legislation

Roy Roberts, the emergency financialmanager for Detroit Public Schools, says he may leave the job if voters reject Proposal 1, the statewide ballot proposal that would affirm the state's ability to take over financially struggling school districts and municipalities.

As the day draws to a close at Public School 321, the school that launched a thousand strollers toward Park Slope, Brooklyn, the grown-ups begin to assemble outside. Bus drivers pull their long yellow ferries up out front. Parents and caretakers hover near doorways and perch on benches.

The Justice Department filed a lawsuit today against the city of Meridian, Miss.; Lauderdale County, Miss.; judges of the Lauderdale County Youth Court; and the state of Mississippi alleging that the defendants systematically violate the due process rights of juveniles.

The outcome of five years of fighting by St. Louis families who wanted their failing schools to pay to send their children to accredited suburban districts has been thrown into greater doubt after the city schools received partial accreditation last week.

Like most of Louisiana, Rapides Parish voters will decide Nov. 6 whether to limit school board members to three terms.

Alice Spearman has represented District 7 -- East Oakland-Elmhurst -- on the Oakland school board since 2005. She'll serve another four years if she can win enough votes or persuade the courts to disqualify her opponent, James Harris.

For the first time in many years, it seems there is a general feeling of positivity surrounding the Rockford School District. The forward momentum and collaboration taking place is seen and felt throughout the community.