September 10, 2014

National News

Education Week
Keeping 9th graders on track can move grad rate, research finds
Students who end their ninth grade year on track are four times more likely to earn a diploma than those who fall off-track, according to new research.

Principals leery of new teacher-effectiveness data, says study
Despite a trove of data on teacher effectiveness that has accumulated from the rollout of teacher-evaluation systems in recent years, many principals are not using that information to guide decisions about hiring, assignments, and professional development, according to the findings in a report scheduled for release this week by Vanderbilt University researchers.

Critics say politics fuels Pa. standards study
Critics of new reading and math standards in Pennsylvania schools said Tuesday that Gov. Tom Corbett’s call for public hearings a year after they were approved appears motivated by a desire to bolster conservatives’ support for his sagging re-election campaign.

Inside Higher Ed
Measuring what?
The New York Times kicked off its higher education conference by releasing what it called a “revolutionary college index” that ranks institutions that enroll students from low-income backgrounds.

The Island Packet
SC senators discussing teaching dismissal process
A South Carolina Senate panel is considering whether changes are needed to make it easier to get rid of incompetent teachers. But teacher advocates and attorneys said the current process works.

The Pew Charitable Trusts
States collaborate to keep track of students
After frequently hitting roadblocks when trying to track students who moved out of state – whether as youngsters moving with their families or to attend college or take jobs elsewhere – several states recently participated in a pilot project to share data on student outcomes.