Wash. 2003) . But the relevant provision of the relevant federal statute only forbids publishing such home addresses (or certain other information): with the intent to threaten, intimidate, or incite the commission of a crime of violence against that covered person, or a member of the immediate family of that covered person; or with the intent and knowledge that the restricted personal information will be used to threaten, intimidate, or facilitate the commission of a crime of violence against that covered person, or a member of the immediate family of that covered person. Such a statute, properly interpreted, would likely fit within the First Amendment exceptions for threats, incitement, or solicitation . You can also read the specific criminal charges and the statement of factual basis for the plea agreement . Thanks to the Media Law Resource Center (MLRC) MediaLawDaily for the pointer. The post "Man Pleads Guilty to 'Doxxing' Home Address of United States Supreme Court Justice" with Intent to Threaten or Incite Violence appeared first on Reason.com .
11 May 2026
Le blocage d’engrais dans le Golfe fait craindre une « crise humanitaire majeure »
Le tiers des engrais mondiaux transitent par le détroit d'Ormuz, bloqué depuis deux mois.
11 May 2026
Les députés et sénateurs canadiens réduisent les échanges avec leurs homologues américains
Les députés et sénateurs canadiens s’apprêtent à réduire considérablement les échanges interparlementaires avec le Sénat et le Congrès américain, malgré les efforts multipartites visant à sauver un accord commercial crucial avec les États-Unis.
11 May 2026
Surprisingly, Canadians travelling to the U.S. rose in April for the first time since 2024
In a rare reversal to a year-long trend, Statistics Canada found that return arrivals by Canadians, both from the United States and the rest of the world, increased in April over the same month in 2025. It was the first year-over-year increase in those numbers in more than a year. Read More
11 May 2026
Helping to give birth to nation — and Harvard Med
Campus & Community Helping to give birth to nation — and Harvard Med School founder John Warren numbered among alumni who were part of revolutionary generation Alvin Powell Harvard Staff Writer May 11, 2026 9 min read “Portrait of John Warren,” Rembrandt Peale In addition to coverage of related events and exhibits, the Gazette will publish a series of occasional features marking the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. It took days for John Warren to find his missing older brother. When he did, his worst fears were confirmed: Joseph, a Colonial militia general and guiding light for Warren, had been killed in battle on Breeds Hill in June of 1775. A grieving Warren initially reached for his gun, but cooler heads persuaded the young physician he’d be more valuable to the cause treating the wounded in Cambridge during the Siege of Boston, then in its early months. Warren was part of a revolutionary generation that counted a number of Harvard graduates in its ranks. They played key roles in the birth of the nation and in defining its character in the years that followed. In the ensuing years, Warren would pass through the upheaval of the Revolution, taking the accelerated lessons in medicine and innovation learned in battlefield surgery back to his Boston practice. The Harvard graduate became noted as a doctor and lecturer, skills would serve him as the primary founder of Harvard Medical School in 1782. “One side effect of war — and you see this through history — is medical progress,” said Dominic Hall , manager for curation and stewardship at HMS’s Countway Library . “Especially for surgery, you’re going to see things, respond to things that aren’t elective, things you aren’t necessarily choosing to do, that you have to respond to and create treatments. He didn’t have a lot of peers in surgery late in life.” John Adams, the nation’s second president, traced the birth of the new nation not to 1775, when the fighting started, or to 1776, when the Declaration of Independence was signed. In Adams’ mind, the seeds of independence had been sown more than a decade earlier, in fiery speeches of Harvard Law School alumnus James Otis Jr. in 1761 as he argued in court against British Writs of Assistance, which gave wide powers to search for smuggled goods anywhere, anytime. Besides Adams, other well-known Revolution leaders such as John Hancock and Samuel Adams had Harvard roots. And there were other alumni like John and Joseph Warren. The older Warren, also a physician, had published anti-British essays, delivered speeches, and led the self-rule-minded Provincial Congress and its military parallel, the Committee of Safety. He helped plan the Boston Tea Party and dispatched Paul Revere and William Dawes on their midnight rides to warn of British troop movements. The next day, Joseph led militia troops that harried the British on their retreat from the war’s first engagements at Lexington and Concord. Joseph was killed two months later while defending a fort-like redoubt on Breeds Hill, which the British took after three costly assaults in which they suffered substantial casualties. 1775 John Warren’s brother Joseph dies in battle at Breeds Hill. “The Death of General Warren at the Battle of Bunker’s Hill, June 17, 1775,” John Trumbull 1776 Warren joins the Colonial army’s hospital division during the Siege of Boston. “Evacuation of Boston,” W.J. Aylward 1776 Warren travels with George Washington’s troops to New York. Months later, he is there for the victory at Trenton, New Jersey, made famous when Washington crossed the Delaware River. “Washington Crossing the Delaware,” Emanuel Leutze 1781 During an early meeting of the Boston Medical Society in the Green Dragon Tavern, Warren proposes creating a medical school, which would be the country’s third. 1782 Warren plays a key role founding Harvard Medical School, which moved several times — including to this location near Boston Common in the early 1800s — before settling at its current location on Longwood Avenue in Boston in 1906. Younger brother John’s life followed a different path. He entered Harvard College at 14, where the anatomy club provided an outlet for his passion. After graduation, he became his brother’s apprentice, serving for two years in his Boston practice while some wealthier classmates traveled for training at European medical schools. When the apprenticeship ended, John Warren moved to Salem, Massachusetts, joining the practice of a respected physician. When the fighting broke out in 1775, he was just 22 and about to enter what Hall described as essentially a new phase of his training. After his brother’s death, John Warren left behind the practice in Salem, and joined the Colonial army’s hospital division during the Siege of Boston, which ended in March 1776 with the British withdrawal. He then traveled with George Washington’s troops to New York. He led a hospital on Long Island before New York fell to the British. Months later, Warren was there for the victory at Trenton, New Jersey, made famous when Washington and his troops crossed the Delaware River on a freezing Christmas night. In early 1777, Warren was reassigned as senior surgeon to the military hospital in Boston, bringing with him his wartime experience managing battlefield wounds, disease, and death. Medical practice at the time was crude by today’s standards. Germ theory was still a century away and bloodletting remained common. Diseases uncommon today — smallpox, yellow fever, typhus, and diphtheria — were regular visitors, and severe injuries on the battlefield were routinely treated by amputation. In addition to the medical cases themselves, Warren learned from his peers, physicians from other parts of the nascent country who had rallied to the Colonial cause, according to Scott Podolsky , professor of global health and social medicine at HMS and director of Countway Library’s Center for the History of Medicine. “Wartime has often provided the opportunity, as it were, for such exchange,” Podolsky said. “Warren’s real contribution, on a macro level, was the founding of the School, and on a micro level, it’s clearly the students he trained and patients he helped.” Dominic Hall On his return to Boston, Warren was a welcome addition to a city that had lost a third of its doctors to the war’s turmoil, according to medical historian Stephen C. Craig. By Craig’s account, published in 2010 in the Journal of Medical Biography, some of the city’s small population of physicians had died, others had been exiled, and still others — Tory sympathizers — had fled. Warren started a new practice and attended to his hospital duties — which Hall said provided the opportunity to practice dissection and hone his knowledge of anatomy. That opportunity was otherwise hard to come by. Finding bodies was difficult, often limited to executed criminals and bodies unclaimed by relatives. Dissection was disapproved of by the public and often had to be done secretly. As the war continued in the south, Boston physicians looked to the future of American medicine and began to organize. The Boston Medical Society was established in 1780, in large part to regulate physicians’ fees during a period of war-related economic strain. A year later, Warren had a hand in founding the Massachusetts Medical Society, today the oldest state medical society in the U.S. During an early meeting of the society in the Green Dragon Tavern, Warren proposed creating a medical school, which would be the country’s third, after Columbia in New York and the University of Pennsylvania, then the College of Philadelphia. “It’s a period of organizing, recognizing existing deficiencies, envisioning future possibilities,” said Podolsky, co-author of a series of New England Journal of Medicine articles on medicine and the American Revolution. “And he’s at the center of this, looking to ground medicine in shared knowledge concerning anatomy and medical practice. He’s central to the founding of Harvard Medical School and to establishing the importance of anatomical instruction, which was a complicated endeavor at the time.” More like this Did the British unleash biological warfare against Washington’s troops? Walking in Harvard’s ‘Revolutionary footsteps’ Later that year, Warren delivered a series of private anatomical lectures. Then in 1781, he delivered a second series, public this time, which was attended by members of the Harvard Corporation and Harvard President Joseph Willard. Warren’s knowledge and skill at dissection were on display, as was his engaging speaking style, which conveyed an infectious enthusiasm for his subject. Afterward, Harvard College asked Warren to draw up a course of medical study, and in 1782 voted to establish three professorships to establish the fledgling School, whose financial foundation had been laid a decade earlier by an alumnus’ £1,000 donation. Warren would be the chair of anatomy and surgery while Benjamin Waterhouse, who in 1800 would first test the smallpox vaccine in America, would be the chair of the theory and practice of physic. Physician Aaron Dexter would join in 1783 as chair of materia medica and chemistry. The School’s early lectures were delivered in fall of 1783, about the time the Treaty of Paris ended the American Revolution. Sessions ran two to three hours and occurred in the basement of Harvard Hall. Warren’s teaching would continue as classes expanded and lectures moved nearby, to Holden Chapel in Harvard Yard. By the early 1800s, additional faculty had been hired, including, in 1809, Warren’s oldest son, John Collins Warren, who would eventually become the first dean of HMS and a founder of both the New England Journal of Medicine and Massachusetts General Hospital. John Collins was also the first of five Warren children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren to become associated with the Medical School, and they would play pioneering roles in reconstructive surgery, cancer surgery, and forensic anthropology. Harvard Medical School, meanwhile, had a semi-nomadic existence, moving from Cambridge to Boston in 1810. A few years later the growing School moved into a house on Mason Street near Boston Common, moving two more times before arriving at its current location on Longwood Avenue in Boston in 1906. As Warren cared for patients and looked to the future of American medicine, he also suffered from heart problems of his own. He died in 1815, at age 61, from what was described as inflammation of the lungs. That same year his son, John Collins Warren, was named Hersey Professor of Surgery and Anatomy. “You see him as a skilled operator and a powerful, influential teacher. People eulogize his work ethic — a day or two prior to his death he’s still seeing patients,” Hall said. “His real contribution, on a macro level, was the founding of the School, and on a micro level, it’s clearly the students he trained and patients he helped.”
11 May 2026
Strategies to close school budgets gaps
Explore three steps school districts can take to reduce costs while prioritizing student success.
11 May 2026
Swarthmore scrubs professor’s name from hall due to ‘Indigenous grave excavation’
Professor’s burial ground dig was ‘unethical,’ college president says Swarthmore College plans to unveil new names for its former Trotter Hall and Trotter Lawn this fall after campus leaders discovered that their namesake, natural history Professor Spencer Trotter, excavated a Native American grave site and removed human remains. President Val Smith plans to review the renaming… Source
11 May 2026
The Implications of Cyber-Physical Security Convergence in Higher Education
The lines that once clearly separated on-campus physical security systems from cybersecurity are increasingly blurred, due to many factors, not least of which is the technology itself. The advent of Internet of Things technology, followed quickly by smart security cameras and their enabling devices, alongside a host of other networked facilities technologies such as access card readers and biometric devices, has had a significant impact on today’s college campuses. All of these tools not only increase an institution’s attack surface, they also require sophisticated management and oversight,…
11 May 2026
After Canvas: The architectural question higher ed has been avoiding
The Canvas breach didn’t fail because hackers got lucky. It failed because the architecture made it inevitable, and the standard response — patch, harden, audit, repeat — will produce the next breach on the same timeline. ShinyHunters compromised Instructure twice in nine days, exploiting Free-For-Teacher accounts to reach 8,809 institutions and roughly 275 million records, including private messages between students and teachers. Canvas serves 41% of U.S. higher-education institutions. No financial advisor would let a client put 41% of a portfolio in one position. Higher education concentrated its entire pedagogical infrastructure that way and acted surprised when the inevitable happened. Researchers’ warnings I have watched this pattern for 35 years across deans’ offices, provosts’ suites and CIO conversations. Each generation of educational technology is sold as inevitable, adopted under time pressure and defended on the grounds that the alternatives are impractical — until the architecture fails and we discover, again, that the alternatives were available all along. Roxana Marachi and Lawrence Quill said as much in 2020. Writing in Teaching in Higher Education, they named the structural pillars that would produce catastrophic failure: frictionless data flows across K-12, higher-ed and workforce systems; third-party integrations that expanded the attack surface; predictive analytics that turned student behavior into vendor assets. Six years of warning, ignored. The system failed exactly as predicted, at the worst possible moment — finals week. Ben Williamson and Anna Hogan, writing for Education International in 2021, made the parallel case at the political-economy level — that pandemic-era LMS adoption was normalizing commercial intermediaries as essential infrastructure between educators and students, with downstream consequences few institutions had thought through. The Chronicle of Higher Education’s Daily Briefing asked the right question this week: is this the shock that produces structural reform, or will higher education throw more money at cybersecurity? Most of the trade press is lining up behind the second answer. That answer is wrong, and it is wrong for the same reason the breach happened in the first place. Centralization concentrates value. Concentrated value attracts attack. AI-empowered attackers will compromise centralized platforms faster than any human attacker ever could, and as long as 30 million users sit behind one authentication system, AI-assisted attacks will keep succeeding. Spending more on perimeter security around the existing platform is buying ammunition for a war whose terms keep getting worse. Almost no one writing about this breach has noticed that AI is also what makes a different architecture possible — one in which the failure modes that produced this week’s catastrophe become structurally unavailable. Keep them separated The alternative is not blockchain. Not federated identity. Not another platform. The alternative is an architecture in which content stays where content is authoritative, student data stays where the institution holds fiduciary responsibility, and AI does the work of connecting them at the moment of use. Publisher corpora live on publisher servers. Institutional records live on institutional servers. A routing AI orchestrates queries across these distributed stores when the student asks a question. No central honey pot. A breach of any single component exposes only that component, because the value is no longer concentrated where it can be stolen wholesale. The pedagogical case is at least as strong as the security case. Pierre Lévy has been arguing, most recently in early 2026, that learning occurs through a dialectic involving teacher guidance, the student’s own memory, dialogue with peers and AI mobilizing accumulated authoritative knowledge. Each pole does what it does best. The AI’s job is interface, not replacement. The publisher’s job is authorization, being the source a curriculum can be defended on, not delivery. The institution’s job is curriculum and credentialing, not platform administration. None of these parties needs to be subsumed inside a single vendor’s infrastructure for the system to work. The LMS model insisted otherwise and has now demonstrated the cost. Community colleges hit harder Community and technical colleges have absorbed this cost most painfully. Smaller IT staffs and fewer alternatives mean longer downtime when platforms fail. Tighter budgets mean the security-services subscription pitched as the answer lands on the same line that was supposed to fund instruction. The architectural alternative is less expensive, not more, because it removes the rent layer rather than fortifying it. The publisher relationship works better here, too. When an authoritative publisher serves content through a router architecture instead of packaging it into LMS course shells, the publisher controls the corpus, updates it when updates are needed rather than when the catalog cycle allows, and reaches the student without the platform tax depressing what institutions can pay. Publishers, institutions and students stop competing for what’s left after the platform takes its share. The Canvas breach is the empirical demonstration of an argument scholars have been making since 2020 and that institutions have declined to hear. The window for a structural response is open right now and will close within months as incident response winds down and vendor-management routines reassert themselves. Community college presidents have the most to gain from getting this right, and the most to lose from getting it wrong. The conversation should be ours to lead. The post After Canvas: The architectural question higher ed has been avoiding first appeared on Community College Daily .
11 May 2026
Jump-starting the job hunt
The Division of Career Pathways’ DCP Virtual Career Accelerator helps students navigate an increasingly uncertain job market, using structured, self-paced modules with AI tools and personalized support. Initially piloted for graduate students in 2025, the program has successfully built confidence and career direction, prompting its expansion to undergraduates. The just-launched undergraduate course drew nearly 1,000 sign-ups, highlighting strong demand for accessible, step-by-step career readiness guidance. As today’s job market grows more unpredictable – shaped by economic shifts, evolving industries and the rapid rise of artificial intelligence – UC Irvine’s Division of Career Pathways is rethinking how it prepares students for what comes next. Its newest innovation, the DCP Virtual Career Accelerator, is doing just that – at scale. Originally launched in summer 2025 to support master’s and Ph.D. students, the free online program was born out of urgency. Graduate students, many of whom had spent years planning for careers in academia or research, were suddenly facing a changing landscape. “Things really leveled up for them,” says Suzanne Helbig, associate vice provost in the Division of Career Pathways . “With adjustments in research funding and uncertainty around career trajectories, students were anxious. We asked ourselves: What can we do to support them?” The answer came, in part, from an unexpected place: UC Irvine’s Writing Center. Helbig and her team noticed the Writing Center’s success with asynchronous modules that helped doctoral students stay on track while writing dissertations. That concept – structured, self-paced support paired with accountability – became the foundation for the Virtual Career Accelerator. “We saw that students weren’t just looking for information; they wanted a pathway,” Helbig says. “They wanted someone – or something – to say, ‘Have you done this yet?’” The graduate pilot launched quickly, enrolling about 200 students in its first summer. It combined Canvas-based modules, discussion boards and AI-powered tools to guide students through the job search process. Kara Chizek is pursuing a master’s in philosophy, political science and economics in a 4+1 program facilitated by the School of Social Sciences’ Department of Logic & Philosophy of Science. She first heard about the DCP Virtual Career Accelerator via an email from the Graduate & Postdoctoral Scholar Resource Center . “Since I was a new graduate student and only had a year to take advantage of these graduate resources, I was excited to jump-start my next education milestone as soon as possible,” says Chizek, who will earn her M.A. in June. “I was intrigued to participate in DCP’s Virtual Career Accelerator because I was concerned about how to best market my skills and knowledge in the current job market.” By winter quarter, course engagement had dipped slightly as graduate students balanced teaching assistantships and lab work. But the model had proven its value – and its potential to grow. “It helped me twofold: It narrowed a specific industry that I want to go into, and it addressed the imposter syndrome that was preventing me from putting myself out there,” Chizek says. “My top takeaways from participating were receiving personal feedback from Division of Career Pathways staff; seeing how other graduate students discussed their worries and structured their own self-marketing; and becoming comfortable in reaching out to DCP staff and utilizing their resources.” Recently, DCP launched an undergraduate version – called Get Career Ready: Virtual Career Accelerator – tailored specifically to the needs of students earlier in their career journeys. Even before its official rollout, demand was clear: Nine hundred and forty undergraduates registered for the course. “That level of interest – especially for a pilot – is remarkable,” Helbig says. Led by DCP staff member Cari Malek, the undergraduate model builds on the same core framework: a structured, asynchronous program that walks students step by step through career readiness. Its six self-paced modules cover self-assessment and career direction; resumes, cover letters and professional profiles; networking and interviewing; company and industry research; job search strategy; and considering offers of employment. Via videos, guided activities and integrated technologies – including AI-assisted interview practice platforms like Big Interview – students develop resumes, refine their networking strategies and create actionable job search plans. “It’s really about creating a pathway,” Helbig says. “Students often tell us they want to know exactly what to do. This gives them that structure.” The Virtual Career Accelerator represents a broader shift in how DCP delivers services – moving beyond one-on-one advising to reach students at scale without sacrificing quality. Alongside course content, students can participate in discussion boards and attend virtual office hours, ensuring that the experience remains interactive and supportive. “We’re being innovative and accessible,” Helbig says. “UC Irvine has got your back when it comes to career services.” That philosophy applies outside the classroom too. DCP continues to prioritize direct connections between students and employers, partnering with student organizations and campus groups to meet students where they are. “We can’t control the number of jobs out there or how AI is changing the future of work,” Helbig says. “But we can control how prepared our students are to navigate that future.” The Virtual Career Accelerator’s impact is already reaching beyond UC Irvine. Helbig recently shared the model at a UC systemwide meeting of career directors, where it sparked interest from other campuses. At the Global Career Services Summit – an international conference where Helbig serves in a leadership role – the program was highlighted as an emerging best practice. “What people love about it is that it draws on existing resources and delivers support at scale,” she says. “We were able to stand it up quickly and get it in front of students.” As institutions around the world grapple with how to better support students entering an uncertain workforce, UC Irvine’s approach is gaining attention as both practical and replicable. While juniors and seniors remain the most frequent users of DCP services, Helbig hopes that the Virtual Career Accelerator will encourage earlier engagement among underclassmen – many of whom are just beginning to explore career options or seeking on-campus employment. For now, the overwhelming undergraduate response signals that students are ready – and eager – for guidance.
11 May 2026
'It’s Powerful’: How Teachers Can Turn Their Frustration Into Teachable Moments (Opinion)
Be open with students. It's important for them to see teachers as human beings with feelings.
11 May 2026
'It’s Powerful’: How Teachers Can Turn Their Frustration Into Teachable Moments (Opinion)
Be open with students. It's important for them to see teachers as human beings with feelings.
11 May 2026
Judge gives lenient sentence so trucker can dodge deportation after fatal Ontario crash
A Thunder Bay judge has issued an absolute discharge so an Indian trucker who pleaded guilty to dangerous driving in a fatal crash can avoid deportation. Read More
11 May 2026
Dossier santé numérique | La priorité est de régler le problème de latence, dit Santé Québec
Santé Québec se prépare pour le premier test à grande échelle du Dossier santé numérique (DSN) après une fin de semaine de lancement dans les deux CIUSSS – celui de la Mauricie–Centre-du-Québec et celui du Nord-de-l’île-de-Montréal – qui servent de cobayes pour la mise en place de cette transformation majeure des manières de faire dans le réseau de la santé.
11 May 2026
2026 University Medal finalists: Eyes on the stars, feet on the ground
Each of the four finalists for the 2026 University Medal embodies UC Berkeley’s core values: remarkable academic achievement and a deep commitment to public service. This year, all four come from the realms of science. The post 2026 University Medal finalists: Eyes on the stars, feet on the ground appeared first on Berkeley News .
11 May 2026
Large shares of banned books feature people of color or are nonfiction, report says
Only 10% included "on the page" sexual experiences, or what others have called "pornography," according to PEN America.
11 May 2026
Spotlight on Student Voices: Scaling Success
This article appears in Techniques as part of a new spotlight on student voices in CTE. Duncan Felch is a junior at Morris County School of Technology in Denville, New Jersey. To change public perception, CTE programs must meet families where they are: on social media. Many programs use CTE Month® as a catalyst for digital storytelling, but advocacy must be a year-round endeavor. Video content is a powerful tool for communication and outreach. When a student posts a TikTok video or an Instagram Reel of themselves coding a robot or diagnosing a hybrid engine, an abstract concept begins to transform into an exciting reality. Effective outreach also requires “data-driven advocacy.” According to ACTE in 2026, 97% of CTE high school students graduate, a rate significantly higher than the national average. By combining “cool” social media content with hard data, schools can prove that CTE is both engaging and academically rigorous. Moving forward, every school should view its educators as micro-influencers. “I’ve Been Influenced!” Instead of static flyers, teachers can use hashtags like #CTEInAction or #SkillsGapClosed to showcase daily wins. When a parent sees a local student mastering a high-tech skill on their Facebook feed, a barrier to enrollment diminishes. Beyond individual school efforts, educators must leverage successful statewide models to create a united front. States like Delaware and Indiana have produced CTE branding toolkits that provide districts with professional templates and cohesive messaging. This systematic approach ensures the CTE “brand” can rival the prestige of elite university recruitment. By adopting a unified voice, states shift the narrative from “vocational training” to “career readiness.” This also helps to ensure that students in rural districts receive the same high-quality instruction as those in a major tech hub. Winning Over the Skeptics Furthermore, these initiatives can bridge the gap between education, industry and communities. When a state-level campaign features testimonials from CEOs alongside those of students, it validates the CTE pathway as a high-status choice in the eyes of policymakers and skeptical family members. Some skeptics view CTE as a mere collection of electives. However, this ignores the transformative power of career and technical student organizations. Data has shown that CTE students often exceed expectations in these competitive arenas. Because their learning is rooted in application rather than rote memorization. CTSOs do not just teach technical skills; they demand rigorous policy work, public speaking and project management. When a CTE student competes in a national robotics or medical event, they showcase technical skills. They also demonstrate a high level of proficiency in employability skills that employers strongly value. By leaning into these competitive successes, we prove that CTE students aren’t just keeping pace but that they are excelling in the competencies that matter most to employers. Getting involved with advocacy organizations is extremely beneficial for the future of high-quality CTE. As we celebrate 100 years of ACTE, we stand at a crossroads of public perception. The next century of CTE will not be defined solely by the machinery in our labs, but by the stories we tell about the students using them. By embracing digital advocacy, scaling proven statewide recruitment models, and leaning into the competitive excellence of CTSOs, we can ensure CTE is recognized as a pivotal component of American innovation. The tools have changed, and the classrooms have evolved; now it is time to ensure our message is just as cutting-edge as the skills we teach and learn. Duncan Felch is a junior at Morris County School of Technology. He serves as a student ambassador with the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Organization, recognizing him as a top leader statewide. Passionate about education and policy, he is the co-founder and CEO of the Teddy Bear Clinic, has been recognized as a JerseyCAN fellow in education advocacy, and captains the cross country and basketball teams. Felch currently serves as an administrative intern and plans to pursue a degree in educational administration to impact federal policy. Read more in Techniques. The post Spotlight on Student Voices: Scaling Success appeared first on ACTE Online .
11 May 2026