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Here are news and opinion stories educators, advocates, policy wonks and makers are talking about today:
News and Analysis:
Arne Duncan On NCLB Waivers, Sequestration, Common Core
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan continues to send strong signals that he may grant tailored, district-level waivers from the No Child Left Behind Act in states that have not already won this flexibility. (Education Week – Politics K-12)
Test Scores of Hispanics Vary Widely Across 5 Most Populous States, Analysis Shows
Of all the changes sweeping through the American public education system, one of the most significant is simply demographic: the growing population of Hispanic students. (New York Times)
Survey: Washington ‘Insiders’ Pessimistic About Common Tests
A small group of Washington policy wonks is increasingly pessimistic that the two big state assessment consortia are headed for success. That’s the key finding of a survey released today by the consulting group Whiteboard Advisors. (Education Week – Curriculum Matters)
Maryland:
MCPS Already Heeding Obama’s Call for Partnerships with Colleges
During his State of the Union address Tuesday night, President Obama called upon the country’s public high schools to redesign themselves so that they “better equip graduates for the demands of a high-tech economy.” (Bethesda Magazine)
Minnesota:
State’s youngest learners are in line for help
For too long, Minnesota’s 3- to 5-year-olds have not been high on the state funding priority list — even though most research proves the educational and societal value of strong early education. (Star Tribune)
New York:
Judge Blocks State from Withholding School Aid
A judge has blocked the state from withholding $250 million in school aid for New York City as punishment for missing last month’s deadline to adopt a new teacher evaluation system. (School Book)