Archive for the ‘Federal Education News’ Category

Daily Education News – 6/7/13

Posted by rodel

Here are several stories in today’s news about Delaware education and from across the nation:

Local News

Education Commission of the States
Delaware Receives 2013 ECS Frank Newman Award for State Innovation
The Education Commission of the States (ECS) will honor the state of Delaware with the prestigious Frank Newman Award for State Innovation at the 2013 National Forum on Education Policy in St. Louis, Missouri, on June 26. The award recognizes the state’s bold approach to comprehensive education reform and its successful model of collaboration among a broad range of stakeholders.

The Milford Beacon
Milford Middle School set to close after more than 80 years of history
For many members of the staff and student body, Milford Middle School has all the charm of an old house full of leaks, quirks and lacking air conditioning, but steeped in nostalgia. The building is in desperate need of repairs and is no longer fit to house students and staff.

National News

The New York Times
Obama promises to have high-speed internet in most schools in 5 years
President Obama visited an innovative middle school in central North Carolina on Thursday to demonstrate the Internet-based education programs that he is proposing to make available nationwide. Speaking to an audience of excited teenagers in a steamy gymnasium, Mr. Obama called on the Federal Communications Commission to expand an existing program to provide discounted high-speed Internet service to schools and libraries, even if it meant increasing the fees that for years had been added to consumers’ phone bills. He said the initiative could lead to better technology at 99 percent of schools in five years.

Education News
Data, information collection helps improve MOOC experiences
Massive online open courses are evolving thanks to extensive data collection from the early efforts to offer college-level classes to a worldwide online audience for free. According to MIT Technology Review, as the number of MOOCs offered grows, course designers are already looking at ways to make MOOCs 2.0 better.

The Washington Post
Plans to replace ‘No Child’ law bring dueling visions of federal role in education
Republicans in Congress have rolled out legislation that would sharply limit the power of the executive branch and shrink the role of the federal government in public education in a rebuke to the Obama administration’s influence over education from kindergarten through 12th grade. Meanwhile, Senate Democrats have unveiled their own K-12 plan, which would cede more control to states but still maintain some federal oversight, especially of the worst-performing schools.

MLive
Common Core funding blocked in new Michigan budget after Senate vote
Michigan is poised to became the second state to “pause” implementation of the Common Core standards after the Senate approved a budget barring funding for the guidelines. The omnibus budget measure, which now heads to Gov. Rick Snyder, includes a provision that prevents the education department from spending any money on implementation of the standards. Indiana has passed similar legislation.

The Boston Globe
Jumble of education topics facing Congress
From pre-kindergarten to No Child Left Behind, from broadband-wired schools to college loans, students in every age group are suddenly finding the spotlight on Capitol Hill. After months of relative neglect, education issues are getting the attention of lawmakers—as well as President Barack Obama—just as the school year is ending and, for many college students, the cost of education is about to go up.

Daily Education News – 5/8/13

Posted by rodel

Here are several stories in today’s news about Delaware education and from across the nation:

Local News

The News Journal
Retooled Appoquinimink school tax referendum is less ambitious
Supporters of Thursday’s tax referendum in the Appoquinimink School District say they believe the district has learned its lesson and pitched a more reasonable tax increase. But critics say their taxes already are too high and argue the school board needs to make the same sacrifices many households are making. The district is asking voters to approve an increase of 15 cents for every $100 of assessed property value. The average property owner would pay about $11 more a month, or $132 more a year. The proposal is about half that of a referendum voters rejected in February.

WDDE
Lobbying reform and school choice bills clear House
House lawmakers also unanimously approved a bill on Tuesday that would streamline Delaware’s school choice program. That program allows parents to apply to send their child to a school outside of their home district or charter and vocational/technical schools. The bill also seeks to eliminate discrimination. Schools would have to treat choice applicants the same way they treat their regular students.

National News

Education Week
Rewards for schools key facet of NCLB waivers
One of the chief complaints about the No Child Left Behind Act has been that districts and schools that fail to meet achievement targets face serious sanctions, while schools that do a good job of closing the gaps between traditionally overlooked groups of students and their peers essentially get little in return. To help alleviate those concerns, the U.S. Department of Education asked states to identify so-called “reward schools” in their applications for waivers easing demands of the NCLB law, the current version of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, which Congress has yet to revise.

The Center for Education Reform press release
Louisiana High Court violates parent rights
In a clear violation of the civil rights of parents and children, the Louisiana Supreme Court issued an opinion today in a 6-1 decision that the funding method employed in the Louisiana Scholarship Program is unconstitutional. In the majority opinion, Justice John Weimer wrote in part, “The state funds approved through the unique Minimum Foundation Program process cannot be diverted to nonpublic schools or other nonpublic course providers according to the clear, specific and unambiguous language of the constitution.”

The Washington Post
Thousands fail high school math finals in Montgomery
Thousands of students in Montgomery County failed final exams in high school math courses last semester, according to data that raise questions about how well students have learned the material and whether there is a disconnect between the test and the course work. Recently released figures show failure rates of 62 percent for high school students taking the county’s geometry final and 57 percent for those taking the Algebra 2 exam. Among students taking the same courses on the honors level, 30 percent to 36 percent failed the end-of-semester tests in January, according to data from the school system.

Inside Higher Ed
Low bar, high failure
Community colleges set a low bar for students during their first year of enrollment, with lax academic standards in literacy and math, according to a National Center on Education and the Economy study. And many students fail to meet even those minimal expectations. But there are no simple fixes because community colleges likely are reacting to the inadequate preparation of incoming students.

Miami Herald
Lawmakers boost education spending, expand online learning
Florida teachers won raises. Districts got a boost in per-pupil funding. Charter schools nearly doubled their construction and maintenance dollars. When it came to the state budget, education was one of the session’s biggest winners. Lawmakers also tweaked the state’s high-school graduation requirements and put new emphasis on career and technical training. And online learning was expanded for K-12 and higher education.

Daily Education News – 5/7/13

Posted by rodel

Here are several stories in today’s news about Delaware education and from across the nation:

Local News

The News Journal
Superstars in Education have their day in the spotlight
Delaware’s business community turned out in force Monday night to honor teachers creating innovative new ways to teach children. Every year since 1989, the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce has given its Superstars in Education award to a handful of schools or districts. On Monday night, the group honored this year’s recipients with a banquet in their honor, while giving out the awards. “I love this event because it celebrates the innovation going on in our schools,” Gov. Jack Markell said. “Teachers, tonight is about honoring you. Frankly, every day should be about honoring you.

Choice before Appoquinimink voters is crucial
An opinion by Richard A. Forsten, a member of the Appoquinimink School Board
I’m a fiscal conservative, a Republican, and a believer in limited government and low taxes. And, as a result, I find myself in an unusual position – I’m supporting the new Appoquinimink School District referendum on May 9. This was not an easy decision, nor was it made lightly, but as a still relatively new school board member who has been studying the district’s finances six ways to Sunday for the last several months, I believe it the right decision at this time under all of the relevant circumstances.

Future looks bright with students at STEM event
An opinion by Ted Kaufman, a former U.S. senator from Delaware
We all read a lot of headlines about how our education system needs to do more to ensure American competitiveness. It’s easy to nod your head, silently agree that something has to be done, and turn to the sports page.. Last week I watched Delaware high school and middle school students compete with each other to build structurally strong box girder beams. I was a judge at the 35th annual Delaware Technology Student Association State Conference at the Delaware State Fairgrounds in Harrington. TSA’s stated mission is “to foster personal growth, leadership, and opportunities in technology, innovation, design, and engineering. Members apply and integrate science, technology, engineering and mathematical concepts through co-curricular activities, competitive events and related programs.”

National News

The Sacramento Bee
Viewpoints: Resist urge to delay Common Core testing
Across California, teachers, parents and school administrators are working to make the transition to the new Common Core State Standards. They are asking an understandable question: Are schools ready? Let’s be candid: California’s chronically underfunded education system has been put through the financial wringer in recent years. At the height of the fiscal crisis, more than 2 million students – one child in three – attended a school in financial jeopardy.

Education News
Zynga invests in education gamification startups
San Francisco-based game company Zynga’s non-profit wing Zynga.org has announced that it will invest $1 million in a new program aimed at helping tech startups build games which aid children’s learning. According to Jessica E. Lessin in the Wall Street Journal, an initial handful of startups have already been selected to join an accelerator this summer. It will be hosted at the Zynga offices and Zynga employees will be provided to help product improvement.

Education Week
Rifts deepen over direction of ed. policy in U.S.
In statehouses and cities across the country, battles are raging over the direction of education policy—from the standards that will shape what students learn to how test results will be used to judge a teacher’s performance. Students and teachers, in passive resistance, are refusing to take and give standardized tests. Protesters have marched to the White House over what they see as the privatization of the nation’s schools. Professional and citizen lobbyists are packing hearings in state capitols to argue that the federal government is trying to dictate curricula through the use of common standards.

The New York Times
ACT to move toward computer-based testing
High school students will take the ACT college admissions exam by computer starting in the spring of 2015 — but at least for a while, the paper and pencil version will be available, too. “We are moving to a computer-based version, but for the foreseeable future, we will also have the paper and pencil test as an option for schools that don’t have the technological capability,” said Jon Erickson, the president of ACT’s Education Division. About 1.7 million students took the ACT in 2012, slightly more than took the SAT. The content of the ACT — a four-part exam that assesses English, reading, math and science skills, with an optional writing test — will be unchanged.

Follow Us

We're social

Stay Informed


Contact Us

For further info