July 30, 2014
Local News
Education Week
New panel eyes teacher pay in Delaware
The Committee to Advance Educator Compensation and Careers was formed by state lawmakers to develop a new compensation system for Delaware’s public school teachers. The Committee is having its first meeting today, and must submit its plan by Nov. 15 for consideration to be included in the governor’s recommended budget for next year.
Delaware Department of Education
Academy develops teacher leaders on new science standards
A press release
More than 130 teachers from across the state are gathering in Dover this week for hands-on training and professional development on the state’s new science standards. As part of the state’s NextGen Teacher Leader Academy, the teachers, who represent all grade levels, meet monthly and work with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) writers on understanding the vision of the NGSS frameworks and standards.
The News Journal
IR schools discuss unaccompanied illegal immigrants
Unanswered questions about the number of unaccompanied children entering the Indian River School District this coming school year dominated the conversation during a Board of Education meeting July 28. Board members said they were frustrated that Markell has not informed them of how many unaccompanied minors may be entering district schools this fall. “If they arrive on our step, we will work with them. That’s our response to that,” Superintendent Susan Bunting said.
National News
Education Week
Common Core may persist, even in opposition states
Despite heated resistance and high-profile bills, states’ academic guidelines may still look a lot like the Common Core State Standards.
A bipartisan argument for full-service community schools
U.S. Reps. Steny H. Hoyer and Aaron Schock introduced bipartisan legislation last week to create a competitive-grant program to expand full-service community schools.
US News & World Report
31 million in higher education limbo: some college, no degree
At a time when policymakers are intensifying their calls to get more students in and through college, 31 million adults are stuck in limbo — having completed some college — but not enough to earn a degree, according to a new report.
Politico
Moms winning the Common Core war
Supporters of the Common Core academic standards have spent big this past year to persuade wavering state legislators to stick with the new guidelines for math and language arts instruction. Given the firestorm of opposition that took them by surprise, they consider it a victory that just five states, so far, have taken steps to back out.
Wall Street Journal
Educators fined, not fired
As tenure protections for teachers come under scrutiny nationwide, a look at recent disciplinary cases shows that termination attempts often ended with fines because an arbitrator found the city didn’t prove its complaints, administrators didn’t give tenured teachers enough help to improve or the teachers deserved another chance.
Chalkbeat Indiana
The basics of testing in Indiana: change on the horizon
Since the 1990s, Indiana and other states have adopted statewide standardized tests intended as a check to ensure students are learning what they need to succeed in the upcoming years of school and later in college or the workplace. But this decade has seen a backlash against testing from those who believe it has gone too far.