Syracuse Assemblyman Bill Magnarelli is one of 27 co-sponsors of a bill that would postpone the impact of the state’s tough new tests on New York’s students and teachers for two years.
The bill, sponsored by Assembly Education Chair Catherine Nolan, would prohibit the use of the Common Core-aligned three- through eighth-grade state exams from being included on students’ permanent records or transcripts.
The bill would also prohibit the state from providing student data to in Bloom and other data management companies until July 1, 2015. And it would give parents the option of refusing to allow their children’s personally identifiable data to be provided to in Bloom or other vendors.
If the bill passes the Assembly, it would still have to be taken up and approved by the state Senate and be signed by Cuomo
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Oswego successfully hosts 46th annual NAPA Super DIRT Week
By Renee Dunn
OSWEGO, N.Y.– The Oswego Speedway was packed with fans two weekends ago as the cars lapped around the track at what is also known as Racing’s Biggest Party. NAPA Super DIRT Week is a yearly race in which the speedway brings in more than 9,600 cubic yards of clay to convert the asphalt track to dirt for the Super DIRTcar Series.
The track has been hosting the annual racing event for the past two years instead of its original location at the Central New York Raceway Park in Hastings after construction stalled.
Now that the dust has settled, Oswego residents and city officials said they hope it will return – this time for good. Mayor Billy Barlow said in an interview with WRVO that Super DIRT Week has brought in roughly 70,000 fans, and has been a great way to bring tourism to the city.
“To get them in town and see all that we have, see that we’re a waterfront community with Lake Ontario and the Oswego River, some of the other assets we have here – I think – is a beneficial thing and perhaps encourages them to visit again, even if it’s not racing related,” Barlow said.
Super DIRT Week in Oswego has earned a great reaction from all sides. Super DIRT Week fan Bobby Sweeney said he thinks the location of this year’s race was really cool because the “small town” overlooks “a big lake like Lake Ontario.” Sweeney said that the racing has been awesome this past year and that he would love to see it stay in Oswego.
If you would like to learn more about Super DIRT Week, go to http://www.superdirtweekonline.com/
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Trump administration announces new Title IX guidelines
Written by Erin Meyer
OSWEGO, N.Y– The Trump administration has announced new guidelines for colleges on how to comply with the Title IX program. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced her intention to rescind the Obama-era program, which protects people from sex-based discrimination in education programs or activities which receive Federal financial assistance, last week.
“This interim guidance will help schools as they work to combat sexual misconduct and will treat all students fairly,” DeVos said in a written statement. “Schools must continue to confront these horrific crimes and behaviors head-on. There will be no more sweeping them under the rug. But the process also must be fair and impartial, giving everyone more confidence in its outcomes.”
DeVos overturned past guidelines issued by the Obama administration in 2011 and 2014, including guarantees that assault victims are not denied access to education, and issued new guidelines for dealing with cases of sexual misconduct.
The announcement has been met with criticism from advocates for survivors of sexual assault. “It’s On Us,” an initiative to stop sexual assault on college campuses created by President Barack Obama in 2014, has created a petition to maintain current Title IX regulations.
It is currently unclear how these changes will affect the implementation of Title IX at SUNY Oswego, if at all. The campus branch has not yet commented on the announcement, though its page on the school’s website still reflects the standards put in place under the Obama administration.
For more information on Title IX and SUNY Oswego’s sexual harassment policies, visit https://www.oswego.edu/title-ix/.
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Oswego men’s soccer starts their season strong
By Alex Peck
OSWEGO, NY — The Oswego State men’s soccer team has made history. They opened the season with a 5-1-1 record; the program’s best since 1959. Head coach Dan Kane said the team’s early success is due to the support his players have for one another.“I think our guys have come together really well. They’ve supported each other and they enjoy playing with each other,” Kane said.
The scoreboard reflects the team’s cooperation on the field. The Lakers scored a total of 13 goals throughout their entire last season. This year they’ve scored 13 goals in their first three games.
Senior midfielder Connor Lunduski has been at the center of his team’s success and said he wants to make sure the team’s historic start isn’t a distraction.“Honestly we just take it one game at a time. It really hasn’t sunk in that it’s the best start we’ve had in awhile but, it’s definitely something after the season we’ll cherish but we still have a lot more we want to accomplish,” Lunduski said.
With more than half of their season still to play, there is plenty of time to accomplish even more. For the schedule for Oswego’s men’s soccer team, visit http://oswegolakers.com/schedule.aspx?path=msoc.
