Press Releases

The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) announced today that 25 states have expressly committed to advance recommendations aimed at dramatically improving educator preparation and entry into the profession. The recommendations are outlined in a new CCSSO report, “Our Responsibility, Our Promise –Transforming Educator Preparation and Entry into the Profession.”

The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) announced today the 2013-2014 CCSSO Board of Directors. Elections took place during the 2012 Annual Policy Forum and Business Meeting in Savannah, Georgia. Mitchell Chester, Commissioner of Education in Massachusetts assumed the role of CCSSO president and Terry Holliday, Commissioner of Education in Kentucky was named president-elect.

Chris Minnich has been named Executive Director of the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). The decision follows a nationwide search by CCSSO Board of Directors to find a successor for Gene Wilhoit, after he announced his plans to retire in June.

North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction June Atkinson testified in front of the U.S. Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee today about concerns over the impact of sequestration and drastic funding cuts to education. Atkinson testified in opposition to automatic funding cuts that will be detrimental to education reform occurring across the country, and outlined the immediate need for clear guidance from the federal government on how sequestration will work, if it goes into effect on Jan. 2 2013.

The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) announced today that Scott Norton will join CCSSO as Strategic Initiative Director for Standards, Assessments, and Accountability.

The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) announced today that executive director Gene Wilhoit will retire. The CCSSO board of directors has begun a national search for a successor. Wilhoit plans to remain at CCSSO until a new executive director assumes the post.

April 23, 2012, Washington, DC – The Council of Chief State School Officers announced today that Rebecca Mieliwocki, a 7th grade English teacher in California is the 62nd National Teacher of the Year. Mieliwocki, along with all 2012 State Teachers of the Year will be recognized by President Barack Obama in a ceremony at the White House, on Tuesday, April 24.

April 21, 2012, Washington, DC- The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) will host a media availability with the 2012 National Teacher of the Year Monday April 23, 1:00 pm ¬- 2:30 pm ET. The 2012 National Teacher of the Year will be announced Monday, April 23.

Today 27 states and the District of Columbia submitted applications to the U.S. Department of Education seeking waivers of certain provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). These waivers will allow states the flexibility to develop stronger accountability and teacher evaluation systems, and provide relief from current provisions preventing states from moving forward with reform. The 11 states that submitted waivers earlier this year in November have all been approved.

Today the House Education & the Workforce Committee marked up two pieces of legislation to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA): H.R. 3989, "Student Success Act" and H.R. 3990, "Encouraging Innovation and Effective Teachers Act". Members of the Committee voted to advance both bills out of Committee today. The next step for the legislation would be consideration by the full House of Representatives.