Proposed U.S. Department of Education FY 2013 Budget

Posted on February 22, 2012April 25, 2012 by coreeducation

The US Department of Education requested its FY2013 budget earlier this month; the key themes for funding are increasing college affordability/quality, “raising up” the teaching profession, aligning job training with workforce demands, and continuing reform. The request includes proposed funding levels for federal programs and agencies for the next ten years, but specifically asks for Read more about Proposed U.S. Department of Education FY 2013 Budget[…]

Shut Up and Teach?

Posted on February 21, 2012April 25, 2012 by coreeducation

In a recent article for The Hechinger Report, classroom teacher Eric Shieh reflects on his experiences working with his union to fight budget cuts in his district. As a music teacher in St. Louis, he was appalled by the district’s decision in 2007 to cut student time in the arts by 64% at the middle Read more about Shut Up and Teach?[…]

State Policy Database on Teacher Evaluation

Posted on February 20, 2012April 25, 2012 by coreeducation

The State Consortium on Educator Effectiveness (SCEE) has unveiled a new teacher evaluation database called State Policies on Teacher Evaluation 2010-2011. The database includes state-by-state information on teacher evaluation policies for all states plus DC. The purpose of the database is to provide information on how states have addressed teacher effectiveness in a time when Read more about State Policy Database on Teacher Evaluation[…]

Seizing the Opportunity

Posted on February 19, 2012April 25, 2012 by coreeducation

A new report from Education First and Policy Innovators in Education (PIE) details how state advocacy groups are working with state policymakers to advance education reforms. To compile the report, PIE and Education First worked closely with Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Texas to get greater insight into Read more about Seizing the Opportunity[…]

The “Tyranny” of the Self-Contained Classroom

Posted on February 16, 2012April 25, 2012 by coreeducation

In a recent opinion piece for Education Week, Arthur Wise of the Center for Teaching Quality writes that current mainstream ideas on how to improve American public schools will result in “at best, a marginal improvement for small numbers of students.” Teacher effectiveness is worthy of increased research, but the proposals for value-added evaluation measures Read more about The “Tyranny” of the Self-Contained Classroom[…]

Do High School Teachers Matter?

Posted on February 15, 2012April 25, 2012 by coreeducation

A new working paper by C. Kirabo Jackson, Assistant Professor at Northwestern, takes a closer look at value-added measures and their application to high school teachers. Jackson notes that there is ample research at the elementary level detailing the importance of individual teachers on student outcomes in reading and math, but there isn’t much supporting Read more about Do High School Teachers Matter?[…]

12 for 2012: Issues to Move Education Forward

Posted on February 14, 2012April 25, 2012 by coreeducation

The Education Commission of the States (ECS), a national, nonpartisan education organization, has released a report detailing the issues the Commission believes will be center stage in education policy debates this year. The report is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all pertinent education issues, but rather aims to “stimulate thinking around how Read more about 12 for 2012: Issues to Move Education Forward[…]

10 States Receive NCLB Waivers

Posted on February 13, 2012April 25, 2012 by coreeducation

On February 9, the Department of Education announced that ten states received waivers from some of the stringent requirements of the No Child Left Behind law. Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oklahoma, and Tennessee will now have the opportunity to use alternative methods to improving student achievement, and to gauge achievement Read more about 10 States Receive NCLB Waivers[…]

Jack Jennings Retires, Leaves Words of Advice

Posted on February 12, 2012April 25, 2012 by coreeducation

Jack Jennings, founder, president, and CEO of the Center on Education Policy (CEP), stepped down from his roles at the organization on January 31. As part of his retirement, he is releasing two publications. One is the history of the CEP, the other contains some final words of advice on the future of American public Read more about Jack Jennings Retires, Leaves Words of Advice[…]

SCORE Announces Statewide Feedback Process

Posted on February 9, 2012April 25, 2012 by coreeducation

In a new chapter of the issues plaguing Tennessee’s teacher evaluation system, the State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) has announced its plans for a statewide feedback process on the system (background information). The process is designed to gather input from all stakeholders, but particularly educators, and is a response to Gov. Bill Haslam’s request Read more about SCORE Announces Statewide Feedback Process[…]

Can GE Bring Common Core to Life?

Posted on February 8, 2012April 25, 2012 by coreeducation

Last week the GE Foundation, the charity associated with General Electric, announced they intend to donate $18 million to support the implementation of the Common Core. Though some critics are expected to be up in arms over a private corporation getting involved in education reform, Time’s Andrew Rotherham believes the gift will put into sharp Read more about Can GE Bring Common Core to Life?[…]

Department of Education Has it Wrong on School Turnarounds

Posted on February 7, 2012April 25, 2012 by coreeducation

In a commentary piece for Education Week, Alan Blankstein of the HOPE Foundation and Pedro Noguera of the Metropolitan Center for Urban Education detail their concern at “the approach prescribed by the US Department of Education” for school turnarounds. While they agree that the approach is “well intentioned,” it is also “misguided.” Due to the Read more about Department of Education Has it Wrong on School Turnarounds[…]

Fate of Hawaii’s RTT Grant Remains Uncertain

Posted on February 6, 2012April 25, 2012 by coreeducation

In the latest installment of the back-and-forth of Hawaii’s struggle to uphold its Race to the Top promises, members of the Hawaii State Teachers Association have rejected a contract that included a provision for a performance-based compensation system—one of the measures Hawaii promised to take under the grant. Had the contract been approved, a labor Read more about Fate of Hawaii’s RTT Grant Remains Uncertain[…]

States Prodding Students to Graduate Early

Posted on February 5, 2012March 3, 2020 by coreeducation

To serve the dual purpose of encouraging students to achieve more, and save money in education budgets, states are beginning to push students to graduate early from high school through “ramped up” curricula and college scholarship programs. It is anticipated that such policies, which emphasize proficiency rather than seat time, will allow students ready to Read more about States Prodding Students to Graduate Early[…]

The School Principal as Leader

Posted on February 2, 2012April 25, 2012 by coreeducation

A new Wallace Perspective was released by the Wallace Foundation last month, titled “The School Principal as Leader: Guiding Schools to Better Teaching and Learning.” The Perspective highlights the most important role of the school principal: creating the conditions in which the other variables known to improve student outcomes can come together and “reach critical Read more about The School Principal as Leader[…]

Movin’ It and Improvin’ It

Posted on February 1, 2012April 25, 2012 by coreeducation

The Center for American Progress (CAP) has released a report that analyzes how states can use the results of their teacher evaluation systems in a meaningful way. In other words, “what kinds of strategies should they adopt to increase the amount of measured effectiveness in the teacher workforce over time?” In October 2011, the National Read more about Movin’ It and Improvin’ It[…]