Current News

The Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC) has selected the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to develop and administer the Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators® (GACE®) to assess the knowledge and skills of prospective Georgia public school educators.

Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Evers recently proposed a $615 million increase -- an increase of 2.4 percent in 2013 and a 5.5 percent increase for 2014 -- for public schools over the next two years by redirecting money from the popular school levy tax credit program. Nearly $47 million would be used to meet specific needs of schools, including raising graduation rates and increasing funds for a high percentage of non-English speaking students.

Following the final task force meeting, Tennessee Education Commissioner Kevin Huffman said the recommendations will provide Gov. Bill Haslam with options for a school voucher program. "There are some areas where there is a pretty broad range of views on how to do it," he said. The group agreed that a voucher program should be limited to low-income students, and that private schools should be screened for eligibility and held accountable if they participate in the program.

The South Carolina Department of Education released data that shows more students graduated on time in 2012 than in 2011, with the rate increasing from 73.6 percent to 74.9 percent. The graduation rates of black, Hispanic, and subsidized school-meal students are at their highest levels since the department began releasing subgroup performance data in 2004. The graduation rate gap between white and black students declined by 0.2 percent in 2012, while the gap with Hispanic students declined 5.1 percent since 2004.

New York State Education Commissioner John King, Jr., reports that 500 of 700 school districts across the state have submitted plans for the new state-mandated teacher evaluations. School districts have until Jan. 17, 2013, to submit their plans, and without those plans, they will forfeit a scheduled increase in state aid. About 200 school districts have approved plans.

At a recent New Hampshire Scholars program event, panelists, including New Hampshire Education Commissioner Virginia Barry, discussed how to build better partnerships between businesses and schools and to honor those already making progress toward that goal. Leaders hope for 100 percent participation in the program as 60 of the state's 80 high schools already take part to ensure students have the skills the business community needs.

In October, the Missouri State Board of Education adopted a resolution in support of International Education Week to encourage schools to provide students with the knowledge they would need to succeed in an increasingly global society and its globally competitive economy. Missouri Education Commissioner Chris L. Nicastro said, "The ability to communicate effectively with people from other countries and develop a deeper understanding of other cultures has never been more important."

In Louisiana, tougher questions for English, math, science, and social studies on annual assessments may not count toward this year's results, but they will count for nearly 10 percent of the results in the 2013-14 school year and all answers will count in the 2014-15 school year. State Superintendent of Education John White said the tests are part of the state's move toward a more rigorous curriculum aimed at improving student achievement.

Iowa Education Director Jason Glass released a 20-page report that, among other things, recommended the implementation of a Response to Intervention program to assess students three times per year and provide struggling students with additional small group or one-on-one instruction. Glass says the program would have "quality controls as to what those assessments look like," but each school can choose its own assessments. The goal of the program is to reduce the achievement gap between different socioeconomic, racial, and disability groups.

The U.S. Department of Education has named 20 school districts and nonprofits as winners of the third round of the Investing in Innovation (i3) grant competition. A total of $150 million was awarded, with eight "validation" awards up to $15 million and 12 "development" awards up to $3 million.