In the News
Debating the math on education fundingHenrico Citizen, April 18, 2013
During the General Assembly’s 2013 session, state legislators debated how much to spend on public education. But has education funding been going up or down? It depends on whom you ask. Democratic politicians and the Virginia Education Association say funding for the commonwealth’s public schools is at its lowest level since 2008.
Lockheed Martin works with STEM students in Prince George’s CountyWashington Post, April 17, 2013
Lockheed Martin, the Prince George’s County school system and the county’s Office of Information Technology have entered into a private-public partnership that will allow students and teachers at three high schools to learn from and share information with each other in a secure, cloud-based environment, county officials announced Wednesday.
Teen ‘sexting’ case goes to trial in Fairfax CountyWashington Post, April 17, 2013
Three Fairfax County high school students made cellphone videos of drunken sex acts with fellow teens and shared them among themselves, authorities said. When they go on trial Thursday, they face a charge usually reserved for adult predators: child pornography.
Del. unveils new strategic early childhood education planWDEL, April 15, 2013
Delaware's early childhood education program comes under the federal microscope, and the U.S. Secretary of Education reveals what areas could use improvement as the state unveils a new strategic plan.
Pressure of PSSAs failing studentsDaily Times, April 15, 2013
If you’re a teacher, student or parent, you’re probably sick of hearing about the state assessment tests, what with all the pep rallies, study sessions and such.
Pennsylvania's education debate must focus on kids, parents LDNews, April 15, 2013
Presently, it is parents who decide to enroll their children in cyber schools (or other schools). Parents should make such decisions: They know best what’s best for their children. I don’t think government – any government – should interfere with these rights – ever.
No Child Left Behind gauge may end in PennsylvaniaPittsburgh Post Gazette, April 15, 2013
Adequate yearly progress has been the assessment measurement for schools and school districts in Pennsylvania since the enactment of the federal No Child Left Behind Law in January 2001.
Schools demanding news literacy lessons to teach students how to find fact amid fictionWashington Post, April 15, 2013
News literacy programs are expanding in classrooms across the country, with a growing nonprofit sector dedicated to the cause and new education standards that require students to read and analyze more nonfiction text.
Virginia law makers push STEM-H education, but are students interested?WDBJ7, April 12, 2013
"And the concern is not where to find the jobs its will there be enough people to fill them. So that is really what this is all about," said Chris Horne with the institute.
Academic Gains in NYC, D.C., and Chicago Overstated, Report ContendsEducation Week, April 11, 2013
The school improvement strategies highly touted by leaders such as U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and former District of Columbia schools chancellor Michelle Rhee, have produced overwhelmingly disappointing results for the poor and minority children in Chicago, New York, and the District of Columbia, a forthcoming report written by a national group that favors a more holistic approach to improving public schooling, contends.
TELL Delaware: Teachers feel safe in class, but not all have mentorsWDEL, April 11, 2013
The majority of Delaware's teachers say they feel safe in the classroom, even after Sandy Hook. But more than 10-percent of teachers aren't meeting state requirements because they don't have a mentor.
Highlights of Prince George’s County school planWashington Post, April 10, 2013
State lawmakers approved a compromise bill that allows Baker to select the superintendent, appoint three members to the school board and name the board’s chair and vice chair. The school board makes final decisions on the budget.
New standards, state test for studentsCape Gazette, April 9, 2013
The state's top educator attended Cape Henlopen School District's recent board of education meeting to talk about a new statewide test for students and aligning Delaware's curriculum with other states.
Investments in Education May Be MisdirectedNew York Times, April 2, 2013
Children of mothers who had graduated from college scored much higher at age 3 than those whose mothers had dropped out of high school, proof of the advantage for young children of living in rich, stimulating environments.
Education officials disagree with NRA's school safety planCharleston Daily Mail, April 2, 2013
Christine Campbell, president-elect of the West Virginia chapter of the American Federation of Teachers, echoed the statement from the national group, saying that the call for armed guards in schools serves only to distract from the issues at the heart of school violence.
Honors Classes: A Need for More Diversity Edutopia, March 28, 2013
I work in a middle school that many would call diverse, if you were looking at nationalities rather than race. The student body is 49 percent Latino and 49 percent Asian. The Asian demographic is, however, divided into many different countries, from China to Vietnam. So it should go without saying that our honors classes, those classes helping to move students beyond simply meeting the standards and into more rigorous, pre-AP level discussions and material, should reflect that same break down, right? Wrong.
D.C. school facilities plan considers charters for the first timeWashington Post, March 27, 2013
Neighborhoods in Southeast Washington, on Capitol Hill and along the eastern border of Rock Creek Park are among those most in need of school renovations, according to a school facilities plan the Gray administration released Wednesday.
Prince George’s school takeover legislation introduced in Md. SenateWashington Post, March 26, 2013
Under the legislation, Baker would select the school system’s chief executive — currently known as the superintendent — who would then have to be confirmed by the County Council to serve a four-year term. The CEO, who would become a member of the county executive’s cabinet, would be responsible for day-to-day management and oversight of the school system’s fiscal affairs.
Partners Are EssentialEducation Week, March 26, 2013
Leaders and their schools need partners in this business of educating society's youth and creating responsible, productive, creative and active citizens. Hopefully, these young people will possess values, conscience and courage as well. If we truly care about that whole description, we need partners.
10 stats about bullying in Pennsylvania schoolswitf, March 25, 2013
One of the most common methods for identifying a potential bullying problem in a school is a student survey. In 2011, the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency's PA Youth Survey (PAYS) asked students a series of eight questions about bullying at school and internet safety.
Special-ed legislation would ‘level playing field’ for Md. parents, bill supporters sayWashington Post, March 24, 2013
The party that files a special education legal complaint in Maryland — most often the parents of the child — has the responsibility of convincing a judge that a school system’s individual education program for a disabled child is or is not appropriate. But Senate Bill 691 and House Bill 1286 would change that. The legislation proposes requiring Maryland public school systems to defend the appropriateness of learning plans they create for students regardless of who files the complaint.
English-Learner Achievement Mixed in Big City School SystemsEducation Week, March 22, 2013
The experiences of English-language learners in some of the nation's largest school systems vary widely when it comes to who teaches them, what types of language instruction programs are available to them, and how well schools do in supporting their progress toward becoming proficient in English.
D.C. schools chief’s lofty goals face some tough tests Washington Post, March 20, 2013
Provide equal educational opportunities across a city that is divided by one of the largest income gaps in the country — that’s the plan, according to D.C. Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson.“We are now able to say, for the first time, that all elementary schools will get art, music, foreign languages and libraries — not just the ones with PTAs that can pay for those things,” Henderson said in a recent interview. “The goal is to get kids who are below grade level up while at the same doubling the number of kids who are advanced. I’m not going to sacrifice the advanced kids for the ones who are behind, nor vice versa.”
Teachers facing achievement gap try cross-race connectionsEducation Week, March 20, 2013
All the bleak statistics about Minnesota's achievement gap became personal to fifth-grade teacher Jen Engel, when she realized that gap was playing out in her own classroom.
Statewide cyberbullying policy takes effectCape Gazette, March 20, 2013
“Along with the dramatic increase in electronic messaging and social networking among kids, there has been an explosion of cyberbullying in schools across our state,” Biden said. “This new statewide cyberbullying policy is a common-sense tool to help schools and law enforcement better protect kids by recognizing the prevalence of online communication, the damaging effect it has on students who are victimized, and the significant disruption it causes to our schools.”
State adopts Pennsylvania Common Core StandardsThe Times Herald, March 19, 2013
The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) voted to put Pennsylvania Common Core Standards into place and will also require students to meet proficient requirements on either the Keystone Exams, or comparable examinations, in order to graduate.
Better Colleges Failing to Lure Talented PoorThe New York Times, March 16, 2013
Most low-income students who have top test scores and grades do not even apply to the nation’s best colleges, according to a new analysis of every high school student who took the SAT in a recent year.
Fragmented Data Systems a Barrier to Better Schools, Experts Say Education Week, March 15, 2013
The fragmented nature of data systems in school districts, a lack of common data standards across states, and the financial challenges of providing professional development to data users in schools combine to leave many districts and states struggling to provide meaningful, real-time data about student performance to educators.
Latino students attending increasingly segregated schools in VirginiaWashington Post, March 12, 2013
Latinos, the largest minority group in Northern Virginia, are attending increasingly segregated schools, according to a report released Tuesday that examines enrollment patterns across the state during the past two decades.
Survey Suggests Hurdles for Math, Science TeachingEducation Week, March 12, 2013
A rich new set of survey data on math and science teachers highlights some big challenges the nation faces if it hopes to significantly increase student achievement in those disciplines. It also drives home, experts say, the huge need to support teachers as districts begin implementing the common-core math standards, and as an effort to develop common standards for science nears completion.
States draw a hard line on third-graders, holding some back over readingWashington Post, March 10, 2013
A growing number of states are drawing a hard line in elementary school, requiring children to pass a reading test in third grade or be held back from fourth grade.
Illiteracy is D.C.’s biggest challengeWashington Post, March 8, 2013
Only four in 10 D.C. third-graders are proficient readers. Put another way, the majority of D.C. third-graders are not developing the essential foundation for success in life: reading skills.
Neighborhood High Schools Waning as Parents' Choices Expand in Phila.Education Week, March 6, 2013
A 1st grader, then a teacher, then a parade of parents and activists blasted Hite's unprecedented plan to close 37 city schools, including Strawberry Mansion, their neighborhood high school.
Education Department Releases New School-Level Graduation Rate Data to Better Inform Parents, District LeadersU.S. Department of Education, March 5, 2013
The U.S. Department of Education released provisional school-level graduation rates for 2010-11 – the first school year for which all states used a common, rigorous measure for reporting high school graduates. The data release furthers the Department's efforts to provide transparent information to parents and students about their schools and ensure all schools are preparing students for college and careers.
School Climate: Missing Link in Principal Training?Education Week, March 5, 2013
Improving a struggling school's climate can be both the foundation of long-term school improvement and a source of immediate, visible progress for a new principal. The tricky part for many principals, experts say, is translating an idyllic vision into classroom reality.
Biggest study ever says KIPP gains substantialWashington Post, March 4, 2013
KIPP, previously known as the Knowledge Is Power Program, has had more success than any other large educational organization in raising the achievement of low-income students, both nationally and in the District. But many good educators, burned by similarly hopeful stories in the past, have wondered whether KIPP were for real.
Education changes are common senseCharleston Daily Mail, March 4, 2013
It just makes sense that we take steps to ensure that all children develop literacy skills and are proficient in reading by the end of the third grade.
A community cause Aspects of child poverty — and solutions — discussed at local forumRegister-Herald, March 4, 2013
Concerned citizens, legislators, community organizers, pastors, school officials and a representative from the Department of Health and Human Resources came to the conclusion that it will take a village to end child poverty in West Virginia.
Pre-kindergarten may help some familiesCharleston Daily Mail, March 4, 2013
It would make responsible day care available to all West Virginians - from struggling families who need to be able to attend training or go to work to upper middle-class families who would simply be delighted by a nice new entitlement program.
BOE hears how improvements can be made on ACT test scoresRegister-Herald, March 4, 2013
Assistant Superintendent Kenny Moles got real with the Raleigh County Board of Education Tuesday about the county’s ACT test scores and areas in which the county should focus for improvement.
Survey finds gap in Internet access between rich, poor studentsWashington Post, March 1, 2013
Technology has become essential to middle school and high school learning, but a gap in access to the Internet between the rich and poor is leading to troubling disparities in education, according to a survey of teachers.
U.S. Department of Education Asks School Leaders to Initiate New Efforts to Reduce Gender-Based ViolenceU.S. Department of Education, February 28, 2013
The U.S. Department of Education today issued a Dear Colleague letter to state school chiefs requesting immediate action to reduce gender-based violence in schools and to help ensure all students are safe. The letter and additional materials were released during a White House event on teen dating violence prevention, which was part of National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month, and the Obama Administration’s efforts to raise awareness of gender-based violence.
Ensuring Safe Schools for LGBT YouthU.S Department of Education, February 20, 2013
This past weekend in San Diego, I had the opportunity to participate in the 4th Annual National Educator Conference focused on creating safe, supportive, and inclusive schools for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth. A goal of the conference, presented by the Center for Excellence in School Counseling and Leadership (CESCaL), was to bring together education leaders and LGBT experts to empower and provide educators and school personnel with the knowledge and skills necessary to create safe, welcoming and inclusive school environments for all youth, regardless of their sexual orientation.
Black men in schools lead by exampleWashington Post, February 19, 2013
Where are the African American male schoolteachers and administrators? It has been pretty obvious for years that if you really want to do something about high rates of truancy and suspensions among black students — to cap that “school-to-prison pipeline” — put more black men in classrooms and principals’ offices.
Why Gender Equality StalledThe New Yorok Times, February 16, 2013
THIS week is the 50th anniversary of the publication of Betty Friedan’s international best seller, “The Feminine Mystique,” which has been widely credited with igniting the women’s movement of the 1960s. Readers who return to this feminist classic today are often puzzled by the absence of concrete political proposals to change the status of women. But “The Feminine Mystique” had the impact it did because it focused on transforming women’s personal consciousness.
Montgomery teacher evaluations fail on state testThe Gazette, February 6, 2013
A teacher evaluation system that took Montgomery schools more than a decade to perfect took the state schools superintendent four sentences last week to shut down.
The Boys at the BackThe New York Times, February 2, 2013
Boys score as well as or better than girls on most standardized tests, yet they are far less likely to get good grades, take advanced classes or attend college. Why? A study coming out this week in The Journal of Human Resources gives an important answer. Teachers of classes as early as kindergarten factor good behavior into grades — and girls, as a rule, comport themselves far better than boys.
Delaware's progress on Race to the Top The News Journal, February 1, 2013
Delaware is making “encouraging progress” on its Race to the Top education reform, according to a US Department of Education. In 2010, Delaware won the Race to the Top competitive grant which entitled the state to more than $119 million in funding from the federal stimulus package. The DOE report examines Delaware’s progress in the second year of implementing RTTT in the 2011-2012 school year.
States Continue Progress During Second Year of Race to the TopEd.gov, February 1, 2013
Today the U.S. Department of Education released state-specific reports for 12 Race to the Top grantees, detailing their progress on transforming education at the local level. The reports highlight the second-year work and accomplishments of states awarded funding through the first two phases of Race to the Top: Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island and Tennessee.
Taking a dearth of African American roles into her own hands in Cherry HillPhiladelphia Enquirer, February 1, 2013
"It's very difficult as an African American in Cherry Hill to be in the theater department," she said, noting that black characters are not featured in most shows. "There aren't as many opportunities to be in the spotlight."
Race to the Top: D.C., Maryland and Georgia way back in the fieldWashington Post, February 1, 2013
In the second year of Race to the Top, the Obama administration’s signature effort to improve public schools, nine of 12 jurisdictions that received $4 billion in federal grants made good progress. But three — the District, Maryland and Georgia — have stumbled, federal officials said.
Offer more options for studentsPhiladelphia Enquirer, January 31, 2013
It is no secret that our education system needs reform, but what direction to take and how to get there present a formidable challenge. Countless studies have shown that our children's math and science skills are dangerously below average. Test scores for eighth-grade Pennsylvania students have remained stagnant since 2005, and in 2011, about 61 percent of students scored basic or below basic on standardized tests. Schools continuously report failing test scores while our federal government pours unprecedented amounts of taxpayer money into an ineffective system.
STEM Interest on Rise Among High Schoolers, Report FindsEducation Week, January 30, 2013
High school students are increasingly interested in pursuing STEM majors and careers, a new report finds, with about 1 in 4 now stating such an inclination. But a longstanding gender gap is widening, the data show, with fewer females than males signaling STEM interest.
Families, children benefit from school choiceThe News Journal, January 30, 2013
Jacob floundered in his first year of high school. The 2000 student building seemed to swallow him whole – he did not feel any connection to his teachers, administrators or fellow students. He struggled to find his niche and soon lost interest in school altogether. Then he heard about a new charter school that was small and focused on careers in public safety and security, which interested him. He told his parents that he wanted to apply. They agreed, and one year later he was admitted to the Delaware Academy of Public Safety and Security, despite having to repeat the ninth grade. This is school choice at work.
Fayette County works to fight child povertyRegister -Herald, January 30, 2013
“In the community, we have to focus on what we can do, and that’s going to involve churches, schools, and parents,” he said. “We have to get everybody stepping forward on this and not just lay it at our legislators' feet.”
Internships Help Students Prepare for WorkplaceEducation Week, January 29, 2013
Internships and job shadowing offer a close-up look at life in the workplace, yet some high school students are so focused on academics that they pass up the opportunity, or they are uncertain about their interests and don't know where to start.
Dropouts: Hurt selves, statesCharleston Gazette, January 29, 2013
Nearly one-fourth of West Virginia teens drop out of high school, matching the U.S. average. That's a dismal loss, both for the youths and the state. Their futures are hobbled, many doomed to failure.
In Norfolk, newest teachers face tougher tasksThe Virginian-Pilot, January 28, 2013
When newly minted teacher David Squires applied for a job with Norfolk, the division hired him for one of its worst-performing, highest-poverty schools, Lafayette-Winona Middle School.
Effort to reduce school dropout rate paying offThe Exponent Telegram, January 28, 2013
The effort to reduce the public school dropout rate has achieved a surprising level of success. Once considered a lost cause, the focus on keeping kids in school and completing all of the necessary requirements to graduate is finally paying off.