June 5, 2013

Local News

The News Journal
Colonial sighs as school tax hike approved by a slim vote
Colonial School District voters narrowly approved a second, smaller property tax referendum Tuesday, staving off large-scale layoffs and other cuts. The tax passed 3,005-2,938, a margin of 67 votes, according to unofficial results from the New Castle County Department of Elections. “I’m so relieved and I’m so thankful to the voters and the community,” said Superintendent Dorothy Linn.

WHYY
Governor Markell talks education at DC forum
Joined by his counterparts from Mississippi and New Mexico, Governor Jack Markell took part in a roundtable forum on reading hosted by the Washington Post. The discussion centered on making sure students are reading at grade level by the third grade.

Middletown Transcript
State testing brings a day of rewards for AHS students
Hard work might be its own reward, but a free lunch, a live deejay and a chance to dunk your high school principal don’t hurt either. Students at Appoquinimink High School received those dividends and more Friday in honor of their performance on last year’s state standardized tests

Town Square Delaware
Rodel Foundation seeks public input on two initiatives
A blog by C.R. McLeod
While another school year is coming to a close, the Rodel Foundation of Delaware has launched two initiatives that will be underway during the summer months.

National News

WHYY

Pa. schools join Philly in call for more state money
A group of unlikely allies descended upon Harrisburg Tuesday to lobby for additional school funding. Pennsylvania charter school leaders, as well as local officials from Republican-controlled counties, joined Philadelphia in the call for more state aid for basic education. “This isn’t a Republican or Democrat issue,” said Ronald Williams, a GOP member of the Pottstown school board in Montgomery County. “This is an issue that has to do with the future of our children.”

Education Week
Seize the moment to design schools that close gaps

An opinion by Paul Reville, former education Commissioner of Massachusetts
Recently, I stepped down from my position as secretary of education for the commonwealth of Massachusetts. Leading this new, integrated pre-K-through-higher-education cabinet office for Gov. Deval Patrick was one of the great honors of my career. I take great pride not only in what we accomplished during my tenure, but also what our state has achieved over the past two decades of education reform.

The New York Times
Bill to alter Bush-Era education law gives states more room
Renewing the effort to revise No Child Left Behind, the signature Bush-era federal education law, Senator Tom Harkin, Democrat of Iowa, introduced a new version on Tuesday that he said would “replace the failed tenets” of the law..

The Washington Post
Catania plans to announce bills that would overhaul D.C. public schools
D.C. Council member David A. Catania plans to announce wide-ranging legislation Tuesday that could substantially reshape the city’s public education system, as he seeks to increase funding to educate poor children, give more power to principals, change the city’s school lottery system and end social promotion of children who are performing below grade level

Des Moines Register
Sweeping education reforms become law
Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad called the education reform bill he signed into law “a turning point in Iowa history,” but it lacks many of the provisions included in the administration’s initial pitch for improved schools. The final bill, for example, failed to link student performance to teacher evaluations or require high school students to pass end-of-course exams in core subjects.

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