October 8, 2014

Local News

Delaware Department of Education
College Board releases annual SAT score results
A press release
Today, the College Board, which administers the SAT, released state reports. For Delaware, the report covers two distinct student populations: scores for public school students who as juniors took the Universal SAT administered during the school day in April 2014 and those for the graduating Class of 2014, which includes public and private school students, including those public school students whose Universal SAT scores were released last fall.

High schools to host College Application Month
A press release
High schools across Delaware will provide seniors time during the school day to apply for college as part of the state’s College Application Month. Each school has selected its event days within the program’s timeframe, which spans the months of October and November. Some colleges and universities in the state – Wilmington University and Delaware Technical Community College –are waiving application fees for students who apply through their schools’ events. Application fee waivers for additional schools also are available for income-qualified students.

The News Journal
SAT report says too few kids are college ready
Only about a quarter of Delaware students who graduated last year scored high enough on the SAT college entrance exam to be considered ready for college, virtually the same as last year.The report issued this morning from the College Board, which administers the test, suggests the state has a long way to go before its students are ready for education after high school. That’s important, it says, because the specialized jobs of the future will require more workers with degrees.

Dover Post
Polytech students get a glimpse of real-world manufacturing
A group of students from Polytech High School learned that lesson on Friday when they accompanied U.S. Sen. Chris Coons, (D-Del.) through Dover’s Hirsh Industries plant, where they also got a first-hand look at how what they’re learning in school can be applied once they enter the workforce. The tour was Coons’ third visit to a Delaware manufacturing plant on Friday highlight National Manufacturing Day, a celebration of American industry and a chance to expose students to manufacturing jobs.

National News

The Oregonian
Oregon one of just 2 states with rules to prevent cheating on computerized state tests
Starting this school year, most states will test students’ reading and math skills via computer, setting aside the old practice of using No. 2 pencils and paper tests. But Oregon and Delaware are the only states that have set rules and regulations designed to ensure test security and prevent cheating on the new breed of online exams, testing giant ACT says in a new report.

Associated Press
Bill ties for-profit college degrees to grad rates
New Jersey’s higher education secretary would be allowed to revoke the ability of for-profit colleges to award degrees if they fail to achieve minimum graduation rates under a bill advanced by lawmakers.

Chronicle of Higher Education
For-profit giant starts competency-based ‘Open College’
Kaplan Higher Education, one of the biggest for-profit college companies in the country, is creating an “Open College” aimed at adults who may already have skills and experience that could qualify for college credits.

Education Week
Many districts lagging on implementing Common Core, survey finds
The Center on Education Policy, which has been tracking common-core implementation since the standards were released four years ago, concluded in its report that “the future of the common core remains uncertain at this important juncture” because many districts still are not fully prepared to impart the new academic expectations in English/language arts and mathematics.

Student performance stalls on SAT, improves on AP tests
For the first time, the College Board has combined its release of Advanced Placement, SAT, and Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test scores in a report that generally reflects expanded participation but stagnant performance.

South Carolina SAT scores up
South Carolina high school seniors averaged higher scores on the SAT college admissions test for the second year in a row. Multiple media outlets reported that the overall average increased six points from 2013 to 2014.