Federal Data: School Leaders Say 40 Percent of Students Are Behind Grade Level

Students Studying

According to a federal survey of school leaders, 40% of students in the nation’s public schools were behind grade level in one or more subjects at the beginning of the school year. 

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) announced its findings this week that the percentage of students school leaders estimated to be behind where they should be was down 7% from the 2022-23 school year but still 8% higher than before the pandemic. 

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California’s Major University Accreditor Wants to Elimanate DEI Requirements

Cal Berkeley

The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) is considering removing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) language from its accreditation standards.

The accreditor is responsible for overseeing the entire University of California (UC) system, the California State University system and several religious institutions. The proposed update to the standards would remove language requiring universities to commit to DEI in order to receive accreditation.

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Grand Canyon University Wins Nonprofit Status Lawsuit Against Department of Education

Grand Canyon University

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) may soon recognize Grand Canyon University’s nonprofit status after the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit remanded the school’s case back to the department.

The university announced that “in a significant win for Grand Canyon University, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, in a 3-0 decision, held that the U.S. Department of Education (ED) acted unlawfully by applying the incorrect legal standard in determining GCU’s nonprofit status and remanded the case back to ED.”

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College Closures Expected to Skyrocket as Americans Turn Away from Higher Education

Empty Classroom

Annual college closures may increase as enrollment at higher education institutions continues to decline, according to a Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia report.

If enrollment at universities continues its downward trend, as many as 80 additional colleges may be forced to shut down, according to a December report published by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. Recent data shows freshman college enrollment has reached its lowest point since the pandemic, declining by over 5%.

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Arizona State University Professor Condemns ‘Anti-Trafficking Movement,’ ‘Deviant Framing’ of ‘Sex Workers’

Professor Crystal Jackson and panel discuss sex workers

Arizona State University Professor Crystal Jackson condemned the “anti-trafficking movement” and “deviant framing” of “sex workers” during an event on campus last week.

During the “Queer X Faculty Flashtalks” event, Jackson told the students and staff in attendance that “Sex workers have been and are at the heart of queer liberation.”

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Commentary: San Jose State University Trans Volleyball Player’s Career Ends and So Should Men’s Participation in Women’s Sports

SJSU Volleyball

Transgender athlete Blaire Fleming on San Jose State University’s women’s volleyball team likely played the last game of his career after losing to Colorado State University on Saturday.

Fleming was San Jose State’s top performer in the Mountain West Tournament match, leading the team with 17 kills. However, he also made nine errors and struggled with his hitting in the first two sets, Fox News reported.

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About 70 Percent of Education Department Enforcements Have Targeted Christian Universities: Report

Liberty University

A recent report showed 70% of enforcement actions that were put forth by the Biden administration’s Education Department were imposed on religious universities.

The report was published by the American Principles Project.

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Pro-Life Scholars Sue After ‘Discriminatory’ Retractions by Academic Journal

Dr. James Studnicki

Pro-life scholars and Sage Publications continue to battle over retracted articles.

Dr. James Studnicki and his fellow authors sued Sage Publications to compel arbitration after the publishing company retracted three articles for allegedly “pretextual and discriminatory reasons,” according to the legal filing.

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University at Buffalo Hosts Event About ‘Decolonizing Thanksgiving’

University of Buffalo

The New York University at Buffalo hosted a forum last week with a clear anti-Thanksgiving bias, questioning whether or not it is “right to celebrate Thanksgiving,” and discussed “decolonizing” the historic holiday.

As reported by Breitbart, the event was hosted on November 21st in the university’s Intercultural and Diversity Center (IDC), as part of a series of forums titled “Tough Topics.” These events are described as “weekly open forums” where current events, national and global, are discussed.

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Sharp Drop of Pro-Palestinian Protests, Encampments on Colleges Campuses After Tighter Rules: Report

Pro-Palestine Protest

Pro-Palestinian protests and encampments on college campuses dropped sharply by nearly 70% after the institutions tightened their rules, according to data compiled by the Nonviolent Action Lab at Harvard University’s Ash Center. 

Some of the stricter rules include locking campus gates and tougher punishments.

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