July 19, 2013
Local News
The News Journal
State student test scores flatten out in latest report
A year after double-digit gains on the standardized test, statewide scores fell slightly or plateaued this year. State education officials on Thursday unveiled the results of the Delaware Comprehensive Assessment System, or DCAS, the computerized test all public school students take in third through 10th grades.
Department of Education denies charter school’s requests to make changes
State officials rejected The New Moyer Academy charter school’s request Thursday for two major changes and said the school is in violation of its charter. The state says it is working with the school to resolve its issues. Moyer leaders say new test scores released Thursday show their plans are working and they hope the state will give them the chance to prove it.
WDDE
Delaware student testing scores dip slightly in 2012-13 school year
State education officials are not satisfied with initial assessment numbers presented at the Delaware State Board of Education meeting Thursday. While there were significant increases in student performance between the 2011 and 2012 Delaware Comprehensive Assessment System, scores flattened for the 2013 reporting year, and in some cases, dipped slightly.
The Milford Beacon
District officials prepare for 2013-2014 school year; Board address scholarship fund, population study
During the Milford School District’s special school board meeting Monday, Superintendent Phyllis Kohel informed board members and attendees that Wilmington Trust is proposing the termination of the Daniel Hirsch Scholarship Fund Trust. The trust, which was created by funds left by the will of Daniel Hirsch in 1942, originally intended to offer a $100 scholarship to one male and one female Milford School District student.
National News
Education Week
House debates No Child Left Behind rewrite, makes big changes on teacher evaluation
Conservative lawmakers won a big concession today on the teacher-evaluation portion of a bill to renew the No Child Left Behind Act. Under the change, which was ultimately endorsed by the bill’s sponsor, Rep. John Kline, R-Minn., the chairman of the House education committee, states and school districts would not be required to craft teacher-evaluation systems based on student outcomes.
The Washington Post
Number of charter schools in Virginia to triple under Norfolk plan
Charter schools are poised to gain a much larger foothold in Virginia thanks to a plan under consideration by the Norfolk School Board to transform 10 traditional public schools into charter schools in the coming year. Norfolk Superintendent Samuel King proposed the idea, called the Transformation Initiative, this spring as part of a broader plan to reform schools district wide.
Chicago Sun Times
CPS to lay off 2,113 teachers, staff; CTU calls it ‘a bloodbath’
Chicago Public Schools officials announced late Thursday that 2,113 teachers and other employees would be laid off Friday, largely due to a giant pension obligation increase that’s straining the system. “In fiscal year ‘14 we’re facing a historic deficit of $1 billion that is driven primarily by a $400 million increase in our annual teacher pension payments,” said CPS spokesman Becky Carroll.
Inside Higher Ed
No-Bid MOOCs
The providers of massive open online courses have rapidly expanded in the past year, aided in part by a series of no-bid deals with public colleges and universities, including for services that may extend beyond the MOOC model. At least 21 universities and higher education systems in 16 states have signed agreements with Coursera, Udacity, or edX without going through a competitive bidding process.
Governing
Why the Common Core rebellion fell short
Lawmakers in eight states introduced legislation this year to opt out of the Common Core State Standards, according to an Education Week summary. But only Indiana and Michigan passed a bill, and those bills were scaled back to only halt funding for implementation and require further study of the standards. After a backlash against Common Core this spring, the actual policy changes were minimal.
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