Friday, December 21
College Participation/Completion
Why Do Academically Promising Students Not Choose College?
Students with the academic potential make very different choices about higher education based on the high school they attend, according to a set of analyses. One analysis found that 18% of these students enrolled in less-selective four-year colleges, two-year institutions, or no higher education at all. Moreover, students who chose less-selective colleges were less likely to earn a diploma. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 12/17/12)
College Remediation
Placement Tests Still Rule
Research released earlier this year found that commonly used placement tests fail to adequately determine whether incoming college students need remedial coursework. Yet most colleges rely exclusively on tests like the these exams, according to a National Assessment Governing Board study. The report found substantial variation in the cut scores that colleges used for course placement. (Inside Higher Ed, 12/21/12)
School Finance Litigation
State School Funds On Trial, Again
Overall, ten states have school finance challenges working their way through the courts, and four other states recently wrapped up legal challenges. But school-funding advocates have found that winning a lawsuit doesn't necessarily improve the quality of education--or even boost funding over the long term, as funding formula changes and budget cuts can eat into court-mandated increases. (Stateline.org, 12/21/12)
School Finance Litigation
State Supreme Court: Legislature Failing at Funding of Education
The Washington Supreme Court ruled that the legislature isn't making enough progress toward finding more money for K-12 education in answer to the court's decision in a school-funding lawsuit. In January, the court ruled the state isn't meeting its constitutional obligation to amply pay for basic education. The court determined that the legislature’s response to the decision was inadequate. (Seattle Times, 12/20/12)
STEM Teachers
STEM Teacher Fellowship Program Grows with New Jersey Plans
New Jersey has received a $9 million grant to recruit and prepare more top talent for teaching in the STEM disciplines. The Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowship program is intended to bolster the ranks of high-quality STEM teachers in high-need schools and transform teacher preparation programs. Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio already have established similar fellowship programs. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 12/18/12)
Value of College Degree
Analysis Adds to Data Showing the Economic Benefits of a College Degree
A State Higher Education Executive Officers report offers further evidence of the value of a college degree in terms of future earnings potential. Americans who complete a bachelor’s degree have a median income of $50,360, compared with a median of $29,423 for people with only a high-school diploma. The report provides national and state-level data on the wage premiums associated with degree attainment. (Chronicle of Higher Education, 12/19/12)
Thursday, December 20
Charter Schools
Indiana's Charter School Students Outpace Peers
A new report from Stanford University's Center for Research on Education Outcomes found that students in Indiana charter schools outperformed their traditional public school peers in both math and reading. The study also found that students in charter schools in Indianapolis had even greater gains than the overall charter school population in the state. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 12/18/12)
Education Funding
K-12 May Not Benefit from Brighter Fiscal Outlook
Despite some positive signs that could help school budgets, states still are facing a shaky financial environment as they head into the new year. Even in those states where money is being added to education budgets, officials still gun-shy about their finances are looking at more-focused increases. Higher general revenues for states may not always translate to reinvigorated budgets in general. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 12/12/12)
Financial Aid/Performance
Changes to Colorado Collegiate Financial Aid Under Discussion
In an effort to align financial-aid distribution with its newly created master plan, the Colorado Department of Higher Education wants to change the way its $70 million pot for need-based grants is allocated. The new formula would increase the amount of money colleges and universities receive for students in their sophomore, junior, and senior years as incentive to meet retention and graduation goals. (Denver Post, 12/17/12)
Innovation Grants
Education Department Proposes Changes for Investing in Innovation
The federal Investing in Innovation grant program would get a makeover under a proposed set of new priorities. While the Department of Education will still be looking to further the initial general principles of the i3 program, they'll also be aiming future competitions more narrowly at one or more of 10 different areas of focus. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 12/14/12)
Teacher Evaluations
Advice, Caution from Early Adopters of New Teacher Evaluations
Two-thirds of states are in the process of adopting new evaluations, and many will include student achievement, along with intensive classroom observations. It's unclear whether the new evaluations will have the desired effect. But early adopters say they have at least begun to pinpoint what hasn't worked, and what teachers and principals find most useful. (Hechinger Report, 12/19/12)
Wednesday, December 19
College/Career Readiness
K-12, Higher Education Unite to Align Learning
Top Minnesota education leaders are drafting a plan to reinvent high school and align its mission with that of higher education. The initiative incorporates four main elements: college- and career-readiness assessments in high school; early interventions; concurrent-enrollment programs; and identification of students' career interest and training to achieve their goals. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 12/19/12)
Common Core
Common Core Implementation Lags in California, Report Argues
Implementation of the Common Core standards in California is falling behind in contrast to other states, and policymakers must be more aggressive than they have been since the state adopted the standards more than two years ago, a new report by Education Trust-West argues. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 12/13/12)
Financial Aid
Guaranteed Pell Grant?
A new study examines a strategy to tell low-income students that they will receive federal financial aid to attend college, in the hopes that it would encourage them to prepare for and pursue a postsecondary education. The study found that guaranteeing a Pell Grant to students who qualify for free school lunch in the 8th grade could increase retention rates in college. (Inside Higher Ed, 12/18/12)
Principal Evaluation
Evaluating Principals through Test Scores
New research attempts to determine the best way to measure principal effectiveness using students' test scores and finds that the task is more difficult than anticipated. The study analyzed three approaches to evaluation: tying principal performance directly to schools' performance; comparing different principals' performance at the same school; and examining growth in student achievement over a principal's tenure. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 12/17/12)
Tuesday, December 18
College/Career Readiness
Math Test Causing Division at Schools
Minnesota created a math test to ensure that high school students graduate with enough skills to skip remedial work in college or on the job. It succeeded so well that as many as 20% may not graduate. A state panel wants the legislature to eliminate the exit exam and to start earlier with tests to help students plan the skills they'll need, diagnose their deficiencies, and intervene to get them on track to graduation. (Minneapolis Star Tribune, 12/17/12)
Common Core
Arts Education Seen as Common-Core Partner
As educators nationwide seek to help students meet the demands of the Common Core in English/language arts and mathematics, many arts education advocates are making the case that the arts can be a valuable partner. And in some cases, they're identifying ways to make the links explicit. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 12/12/12)
Common Core
NEA, AFT Partner to Build Common-Core Tools
The two national teachers' unions have won an $11 million grant to build an online warehouse of instructional tools for the Common Core standards. Student Achievement Partners also is a grantee. It will work with the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association and their teachers to build the tools and post them on Student Achievement Partners' website. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 12/17/12)
Higher Ed Funding
Georgia College Funding to Focus on Graduation, not Enrollment
A commission appointed by Georgia Governor Nathan Deal approved a new formula that links the state funding colleges receive to their improving student success and the number of degrees or certificates awarded. The plan represents a drastic shift from the current system that focuses on enrollment and how many credits students take. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 12/12/12)
School Accountability
Ohio Senate OKs New School Evaluation System
The Ohio Senate passed an education bill, H.B. 555, that calls for a more demanding evaluation system for schools, along with other significant changes. The bill would grade schools using 15 measures and give each district a cumulative grade of A, B, C, D, or F. The Senate added a provision that measures college preparedness and career readiness. (Columbus Dispatch, 12/12/12)
Monday, December 17
Achievement Measures
New Student-Poverty Measures Proposed for National Tests
Aiming to get a clearer picture of how students' home and community resources affect their academic achievement, the National Assessment of Educational Progress is building a comprehensive new way to gauge socioeconomic status. The new measure is intended to look beyond a traditional measure of family income to a child's family, community, and school supports for learning. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 12/12/12)
Common Core
Assessment Group Chooses Tests for College Readiness in Math
The decision about whether students are college-ready will be based only on the exams students take at the end of a math sequence rather than on a combination of results from all the courses in the sequence, the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for Colleges and Careers, or PARCC, decided. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 12/13/12)
Common Core
Audit Finds Much Lower Costs than Expected for Common Core State Standards in Reading and Math
Implementing the Common Core State Standards will cost Kansas districts an estimated $32 million to $60 million over the next five years, according to a legislative audit. That is significantly lower than estimates from two national studies that estimated the costs at $100 million to $180 million. And the state could save about $9 million since it will not have to develop new reading and math standards. (Lawrence Journal World, 12/13/12)
Financial Aid/Performance
Limits of Performance-Based Grants
At a time when policymakers are faced with budget constraints, the idea of tying financial aid to desirable outcomes has a lot of surface appeal. But a new study shows the limits of the approach. The study explores the effects that grants tied to measures of enrollment, persistence, and academic performance have on low-income students at two New York City community colleges. (Inside Higher Ed, 12/14/12)
School Absences
School Absences Translate to Lower Test Scores, Study Says
Missing even a few days of school seems to make a difference in whether 8th graders perform at the top of their game, according to a new analysis of results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress. The report looks at how 4th and 8th graders use existing school time, including their attendance, instructional time, and homework. See ECS' issue site on attendance. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 12/12/12)
Teacher Preparation
State Chiefs to Examine Teacher Prep, Licensing
Twenty-five state superintendents are vowing to take action to update their systems of teacher preparation and licensing. The announcement from the Council of Chief State School Officers is probably state officials' most explicit promise to engage in changes to teacher preparation. They will implement recommendations in a report by a CCSSO task force. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 12/17/12)
Friday, December 14
College/Career Readiness
Students Who Struggle Early Rarely Catch Up, Study Says
Even at high-performing, wealthy high schools, students who have fallen far behind academically in 4th and 8th grade have less than a 1 in 3 chance of being ready for college or a career by the end of high school, according to a new study by ACT Inc. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 12/11/12)
Common Core
States Nervous about New Common Core School Standards
Kentucky is the first state to tie its tests to the Common Core standards, and results showed significant declines in the percentage of students rated proficient or better in math and reading. Kentucky's experience is likely to be repeated in dozens of other states. There also have been growing concerns about how implementation of the standards will affect local control of schools and what teachers teach. (Stateline.org, 12/12/12)
Kindergarten Enrollment/Funding
Indiana Full-day Kindergarten Enrollment Grows under Increased Funds
The number of Indiana children enrolled in full-day kindergarten has increased by 19% since the state more than doubled spending for the program. The legislature increased funding from about $82 million to nearly $190 million for 2012-13. The measure bars districts that obtain kindergarten grants from charging parents for the program. (Louisville Courier-Journal, 12/11/12)
NCLB Waivers/English-language Learners
English-Learners and NCLB Waivers: A Guide for States and Districts
As states move ahead with their No Child Left Behind waiver plans, the American Institutes for Research has been developing guides to help states and districts keep the promises they made to win the flexibility. English-language learners are the focus of the first of these guides, which, among other things, highlight promising practices that state and local leaders may use to serve these students.
(Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 12/10/12)
Teacher Accountability/Compensation
McDonnell Proposes Raises, Greater Accountability for Teachers in 2013
Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell outlined proposals that would give teachers a pay raise and includes bigger incentives, improved professional support, and a streamlined process for administrators to cut teachers loose who aren't doing well. The probationary period would be lengthened from three years to five before teachers are put on the "continuing contract" that makes it more difficult to dismiss them. (Washington Post, 12/13/12)
Teacher Pensions
Teacher-Pension Systems Flagged as Cause for Alarm
Forty states have made dozens of changes to their teacher-pension systems in the past four years, but those changes largely fail to deal with longer-term structural problems—and actually come at teachers' expense, contends a report issued by the National Council on Teacher Quality. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 12/13/12)
Thursday, December 13
College Readiness
New College-Readiness Tracking System under Study
A new way to track high school students' readiness for college and trigger earlier intervention is being studied at Stanford University. The indicator system measures three areas: academic preparedness, academic tenacity, and college knowledge. A recent paper explores lessons from the first two years of testing the initiative. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 12/10/12)
College Remediation
National Groups Call for Big Changes in Remedial Education
Remedial courses meant to get underprepared students ready for college-level work are often not an on-ramp but a dead end, leaders of four national education groups said, recommending sweeping changes in how such students are brought up to speed. The report—by Complete College America, the Charles A. Dana Center, the Education Commission of the States, and Jobs for the Future—is based on studies that have concluded that remedial-education systems are broken. (Chronicle of Higher Education, 12/13/12)
International Comparisons
American 4th Graders among Top Readers in Global Study
The United States has gained ground against countries that are top performers in 4th-grade reading, outscoring all but four in a widely watched international assessment. Scores on the 2011 PIRLS, or Progress in International Reading Literacy Study, show that since 2006 American 4th graders increased their average score by 16 points. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 12/11/12)
International Comparisons
U.S. Math, Science Achievement Exceeds World Average
The math and science achievement of U.S. students continues to surpass the global average on the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, or TIMSS, but several countries far outpace the United States, especially in math. Nearly half of all 8th-grade students tested in South Korea, Singapore, and Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) reached the advanced level in math, compared with only 7% of American test-takers. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 12/11/12)
Race to the Top
Arne Duncan Picks 16 Race to Top District Winners
Sixteen winners—including three charter school organizations—will share $400 million in the Race to the Top district competition, the Department of Education announced. Miami-Dade is the biggest urban district on the list, having just won the coveted Broad Prize this year. The grants range from $10 million to $40 million, depending on the winner's enrollment. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 12/11/12)
State Superintendents
Tony Bennett Selected as New Florida Education Commissioner
Tony Bennett, the former Indiana state superintendent, will become Florida's new education commissioner, the state board announced. Bennett has been active in the same reform efforts as Florida, including adopting the Common Core standards, and pushing to grade schools A to F, to expand charter schools and voucher programs, and to intervene in struggling schools. (Orlando Sentinel, 12/12/12)
Monday, December 10
Course Choices
Classes a la Carte: States Test a New School Model
Some states—including Louisiana, Michigan, Arizona, and Utah—have adopted or are considering a new education model that allows students to build a custom curriculum by selecting from hundreds of classes offered by public institutions and private vendors. Backers of the concept acknowledge there will be challenges but say the one-size-fits-all "factory model" of public school is woefully outdated.
(Reuters, 12/06/12)
Higher Ed Funding
Proposal Would Revamp ND Support for Colleges
The presidents of North Dakota's two largest universities say they support a new method of parceling out aid to the state's university system. The formula is included in Governor Jack Dalrymple's budget recommendations and includes data on the number of classes that students finish and the types of courses they take. The numbers are then adjusted for the size of schools and the cost of offering specific courses. (Fargo Forum, 12/05/12)
Teacher Evaluations
Alaska Teachers to Be Evaluated on Student Achievement Starting in 2015
The Alaska board of education approved a rule change that adds student learning data to teachers' job evaluations. The action moves forward a plan to base 20% of a teacher's assessment on their students' academic growth and performance starting in the 2015-2016 school year. By the 2018-19 school year student learning will make up 50% of the evaluation. (Anchorage Daily News, 12/07/12)
Teaching Trends
7 Things that Have Shaped the Teaching Profession over the Past 2 Decades
Over the past 20 years, the teaching force has become larger, grayer, greener, more female, more diverse, and less stable, according to a study published by the Consortium for Policy Research in Education. The report identifies seven major trends and changes shaping the teaching profession in the United States. (Huffington Post, 12/06/12)
Friday, December 7
College Attainment
U.S. College Degree Holders Sliding among Global Competitors
For the U.S. to improve on its No. 5 world ranking in the number of 25- to 64-year-olds possessing some form of college degree, it must boost the number of two-year degree holders by instilling a national focus on enrollment and success in community colleges and trade schools, according to a new report. America ranks 18th when it comes to two-year degree graduates. (Huffington Post, 12/06/12)
Higher Ed Performance
Colorado Creates Master Plan for Improving Higher Education
The Colorado higher education department released its expectations for each of the state's colleges and universities in the form of performance contracts signed by administrators. This master plan will measure areas such as retention and access, and it calls for school's results to be announced annually. In time, the hope is that schools will be rewarded financially by the state for reaching their benchmarks. (Denver Post, 12/03/12)
NAEP Results/Literacy
NAEP Data on Vocabulary Achievement Show Same Gaps
A new analysis of federal data that provides a deeper and more systematic look into students' ability to understand the meaning of words in context than was previously available finds stark achievement gaps in vocabulary across racial and ethnic groups, as well as income levels. The analysis aims to offer greater insights into reading comprehension. See ECS' report on early literacy. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 12/06/12)
Race to the Top/Early Learning
Race to Top Early-Learning Grants Announced for Five More States
The Department of Education announced that $133 million in early-childhood education grants would be split among Colorado, Illinois, New Mexico, Oregon, and Wisconsin in its second round of the Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge competition. These states had made a strong showing in the initial round of competition that split $500 million among nine winning states. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 12/06/12)
Teacher Certification
Indiana Teacher Licensing Rules OK'd Over Glenda Ritz's Objections
Indiana's state board amended and passed changes to teacher licensing rules over the objections of incoming Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz. The rules (REPA II) will make it easier for Hoosiers without training in teaching methods to move into the classroom and loosen requirements for teachers moving into administrative roles. (Louisville Courier-Journal, 12/06/12)
Thursday, December 6
AP Courses/STEM
Access to AP Courses in STEM to Grow with $5M Google Gift
Fueled by a $5 million grant from Google, more than 800 high schools will be invited to start up Advanced Placement STEM courses with a focus on attracting more female and minority students who show potential to succeed. The new program will work directly with teachers in qualifying schools to help them obtain the training and classroom resources they need to launch AP courses. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 12/04/12)
Charter Schools
7 Districts Split $25 Million from Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for Charter Schools
Seven districts committed to working with charter schools to improve student achievement will split about $25 million in grants from The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, officials announced. The funding is designed to deepen the collaborations among educators in Philadelphia, Boston, Denver, New Orleans, New York, Hartford, Conn., and Spring Branch, Texas. (Huffington Post, 12/05/12)
Common Core
The Repercussions of National Education Standards
Connecticut's student test scores are expected to drop drastically when standardized tests based on the Common Core standards are adopted in 2015. According to one study, the shift also is expected to cost districts millions to update their textbooks, teaching materials, technology to administer the new tests on computers, and to train teachers to align lessons with the new standards. (Connecticut Mirror, 12/05/12)
Competency-based Ed
More Cracks in the Credit Hour
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching announced that it plans to rethink the Carnegie credit hour, with a shift that might help competency-based higher education. The credit hour calls for one credit per hour of faculty instruction and two hours of homework, on a weekly basis, over a 15-week semester. But it is viewed as outdated and inadequate as a measure for student learning. (Inside Higher Ed, 12/05/12)
Pre-K Systems
Panel Favors Pre-K Overhaul
A Louisiana state board committee approved plans to overhaul the state's pre-kindergarten system. The state will establish early learning performance guidelines for those from zero to age 3 and academic standards for 3- and 4-year-olds. Pre-K centers and schools will get letter grades, and state aid will be linked to how the centers perform. All the changes take effect in 2015-16. (Baton Rouge Advocate, 12/0
Wednesday, December 5
College Performance
U.S. News Debuts Comparison of Reputation to Performance
U.S. News and World Report released a new analysis that seems to give a nod to concern that a college's reputation isn't everything and applicants should look closely beyond the rankings choices. The magazine published a list of colleges in its National Universities ranking category that are overperforming or underperforming in their undergraduate academics compared to their overall ranking. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 12/03/12)
Early Learning/Common Core
Hawaii Sets Standards for Early-Childhood Education
Hawaii released a set of standards that identifies expectations of knowledge and behavior for children from birth to kindergarten. The research-based standards align with the state's K-12 standards and the Common Core State Standards, which is expected to provide for a smoother transition for students from early-childhood programs into kindergarten. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 12/03/12)
Financial Aid
National College Access Network Suggests Overhaul of Federal Student Aid
A new white paper suggests overhauling the federal student-aid system to focus on low-income students and to encourage college completion. Among the recommendations: ending subsidized student loans and using that money both for Pell Grants and to improve the income-based repayment program. (Chronicle of Higher Education, 12/05/12)
Superintendent Turnover
Study: More Churn at the Top in Large Districts
A new study finds that in 90% of 100 California districts studied 43% of superintendents left within three years—but 71% of superintendents left the largest 10% of districts, which include those of 29,000 or more students. Stability at the central office has been linked to a greater likelihood of success for new education initiatives, which typically take five to seven years to mature. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 12/04/12)
Video: Common Core
In Chicago, Public Schools and Teachers Work Toward a Common Core
Some states, including Illinois, recently have adopted the Common Core State Standards. While some teachers feel relief at having clear guidelines, this video news segment about Chicago public schools examines the implementation of new student and teacher evaluations. (PBS Newshour, 12/03/12)
Tuesday, December 4
Charter Schools
Colleges Agree to Recruit KIPP Alumni
Twenty colleges and universities, including some of the nation's most prestigious, have pledged in the past year to recruit more students from the Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP) charter school network that focuses on educating the rural and urban poor. The partnerships are intended to help more disadvantaged students get college degrees. (Washington Post, 11/29/12)
Graduation Requirements
Head of Education Defers Using STAAR in Students' Grades
Texas high school students are getting a reprieve for a second consecutive year on a requirement that would have made the state's new and more difficult standardized tests count toward 15% of their final grades in key courses. Education Commissioner Michael Williams announced he is continuing the suspension of the rule at least until the 2013-14 school year. (Houston Chronicle, 11/30/12)
Higher Ed Costs/Funding
A $10,000 Platform
Governors in Florida, Texas, and Wisconsin appear to be at the forefront of what could be an emerging approach to higher education policy, built largely around cost-cutting. The governors are pursuing strategies that include mandating low-cost options like the $10,000 degree, holding down tuition prices, tying funding to degree completion, and paying faculty on the basis of performance. (Inside Higher Ed, 11/30/12)
School Vouchers
TN School Voucher Report Leaves Key Areas Open to Debate
A final report Governor Bill Haslam requested on a potential school voucher program for Tennessee has left key areas open to debate, including recognizing a range of opinions on the scholarship's funding mechanism. The legislature will be charged with filling in the gaps. The task force found consensus on some items, including that low-income students be the primary focus of a program. (Tennessean, 11/30/12)
Teacher Preparation
AFT Calls for Teacher 'Bar Exam'; National Board to Oversee
The American Federation of Teachers unveiled an initiative to raise entry standards for teacher-preparation programs—and to create a universal assessment, analogous to the bar exam in law, that teachers should have to pass to show they are ready to take on their own classrooms. It calls on the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards to oversee the development of the assessment. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 12/03/12)
Monday, December 3
Common Core
Testing Group Scales Back Performance Items
Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium has dramatically reduced the length of its Common Core assessment to balance the desire for a more meaningful and useful exam with concerns about the amount of time spent on testing. From an original design that included multiple, lengthy performance tasks, the test has been revised to include only one performance task in each subject and has been tightened in other ways. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 11/28/12)
Education Governance
Kitzhaber, Consolidating Power Over All Things Education, Proposes New Department of Postsecondary Education
Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber proposed creating the Department of Post-Secondary Education, which would control state funding for the state's public universities, community colleges, need-based college scholarships, and Oregon Health & Science University. If his plan flies, he will have selected all the key executives and board members running the main segments of Oregon public education. (See page 31 of budget plan). (Oregonian, 11/30/12)
Extended Learning Time
5 States to Increase Class Time in Some Schools
Five states will add at least 300 hours of learning time to the calendar in some schools starting in 2013. Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, and Tennessee will take part in the initiative, which is intended to boost student achievement and make U.S. schools more competitive on a global level. (Boston Globe, 12/03/12)
Head Start
Will Competition Cure Head Start?
The Administration for Children and Families, the federal agency that runs Head Start, is cracking down on programs as part of a new rules intended to improve the quality of early childhood education. The agency has estimated that every year about one third of Head Start programs being evaluated will fail to meet a set of quality markers. Those falling short must compete for grants that used to be reissued automatically. (Hechinger Report, 11/30/12)
School Vouchers
Court Rejects Louisiana's Broad Voucher Program
In a major setback for one of the nation's boldest private school choice models, a judge in Louisiana has ruled that the state's new voucher program violates the state's constitution. A lawsuit argued that it improperly allowed money from the school funding formula to be diverted from public to private and religious schools. Governor Bobby Jindal, who championed the law, vowed to appeal the decision.
(Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 12/01/12)
Friday, November 30
Charter Schools
A New Campaign to Close Sub-Par Charter Schools
The National Association of Charter School Authorizers launched its One Million Lives campaign to press for changes in state laws that hold charter schools and their authorizers more accountable for performance. The campaign refers to a goal of getting 1 million additional children into 3,000 high-performing charters schools over the next five years. Currently, there are 2 million children in charters.
(Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 11/28/12)
Education Equity
Report Finds Economic Success Hinges on Education Equity
An Alliance for Excellent Education report says the nation's failure to provide all children with an equal education has "dire economic consequences" that will only worsen as the population of students of color grows. The achievement gaps are closing, but wide disparities remain. About 25% of all students do not graduate from high school, but the numbers are closer to 40% for students of color. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 11/26/12)
Federal Ed Agenda
Duncan Sharpens Second-Term Agenda, Stresses Teacher Quality
Secretary of Education Arne Duncan continued to lay out his priorities for the next four years in a speech, emphasizing that he thinks teacher preparation is broken and that the best educators need to be in the highest-need children. Duncan cited the tough road ahead for common standards, common tests, and teacher evaluations. He also wants to continue to focus on teacher and principal quality. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 11/28/12)
Financial Aid
Alabama Treasurer Announces College Scholarship Program Aimed at Helping 'Gap' Students
The Alabama State Treasurer announced the CollegeCounts Scholarship program, which will provide a one-time award of $4,000 to qualified recipients enrolling in four-year schools and $2,000 to those enrolling in two-year schools. The program is aimed at helping students who are often left out of the scholarship awards that go to the top score earners on standardized tests. (AL.com, 11/27/12)
School Vouchers
Louisiana School Voucher Program Gets Constitutionality Hearing in Court
A Louisiana district court judge is expected to rule this week on the constitutionality of the state's new school voucher program. Under the program, tens of millions of tax dollars will be shifted from public schools to pay private schools, businesses, and private tutors to educate students. In response, Louisiana teachers' unions and 43 districts filed lawsuits to block the program. (Huffington Post, 11/29/12)
Thursday, November 29
Certifications/Workforce Development
Perry Announces Fast-track Tech School Plan
Texas Governor Rick Perry unveiled the Skilled Workforce Initiative, which would allow college students to achieve technical certifications for jobs in high-demand fields without taking coursework in skills they already know. The initiative aims to speed up the time it takes for veterans, laid-off workers, and others with real-world experience to qualify for jobs in growing industries. (San Antonio Express-News, 11/27/12)
Cost of Assessments
Standardized Testing Costs States $1.7 Billion a Year, Study Says
Standardized-testing regimens cost states some $1.7 billion a year overall, or a quarter of 1% of total K-12 spending, according to a new report. Spending on assessments by 44 states and the District of Columbia amounted to $65 per student on average in grades 3-9 based on the most recent test-cost data. The report lists spending-per-student for the states for which data were available. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 11/29/12)
Teacher Evaluations
Michigan Schools Are Improving Teacher-evaluation Systems, but More Resources Needed
Michigan districts are improving their teacher-evaluation systems, but they are struggling with issues of fairness, consistency, and effectiveness, says a new report by Education Trust-Midwest. Those struggles make it clear that districts need state resources and support in developing evaluation tools, according to the report. (Mlive.com, 11/29/12)
Value of College Degrees
States Post Grads' Pay by College and Degree
A small but growing number of states are publishing databases comparing the earning power of degrees for college graduates based on where they went to school. Virginia and Arkansas have published user-friendly search tools showing average first-year salaries for recent college graduates. Tennessee has published a similar tool, and Texas, Colorado, and Nevada are preparing to release similar data. (USA Today, 11/26/12)
Wednesday, November 28
Charter Schools
New Jersey Charter School Performance Highlights Tension between Rapid Growth and Quality
Students in New Jersey charter schools perform better on average than those same students would in traditional public schools, according to a study by Stanford University. The study, which looked at the state's performance relative to charter schools nationally, found that while New Jersey charters tended to have more promising outcomes, Newark's schools are responsible for the bulk of the gains. (Huffington Post, 11/27/12)
Common Core
Testing Consortium Crafts College-Readiness Definition
Twenty-five states that are part of the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium have drafted an initial college-readiness definition and the descriptors of achievement on each level of the shared test connected to the Common Core standards. Smarter Balanced is soliciting public feedback on the documents with an eye toward final adoption in March. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 11/26/12)
Higher Ed/Public Opinion
U.S. Higher Education Must Change to Remain Globally Competitive
Nearly half of all Americans think the U.S. higher education is not only too expensive but also only a fair or poor return on their investment, according to a new survey. Most of those surveyed agree that U.S. higher education must change to remain globally competitive, though not everyone is convinced that increasingly popular online courses are as effective as conventional ones. (Hechinger Report, 11/27/12)
Race to the Top
Finalists Announced in District-level Race to the Top Competition
The Department of Education released a list of 61 finalists for the $400 million Race to the Top-District competition that represent more than 200 districts, including some of the nation's largest. A total of 372 applicants, including several charter-school networks, competed in the competition. The department will choose 15-20 winners to receive between $5 million and $40 million each by December 31st.
(Hechinger Report, 11/27/12)
Student Health/Phys Ed
New Way of Assessing Physical Fitness in Alabama Schools Will Lead to Healthier Children, Educators Say
Beginning this school year, every Alabama student enrolled in physical education from the second grade through the 12th grade is participating in the new Alabama Physical Fitness Assessment. The new assessment focuses on health-related fitness by assessing health and physical fitness and targets achieving and maintaining a healthy level of fitness. (AL.com, 11/26/12)
Tuesday, November 27
Assessments/Common Core
New Tests Coming to Utah Schools
The Criterion Referenced Tests most Utah students take will soon be replaced with a new $39 million testing system designed to better pinpoint students' needs, state education officials announced. A committee has decided to accept a bid from the American Institutes for Research to build a new computer-adaptive assessment system, which will test students on the Common Core standards. (Salt Lake Tribune, 11/26/12)
College Costs
Gov. Rick Scott's Challenge to State Colleges: $10,000 Bachelor's Degrees
Calling for better value and results in higher education, Governor Rick Scott challenged Florida's state colleges to offer $10,000 bachelor's degrees. Scott's pitch came without an offer of additional state funding. Instead, he told colleges to "find innovative ways" to bring down the price. Some college leaders said each campus likely will fashion its own $10,000 degrees in workforce-oriented fields. (Tampa Bay Times, 11/27/12)
Early Learning/Common Core
Resisting 'Downward Pressure' of Common Core in Early Education
As states move to adopt the Common Core standards, a number of early-education experts have raised concerns and questions about the impact on 3- and 4-year-olds. A new paper attempts to help early-childhood educators walk the tightrope between the common standards' emphasis on raising academic rigor with research on young children's healthy development. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 11/26/12)
Education Vendors
McGraw-Hill Sells Education Division to Apollo
McGraw-Hill announced that it reached a deal to sell its education arm to private equity firm Apollo Global Management LLC for $2.5 billion in cash and debt, as part of its plan to focus on its financial information businesses. The acquisition includes the McGraw-Hill's digital and traditional textbook business and other assets. (Boston Globe, 11/26 12)
Graduation Rates
High School Graduation Rates By State: U.S. Department Of Education Releases First-Ever National Data
The Department of Education has released a first-ever list detailing state-by-state four-year high school graduation rates. The data reflect figures from the 2010-2011 academic year, the first year for which all states used a common, more rigorous measure. Iowa had the highest graduation rate at 88%. The data also show significant graduation rate gaps among student demographic groups. (Huffington Post, 11/26/12)
Monday, November 26
Assessments/College Readiness
Graduation Test to Be Snubbed Out
Ohio will drop its high-school graduation test and replace it with a tougher college-readiness exam and a series of end-of-course tests, state officials announced. The new assessments will gauge whether students are prepared for college or ready for careers, benchmarks that the Ohio Graduation Test doesn't measure. (Columbus Dispatch, 11/21/12)
Charter Schools/NCLB
U.S. Officials Tell State to Use Same Standards to Grade Charter Schools
Federal education officials have denied Pennsylvania's request to evaluate charter school achievement using more lenient criteria, saying they must be assessed by the same standard as traditional schools. The rejection means Pennsylvania cannot substitute a less stringent method for measuring adequate yearly progress under No Child Left Behind. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 11/24/12)
English-language Learners/Common Core
California Board Adopts New English-Language Proficiency Standards
The California board of education gave final approval to new English-language development standards that directly connect to the language demands in the Common Core State Standards. California—where roughly 25% of students are English-language learners—began the process of revamping its English-language proficiency standards last year and may well provide the blueprint for other states. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 11/20/12)
School Vouchers
Indiana School Voucher Program Enrollment More than Doubled in Second Year
Enrollment in Indiana's school voucher program has more than doubled in the program's second year to 9,324 families, up from 3,919 last year, the state education department announced. The announcement comes as the Choice Scholarship Program, considered the one of the nation's most expansive voucher initiatives, is being challenged in the state's highest court. See the ECS' summary of voucher policies. (Huffington Post, 11/20/12)
Friday, November 16
Affirmative Action
Affirmative Action Ban Rejected
A federal appeals court ruled that Michigan's ban on affirmative action, enacted by voters in 2006, is unconstitutional. In an 8-7 decision, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit struck down the amendment to the state's constitution, known as Proposal 2, on the grounds that it creates unfair barriers to minority participation in the political process. (Inside Higher Ed, 11/16/12)
College Completion
New National Tally of College Completion Tries to Count All Students
A National Student Clearinghouse Research Center report takes account of the circuitous but ultimately successful routes that students often take toward a college degree. When nontraditional patterns of enrollment are considered, the national completion rate jumps to 54%, from 42%. Among full-time students, 75% earn a degree or certificate within six years, but part-time students have much lower completion rates. (Chronicle of Higher Education, 11/15/12)
Early Literacy
States Target 3rd Grade Reading
At the same time that districts are beginning to implement the Common Core State Standards in English/language arts, many also face new state reading policies for the early grades that call for the identification of struggling readers, require interventions to help them, and, in some instances, mandate the retention of 3rd graders who lack adequate reading skills. See ECS' summary of early literacy policies. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 11/14/12)
Ed Priorities/Funding
Mississippi Pushes for Literacy, Merit Pay over Pre-K
Mississippi probably will not fund or create public pre-kindergarten opportunities next year but will prioritize teacher merit pay, literacy, and dropout prevention, according to the proposed budget by Governor Phil Bryant. The proposal asks for a $24 million increase over this year, but it falls short of what pre-k advocates, and even the state’s education department, had hoped for. (Hechinger Report, 11/16/12)
Teaching Quality
Analysis Examines L.A. Teacher Characteristics
Los Angeles has an unusually wide spread in the relative effectiveness of its teachers, according to an analysis by the Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University. Among the findings: The difference in performance between top- and bottom-performing elementary math teachers was nearly eight months of learning, a figure the report says is larger than in other districts that have been studied. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 11/14/12)
Thursday, November 15
College Readiness Skills
'Soft Skills' Pushed as Part of College Readiness
To make it in college, students need to be up for the academic rigor. But they also must be able to manage their own time, deal with setbacks, show resiliency and grit, and have the ability to communicate and advocate. Yet, the lack of these skills in many teenagers is hurting college-completion rates. Many schools are now incorporating the softer, noncognitive skills into college-readiness efforts. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 11/14/12)
Online Courses
Establishment Opens Door for MOOCs
The clearest path to college credit for massive open online courses may soon be through credit recommendations from the American Council of Education (ACE), which announced that it will work with Coursera to determine whether as many as 8-10 MOOCs should be worth credit. The council also is working on a similar arrangement with EdX, a MOOC-provider created by elite universities. (Inside Higher Ed, 11/14/12)
National Ed Organizations
Common Standards, Assessment Leader to Head CCSSO
The Council of Chief State School Officers announced that Chris Minnich, the senior membership director at CCSSO, has been named the organization's executive director. Prior to working as the membership director, Minnich "led the standards and assessment work" at CCSSO, which is helping states implement the Common Core standards. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 11/14/12)
State Policymaking
2012 Public Officials of the Year: The Helmsman—Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval
When Brian Sandoval won the Nevada governor's race in November 2010, his state had the nation’s highest unemployment rate, a crushed housing market and a looming $3 billion budget deficit. Despite the challenges, the Republican governor was able to work with a Democratic legislature to close the state's budget hole, reform teacher tenure, and institute performance pay for teachers. (Note: Governor Sandoval will become ECS’ chair in June 2013). (Governing Magazine, 11/2012)
Teacher Evaluations
Teacher Evaluation Systems Not Fully Supported in Many States
A Center for American Progress report examines teacher evaluation reform in six early adopter states, including Colorado, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Tennessee. While many state education departments are struggling to fully support the new systems, others have seen some success and are en route to developing a means of supporting districts in teacher evaluation work. (Huffington Post, 11/13/12)
Wednesday, November 14
Accountability/Assessments
Experts: Focus on Testing Stymying Research
The use of testing in school accountability systems may hamstring the development of tests that can actually transform teaching and learning, experts from a national assessment commission warn. Technological innovations may soon allow much more in-depth data collection on students, but that current testing policy calls for the same test to fill too many different and often contradictory roles. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 11/14/12)
Charter Schools
Charter Schools Grow Rapidly, Adding 200,000 Students
Charter school enrollment rose by more than 200,000 students in the 2011-2012 school year compared to the previous year, according to a new report. More than 2 million students attend charter schools—about 5% of the public school enrollment. For the first time, 25 districts have 20% or more of their students in charters—up from just six districts in the school year 2005-2006. (Huffington Post, 11/14/12)
College Completion
Ohio Told to Raise College Graduation Rates
The Ohio Board of Regents and higher education leaders released a new report, Complete College Ohio, that offers 20 key recommendations that include getting high school students ready for college, helping all students graduate on time, and ensuring they earn degrees that connect them directly to jobs. (Dayton Daily News, 11/13/12)
Financial Aid
Low Payoff
One of the major justifications for state financial aid programs based on academic merit—grants that studies show go disproportionately to students from affluent families—is that they keep those students, who might otherwise go elsewhere for college, in the state during and after their undergraduate years. But a new paper calls that argument into question. (Inside Higher Ed, 11/13/12)
School Vouchers
Voucher Formula Isn't Nailed Down by Task Force
Low-income students should be the focus of any future Tennessee voucher system, a task force appointed by Governor Bill Haslam has concluded. But the panel failed to reach a consensus on several key components, including student eligibility requirements, the dollar amount of the voucher, whether to mandate transportation, and more. The task force report is expected in two weeks. See ECS’ summary of voucher policies. (Tennessean, 11/14/12)
Tuesday, November 13
Charter Schools
Charter Schools Narrowly Win Approval in Washington
By a slim margin, Washington voters approved Initiative 1240, which will allow up to 40 charter schools to open over the next five years. Washington is now the 42nd state to allow charters. A new state commission will review and approve charter-school applications. The state board of education will decide how it will handle applications from school boards that might want to authorize charters. (Seattle Times, 11/12/12)
Ed Reforms/Funding
Price Tag for Branstad's Schools Plan: $177.5 Million
Nearly a fifth of Iowa's $1 billion budget surplus would go toward education reform under a proposal Governor Terry Branstad will pitch to lawmakers in January. Higher teacher pay, tuition reimbursement for prospective educators, and expanded career options for classroom teachers are key components of the estimated $177.5 million package. (Des Moines Register, 11/10/12)
Foreign Students
U.S. Colleges, Especially in Midwest, See Record Number of Foreign Students
Foreign student college enrollment was up almost 6% last year—a nearly one-third jump over the past decade, according to the annual Open Doors Report. China sends the most students to U.S. colleges, followed by India, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Canada. Foreign students contribute nearly $23 billion annually to the U.S. economy. (Christian Science Monitor, 11/12/12)
Prior-Learning Assessments
New Momentum for Old Idea
The granting of college credit for learning that occurs outside of the academic setting has become an increasingly visible part of the college completion push, with broad efforts under way in several states to ramp up prior-learning assessment. The Council on Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) and HCM Strategists created a guide for state policymakers on prior-learning assessment. (Inside Higher Ed, 11/12/12)
Monday, November 12
Childhood Adversity
Research Traces Impacts of Childhood Adversity
While educators and psychologists have said for decades that the effects of poverty interfere with student achievement, new evidence from cognitive and neuroscience is showing exactly how adversity in childhood damages students' long-term learning and health. Those studies show that stress forms the link between childhood adversity and poor academic achievement, but that not all adversity is bad for students. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 11/07/12)
Elections/Ed Reform
Labor, Charter Forces Notch State-Level Election Wins
On an Election Day filled with dozens of state races and ballot measures with big implications for the nation's public schools, state teachers' unions and charter school champions had plenty to cheer in the aftermath, even as tax measures that would help pay for schools suffered setbacks in some places. See ECS' summary of ballot initiative results. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 11/12/12)
Student Truancy
School and City Officials Address Truancy Rates in District
D.C. Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson said that the school system's high truancy rates amount to an educational "crisis," as officials disclosed that more than 40% of the students at several high schools missed at least a month of school last year because of unexcused absences. Newly released data show that schools with the most truancy had some of the lowest on-time graduation rates. (Washington Post, 11/08/12)
Teacher Recruitment
Teach For America Launches Veterans Recruitment Initiative
After pledging to expand outreach efforts, Teach For America has announced its first veterans recruitment initiative. "You Served For America, Now Teach For America" aims to bring top military professionals into the country's highest-need classrooms by partnering with branches of the military and veterans' organizations. (Huffington Post, 11/08/12)
Teacher Unions
Study Ranks Teachers' Union Strength
Whether it's the right to strike, a flush membership, or an attentive legislature, the factors that build the political strength and reputation of a state's teachers' unions are multiple and interwoven, concludes a new analysis. Thomas B. Fordham Institute and Education Reform Now ranked unions into five tiers, from strongest to weakest, based on an analysis of 37 criteria in five areas. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 11/07/12)
Friday, November 9
Early Learning/School Readiness
Educare Preschools Aim to Close Academic Gaps
The growing Educare Learning Network of 17 schools hopes to become a national model for comprehensive early-childhood education. Its goal is to ensure that the children start school ready to learn, on par with peers from more-advantaged families. It's a model that's achieving results, according to a study by the FPG Child Development Institute at the University of North Carolina. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 11/07/12)
Innovation Grants
ELL-Focused Projects Are Big Winners in i3 Competition
The Department of Education announced 20 awards in the latest round of its Investing in Innovation competition, and proposals that pledge to improve outcomes for English-language learners are well-represented in the winners' circle. Winners—some districts; others, nonprofit organizations—will share $150 million to help underwrite their various projects and must secure private matching funds. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 11/07/12)
Teacher Evaluations
Student Achievement Could Be Part of Teacher Evaluations
A new rule proposed by the Alaska Department of Education would add student achievement—in the form of test scores or other data—to the criteria on which teachers are evaluated each year. The regulation, which is up for public comment, would require districts to make what the department terms "student learning data" worth 20% in a teacher's evaluation. (Anchorage Daily News, 11/08/12)
Transfer/Completion
Graduate, Transfer, Graduate
Only one in five community college students transfer to a four-year institution. But 60% of those who do so earn a bachelor's degree within four years, according to a National Student Clearinghouse Research Center report. Another 12% remain enrolled after four years. Further, 71% of students who transfer after completing an associate degree earned a bachelor's degree within four years of transferring. (Inside Higher Ed, 11/08/12)
Tuition Policies
Florida College Students with Undocumented Parents to Get Tuition Break in Spring
The Florida Board of Education, which oversees community colleges, voted not to appeal a federal judge's ruling that found a state policy to be discriminatory because it charges higher out-of-state tuition to students who are U.S. citizens, but their parents' immigration status is undocumented. The Florida Board of Governors, which oversees state colleges and universities, will likely adopt a similar position. (Miami Herald, 11/06/12)
Thursday, November 8
College Attainment
Record Shares of Young Adults Are Completing College
Record shares of young adults are completing high school, going to college, and completing degrees, newly analyzed data from the Census Bureau reveals. Of the nation's adults ages 25-29, data show that 90% have finished at least a high school education, 63% have completed at least some college, and 33% hold at least a bachelor's degree. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 11/06/12)
Common Core
Final College-Readiness Definition Guides Test Consortium
The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, or PARCC, has approved a set of descriptors for the tests it's designing for the Common Core State Standards. They lay out how many levels of achievement there will be on the test, specify what level a student has to reach to be considered college ready, and describe the level of expertise students must show to merit that title. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 11/07/12)
Online Materials
Pearson's Open Book
Pearson recently unveiled Project Blue Sky, a search engine to help college instructors locate materials from free, open education resources (OER) repositories. The service will allow faculty to search for e-book chapters, videos, and online exercise software. It will return aggregated results from Harvard Open Courses and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Open Courseware, among others. (Inside Higher Ed, 11/05/12)
Teacher Absences
Teacher Absence Policies Revised Would Improve Student Achievement, Save School Districts Money
A Center for American Progress report urges state policymakers to revise their teacher leave policies in an effort to improve student achievement and usher in significant savings. With 5.3% of teachers absent on a given day, stipends for substitute teachers and associated administrative costs amount to a minimum of $4 billion annually. (Huffington Post, 11/06/12)
Teacher Turnover
Study Chides D.C. Teacher Turnover
The District of Columbia has higher-than-desirable teacher turnover, but a new report finds that the school system is succeeding in holding onto its best teachers at nearly twice the rate as its lowest performers. Still, far too many excellent teachers are leaving each year. The report examined reasons for the high teacher turnover rates. (Washington Post, 11/07/12)
Wednesday, November 7
Check out ECS’ summary of state ballot initiatives and results.
Today’s e-Clips highlights some key state ballot initiatives that have a direct impact on education. We will continue to cover the election throughout the week as more results become available.
Charter Schools
GA Voters Pass the Charter School Amendment Against Public School Boards' Hopes
By 58% to 42%, Georgia voters passed Amendment 1, the Charter School referendum that allows the state to approve charters over local school board's objections. Amendment 1 calls for the creation of an appointed committee, by Georgia's Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and State House Speaker that would serve as an additional appeal and most likely affirming board. (The Examiner, 11/07/12)
Education Funding
Prop. 30 Wins, Prop. 38 Flames Out
California will avoid deep spending cuts—nearly $6 billion—to public schools and universities after voters handed Governor Jerry Brown's signature tax measure a decisive victory. Proposition 30 will raise the sales tax by one penny for every $4 spent for four years, while increasing the income tax on the state's highest earners for seven years. (San Francisco Chronicle, 11/07/12)
Education Reforms
Voters Soundly Reject Education Reform Laws
Idahoans repealed the Students Come First laws that dominated Governor Butch Otter and Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna's agenda the past two years. Fifty-seven percent opposed restrictions on teachers unions in Prop 1; 58% voted no on Prop 2, which paid teacher bonuses based on student test scores and other measures; and 67% rejected a mandate for laptops and online credits for high school students. (Idaho Statesman, 11/07/12)
Teacher Policies
Education Reform Law Turned Back
South Dakota voters rejected Governor Dennis Daugaard's education reform law, which sought to overhaul how teachers are evaluated, rewarded, and offered tenure. Daugaard promised to hand out bonuses to competent math and science teachers, college scholarships for those who take hard-to-fill teaching jobs, and bonuses for top-rated teachers. But half of every teacher's rating was to be based on student achievement. (Sioux Falls Argus-Leader, 11/07/12)
Undocumented Students
Md. College Presidents Praise Dream Act Victory
Maryland voters approved Question 4 with a 58% majority choosing to uphold the 2011 state law known as the Dream Act. The law sets a path for undocumented students to obtain in-state tuition rates if they attended a Maryland high school for three years, meet various other conditions, and go first to community college. Maryland is the first state to approve such a law through legislation and a popular vote. About 12 states have similar laws and policies. (Washington Post, 11/07/12)
Tuesday, November 6
Education Philanthropy
George Lucas Plans Major Donation to Education from Film Co. Sale
Following the announcement that Lucasfilm Ltd., the company founded by filmmaker George Lucas, will be sold to the Walt Disney Company for $4.05 billion, Lucasfilm released a statement that expresses Lucas' intention to donate the majority of the proceeds of that deal to philanthropic efforts, with a primary emphasis on education. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 11/01/12)
Elections
Voter's Guide for Education Policy
Education Week has compiled information on—and a map of—races for governor, state superintendent, and state school boards, as well as education-related ballot initiatives. The summary also highlights Congressional races to watch and the key education issues that the U.S. Senate and House will have to address. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 11/02/12)
Elections/Ed Issues
Respite on Ed. Issues Unlikely for Election Winners
Even as federal policymakers sort out the political landscape, the remainder of 2012 and the early months of 2013 are likely to be dominated by divisive, unresolved issues with broad consequences for K-12 and higher education—some of which require immediate action. The issues include sequestration, renewal of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, and funding for Pell Grants. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 11/05/12)
English-language Learners/Common Core
Report: Scrap One-Size-Fits-All Approach to Teaching ELLs
A new Alliance for Excellent Education policy brief offers recommendations for how state policy governing curriculum, assessment, and teacher preparation could be improved to support the changes in classroom practices that English-learners will need to tackle under the Common Core standards as they develop their language skills. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 11/02/12)
Financial Aid/Tuition
Other People’s Money
The Iowa Board of Regents eliminated their policy of earmarking 20% of in-state tuition revenue for financial aid purposes, which also launched a plan to reduce the sticker price of attending its three universities. The move puts Iowa at the forefront of a policy debate over whether public colleges and universities should earmark tuition revenue from high- and middle-income students to support low-income students. (Inside Higher Ed, 11/05/12)
Monday, November 5
Common Core
Common Core: 7 Recommendations for Effective Implementation
Conflicting reform efforts, poor communications, and "initiative fatigue" are among the factors presenting challenges to Common Core State Standards implementation. A new ASCD report suggests that to overcome these potential barriers, states, districts, and schools need to take new approaches to professional development, technology adoption, and reform efforts. (The Journal, 11/01/12)
District Flexibility
Kentucky Looks to Mimic Charters with "Districts of Innovation"
Kentucky is one of the nine states without charter schools, but the board of education has enacted policies that would give traditional public schools much of the same autonomy as charters. As part of a new, comprehensive law, districts can apply to become "Districts of Innovation" and be exempt from certain regulations and education policy. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 10/30/12)
Elections/Teacher Policies
New Player Jumps into State Elections to Push Education Overhaul
A dozen states are poised to pass significant education reforms depending on the outcome of the election. A slate of state-level candidates want to abolish teacher tenure and tie teacher evaluations to student tests. StudentsFirst, founded by former Washington D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee, has infused cash and grassroots organizing into many of these races with a platform that is anathema to teachers unions. (Hechinger Report, 11/04/12)
Online Learning
Florida Virtual School Incorporates Face-to-Face Learning
The Florida Virtual School, the nation's largest state-sponsored online K-12 school, is venturing into a blended learning model that is in growing demand. The move is in part the effect of market forces, as the FLVS strives to meet the needs of districts, and in part the evolution of the blended model, which mixes face-to-face instruction and virtual learning. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 10/24/12)
Teacher Preparation
Minn. Colleges Must Turn Over Education Syllabi, Court Rules
Education schools within the Minnesota State Colleges and University system must comply with an open-records request and allow an outside research and advocacy organization to copy them, a district court judge ruled. The National Council on Teacher Quality sued the public institutions to obtain the course syllabi as part of its national review of every teacher-preparation institution in the country. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 11/01/12)
Friday, November 2
Common Core
Scores Drop on KY's Common Core-Aligned Tests
Results from new state tests in Kentucky—the first in the nation explicitly tied to the Common Core State Standards—show that the share of students scoring "proficient" or better in reading and math dropped by roughly a third or more in both elementary and middle school. The results are being closely watched for what they may reveal about how the standards may affect student achievement. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 11/02/12)
NCLB Waivers/Math Achievement
State Board of Education Approves Math Plan
The Virginia board of education approved new goals for closing achievement gaps in math scores, but the state's top educators warned people to view the measure as a minimum, not as the end-all of scholastic aspiration. The vote finalizes new standards that were part of the state's No Child Left Behind waiver. In the next six years, all districts are supposed to show math pass rates of at least 73%. (Richmond Times-Dispatch, 10/26/12)
Race to the Top/Early Learning
5 States Pursue Second Round of Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge
According to the Department of Education, all five eligible states have stepped forward to participate in the second round of applications for the Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge, which provides funding for reforms in state early learning programs. Those states include Colorado, Illinois, New Mexico, Oregon, and Wisconsin. (The Journal, 10/30/12)
STEM Degrees
STEM Pathways
A series of new grants seek to help community college students in STEM fields successfully transfer to and graduate from four-year institutions—a path that often is full of obstacles. Each program is different, but they all share a common purpose: giving community college students an accessible path to a four-year degree in a STEM field. (Inside Higher Ed, 11/01/12)
Teacher Evaluation
Teachers Share Concerns about New Evaluation System
A Nevada state council is drafting standards for teacher evaluation that follows 2011 legislation that mandated a uniform system. The new system would take into account student achievement data—test scores and growth measures—for at least half of a teacher's evaluation. The system must be adopted by the state education board this June, and be implemented in all districts by the 2014-15 school year. (Las Vegas Sun, 10/31/12)
Thursday, November 1
Elections/Ed Issues
Education Issues Underscore Election Stakes at All Levels
Education policy and funding—from common standards and college access to budget cuts—have been a steady theme in the presidential and various state campaigns. And with the strategic balance in Congress in play, along with the makeup of 44 state legislatures and the fate of numerous education-related ballot measures, the elections could have a lasting impact on the direction of pre-collegiate policy. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 10/30/12)
Online Learning
States, Districts Require Online Ed for High School Graduation
Nearly 620,000 students took an online course during in 2011-12, up 16% from the previous year, according to an annual report by the Evergreen Education Group. The number of states and districts requiring online courses for high school graduation also grew. Virginia and Idaho, for example, enacted legislation in the past year requiring students to take at least one online course in order to earn a diploma. (U.S. News & World Report, 10/24/12)
P-20 Student Success
Colleges Must Help Prepare Students for Higher Education, Report Says
If colleges want more of their students to be ready for the academic challenges of higher education, then those institutions have to take a more direct role in pre-K-12 education, suggests a report from the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. The report recommends four approaches that every member campus should be involved in to have the greatest impact on student success. (Chronicle of Higher Education, 10/30/12)
Teacher Evaluations
Caution Urged in Using 'Value Added' Evaluations
Top researchers studying new "value added" or "growth index" models for measuring a teacher's contribution to student achievement completely agree on only one thing: These methods should be used with more care than they have been so far. The Education Department recently released proceedings of a meeting that brought together experts to discuss value-added evaluation systems. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 10/30/12)
Note: A story included in yesterday’s e-Clips has been updated with revised enrollment data.
Charter Schools
California Now Has 1,000 Charter Schools Educating 484,000 Kids
(Educationnews.org, 10/31/12)
Wednesday, October 31
Ballot Initiatives
Some States Will Soon Call the Roll on School Reform
Voters in several states will weigh in next month on some of the most contentious issues in public education, including teacher tenure, charter schools, and merit pay for teachers, as a national fight over education reform hits the ballot box. Education issues are on the ballot in Washington, Georgia, Idaho, South Dakota, and several other states. (Reuters, 10/29/12)
Charter Schools
California Now Has 1,000 Charter Schools Educating 70,000 Kids
More than 1,000 charter schools have opened their doors in California and now educate more than 70,000 of the state's students. Enrollment numbers show that more than 16% of California's 484,000 students now attend a charters, making California the state with both the largest number of charters and the highest percentage of charter-educated students. (Educationnews.org, 10/29/12)
College Degrees/Financial Aid
Some College, No Degree, No Pell
In the continuing push to increase the proportion of Americans with college degrees, one group has been singled out as key to reach: those who have attended college and have some credits, but never earned a degree. A recent change to eligibility for the Pell Grant, though, has made it harder for some of those students—as well as transfer students—to complete their studies and earn a degree. (Inside Higher Ed, 10/31/12)
College Participation
DPS Helping Students See Their Way to College
A new program, the Detroit Rising College Prep Schools, is intended to put students in high-poverty areas on the path to college at the same rate as suburban schools. Currently, less than half the district's students graduate and 40% or fewer attend college. The district has hired a full-time college adviser for each school to help students plan and apply for colleges and understand the financial aid process. (Detroit News, 10/29/12)
NCLB Waivers/Grad Rates
Graduation Rates Latest NCLB Waiver Flash Point
A growing chorus of education policy advocates is urging the Education Department to strengthen graduation-rate accountability in states that have earned No Child Left Behind waivers. The advocates are concerned that many of the waiver plans violate the spirit—if not the letter—of 2008 regulations that require all states to calculate the graduation rate in the same way and make those rates part of high school accountability. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 10/30/12)
Tuesday, October 30
Assessments/Cheating
State Strips 23 Schools of API Rankings for Cheating
California officials have stripped 23 schools of their API ranking for cheating, other misconduct, or mistakes in administering the standardized tests given last spring. The API is a scale by which schools are officially measured in California. Top rankings are celebrated and contribute to high property values. Low scores can label schools as failures and trigger penalties. (Los Angeles Times, 10/28/12)
Early Learning Investments
Report: More Evidence that Early Learning Can Reduce Crime
A Fight Crime: Invest in Kids report provides more evidence that providing kids with high-quality early learning makes them less likely to later end up in the criminal justice system. The report notes that "total state and federal corrections spending to house, feed, and provide 24-hour supervision of criminals, at $57 billion in 2010, is more than double total state and federal early-care and education spending, at $26 billion." (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 10/26/12)
Higher Ed Reforms/Tuition
Florida Task Force to Recommend Tuition Cost Based on Areas of Study
The Florida Task Force on State Higher Education Reform released its preliminary recommendations that give more budgetary control to the State Board of Governors and end the one size fits all way of funding. The recommendations also propose charging different tuition rates for various degree programs to encourage students to enter high-demand fields with lower tuition rates. (The Examiner, 10/26/12)
Innovation Grants
Matching Funds Fail to Materialize for Some i3 Grantees
Two years after the Department of Education awarded $650 million in Investing in Innovation grants and set off a mad dash for grantees to raise more than $100 million in matching private funds, some of the i3 winners are still facing financial uncertainty stemming from initial fundraising struggles. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 10/29/12)
Teacher Certification
National Board Puts Focus on Lifting Profile
At a time of competing pressures around teacher evaluation and development, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is retooling itself in an attempt to increase its influence in the field. The process may ultimately result in significant changes to the group's flagship certification program, including tie-ins to the Common Core State Standards and integration of student-achievement measures. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 10/24/12)
Monday, October 29
Course Choice
La. Unveils List of Potential 'Course Choice' Providers
Louisiana has taken another step toward creating a new marketplace for publicly funded courses that students may choose from, as the state education department announced the applicants that have made it past the initial hurdle in a multistage evaluation process. Louisiana's Course Choice program will allow students to shop around for courses to be paid for with public dollars. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 10/24/12)
Education Reforms
Scott's Fla. School Plans Draw Widespread Praise
Florida Governor Rick Scott's education agenda for next year's legislative session includes proposals to avoid additional spending cuts, reduce regulations that take away classroom time, and expand charter schools. Scott also wants to stop introducing new tests unless they support planned Common Core standards and provide debit cards for teachers to purchase classroom supplies. (Miami Herald, 10/25/12)
Elections/Ed Reforms
Idaho Education Changes Under Attack
Idaho recently signed a $180 million contract with Hewlett Packard to provide laptops to all high school students by the fall of 2015. It was an ambitious move. But on November 6, the law under which the contract was authorized could be repealed. In fact, Idaho voters will decide whether to repeal a whole package of education measures signed by Governor Butch Otter last year. (Stateline.org, 10/29/12)
School Leadership
Highly Effective Principals Raise Student Achievement
A new study found that the effect of highly effective principals on student achievement is equivalent to two to seven months of additional learning each school year, while ineffective principals negatively impact achievement by a comparable amount. In addition, the relationship between higher teacher turnover and lower average "value added" in a given grade is stronger as principal quality increases. (Huffington Post, 10/24/12)
Student Achievement
Report: Low-Income, High-Ability Students Need More Support
The United States must move past its focus on minimum achievement standards for all and put more energy behind identifying and developing the talent of students who are capable of more, especially students from low-income backgrounds and students learning English, according to a new directive from the National Association for Gifted Children. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 10/25/12)
Friday, October 26
Common Core Assessments
Adaptive Testing Evolves to Assess Common-Core Skills
As many states move toward online testing tied to the Common Core standards, at least 20 states have indicated they plan to use computer-adaptive versions of the tests, and they're looking at states like Delaware to learn some lessons. The two coalitions developing assessments for the standards have said their exams will feature high-tech, interactive questions that will identify what students know and be more engaging. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 10/17/12)
Financial Aid
Board Proposes Major Overhaul of TEXAS Grants Program
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board is proposing an overhaul of the state's primary need-based financial aid program that would decrease the amount of the award and impose stricter requirements for eligibility. The changes, however, could make more money available for more students. The plan would only cover university students, with aid for community colleges coming from other sources. (Texas Tribune, 10/25/12)
Online Education
Online Education Needs to Hold Itself to Higher Standards than Traditional Classrooms, Report Warns
An International Association for K-12 Online Learning report calls for online schools and providers of online courses to hold themselves to a higher standard than traditional brick-and-mortar schools. The association also said it would launch a pilot project with three to five states to collect data that measures online education quality. The report urges states to collect student data in five categories. (Hechinger Report, 10/24/12)
School Superintendent Salaries
N.J. Education Chief Can Impose Salary Caps on Superintendents, Appellate Panel Rules
In another win for the Christie administration in its battle to hold down school spending, a New Jersey state appeals court panel said the education commissioner has the right to impose salary caps on school superintendents. A lawsuit was filed in 2011 after the education department adopted regulations setting up a pay scale that limited the salaries based on the size of their districts. (Newark Star-Ledger, 10/25/12)
Special Ed Teachers
States Must Tread Cautiously on Evaluations of Special Ed. Teachers
With school reform efforts combining with federal incentives to encourage more districts and states to change how they evaluate teachers, the Council for Exceptional Children shared recommendations and views for how to evaluate special education teachers. In its new position paper, the CEC lists several elements that should be included in evaluations of special education teachers. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 10/24/12)
Thursday, October 25
Charter Schools
US Oversight of Charter School Funds Lax
An audit of the Department of Education's division overseeing hundreds of millions of dollars in charter school funding has criticized the office for failing to properly monitor how states spend the money. The report also singled out state education departments in Arizona, California, and Florida for lax monitoring of what charter schools do with the funds and whether their expenditures comply with federal regulations. (Boston Globe, 10/24/12)
Blended Learning
Evaluating What Works in Blended Learning
Blended learning—the mix of virtual education and face-to-face instruction—is evolving quickly in schools across the country, generating a variety of different models. This special Education Week report examines several of those approaches and aims to identify what is working and where improvements are needed. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 10/24/12)
Performance Funding
Proposal Would Tie Funding for Georgia Colleges to Success, Not Enrollment
Under a plan proposed by the Higher Education Funding Commission, the amount of money Georgia colleges receive would be determined mainly by how well students progress through college and the number of degrees awarded. Knowing some groups of students historically struggle the most, the proposal pledges incentives if colleges help them succeed. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 10/22/12)
Student Support Courses
Student-Success Courses Hold Promise but Need Improvement, Study Finds
In an effort to improve retention and graduation rates, many institutions offer "College 101" courses alongside traditional academic ones to teach students skills for success in the campus environment. A recent study found, however, that while such courses hold promise for improving students' completion rates, the models must be strengthened to achieve the intended effects. (Chronicle of Higher Education, 10/22/12)
Teacher Evaluations
'Value Added' Measures at Secondary Level Questioned
Academic tracking in middle and high school appears to confound the value-added method for gauging differences in teacher quality, according to two recent studies. Failing to account for how students are sorted into more- or less-rigorous classes—as well as the effect different tracks have on student learning—can lead to biased estimates of teachers' ability to boost their students' test scores. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 10/24/12)
Wednesday, October 24
Early Literacy
Ohio 3rd Grade Reading Guarantee Law Could Hold Back 10,000 Students
As many as 10,000 Ohio students may have to repeat the 3rd grade under the new Third Grade Reading Guarantee law because they are at risk of not passing the state's reading exam. The state has set aside competitive grant funding to boost reading skills, but new reporting requirements are an unfunded mandate. Ohio is one of 13 states that require 3rd graders to be reading at grade level in order to be promoted. See ECS’ roadmap for improving reading proficiency. (Huffington Post, 10/22/12)
Cyberbullying
North Carolina to Outlaw Student Cyberbullying of Teachers
It will soon be illegal for a student to bully a teacher online in North Carolina under an expansion of the state's cyberbullying law, which may be the first of its kind in the country. The School Violence Prevention Act of 2012 will make it a misdemeanor for students to post something online "with the intent to intimidate or torment a school employee." (Raleigh News and Observer, 10/23/12)
State Boards/Elections
State Boards Could Feel Electoral Winds
With scores of state school board seats nationwide hanging on next month's elections, the results could have a quiet but significant impact on education policy. Nine states are holding direct elections this cycle for some or all the seats on their state boards. In addition, eight states in which governors appoint board members have gubernatorial contests this year. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 10/24/12)
Tuition/Financial Aid
College Tuition Rose as Financial Aid for Students Stalls among Public Institutions
While tuition at public and private colleges alike continues to rise, total grant aid for students stalled in 2011-12, according to two recent reports by the College Board. The average published tuition and fees for in-state students at public four-year colleges and universities increased by 4.8%. And while total student borrowing has increased rapidly over the past decade, there was a 4% decline in the past two years. (Huffington Post, 10/24/12)
Urban Reforms
Miami-Dade Public School District Wins Prestigious Broad Prize for Urban Education
One of the most prestigious education prizes was awarded to the Miami-Dade County Public Schools for improving student achievement, raising the graduation rates of minority students, and increasing the percentage of minorities reaching advanced levels on state exams. Miami-Dade had been a finalist for the Broad Prize for Urban Education five times before winning the honor this year. (Huffington Post, 10/23/12)
Tuesday, October 23
College Readiness
ACT Shows Few N.C. Students Are Ready for College
Seniors across North Carolina have a lot of work to do, especially in science, to be ready for college, results of the first-ever statewide ACT testing show. Just less than one in eight of last year's juniors, or 12.8%, met the benchmark scores considered a predictor of college success in English, math, reading, and science. Last year, the state started requiring all 11th graders to take the exam. (Charlotte Observer, 10/19/12)
Competency-based Education
Competency-Based Schools Embrace Digital Learning
Districts that are adopting competency-based education models will likely have a head start in preparing for the Common Core State Standards and in using technology to more effectively personalize learning. A new initiative called CompetencyWorks aims to promote competency-based education and provide resources for educators who are interested in learning more about the model. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 10/16/12)
Higher Ed Accountability
Performing Under Pressure
A series of research papers and issue briefs by HCM Strategists and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation are trying to help state lawmakers identify measures to more effectively tie public funding of higher education to colleges' performance. Their Context for Success campaign is intended to give policymakers and colleges tools to better judge what works in higher education. (Inside Higher Ed, 10/22/12)
Race to the Top
District Race to Top Will Consider Emotional, Behavioral Services
The $400 million district Race to the Top competition includes one item that hasn't been a part of any previous iteration of the contest. Districts will be able to earn up to 10 bonus points if their applications include plans to collaborate with public and private partners to help improve the social, emotional, and behavioral needs of students. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 10/19/12)
Teacher Attitudes
Surveys Probe Generational Attitudes of Teaching Force
A new survey points to differences in how teachers with fewer than 10 years of experience—who now make up more than half the teaching force—view aspects of their profession, compared with their veteran peers. The new-majority teachers were generally more receptive to the accountability movement and its implications for teacher policy, but they also hold some traditional opinions on working conditions. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 10/22/12)
Monday, October 22
Career Readiness
Coalition Advances Definition of Career Readiness
In the hope of guiding education policy, more than two dozen business and education groups have come together as the Career Readiness Partner Council to try to forge a shared definition of what it means to be ready for good jobs. Their statement attempts to fuse various ways of conceptualizing career readiness, from acquiring skills specific to a given sector or entry-level job to mastering broader workplace skills. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 10/18/12)
Charter Schools
Parents Could Seek Charters at 35 Schools
The Mississippi education department indicated that 35 schools are eligible for the first time to be converted to charter schools. A majority of parents must sign a petition seeking conversion. A 2010 state law allows the state board to grant up to 12 charters, with a limit of three per congressional district. Eligible schools have been labeled with an "F" on the school rating scale for three straight years. (Jackson Clarion-Ledger, 10/18/12)
College Admissions/Remediation
Colleges withstand Stricter Admission Standards
Tougher college admission standards so far have not led to the dramatic enrollment declines predicted by some Louisiana higher education leaders as schools have shifted strategies and started targeting better prepared students. A new state policy prohibits most four-year institutions from offering remedial courses to incoming freshmen and shifts this responsibility to community colleges. (Baton Rouge Advocate, 10/18/12)
Common Core
Common Core Drives Interest in Open Education Resources
Spurred by the adoption of Common Core standards by nearly every state, the movement for open education resources—or OERs—is seeing a surge in interest as districts re-evaluate and realign their curricula. OERs which are free to use, remix, and adapt, also engage teachers more fully in curricula, allowing them to more easily differentiate instructional materials for students, advocates say. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 10/17/12)
School Finance Litigation
Texas Schools Head to Trial Over School Finance
Texas lawmakers cut $5.4 billion from public schools last year, and now districts are headed to court to argue that the resulting system is so inefficient and unfair that it violates the state constitution. The plaintiffs point out that the cuts have come as the state requires students to pass more difficult standardized tests and amid a boom in the number of low-income students that are costly to educate. (Boston Globe, 10/22/12)
Friday, October 19
College Readiness
Community Colleges Rethink Placement Tests
College-placement tests can make or break a student's career. Yet there is little evidence to suggest the tests do what they're designed to do. Now, some community colleges are switching to high school grades or revamping assessments, while others are working with high schools to figure out students' college readiness early so they have time to catch up if necessary. See ECS’ policy brief on placement assessments. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 10/16/12)
Dual Enrollment/College Completion
College Courses in High School Yield Students More Likely to Attend, Graduate from College
A Jobs for the Future report urges policymakers to expand dual-enrollment programs given their success in boosting college completion. The report's findings show that Texas high school students who completed a college course before graduation were nearly 50% more likely to earn a college degree from a state two- or four-year college within six years than students who had not participated in dual enrollment. (Huffington Post, 10/17/12)
Educational Research
IES to Seed New Methods for Studying Schools
The Institute of Education Sciences is crafting a new research program, called "continuous improvement research in education," to go beyond "what works" and add more context to education findings. The IES would offer grants to researchers to focus on supportive school climates, high school transitions, or access to postsecondary education. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 10/16/12)
Pre-k Programs
Gov. Perdue Moves $20M to Expand NC Pre-K to 6,300 More
North Carolina Governor Beverly Perdue announced she is shifting $20 million in projected spare funds to accommodate up to another 6,300 4-year-olds in the state's pre-kindergarten academic enrichment program. The legislature this summer reversed controversial changes that cut program funding by 20% and limited the number of slots for at-risk 4-year-olds. (Greenville Daily Reflector, 10/18/12)
School Vouchers
BESE OKs New Rules for Aid
Louisiana's school board approved new rules for voucher and other private and parochial schools to qualify for state tax dollars. The new reviews would allow nonpublic schools accredited annually by two national organizations to qualify for a five-year approval from the board. Schools accredited by other third-party groups could qualify for one year of good standing. See ECS' summary of voucher policies. (Baton Rouge Advocate, 10/17/12)
Thursday, October 18
College Costs
Let's Make a Deal
Recognizing the pressure to keep prices down, several public universities have proposed budgets that would hold tuition level if states agree to up their financial commitment to the university. Others have proposed to keep students' tuition costs level if those students make progress toward graduating in four years. The result is a set of policies that try to spark a broader discussion about the cost of educating students. (Inside Higher Ed, 10/17/12)
Early Learning Programs
Will Mississippi Jump In and Provide Funds for Early Learning?
Advocates of Building Blocks, the privately funded early education program in Mississippi, are asking the state for $5 million dollars to expand the program. The request follows increasing attention on the fact that Mississippi is the only state in the south that does not fund pre-K. Mississippi's education department already has requested $2.5 million in the 2014 budget for an early education pilot program. (Hechinger Report, 10/18/12)
Ed Innovations/Technology
Blended Learning Models Win Gates Funding
A new wave of school models have been awarded a total of $5.4 million in grants from Next Generation Learning Challenges, a competition funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to promote education technology and college readiness and completion. Previous waves of funding focused on innovative K-12 and higher education school models and companies, and the latest wave focuses on blended learning. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 10/17/12)
Student Debt
Students' Debt Loads Increase Again
Students in the class of 2011 who took out loans graduated with an average of $26,600 in debt, a 5% increase from last year, according to a report by the Institute for College Access and Success. The report found that debt had increased in nearly every state, although national trends remained stable from previous years and the amount of debt students take on varies significantly by state. (Inside Higher Ed, 10/18/12)
Student Incentives/AP Courses
Cash Incentives for Colorado Students a Study in Progress
As educators continue to debate the effectiveness of using financial rewards to boost academic achievement, Colorado has moved forward, and the National Math and Science Initiative-backed program soon will operate in 30 schools. It aims to increase participation among students who traditionally don't enroll in AP classes and already has posted big gains in some schools. (Denver Post, 10/18/12)
Wednesday, October 17
Charter Schools
Advocacy Group Offers a Prototype for Charter School Law
The Center for Education Reform released model charter school legislation that reflects the organization's view of the features of a strong charter laws. The guidance calls for multiple independent authorizers of charter schools, including school boards, public charter school boards, state boards of education, mayors of cities, and boards of trustees of higher education institutions. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 10/15/12)
College Attainment
Gov. Gary Herbert Presents Plan to Increase Number of Utahns with Degrees
Utah Governor Gary Herbert recently unveiled the PACE Plan, part of an initiative to increase the state's competitiveness through education. The plan is part of the governor's Prosperity 2020 initiative that seeks to have 66% of Utah adults holding some form of postsecondary degree or certificate by 2020. Currently, roughly 43% of adults have completed a credential. (Deseret News, 10/16/12)
Online Learning
UT System Touts Plan for Free Online Courses
University of Texas System regents approved a $10 million investment in massive open online courses, or MOOCs, becoming the first public university system to join edX, the partnership started by Harvard and MIT. The goal is for institutions to launch four courses through edX by the fall of 2013. The courses will be free. Learners will not earn college credit, though the system eventually intends to offer course credit. (Houston Chronicle, 10/15/12)
State Ed-tech Policies
New Ed-Tech Policy Database Unveiled
The State Educational Technology Directors Association launched a new online database intended to help policymakers, researchers, corporate and philanthropic investors, and educators keep track of state-level policies directly affecting educational technology. The State Education Policy Center, or SEPC, will focus initially on broadband Internet access, online assessment, and digital content. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 10/16/12)
Tuesday, October 16
Charter Schools/Elections
Anxiety High Over Charters, K-12 Aid in Wash. State
A tight race for governor, the burden of rebuilding a school funding system recently declared unconstitutional, and a fourth ballot measure in two decades on charter schools has placed Washington state on an intense—and unpredictable—road for education this year. Washington is one of nine states that doesn't allow charter schools, and it is the largest among them in population. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 10/17/12)
College Persistence
College Persistence Linked to Rigorous Courses and Academic Advising
A National School Boards Association study finds that keeping college freshmen on track to graduation is linked to higher levels of math in high school, more Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate courses, and good college advising. The research focused on freshman-to-sophomore persistence rates, since college students are more likely to drop out their first year than any other.
(Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 10/12/12)
Higher Ed Overhaul
What If College Was Reinvented?
There’s a growing consensus, wrong or right, that higher education is fundamentally broken. A series of Chronicle articles imagines new ways to solve some of academe's persistent conundrums: how to staff the faculty and improve teaching, how to produce research that will connect with the public, how to bring in more money, and how to help students and families pay for it all, among other challenges. Note: some articles are subscription-only. (Chronicle of Higher Education, 10/15/12)
STEM Programs
NBA Great Named Calif. After-School STEM Ambassador
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar will be promoting the importance of STEM subjects over the next year as California's After-School STEM Ambassador, state Superintendent Tom Torlakson announced at the annual California STEM Summit. Through his Skyhook Foundation, which he started in 2009, Abdul-Jabbar has been actively promoting the importance of STEM education and STEM-related careers. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 10/15/12)
Monday, October 15
College Completion/Transfers
Encouraging Pathways from Community College to Bachelor's Degree
Nearly 28% of those who earn a bachelor's degree began their studies at a community college, and 47% took at least one course at a community college. A new policy brief from the American Association of Community Colleges looks at ways institutions and state policymakers can encourage pathways from two-year to four-year colleges. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 10/11/12)
Ed Funding Efficiencies
Classroom Spending Hard to Define
A task force appointed by Kansas Governor Sam Brownback is studying ways to make schools more efficient so more of the state's education budget will be spent in the classroom. The panel will need to determine what exactly qualifies as "classroom" spending. Districts are struggling to meet a state goal of spending at least 65% of their state funds in the classroom or for instruction due to the lack of a standard definition. (Lawrence Journal World, 10/11/12)
NCLB Waivers
States Punch Reset Button with NCLB Waivers
Given the flexibility to revise their academic goals under No Child Left Behind, a vast majority of the states that received waivers are setting different expectations for different subgroups of students, an Education Week analysis shows. The leeway to set the new academic goals means, however, that many students in the subgroups will fail to master college- and career-readiness standards at greater rates. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 10/15/12)
Tuition/Time-to-Degree
Indiana University Will Freeze Tuition for Students on Track to Graduate On Time
Indiana University students who are in good academic standing as sophomores and on track to graduate in four years will not have their tuition increase as juniors or seniors, President Michael McRobbie announced. He'll also recommend faculty create an online class that would be required for students receiving financial aid to teach financial literacy, in an effort to tackle student debt. (Huffington Post, 10/11/12)
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