Sarah Mueller
Education reporterAn experienced journalist, I joined LehighValleyNews.com as its education reporter. I bring several years of media experience at public radio stations including NPR Illinois, WFSU Public Media and Delaware Public Media. I’ve covered state and local government, interviewing lawmakers, governors and congressional leaders. In my personal life, I’m a passionate animal lover, hiker and documentary enthusiast. A documentary for which I worked as a researcher, Fire in the Meadows, won first place at the 2022 Tallahassee Film Festival for best documentary short film. It explored the effects of an investor buying a local mobile home park, raising rents and forcing tenants out of their homes. Contact me at SarahM@lehighvalleynews.com or and subscribe to my newsletter here.
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The district decided in October to not implement the no-cost meals -
The city removed the check box after concerns were raised over whether the question of legal status was overly intrusive and whether it could be discouraging requests.
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The center, where access was limited because of the pandemic, has recently opened up and resumed programming.
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Alleged unauthorized spending sparked the concept of the possible need, and forensic audits are typically done when there are specific allegations of misconduct, according to the district's solicitor and business manager. At least one school board member voiced early opposition to the audit.
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The annual school board reorganization is among several agenda items on the docket for Thursday night.
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Carol Birks discussed safety, learning and retention at a town hall meeting Wednesday at Hays Elementary School.
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Students at Lehigh Valley school districts and across the state are continuing a downward trend of performing below pre-pandemic levels on state standardized tests.
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Members of the group called for a review of library books and a policy banning transgender athletes, and they questioned white privilege and bias training.
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Newly-elected Lehigh Valley State Sen. Jarett Coleman has dropped a lawsuit he filed last year against the Parkland School District that sought to invalidate teacher pay raises. The trial over Sunshine Act breaches was scheduled to take place this week.
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The Board has approved a contract for the services of retired Judge Emil Giordano to conduct an unspecified investigation in the Bethlehem Area School District.
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Kids are singing more frequently and playing more instruments in city school classrooms, thanks to beefed-up state funding, according to educators. Cooking, nutrition and financial literacy also are getting more attention.
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The Allentown School District Foundation has raised more than $8 million to support students in the city's schools since 2009. For reasons that aren't clear, the Allentown School Board is considering cutting ties with the foundation.
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Coleman filed the transparency lawsuit in 2021 before becoming a Parkland School Board member, and ultimately, a state senator representing parts of Lehigh and Bucks counties.
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While moderate Republicans and Democrats prevailed in most races, two Moms for Liberty candidates won seats on the Nazareth Area school board in Northampton County.
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In Southern Lehigh School District, 10 candidates faced off for five seats on the nine-member school board.
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Parental rights are on the agenda in school races as moms versus moms battle for control to set policies on book restrictions, bathrooms, transgender students and teaching history.
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Candidates have different takes on whether taxes should raised to support capital improvements, expanding kindergarten classes and teacher retention.
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The decision comes after several members of community group Promise Neighborhoods, an anti-violence nonprofit, accused Phoebe Harris of unprofessional behavior.
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Nazareth school board members said they want to review the current regulations for reviewing books, concerned it's a slippery slope. Reviewing all books submitted to the district could cost more than $100,000.
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The school board is expected to vote next week on a request by Moms for Liberty to ban a book. Three other written requests have also been filed.
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The Allentown School District will deploy metal detectors at certain entrance points at each of the three high schools in the Allentown School District — Allen High, Dieruff High and Building 21 — and at J. Birney Crum Stadium.
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District staff, students, staff and community members gathered at Allen High School to give feedback about implementing metal detectors and other security measures.
