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January 28, 2023

PPP fraud signs: Clusters of pandemic relief loans in Chicago went to the same addresses, including a homeless shelter

As COVID-19 raged in the spring of 2021, the federal government sent $1.4 million of pandemic relief checks to a single address a few blocks north of Garfield Park.

Most of the 69 applications for the federal Paycheck Protection Program loans asked for about $20,000 each. That meant they had claimed to previously have had at least $100,000 in yearly revenue.

Many of these “sole proprietors” said they were barbers, beauty salon owners and providers of “personal care services,” though state records show that not a single one of them was licensed to practice those professions in Illinois.

Beyond the income claims and the fact that the loans went to people unlicensed in their stated professions, something else was unusual about them: The address on all those loan applications was for Breakthrough Men’s Center, a West Side shelter for men without permanent homes.

Most of those PPP loans ended up being forgiven, meaning they didn’t need to be repaid.

Clusters of loans going to a single address, as these did, raise red flags that should have triggered scrutiny by the lenders that approved them, experts say. But they say many lenders — particularly “fintechs” — were turning a blind eye to signs of fraud because they had a financial incentive not to spot it: They were getting reimbursed by the government for each loan.

PPP loans were intended to help people cover income losses prompted by the pandemic. But, three years since the pandemic began, there’s growing evidence that there was widespread fraud in the $800 billion program, including:

At least hundreds of Chicago and Cook County public employees, possibly more, are suspected of getting PPP checks after claiming to have phony side jobs.
Clusters of people with addresses in homeless shelters and transitional housing received checks to cover at least $100,000 in annual income for pandemic losses claimed for seemingly fictitious businesses.
Criminals cashed in on the bonanza, too. Sources say Chicago gang members got checks to buy guns, believed to have been a contributing factor in the city’s explosion of violence during the pandemic.

The fintech — financial technology — lenders were responsible for approving most of those shady loans, according to experts and government records. Such lenders face less stringent regulation than traditional banks do.

“I think there is a very good case to be made that some of these fintech lenders either knew or should have known that they were being exploited,” says Samuel Kruger, an assistant finance professor at the University of Texas at Austin. “Probably Congress and the [Small Business Administration], which supervised the program, should have been more aware and thoughtful about this upfront.”

In 2021, Kruger and his colleagues did a study that found Cook County had a “suspicious loan rate” of 35.5{ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550}, compared with rates of 9.4{ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550} in Los Angeles County and 8.9{ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550} in New York County.

Samuel Kruger, an assistant professor of finance at the University of Texas at Austin’s McCombs School of Business who studied PPP loan fraud in Cook County.

Some of the study’s discoveries about Chicago were shocking, Kruger says. The researchers found that Cross River, a fintech identified by Congress as having slipshod underwriting, gave more than 930 loans to people who said they operated single-person “miscellaneous crop farming” businesses — in the city of Chicago. Many of the addresses were for apartments.

Kruger says traditional banks, which typically have relationships with customers they lend to, are thus less likely to be duped by phony applications.

Some lenders, which cumulatively reaped billions of dollars in revenue for participating in the program, have said the federal Small Business Administration should be held responsible for phony loans. The chief executive officer of Celtic Bank wrote in an internal email that “the industry should push hard to make sure the SBA accepts the fraud risk,” according to a congressional report in December. In a promotion, an executive for fintech Blueacorn described PPP loans as “$100 billion dollars of free money,” directing applicants to the company’s website to “find out in less than 30 seconds” whether they qualified for a PPP loan, the report said.

On Dec. 8, the SBA suspended Blueacorn from working with the agency and opened an investigation into Celtic Bank and other lenders.

In Chicago, ongoing PPP fraud investigations are focusing on employees of the Chicago Public Schools, the police and fire departments, the Cook County clerk of court’s office, the chief judge’s office and other county agencies.

In a recent report, Will Fletcher, who heads the CPS Office of Inspector General, said he’d found evidence that full-time school employees engaged in PPP fraud. His office — which initially matched 900 names and addresses of CPS employees to a list of loan recipients — so far has told the Board of Education that four employees have been found to have committed fraud.

Two of those employees have resigned, one was fired, and the case of a fourth has been referred for termination, according to CPS spokeswoman Sylvia Barragan, who says all have been listed as ineligible for rehire at CPS.

According to Fletcher’s report: “Many more PPP investigations are nearing completion. The OIG is engaged in discussions with state and federal law enforcement regarding the OIG’s PPP matters.”

A Chicago Sun-Times examination of PPP loan records found that homeless shelters’ addresses were used by dozens of people to obtain loans from fintechs.

At least 69 sole-proprietor applications listed their business address as 402 N. St. Louis Ave., home of Breakthrough Men’s Center, blocks north of Garfield Park on the West Side. Breakthrough “provides mail services for a variety of individuals who are experiencing homelessness,” an agency spokeswoman says.

Breakthrough Men’s Center, 402 N. St. Louis Ave.

Alexandra Cesario, Breakthrough’s chief development officer, calls the Sun-Times’ findings “very concerning” and says, “We are looking into how our address may have been used or misappropriated to submit these alleged fraudulent applications.”

Another 36 loan recipients listed the address of a Salvation Army center at 825 N. Christiana Ave. in Humboldt Park.

One recipient who used the Salvation Army address claimed he was a crop farmer. A dozen other people said they operated barber shops or beauty salons, though they didn’t have licenses to operate such businesses. Almost all got loans of about $20,000, the maximum based on a yearly income of at least $100,000.

The center itself never applied for a PPP loan, according to Brian Duewel, its communications director.

“Residents do not keep their mailing privileges following discharge,” Duewel says. “However, there’s no way to tell if someone uses our address after they move out. If mail comes in after a resident moves out, we do give them a courtesy call to let them know that we have received mail addressed to them.”

Duewel says the Salvation Army planned to contact federal officials regarding the names the Sun-Times identified as getting a PPP loan using the facility’s address.

Thirty-three more PPP applications gave their address as 5816 W. Division St. — the Westside Health Authority, which provides mental health services and transitional housing for people getting out of prison.

“Some of the clients that are homeless — some of their case managers accept mail for them at that location,” says Morris Reed, Westside’s chief executive officer. “I guess they were vulnerable to this kind of stuff.”

Bobby E. Wright Comprehensive Behavioral Health Center, 5816 W. Division St.

The Sun-Times found evidence criminals were able to exploit the PPP program, too.

Charles Liggins, Kenneth Roberson and Tacarlos Offerd applied for loans in 2020, according to court records. All have been charged by federal authorities in the Aug. 4, 2020, Gold Coast killing of rapper FBG Duck.

According to a federal affidavit, during a phone call with an inmate in the Cook County Jail on June 19, 2020, Roberson explained how to apply for a phony PPP loan.

“I’m telling them I’m doing agriculture,” Roberson said. “They can’t do s— about it.”

Roberson wasn’t employed and didn’t own an agriculture business, according to the affidavit.

In another pending case, Brandon Miller, a South Sider who’s a soldier at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, is charged with participating in a ring to defraud PPP in 2021.

In one email exchange, a woman who’s accused of being part of that scheme said she knew a man who made $300,000 from phony PPP loans used to start a construction business and start flipping houses. That woman eventually got a $20,832 loan, according to prosecutors.

Miller is among a dozen people also charged in a pending gun-running conspiracy case. Federal prosecutors say he led an operation that shipped at least 90 guns from Kentucky and Tennessee to a Gangster Disciples faction in Chicago.

The head of a violence prevention group in Chicago says PPP fraud has contributed to a proliferation of guns during the pandemic and likely has contributed to the huge rise in shootings during 2020 and 2021.

“I heard over and over that people were buying guns with PPP,” says the person, who spoke on the condition of not being identified by name.

A federal agent, who also spoke on the condition of anonymity, says he’s seen evidence of PPP fraud in gun and drug raids he’s conducted. “It’s the fraud Olympics — the World Series of fraud,” the agent says.

Nationally, PPP fraud was so pervasive that it overwhelms the capacity of the Justice Department and law enforcement agencies to prosecute it, Kruger says.

“The DOJ is putting substantial resources against pandemic fraud, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they could never go after anything other than the tip of the iceberg on this,” he says.

Last year’s congressional report on PPP fraud said federal prosecutors have filed more than 1,000 cases of PPP fraud involving more than $1.5 billion in losses to taxpayers and that fraud in the program is estimated to be in the hundreds of billions of dollars.

In their 2021 study, the University of Texas researchers concluded that:

A lack of rigorous verification of information on PPP applications seems to have led to “substantial losses to taxpayers.”
That fintech lending, “though quite successful at adapting to new environments and quickly disbursing funds, needs to improve due diligence practices.”
That “PPP saved relatively few jobs at an extremely high cost.”
And that “many lenders either encouraged such loans, turned a blind eye to them or had extremely lax oversight procedures.”

Kruger says the Sun-Times’ findings about clusters of loans going to the same addresses is likely to also be true elsewhere around the country.

“The picture that you’re painting suggests culpability not only for the people who got those loans but also for a lack of oversight for not seeing these patterns earlier,” he says.

Contributing: Tom Schuba

November 18, 2022

Mortgage rates plunge to 6.61{ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550} amid signs of easing inflation

Editor’s Notice: Freddie Mac, which has tracked weekly ordinary property finance loan prices due to the fact 1971 and has periodically made modifications to its Primary Property finance loan Market place Survey, altered the resource of its data as of November 17, 2022. Instead of surveying lenders, the weekly success will be based on purposes acquired by creditors that are submitted to Freddie Mac. Come across far more about Freddie Mac’s modify listed here.

Mortgage loan fees dropped sharply final week following a series of economic stories that indicated inflation may well ultimately be easing.

The 30-calendar year set-price house loan averaged 6.61{ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550} in the week ending November 17, down from 7.08{ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550} the week right before, according to Freddie Mac, the largest weekly drop given that 1981. A yr ago, the 30-yr set level stood at 3.10{ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550}.

Mortgage loan fees have risen all over most of 2022, spurred by the Federal Reserve’s unparalleled campaign of mountaineering curiosity premiums in get to tame soaring inflation.

In the past 7 days, two vital inflation reviews – the Purchaser Value Index and Producer Rate Index – confirmed that price ranges rose at a slower speed than anticipated in Oct, suggesting inflation is inching in the correct way, and has probably even peaked.

“While the drop in home loan charges is welcome news, there is however a prolonged road ahead for the housing industry,” explained Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s main economist. “Inflation remains elevated, the Federal Reserve is probably to continue to keep desire premiums high and customers will continue on to experience the effects.”

The typical property finance loan rate is dependent on home loan purposes that Freddie Mac gets from thousands of loan companies throughout the nation. The study only contains borrowers who place 20{ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550} down and have superb credit rating. But quite a few purchasers who put down less income upfront or have less than great credit rating will shell out far more than the typical charge.

Investors observed very last week’s decrease-than-anticipated CPI knowledge as an indicator that the Federal Reserve may make lesser interest charge hikes in the months forward, reported George Ratiu, Real estate agent.com’s manager of economic analysis.

Even though the Fed does not established the curiosity premiums debtors shell out on home loans right, its steps impact them. Mortgage loan premiums tend to monitor the generate on 10-calendar year US Treasury bonds. As investors see or anticipate amount hikes, they make moves which ship yields better and home finance loan rates rise.

“The 10-12 months Treasury dropped from 4.15{ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550} previous Wednesday to 3.68{ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550}, as funds marketplaces appeared to cheer the slowdown in inflation as a signal that the Federal Reserve’s monetary tightening is acquiring its intended effect,” Ratiu stated.

Even even though inflation information is moving in the proper direction, the Fed has reported it does not be expecting to again off of elevating prices until eventually inflation receives nearer to the ideal focus on of 2{ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550}.

Still, the downshift in mortgage costs about the earlier week has brought a sliver of aid to customers, claimed Ratiu.

A buyer paying for the median-priced residence with a 20{ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550} down payment at very last week’s regular amount of 7.08{ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550}, was experiencing a month to month payment of about $2,280, in accordance to Real estate agent.com. At a amount of 6.61{ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550}, the same purchaser would see their payment drop to $2,174. Even though the $100 in price savings a thirty day period may well not feel like much, more than the class of a 30-calendar year bank loan, the consumer would preserve close to $48,000 in interest.

Individuals financial savings spurred some property purchasers to sweep in and lock in a reduce mortgage loan fee.

Home loan purposes increased for the to start with time in seven months, in accordance to the Home loan Bankers Affiliation, with both equally buy and refinance programs up.

“Signs of slowing inflation pushed property finance loan premiums under 7{ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550} for the first time considering that mid-Oct, but with charges still relatively higher and affordability correspondingly reduced, the typical loan quantity is now at its cheapest level in just about two several years,” explained Bob Broeksmit, president and CEO of the MBA.

Affording a property continues to be a challenge for several household prospective buyers. House loan rates are anticipated to keep on being risky for the relaxation of the 12 months. And costs stay elevated in numerous places, specially wherever there is a pretty limited inventory of obtainable properties for sale.

Meanwhile, inflation and mounting fascination rates mean a lot of would-be purchasers are also struggling with tightened budgets.

“For people, immediately increasing prices have added significant money pressures, in particular as inflation erodes any wage gains,” claimed Ratiu. “The Fed’s rate hikes are right tied to better desire premiums for credit score cards and automobile financial loans, which together with greater property finance loan personal debt, adds additional burdens to domestic finances.”

Additional than 20{ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550} of listings have witnessed cost cuts, as sellers regulate their strategy to meet up with consumers in a shifting economic landscape, in accordance to Real estate agent.com.

“On one particular hand, sellers have been coming to terms with the truth that houses priced for the housing current market we expert when premiums were being at 3{ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550} go away extremely several purchasers in a position to manage the home loan payments with today’s charges,” stated Ratiu. “On the other hand, potential buyers might wait to shift forward with transactions if they find the erratic mother nature of existing property finance loan charges disconcerting.”

The volatility in mortgage loan charges is not envisioned to permit up in the in the vicinity of potential, causing uncertainty for both consumers and sellers.

“With inflation even now north of 7{ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550} and the Fed fully commited to hold expanding the money fee around the following several months, the home finance loan current market is not out of the woods,” mentioned Ratiu. “We may perhaps continue to see premiums rebound back earlier mentioned 7{ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550} right before the end of the yr.”

August 11, 2022

Governor Hochul Signs Legislation to Honor and Support Holocaust Survivors in Educational, Cultural, and Financial Institutions

Legislation (A.472C /S.121B) will support make certain that New York schools are correctly educating students on the Holocaust. The laws directs the New York State Education Department to figure out regardless of whether school districts throughout the state have achieved education requirements on instruction of the Holocaust, which have been required by law considering the fact that 1994. It will also have to have NYSED to detect how non-compliant educational institutions will shut gaps in understanding of the Holocaust in colleges.

Condition Senator Anna M. Kaplan said, “With antisemitism on the increase, and Holocaust misinformation exploding around the planet, it’s never ever been far more critical that we study the lessons of the Holocaust, and ensure our next generation is aware of about our background, no make any difference how dark or complicated the dialogue may be. It’s why I’ve fought tirelessly to pass the Holocaust Education Bill, so that we can guarantee this important heritage is currently being taught to learners in New York, and so that we may hardly ever forget what transpired. I’m so grateful for my partnership with Assemblymember Nily Rozic, for the management of Governor Kathy Hochul, and for the plenty of advocates and corporations who fought along with me since working day one of this essential energy.”

Assemblymember Nily Rozic said, “Under no circumstances Once more have to provide as a connect with to motion, not just vacant phrases we say. As antisemitism rises across New York and Holocaust survivors age, this new regulation will guarantee that New York college students are taught about what occurs when hatred goes unchecked. I’m grateful to Governor Hochul for signing this deal of legislation, and to all the businesses and advocates whose tireless function brought us to this second.”

Laws (A.3719A/S.117A) requires museums to admit the origins of art items that were stolen from Europeans during the Nazi period, mainly from Jewish family members. During Globe War II, the Nazis looted some 600,000 paintings from Jews, enriching the 3rd Reich and removing all vestiges of Jewish identity and tradition. Museums across New York display screen this stolen artwork with no recognition of or transparency around their origins, and this laws will involve museums to disclose information on the record of these stolen art pieces.

Point out Senator Anna M. Kaplan reported, “For the duration of the Holocaust, some 600,000 paintings were stolen from Jewish folks not only for their worth, but to wipe our tradition and identity off the deal with of the Earth. These days, artwork earlier stolen by the Nazis can be found hanging in museums around New York with no recognition of the dark paths they traveled there. With the history of the Holocaust staying so important to go on to the up coming generation, it is really very important that we be transparent and be certain that any individual viewing artwork stolen by the Nazis comprehend wherever it arrived from and its part in record.”

Assemblymember Charles D. Lavine said, “80 yrs afterwards we are continue to pressured to confront the horrors of the Holocaust. As well numerous men and women continue to be ignorant of the indiscriminate wholesale murder of extra than six million Jews by the Nazis for the duration of Environment War II, as well as the many examples of humiliation and, in circumstances these types of as this, blatant profiteering. This legislation is indicative of how we ought to keep on to battle dislike through training.”

Legislation (A.9338/S.8318) needs the New York Point out Department of Financial Companies to maintain and update a record of monetary establishments that waive wire service fees associated with Holocaust reparations payments. About 1-third of Holocaust survivors in the U.S. live in poverty. This laws will relieve needless burdens that banks may well spot on Holocaust survivors that obtain reparation payments.

Condition Senator Zellnor Myrie said, “We cannot heal the trauma that aged Holocaust survivors have endured, but we can just take measures to enable them make finishes fulfill. I’m grateful to Governor Hochul for signing this invoice into regulation and to Assembly Member Eichenstein for his partnership. I motivate all condition-chartered banks to voluntarily waive these transaction charges for survivors and appear ahead to looking at them on the state’s listing future calendar year.”

Assemblymember Simcha Eichenstein said, “Our Holocaust survivors are a valuable reward and it is incumbent on us to aid them in any way we can. This invoice, which I sponsored with Senator Zellnor Myrie, will make certain that our Holocaust survivors are aware of which banking companies are waiving costs on reparations payments, costs that could include up considerably. Our elderly survivors that have endured so much should not be charged corporate transaction charges for payments that are rightfully theirs. They have earned improved. Thank you Governor Hochul for recognizing the importance of this invoice and signing it into regulation now.”

July 6, 2022

Governor Newsom Signs Budget Putting Money Back in Californians’ Pockets and Investing in State’s Future

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today signed a $308 billion state budget that provides direct tax refunds for 23 million Californians to help address rising costs, tackles the state’s most pressing needs, builds our reserves, and invests in California’s future.

Here are the top 10 things you need to know about the budget:

1. “Cha-ching! You just received a deposit.”

Global inflation. Rising costs. It’s hard out there and we know it. So, we’re giving you $9.5 billion back. MILLIONS of Californians– 23 million to be exact – will benefit from up to $1,050, as soon as October! See if you qualify on the new Middle-Class Tax Refund calculator here.

2. Don’t go into crippling debt over a hospital visit

Want health care? We’re now the FIRST and ONLY state in the nation that offers universal access to health care coverage, regardless of your immigration status. Want insulin? California will be producing our own insulin to make it cheaper and more affordable for everyone.

3. A real “Pro-life” agenda

Fun fact – California is actually a pro-life state. We’re protecting reproductive freedoms and supporting Californians throughout their lives. In this budget, we’re investing over $200 million in reproductive care. We’re making a company’s willingness to move OUT of anti-choice states and TO the reproductive freedom state of California a factor in awarding state business tax credits. But we’re not stopping at reproductive care. We’re investing in a child’s entire lifespan. From birth to college and beyond. That means universal preschool, free school meals, expanded before and after school programs, more counselors for our schools, free community college, the list goes on.

4. Climate change is real y’all

While SCOTUS is kneecapping the federal EPA’s ability to fight climate change, California is making a climate commitment on the scale of what other countries are spending. Our $53.9 billion in new investments will better protect Californians from the extreme weather that has been impacting our bills, our livelihoods, our farms and our families. We’re investing in fire protection and drought response while forging an oil-free future away from big polluters, and more. Later is too late and we will act now so our kids and grandkids have a brighter, cleaner future.

5. Getting people into housing & shelter and off the streets

We are making major investments to address California’s homelessness crisis by getting people into housing & shelter. We have $2.2 billion for encampment resolutions around the state and new bridge housing to support people going through CARE Court – tens of thousands of people with a safe roof over their head and the mental health and substance use help many desperately need.

6. Keeping the lights on

California has an energy plan. Drought is causing lower energy production. Extreme heat is causing increased energy demand. Wildfires threaten energy infrastructure. So, we’re investing $4.3 BILLION to help keep the lights on this summer, invest in clean and reliable energy infrastructure, help with your energy bills, accelerate our transition to clean energy and so much more. We’re building the energy system of the future.

7. A real public safety plan

Californians should always feel safe — whether that’s at home, at the park, or at work. California is tackling the root causes of crime and getting guns and drugs off our streets. The state is launching the largest gun buyback program in the nation, funding a permanent Smash and Grab Enforcement Unit to fight retail theft, and investing $30 million to support the National Guard’s drug interdiction efforts, targeting transnational criminal organizations.

8. Literally transforming education in our state

It’s no longer K-12, it’s Pre-K -16. We are investing a – truly – historic $170 billion to continue our transformation of education in California. From our master plan for early learning to free community college, education has never been more accessible in our state. NEW this year, we have $7.9 billion to help with learning recovery, more investments in higher education, an additional $2 billion for affordable student housing (on top of last year’s $2 billion), and $3.5 billion that schools can use on arts, music, and more.

9. Getting our kids help with mental health

After these last few years, everyone knows we are experiencing a mental health crisis and California is taking it seriously. We’re investing big in behavioral health for adults and our kids. This year, there’s new urgent funding for wellness support programs, funding for youth suicide reporting and prevention, and more.

10. Rebuilding California

Railroads. Highways. Streets. We’re investing in infrastructure! This budget includes a $14.8 BILLION transportation infrastructure investment. That means money for rail and transit projects, climate adaptation projects, walking and bicycling projects, high-speed rail, our ports, and more. AND we’re investing to speed up our transition to zero-emission vehicles. Beep beep!

“In the face of new challenges and uncertainties, we’re providing over $17 billion in relief to help families make ends meet, and doubling down on our investments to keep building the California Dream on a strong fiscal foundation,” said Governor Newsom. “This budget invests in our core values at a pivotal moment, safeguarding women’s right to choose, expanding health care access to all and supporting the most vulnerable among us while shoring up our future with funds to combat the climate crisis, bolster our energy grid, transform our schools and protect communities. Building a better future for all, we’ll continue to model what progressive and responsible governance can look like, the California way.”

Amid record rates of inflation and economic uncertainty on the horizon, the budget continues to build resiliency with $37.2 billion in budgetary reserves and 93 percent of the discretionary surplus allocated for one-time projects.

Additional details include:

$17 Billion Inflation Relief Package

$9.5 Billion for Tax Refunds to Help Address Inflation: The budget provides tax refunds of up to $1,050 for 23 million Californians to help offset rising prices.

$1.95 Billion for Emergency Rental Assistance: The budget provides additional funds to ensure qualified low-income tenants who requested rental assistance before March 31 get the support they need.

$1.4 Billion to Help Californians Pay Past-Due Utility Bills: Expanding on last year’s utility relief program, the budget provides funds to continue covering past-due electricity and water bills.

$439 Million to Pause the State Sales Tax on Diesel for 12 Months: Bringing relief to the commercial sector and drivers, the budget includes a pause of the General Fund (3.9375 percent rate) portion of the sales tax rate on diesel fuel that will provide an estimated $439 million in relief.

$53.9 Billion California Climate Commitment

New investments in this year’s budget bring California’s multi-year climate commitment to $53.9 billion to protect Californians from the impacts of climate change, help forge an oil-free future and tackle pollution.

Drought and Water Resilience: Building on last year’s $5.2 billion commitment to ensure water security for Californians, the budget invests another $2.8 billion for near- and long-term actions to build water resilience, promote conservation and more.

Fighting Wildfires: $2.7 billion investment to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires and bolster forest health. These projects include forest thinning, prescribed burns, grazing, reforestation, and fuel breaks.

Accelerating the Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Transition: Building on last year’s unprecedented ZEV package, the budget invests an additional $6.1 billion to create a total $10 billion package to expand ZEV access and affordability and support the build-out of infrastructure across the state.

Bolstering our Energy System: Allocates $4.3 billion to support energy reliability, provides relief to ratepayers, creates strategic energy reserves and accelerates clean energy projects. Allocates an additional $3.8 billion for clean energy projects to boost affordability and reliability.

$14.8 billion for regional transit, rail and ports projects to support the continued development of clean transportation projects, including California’s first-in-the-nation high-speed rail system and bicycle and pedestrian projects.

Expanding Health Care Access

Health Care Access for All: With this budget, California becomes the first state in the nation to provide universal access to affordable health coverage for lower-income individuals by providing coverage for Californians ages 26 to 49, regardless of immigration status. It also establishes the Office of Health Care Affordability to develop cost targets for the health care industry and impose consequences if they are not met.

Reproductive Health Care: As other states restrict access to this critical care, California is providing more than $200 million for grants and services for reproductive health care providers in order to expand access, improve clinical infrastructure and more to prepare for the expected influx of women from out of state seeking care.

Transforming the Children’s Behavioral Health System: Building on the $1.4 billion investment in last year’s budget to transform California’s behavioral health system for all children, the budget includes an additional $290 million over three years to address urgent needs, including funding for programs that promote well-being and grants to support children and youth at increased risk of suicide and a youth suicide crisis response pilot.

Affordable Insulin: The budget invests $100 million to develop and manufacture low-cost biosimilar insulin products to increase insulin availability and affordability in California.

Confronting Homelessness and the Mental Health Crisis

Additional $3.4 Billion General Fund over two years to build on last year’s $12 billion multi-year investment by continuing progress on expanding behavioral health housing, encampment cleanup grants and support for local government efforts.

Supporting the CARE Court framework to assist people living with untreated mental health and substance abuse disorders, the budget includes funds for state department and Judicial Branch costs associated with the proposal.

Safer Communities

Combatting COVID-19: The budget adds $1.8 billion to continue implementing the state’s SMARTER plan, including more funding to support school testing, increase vaccination rates and more. The budget also invests $300 million General Fund for CDPH and local health jurisdictions to permanently expand the state’s capacity to protect public health and promote health equity.

Tackling Crime: The budget expands CHP’s retail theft task force and includes funding for the Attorney General to prosecute organized retail theft crimes, lead anti-crime task forces throughout the state, and establish a new Fentanyl Enforcement Program. Additionally, the budget expands fentanyl drug interdiction efforts led by the California Military Department.

The inflation relief package builds on Governor Newsom’s nation-leading stimulus package last year to accelerate California’s economic recovery with Golden State Stimulus checks for two out of every three Californians, as well as the largest statewide renter and utility assistance program and small businesses relief program in the country.

The budget and related budget-implementing legislation signed by the Governor today include:

AB 178 by Assemblymember Philip Ting (D-San Francisco) – Budget Act of 2022.
AB 180 by Assemblymember Philip Ting (D-San Francisco) – Budget Act of 2021.
AB 181 by the Committee on Budget – Education finance: education omnibus budget trailer bill.
AB 182 by the Committee on Budget – COVID-19 emergency response: Learning Recovery Emergency Fund: appropriation.
AB 183 by the Committee on Budget – Higher education trailer bill.
AB 186 by the Committee on Budget – Public health.
AB 192 by the Committee on Budget – Better for Families Tax Refund.
AB 194 by the Committee on Budget – Taxation.
AB 195 by the Committee on Budget – Cannabis.
AB 199 by the Committee on Budget – Courts.
AB 200 by the Committee on Budget – Public safety omnibus.
AB 202 by the Committee on Budget – County jail financing.
AB 203 by the Committee on Budget – Public resources.
AB 205 by the Committee on Budget – Energy. A signing message can be found here.
AB 210 by the Committee on Budget – Early childhood: childcare and education.
SB 125 by the Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review – Public resources: geothermal resources: lithium.
SB 130 by the Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review – State employment: State Bargaining Units 5, 6, 7, and 8: agreements.
SB 131 by the Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review – November 8, 2022, statewide general election: ballot measures.
SB 132 by the Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review – State employment: State Bargaining Units 16 and 18: agreements.
SB 184 by the Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review – Health.
SB 187 by the Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review – Human services.
SB 188 by the Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review – Developmental services omnibus.
SB 189 by the Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review – State Government.
SB 191 by the Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review – Employment.
SB 193 by the Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review – Economic development: grant programs and other financial assistance.
SB 196 by the Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review – State employment: State Bargaining Units: agreements.
SB 197 by the Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review – Housing.
SB 198 by the Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review – Transportation.
SB 201 by the Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review – Taxation: Earned Income Tax Credit: Young Child Tax Credit: Foster Youth Tax Credit.

The Governor also announced that he has signed the following bills:

AB 2724 by Assemblymember Dr. Joaquin Arambula (D-Fresno) – Medi-Cal: alternate health care service plan.
SB 1355 by Senator Anthony Portantino (D-La Cañada Flintridge) – Claims against the state: appropriation.

###

May 27, 2022

Colorado Gov. Polis signs school finance act that boosts funding

For every-pupil expending will maximize 6{ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550} from this 12 months, particular education and learning funding will raise nearly 40{ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550}, more substantial college learners will have obtain to free faculty courses, and college districts with small house prosperity will get a lot more condition funds below a collection of education bills signed by Colorado Gov. Jared Polis Thursday.

The most important of the expenses is also the most mundane. The college finance act is the only monthly bill — other than the spending budget — that Colorado legislators are essential to pass. It lays out how cash now allotted in the spending plan will be dispersed to educational institutions. In new many years, lawmakers have applied the college finance to set in motion complicated house tax modifications, give districts much more income for English learners, and wade into disputes about college governance.

This year’s college finance act sets what is regarded as full software, the foundation price range for Colorado K-12 universities, at $8.4 billion. The point out is dependable for a small a lot more than $5 billion, a 7.6{ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550} maximize, and area university districts for roughly $3.3 billion, a 2.3{ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550} raise. Typical for each-pupil paying for 2022-23 will be $9,559, up 6{ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550} from this 12 months, though the precise sum may differ considerably by district.

This represents a history investment decision by Colorado lawmakers just two decades after they designed drastic cuts through the depths of pandemic-connected company shutdowns.

“I’m so grateful that our economic climate recovered more rapidly than envisioned,” said condition Sen. Rachel Zenzinger, an Arvada Democrat and co-sponsor of the school finance act. “I’m grateful that the federal governing administration stepped up. But what I’m most grateful for is that our legislature chose to prioritize education and learning, psychological wellbeing, and housing.”

Colorado lawmakers held back $321 million that need to have absent to educational institutions, in accordance to a constitutional method. That’s the smallest the so-referred to as budget stabilization issue has been given that it was applied for the duration of the Excellent Recession.

Point out Rep. Julie McCluskie, a Dillon Democrat and chair of the Joint Budget Committee, explained she’s optimistic lawmakers can fund schools to the stage expected in regulation in the subsequent year or two.

This year’s school finance act also extends the time college districts have to participate in pilot systems to identify far more learners with dyslexia and deploy social staff in elementary colleges. These packages have been recognized in legislation in 2019 but have not been totally applied for the duration of the previous two disrupted many years.

The faculty finance act also expands obtain to absolutely free school classes for substantial college students who remain in school for a fifth calendar year. A group of lawmakers had hoped to do absent fully with caps on how a lot of college students can participate in the ASCENT program and get rid of requirements that college students repay tuition income if they fail or fall out of programs. That invoice stalled out thanks to considerations about expense, but the plan was included into the faculty finance act.

The regulation includes funding for an additional 350 learners on major of the 500 slots that ended up funded in current yrs, with participation open to additional students in 2023-24. In the meantime, lawmakers have commissioned a analyze of extended large school applications.

Polis also signed laws expanding unique instruction funding and placing the condition on a path to satisfy unfulfilled obligations established in 2006. Districts will get an additional $1,750 for just about every university student with a specialised schooling strategy, a 40{ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550} raise, and an extra $4,530 for just about every college student with a more considerable incapacity, a 33{ac23b82de22bd478cde2a3afa9e55fd5f696f5668b46466ac4c8be2ee1b69550} improve. Going ahead, funding will increase by inflation annually.

But even with an more $80 million, college districts will however be responsible for the vast majority of the extra charge of educating pupils with disabilities. In signing the monthly bill, Polis called on Congress to fully fund federal special education and learning obligations, a demand from customers that was fulfilled with applause.

A 3rd invoice relevant to college funding makes a focused matching fund for districts with very low assets prosperity where by voters agree to tax by themselves added. Small assessed value usually means that tax raises don’t create as considerably income as they would in wealthier districts. Advocates have fought for yrs to deal with this unfairness, but answers have proved politically complicated.

The program is starting up with just $10 million, much significantly less than the $165 million that would be needed to totally put into action the notion. Nevertheless, supporters are psyched to get the plan into regulation and say even modest raises will make a difference for smaller rural districts.

Other training expenditures signed into regulation Thursday:

Bureau Chief Erica Meltzer covers training coverage and politics and oversees Chalkbeat Colorado’s instruction protection. Speak to Erica at emeltzer@chalkbeat.org.

April 30, 2022

Kemp signs bill to aid Georgia college students with financial need

The legislation will take effect on July 1.

Administrators at several Georgia colleges and universities say many students close to completing their coursework drop out each year because they cannot pay a relatively small portion of their tuition.

The Georgia Student Finance Commission will monitor and evaluate the program.

RCPS implements clear backpacks for students for the 2022-2023 school year (RCPS implementa mochilas transparentes para...

Posted by Rockdale County Public Schools on Friday, April 22, 2022

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Mercedes-Benz Stadium requires clear bags, and Atlanta Public Schools has a similar policy for spectators at its athletic venues.","_id":"LOKC3OFRPNCSLJ6M6XBBE5SIP4","additional_properties":"inline_comments":[],"comments":[],"_id":1650746259299,"type":"text","content":"Districts have turned to clear backpacks as a safety measure since the 1990s, but the policies have often met opposition from families, safety experts and students.","_id":"BQGFACBK7JCYTBWRR6DX2Q3RIE","additional_properties":"inline_comments":[],"comments":[],"_id":1650746259300,"type":"text","content":"Students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, protested the implementation of clear backpacks after the 2018 mass shooting at their school, arguing the bags infringed on privacy without making the school safer.","_id":"S2WJ2FMZU5CPFP7RIJ7QBZAXLE","additional_properties":"inline_comments":[],"comments":[],"_id":1650746259301,"type":"text","content":"Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools in North Carolina, one of the largest districts in the country, spent $440,000 on clear backpacks as part of a larger school safety plan. 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He added that ensuring elementary students can read on grade level is the district’s highest priority.","_id":"BUSWPVXXUNFWVILMHMBTCKFKYA","additional_properties":"comments":[],"_id":"QL3V3QVWZFGUHNQN6YMZXCKAME","type":"interstitial_link","content":"More stories about Cobb County Public Schools","url":"https://www.ajc.com/staff/cassidy-alexander/","_id":"GK5ENVM7IBHDBBFBIKHXDLEQDI","additional_properties":"inline_comments":[],"comments":[],"_id":1650588889508,"type":"text","content":"The dual language immersion program began in 2015 in Cobb. Nearby districts such as Gwinnett County Public Schools and Marietta City Schools offer similar programs.","_id":"XPEHFSTNNJD2NF7B54YVIEEPTI","additional_properties":"inline_comments":[],"comments":[],"_id":1650635769263,"type":"text","content":"Ragsdale said five elementary schools will continue to accept incoming kindergartners: Dowell, Mableton, Nickajack, Russell and Smyrna. The remaining schools will not accept new students but will continue to offer the program to currently enrolled students.","_id":"62JT6GHMYRF67IQ37MDBNRLUPE","additional_properties":"inline_comments":[],"comments":[],"_id":1650588889507,"type":"text","content":"Campbell Middle is the only middle school that currently offers the program. Floyd Middle will add it. 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The news story jarred her: A missile attack had killed more than 50 people at a crowded Ukrainian train station.","_id":"O62GMMGV25ENPKSY2LWN2NMNAE","additional_properties":"inline_comments":[],"comments":[],"_id":1650633176010,"type":"text","content":"“That was just a big moment for me,” Sierra said of the April 8 attack. “It made me realize how vulnerable the people in Ukraine truly are.”","_id":"BXU4JYN3L5F4VMTBXYCR6D3QQY","additional_properties":"inline_comments":[],"comments":[],"_id":1650483640998,"type":"text","content":"She wanted to do something to honor the victims and show support for the refugees. A group of friends and fellow Midtown students were eager to help.","_id":"2F6U5FUZUBEJRA7DGRHTAPR3FI","additional_properties":"inline_comments":[],"comments":[],"_id":1650483640999,"type":"text","content":"At 3 p.m. Sunday, the teens will hold a tribute event at the Midtown MARTA station on 10th Street, just a mile west of their high school. All are welcome.","subtype":"instagram","referent":"referent_properties":"additional_properties":"comments":[],"_id":1650648570330,"provider":"https://api.instagram.com/oembed?url=","service":"oembed","id":"https://www.instagram.com/p/Ccea_Wquell/","type":"instagram","_id":"743SDTELFBHDXEY2IGKOJEKQJY","raw_oembed":"author_name":"atlantastudentsforukraine","width":658,"thumbnail_width":640,"html":"

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Atlanta Students for Ukraine (@atlantastudentsforukraine)

n","provider_url":"https://www.instagram.com/","_id":"https://www.instagram.com/p/Ccea_Wquell/","additional_properties":"comments":[],"_id":1650648570330,"provider_name":"Instagram","type":"instagram","thumbnail_url":"https://scontent.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.2885-15/278721757_160542829691496_2265112612261628277_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_p640x640_sh0.08&_nc_ht=scontent.cdninstagram.com&_nc_cat=100&_nc_ohc=-EPvYNshmeMAX-bSLJ7&edm=AMO9-JQAAAAA&ccb=7-4&oh=00_AT-C6OGTtcmI4JWcFs39LSLegmvtporqsODz3poFJR24fA&oe=62659C95&_nc_sid=b9f2ee","version":"1.0","thumbnail_height":758,"type":"oembed_response","_id":"LUK6MRRHARCYJEW2Y37BRKY7B4","additional_properties":"inline_comments":[],"comments":[],"_id":1650484020362,"type":"text","content":"The students set out bins in their high school hallways and a nearby bakery with the goal of collecting 148 pairs of shoes from classmates, neighbors, dance studios and churches.","_id":"NPUG56WCK5H7XNIJKURJ3ZGIGM","additional_properties":"inline_comments":[],"comments":[],"_id":1650483641001,"type":"text","content":"The shoes will be displayed in the Atlanta train station to symbolize each Ukrainian killed or wounded in the attack. Afterward, the footwear will be donated to a charity that will give them to needy men, women and children in Atlanta.","_id":"OJWZJA7EJBBWNKT5GDV4M4HHFI","additional_properties":"inline_comments":[],"comments":[],"_id":1650483641002,"type":"text","content":"School orchestra members will play the “State Anthem of Ukraine.” They’ll hold a moment of silence, and speakers will talk about relief efforts and ways to support the people of Ukraine. A Midtown High School sophomore who was born in the Ukraine also will speak.","_id":"7YDLYFZHDZDU5JWEGX3R3TY5VY","additional_properties":"comments":[],"_id":"47BBQUDUPJFPJJDT3SOYCL4J7E","type":"interstitial_link","content":"Atlanta’s Midtown High School unveils new logos after Grady name change","url":"https://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta-news/atlantas-midtown-high-school-unveils-new-logos-after-grady-name-change/4QGZRTN4YNGCHLDF3IHAMVQBH4/","_id":"5NLD7RIORZCVLHPWMXPNRWSDVY","additional_properties":"inline_comments":[],"comments":[],"_id":1650483641003,"type":"text","content":"“As students, we don’t really know how to help in situations like this directly,” Sierra said. “The hope for this is that it gives an avenue for people our age to get involved in this issue.”","_id":"5PS5H7GIQZGIVLXAQ4DWKYJWEQ","additional_properties":"inline_comments":[],"comments":[],"_id":1650483641004,"type":"text","content":"MARTA spokeswoman Stephany Fisher said the transit agency is pleased to be working with the students.","_id":"XZWKMVOAGJDX3FTGGDKWWDWTYM","additional_properties":"inline_comments":[],"comments":[],"_id":1650483641005,"type":"text","content":"Charlotte Keenan, a 15-year-old Midtown High School freshman, is Sierra’s debate partner and a member of the committee organizing the event. As part of their work on the debate team, she and Sierra researched the threat Russia posed and NATO’s role in the region.","_id":"LCWGVHCUFBF6PL3JZEFCGRESTU","additional_properties":"comments":[],"_id":"PI5ZYFSFXVFSJLVRIQO7QV6Q4E","type":"interstitial_link","content":"More stories about Atlanta Public Schools","url":"https://www.ajc.com/staff/vanessa-mccray/","_id":"Q6ZQKE6RTZF2PM5G5SL7Y7O2UA","additional_properties":"inline_comments":[],"comments":[],"_id":1650483641006,"type":"text","content":"The images and stories from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine hit home.","_id":"YWJUFFSMO5C6TCGEQQKGO3LCZQ","additional_properties":"inline_comments":[],"comments":[],"_id":1650483641007,"type":"text","content":"“It’s just crazy to think that something could happen in something so normal or something so pedestrian as a train station,” Charlotte said. “I know a lot of students have come up to me and said they weren’t aware of the missile hitting the train station before we started raising awareness.”","_id":"ZBYNTQWGFJGQZPTHL2ABPKBAWI","additional_properties":"inline_comments":[],"comments":[],"_id":1650549122365,"type":"text","content":"She hopes the shoes will remind people of the individual toll of war.","_id":"ZWF2OU2ULJFXVFIZVFJPAZQK3I","additional_properties":"inline_comments":[],"comments":[],"_id":1650549122366,"type":"text","content":"“We probably won’t get two pairs of the exact same. Every single person who was at that train station was different,” Charlotte said."],"display_date":"2022-04-23T12:30:00Z","headlines":"basic":"Atlanta high school students to hold Ukraine tribute at train station","first_publish_date":"2022-04-23T12:30:00.522Z","taxonomy":{"sections":["path":"/education","parent":"default":"https://www.ajc.com/","_website":"ajc","parent_id":"https://www.ajc.com/","name":"Education","description":"School and education news from metro Atlanta and Georgia from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. including Atlanta Georgia schools: Atlanta, Gwinnett County Schools, Cobb County, DeKalb, Fulton, Clayton, Buford, Marietta, Decatur, city of Atlanta schools","_id":"/education","additional_properties":"original":"parent":"AmpNav":"https://www.ajc.com/","default":"https://www.ajc.com/","BottomNav":null,"TopNavRedesign":null,"SectionMap":"https://www.ajc.com/","MainMenuRedesign2021":"/news","TopNav":null,"ComposerNav":"https://www.ajc.com/","site":"section_comments_enabled":"Yes","site_description":"School and education news from metro Atlanta and Georgia from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. including Atlanta Georgia schools: Atlanta, Gwinnett County Schools, Cobb County, DeKalb, Fulton, Clayton, Buford, Marietta, Decatur, city of Atlanta schools","site_title":"Atlanta Schools: Education and School News","navigation":"nav_title":"Education","inactive":false,"node_type":"section","_website":"ajc","name":"Education","_id":"/education","ancestors":"TopNavRedesign":[],"SectionMap":["https://www.ajc.com/"],"MainMenuRedesign2021":["https://www.ajc.com/","/news"],"TopNav":[],"order":"AmpNav":1014,"default":1014,"SectionMap":1009,"MainMenuRedesign2021":2006,"ComposerNav":1038,"_website_section_id":"ajc./education","type":"section","version":"0.6.0","path":"/news/atlanta-news","parent":"default":"/news","_website":"ajc","parent_id":"/news","name":"Local News","description":"Atlanta Georgia city and county news, as well as Georgia state and regional news at ajc.com","_id":"/news/atlanta-news","additional_properties":"original":"parent":"AmpNav":"/news","default":"/news","BottomNav":null,"TopNavRedesign":null,"SectionMap":"https://www.ajc.com/","MainMenuRedesign2021":"/news","TopNav":null,"ComposerNav":"https://www.ajc.com/","site":"section_comments_enabled":"Yes","site_description":"Atlanta Georgia city and county news, as well as Georgia state and regional news at ajc.com","site_title":"Atlanta Local News","navigation":"nav_title":"Local News","inactive":false,"node_type":"section","_website":"ajc","name":"Local News","Sponsor":"sponsor_url_open_new_tab":"true","sponsor_desktop_banner":"","sponsor_mobile_banner":"","sponsor_url":"","_id":"/news/atlanta-news","ancestors":"TopNavRedesign":[],"SectionMap":["https://www.ajc.com/"],"MainMenuRedesign2021":["https://www.ajc.com/","/news"],"TopNav":[],"order":"AmpNav":2004,"default":2004,"SectionMap":1075,"MainMenuRedesign2021":2004,"ComposerNav":1081,"_website_section_id":"ajc./news/atlanta-news","type":"section","version":"0.6.0","path":"/news","parent":"default":"https://www.ajc.com/","_website":"ajc","parent_id":"https://www.ajc.com/","name":"News","description":"Atlanta Georgia News main page: Breaking News, Atlanta Weather Forecast, Crime, Politics, GA Schools, Local Articles - 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Miles Elementary School, 4215 Bakers Ferry Road, SW.","_id":"NIMXPCDQORBO7JI57RWI7LYZRU","additional_properties":"inline_comments":[],"comments":[],"_id":1650475766853,"type":"text","content":"July 16: Sutton Middle School, 2875 Northside Drive, NW.","_id":"GF7BDHT6FFHKJKCTBFM2EVAC5E","additional_properties":"comments":[],"_id":"EMLX2RPSWRHFHJVLAZGNZYOQJI","type":"interstitial_link","content":"More stories about Atlanta Public Schools","url":"https://www.ajc.com/staff/vanessa-mccray/"],"display_date":"2022-04-22T17:06:16.676Z","headlines":"basic":"Atlanta Public Schools to host job fairs for bus drivers, other posts","first_publish_date":"2022-04-22T17:06:16.676Z","taxonomy":{"sections":["path":"/education","parent":"default":"https://www.ajc.com/","_website":"ajc","parent_id":"https://www.ajc.com/","name":"Education","description":"School and education news from metro Atlanta and Georgia from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. including Atlanta Georgia schools: Atlanta, Gwinnett County Schools, Cobb County, DeKalb, Fulton, Clayton, Buford, Marietta, Decatur, city of Atlanta schools","_id":"/education","additional_properties":"original":"parent":"AmpNav":"https://www.ajc.com/","default":"https://www.ajc.com/","BottomNav":null,"TopNavRedesign":null,"SectionMap":"https://www.ajc.com/","MainMenuRedesign2021":"/news","TopNav":null,"ComposerNav":"https://www.ajc.com/","site":"section_comments_enabled":"Yes","site_description":"School and education news from metro Atlanta and Georgia from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. including Atlanta Georgia schools: Atlanta, Gwinnett County Schools, Cobb County, DeKalb, Fulton, Clayton, Buford, Marietta, Decatur, city of Atlanta schools","site_title":"Atlanta Schools: Education and School News","navigation":"nav_title":"Education","inactive":false,"node_type":"section","_website":"ajc","name":"Education","_id":"/education","ancestors":"TopNavRedesign":[],"SectionMap":["https://www.ajc.com/"],"MainMenuRedesign2021":["https://www.ajc.com/","/news"],"TopNav":[],"order":"AmpNav":1014,"default":1014,"SectionMap":1009,"MainMenuRedesign2021":2006,"ComposerNav":1038,"_website_section_id":"ajc./education","type":"section","version":"0.6.0","path":"/news/atlanta-news","parent":"default":"/news","_website":"ajc","parent_id":"/news","name":"Local News","description":"Atlanta Georgia city and county news, as well as Georgia state and regional news at ajc.com","_id":"/news/atlanta-news","additional_properties":"original":"parent":"AmpNav":"/news","default":"/news","BottomNav":null,"TopNavRedesign":null,"SectionMap":"https://www.ajc.com/","MainMenuRedesign2021":"/news","TopNav":null,"ComposerNav":"https://www.ajc.com/","site":"section_comments_enabled":"Yes","site_description":"Atlanta Georgia city and county news, as well as Georgia state and regional news at ajc.com","site_title":"Atlanta Local News","navigation":"nav_title":"Local News","inactive":false,"node_type":"section","_website":"ajc","name":"Local News","Sponsor":"sponsor_url_open_new_tab":"true","sponsor_desktop_banner":"","sponsor_mobile_banner":"","sponsor_url":"","_id":"/news/atlanta-news","ancestors":"TopNavRedesign":[],"SectionMap":["https://www.ajc.com/"],"MainMenuRedesign2021":["https://www.ajc.com/","/news"],"TopNav":[],"order":"AmpNav":2004,"default":2004,"SectionMap":1075,"MainMenuRedesign2021":2004,"ComposerNav":1081,"_website_section_id":"ajc./news/atlanta-news","type":"section","version":"0.6.0","path":"/news","parent":"default":"https://www.ajc.com/","_website":"ajc","parent_id":"https://www.ajc.com/","name":"News","description":"Atlanta Georgia News main page: Breaking News, Atlanta Weather Forecast, Crime, Politics, GA Schools, Local Articles - 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A date for that vote has not yet been released.","_id":"6EDZWUMNKRBWXF44S3MYAIQUJA","additional_properties":"inline_comments":[],"comments":[],"_id":1650639849182,"type":"text","content":"Sims has worked for APS since 2016. His duties have included overseeing Atlanta’s nontraditional high schools, single gender academies and schools in north Atlanta.","_id":"GY42CJA3ZZC5ZPS75NAKQTCYEY","additional_properties":"inline_comments":[],"comments":[],"_id":1650639849183,"type":"text","content":"From 2010 to 2016, he worked as principal of Tri-Cities High School in the Fulton County district. Before that he led Paul West Middle School. He previously taught math.","subtype":"twitter","referent":"referent_properties":"additional_properties":"comments":[],"_id":1650679101005,"provider":"https://publish.twitter.com/oembed?url=","service":"oembed","id":"https://twitter.com/dan_a_sims/status/1517289119038197761","type":"twitter","_id":"QFONWMCU2BA3BHSIF6TBWEPZ5E","raw_oembed":"author_name":"Dan Sims","cache_age":"3153600000","provider_url":"https://twitter.com","type":"twitter","version":"1.0","url":"https://twitter.com/dan_a_sims/status/1517289119038197761","author_url":"https://twitter.com/dan_a_sims","width":550,"html":"

I am incredibly grateful to the Bibb County Board of Education for selecting me as sole finalist for Superintendent of the Bibb County Public School System! We will do great things together for our students and families! Just wait! @DrLisaHerring @apsupdate @Williams_APS pic.twitter.com/uC6LPfxf4T

— Dan Sims (@dan_a_sims) April 21, 2022

nn","_id":"https://twitter.com/dan_a_sims/status/1517289119038197761","additional_properties":"comments":[],"_id":1650679101005,"provider_name":"Twitter","height":null,"type":"oembed_response","_id":"BQXYQIJCVRBAHBAUYNDGAA5UCY","additional_properties":"inline_comments":[],"comments":[],"_id":1650639849185,"type":"text","content":"In a post on Twitter, Sims said he’s grateful to be selected for the Bibb County job.","_id":"UALCZ2BZEZE4XLV6N7CXVNO5QI","additional_properties":"inline_comments":[],"comments":[],"_id":1650639849186,"type":"text","content":"“We will do great things together for our students and families! Just wait!” he wrote.","_id":"P7GPRZNOBNCSDDG4VN4HOBXTZM","additional_properties":"inline_comments":[],"comments":[],"_id":1650639849187,"type":"text","content":"Sims received his bachelor’s, master’s and doctor of education degrees from Georgia State University.","_id":"BC4IG7NNYVAMFN4W2ORK3NXHCM","additional_properties":"comments":[],"_id":"OMMWIKI7ZRGEZPHTL2B66KRH7Q","type":"interstitial_link","content":"More stories about Atlanta Public Schools","url":"https://www.ajc.com/staff/vanessa-mccray/","_id":"7Q2S3N2WQFD65JG7DUQHB5WDHA","additional_properties":"inline_comments":[],"comments":[],"_id":1650639849188,"type":"text","content":"Bibb County officials said the board received 33 applications for the job, about half of which were from in-state candidates.","_id":"UZ536IHZBFAIRGMAKLJ5BS6TPE","additional_properties":"inline_comments":[],"comments":[],"_id":1650639849189,"type":"text","content":"“I am confident in our decision to follow the process and identify a superintendent who will be a strong leader for our district and guide the work necessary to help students excel and become model citizens,” said board president Thelma D. Dillard in a written statement.","_id":"LJS5QD7SLJANVAX7S7ZHPQOASQ","additional_properties":"inline_comments":[],"comments":[],"_id":1650639849190,"type":"text","content":"The board launched its superintendent search to find a leader to succeed Curtis Jones Jr. who is retiring in June."],"display_date":"2022-04-22T15:46:19.642Z","headlines":"basic":"Atlanta Public Schools administrator picked as next Bibb County chief","first_publish_date":"2022-04-22T15:45:24.661Z","taxonomy":{"sections":["path":"/education","parent":"default":"https://www.ajc.com/","_website":"ajc","parent_id":"https://www.ajc.com/","name":"Education","description":"School and education news from metro Atlanta and Georgia from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. including Atlanta Georgia schools: Atlanta, Gwinnett County Schools, Cobb County, DeKalb, Fulton, Clayton, Buford, Marietta, Decatur, city of Atlanta schools","_id":"/education","additional_properties":"original":"parent":"AmpNav":"https://www.ajc.com/","default":"https://www.ajc.com/","BottomNav":null,"TopNavRedesign":null,"SectionMap":"https://www.ajc.com/","MainMenuRedesign2021":"/news","TopNav":null,"ComposerNav":"https://www.ajc.com/","site":"section_comments_enabled":"Yes","site_description":"School and education news from metro Atlanta and Georgia from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. including Atlanta Georgia schools: Atlanta, Gwinnett County Schools, Cobb County, DeKalb, Fulton, Clayton, Buford, Marietta, Decatur, city of Atlanta schools","site_title":"Atlanta Schools: Education and School News","navigation":"nav_title":"Education","inactive":false,"node_type":"section","_website":"ajc","name":"Education","_id":"/education","ancestors":"TopNavRedesign":[],"SectionMap":["https://www.ajc.com/"],"MainMenuRedesign2021":["https://www.ajc.com/","/news"],"TopNav":[],"order":"AmpNav":1014,"default":1014,"SectionMap":1009,"MainMenuRedesign2021":2006,"ComposerNav":1038,"_website_section_id":"ajc./education","type":"section","version":"0.6.0","path":"/news/atlanta-news","parent":"default":"/news","_website":"ajc","parent_id":"/news","name":"Local News","description":"Atlanta Georgia city and county news, as well as Georgia state and regional news at ajc.com","_id":"/news/atlanta-news","additional_properties":"original":"parent":"AmpNav":"/news","default":"/news","BottomNav":null,"TopNavRedesign":null,"SectionMap":"https://www.ajc.com/","MainMenuRedesign2021":"/news","TopNav":null,"ComposerNav":"https://www.ajc.com/","site":"section_comments_enabled":"Yes","site_description":"Atlanta Georgia city and county news, as well as Georgia state and regional news at ajc.com","site_title":"Atlanta Local News","navigation":"nav_title":"Local News","inactive":false,"node_type":"section","_website":"ajc","name":"Local News","Sponsor":"sponsor_url_open_new_tab":"true","sponsor_desktop_banner":"","sponsor_mobile_banner":"","sponsor_url":"","_id":"/news/atlanta-news","ancestors":"TopNavRedesign":[],"SectionMap":["https://www.ajc.com/"],"MainMenuRedesign2021":["https://www.ajc.com/","/news"],"TopNav":[],"order":"AmpNav":2004,"default":2004,"SectionMap":1075,"MainMenuRedesign2021":2004,"ComposerNav":1081,"_website_section_id":"ajc./news/atlanta-news","type":"section","version":"0.6.0","path":"/news","parent":"default":"https://www.ajc.com/","_website":"ajc","parent_id":"https://www.ajc.com/","name":"News","description":"Atlanta Georgia News main page: Breaking News, Atlanta Weather Forecast, Crime, Politics, GA Schools, Local Articles - 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Teagle","type":"author","byline":"Charlotte B. Teagle"],"subtitle":"0005035200","width":1821,"caption":"Dan Sims, shown in this 2006 file photo from his time as principal of Paul D. West Middle School in Fulton County Schools, has been named the sole finalist for the Bibb County School District superintendent position. (CHARLOTTE B. 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Book banning, critical race theory, mask mandates and other controversial school topics addressed during the legislative session.","_id":"NO7LKDGYSBFTRGS5Y3KFTRCVKE","additional_properties":"comments":[],"_id":"WRS4FVWA2VCVDKURJ73DDPHX44","type":"interstitial_link","content":"Georgia officials sending team to Druid Hills High after student video","url":"https://www.ajc.com/education/georgia-officials-sending-team-to-druid-hills-high-after-student-video/NZUXK3NEQ5HGTNO6JQHSILRYIM/","_id":"3TO6RWDOVFDULOXNUPORFYYHQU","additional_properties":"inline_comments":[],"comments":[],"_id":1650336606186,"type":"text","content":"But several of the issues these candidates are talking about are timeless, such as public school funding, poor academic outcomes and a shrinking teacher pool.","_id":"TXFNJJHK5FBRXA62RBPH6TXJEY","additional_properties":"inline_comments":[],"comments":[],"_id":1650336606187,"type":"text","content":"Woods, a former teacher and school administrator from rural Georgia, supported GOP bills that would limit how teachers discuss race, let sports associations decide on transgender student participation, amend the process for removing books and affirm rights to see instructional materials. He said his education department’s implementation will ensure uniformity.","_id":"HNLCNOELLRCHJITBLQZ7OCMI4U","additional_properties":"inline_comments":[],"comments":[],"_id":1650336606188,"type":"text","content":"“It will put in place processes that will unite us as a state so it’s not so much Wild West out there,” Woods said.","_id":"NAA4C4UTYNE75FLHL77SERNMGA","additional_properties":"inline_comments":[],"comments":[],"_id":1650336606189,"type":"text","content":"Barge, the other Republican in the race who opted to run for governor rather than reelection in 2014, says the Legislature didn’t go far enough. He said he wants his old job back because of parent allegations about obscene materials in schools and because of transgender policies.","_id":"MCV7SWKN7VFH7I3IYMIQA36RYM","additional_properties":"inline_comments":[],"comments":[],"_id":1650336606190,"type":"text","content":"“Who is going to make a stand to make sure that children are being educated and not indoctrinated?” he asked.","_id":"OIG7TDSQFFB6NKTXOJNKBRUNLM","additional_properties":"comments":[],"_id":"V5IAS6WDORFT7P5MHIPMOUYIVQ","type":"interstitial_link","content":"Education was often Georgia lawmakers’ wedge issue this legislative session","url":"https://www.ajc.com/education/education-often-georgia-lawmakers-wedge-issue-this-legislative-session/L7D4LMDRVJD5LNP6HDUAMSBR3E/","_id":"4XZOLVILP5GJXK4XVIWG24VQOI","additional_properties":"inline_comments":[],"comments":[],"_id":1650338551835,"type":"text","content":"GOP lawmakers saw the potential of these issues last year. The Georgia General Assembly convened two months after Glenn Youngkin won the Virginia governor’s office by courting parents opposed to COVID-19 safety measures, critical race theory and school books they deemed obscene.","_id":"WFU4RHL5BREPZGGLIZQFUGQR2M","additional_properties":"inline_comments":[],"comments":[],"_id":1650336606193,"type":"text","content":"Atlanta lawyer Currey Hitchens and Dr. Jaha Howard, a pediatric dentist elected to the Cobb County school board, said they were inspired to run, in part, in reaction to this political movement.","_id":"DI5V3JK7YZEHTMHRV363TRITZM","additional_properties":"inline_comments":[],"comments":[],"_id":1650336606194,"type":"text","content":"Hitchens, who recently left the Atlanta Legal Aid Society, said she read a book parents have attempted to ban from schools. “It’s about police violence against teenage kids, but that’s something that happens,” she said. “Things that happen are sometimes divisive but we still have to learn about them.”","_id":"34VELGYZFFHWPJL4UO7Z2AXZBM","additional_properties":"inline_comments":[],"comments":[],"_id":1650470392406,"type":"text","content":"She was referring to adopted state legislation that defines nine “divisive concepts” prohibited in classrooms. They involve generalizations, like saying one race is inherently superior or America is fundamentally racist.","_id":"FZ6SL3JNJRFN7H7HLPGEAASR34","additional_properties":"inline_comments":[],"comments":[],"_id":1650336606195,"type":"text","content":"Howard said Woods follows his party’s lead. Howard said he would push for more funding and call attention to problems like low literacy rates.","_id":"D6IWRRHAMVH4NJ55X7ECKKLGZI","additional_properties":"inline_comments":[],"comments":[],"_id":1650336606196,"type":"text","content":"“So here we have somebody who’s touting all this educational experience, but when you get into a room of political sharks, he’s folding like a lawn chair,” Howard said.","_id":"KJIEBJZHTBAPBPTXKIYHESN7W4","additional_properties":"comments":[],"_id":"TKUOEERMS5GRZJAFYBMGUKZM6M","type":"interstitial_link","content":"More stories about Georgia schools","url":"https://www.ajc.com/staff/ty-tagami/","_id":"KPQ4CZODGZB65HJFLWTC4FRU7Y","additional_properties":"inline_comments":[],"comments":[],"_id":1650338551841,"type":"text","content":"Alisha Thomas Searcy, a former Democratic state representative from Austell and charter school operator, ran for state superintendent eight years ago. She said she was inspired to run this time in part by “the ugliness of politics.” But she was more interested in school funding and teacher recruitment and retention. She thinks the state should be doing more to innovate.","_id":"QSWEV47HGBGL5FOXYIFP4OJ2NQ","additional_properties":"inline_comments":[],"comments":[],"_id":1650336606198,"type":"text","content":"“The pandemic should have been an opportunity to rethink, reimagine public education, and it appears that the desire is just to go back to quote-unquote normal,” Thomas Searcy said.","_id":"MXXZVUGKIFHQ3OXNS5I5ZFDKIU","additional_properties":"inline_comments":[],"comments":[],"_id":1650336606199,"type":"text","content":"James Morrow Jr. coaches soccer and flag football in a Clayton County high school. The former social studies teacher is concerned about student violence and said schools need more police officers and stricter discipline.","_id":"MXXZVUGKIFHQ3OXNS5I5ZFDKIU","additional_properties":"inline_comments":[],"comments":[],"_id":1650336606199,"type":"text","content":"“We’ve got to take drastic measures to get it done,” Morrow said. “Because we’re going to lose a lot of these kids, man, because they’re just pushing them through. They barely can read.”","_id":"2EYELJE4MVCBRN4A4VNBMKUTW4","additional_properties":"inline_comments":[],"comments":[],"_id":1650324161509,"type":"text","content":"
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