May 1, 2014

Local News

The News Journal
Schools honored for getting parents involved
Postlethwait and Dover High School have won the state’s Excellence in Parental Involvement Award this year, Lt. Gov. Matt Denn announced Wednesday. Created in 2010, the award aims to shine a spotlight on schools that find ways to engage parents.

Waterloo Courier
Delaware trip will provide close-up look at technical high schools for Waterloo school board, others
A group of Waterloo Schools officials and community members are traveling to the Wilmington, Del., area this week for a close-up look at ways to transform the district’s technical education programs. The delegation, which includes the majority of the Board of Education, will visit the New Castle County Vocational Technical School District. High schools in the district are among about 20 in eight states that were visited by members of Waterloo Community Schools’ 21st Century High School Task Force.

National News

Associated Press
Louisiana bill would delay state’s shifts to tests
The consequences of Louisiana’s shift to Common Core education standards would be stalled for three years if lawmakers agree to a bill that started advancing Tuesday in the Legislature.

Florida Legislature oks 1-year pause on school grades
Florida’s school grading system would be paused for a year under a bill headed to the desk of Gov. Rick Scott. The move is being made as the state transitions to a new test replacing the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test.

Governing
Common Core: The day after
Like a dog that finally catches the bus he’d been chasing forever, what happens when opponents of the Common Core State Standards finally succeed in getting a state’s policymakers to “repeal” the education initiative? Early signs from Indiana and elsewhere suggest that the opponents’ stated goals are likely to get run over.

What will happen to Washington state as it returns to NCLB?
Most school districts in Washington State will likely have less control over how they spend money during the next academic year, and those that were already under sanction for failing to make progress under the federal No Child Left Behind law will face more severe consequences.

Reuters
California superintendent race shows Democrats split on school reform
The race to be California’s superintendent of education is shaping up to be an expensive contest between fellow Democrats – one backed by the party establishment and teachers unions, and the other calling for school reform. Former charter school executive Marshall Tuck said on Friday he planned to unleash campaign ads and social media outreach next week to unseat incumbent state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson, a former lawmaker and teacher who has the backing of unions and the state party organization.

Burlington Free Press
Vermont moves closer to reducing number of districts
The Vermont House gave preliminary approval to a bill to reduce the number of local school districts in the state from more than 270 to around 50.