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Debate over holding back third graders roils state legislatures
Should third graders who don’t read well enough to pass a standardized test repeat their grade? That question is roiling states, with some choosing to keep the practice, some to modify it and others to scrap it. Most states require students to take standardized tests that measure progress in reading and math in the third […]
States braced for a wave of COVID lawsuits. It never arrived.
In a legislative flurry, 30 states, including Michigan, instituted liability protections in late 2020 and early 2021 designed to protect businesses from COVID-19 lawsuits, out of fear that companies would be sued for exposing workers, clients or vendors to the swiftly spreading, deadly disease. Those lawsuits haven’t materialized. Proponents of the new laws say that’s […]
Wanted: Poll workers able to brave the pandemic
Dave and Diane Schell, a retired social studies teacher and a retired human resources professional from South Windsor, Conn., left their careers in 2015, and have worked the polls at their local precinct every election since. But not this November. The Schells — he’s a Republican, she’s a Democrat — are 68 and 65, respectively, […]
Seniors’ sweet tax breaks have become a target
As Americans begin the challenge of filling out their tax returns this year, one taxpayer demographic generally pays less than others: senior citizens. Tax breaks for seniors cost states approximately $27 billion a year and will more than double in the next decade, according to a recent study from the progressive Center on Budget and Policy Priorities […]