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Here are news and opinion stories educators, advocates, policy wonks and makers are talking about today:
News and Analysis
Teachers unions are girding for a tough fight to defend tenure laws against a coming blitz of lawsuits — and an all-out public relations campaign led by former aides to President Barack Obama. (Politico Pro)
As the federal government scrambles to respond to an unprecedented surge of unaccompanied minors streaming across the U.S.-Mexico border, the wave of young immigrants arriving alone from Central America has already begun to surface in communities and public schools far from the Southwest. (Education Week)
A group of parents, teachers and members of the State Board of Education has filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a recently passed law that repealed Common Core education standards in the state. The suit, filed Wednesday with the Oklahoma Supreme Court, alleges that the repeal was unconstitutional because it gave the Legislature too much power in establishing different benchmarks. (New York Times)
New Jersey
Lawmakers advanced a measure that could give hundreds of public employees in Camden up to $6,000 a year each in added retirement benefits, even as Governor Christie wants to cut nearly $900 million in scheduled payments to pension system and rails against such benefits for public employees. (North Jersey)
New York
Six months ago, Bill de Blasio took control of the largest school district in the country. At the end of his first semester, here’s a recap of what he said he was going to do with it—and what he and Chancellor Fariña have done so far. (Chalkbeat)
Pennsylvania
Jake Miller believes he has a target on his back — not for any misdeeds, but simply for being a teacher. (The Sentinel)