Chiefline 12.11.12

Association and Related News

National Teacher of the Year Rebecca Mieliwocki Addresses Chief State School Officers

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. more

CCSSO to Host Webinar on Sample Assessment Items from PARCC and Smarter Balanced

On December 19, 2012 at 4:30 p.m. ET, CCSSO will be hosting a webinar on the recently released Partnership for Readiness for College and Career (PARCC) and Smarter Balanced sample assessment items in mathematics with middle school mathematics teacher Jim Mamer. more

Education Newsbriefs

Five States to Increase Class Time in Some Schools

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. more

Race to Top Early-Learning Grants Announced for Five More States

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. more

EMUHSD to Implement Common Core State Standards

California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson says the state's Common Core State Standards (CCSS) Systems Implementation Plan will "take our state's already world-class standards to a new level, emphasizing a deep understanding of English language arts and mathematics to ensure our students complete high school, ready to thrive in college and careers." The plan, which will be implemented by the 2014-15 school year, will be rolled out in three phases. more

61 Finalists Announced for Race to the Top District Competition

The Department of Education announced that 61 applications have been selected as finalists for the $400 million Race to the Top-District (RTT-D) competition. more

Montgomery and Poultney Elementary Schools Receive Title I Reward Grants

Vermont Education Commissioner Armando Vilaseca says Montgomery and Poultney Elementary Schools achieved Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) on the New England Comprehensive Assessment System (NECAP) for two consecutive years and academic gains within the subpopulation of students in poverty. The state's first Title I Reward Schools will each receive grants totaling $10,000. more

17 NY Districts Get Virtual Learning Grants

The New York Education Department says $17.3 million in federal Race to the Top Funds will be distributed to 17 school districts or consortia of districts as part of the state's Virtual Advanced Placement Program. The program aims to provide high school students with better access to advanced placement (AP) courses. more

Common Core Standards: Early Results From Kentucky Are In

Kentucky was the first state to sign on to the Common Core State Standards for reading and math in 2010. The standards were implemented in the classroom the same year, and tests aligned with the standards were rolled out in the 2011-12 school year. A report issued in November shows an increase in students prepared for college or careers to 38 percent for the class of 2011 and 47 percent for the class of 2012, despite a decrease in proficiency scores in reading and math. more

State Highlights Area Schools in New Rating System

Connecticut Education Commissioner Stefan Pryor announced that 46 schools achieved the highest overall performance in the state under a new rating system. The new classifications were based on scores from the 2011-12 Connecticut Mastery Test for elementary and middle schools and the Connecticut Academic Performance Test given in high school. Within the schools of distinction were schools noted for excellence among Black and Hispanic students, students with disabilities, low-income students, and English language learners. more