May 26, 2017
Delaware News
Delaware Public Media
Delaware school district consolidation, referendum changes headed to Dover
The state representative pushing a bill to allow local school boards to raise taxes without a referendum says it’s part of his plan to ensure education is properly funded into the future. The proposal from Rep. Earl Jaques (D-Glasgow) has been talked about for years – usually in a quiet corner of Leg Hall to avoid being overheard. The draft bill would allow districts to raise taxes up to three percent, or based on inflation every two years without going to the ballot box.
Town Square Delaware
Does Delaware really need so many school districts?
Commentary by Ron Russo, founding president of the Charter School of Wilmington and senior fellow with the Caesar Rodney Institute
When confronted with the suggestion of reducing the number of Delaware’s school districts to lower the state’s budget deficit of $400 million, Governor Carney and many legislators respond that there really is no cost saving in the reduction primarily due to the need to “level up” the various teacher salary scales. Delaware has 19 school districts, while New York City and Los Angeles have one each.
Coastal Point
Spanish Immersion safe for now
Some local elementary school parents rejoiced this week to learn that the Indian River School District isn’t canceling Spanish Immersion classes. The school board made no movement May 22 to change the program and then approved 117 applicants’ acceptance into the 2017-2018 Spanish Immersion kindergarten class. (They do not expect all of those children to accept the offer, which is why such a large number was accepted for four classes.) As the district anticipates budget cuts from the State, Spanish Immersion took its turn under the hot glare of consideration for potential cuts.
SMS reading teacher gives it her all
Meredith Wallace would rather do headstands in front of a classroom than give a newspaper interview. Then again, she would do anything for her students. That attitude helped make her Selbyville Middle School’s Teacher of the Year for 2017-2018. Wallace teaches seventh-grade English language arts. “I try to have fun. … I think that I’m silly. You have to be able to laugh at yourself for them to be able to laugh at themselves,” Wallace said. “Because when you struggle, that’s when you learn, so you have to show it’s OK to make mistakes and learning is fun.”
UDaily
Inspiring love of reading
Children’s Book Week, held in the first week of May, was established to reinforce a joy of reading in children. Now in its 98th year, this annual celebration encourages children and families from all 50 states to attend read aloud events at libraries, bookstores, and education settings. This year, the University of Delaware’s Delaware Institute for Excellence in Early Childhood (DIEEC) coordinated a statewide effort to provide reader volunteers at 40 early childcare centers in nearly 130 classrooms.
Sussex County Post
Hudson approved as Georgetown Middle School’s new principal
Indian River School District is promoting from within to fill the top administrative position at Georgetown Middle School. The IRSD board of education at its May 22 meeting approved the appointment of David Hudson as GMS’s new principal, effective July 1.
National News
EdSurge
Texas partners with BloomBoard to bring competency-based PD to the state
Competency-based education is gearing up for its shining moment in the Lone Star State. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) recently announced they’re partnering with BloomBoard, a competency-based professional development platform, to pilot six PD programs across the state. The pilot, which nearly 400 educators will participate in, is designed to provide teachers and school board members with the tools to demonstrate competency and acquire micro-credentials in the form of digital badges.
NPR
Preschool, a state-by-state update
More states than ever are providing publicly funded preschool. That’s according to a new report from the researchers at the National Institute for Early Education Research, or NIEER, who have been tracking state preschool policies and programs since 2002. In 2016, the report found, 43 states, plus the District of Columbia and Guam, provide publicly funded preschool. They serve about 1.5 million children across the country — mostly 3- and 4-year-olds.
The Hechinger Report
Yes – you absolutely can, in good conscience, cut the federal education budget
Opinion by Neal McCluskey, director of The Cato Institute’s Center for Educational Freedom
Release of the Trump administration’s education budget proposal, which would make about $9 billion in cuts, has been met with unfortunately predictable moral condemnation. Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, declared the budget proposal “manifestly cruel to kids.” President Obama’s second education secretary, John King, called it “an assault on the American dream” and said, “no one in good conscience could … say this budget makes sense for the interests of students and the long-term interest of the country.”
The Washington Post
A first in Maryland’s public schools: Students learn Korean
When Bob Huh’s students started the school year, most knew little Korean. But as the year winds down, Maerielle Batugo and others have learned the alphabet, memorized vocabulary words, formed sentences, read passages in books, and performed skits. With this, they are marking a first in Maryland. Their school — Eleanor Roosevelt High, in Greenbelt — has become the state’s first public school to offer courses in Korean, and their class is leading the way.