Current News

The Nebraska State Board of Education recently adopted new standards for social studies instruction, but local school boards will have to adopt or strengthen and implement them. The standards determine what students should know at different grade levels in history, geography, civics, and economics.

The Maine Educator Effectiveness Council, a task force, issued its first report on how Maine schools should evaluate teachers, though it said implementing a standardized evaluation system could take several years. State Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen said, "Of the education laws passed last session, this is one of the two most significant. We are extremely grateful for the work of the Maine Educator Effectiveness Council.

On Dec. 10, Connecticut Education Commissioner Stefan Pryor unveiled an online database that provides information on school performance for use by parents and other public school stakeholders. The database tracks the School Performance Index and the graduation rates of public schools. "The state's new school accountability and support framework enables more precise, more helpful snapshots of school performance.

On Dec. 7, the Alaska State Board of Education approved a measure that includes student learning data in teacher evaluations. Beginning in the 2015-16 school year, student growth and performance criteria -- including at least one standardized test -- will make up 20 percent of teacher evaluations.

On behalf of the nation’s state school chiefs, CCSSO extends its deepest condolences to the community of Newtown, Connecticut in the wake of the unspeakable tragedy that took the lives of 20 students and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary on Friday, December 14.

Please join the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), on Monday, December 17, 10:00 AM ET, for a briefing on the CCSSO Task Force Report Our Responsibility, Our Promise: Transforming Educator Preparation and Entry into the Profession.

Rebecca Mieliwocki, the 2012 National Teacher of the Year, spoke to state education leaders at the Council of Chief State School Officers Annual Policy Forum, November 16th, 2012, in Savannah, Georgia. In her speech, Mieliwocki focuses on developing and supporting outstanding educators and what she describes as the “quiet hurricane” of passionate, effective teachers.

CCSSO will host a briefing on Monday, December 17, 10:00 AM ET, on the CCSSO Task Force Report Our Responsibility, Our Promise: Transforming Educator Preparation and Entry into the Profession.

On Dec. 3, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, and Tennessee announced they could add at least 300 hours of learning time to the calendar in some schools beginning in 2013. The move is part of a three-year pilot program to boost student achievement and make U.S. schools more competitive on a global level.

The U.S. Department of Education has awarded another round of early-childhood education grants as part of the Race to the Top program, following an initial distribution of $500 million to nine states. This time around, $133 million in grants will be given to five states: Colorado, Illinois, New Mexico, Oregon, and Wisconsin.