February 12, 2016

Delaware

Coastal Point
Millsboro Middle School student picked as a top youth volunteer
Millsboro Middle School student Will Kenney, 13, of Delmar and Micah Freer, 18, of Wilmington were recently named Delaware’s top two youth volunteers of 2016 by the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, a nationwide program honoring young people for outstanding acts of volunteerism.

Education Week
Where are teachers getting their Common-Core instructional materials?
A new study found that teachers are mainly relying on homegrown instructional materials, created either by themselves or their district colleagues, to meet the Common Core State Standards. The study, conducted by the Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University, overall confirmed that the Common Core State Standards really are changing classroom instruction. According to the Harvard study, most teachers surveyed in the five states—Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Mexico, and Nevada—have changed out their materials since the common core went into place.

The News Journal
Delaware Pathways continues to prosper
Opinion by Dr. Mark T. Brainard, president of Delaware Technical Community College, and Paul A. Herdman, president and CEO of the Rodel Foundation of Delaware
We are just two of the many partners in Delaware’s higher education and philanthropic communities working to give students a clearer pathway to their future. Throughout the state, a multitude of schools, businesses, and community partners are working together on an ambitious career pathways initiative for our students and our workforce. The goal is simple: to build more comprehensive and meaningful career and college experiences for our young people, and to bolster the local economy, particularly in our high-demand fields.

School threats cost educational time, taxpayer money
More than two dozen Delaware schools have received threatening calls in the past month, requiring lockdowns and evacuations in what is quickly developing into a trend of hoaxes being made across the country — with no end in sight. Law enforcement agencies around the country have banded together to fight back against these attacks. The Delaware congressional delegation in late January also wrote a letter to FBI Director James Comey asking that the agency becomes involved with investigations.

Rodel Blog
Delaware’s progress on improving testing
Blog post by Liz Hoyt, Program Officer at Rodel Foundation of Delaware
Recently, the Center for American Progress published a report called “ESEA Reauthorization: Implementing the Every Student Succeeds Act Toward a Coherent, Aligned Assessment System.” The big idea: The report highlights how ESSA maintains basic testing requirements, but has created an opportunity for states to be flexible in developing stronger testing systems without the pressure of NCLB’s exclusive focus on summative assessments. In short, ESSA is an opportunity to refine testing systems and pursue pilots for innovative assessments.

Rodel Teacher Council announces second annual Personalized Learning Workshop
Press release
Hundreds of Delaware educators will take part in an interactive workshop later this month when the Rodel Teacher Council hosts its second annual Personalized Learning Workshop at St. Georges Technical High School in Middletown. With a focus on “Connecting Innovative Educators,” the workshop will feature lessons, strategies and personalized learning tools utilized by Rodel Teacher Council members in elementary, middle, and high school classrooms throughout the state, as well as early childhood, CTE and special education.

Smyna-Clayton Sun Times
Smyrna school officials say current system is right blend of consolidating expenses and local control
While some legislators and policy groups argue that consolidating school districts would save money, Smyrna School District officials say the state already benefits from consolidation of some resources while individual school districts retain the benefits of local control.

Sussex County Post
Cash over administrative positions is Indian River district’s position
Indian River School District has chosen purchasing power for necessities over administrative positions for which it has qualified for state funding. With the district’s growing enrollment at 10,171 as of the Sept. 30 student count, Indian River qualified for funding for two assistant superintendents and five supervisor positions. Instead, the district plans to swap those two unfilled positions – assistant superintendent, $67,499; and supervisor, $54,079 – for money totaling $121,578.

National

The 74
And then there were nine: What we know about every candidate’s education agenda
Since our New Hampshire Education Summit, The 74 has been there every step of the way, hoping for serious discussions of the policies affecting American students. Alas, all we’ve heard are sound bites and taglines — and more than a few dishonest one-liners. Here’s everything we know about the top education issues driving the remaining candidates.

Education Dive
What should districts keep in mind when weighing new federal testing guidelines?
In a video released last week by the U.S. Department of Education, acting Secretary of Education Dr. John B. King Jr. discussed ways states can get rid of poor quality, redundant, and “unhelpful” testing. The YouTube clip, announced via press release, came alongside a written letter setting guidelines for states to implement President Barack Obama’s Testing Action Plan.

Education Week
Group aims to boost advocacy skills for parents of students with disabilities
A Pennsylvania town roiled by a controversy that led to the resignation of its superintendent three years ago has found an unusual path back to trust between the community and its school district: a volunteer effort that so far has helped support dozens of parents of students who have disabilities.

LA School Report
Exclusive: It’s ‘all hands on deck’ as LAUSD says nearly 1 in 2 seniors not on track to graduate
Only roughly one in two LAUSD high school seniors is currently on track to graduate, and the district is scrambling to get extra assistance to an estimated 15,000 students in danger of being left behind this June.

Wichita Eagle
Kansas Supreme Court: School funding inequitable
The Kansas Supreme Court ruled that the Legislature has inequitably funded schools in the state but gave the Legislature until June 30 to work out a plan that meets constitutional requirements.