June 17, 2016

Delaware

Cape Gazette
Rehoboth Elementary School educator wins teacher appreciation contest
During May, Johnson Orthodontics of Rehoboth Beach hosted a teacher appreciation contest to thank local educators for their dedication to the children in the community. Patients were asked to nominate their favorite teacher and submit essays, poems or stories that described what made their teacher special. A total of 31 patients submitted entries, and five of those students nominated Rehoboth Elementary School teacher Missy Dawson.

Department of Education
Delaware STEM’s charter revoked
Press Release
Delaware STEM Academy will not open this fall after its charter was revoked today. Students who had planned to attend the school will be able to enroll elsewhere. Earlier this month, the Delaware Department of Education’s Charter School Accountability Committee (CSAC) recommended the revocation of charter unless the school’s board could provide sufficient information to address the committee’s concerns about its financial viability and programming.

Rodel Blog
Busting the Ed Tech Myths with Tara Saladyga
Blog post by Tara Saladyga, science teacher at Delcastle Technical High School and Rodel Teacher Council member
Tara Saladyga is an early adopter and expert in Schoology, the state’s digital Learning Management System. She coordinates Schoology professional development for teachers in her district and beyond. Still, she hears the doubters when it comes to incorporating technology in the classroom. Below, she busts five pervasive ed tech myths.

The News Journal
WEIC-related bill ready to move ahead, Dems say
A stalled bill that was meant to accelerate a vote on Wilmington school redistricting is likely to advance next week, House Democrats announced. Two Democratic lawmakers who withheld votes to stall the bill said they’re now willing to let the entire House vote on it. At stake is not the redistricting plan itself, nor a second bill to fund it with $15 million annually, but a piece of legislation that reassures lawmakers that voting for redistricting does not automatically grant new taxing authority to school boards.

National

Chalkbeat
City announces $3.5 million for high schools to help boost college enrollment
New York City is continuing its push for increased college enrollment with an initiative announced Thursday that includes around $3.5 million in direct funding for 100 high schools to implement college planning programs. The 100 schools, chosen because of their low college enrollment rates, are the first to participate in the program. By the 2018-19 school year, the city hopes to have every student graduate with an individualized college and career plan.

Cleveland.com
Poor-performing charter schools aren’t finding second chances after Ohio’s charter reform
Ohio’s new charter school reform laws seem to be having at least one desired effect – blocking poor-performing schools from finding new backers to keep them afloat. The Ohio Department of Education reports that 11 charter schools lost the support this year of their sponsors, the organizations that authorize the schools and oversee them.

Education Week
Teacher Tech Leaders: Rafranz Davis
As a technologically savvy educator of color based in rural eastern Texas, Rafranz Davis has devoted herself to bridging all manner of digital divides. Davis got her start back in 2005, as a middle school math teacher in the Ennis Independent school district, some 35 miles south of Dallas. Already alert to the possibilities of technology in the classroom, she quickly discovered that having her English-language learners use her interactive whiteboard to produce videos of their work helped deepen their understanding of math concepts and improve their grasp of key terminology.

Los Angeles Times
L.A. Unified’s school board wants to use state funds for special education students
Los Angeles school officials vowed Tuesday to fight to be able to spend the money they get from the state for special education programs. The response follows a California Department of Education decision in May that required the district to redirect hundreds of millions of dollars for students with disabilities to other high-needs groups, including English language learners, poor students and foster children.

The Columbian
Education law draws crowd to public forum
About 80 educators and community members attended a public forum Thursday night to learn more about the implementation of the new federal education law that replaces No Child Left Behind. The forum was hosted by representatives from the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction at Educational Service District 112.