Nebraska Medicine's independent board opposes the Nebraska Board of Regents' plan to spend nearly $1 billion to take over the hospital, citing concerns over loss of autonomy, misallocation of funds, and potential negative impacts on healthcare quality and recruitment. The hospital emphasizes its successful partnership model and warns that the proposed takeover could undermine medical decision-making and limit future investments.
A record five Texas school districts are at risk of state takeover due to consecutive failing grades, with the Texas Education Agency considering actions such as replacing school boards or shutting down schools, amidst ongoing evaluations and recent court rulings allowing the release of school performance ratings.
The Oklahoma Board of Education has imposed strict oversight on Tulsa public schools, but has allowed the district to continue operating, avoiding a takeover. The decision follows a standoff between the state's Republican superintendent, Ryan Walters, and the school district. Walters had threatened to take over or dissolve the district due to low academic outcomes and an embezzlement case. Research suggests that takeovers do not typically improve student academic achievement. The district will now be required to make monthly updates to the state, including on its finances, and Walters has demanded quick results.
Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum opposes the state takeover of Tulsa Public Schools, calling it an extreme action and an affront to democratic principles. State Superintendent Ryan Walters has delayed a decision on the district's accreditation renewal and has suggested options including a state takeover or nonaccreditation. Mayor Bynum urges collaboration with the State Department of Education instead, emphasizing that the district is not guilty of criminality or an unwillingness to improve outcomes for students. The Tulsa Regional Chamber also supports the reaccreditation of Tulsa Public Schools and opposes a state takeover.
Tulsa Public Schools Superintendent Deborah Gist believes that the timing of the state's effort to question the renewal of the district's state accreditation is intentionally disruptive, leading to the loss of teachers ahead of the new academic year. State Superintendent Ryan Walters has called for Gist's replacement and a possible state takeover of the district, citing concerns about administrative costs and failing grades. Gist disputes these claims, stating that administrative costs are within the legal limit and only 4.03% of funding, while failing grades are at 37% rather than the claimed 65%. Gist also denies allegations of embezzlement and lack of internal controls, emphasizing the importance of stability in leadership for student outcomes.
The state of Georgia has taken over Friday Health Plans, leaving 37,000 policyholders without insurance unless they find new policies by July 31. The state has opened a special enrollment period and established a micro-website to help those people get new health care. The insurance provider was reportedly insolvent and unable to raise additional funds, putting policyholders at risk. The state takeover does not appear to put taxpayers on the hook for any of this.
The Texas Education Agency has announced the nine-member board of managers for the Houston Independent School District and selected Mike Miles as the new superintendent on the first day of the state takeover. Miles, who previously served as superintendent of the Dallas Independent School District, will begin working on Thursday under a 21-day interim contract until he receives formal approval from the board of managers. The new board of managers will hold public board meetings and has the same legal requirements and obligations as the former elected board of trustees.
The Texas Education Agency has appointed Mike Miles as superintendent of the Houston Independent School District, marking the start of the state's takeover of the district. Miles will work under a temporary 21-day contract until a board of managers, also newly appointed by Education Commissioner Mike Morath, formally approves him to lead the district. The state's takeover of Houston ISD was in response to years of poor academic outcomes at a single campus in the district, allegations of misconduct against school board members, and the ongoing presence of a conservator who's been overseeing the district for years.
Graduates of New College of Florida held an "alternative commencement" at an art gallery in Sarasota, defying the state officials who are altering the character of their school. The event was a prelude to Friday's official graduation on campus, where a new group of leaders put in place by Gov. Ron DeSantis is working to turn the liberal arts school into one with a more "classical" bent. The changes have come on top of other setbacks that have weighed heavily on this class, which has lived through three of the most tumultuous years in New College history.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has announced that the state legislature will "formally nullify" Disney's attempts to prevent a state takeover of its special governing powers. DeSantis had previously moved to take over the Reedy Creek Improvement District, which gave Disney control over the land around its Central Florida theme parks, and install his political allies on the district's board of supervisors. Disney reached an agreement with the outgoing board that seemed to render the body powerless to control the entertainment giant. DeSantis said lawmakers will advance a bill to ensure that "you don't get to put your own company over the will of the people of Florida."
The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office has taken control of the Paterson Police Department due to a “crisis of confidence” in the city’s law enforcement. The state takeover follows a call from nearly 50 state groups, including the ACLU New Jersey, for the US Justice Department to investigate Paterson police after the fatal police shooting of 31-year-old Najee Seabrooks earlier this month. The attorney general aims to provide officers with more adequate support, resources, and supervision, and has appointed Isa Abbassi, a 25-year veteran of the New York Police Department, to lead the Paterson Police Department beginning in May.
The New Jersey Attorney General has announced a state takeover of the Paterson Police Department following calls for a federal investigation into "unlawful and unconstitutional conduct" within the department. The move comes after the fatal police shooting of Najee Seabrooks, 31, earlier this month. Isa M. Abbassi, a chief with the New York Police Department, will take control of the department in May. The state's use of force policy will also be updated.
The New Jersey Attorney General, Matthew Platkin, has announced a state takeover of the day-to-day operations of the Paterson Police Department, citing a crisis of confidence in law enforcement in the city. The state will include mental health professionals in responses to barricaded individuals there and statewide. Platkin emphasized that he’s taking these steps not just for residents and activist groups but for the crime fighters, as well. Going forward, 25-year NYPD veteran Isa Abbassi will become the officer in charge of the department in May.
Houston Independent School District (HISD) is looking to hire more teachers for the 2023-2024 school year, the first under a new board of managers, as the Texas Education Agency (TEA) takeover looms. HISD is offering a $2,500 signing bonus for new teachers through June 30, on top of the $61,500 starting salary, to attract top talent. However, veteran teachers are reconsidering their futures, and the uncertainty of a state takeover might lead current teachers to opt out of their contracts on April 15, adding unpredictability on top of an ongoing teacher workforce crisis.
Texas state officials are taking over leadership of Houston Independent School District, sparking concerns from educators about state government overreach and the decision's impact on schools. The state's Education Agency is enforcing one of the largest school district takeovers in the history of the U.S., with some educators saying they're uncertain about their futures. The move breaks from precedent in the state, which normally opposes state mandates, instead leaving decisions up to the school districts. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee is calling for a federal civil rights investigation, and some are worried that TEA can't be trusted.
