The Opening Bell
The Opening Bell
The Chicago Tribune (1/7) reports “the bill, which has circulated in various forms for years but never garnered enough support to pass, would also require the firing of administrators at failing private schools that accept students on taxpayer-funded vouchers and for those schools to be removed from that program.” The draft bill was presented to “Senate Republican leaders on Tuesday,” who plan to “formally introduce it later Wednesday.”
The Portage (WI) Daily Register (1/8) reports that under a new bill in the Wisconsin legislature, “persistently low-performing public schools would be turned into charter schools and state funding would be cut off for problem private schools.” The measure “also would let school districts and private schools choose from four tests that measure student performance rather than use the tests selected by the state Department of Public Instruction.”
The AP (1/7, Eggert) reports the ACT has, since 2007, been part of a mandatory college assessment in the state, the Michigan Merit Exam. State officials “said the SAT’s bid was better and cheaper.” Meanwhile, the assessment will continue using the ACT’s WorkKeys work skills test.
WHYY-FM Philadelphia (1/8, McCorry) reports Davis-O’Rourke said she acted over fears her school “would be closed or administrators would be fired if scores did not dramatically increase.” She testified she was told by a superior that her tenure depended on the school making Adequate Yearly Progress.
The Chattanoogan (1/8) also covers this story, quoting Alexander saying, “The work of no Senate committee affects the daily lives of more Americans more than this one—whether we are fixing No Child Left Behind, or reducing federal paperwork to make it easier for students to attend college, or making it simpler for medical treatments and cures to make their way through the Food and Drug Administration to patients who need the help.”
The Philadelphia Inquirer (1/8, Boren) reports that the town was “rocked by a hazing scandal that led to the cancellation of the last season after just three games.” The piece quotes Labbe saying, “I commend the board and the community for their continued unwavering support. There will be a 2015 football season.” The article reports that officials “have described a hazing ritual in which four teenagers were touched sexually and one was kicked.”
The AP (1/7) reports that the “team’s longtime head coach remains suspended indefinitely with pay from his tenured physical education teaching position at the high school.” WRC-TV Washington (1/8) also covers this story online.
Several national media outlets are covering ED and DOJ’s announcement Wednesday of a set of guidelines on schools’ obligations to protect the civil rights of English-language learners. The Washington Post (1/7, Brown) reports that the Administration’s guidelines “highlight the civil rights of students learning English as a second language, who under federal law are guaranteed targeted help and a high-quality public education.” The Post relates statistics detailing rising numbers of ELL students and civil rights complaints about their education, noting that ED says that there is a “persistent achievement gap.” The piece quotes Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Catherine Lhamon and Vanita Gupta, acting assistant attorney general for civil rights in the Justice Department, saying in a letter, “It is crucial to the future of our nation that these students, and all students, have equal access to a high-quality education and the opportunity to achieve their full academic potential.” The Post adds that Lhamon cited significant compliance issues as an impetus for the guidance.
Noting that there are nearly 5 million ELL students in the US, the Huffington Post (1/8, Klein) reports that Wednesday’s announcement is “the first time in decades that the department has put out clarified guidelines on English language learner (ELL) students.” The guidance is intended to help schools serve ELL students, and was accompanied by “a toolkit to help districts identify the children who need help with English.” Under the guidance, “schools must have systems in place to identify students who may be in need of ELL services” and “must provide ELL students with appropriate, specific education plans designed to help them become proficient in English.” The Post reports that Lhamon “emphasized the increasing diversity of American public school students,” adding that OCR “has received hundreds of complaints regarding civil rights violations of ELL students” in recent years.
The Houston Chronicle (1/8, Mellon) reports that the guidance was a reminder that schools must offer ELL students “an appropriate education with qualified teachers and equal access to programs.” Noting that the guidance comes amid a wave of “tens of thousands of immigrant children crossing the border without their parents,” the Chronicle reports that the guidance lays out schools’ obligations under the Equal Educational Opportunities Act. This piece quotes Lhamon saying, “We are seeing serious compliance concerns.”
The Hill (1/8, Wheeler) reports that the guidelines explain schools’ “obligation under federal law to identify English learner students in a timely, valid and reliable manner; offer language assistance programs; provide qualified staff and sufficient resources for instruction; ensure equal access to school activities and programs; and avoid unnecessary segregation of students.”
The Tampa Bay (FL) Times (1/8) reports that the “updated, cohesive guidelines” do not carry any new obligations, but are intended to “clarify the requirements for states that are seeing rapid growth of students who are still learning the language, and to remind states with large populations of ELL students, such as Florida.” The Times quotes Lhamon saying, “The need is mushrooming. We are seeing serious compliance concerns around the country.”
The Los Angeles Times (1/8, Watanabe) reports that the guidance springs from concerns “that too many public schools are failing to adequately help students learning English,” noting that ED and DOJ “have increased their enforcement of laws passed more than four decades ago that require such services amid growing numbers of students who are struggling with English.” The Times notes that notwithstanding growing concerns about the issue, Lhamon “said she was ‘pleased at the progress’ in the Los Angeles Unified School District, which has overhauled its services for students under a 2011 agreement with the Department of Education.” The piece quotes Lhamon saying, “California is obviously a state that is very, very important on this front.”
Other media outlets covering this story include NBC News (1/8), Southern California Public Radio (1/7), Houston Public Media (1/8), Chalkbeat Colorado (1/7), CivilRights (1/8), Education Dive (1/8), Nebraska Public Radio (1/8), and Congressional Quarterly (1/8, Subscription Publication).
Noting that there are nearly 5 million ELL students in the US, the Huffington Post (1/8, Klein) reports that Wednesday’s announcement is “the first time in decades that the department has put out clarified guidelines on English language learner (ELL) students.” The guidance is intended to help schools serve ELL students, and was accompanied by “a toolkit to help districts identify the children who need help with English.” Under the guidance, “schools must have systems in place to identify students who may be in need of ELL services” and “must provide ELL students with appropriate, specific education plans designed to help them become proficient in English.” The Post reports that Lhamon “emphasized the increasing diversity of American public school students,” adding that OCR “has received hundreds of complaints regarding civil rights violations of ELL students” in recent years.
The Houston Chronicle (1/8, Mellon) reports that the guidance was a reminder that schools must offer ELL students “an appropriate education with qualified teachers and equal access to programs.” Noting that the guidance comes amid a wave of “tens of thousands of immigrant children crossing the border without their parents,” the Chronicle reports that the guidance lays out schools’ obligations under the Equal Educational Opportunities Act. This piece quotes Lhamon saying, “We are seeing serious compliance concerns.”
The Hill (1/8, Wheeler) reports that the guidelines explain schools’ “obligation under federal law to identify English learner students in a timely, valid and reliable manner; offer language assistance programs; provide qualified staff and sufficient resources for instruction; ensure equal access to school activities and programs; and avoid unnecessary segregation of students.”
The Tampa Bay (FL) Times (1/8) reports that the “updated, cohesive guidelines” do not carry any new obligations, but are intended to “clarify the requirements for states that are seeing rapid growth of students who are still learning the language, and to remind states with large populations of ELL students, such as Florida.” The Times quotes Lhamon saying, “The need is mushrooming. We are seeing serious compliance concerns around the country.”
The Los Angeles Times (1/8, Watanabe) reports that the guidance springs from concerns “that too many public schools are failing to adequately help students learning English,” noting that ED and DOJ “have increased their enforcement of laws passed more than four decades ago that require such services amid growing numbers of students who are struggling with English.” The Times notes that notwithstanding growing concerns about the issue, Lhamon “said she was ‘pleased at the progress’ in the Los Angeles Unified School District, which has overhauled its services for students under a 2011 agreement with the Department of Education.” The piece quotes Lhamon saying, “California is obviously a state that is very, very important on this front.”
Other media outlets covering this story include NBC News (1/8), Southern California Public Radio (1/7), Houston Public Media (1/8), Chalkbeat Colorado (1/7), CivilRights (1/8), Education Dive (1/8), Nebraska Public Radio (1/8), and Congressional Quarterly (1/8, Subscription Publication).
In the Classroom
Bill Would Force Failing Wisconsin Schools To Close.
The AP (1/8, Bauer) reports “Wisconsin public schools deemed to be failing would have to become charter schools under a bill introduced Wednesday that was the first of the 2015 legislative session and placed on the fast track for passage.” The measure “would also, for the first time, impose letter grades based on multiple performance measures for every public and independent charter school as well as private schools that accept taxpayer-funded voucher students.” Republicans, along with Gov. Scott Walker, “have said they wanted to act quickly on a proposal after years of failure to reach agreement on the matter.”The Chicago Tribune (1/7) reports “the bill, which has circulated in various forms for years but never garnered enough support to pass, would also require the firing of administrators at failing private schools that accept students on taxpayer-funded vouchers and for those schools to be removed from that program.” The draft bill was presented to “Senate Republican leaders on Tuesday,” who plan to “formally introduce it later Wednesday.”
The Portage (WI) Daily Register (1/8) reports that under a new bill in the Wisconsin legislature, “persistently low-performing public schools would be turned into charter schools and state funding would be cut off for problem private schools.” The measure “also would let school districts and private schools choose from four tests that measure student performance rather than use the tests selected by the state Department of Public Instruction.”
Michigan To Offer Free SATs For Public School Juniors.
The Washington Post (1/7, Anderson) reports that, in “a significant victory for the College Board,” Michigan announced that, starting in 2016, its public high school juniors will be able to take the SAT for free. The rival ACT “dominates the Michigan testing market,” and, through contracts with states, that test has “become the most widely used admission test in recent years.”The AP (1/7, Eggert) reports the ACT has, since 2007, been part of a mandatory college assessment in the state, the Michigan Merit Exam. State officials “said the SAT’s bid was better and cheaper.” Meanwhile, the assessment will continue using the ACT’s WorkKeys work skills test.
Study: Reading Down In Children.
The New York Times (1/8, Rich, Subscription Publication) reports children’s book publisher Scholastic released a report that found just 31 percent of children ages six to 17 read for fun at least five times a week, down from 37 percent four years ago. Frequent reading correlated with “being read aloud to regularly and having restricted online time” for those ages six to 11, while for those ages 12 to 17 “one of the largest predictors was whether they had time to read on their own during the school day.” Reasons for the reading allow finding could be that it exposes the children to more complex words and works, or that it helps give children broader background knowledge.Massachusetts Schools Begin To Receive Millions In State Technology Infrastructure Grants.
WBUR-FM Boston (1/7, Balonon) reports 47 Massachusetts schools in 14 districts will benefit from the first $5 million of $38 million in technology bonds, funding infrastructural expansion of technology, Wi-Fi, and broadband access. The percentage of project costs covered by the grants, ranging form 30 to 70%, is determined by “each community’s ability to pay.” The piece discusses some of the funds’ distribution and their expected impact.Detroit Public Schools District Consolidates Curricular Oversight Under New Position.
AP (1/8) reports the Detroit Public Schools district will consolidate oversight for its math, science, literacy, and social studies core curriculum under a new assistant superintendent of curriculum to improve professional development, planning, and integration. Several other changes are planned but not discussed.On the Job
LAUSD Faces Choice In Choosing New Superintendent.
An analysis in the Los Angeles Times (1/8, Blume) reports on the process for selecting the next superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, noting that the district faces the choice of going “with a leader from the inside who knows the system and its players” or “with an outsider who would be charged with making rapid progress and difficult decisions while working to understand a byzantine bureaucracy.” |
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Eighth Philadelphia Educator Accused In Cheating Scandal.
David Limm writes on his blog on the Philadelphia Public Schools Notebook (1/8) that former Philadelphia school principal Lolamarie Davis-O’Rourke has become “the eighth educator charged in the state’s probe into adult cheating on state standardized tests.” She is accused of telling students to change answers and directing teachers to help students on tests.WHYY-FM Philadelphia (1/8, McCorry) reports Davis-O’Rourke said she acted over fears her school “would be closed or administrators would be fired if scores did not dramatically increase.” She testified she was told by a superior that her tenure depended on the school making Adequate Yearly Progress.
California Districts To Pilot Professional Development For Next Gen Science Standards.
THE Journal (1/7, Schaffhauser) reports eight California school districts and two charter school organizations will participate in four years of teacher and administrator leadership training and “content- and pedagogy-focused professional development,” as part of the K-8 Next Generation Science Standards’ implementation. The program is being led by the nonprofit K-12 Alliance, beginning with a weeklong workshop in August. The districts and charter organizations will form a “collaborative network” to aid implementation.Law & Policy
Rove: In GOP Primaries, Common Core Will Be “Biggest Challenge” For Bush.
On its website, The Hill (1/8, Easley) reported that during a Tuesday appearance on Fox News, Karl Rove said that if Jeb Bush seeks the GOP presidential nomination, the former Governor’s “support for Common Core education standards will be the biggest obstacle he faces.” Of Bush, Rove said, “Common Core is, I think, the biggest challenge he faces. The question is, how can he defend high academic standards, which he believes in, when it has been conflated with the Obama administration.”New Jersey School Board Hears From Standardized Test’s Opponents.
The Asbury Park (NJ) Press (1/7, Oglesby) reports so many testified before the New Jersey Board of Education that four conference rooms were needed. The “overwhelming majority of speakers” opposed the state’s newest standardized test, the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers {PARCC).Anti-Common Core Rally In Mississippi.
WLOX-TV Biloxi, MS (1/6, Jackson) reported that Mississippi’s latest legislative session again began with anti-Common Core rallies. The article added that their “message seems to be resonating with more leaders this year, including Governor Phil Bryant.”Alexander Voted Chairman Of Senate HELP Committee.
The Hill (1/8, Viebeck) reports that yesterday, Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) was voted chairman of the Senate “Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, according to a statement from his staff.” The senator “called HELP one of the Senate’s most vital committees in a statement that pointed to his interest in legislation that will accelerate disease cures.”The Chattanoogan (1/8) also covers this story, quoting Alexander saying, “The work of no Senate committee affects the daily lives of more Americans more than this one—whether we are fixing No Child Left Behind, or reducing federal paperwork to make it easier for students to attend college, or making it simpler for medical treatments and cures to make their way through the Food and Drug Administration to patients who need the help.”
Special Education Advocates Support NCLB Testing Requirements.
The “Politics K-12” blog of Education Week (1/8, Klein) reports that a “major” part of the congressional debate over reauthorizing the No Child Left Behind Act will involve its testing requirements. In addition to the “cadre of civil rights groups and many in the business community,” special education advocates also “are likely to oppose...major changes” to that provision. They argue that the testing provides needed information “about how students with disabilities are really performing,” which previously wasn’t available.Arkansas School Improvement Director Calls For Authority To Intervene In Little Rock.
The Arkansas Democrat Gazette (1/7) reports that Arkansas Department of Education School Improvement Director Richard Wilde is calling on the state Board of Education to grant the state schools chief the authority to intervene in the school district in Little Rock.Safety & Security
New Jersey Superintendent Says Football Will Resume Next Year.
Bloomberg News (1/8, Levinson) reports that Sayreville, New Jersey Superintendent Richard Labbe says that the “football program at Sayreville War Memorial High School in New Jersey will return this year after it was canceled midseason in 2014 following a criminal investigation into bullying and hazing.” The article notes that seven football players face charges including “aggravated sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual contact, conspiracy to commit aggravated criminal sexual contact, criminal restraint, hazing and riot.”The Philadelphia Inquirer (1/8, Boren) reports that the town was “rocked by a hazing scandal that led to the cancellation of the last season after just three games.” The piece quotes Labbe saying, “I commend the board and the community for their continued unwavering support. There will be a 2015 football season.” The article reports that officials “have described a hazing ritual in which four teenagers were touched sexually and one was kicked.”
The AP (1/7) reports that the “team’s longtime head coach remains suspended indefinitely with pay from his tenured physical education teaching position at the high school.” WRC-TV Washington (1/8) also covers this story online.
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