Beth’s Briefings (2-3-16)

Here are news and opinion stories educators, advocates, policy wonks and makers are talking about today:

 

Acting U.S. Education Secretary John B. King Jr. wants states and districts to focus on streamlined, higher-quality tests in a broader effort to win back some classroom time. (NPR)

 

Amazon.com is launching a national movement to eradicate the fear math imparts in many U.S. students. The initiative orbits around the slogan “With Math I Can” and an eponymous website. It was developed by an Amazon division devoted to providing tech-based resources for K-12 education. TenMarks, an online math instruction company that Amazon bought in late 2013, is getting top billing in the campaign’s launch: Amazon says that teachers using that company’s services helped inspire the initiative. (The Seattle Times)

 

Former U.S. Senator and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton barely eked out a win against Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in the Iowa Democratic caucuses Monday and is likely to lose the New Hampshire primary next week, based on the latest polling. (Education Week)

 

Okay, Iowa is over—on to the New Hampshire primary. And on the GOP side, Donald Trump, the real estate mogul, is expected to be the top vote-getter there, while Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders looks likely to win on the Democratic side, with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in second place, at least based on polls a week out. (Education Week)

 

The heart rates of all education reformers soared at the news that former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg was considering jumping into the presidential race. Wow, that could mean an unapologetic charter school/accountability advocate taking political center stage. Take that, Hillary and Bernie! And it could mean a clean counterpoint to the politicized Common Core-bashing on the right. Take that, (almost) entire Republican field! (The Seventy Four)

 

The state-appointed emergency manager of the Detroit Public Schools, who had also managed the city of Flint and oversaw its decision to draw its water from the Flint River, resigned on Tuesday, the day before a congressional committee hearing in Washington on Flint’s water. (The New York Times)

 

Public Advocate Letitia James has sued the New York City Education Department, saying a $130 million computer system meant to track services for students with disabilities was a failure. (The New York Times)