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Here are news and opinion stories educators, advocates, policy wonks and makers are talking about today:
News & analysis:
GOP Ed. Leader Reverses Course on Teacher Evaluation
The conservative wing of the GOP pushed Rep. John Kline, R-Minn., the chairman of the House Education Committee, to what amounts to a major watering down of the teacher-evaluation portion of a bill to rewrite the No Child Left Behind Act. (Education Week – Teacher Beat)
Groups Oppose Teacher-Evaluation Amendments in ESEA Rewrite
Advocates are lining up their positions on amendments related to teacher evaluation that are included in a bill to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Actthat will hit the House floor in short order. (Education Week – Teacher Beat)
House Debates No Child Left Behind Rewrite, Makes Big Changes on Teacher Evaluation
Conservative lawmakers won a big concession today on the teacher-evaluation portion of a bill to renew the No Child Left Behind Act. Under the change, which was ultimately endorsed by the bill’s sponsor, Rep. John Kline, R-Minn., the chairman of the House education committee, states and school districts would not be required to craft teacher-evaluation systems based on student outcomes. (Education Week – Politics K-12)
Senators Introduce Bill Addressing Student-Loan Interest Rates
A group of eight senators introduced the Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act this afternoon that retroactively would lower interest rates for students taking out loans after July 1. (Education Week – College Bound)
View Point:
Teacher training programs need a reboot
When the National Council on Teacher Quality released last month its report on teacher training programs, I was not shocked to read that the vast majority of colleges and universities do a poor job of preparing their students to teach. I imagine that many other people who have gone through such programs were equally unsurprised. (Washington Post)