May 29, 2014
Local News
Delaware Department of Education
Red Clay receives national Green Ribbon Award from U.S. Department of Education
A press release
Delaware Secretary of Education Mark Murphy and Secretary of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Collin O’Mara today honored Red Clay Consolidated School District and Sanford School as the state’s 2014 Green Ribbon winners, recognized for their exemplary achievement in reducing environmental impact, improving health and wellness of students and staff and providing effective environmental and sustainability education.
Milford Beacon
Central Academy science teacher named Milford’s Teacher of the Year
Judie Woods – a Milford Central Academy science teacher recently named Teacher of the Year in Milford School District – said she was never a big fan of school and never expected to become a teacher, but is honored and humbled by her recent distinction.
Dover Post
Voters in Lake Forest School District approve $7.7 million referendum
Voters in the Lake Forest School District approved a referendum on Wednesday night that will allow the district to borrow $7.7 million to fund improvements at all six of the district’s schools. District staff were concerned that the referendum would fail due to incorrect media reports about the cost of the referendum, but were thrilled when it passed, said Superintendent Dan Curry.
Delaware State News
Bill would give schools leeway in raising taxes
The Delaware Department of Education has not taken a position on the bill. Rep. Harvey Kenton, a member of the House Education Committee with bill sponsor Rep. Scott, said “I have not had one positive response,” after surveying constituents about the proposal.
Cape Gazette
MES teachers make national Dream Team, will attend TeachFest June 4-7
Milton Elementary School third-grade teachers Kate Bowski and Karen Warner have been selected to join the 2014 LearnZillion Dream Team. They are two of the 200 selected out of 4,000 applicants nationwide, a selection ratio that shows it’s harder to get onto the Dream Team than into any Ivy League school.
Concern growing about Common Core standards
A letter to the editor by Karen Gritton, Lincoln
Common Core is not what it is purported to be and we believe it is just the most recent in a long line of damaging national education initiatives designed to wield power over local districts with little in the way of empirical data to support the claims it makes to produce ‘college and career ready’ students.
National News
The Huntsville Times
Judge overturns Alabama Accountability Act
A county circuit judge ruled that the Alabama Accountability Act, the school choice law passed by the Legislature in 2013, is unconstitutional.
The New York Times
Colleges rattled as Obama seeks rating system
The rating system is in fact a radical new effort by the federal government to hold America’s 7,000 colleges and universities accountable by injecting the executive branch into the business of helping prospective students weigh collegiate pros and cons. For years that task has been dominated by private companies like Barron’s and U.S. News & World Report.
The Associated Press
N.Y. education chief rallies for support
Education Commissioner John King Jr. is urging New York’s business and community leaders to support the Common Core curriculum standards.
Oklahoman
Oklahoma Legislature votes to scrap Common Core academic standards
A bill to scrap Oklahoma’s Common Core academic standards was approved overwhelmingly Friday by the Legislature. The measure now goes to the governor. The bill calls for new Oklahoma academic standards to be developed by the state Board of Education, working in consultation with the State Regents for Higher Education, the State Board of Career and Technology Education and the state Commerce Department.
NPR
Ohio moves to preserve state control
A committee of Ohio House and Senate members is expected to propose changes to state policy on education standards and halt any further partnership with other states in formulating new standards.