December 15, 2014
Delaware News
The News Journal
Group gives Delaware B- on teacher prep
The National Council on Teacher Quality, which pushes for more stringent selection and training of teachers, has given Delaware a “B-,” saying it is ahead of many states but still needs to take steps to make sure teachers are better prepared.
‘Priority’ school program can boost students
An op-ed by Mark Murphy, Secretary, Delaware Department of Education
Three months ago, the State announced a commitment to improve educational opportunities for children in our state’s six lowest-performing schools. Our Priority Schools initiative has received heavy criticism from those who fear an overhaul of the status quo. And we have heard poverty used as an excuse for why students haven’t achieved.
The Education Department’s solution won’t work
An op-ed by Mike Matthews, President, Red Clay Education Association
In Delaware, less than 10 percent of our education funding comes from the federal government. However, thanks to No Child Left Behind and the now-we-know-it’s-been-nothing-but-a-waste Race to the Top federal initiative (where half of the funds went to Delaware Department of Education bureaucracy as opposed to our schools, yet Gov. Jack Markell made this his key education success in television ads during his 2012 re-election campaign), many of the most burdensome and harmful regulations and red tape come directly from the top.
Charter schools are helping students
A letter to the editor by Mary J. McGurney, Camden
In light of the Delaware ACLU complaint filed recently against the Delaware State Department of Education, I feel that it is necessary to acknowledge the substantial strides that Delaware charter schools have been making for students, staff, and families. Not only do students and parents deserve a choice on their education, but they also deserve the best possible bridge that will cultivate their skills and prepare them for the bright future ahead of them.
March celebrates Wilmington kids’ college applications
Capital One sponsored a march in Wilmington to celebrate McKean, Dickinson, A.I. du Pont and William Penn high school students who applied to college. Capital One worked with Communities in Schools, an organization dedicated to preventing drop-outs by providing mentors, after-school activities and other help for students.
Christina officials cite reasons operating referendum needed
Christina School District officials this week cited the loss of students and funding to charter schools as one of the reasons it wants to hold an operating referendum in early 2015. Between 25 and 35 cents of every dollar the district collects is passed to charter schools, said David Resler, president of the Christina school board.
WDDE
Revolution in world language instruction taking hold in First State
To the untrained ear, the sounds are virtually impossible to decipher, but the ninth-grade students are starting to figure it out. In their classroom at Alexis I. du Pont High School in Greenville, they’re holding small cards with the picture of a person at work and two lines of text, one a series of Chinese characters and the other a phonetic pronunciation in English.
Language instruction options growing in Delaware schools
New options in world language programs throughout Delaware’s public school system are providing students with fresh opportunities to broaden their horizons. At Caesar Rodney High School in Camden, Latin isn’t dead yet, and the traditional offerings of Spanish, French and German are supplemented by Italian, Chinese and the state’s only classes in Arabic.
Arts Playlist: Expanding education outreach is latest move in Opera Delaware revamp
Opera Delaware has appointed a new Director of Education. Kimberly Doucette says one of her first initiatives will be growing Opera Delaware’s popular neighborhood children’s choir program.
National News
Education Week
State leaders confront full plate of K-12 issues
After a strong showing by Republicans in state-level elections last month, lawmakers and governors—new and re-elected—are turning their attention to the 2015 legislative sessions, where such issues as common standards, testing, and school choice are likely to dominate the education policy debate.
K-12, housing partner to aid homeless students
A partnership between a Tacoma, Wash., elementary school and the local housing authority shows promise for driving down high rates of student mobility.
Technology to bring an assessment ‘renaissance,’ Pearson report contends
The combination of new digital technologies and a growing sense that current models of schooling no longer work portend big changes in educational assessment, according to a new paper from educational corporation Pearson.
The Daily Beast
Forget the kids who can’t get in; what about those who don’t even apply?
The College Board, which administers the SAT, reports that 96 percent of low-income minority students who score higher than 1200 on the SATs don’t apply to highly selective schools. In stark contrast, about the same percentage of middle class and wealthy students with a 1200 or more do apply to selective schools. There’s a prominent perception that selective colleges aren’t socioeconomically diverse because there just aren’t enough qualified applicants out there. That perception is false and often reflects not just ignorance but also elitism and racism.
Los Angeles Times
Can collaboration between schools, unions fix failing campuses?
Initiatives to foster alliances are being supported by the American Federation of Teachers and the U.S. Department of Education, which has called labor-management collaboration “the most promising path to transforming American education.”