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Here are news and opinion stories educators, advocates, policy wonks and makers are talking about today:
News and Analysis
Readers discuss whether proposed reforms are too focused on metrics and technology. (New York Times)
Florida’s Republican governor, Rick Scott, unveiled two new education initiatives on Monday aimed at calming critics of “common core” national curriculum standards and countering his main Democratic rival’s attacks on his record. (Huffington Post)
As the shaded quadrangles of the nation’s elite campuses stir to life for the start of the academic year, they remain bastions of privilege. Amid promises to admit more poor students, top colleges educate roughly the same percentage of them as they did a generation ago. This is despite the fact that there are many high school seniors from low-income homes with top grades and scores: twice the percentage in the general population as at elite colleges. (New York Times)
When it comes to books on public education, we crave a diet of meat as red as a teacher’s cruel pen. In case you plan to write one, here’s a brief primer: 1) Pick a contentious and complex topic, like charter schools, teacher evaluations or standardized testing. 2) Reduce that issue to a Manichaean battle for the soul of the American student, presenting your side as inarguably salvific. 3) Fire off some frightening statistics about Finland or South Korea. 4) Ignore evidence that might dampen your zeal; just remember, above all, that nothing sells books like outrage. (New York Times)
Minnesota
After dropping in 2013, Minnesota students’ performance on state proficiency tests this year held largely steady or showed modest gains across grade levels. (Twin Cities)