February 3, 2017
Yesterday, our Daily News email contained links that were incorrect. We regret the error. You can read the February 2, 2017 daily news with the correct links here.
Delaware News
Technical.ly
Delaware public high schools may soon be required to offer computer science
Every high school student in Delaware has to take math and science, but not everyone is required to take computer science. In fact, many state public and charter high schools don’t even offer compsci courses at all. That might be about to change. State senators in the Senate Education Committee are considering House Bill 355, known as “Computer Science For All,” which would require all Delaware public schools to offer computer science courses by 2020.
The News Journal
A nurse in every Delaware school
It was Becky Gravatt’s first week as a school nurse, and as she stood watching one of her students get taken away in an ambulance, all she could think was “What have I gotten myself into?” An even bigger question, perhaps? What would have happened if Gravatt hadn’t “gotten herself into” it? A school without a dedicated nurse is something Gravatt doesn’t even want to think about, she said Monday.
Rodel Blog
Blog post by Madeleine Bayard, vice-president of policy and practice at the Rodel Foundation of Delaware
Early learning is a better investment than the stock market
It’s not just kids, parents, and teachers who feel the impact of our public schools. If you’re a citizen of Delaware, then you are—in one way or another—affected by our state’s education system. Check back regularly as we take a closer look at how When Students Succeed, We All Win.
Sussex County Post
IRSD to host two public referendum meetings
The Indian River School District will host two public meetings this month to highlight the current expense referendum scheduled for Thursday, March 2. The meeting schedule is as follows: February 23 – Indian River High School, 6 p.m. February 27 – Sussex Central High School, 6 p.m. (Prior to the IRSD Board of Education meeting.) At each meeting, district officials will give a presentation outlining the referendum initiative.
UDaily
Hands-on social media
This spring, participants in the University of Delaware’s Social Media Marketing Strategy Certificate program will grow their social media expertise while helping a gardening education nonprofit organization perfect its online brand and social media initiatives. The UD program will team up with Healthy Foods for Healthy Kids (HFHK), an outreach program that helps Delaware schools integrate vegetable gardening programs into their science curricula.
National News
River Falls Journal
Personalized learning: It varies by school
In the River Falls school district, Greenwood Elementary isn’t the only school taking advantage of personalized learning. Each school is looking into different ways of using personalized learning. While Greenwood uses co-teaching, a school like Rocky Branch Elementary is using other programs to encourage their students and staff to get into personalized learning, according to Rocky’s Principal Charles Eaton.
The New York Times
Betsy DeVos, pick for Secretary of Education, Is the most jeered
By most any measure, the secretary of education is one of the least powerful cabinet positions. The secretary is 16th in the line of succession to the presidency. Education accounts for a paltry 3 percent of the federal budget, compared with 24 percent for Social Security and 16 percent for defense. And the most recent major federal education law curtailed Washington’s role on testing, standards and accountability, turning much of the firepower in education policy back to states and school districts.
Komo News
Washington Senate approves education funding plan
The Senate on Wednesday narrowly approved an education funding plan that seeks to replace local school levies with a statewide uniform rate earmarked for schools. The chamber passed the Republican proposal on a 25-24 vote, with no Democrat – except one who caucuses with Republicans to give them their majority – voting in favor of it.
The Detroit News
DeVos closer to becoming education boss
The U.S. Senate voted early Friday to advance the nomination of Michigan school choice advocate and Republican power broker Betsy DeVos as U.S. Secretary of Education, setting up a final confirmation vote early next week despite fierce opposition from Democrats.
Austin American Statesmen
Texas education board approves curriculum that challenges evolution
Texas students will continue to learn theories that challenge the scientific understanding of evolution after the State Board of Education signed off Wednesday on a preliminary version of the state’s pared-down biology curriculum.
Financial Times
Can Silicon Valley really hack education?
In chalets scattered across the snow in California’s ski country, a school of the future is taking shape. Warm inside a classroom, teenage twins Laurel and Bryce Dettering are part of a Silicon Valley experiment to teach students to outperform machines. Surrounded by industrial tools, Bryce is laying out green 3D-printed propellers, which will form part of a floating pontoon.