Quick Hits (2.7.13)

 “Literally taking food out of the mouths of kids.” Several California school districts have spent nearly $170 million intended for free or reduced-price lunches on other school expenses, like sprinkler systems and trash removal. The misuse of funds, according to the legislative oversight report, has meant that eligible students have been denied the reduced-price lunch program. (San Francisco Chronicle)

Turtles drive people mad. A South Carolina college student’s turtle road-crossing project found that many drivers intentionally swerved to hit the plastic dummy-turtle stationed in the road. (The Fayetteville Observer)

Straight from the source. Eighth-graders at this New York school re-design and re-create their desks, chairs, and lockers to make them more organized and comfortable. (Cannon Design)

“Waiverpalooza.” We weren’t the only ones live-tweeting today’s Senate HELP hearing on #waivers. A sampling of the fun tweets:

@ChadAldeman: Can we all stop using page length as a signal of anything? #waivers

@Benjaminjriley: NCLB has dummied all of us, apparently. RT @afhyslop I hate the phrase “dummied down standards.” Since when is dummied a verb?#waivers

@MichaelPetrilli: Here’s a deal, Sen Sanders: We make #DC a state and we give Vermont to Canada. #waivers