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Here are news and opinion stories educators, advocates, policy wonks and makers are talking about today:
News and Analysis:
Competitors Still Beat U.S. in Tests
American schoolchildren continue to lag behind those of major competitors in math and science exams given globally, despite progress on some of those tests, according to results from international achievement exams to be released Tuesday. (Wall Street Journal)
U.S. Students Still Lag Globally in Math and Science, Tests Show
Fourth- and eighth-grade students in the United States continue to lag behind students in several East Asian countries and some European nations in math and science, although American fourth graders are closer to the top performers in reading, according to test results released on Tuesday. (New York Times)
The Education Choice and Competition Index
Exploring the critical role of school choice in the future of education reform, the Education Choice and Competition Index (ECCI) is an interactive web application that scores large school districts based on thirteen categories of policy and practice. The intent of the ECCI is to create public awareness of the differences among districts in their support of school choice, provide a framework for efforts to improve choice and competition, and recognize leaders among school districts in the design and implementation of choice and competition systems. (Brookings)
Fiscal Cliff: How Are Impact-Aid Districts Preparing for Education Cuts?
Almost everyone in education is worried about the fiscal cliff—including the 8.2 percent across-the-board cut to school districts—but no program is in as precarious a position as Impact Aid, the one major K-12 program that would be cut immediately come January if Congress and the administration aren’t able to work out a long-term deal on the deficit.
(Education Week – Politics K-12)
Lessons Gleaned From the Louisiana School Voucher Ruling
A Louisiana circuit court judge recently ruled that the diversion of public tax dollars dedicated for public education to private school vouchers is unconstitutional. While this particular battle is far from over — Gov. Bobby Jindal and State Superintendent John White have vowed to appeal — this decision is a major victory for all school boards and public education advocates across the United States. (Education Week – Transforming Learning)
View Points:
Michael B. Horn: Could Competency- Based Learning Save the Common Core?
After spending a week in Washington, D.C., I was struck by how nervous folks in education circles are about whether states will stick with the Common Core state standards once the Common Core assessments arrive in the 2014-15 school year. (Education Next)