July 18, 2016
Delaware News
Delaware Public Media
What’s next for Wilmington Education Improvement Commission
Following six months of uncertainty capped by votes resulting in unfulfilled expectations, the fate of the Wilmington Education Improvement Commission’s plan to strengthen schools in the city and to provide additional funding statewide for children living in poverty and needing additional educational services remains as murky as ever.
Delaware State News
Delaware cyber challenge tests skills of computer ‘whiz kids’
The seventh Delaware-hosted U.S. Cyber Challenge drew 50 participants to Delaware State University last week ranging in age from 16 to 50 –– all looking to improve their skills in cyber security.The week-long conference concluded Friday with a competition where participants could apply the skills they learned throughout the week and the information with which they already came equipped.
The News Journal
STEM for all ages during the summer
A very short fence kept two dozen giant-sized jacks – the star-shaped game pieces – corralled in a technology classroom last week at Brandywine High School. The over-sized jacks are part of a robotics’ game, and students in the Brandywine School District are building the robots that will be competing.
The Rodel Foundation
USA Fund grant could ease remediation burden for students
Blog post by Jenna Bucsak, senior program officer at the Rodel Foundation
Every August, college freshmen arrive on campus feeling nervous about finding their way in a sea of strangers. Add on the stress of financing a degree, and the first semester of college is no walk in the park. Imagine being told amidst this transition, that you are required to take a remedial course. The course costs money, and doesn’t count toward your degree.
National News
Chalkbeat
‘They don’t realize how special they are’: How one guidance counselor defines college readiness
James Giordano, a college counselor at a high school in the Bronx, has a secret for making all of his students college-ready: He creates a personalized definition for each of them. Instead of relying on the city and state definitions, Giordano pores over data sets of students’ standardized test scores and grades, creating large, colored spreadsheets that show patterns of success.
Education Week
Compare the candidates: Where do Clinton and Trump stand on education?
The presumptive Democratic and Republican nominees for president—Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump—have yet to release comprehensive K-12 policy plans. To give a sense of where they stand, Education Week reviewed their statements, proposals, and positions on a dozen education policy issues, from school choice to school safety.
Schools prepare to confront questions on race
As the nation responds to the aftermath of another spate of high-profile police-related shootings, educators are wading, once again, into thorny issues of police violence, bias, and America’s still unfinished struggle with race. Educators from superintendents to classroom teachers—despite most schools still being in summer recess—are preparing to discuss the tragic deaths and bigger issues of race and policing as students start to return to school over the next few weeks.
The Journal
Arizona Board of Ed to pilot English language learning software
The Arizona Department of Education (ADE), in cooperation with the Arizona State Board of Education, has launched a two-year pilot program of a technology-based language development and literacy intervention program for English language learners (ELLs) in kindergarten through grade 6.
The Washington Post
D.C. students choose to enroll in summer school to stay on track
Summer school is no longer just for students who are required to enroll in remedial education. National and local advocates say the hot months — which for many conjure images of beaches, pools and lazy days — exacerbate the achievement gap and lead to significant “summer brain drain,” with students losing academic skills while away from school.