With more states taking Race to the Top action, Duncan’s team working on stimulus implementation, Congress trying to take care of business before August recess, and state test scores coming out, it looks to be a virtually endless summer of action on education issues. Here are some of the crests of the big waves.
Race to the Top
Massachusetts joined other states yesterday by responding to Secretary Arne Duncan’s Race to the Top initiative, when Govenor Deval Patrick appeared with Secretary Arne Duncan to announce a big expansion (27,000 new seats) of charter schools in the Bay State. Great quotes and 411 from WSJ, the Globe, and the Herald.
Arne Duncan: “You have a chance to make history in the next few years.’’
Govenor Patrick: "We have been talking about these [achievement] gaps for years while children wait."
Boston Mayor Menino: "Secretary Duncan’s strong push for more charter schools played a key role."
“I would like to apply for that [Race to the Top] money. [It] would be very handy in Boston.’’
"Formerly a charter-school critic, Mr. Menino said he is fed up with opposition from the Boston Teachers Union. ‘I’m just tired of it. We’re losing kids.’"
Richard Stutman, the Boston Teachers Union president: "declined to be interviewed."
Washington State. according to an ASCD Smart Brief, Gov. Chris Gregoire said "the state would have to make significant legislative changes in order to meet the federal [Race to the Top] criteria for the following year."
House Ed Committee to Tackle Pre-K
It hasn’t gotten much attention yet. But it will. The House is set on Tuesday to take up a bill to reap savings from higher ed loan programs through greater efficiencies (i.e., fewer unnecessary payments to middlemen) and use some of it to fund pre-K programs. It’s a pretty amazing one-two combo.
Committee summary is here. Early Ed Watch is all over both the budget and policy angles.
House Appropriations: Full Committee
The full House Appropriations Committee will take up today the bill passed by the education subcommittee a week ago which significantly increased Title I, the Teacher Incentive Fund, the federal Charter School Program, and provided first-ever funding for President Obama’s "Promise Neighborhoods" initiative to support community-wide approaches to lifting children out of poverty, modeled after the successful Harlem Children’s Zone.
The Law That Shall Not Be Named
Hawaii. Scores up in math and reading. State Superintendent Patricia Hamamoto says: "We will break through the adequate yearly progress ‘glass ceiling’ by implementing additional interventions tied to results, raising educational standards, demanding accountability and redesigning our school day and instructional delivery system."
Ohio tries research-driven approach: Sharon Smith, superintendent West Muskingum Local School District says "she’s hopeful [Governor] Strickland’s ‘evidence-based’ funding will help the school with their financial troubles. In the program the state proves through research what it is proven to help a student succeed.
Georgia Students Making Progress. Achievement grows, fewer schools on "needs improvement" list.
North Carolina: State test scores out next week, will inform student choice options. Some say they are coming out too late to do any good, and that this has been going on for years, despite, or because, of awareness of the timing problem.
NAEP Study Roundup
Alexander did a good job of rounding up all the press coverage on the new NAEP analysis. If for no other reason, check it for the rare opportunity to see the words "nuanced" and "Russo" appear on the same page.
As usual, Ed Trust does the best job of drilling down to the state and regional level (here).
Stimulus Politics & Policy
Governor Jan Brewer (R-Arizona) thrown a "high, hard one" as a result of Senator Kyl’s call for refusing stimulus aid. Kyl’s call leads to Brewer joining Governors Bobby Jindal, Sarah Palin, and Mark Sanford among those caught in the crossfire between party politics and aid to constituents. See WaPo piece for the "knees and elbows" (here).
Florida Gov. Crist ditches Republican talking points, says "stimulus is working."
School funding continues to drive debate over stimulus in Pennsylvania. Rendell mostly hangs tough, but higher ed an issue. California Inspector General signals tough oversight. Is it really possible in a state this big, and this mismanaged? In our opinion, the recent budget problems are a symptom of a more longstanding problem, rather than the cause.
06:20:54 am, Categories: Announcements [A] 
Comment feed for this post
