March 1, 2013

Local News

Delaware Department of Education
Delaware receives national award for innovative education policy
The Governor’s plan for strengthening Delaware schools laid the foundation for Delaware’s 2010 first-place win in the federal Race to the Top (RTTT) and 2011 win in the federal Early Learning Challenge grant competitions.  “With this award, the Commission is recognizing the hard work of Delaware’s educators,” Governor Markell said. “Our teachers and school and district leaders deserve this national spotlight. As those working closest to our children, they are the ones making policy changes real for our students. They are the ones driving our students’ success.”

The News Journal
Appoquinimink, Colonial voters reject tax hikes
Requests by Appoquinimink and Colonial school districts to raise property taxes to pay for operational costs were rejected Thursday by voters.  The Colonial referendum was defeated with only about a quarter of voters agreeing to a tax increase. The Appoquinimink votes had a closer margin, but more than half of voters said no to higher taxes.  Colonial Superintendent Dorothy Linn said that the district would need to reevaluate the district’s situation.

The Sussex Countian
Sussex Tech preparing to launch Widener partnership
Sussex Technical High School and Widener will begin partnership next school year that will allow students to take college-level courses prior to graduation.  Administrators, teachers and students at Sussex Technical High School near Georgetown are preparing for the launch of a new partnership between the school and Widener University that will allow students to take college-level courses prior to graduation.

National News

The Los Angeles Times
Voters weren’t told about plan to redistribute education money
A revenue redistribution scheme probably was not what Californians had in mind when they passed Gov. Jerry Brown’s tax increase to salvage public schools. But as it turns out, the tax hike, Prop. 30, was essential to help pay for the governor’s plan to redistribute state education money — sending more to mostly inner-city schools at the expense of suburban districts.  Brown’s proposal wouldn’t work without Prop. 30. But voters weren’t told about that during the election campaign.

L.A. mayoral candidates back schools chief Deasy
The five leading candidates for mayor said Wednesday that they favored keeping Los Angeles schools Supt. John Deasy on the job overseeing the nation’s second-largest school system.  Deasy’s policies — and his job security — have become a major undercurrent in the contests for three seats on the L.A. Unified Board of Education. A coalition of wealthy donors and civil leaders including L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa have backed school board candidates who strongly support Deasy.

Chronicle of Higher Education
College board plans an ‘improved’ SAT
The College Board’s new president has hinted that change is coming to the SAT. While offering few details, David Coleman said the group would better connect elementary and secondary schools with colleges and universities by developing “a more innovative assessment that sharply focuses on a core set of knowledge and skills that are essential for readiness, access, and success.”

The New York Times
New state academic standards are said to require $56 million outlay for city’s schools
It will cost about $56 million to buy new textbooks and other materials to help New York City public school students meet rigorous academic standards adopted by most states, city officials announced at a news conference on Thursday. The costs are not unexpected, because the state signed on for the so-called Common Core standards in 2010. But they drew a round of scrutiny at a time of austere budgeting, particularly as the city is facing a possible decline in state and federal aid.

The learning virtues
An op-ed by David Brooks
Jin Li grew up in China during the Cultural Revolution. When the madness was over, the Chinese awoke to discover that far from overleaping the West, they were “economically destitute and culturally barren.” This inspired an arduous catch-up campaign. Students were recruited to learn what the West had to offer.  This contrast between the Chinese super student and the American slacker could be described with the usual tired stereotypes. The Chinese are robots who unimaginatively memorize facts to score well on tests. The Americans are spoiled brats who love TV but don’t know how to work. But Li wasn’t satisfied with those clichés. She has spent her career, first at Harvard and now at Brown, trying to understand how Asians and Westerners think about learning.

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