News

 

Business Leaders Express Support for the Common Core

An open letter from 73 business leaders appeared in the New York Times on February 12, 2013, outlining support for the Common Core State Standards.

 

Hawaii DOE Progress Leads to Partial Removal of Race to the Top “High Risk” Status

The U.S. Department of Education (USED) has announced that the Hawaii State Department of Education is off of Race to the Top (RTTT) “high-risk” status for its work on standards, assessments, and data system development and use. USED notified state education officials late Friday about the change followed by an official letter to Governor Neil Abercrombie.

 

National Assessment Governing Board to Host Webinar on NAEP Data

On Thursday, February 21, 2013, at 12:00 p.m. EST, 9:00 a.m., PST states are invited to participate in the National Assessment Governing Board’s webinar, Lessons for All: Decades of NAEP Data from the Mega-States, an event in Sacramento, Calif. and live webcast to release the results of a new NAEP report drawing on nearly two decades of data.

 

State Seeks to Upgrade Preschool Programs

In Louisiana, the departments of Education, Children and Family Services, and Health and Hospitals are working to establish a statewide network of preschool providers to ensure children are prepared for kindergarten. The departments are looking for communities to take part in pilot programs to boost preschool and day care educational quality.

 

Florida Contemplates 'Backup' Tests for Common Core

Florida Education Commissioner Tony Bennett says the state needs a contingency plan in case the Common Core assessments being developed by the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) are not ready on schedule.

 

More Students Taking, Passing AP Exams, But Concerns Linger Over Access

Data released by the College Board reveals that 19.5 percent of high school graduates scored a three or higher on an Advanced Placement (AP) exam in 2012, up from 18.1 percent in 2011 and 11.6 percent in 2002. The number of students taking at least one AP exam rose to 32.4 percent in 2012, up from 30.2 percent in 2011 and 18 percent in 2002.

 

North Dakota Officials Say Early Childhood Programs Paying Off

North Dakota Superintendent of Public Instruction Kirsten Baesler says pre-kindergarten education programs have improved learning, with low-income students from preschool outperforming their peers in reading most of the time. Some records at Devils Lake's Sweetwater Elementary School reveal that for all but one group, the gains held through third grade.

 

Gym Class Isn't Just Fun and Games Anymore

Driven by a heightened focus on student test scores in math and English as well as a desire to encourage kids to be healthy, more school districts are pushing physical education (P.E.) teachers to include math, writing, and reading in their gym lessons.

 

White House Gives Outline of Early-Childhood Ed. Expansion Plan

President Barack Obama called for expanding access to preschool programs to just about every child in the country during his State of the Union address, but he offered almost no details about how Congress would pay for the plan. Additional details were outlined by the administration on Feb. 14, with funding coming mostly from the states via a partnership with the federal government.

 

Wash. Schools Boss Aims to Cut 2 Graduation Exams

Beginning with 2013's sophomores, Washington state students will have to pass five different tests to graduate. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn wants to see the state reduce that requirement to three graduation exams and transfer the majority of grading for the test alternative, known as "collection of evidence," to local school districts.