February 10, 2015

Delaware News

WHYY
In Delaware, looking for language teachers who ‘don’t really exist’
By 2020, nearly one tenth of Delaware’s public school students are expected to be in language immersion programs. That means about 10,000 students will spend half their day, every day learning in a foreign language. It’s one of the nation’s most ambitious immersion expansion plans. But to pull it off, the state needs dozens of specially qualified teachers.

The Philadelphia Inquirer
Universities must adapt to meet student needs
Commentary by Patrick T. Harker, president of the University of Delaware
Lots of interesting experiments are underway at UD and elsewhere, with problem-based learning, computer-based pedagogy, and restructured semester schedules, but it isn’t enough.

The News Journal
NAACP, state lawmakers: UD is lacking diversity
Delaware’s flagship university is facing new questions about a lack of diversity on campus, with students, state lawmakers and civil rights leaders calling on the University of Delaware to do more to recruit and retain black students.

Cape Gazette
Public deserves voice in future of tech schools
Editorial
Before Sussex residents are asked to foot the bill for more and more students who choose to attend Sussex Tech, it’s time for a full discussion about who applies to the school, who is admitted and whether the school is serving the needs of the students it was intended to serve.

National News

Education Week
Online videos aim to help parents make sense of Common Core
GreatSchools, a national nonprofit that assists parents find schools and educational resources, launched a series of online videos this week to help demystify the Common Core State Standards.

Consultants steer parents through maze of school choice
Education consultants, once used primarily by families to help them select and get into elite private schools, are now being hired by parents in New York City, Denver, and Washington to help them navigate a plethora of public school options.

Idaho schools face potential tech crisis over broadband issue
State officials are scrambling to make sure their broadband network provides uninterrupted service to districts following a protracted legal battle over a technology contract that has left the network’s future in limbo.

Athens Banner-Herald
Ga. gets $9.5 million to help schools address mental health
The Georgia Department of Education says it’s launching a new initiative called Georgia Project AWARE, which stands for Advancing Wellness and Resilience in Education.

The Texas Tribune
Lawmakers propose Pre-K incentive payment system
The bill provides additional state funding for districts that agree to adopt a number of policies — including regular teacher training, limits on class size and certain curriculum standards — in their pre-kindergarten programs.

The Denver Post
Colorado considering lowering the bar for high school graduation
Colorado officials are contemplating significant changes to expectations students must meet to earn a high school diploma, including lowering the bar in some cases and eliminating science and social studies requirements, leaving only English and math.