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Here are news and opinion stories educators, advocates, policy wonks and makers are talking about today:
News and Analysis
The Supreme Court declined on Monday to review a case involving New York City’s ban on religious groups’ holding worship services in public school buildings, leaving in place a decision by a lower court that found the longstanding policy constitutional. (NY Times)
The Department of Education made public for the first time on Tuesday a list of more than 500 colleges and universities the agency is concerned about and has placed under increased financial oversight. (The Wall Street Journal)
Citing an urgent need for a college educated workforce in the Bay State, a new coalition formed by Boston-based MassINC is lobbying the Statehouse for a $75 million state budget item to fund innovative programs in high-needs communities such as Springfield. (Mass Live)
It’s no secret that for years Social Studies (as well as the arts, science and physical education) have been given short shrift in many public schools around the country as academic emphasis has been placed on math and English Language Arts, the subjects for which there are high-stakes standardized tests. Now, Gorman Lee, president of the Massachusetts Council for the Social Studies, is warning that social studies education is facing a “serious civic crisis.” (Washington Post)
Two new testing bills introduced in the legislature late Monday afternoon remix elements of other measures and toss in some new ideas, adding more choices to the stalled Capitol testing debate. (Chalkbeat Colorado)
White students are no longer the majority in U.S. public schools this school year for the first time ever. It’s a sign of things to come, to be sure. Families from all over the world are immigrating to the United States, and the white share of the population as a whole is declining. (Washington Post)