July 22, 2014
Local News
The News Journal
For test scores, status quo isn’t enough
An editorial
In fact a “little overall change from the year before” requires state education officials to take a frank assessment — not just of its students in the state’s 19 school districts. Based on the overall results, the pursuit of Delaware students getting a world-class education appears in jeopardy for too many.
Mediator sides with Laurel teachers union
Teachers have been working under a contract that expired in 2010. The union and district negotiated unsuccessfully for months over a new agreement, including three sessions with outside mediators. That led the two sides to present their final offers to the relations board, which would choose one proposal that would become the district’s new contract. The board selected the union’s offer.
Early education group gets Kellogg Foundation grant
The Delaware Association for the Education of Young Children has received a 32-month, $675,000 grant to help workers find quality childcare for their kids. The grant, from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, will pay for childhood care and education consultants to help parents at two work sites find good child care, and a project coordinator to work with the employers and consultants.
Local volunteers bring home Jefferson Award
The Charter School of Wilmington, Emma Rider of Georgetown and Monica Prestowitz of Wilmington were honored last week at the national Jefferson Awards ceremony. CSW was awarded the 2014 National Silver Students in Action award for a host of volunteer efforts and community projects, which racked up more than 37,000 service hours and some $900,000.
Mount Pleasant’s student authors again recognized
Christine Weis’ third-grade class at Mount Pleasant Elementary School placed in the top 25 of the national Scholastic Kids are Authors writing competition for the second year in a row.
Don’t corrode teacher evaluation process
A letter to the editor by Donato Rufo, Wilmington
Walk-throughs were to be used as both a tool for the collection of various classroom data points, and as a discussion/development catalyst for conversation/growth. By using walk-throughs as an evaluative tool, you corrode the usefulness of the technique and lessen it as the legitimate tool it was created and fostered to be.
School libraries should not be optional
A letter to the editor by Jennifer Delgado, Delaware Association of School Librarians
School library programs run by certified school librarians play a vital role in preparing students for life beyond the classroom, ensuring that today’s students are tomorrow’s information-literate citizens and employees.
National News
Arizona Central
Brewer: state will appeal judge’s ruling on funds owed to public schools
Arizona schools will likely not see the $1.6 billion a court ruled the state owes them anytime soon. Gov. Jan Brewer said Thursday that the state will appeal a court ruling requiring Arizona to increase funding for Arizona’s K-12 system.
Tampa Bay Times
Florida lawmakers quietly changed third-grade retention law
As the Florida Education Association noted in its latest lawsuit, SB 850 did more than expand the state’s school voucher system. It also changed the rules for Florida’s controversial and oft-copied third-grade retention rules, first promulgated by Jeb Bush.
Wisconsin State Journal
Scott Walker calls on Legislature to repeal Common Core in January
Gov. Scott Walker urged legislators Thursday to pass a bill in January repealing adoption of the Common Core State Standards and to replace them with “standards set by people in Wisconsin,” further muddying the future of Common Core in Wisconsin.
The Advocate (Louisiana)
La. Common Core debate rancorous
The political brawl over Common Core has mushroomed into the biggest education fight in Louisiana in decades, veteran education officials said. Not only is the state’s top school board fighting with Gov. Bobby Jindal, but panel members are publicly battling with one another, and Jindal has stopped just short of accusing his hand-picked state Superintendent of Education John White of breaking the law.
Washington Times
Arizona struggles with few established teachers
Arizona has been grappling with a shortage of established teachers in public schools across the state, according to education officials. Large numbers of new teachers and teachers getting ready to retire have left a gap of experienced classroom instructors.
Education Week
U.S. gets low scores for innovation in education
U.S. schools and classrooms rank near the bottom among the countries studied in a first-ever report on education innovation by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Only the Czech Republic and Austria ranked lower, with New Zealand tying the United States.