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Here are news and opinion stories educators, advocates, policy wonks and makers are talking about today:
News and Analysis
The Commentary blog is my absolute favorite, so I was more than a little crestfallen when I read Seth Mandel’s recent entry. “Wherever you stand on the Common Core,” he declared, “it can’t be good news for the program that it has begun to so resemble the disastrous process and rollout of this administration’s last federal reform, ObamaCare. Yet the opposition to the Common Core has followed a familiar pattern.” (Education Next)
We are at a critical juncture for education reform in America: forty-six states have adopted a brand-new set of English Language Arts Common Core State Standards for college- and career-readiness, and most are on the verge of implementation. I supported the adoption of the Standards as Commissioner of Education in New York State because I believed – and continue to believe – that they represent a major step towards a more effective education for our students, many of whom have hitherto been subject to unpredictable and often under-demanding learning expectations. (Huffington Post)
A charter school’s efforts to win support to take over the building of a school closed by Chicago Public Schools last year was instantly criticized by a community leader, illustrating one hurdle the district faces as it tries to find new uses for shuttered facilities. (Chicago Tribune)
New Jersey
Union leaders leap to defense of long-established contractual practice of basing job cuts on years of experience. (NJ Spotlight)
New York
New York City Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña, meeting Saturday morning for the first time since she took office with charter school leaders, said the discussion was positive and engendered good will. (Wall Street Journal)