May 29, 2015
Delaware News
Newsworks
Delaware principal receives national award
Dr. Lamont Browne, head of EastSide Charter School, is one of two principals to receive the Ryan Award, given to leaders who help close the achievement gap. Since Browne took over in 2011, EastSide’s test scores have risen considerably. In the process, Browne has become a rising star on the Delaware education scene.
BusinessWire
Delaware school principal receives prestigious Ryan Award
Browne said he was grateful for the honor, but acknowledged success at EastSide has been a team effort. “We have great people, all with a great work ethic, great passion and great hunger to learn, to grow, to collaborate and to help every child succeed. We all have the power to transform lives, eradicate the achievement gap and produce motivated young people who will lead our state in the future. It is our job to make it happen.”
The News Journal
Christina district struggles to sell vacant building
Facing a $9.5 million budget shortfall after voters failed to approve its referendum this week, the Christina School District is sitting on a vacant 178,000-square-foot Glasgow building it co-owns with the state. But even if it sold the property that has consumed roughly $22 million of government funds, the district cannot use the proceeds to address its financial needs. Under state law, that money could be used only to pay down the debt incurred to acquire it.
Planned site for Christina middle school sits empty
A planned site for a middle school in the Christina School District is used as storage only as the district tries to fill a nearly $10 million budget deficit.
National News
The Times-Picayune
Louisiana Common Core compromise earns support from all sides — including Bobby Jindal
Under the compromise, Board of Elementary and Secondary Education will start reviewing the English and mathematics standards July 1. Also, Louisiana will stop using assessments developed entirely through the Partnership for Assessment of College and Careers (PARCC) in Washington D.C. Next year’s standardized tests can only be made up of a maximum of 49 percent of PARCC test questions.
The Hechinger Report
Can we really prepare kids for both college and career?
In response to the Common Core Standards’ call to make every student “college and career ready,” linked learning programs not only aim to prepare high school students for college, but also set them on a career path.
Huffington Post
American kids are poorer than they were decades ago, education report shows
Poverty, which affects a growing number of American students, begins its negative impact on learning as early as the beginning of kindergarten, according to a National Center for Education Statistics report released Thursday.
The New York Times
Chris Christie ready to desert Common Core standards
Gov. Chris Christie said on Thursday that New Jersey could abandon Common Core education standards, changing his position as he tries to reconcile policies that he embraced as the moderate governor of a blue state with his bid to win over conservative voters in the presidential contests.
Inside Higher Ed
Addressing the inequity gap
Community colleges tend to receive the least amount of public financial support compared to other institutions, yet they are asked to push high numbers of low-income students into the middle class with few resources. A new report urges additional funding.