Washington Preps For First Charter School Commission; Texas School Funding Protest: Ed Today
Chartering Hits Washington Last November, Washington state voted to allow the creation of its first ever charter schools. Now, reports the Associated Press, activists, teachers and parents are applying to be on the state's first charter commission, the body that decides which charter schools are approved and denied. "I've seen the power that specialized programs can have," said fifth grade teacher Ryan Grant. "I see a lot of potential around the state for innovative schools."
New York T-Val Legal Fight Late last week, a New York judge said the state can't withhold school aid to New York City schools over the district's failure to come to an agreement on teacher evaluations, reports the New York Times. The ruling knocks the teeth out of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's proposal to do just that to spur the city and the teachers' union into action. On Friday, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan told a group of
New York T-Val Legal Fight Late last week, a New York judge said the state can't withhold school aid to New York City schools over the district's failure to come to an agreement on teacher evaluations, reports the New York Times. The ruling knocks the teeth out of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's proposal to do just that to spur the city and the teachers' union into action. On Friday, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan told a group of
High School Graduation Rate In U.S. On Pace To Reach 90 Percent By 2020: Powell Report
Despite the constantly gloomy rhetoric about the state of America's schools, U.S. students are steadily improving by at least one metric -- for the first time, the nation is making enough progress in graduating from high school to reach the goal of 90 percent graduation by 2020, according to a new report to be released Monday.
"This is our fourth annual update," said John Bridgeland, an author of the report, titled "Building a Grad Nation." "Previously we've been able to focus on school districts making double-digit gains but we always have to pivot and say the pace of progress is too slow. Now, we have hopeful news."
The report will be released by America's Promise Alliance, an advocacy group founded by Colin and Alma Powell. "We're cautiously optimistic," Bridgeland said. "The pace of progress really rocketed forward right at a time when high school reform efforts were strongly under way."
Graduation rate trends matter because dropouts without a high school or college diploma face an increasingly
"This is our fourth annual update," said John Bridgeland, an author of the report, titled "Building a Grad Nation." "Previously we've been able to focus on school districts making double-digit gains but we always have to pivot and say the pace of progress is too slow. Now, we have hopeful news."
The report will be released by America's Promise Alliance, an advocacy group founded by Colin and Alma Powell. "We're cautiously optimistic," Bridgeland said. "The pace of progress really rocketed forward right at a time when high school reform efforts were strongly under way."
Graduation rate trends matter because dropouts without a high school or college diploma face an increasingly