2+ hour, 35+ min ago (229+ words) Qualified Gary high school graduates can receive free college tuition for four years at Indiana University Northwest from a scholarship program funded by Hard Rock Casino of Northern Indiana, officials said Tuesday. The Urban League of Northwest Indiana co-sponsors the program. "This scholarship is about possibility " ensuring every Gary student knows that college is within reach and that IU Northwest is their home to grow, learn and lead," said IU Northwest Chancellor Arrick Jackson. Applicants must be a 2025 or 2026 graduate of any Gary high school or home school; have a minimum 2.5 grade point average and a Core 40 diploma; complete 30 to 40 hours of community service work and plan to attend IU Northwest as a first-year student pursuing either a two-year or four-year degree. Scholarship recipients will receive free tuition for up to four years based on FAFSA (Free Application for Federal…...

4+ hour, 59+ min ago (526+ words) An ordained minister who is a professor and dean at Syracuse University will begin his tenure as Valparaiso University's 20th president at the start of the new year, the university's board of directors announced Tuesday. Rev. Brian E. Konkol, Ph.D., is an ordained minister of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and an accomplished senior executive at Syracuse University. "Rev. Konkol embodies the heart of Valpo through deep Lutheran roots, a passion for students, and a steady commitment to excellence," said Robert D. Hansen, chairman of the Valparaiso University Board of Directors, in a release. "We are excited to welcome him to our community. His energy, faith, and optimism will serve Valpo well as we move forward together." Konkol replaces Jos" Padilla, who in January announced his retirement at the end of this calendar year per his contract. That caps a five-year…...

7+ hour, 57+ min ago (1273+ words) Northwestern University's $75-million deal with the White House has brought a mix of relief and concern to campus " concluding months of research cuts, while also marking a significant advance in the president's push to reshape higher education. The agreement, announced Friday, restores nearly $800 million in research funding and closes several government probes related to federal anti-discrimination laws. Some researchers, exhausted by months of cost-cutting in their laboratories, are feeling relieved. But other faculty members and students raised alarms about the implications of negotiating with the Trump administration for academic freedom and institutional independence. "I still wouldn't have made a deal," said Talia Winiarsky, a 22-year-old American studies major. "But I think the university is in such a tough position, and I do empathize with (administrators)." The deal is a major milestone in President Donald Trump's quest to bring universities to…...

8+ hour, 58+ min ago (282+ words) Gary's Steel City Academy charter school has received state Indiana Learns funding for ILEARN tutoring services for up to 91 students. "We got this grant last year and saw exponential growth of an 81% IREAD pass rate," said Steel City executive director Katie Kirley on Tuesday. "We know this program yields a huge impact." Indiana third graders who don't pass the IREAD must repeat third grade unless they qualify for an exemption. Last year's tutoring program, funded by the Indiana Department of Education and Indianapolis-based nonprofit Mind Trust, focused on IREAD improvement, said Kirley. This year's tutoring sessions target ILEARN skills for students in grades 4-8. Kirley said the school will offer 23 one-hour after-school sessions a week based on performance data in areas where students struggle. Teachers and Kirley herself are doing the tutoring, which began Nov. 24. Each student will receive about 15 sessions....

14+ hour, 30+ min ago (988+ words) The Evanston/Skokie School District 65 Board of Education reached an impasse again on Monday, unable to make a decision on schools it will close on July 1, 2026. That complicates the district's efforts to cut costs and balance its budget, outlined in its Structural Deficit Reduction Plan. The board members voted in much the same way they did in November, when they reached an impasse over closing Kingsley Elementary School and Lincolnwood Elementary School, or just Kingsley, at the end of this school year. The board now faces uncertainty about whether it will be able to close any schools at the end of the school year, aside from the Dr. Bessie Rhodes School of Global Studies, a decision the district's administration says is necessary for the district's long-term financial goals. District 65 Board members Sergio Hernandez, Mya Wilkins and Andrew Wymer voted to…...

18+ hour, 53+ min ago (408+ words) As a former social studies teacher and now professor of education, I am deeply alarmed by the civic lessons our youth are learning. In a political landscape in which teachers are increasingly reluctant to offer even basic instruction about American government, the scenes on the ground are filling the void. Students are learning that protesters exercising their First Amendment rights will be tear-gassed. They are learning that U.S. citizens will be detained. They are learning that federal agents will operate above the law'and that government officials will make false claims about their activities." As the mother of a teenager now studying civics, I tell my daughter that our democracy has never fully lived up to its promises. But I am terrified that what she is witnessing now " these widening contradictions and cruelties " is the version of government she will be left…...

23+ hour, 51+ min ago (666+ words) Chicago Public Schools students are graduating from high school at near record-high rates, but only half who enroll in college will complete their credential within a decade, a new report says. The overall college completion rate for CPS alumni is 48% " below the national average of 64%, according to an annual study from the University of Chicago Consortium on School Research and the To&Through Project. "Getting students into college is a great first step, but starting college and not completing is not a good outcome, for the most part," said Alex Usher, director of data and research at the To&Through Project. "There's definitely work to be done ahead." Each year, researchers calculate a measure called the postsecondary attainment index: If 100 students started ninth grade in CPS today, 84 would graduate from high school, 58 would enroll in college immediately, and 30 would complete…...

1+ day, 3+ hour ago (718+ words) Nearly 44% of the 16,000 truck driving schools in the U.S. may be forced to close if they lose their students after a review by the federal Transportation Department found they may not be complying with government requirements. The Transportation Department said Monday that it plans to revoke the certification of nearly 3,000 schools unless they can comply with training requirements in the next 30 days. The targeted schools must notify students that their certification is in jeopardy. Another 4,500 schools are being warned they may face similar action. Schools that lose certification will no longer be able to issue the certificates showing a driver completed training that are required to get a license, so students are likely to abandon those schools. Separately, the Department of Homeland Security is auditing trucking firms in California owned by immigrants to verify the status of their drivers and whether…...

1+ day, 7+ hour ago (537+ words) Daniel Randolph assumed his new job Monday as the city of Naperville's new director of public works. Randolph has more than 20 years of civil engineering and public works management experience, most recently working as the assistant director of engineering and public works in Schaumburg, according to a city news release. In Schaumburg, he helped develop the department's strategic plan, oversaw a $45 million operating budget and managed several large-scale capital improvement projects, including the design, demolition and construction of the Schaumburg Village Hall. He has also served as a civil engineer for Niles and assistant engineer for Mount Prospect. In those positions, he was involved with various streetscape, street resurfacing, and sewer and water main improvement initiatives, the release said. Randolph has master's degrees in public administration and civil engineering. American Legion Post 43 Naperville is launching six new $500 scholarships for student…...

1+ day, 8+ hour ago (260+ words) All six schools in Zion Elementary School District 6, as well as the district office, remained closed for the second consecutive day on Tuesday due to a cybersecurity incident discovered on Sunday, according to the district's website. Before- and after-school activities were cancelled both Monday and Tuesday. On Tuesday afternoon, there was no word on when school or related activities would resume. School officials first discovered the breach on Sunday and responded quickly, according to the website. The incident may have compromised electronic files and servers throughout the district. "We are working diligently to determine the credibility and full extent of this potential breach," the district said on its website. Schools and the district office were closed, "to allow for a thorough, immediate investigation of this matter." Efforts to restore systems and determine the extent of damage continued Tuesday as "some…...