December 5, 2016
Delaware News
Department of Education
Scholarships and grants available for Delaware students
Applications for several Delaware scholarships, grants and professional incentive loans are now open for those pursuing postsecondary education during the 2017-2018 school year. Delaware residents interested in applying for these opportunities should visit http://delawaregoestocollege.org/. Each year, the Delaware Department of Education awards millions in college scholarships, grants and aid to students across the state.
Delaware State News
Jobs, school improvement among issues awaiting Carney
Democratic Delaware Gov.-elect John Carney says job creation, school improvement and a balanced budget will be among his top priorities when he takes office in January. Carney discussed these and other issues in a recent interview with The Associated Press. Carney says giving pay raises to Delaware lawmakers and high-ranking government officials could be a tough sell in the current environment.
The News Journal
3 unique Delaware classes
Everyone knows that few schools are just reading, writing and arithmetic any more. But several Delaware high schools have unique programs that aren’t available anywhere else in the state. Here are a few examples of such one-of-a-kind career pathways – plus an unusual club with multiple benefits.
WDEL
Odessa National Golf Club owes $500K+ in school taxes to Appoquinimink as district seeks referendum
More than $50 million is owed in back taxes to New Castle County’s six school districts–money that could be used to help fund what many are calling an under-funded and broken education system. Appoquinimink is owed more than $3 million, according to county figures from Sept. 30, 2016, which was the latest data available, provided in a Freedom of Information request.
National News
Education Week
As information landscape changes, school librarians take on new roles
The school librarians entered the civics classroom with authority, calling the students by name, cracking jokes, and quickly pulling up their presentation. The students, mostly seniors at New Canaan High School here, got out their laptops and connected to the presentation with Nearpod, an interactive-lesson platform. The focus of the day’s class was learning to tell the difference between news reporting and opinion online, with coverage of NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s controversial protests during the national anthem serving as the hook.
NPR
Does your state provide good data on your schools? Probably not
So you’re trying to find some information about the schools in your community. Did students perform well on tests? How many students in a school are from low-income families? What’s the demographic breakdown? Most folks would start to look for this by searching the web. But, depending on the state you live in, finding that information can be a real challenge. That’s according to a new report from the Data Quality Campaign.
Sentinel & Enterprise
Board of Ed floats change in educator evaluations
Education officials on Tuesday began seeking feedback on a proposal to change the way teachers are evaluated in Massachusetts and eliminate a controversial separate rating tied to student test scores. The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education released for public comment proposed regulatory amendments encompassing changes that Education Commissioner Mitchell Chester said he was “anxious to move ahead” on.
The Atlantic
Why Las Vegas is recruiting uncertified teachers
Last year, before Anthony Boccia joined the teaching staff at Valley High School, his students spent hours in a windowless room in the company of John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. Overseen by a long-term substitute teacher, the group of eight children, who are mostly non-verbal and physically and intellectually disabled, watched Grease and a drawer-full of other well-worn VHS tapes, often from the first bell to the last. Boccia, however, runs things differently.
The News & Observer
NC allows 19 struggling schools to operate more like charters
The State Board of Education voted Thursday to allow 19 low-performing traditional public schools, including 10 in Wake County, to operate more like charter schools in an effort to boost their student achievement. The 19 schools will receive the same flexibility that charter schools now get to set their school calendars and to spend state money.