The Education Blog

The Rhode Island Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union has released a report deeply critical of internet filtering software used in many public schools, saying it is tantamount to censorship. The report found that software blocks a wide variety of web sites including the Smithsonian Institutes and sites with information about anti-government groups.

“The excessive use of Internet filters by schools has seriously infringed on the First Amendment rights of students and teachers on a daily basis,” said the report’s author, Hillary Davis, in a written statement.

The Rhode Island School of Design has received $1 million from the parents of an alumna to fund visiting scholars in the painting department. The gift from Vikram and Geetanjali Kirloskar of Bangalore is the largest bequest from an international donor in RISD’s history.

Public schools in Rhode Island planned to operate under normal schedules today in spite of the winter weather.

Charter Schools in Central Falls, Pawtucket and Cumberland will have $10 million to make building improvements, thanks to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The Foundation is providing the money in the form of low or no-interest loans, to increase the number of charter schools seats available for Central Falls students.

The State Senate has given final approval to all 11 members of a new State Board of Education, which plans to hold its first meeting on Monday.

According to RIPR Political Reporter Ian Donnis, the closest vote was for Board Chair Eva Marie Mancuso, who cleared the chamber on a 26 to 10 margin.

The number of Rhode Island Families hoping to get their children into Charter Schools continues to increase, according to the Rhode Island League of Charter Schools. The group is reporting a 20 percent jump in applications for 2013 for a total of 7,900 applications, up from 6,500 applications in 2012.

Rhode Island may finally have a confirmed Board of Education following a vote Tuesday at the State House. The Senate is scheduled to vote on the seven remaining appointees for the board, which will oversee public schools, colleges and universities.

The nominees include proposed board chair, Eva Marie Mancuso and former Board of Elementary and Secondary Education members Patrick Guida and Karin Forbes. Four other members of the 11-person board have already received Senate approval.

Sequestration deadline arrives in D.C.