July 17, 2014

Local News

WDEL
Summer program helps young people ‘map’ their lives to success
More than 300 young people are learning essential life skills this summer that will prepare them for future success. Jim Coyne of the United Way of Delaware says the agency is partnering with the city of Wilmington in the “Life Map Experience.”

National News

Education Week
Fewer states hit mark under new spec. ed. framework
Fewer states are fully meeting federal requirements for serving students with disabilities now that the U.S. Department of Education is focusing less on state compliance with voluminous special education rules and more on how well those students are being taught.

Microsoft puts data privacy on its branding agenda
As some of its competitors have been battered over their policies for protecting student data, Microsoft Corp. has sought to make sure that the issue—and what it regards as its strong record on privacy—remain firmly in the public eye. But as the company moves aggressively to position itself as a protector of student-data privacy, some say it also runs the risk of a backlash if it doesn’t back up its talk with the kind of vigilance the technology giant promises to deliver.

Some Race to the Top states tinker with teacher evaluations
New Jersey recently became the sixth state with a Race to the Top grant (albeit a smaller, “bridesmaid”-sized grant) to alter or put the brakes on new teacher evaluations, a major policy shift required of the competition’s winners.

Chronicle of Higher Education
Moody’s issues negative outlook for higher education
On the heels of a similarly downcast assessment by Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s Investors Service issued a negative outlook for the higher education sector in the United States.

Washington Post
Early education should be integral part of elementary schools, foundation says
Preschool programs should be integral parts of elementary schools with comparable funding levels and school hours; child-care professionals should be trained as teachers, not babysitters; and state data systems should include information about early education, according to a report.

Oregon Public Broadcasting
Oregon educators prioritize bilingual education
As demand increases for dual-language immersion programs, finding qualified bilingual educators may be a challenge. In Oregon, where growth of language immersion programs is anticipated, some districts are seeking bilingual candidates who are still in college as part of a strategy to address a shortage of language instructors.