October 9, 2014

Local News

WDDE
Gov. Markell renews pitch for Priority Schools plan
Gov. Jack Markell (D-Delaware) used a “Principal for a Day” visit to a Dover school Wednesday to make another push for his Priority Schools initiative. Booker T. Washington principal Dale Kevin Brown credits use of data, professional development, and parental engagement efforts with helping to move the numbers. He also points to innovative ideas such as an extended day program that runs from 3:30 to 6pm each day that pairs additional academic work with recreational and community service activities. He says meshed together it all contributed to the school grade out of being a Focus school.

Middletown Transcript
Q&A with MOT Charter’s first high school administrator Elaine Elston
This new school year was the first for MOT Charter’s new high school which welcomed its ninth grade class on Aug. 20. Elaine Elston has been at MOT Charter for 10 years and is now the high school’s first administrator.

WDEL
Survey shows Del. voters favors education saving accounts
A national nonprofit that focuses on education reform releases the results of its latest school choice survey. In other findings, nearly 60 percent said they favored education savings accounts, or ESAs, a policy that can cover private school education, but can includes other services too.

UDaily
Technology in the classroom
Sharon Walpole, a professor in the University of Delaware School of Education, has been turning heads and impressing students with the technology she’s using in her classroom. In August 2012, Walpole received a UD Transformation Grant, a grant program sponsored by UD Information Technologies (IT) and UD’s Center for Teaching and Learning (CTAL) designed to help faculty add instructional models not currently in use at UD, eliminate barriers faculty have identified in their teaching, and help define the next generation of educational technology.

National News

ChalkBeat Tennessee
Tennessee principals embrace teaching collaboration model from Shanghai
Test scores rose at schools in Tennessee that adopted the Teacher Peer Excellence Groups training method, according to a recent study. Principals adopted the training method, which focuses on collaboration and peer observations and feedback, after a visit to Shanghai to see how the model was used.

Union-Bulletin
Standardized test scores key to skipping placement exams at state colleges
Washington’s public four-year universities and community colleges have agreed to place students who score a 3 or higher on the Smarter Balanced Assessment into college-level math and English courses. That means they won’t have to take placement tests as other new college students have had to do every fall before starting classes.

New York Times
17 charter schools approved for New York City, expanding a polarizing network
The state approved 17 new charter schools for New York City on Wednesday, substantially increasing the size of one of the city’s largest and most polarizing charter networks, Success Academy, and setting up a battle over where the schools will be located.

NPR
Competency-Based Education: No More Semesters?
A new concept from the U.S. Department of Education would allow institutions to get student-aid funding by creating programs that directly measure learning, not time. The school certifies — measures — what they know and are able to do.

Inside Higher Ed
Repeat non-completers
Only one third of non-first-time students — adult learners who re-enroll in college after at least a year away from higher education — earn a degree after six to eight years, according to a new study.

Education Week
New W.Va. superintendent releases schools plan
West Virginia’s new superintendent of schools has released his goals for improving the state’s public education system, including a focus on improving student attendance and graduation rates.
Michael Martirano presented the plan to the state Board of Education on Wednesday.