Duncan: Microsoft will take over TEACH; the dangers of “educational protectionism”

Posted on November 16, 2011April 25, 2012 by coreeducation

At first blush, many listening to Education Secretary Arne Duncan’s speech at the Microsoft Partners in Learning Global Forum may have thought they had accidentally stumbled into an economic forum. Duncan’s speech was liberally sprinkled with many terms from the current economic rhetoric: “zero-sum game,” “international competition,” and “protectionism.” Words often used in debates over Read more about Duncan: Microsoft will take over TEACH; the dangers of “educational protectionism”[…]

Education and the 2012 Election

Posted on November 8, 2011April 25, 2012 by coreeducation

With the presidential election cycle entering its final year, many observers have been speculating on the role education will play in the outcome. As state budgets begin to contract further due to the drying up of federal stimulus funds, the way these cuts affect education spending could potentially swing voters in ways they would not Read more about Education and the 2012 Election[…]

Study: Public School Teachers are Overcompensated

Posted on November 7, 2011April 25, 2012 by coreeducation

The American Enterprise Institute released a paper earlier this week that seeks to prove public school teachers are overcompensated by “52% more than their skills would garner in the private sector.” Traditional estimates of teacher compensation generally compare teacher salaries to the salaries of workers with similar education and experience in the private sector, then Read more about Study: Public School Teachers are Overcompensated[…]

Education Advocates Release “Statement of Principles” on ESEA Reauthorization

Posted on October 23, 2011April 26, 2012 by coreeducation

This month, twenty-five education advocacy organizations released a “statement of principles” addressed to Sens. Harkin and Enzi and Reps. Kline and Miller. The statement focused on the role of teacher quality in the reauthorization of ESEA and urged the congressmen to “make every effort possible to spur states and school districts to advance new policies Read more about Education Advocates Release “Statement of Principles” on ESEA Reauthorization[…]

Harkin Releases Proposal for ESEA Reauthorization

Posted on October 16, 2011April 26, 2012 by coreeducation

Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) released his draft proposal for the reauthorization of ESEA on October 11. To date, the proposal has been met with mixed reactions across the country. Civil rights groups assert that the proposal to scrap Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) is a giant step backwards when it comes to accountability for poor and Read more about Harkin Releases Proposal for ESEA Reauthorization[…]

Obama Administration Releases Plan for Teacher Education Reform and Improvement

Posted on October 3, 2011April 26, 2012 by coreeducation

Last month, the Obama Administration released its plan for “recruiting, preparing, and retaining great teaching talent.” In his forward to the plan by Secretary Duncan writes: “Some of our existing teacher preparation programs are not up to the job. They operate partially blindfolded, without access to data that tells them how effective their graduates are Read more about Obama Administration Releases Plan for Teacher Education Reform and Improvement[…]

Senate Appropriations Committee Approves Proposed FY 2012 Education Budget

Posted on September 30, 2011April 26, 2012 by coreeducation

Last Wednesday, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved by a 16-14 vote a bill that keeps education stagnant in the next fiscal year. Unsurprisingly, the 16-14 vote fell along party lines, with Democrats being in favor and Republicans opposed. The bill aims to reverse some of the cuts made to K-12 education in the current fiscal Read more about Senate Appropriations Committee Approves Proposed FY 2012 Education Budget[…]

The Privatization of Teaching?

Posted on September 22, 2011April 26, 2012 by coreeducation

Recently, Michigan State Senator Phil Pavlov, chair of the state Senate’s education committee, announced that he was preparing legislation that would allow school districts to effectively outsource the teacher hiring process. Under the proposed law, districts could enter into contracts with private, for-profit “instructional services” companies to fill classrooms. Teachers would still need to meet Read more about The Privatization of Teaching?[…]

Bring Teachers’ Pay into this Century

Posted on September 12, 2011April 26, 2012 by coreeducation

On August 31, Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado wrote an op-ed piece for the Boston Globe, demanding a re-evaluation of teacher compensation in this country. Senator Bennet served as superintendent of Denver Public Schools from 2005 to 2009, and was named by Time as one of the leading educational activists for 2011. A portion of Read more about Bring Teachers’ Pay into this Century[…]

NCLB Waiver Watch

Posted on August 21, 2011June 3, 2012 by coreeducation

The Center on Education Policy (CEP) has launched a new website called NCLB Waiver Watch. This website tracks current developments related to the new waivers that would relieve states from some of the provisions of NCLB. Given the very public and fast-paced nature of the issue, CEP has created an interactive map that illustrates which Read more about NCLB Waiver Watch[…]

Teacher Swap Quashed in New Jersey

Posted on August 18, 2011April 26, 2012 by coreeducation

Last year the Newark, NJ school system accepted a $5 million grant from the federal government to turn around the failing Malcom X. Shabazz High School. As part of the deal, the district agreed to replace at least half of the school’s teachers, believing that principals could then hire better ones. What happened instead was Read more about Teacher Swap Quashed in New Jersey[…]

Relief Waivers: Cure What Ails You?

Posted on August 12, 2011April 26, 2012 by coreeducation

Earlier this week, President Obama gave the Department of Education the go-ahead on beginning to grant waivers to states seeking relief from some provisions of ESEA /NCLB. “We want to deliver a very important message: Relief is on the way,” said Melody Barnes, director of the White House Domestic Policy Council. “Low expectations, uneven standards Read more about Relief Waivers: Cure What Ails You?[…]

A Better Prescription for Fixing Federal Higher Education Research

Posted on August 1, 2011April 26, 2012 by coreeducation

In a Higher Ed Watch article last week, Jon Oberg discussed the recent recommendations from the American Educational Research Association on how to fix the problems with the Education Sciences Reform Act (ESRA). ESRA, originally signed into law in 2002, is three years overdue for reauthorization, and much of this has to do with infighting Read more about A Better Prescription for Fixing Federal Higher Education Research[…]

NEA Shifts Position on Teacher Evaluations

Posted on July 20, 2011April 26, 2012 by coreeducation

Recently the nation’s largest teachers’ union, the National Education Association, changed their position on including student performance in teacher evaluations. In passing the new policy, the union hopes to take a leadership role in the national movement towards revamped teacher evaluation methods. However, the union also made it clear that it continues to oppose the Read more about NEA Shifts Position on Teacher Evaluations[…]

Arne Duncan speaks on DREAM Act, Atlanta scandal on Tell Me More

Posted on July 8, 2011April 26, 2012 by coreeducation

Secretary of Education Arne Duncan sat down with Michel Martin, host of NPR’s Tell Me More on July 7 to talk about current issues in education. Duncan addressed several issues, how the current economic conditions are unduly affecting education, the cheating scandal in Atlanta Public Schools, No Child Left Behind, the DREAM Act, and the Read more about Arne Duncan speaks on DREAM Act, Atlanta scandal on Tell Me More[…]

Hidden Resources, Hidden Opportunities: What States Can Do to Support Schools in Tough Times

Posted on June 30, 2011April 26, 2012 by coreeducation

Districts and states are facing huge budget shortfalls and are being forced to cut education spending. If the face of this economic climate Education Resource Strategies (ERS) set out to reveal the most effective ways to cut costs while maintaining results. They find that billions of education dollars are trapped each year, due to state Read more about Hidden Resources, Hidden Opportunities: What States Can Do to Support Schools in Tough Times[…]