Teaching climate change: High schoolers implore legislators to act on ‘greatest problem’ facing young generation
“If we’re teaching kids the way we taught them decades ago, then we’re failing them.” — Sara Ross, adult partner on student bill proposing new learning standards.
Podcast: Hear what students have to say on environmental curriculum standards
Listen as New Bedford Light reporter Colin Hogan interviews Sara Karp and Jonathan Lan, two of the many students who wrote the legislation that looks to introduce new learning standards.
City school projects waiting for action as state pauses program
The Massachusetts School Building Authority’s decision to pause its Accelerated Repair Program, coupled with its dwindling selection of core projects, has posed a significant challenge to cities across Massachusetts, and New Bedford in particular.
Long hours, hard work, special training … and low pay
More than 300 paraprofessionals in New Bedford are currently working in their sixth month without an updated contract, after December negotiations failed to make inroads. An arbitration session is set for Jan. 4.
Online conflicts sparked many of NB High’s fights last year, students say
The city’s high school disciplined more students for fighting than any other school in Massachusetts during the 2021-2022 academic year; experts voice concerns about emotional trauma.
What’s it like to work in a child care desert?
Two neighborhoods in New Bedford, the South Peninsula and Near North End, have severe shortages, with some census tracts offering no child care at all.
Chronic absenteeism a growing problem in Mass. schools
The New Bedford Light reported on Monday that nearly 70% of NBHS students missed 10% or more of school, and that the school district’s overall absenteeism was 47% — far higher than the 28% figure statewide.
Mass. students still rank at or near top, but NAEP scores show decline
“Nation’s Report Card” scores were based on reading and math tests given to a sample of fourth- and eighth-grade students in the winter of 2022.
Alarming absentee rate cited in New Bedford’s poor MCAS scores
“Yes, there’s an explanatory power of the pandemic, but it’s still a crisis to have 70% absenteeism.” — Walter Stroup, associate professor of education at UMass Dartmouth.
School paraprofessionals say staff shortage is leading to illegal conditions for special needs students
“There are students throughout the city whose IEPs (Individualized Education Plans) are in violation right now.” — Jillian Zangao, president of the paraprofessional union
New Bedford’s school arrests numbers differ from data reported by city police
“What we have to report are the two arrests that happened in the building,” Schools Superintendent Thomas Anderson said. Other arrests may have happened in the parking lot and pertained to issues, like domestic disputes, that did not originate in school.
Watch The Chat: New Bedford school district’s money man
New Bedford Light columnist Jack Spillane and Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations Andrew O’Leary talk New Bedford schools.
DOJ settlement: New Bedford schools must increase focus on K’iché language and culture
There are 161 students in the district whose primary language is K’iché, according to a school district spokesperson. In total, there are 5,059 students, or 42% of students in the district, whose primary language is not English.
New Bedford-area teachers frustrated by state’s decision to raise MCAS standards
“They don’t understand the harm that it’s causing … or what it’s doing to our teaching and learning environment.” — Cynthia Roy, biology teacher and executive committee member of the Massachusetts Teachers Association.
Old friends bring new ideas for student health care to New Bedford
New Bedford High classmates championed an idea for a School-Based Health Center, then helped secure funding to benefit local students
Early education in ‘crisis’ across South Coast as new school year approaches
Across the region, there are more than twice as many children below the age of 5 than there are available child care slots, according to a report from the SouthCoast Community Foundation. This mismatch in demand is higher than the state average.
Anatomy of the school budget: New funds flow to arts, special education and more
Thanks to a revised state funding formula, next year’s school budget will increase by $27.2 million, or 13%, bringing proposed spending to $233.4 million.
New Bedford central kitchen workers still toil in cramped, outdated school kitchen
Even when everything in the central kitchen works as it should, Assistant Director of Food Services Alice Johnson calls the whole operation inefficient.
New Bedford’s Sea Lab still helping students discover the joy of science
Among the recent lessons, Sea Lab teachers conducted a field trip to Cuttyhunk, where students would complete field tests on water salinity, visit nesting sites of migratory birds, and more.
Opinion: Help cut the high cost of college by voting ‘yes’ on Fair Share Amendment
Since 2000, median family income in Massachusetts has risen only 13%, but even after adjusting for inflation, tuition and fees at UMass Dartmouth have increased by 57% — a $6,205 price hike.
Sign up for our free newsletter
Receive in-depth news stories and arts & culture coverage from around New Bedford in your inbox every weekday.
SUPPORT LOCAL NEWS
Give today to keep The Light shining. As a nonprofit with no paywall we rely on reader donations to fund our high-quality reporting.
New Bedford Light is an IRS-determined 501(c)(3) Public Charity; all gifts are tax-deductible. Our EIN number is 86-2407296.
Thank you to our sponsors
Founding benefactors: Irwin and Joan Jacobs, Mary and Jim Ottaway
RECENT STORIES
- Heroux gathers early support to study closing ancient Ash Street Jail
- Video: Gone in 10 seconds — 80-foot smokestack demolished
- Department of Environmental Protection targeted for ‘egregious’ open meeting violation
- Teaching climate change: High schoolers implore legislators to act on ‘greatest problem’ facing young generation
- Podcast: Hear what students have to say on environmental curriculum standards
- Ward 3 councilor finalists are fresh faces for voters to choose between