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Here are news and opinion stories educators, advocates, policy wonks and makers are talking about today:
News and Analysis
Amid the rush of news regarding the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, you may have forgotten the ongoing saga surrounding the federal budget. Earlier this year, Congress struck a temporary deal to fund the government and prevent it from shutting down. But that deal runs out on Friday, Dec. 11. (Education Week)
Google products are growing as ubiquitous in classrooms as dry-erase markers. The most recent numbers show that more than half of classroom computers purchased for US schools are low-cost Chromebooks. And 50 million students, teachers and administrators use Google Apps For Education, a group of tools that include Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Docs and the purpose-built Google Classroom. (NPR)
Consumers in the United States borrowed more heavily for auto and student loans in October, taking on debt to help them find jobs and commute to work. The Federal Reserve said on Monday that consumer borrowing rose $16 billion in October to $3.5 trillion. (The New York Times)
Preschool is important. But those tasked with educating the nation’s littlest learners are not well-compensated for their efforts. A new report out from the National Association for the Education of Young Children shows that a majority of voters think early childhood educators deserve more pay. This makes sense given that a survey of preschool teachers also featured in the report reveals that some are struggling to get by. (Huffington Post)
Princeton University protesters against Woodrow Wilson captured headlines in mid-November. When he was the president of Princeton, Wilson expressed his pride that no African-American students had been admitted during his tenure. When he was the president of the United States, Wilson brought Jim Crow laws to the federal government’s appointive offices and its civil service. (Education Week)
New York
Amid growing criticism that New York City is demanding too little improvement from its lowest-performing schools, the Department of Education on Monday released a list of the education targets that schools in Mayor Bill de Blasio’s $400 million School Renewal Program are expected to meet. (The New York Times)