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Detroit Public Schools have been struggling with a myriad of problems for many years, from budget woes to dismal graduation rates. In 2009, the district was subjected to a state takeover, which resulted in the appointment of an emergency manager to turn the failing school district around. �鶹������ýly, the third emergency manager was appointed to the beleaguered district, with ideas for a turnaround that incorporate both old and new concepts.

Introducing Jack Martin

The reports that Michigan Governor Rick Snyder recently announced the appointment of Jack Martin to the post of an emergency manager for Detroit Public Schools. Martin boasts an impressive resume, serving as both the CFO for the U.S. Department of Education and more recently, as the chief financial officer for the city of Detroit. He has also run his own accounting firm and served under three U.S. presidents in various posts.

A product of DPS himself (he went to both Thurgood Marshal Elementary and Cass Technical High School), Martin has firsthand knowledge of the public education environment in the city. He also has a personal stake in seeing his own school system succeed. To that end, Martin brings in plenty of ideas for transforming Detroit schools into the bustling halls of academia they once were.

“The opportunity will allow me to continue offering leadership and making a positive impact in the Detroit community,” Martin was reported as saying on . “Fixing education in Detroit

As kids begin the back-to-school ritual of purchasing school supplies and packing up backpacks, students in Chicago are facing a very different type of readiness routine. Many of the students in this city are facing a new school this year because their old school was closed due to district budget cuts. What’s more, the walk to the new school may be a much more dangerous trek than the one to the old school. Students are now facing very real fears and dangers that district officials are struggling to address to the satisfaction of everyone involved.

Record-Breaking Closures

According to the , Chicago is currently in the midst of one of the largest school shutdowns in American History. The district has closed 49 schools and laid off around 800 teachers. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and district officials cite a $1 billion budget deficit as the reason behind the huge move. The budget deficit was attributed to reduced state funding, ballooning pension payments, and a significant increase in salary and benefits for district staff.

The closures sounded good on paper – at least to some. Closing schools that were not filled to the brim with students could save the district millions. Transferring those students to schools nearby allowed the school district to more effectively allocate resources. The decision appeared to be a win-win.

Consequences No One Thought Of

Except no one took into consideration that forcing children to walk a few extra blocks

As states continue the hard work initiated by Race to the Top, Hawaii appears to be showing the rest of the nation how to get things done. The state, which is also one of the largest school districts in the country, is busy getting ducks in a row to comply with Race to the Top requirements. As a district that had received a high-risk mark from the federal government for its lack of progress less than two years ago, Hawaii, thanks to hard work and a key contribution from a local philanthropist, is becoming a shining example of how persistence can pay off in the wonderful world of public education.

This video explains Race To The Top.

Racing to the Top

In 2010, Hawaii won a $75 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s new Race to the Top program, according to . The school district had ambitious plans for revamping its system, including transitioning public schools to Common Core Standards, improving teacher development programs, and establishing a new teacher’s contract. Unfortunately, the federal government wasn’t impressed - at first.

By December 2011, the state had received a black mark from the U.S. Education Department. The federal agency said the school had achieved high-risk status because it had failed to make adequate progress toward reaching its Race to the Top goals. But Hawaii wasn’t going to be thwarted

A recent probe of 15 school districts in New Jersey has resulted in the finding that more than 100 government employees in the state have lied on applications to score free school lunches for their children. The findings could lead to the prosecution of at least some of these individuals, who appear to have used their knowledge of the system to take advantage of it. The findings also point to the need for tightening up a federal system that seems to lend itself to easy and widespread fraud.

Investigation Turns Up Disturbing Findings

The reports that the investigation was conducted by the New Jersey Office of the State Comptroller. The recently released report on the investigation shows that 109 public employees and their family members lied about income amounts on free lunch applications - some by thousands of dollars. All of the individuals have now been referred to the Division of Criminal Justice for possible prosecution.

According to , at least some of the 83 public employees were school board members or teachers at the schools where the free lunches were offered. The other 26 individuals were family members of those employees. They intentionally misrepresented how much income they made to qualify for free lunches under false pretenses.

This video explains the free school lunch program.

Excuses, Excuses

The excuses some of the individuals involved in the

At a time when budget cuts have forced many school districts across the country to cut arts programs, one of the largest districts has received funding to beef up their arts offerings. recently received a large donation from an organization that will allow them to try out a new arts integration program in many of their schools. This new pilot program will extend over the next three years.

Bringing the Arts Back to the Classroom

The reports that the donation, totaling $750,000, comes from the Los Angeles Fund for Public Education. Referred to as the LA Fund, this organization is responsible for launching the Arts Matter campaign in public schools throughout the district. The new donation comprises the actual program phase of the effort, which has consisted of advocacy and fundraising to this point.

According to the , this recent donation will be used to support teachers in the Los Angeles Unified School District as they strive to integrate the arts into their classrooms. The students will also benefit, as the donation will increase student access to the arts. The donation will help advance the five-year arts plan, known as “Arts at the Core,” which was developed by the district to bring the arts into the classroom.

Arts at the Core provides methods for teachers to integrate the arts into all classroom subjects. This results-based program has already seen success in the