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Here are news and opinion stories educators, advocates, policy wonks and makers are talking about today:
News and Analysis
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced Friday that he would leave the Obama Cabinet in December after nearly seven years of attempting to reshape and bring more accountability to public schools and universities. (Los Angles Times)
In a weird way, U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan’s surprising resignation is good news for the people who want the beleaguered No Child Left Behind overhauled as soon as possible. (The Atlantic)
This is the remarkable story of the challenges facing one special education teacher in New York City whose days are difficult not only because of the nature of her job but also because the system used to evaluate her and her colleagues uses the scores of tests her students are required to take — but sometimes can barely understand. Her story is not singular; many special education teachers in New York and across the country face similar issues that often go unappreciated within school communities. (The Washington Post)
A college degree practically stamped Andres Aguirre’s ticket to the middle class. Yet at age 40, he’s still paying the price of admission. After a decade of repayments, Aguirre still diverts $512 a month to loans and owes $20,000. (Associated Press)
Education is often prescribed as the antidote for a host of job issues: low wages, unemployment, and career stagnation. So it’s no surprise that when the housing market burst and the economy started to fall apart, more Americans turned to college to help them weather the storm. That’s not just a broad trend. There’s actually a correlation specifically between the performance of the housing market and college attendance for some groups. Why is that? (The Atlantic)
It’s official: The National Education Association is putting its muscle, money, and legions of teacher volunteers behind Hillary Clinton in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination. The endorsement comes despite serious misgivings from some of its affiliates, who were hoping for Vermont senator Bernie Sanders, or at least a slower endorsement process that would give the union more time to extract policy promises from Clinton. (Plus, there’s always the chance that Vice President Joe Biden, who has long had a great relationship with the union, may jump in.) (Education Week)
Until recently, Boston’s soft-spoken chief of education was familiar in City Hall and philanthropic circles, but the average citizen might be forgiven for not knowing Rahn Dorsey. (Boston Globe)
A federal judge has agreed to hear a case brought by an association of D.C. charter schools that alleges that the city has not provided uniform funding to public charter schools and traditional schools, a violation of the D.C. School Reform Act. (The Washington Post)