Latest News and Comment from Education

Monday, December 2, 2013

12-2-13 The Answer Sheet

The Answer Sheet:




Catholics split over Common Core standards
Catholic educators, scholars and bishops are engaging in an increasingly vocal debate about the Common Core State Standards, with a major split developing between those who support the Core and those who don’t. More than 100 dioceses have already approved the standards for their Catholic schools, but others are rejecting them, including the Diocese of […]    


Why is a country the size of New Mexico beating the U.S. in academic performance?
Tuesday is “PISA Day,” that is, the day that the 2012 results of reading, math and science tests will be released from the Program for International Student Assessment, or PISA, which tests 15 year olds every three years in more than 65 countries and education systems. The United States can be expected to do pretty […]    

Obama administration backtracks (again) on teacher equity
President Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan have talked the talked about the importance of teachers, but when it comes to providing kids with equitable access to great teachers, they haven’t exactly walked the walk. Here is a post on the issue by Tara Kini, senior staff attorney at Public Advocates, a nonprofit law firm […]    




12-1-13 The Answer Sheet
The Answer Sheet: Amazing product placement: ‘American Girl’ backpack comes with mini Pearson math bookYou’ve got to give it to Pearson: They do great product placement. Who would expect an “American Girl” miniature backpack set for a doll to include a tiny math book with a cover that comes from a Common Core-aligned textbook line put out by the education publishing giant? Yes, educator and blogge