Here are several stories in today’s news about Delaware education and from across the nation:
Local News
The News Journal
STEM model takes root at Concord High School
As state education and business leaders try to coax more women and minorities into the fields of science, technology, engineering and math, many are pointing to Concord High School’s Advanced Placement program as a model. The school recently received a grant from the College Board and Google that will allow it to offer every AP course in fields commonly called STEM.
Middletown Transcript
Administrative changes announced at 8 Appoquinimink schools
Two of Appoquinimink School District’s 16 schools will have a new principal next year, while six others will begin the 2013-2014 school year with a new assistant principal. Superintendent Matthew Burrows announced the administrative changes Monday, although they will not become official until July 1.
National News
Education Week
Teachers’ data use becoming PD emphasis
While schools and districts now have a wealth of longitudinal student data at their fingertips, teachers are just at the beginning of learning how to use that information effectively, says a New America Foundation report. Despite various challenges, professional development programs in Oregon and Delaware provide valuable models for making data useful to teachers
A ‘neglected’ population gets another chance at a diploma
Educators and researchers who work with at-risk students say there is no way to really achieve the Graduation Nation goal of a 90% graduation rate by 2020 without taking time to find, bring back, and keep the students who already have fallen through the cracks, at a rate of roughly 1 million every year.
Arne Duncan unveils high school grant program details
Secretary of Education Arne Duncan offered more details on the administration’s proposed $300 million high school redesign initiative, which will have a career-related and STEM focus. The program would dole out competitive grants to districts in partnership with postsecondary institutions and other organizations to help high schools emphasize the skills that prepare students for higher education and the workforce.
Education Department puts numbers to ‘preschool for all’ proposal
The Education Department released fact sheets for every state letting them know how much they stand to gain if the Obama administration’s proposal to expand preschool opportunities is adopted. The funding level is based on the state’s population of 4-year-olds in low-income families and assumes that states will expand to 20% of their eligible 4-year-olds in the first year.
The New York Times
Who’s minding the schools?
An opinion by Andrew Hacker and Claudia Dreifus
In April, some 1.2 million New York students took their first Common Core State Standards tests, which are supposed to assess their knowledge and thinking on topics such as “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” and a single matrix equation in a vector variable. Indeed, the first wave of exams was so overwhelming for these young New Yorkers that some parents refused to let their children take the test.
Philadelphia Inquirer
More than 3,700 school employees are being laid off
Philadelphia Superintendent William R. Hite Jr. announced Friday that the School District had begun mailing layoff notices to 3,783 employees, informing them they will lose their jobs July 1 because of the district’s financial crisis.
Casper Tribune
Wyoming legislators seek to coordinate early childhood education
Wyoming legislators agreed to consider new funding sources for early childhood education programs and to study how to improve their coordination across the state. Members of the education and the health and social services committees discussed early learning efforts with officials from four state departments and various professionals. Only 52% of kindergartners in 2009 were prepared to begin school.
Huffington Post
Senate Republicans: No Child Left Behind should give governors more say
Republicans on Congress’ education committees unveiled rewrites to No Child Left Behind that would give governors final responsibility for holding schools accountable and largely limit the Education Department to promoting the importance of learning. States would determine if their schools are succeeding and could ignore previous federal requirements to show they are getting better every year.
