Delaware’s Special Education Program “Needs Intervention”

Delaware’s Special Education Program “Needs Intervention”

11 Comments
Public schools are required to provide the educational resources to meet the needs of students with disabilities can make progress in school. Today, the Obama Administration announced that they were tightening oversight and the rules for assessing whether schools were doing what they are meant to do under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Part of today's announcement was an assessment of the status of various state's programs according to the new guidelines. [...] In that reassessment, Delaware falls into the "Needs Intervention" category.

Tuesday Open Thread [6.24.14]

41 Comments
Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) warned Monday of a deadly 'trail of tears' in the unforgiving Rio Grande Valley if the federal government doesn't act.
"More than 52,000 unaccompanied youths have been caught along the Southwest border this fiscal year, almost double last year's total. The influx is fueled by danger at home, experts say, and by false rumors that minors and women with young children will be welcomed."
I agree Governor. Unfortunately, your party has made any other option impossible. We have to send them back. It is your party that wanted stricter immigration controls and more border security. Well, this is the result. You must embrace it because it is what you wanted. If you do not want to embrace it, then come out loud and proud for immigration reform and convince your party to pass it now.
General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Tues., June 24, 2014

General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Tues., June 24, 2014

18 Comments
I really didn’t think this would happen, and, I must admit, I’m almost stunned that the General Assembly would choose political expediency over our deteriorating infrastructure. The Governor is not exempt from criticism. Far from it. Jack Markell (a) waited until an election year to play a game of chicken on infrastructure spending; (b) likened the need to continue our ongoing periodic road maintenance program to swallowing bitter medicine rather than pointing out the benefits to our state’s economy from having those great construction jobs; and (c) decided to (pardon the expression) muddy the waters by making this a two-fer with a proposed clean water initiative. Horrible messaging, horrible staff work. Still, I never expected the Delaware General Assembly, by dint of deliberate inaction, to blow (at least) a $70 million hole in the annual transportation capital budget. $70 million less spent on keeping our roads and bridges drivable in FY 15 than was spent in FY 14. (Well, maybe $60 mill, should the Honorables hike weekend tolls on Rt. 1.) This is blatant dereliction of duty. From the ridiculous (Valerie Longhurst proclaiming that she simply won’t allow a gas tax increase) to the equally-ridiculous (Greengrocer Hocker claiming that, since the D’s can’t pass this by themselves, he’s not going to ‘help’ them). Never mind everybody who drives in this state who will suffer the consequences. I’ve been around a long time. This Profile in Cowardice ranks near the top of the most cynical gestures ever to emerge from Dover. When the roads become pockmarked, you know who to blame. Call them on it. And if you live in one of these idiots’ districts, and you have the chance, vote against them. While ignoring public safety, the Honorables appear poised to provide another $10 million to help bail out the bad business decisions made by greedy racino millionaires who were literally given licenses to steal by the State. Who could possibly argue that our legislative luminaries have their priorities in order? Looks like we’re headed towards a horrible conclusion to what has generally been a good legislative session.
QOD — Why Can’t Delaware’s Utilities Participate in Consumer Conservation Programs?

QOD — Why Can’t Delaware’s Utilities Participate in Consumer Conservation Programs?

6 Comments
I know I'm late to this -- it was in the NJ in late May -- but I keep thinking about this and wonder WHY exactly this is:
Delmarva is currently banned from providing help with home efficiency upgrades, with the SEU designated as the primary provider in this regard. Rather than reaching 1,500 homes, the SEU could reach 30,000 homes by involving Delmarva Power in the program's execution, O'Mara said. The bill would also allow utilities to credit some energy efficiency toward their renewable power purchase requirements after a utility achieved a full 15 percent reduction in overall energy usage through efficiency measures.

Monday Open Thread [6.23.14]

1 Comment
Hat tip to Kavips for this video. It speaks for itself. It shows that, at one point in his adult political career, when he was Secretary of Defense, he did ask the question that the Los Angeles Times says has kept President Obama out of Syria .... "and then what?"
"Last fall, as President Obama weighed airstrikes against Syria, deliberations followed a clear pattern: The president solicited scores of options, planners returned with possibilities, and, according to people involved, Obama would reply with the same question: And then what?" "Over the last several days, with Obama mulling involvement in another Middle East conflict, this time in Iraq, that dynamic has held."
Thank God this nation chose wisely in 2008. Had John McCain won that election, it is quite clear now that his presidency would have been a disastrous repeat, if not multiplication of Bush II.
Sunday Open Thread [6.22.2014]

Sunday Open Thread [6.22.2014]

10 Comments
Here's another great read: Tea Party’s embarrassing irony: How its ideal nation rejects basic American beliefs. This has been pretty plain to most of us who have been watching these folks have their temper tantrum, but:
What I’d argue, rather, is that the Tea Party’s philosophy of government (again, as understood by Salam) has embedded within it an aversion to basic democratic principles that goes far beyond a typical contempt for Washington, politicians and pundits. When Salam writes that Teatopia is founded on a commitment to a “robust federalism” intended to let “different states … offer different visions of the good life” and allow citizens to “vote with their feet” by moving to whichever state best reflects their values, he’s not describing a common aversion to corruption or a distaste for political theater. He’s describing a childish and essentially anti-political belief that a return to an Articles of Confederation-style U.S. order — in which each state is more of a sovereign unto itself than a member of a larger American whole — will produce 50 mini-nations where everyone basically agrees.