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Here are news and opinion stories educators, advocates, policy wonks and makers are talking about today:
News and Analysis
With millions of students across the United States set to begin returning to school in coming weeks, the U.S. Department of Education issued guidance Wednesday for states and school districts on how to respond to the specific needs of homeless students. (The Washington Post)
Odes to teachers and calls to prevent gun violence in classrooms highlighted the K-12 talk during Wednesday night’s Democratic National Convention program, devoted mainly to boosting presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and her running mate, Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine. (Education Week)
Major conductors and soloists perform repertory staples while students play in large ensembles and have the chance to participate in chamber music, private lessons, master classes and more. (The Wall Street Journal)
There’s a new book out about the student loan crisis, or what author Sandy Baum suggests is a “bogus crisis.” Baum, a financial aid expert and senior fellow at the Urban Institute, claims it’s been manufactured by the media in search of a spicy story and fueled by politicians pushing “debt free college” proposals. (NPR)
Last September, the public-school teachers in Seattle, Washington, voted to go on strike on the first day of school. The most high-profile reason for striking was the teachers’ pay: Between 1999 and 2012, salaries for public-school teachers in Washington declined by 4.5 percent. Since the strike, they have successfully bargained on issues including pay, support and funding for special education, and removing standardized-testing scores from teacher evaluations. (The Atlantic)
The Chicago Teachers Union and the school board are set to begin a fresh round of contract talks that will take place as the school district readies a budget that officials say will be balanced despite a lingering $300 million deficit. (Chicago Tribune)
For years, parents in the nation’s second largest school district have faced disarray when trying to find the best place for their kids to learn. There are about 10 types of public schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District, many with their own admissions processes and schedules. (Los Angeles Times)
California is on the verge of finalizing what leading educators believe is the most ambitious attempt in the nation to use multiple dimensions to measure how well – or poorly – a school or district is doing, rather than focusing primarily on test scores. (EdSource)