January 14, 2016
Delaware
Delaware 105.9
U.S. Acting Education Secretary John King Announced “Opportunity across America Tour”
As part of his first month in office, Acting U.S. Secretary of Education John King is launching an “Opportunity Across America” tour to meet with students, teachers, principals, parents and community leaders in four states and Washington, D.C. The tour will start in El Paso, Texas today (Thursday) and will end in Wilmington, Delaware on Friday, January 22. King will use the tour to highlight good work going on in schools and communities across the country and to hear stories, experiences and insights about what’s working and where there is more work to be done.
Department of Education
Indian River, Caesar Rodney students selected for U.S. Senate Youth Program
Press Release
Senators Thomas R. Carper and Christopher A. Coons today announced the names of the two students who have been selected as delegates to the 54th annual United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP) that will be held March 5 – 12, 2016 in Washington, D.C. Charles Megginson IV of Millsboro and Laura Wagner of Dover were chosen from across the state to be part of the group of 104 student delegates who will attend the program’s 54th annual Washington Week.
Delaware Public Media
Christina School District to try another referendum
For the third time in just over a year, the Christina School District will ask residents to approve a tax hike to help hire back teachers and pay school bills. The district made major budget cuts last year after residents voted down two tax referendums in a row — one that would have added 67 cents of tax per $100 of assessed property value, and another to add 37 cents. The latest plan is for a 30-cent increase, which spokeswoman Wendy Lapham says would net them $16.2 million.
Newark Post
Christina sets date, rate for tax referendum
Christina School District residents will go to the polls to vote on a tax increase again on March 23, less than a year after two failed tax referendums forced the district to cut more than $9 million from its budget. The district is asking voters to authorize a 30-cent increase per $100 of assessed property value. With the average assessed property value in the district at $64,000, that amounts to an additional $192 a year or 53 cents a day for the average homeowner.
NewsWorks
Delaware sixth-grader first lady’s guest for State of the Union address
Twelve-year-old Braeden Mannering of Bear received the invitation of a lifetime when the first lady asked him to attend President Barack Obama’s State of the Union speech. Braeden was the youngest of 23 individuals who were honored to sit with first lady, Michelle Obama, second lady, Jill Biden and senior advisor Valerie Jarrett, during the president’s speech Tuesday night. The White House said it invited individuals who demonstrate inclusiveness, compassion, innovation and courage. Braeden’s non-profit 3B/Brae’s Brown Bags provides healthy food to homeless and low-income individuals in his community.
The Middletown Transcript
Board of Education tackles concerns over head lice
Head lice were passed around at Tuesday night’s Appoquinimink school board meeting – not real head lice of course, but a stuffed toy of a head louse. The stuffed toy was brought to the school board meeting by Loretta Newsom, the nurse at Alfred G. Waters Middle School, who handed it first to board members before making the rounds among those in the audience, causing apprehensive laughter along the way. Newsom was accompanied by other nurses from various schools to present the board with how they handle head lice or potential head lice cases.
The News Journal
Proposed rules for school suspensions criticized
Civil rights groups and advocates for students with disabilities are protesting a proposal from the state Department of Education that they say would make it too easy for schools to suspend and expel kids. At issue are new regulations that set the rules for what school administrators need to do to suspend or expel students for placement in an alternative school. Education department spokeswoman Alison May said officials are reviewing comments submitted about the proposal.
New federal education law supports Delaware’s vision for student success
Opinion by Ernie Dianastasis, Managing Director of CAI; Leadership Team member; Vision Coalition and Susan Bunting, Superintendent of the Indian River School District; Leadership Team member; Vision Coalition
With the New Year comes a new chance for Delaware to reflect on the future of education. In the midst of significant local and national debate, last month the U.S. Congress and President Obama came to agreement on passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). We are optimistic about the authority and flexibility granted to the states—particularly Delaware’s ability to move forward on its shared plan, Student Success 2025. ESSA reauthorizes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and replaces No Child Left Behind (NCLB) which has been in place as the primary federal law informing the country’s K-12 education system for nearly 15 years.
Town Square Delaware
UNCF President: Education Investment More Important Than Ever
The head of the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) is visiting Wilmington and will speak tonight at a special community discussion series at the Christina Cultural Arts Center. Dr. Michael L. Lomax, president and CEO of UNCF will address equity in education, the enormous educational and environmental challenges of children in communities across America, and the changes UNCF is instituting to boost student readiness in this competitive, technology-driven global economy. Town Square Delaware caught up with Dr. Lomax on the eve of his visit to Wilmington.
WDEL 101.7
Standardized test opt-out fight expected with veto override in General Assembly
Delaware lawmakers are poised to challenge Governor Markell’s veto of a bill allowing Delaware students to opt out of standardized tests. The legislation–which would allow students to opt out of tests without repercussions–is aimed in particular at the Smarter Balanced Assessment, which is tied to Common Core standards championed by Markell. Representative John Kowalko (D/Newark) was expected to seek an override vote, following a rally by supporters of the legislation on Thursday. Bipartisan lawmakers, along with some parents and educators, have said too much time and focus is placed on the Smarter Balanced test, and testing in general.
National
Providence Journal
R.I. education officials respond to federal threat on PARCC testing
The state Department of Education has responded to a warning from the U.S. Department of Education that the state could face sanctions for failing to have 95 percent of all its students take a standardized test.In its letter to the state, the DOE wrote that at least 34 school districts failed to test 95 percent of their students in math and English on the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC). The test results, which were released in November, showed that approximately 90 percent took the English tests and 91 percent took the math tests.
Denver Business Journal
Colorado to open 1st P-TECH schools focused on skilled careers
Two new schools will be ground zero for a first-of-its kind program in Colorado where high schoolers can attend class for six years (rather than four) to earn an associate degree in a STEM-related field. STEM refers to science, technology, engineering and math. The schools will be located in the Longmont-based St. Vrain Valley School District and El Paso County School District 49, near Colorado Springs. They will open in fall 2016 and serve about 200 students the first year.
The Hechinger Report
Does Obama’s State of the Union call for STEM ed represent our best hope for solving U.S. inequity?
In his final State of the Union address this week, President Obama called for every student to gain the opportunity for “the hands-on computer science and math class classes that make them job-ready on day one. “It’s in our national interest to ensure this gap in our education system is addressed and over the past month, the Obama administration has been quietly convening education and industry leaders to make recommendations and significant new commitments to computer science education in 2016.
Forbes
Distancing the T-Rex: A call for competency-based education during a post-recession economy
Compared to current models of education, competency-based education makes it easier for adult learners to leverage their experiences to learn new skills that will give them access to new opportunities. Consider, for example, a woman who worked in computer networking during her service in the army. Although she had tremendous skills in computer networking, she didn’t have any formal degrees or credentials. Following her army service, she enrolled in a competency-based education program. She was able to avoid years of unnecessary classroom time, and after completing a certificate in Network Engineering, she secured a position in the field.
Los Angeles Times
How one student asked the state to tackle a looming education question
The roomful of grownups closed their eyes because a teenager told them to. “Imagine if you are 16 years old. It’s only Tuesday, and all you have left is $10,” Sky Lowe, a junior at Oakland High School, said to the California State Board of Education on Wednesday. “You sit there and you ponder: … Will it be bus money to get to school, or will it be laundry detergent for clean clothes? You can open your eyes now.” It’s a decision he was forced to make after his mother lost her job.