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Here are news and opinion stories educators, advocates, policy wonks and makers are talking about today:
News & analysis:
Bill to Alter Bush-Era Education Law Gives States More Room
Renewing the effort to revise No Child Left Behind, the signature Bush-era federal education law, Senator Tom Harkin, Democrat of Iowa, introduced a new version on Tuesday that he said would “replace the failed tenets” of the law. (New York Times)
Governors, state education chiefs discuss improving child literacy
Governors and education chiefs from nine states said Tuesday that a focus on early-childhood education, the changing dynamic of families and supporting low-income students could help improve literacy across the country. (Washington Post)
State education reform survives a struggling economy
Education reform efforts advanced last year by Gov. Dannel Malloy appeared to have survived a struggling economy. Not only will school districts get the same or more funding under the new two-year plan approved by the General Assembly this week, but efforts to turnaround academically failing schools, introduce new statewide common core curriculum standards and funds to advance the controversial teacher evaluation program all received funding boosts. (CT News)
Henderson not convinced that D.C. education plan will help schools
D.C. Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson said she is not convinced that a wide-ranging package of education legislation introduced Tuesday will improve educational outcomes for the city’s children. (Washington Post)
U.S. Rep. Roby’s Common Core Action May Not Ease State-Level Pressure
On May 24, my colleague Michele McNeil over at Politics K-12 took a look at a bill introduced by U.S. Rep. Martha Roby, an Alabama Republican, that would prohibit the federal government from using waivers from the No Child Left Behind Act or grant money to encourage states to adopt standards like the common core. Roby’s bill doesn’t single out the common standards explicitly, but she did say that the federal government’s reach into certain parts of education policy must be reined in, an argument used against common core by state-level opponents such as tea party advocates. (Education Week – State Ed Watch)
Rhode Island:
US Education Secretary Arne Duncan urges RI to keep Gist
With the R.I. Board of Education set to consider a new contract for Education Commissioner Deborah Gist this week, U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan on Tuesday praised the reform efforts of the state’s top education official. (Fox Providence)