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Here are news and opinion stories educators, advocates, policy wonks and makers are talking about today:
News and Analysis
In two landmark studies, quantitative data expert Nat Malkus has confirmed the rigor of the most successful high school program of the past three decades, Advanced Placement, and revealed what might be a troubling decline in AP use in small and rural schools. (The Washington Post)
Chicago Public Schools laid off 227 non-teaching employees Friday and eliminated another 180 vacant central and administrative positions, “painful” cuts the school district says will save $32 million this year when it faces a $480 million budget gap. (Chicago Sun-Times)
Eva S. Moskowitz defended her Success Academy charter schools on Friday, two days after a group of parents filed a federal complaint accusing the network of discriminating against students with disabilities. (The New York Times)
School districts in California may get a new influx of money to reimburse as much as $600 million in estimated costs related to the administration of mandated tests, based on a state commission’s decision Friday. (Ed Source)
Public discussion about education is often relegated to policy debates, funding conundrums and political positioning. In a word, it can be dry. But no one leaving Town Hall last Thursday night would have used that adjective. More than 350 students, teachers, parents and education officials filled the meeting space for a boisterous series of five-minute talks on everything from socially relevant math lessons to segregated schools. (The Seattle Times)