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Here are news and opinion stories educators, advocates, policy wonks and makers are talking about today:
News and Analysis
President Obama has proposed changing the tax treatment of college savings accounts known as 529 plans. Some are calling this a tax increase on the middle class. (NPR)
MAINE UNDER THE MICROSCOPE: Education officials in the Pine Tree State are warning that Maine could lose its No Child Left Behind waiver if the state legislature doesn’t take swift action to strengthen its teacher evaluations. The department has aligned itself with the feds in insisting that students’ performance on state assessments be a significant factor in teacher ratings. But the legislature has sided with teachers unions in demanding a more flexible framework. (Politico)
Arizona Superintendent of Public Education Diane Douglas gave her first State of Education address last week to the House Education Committee, proposing once again what she discussed throughout the election: repealing Common Core. (Education News)
Minnesota
A schools startup is in talks to bring what would be just the second public high school to Minneapolis’ downtown. (Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal)
New York
They are perhaps the three sweetest words to a young person’s ear: School is canceled. And this week, students in New York City were able to savor the cheerful news further in advance than usual. (NY Times)
North Carolina
The State Board of Education in North Carolina is looking to expand education options with the introduction of two new virtual charter schools within the month. Voting on the online charter school applications commences in February and, if approved, the schools will start taking in students by the start of August. (Education News)