August 11, 2016

Delaware News

Delaware State News
‘Back to school’ celebration set for Saturday
In anticipation of the start of a new school year, Calvary Baptist Church and Mt. Zion AME Church are throwing a community-wide celebration on Saturday. In the past the churches have held separate August back-to-school events but decided to work in collaboration this year to maximize their efforts and pull off one large event.

Department of Education
Input needed on strategic plan
As we build the state’s strategic plan for educational opportunities in Delaware, we are seeking public input to ensure we understand the educational needs and desired options of Delaware families and those working in the field.

Rodel Blog
Digging deeper: Are Delaware 8th graders ready for high school?
Blog post by Shyanne Miller, Policy Fellow and Liz Hoyt, Research Associate at the Rodel Foundation of Delaware
Welcome to “Digging Deeper,” a new monthly series at the Rodel blog where we’ll take some data on Delaware public schools—and put it under the microscope. In the spirit of our Public Education at a Glance, we’ll present a straightforward look at the numbers, and search for some deeper meaning.

Town Square Delaware
Scene about town: Family fling backpack fest
The cost of school supplies can be a hardship for many families, especially those with multiple children. But some 700 fortunate children in Wilmington will be starting the 2016 school year off with new backpacks filled with supplies thanks to the Faith Victory Christian Center.

National News

American Enterprise Institute
Charter school media coverage has grown more negative the past 10 years
Where education once seemed an oasis of bipartisanship, it’s become increasingly heated and partisan in the past few years. Charter schools are emblematic of where things stand. Donald Trump gave a shout-out to school choice and it’s potential to “rescue kids from failing schools” as he accepted the 2016 Republican nomination for president, one of the few domestic policy issues he explicitly mentioned.

Chron
La. public school science standards review starts next week
Louisiana’s top school board is launching a wide-ranging review of the state’s science standards for public schools, choosing the people Tuesday who will help shape the teaching benchmarks for classrooms. The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education agreed to a list of 85 people who will serve on the review committee and its workgroups, made up largely of educators from local school systems around Louisiana.

Education Week
What happens to student learning when teachers change positions in schools?
Each year, nearly a quarter all New York City teachers move within their schools to a new grade level assignment or a new subject. And those reassignments can depress their students’ achievement, probably as a result of teachers adapting to their new position, concludes a new study.

NPR
Caution flags for tech in classrooms
A group of recent studies on technology in education, across a wide range of real-world settings, have come up far short of a ringing endorsement. The studies include research on K-12 schools and higher ed, both blended learning and online, and show results ranging from mixed to negative.

WTTW
New state bill seeking to cut remediation in higher education
High school graduation rates across Chicago and all of Illinois have risen steadily for years, but state leaders are now taking action to make sure those students are properly prepared for life inside a college classroom. Last month, Illinois House and Senate leaders unanimously approved HB5729, also known as the Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness Act.