Who Owns Teacher-Created Content?

Posted on August 5, 2014August 2, 2014 by coreeducation

The State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA), in partnership with Creative Commons U.S., recently released a policy brief for state and district education leaders focused on strategies for equipping educators to effectively and legally navigate the use of digital content. The brief, Clarifying Ownership of Teacher-Created Digital Content Empowers Educators to Personalize Education, Address Individual Read more about Who Owns Teacher-Created Content?[…]

Vergara vs. California Verdict

Posted on June 18, 2014September 12, 2020 by coreeducation

A California judge ruled Tuesday that teacher tenure laws deprive students of their right to an education under the California state Constitution. The decision hands teachers’ unions a major defeat in a landmark case, one that could radically alter how California teachers are hired and fired and prompt challenges to tenure laws in other states. Read more about Vergara vs. California Verdict[…]

The Resilience of Common Core

Posted on June 15, 2014 by coreeducation

Andrew Smarick at EdNext keeps up with the buzz over Common Core as much as anyone, and his conclusion is that the Common Core is here to stay. Despite negative press in recent weeks and months with some states opting out of certain testing services, changing the name of the testing, or repealing the standards Read more about The Resilience of Common Core[…]

Attaining Equitable Distribution of Effective Teachers in Public Schools

Posted on June 13, 2014 by coreeducation

Today, well more than a decade since the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and because of its demands for states to keep statistics on students’ access to highly qualified teachers, we know much more about the impact of high-quality teaching on student achievement. We also know that teacher characteristics once Read more about Attaining Equitable Distribution of Effective Teachers in Public Schools[…]

Four Years Later, Are Race to the Top States on Track?

Posted on May 14, 2014 by coreeducation

As summarized here, the federal government has recently reported on the success of the Race to the Top program. But can we know the impact of Race to the Top after only four years? A new report by Tiffany D. Miller and Robert Hanna at the Center for American Progress suggest that we truly can’t, Read more about Four Years Later, Are Race to the Top States on Track?[…]

The State Education Agency: At the Helm, Not the Oar

Posted on May 13, 2014 by coreeducation

In recent years, policymakers and reform advocates have viewed State Education Agencies (SEAs) as the lead organizations for implementing sweeping reforms and initiatives in K-12 education—everything from Race to the Top grants and federal waivers to teacher-evaluation systems and online schools. But SEAs were not built, nor do they have the technical expertise, to drive Read more about The State Education Agency: At the Helm, Not the Oar[…]

Hess and Kelly: What should a federal education agenda look like?

Posted on May 2, 2014 by coreeducation

In a time when the Obama Administration’s tenure is winding down and when Congress has yet to make any significant progress toward a remake of ESEA, some measured thoughts about the role of the federal government in American education are quite timely. Frederick M. Hess and Andrew P. Kelly, of the American Enterprise Institute, have Read more about Hess and Kelly: What should a federal education agenda look like?[…]

What does Sec. Duncan plan to accomplish before 2016?

Posted on May 1, 2014September 12, 2020 by coreeducation

Michele McNeil of Education Week recently sat down with Secretary of Education Arne Duncan at his Washington D.C. office to ask him a wide range of questions about the goals of federal education policy in the time remaining before the next presidential election. Duncan stressed a few key issues: the transition to new standards and Read more about What does Sec. Duncan plan to accomplish before 2016?[…]

Teach to Lead

Posted on April 24, 2014September 12, 2020 by coreeducation

Secretary Duncan announced that, over the next year, he and NBPTS President Ron Thorpe will co-convene a new initiative, Teach to Lead, to foster ambitious commitments on authentic opportunities for teachers to take up leadership roles without leaving the classroom. The goal is to ensure that when important decisions are being made about the work Read more about Teach to Lead[…]

When “You’re Wrong” Isn’t Right: What Common Core Proponents Can Learn from the Anti-Vaxxers

Posted on April 22, 2014 by coreeducation

Misinformation about the Common Core State Standards Initiative abounds. Those who seek to correct this misinformation might glean some insights from recent public health research about the power of disinformation campaigns. Navigator Communications suggests a new approach to communicating with parents and the public about the standards, based on communications work in the health sector. Read more about When “You’re Wrong” Isn’t Right: What Common Core Proponents Can Learn from the Anti-Vaxxers[…]

Wyoming Blocks new Science Standards

Posted on April 10, 2014 by coreeducation

Lawmakers in the state of Wyoming recently became the first lawmakers in the country to block the education department of its state from implementing the new Next Generation Science Standards. This blog has written multiple pieces about the gradual adoption of NGSS, which 9 states and DC have already adopted. Before diving into the issue Read more about Wyoming Blocks new Science Standards[…]

Big Business takes on Tea Party over Common Core

Posted on March 24, 2014 by coreeducation

Just as Common Core has divided liberals—so it is also dividing conservatives. On the liberal side, one camp is for it because of its promise of increasing equity and competency for students across the United States and another camp is against it because they feel it has not been implemented well enough and will lead Read more about Big Business takes on Tea Party over Common Core[…]

AFT Says It Will No Longer Accept Gates Funding

Posted on March 23, 2014September 12, 2020 by coreeducation

The American Federation of Teachers, to date the recipient of more than $11 million in Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation largesse, will no longer accept Gates funding, Politico has reported, citing increasing criticism from members. This is a real case of “put your money where your mouth is”, or in this particular case, “don’t take Read more about AFT Says It Will No Longer Accept Gates Funding[…]

ED Gives California Testing Pass

Posted on March 13, 2014 by coreeducation

More than 3 million students in grades three through eight won’t have to take older standardized tests this spring while trying out new exams aligned to the Common Core. Thanks to a long-awaited waiver granted by the Education Department, California doesn’t have to collect and report statewide assessment data in the short term. But advocacy Read more about ED Gives California Testing Pass[…]

Superintendent to Parents: Upcoming State Tests Useless

Posted on March 10, 2014September 12, 2020 by coreeducation

Joshua Starr, the superintendent of the Montgomery County, MD, school system in suburban Washington, is no stranger to controversy over mandated testing. This blog covered his past attempt to delay testing aligned with Common Core in order to give his district teachers more time to prepare students for the changes associated with Common Core. Starr Read more about Superintendent to Parents: Upcoming State Tests Useless[…]

Common Core on the brink in Wisconsin?

Posted on February 25, 2014 by coreeducation

Wisconsin, a state of stark political contrasts, is the most recent state to face a contentious debate about whether to move forward with Common Core. A state with a strong base of liberals as well as one of the most notable conservative governors in Scott Walker, Wisconsin adopted Common Core three years ago and has Read more about Common Core on the brink in Wisconsin?[…]