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How States Evaluate Teachers Varies Widely
Ivan Silverberg teaches his American Studies class at Niles North High School in Skokie, Ill. This is the first school year that 34 Illinois school districts beyond Chicago will begin grading teachers on whether their students’ test scores are improving. (AP) In the drive to hold teachers more accountable for student learning, states are revolutionizing […]
Making Sure Teachers Are Classroom-Ready
Professor Susan Gibbs Goetz, left, videotapes St. Catherine University student and aspiring teacher Jasmine Zeppa, right, during a science lesson at Crossroads Elementary in St. Paul, Minn. A growing number of states are judging aspiring teachers based on their performance in the classroom. (AP) Most candidates for a teaching license in the United States have […]
Military Service Translates Into Academic Credit in Many States
Afghanistan veteran Dan Tallon of Davenport, Iowa talks during a class at the University of Iowa. A growing number of colleges, universities and states are giving veterans college credit for their military training and experience. (AP) Many states want college students who served in Iraq and Afghanistan to get academic credit for their military training […]
Fewer Than Half of SAT Takers Ready for College
Alex Tu works on a computer during a computer science class at Carl Albert High School in Midwest City, Okla. Average SAT scores have dropped by 20 points since 2006. (AP) Fewer than half of the students who took the SATs in the class of 2013 were academically prepared to take college-level courses, according to […]
States Tackle Chronic Absence in Schools
Students and parents take a look at a Jeep Patriot an Anchorage, Alaska, school district will award to a student with perfect attendance. A growing number of school districts and states are increasing their focus on students who are chronically absent from school. (AP) School attendance is about more than figuring out who is playing […]
Recession Recovery Is Slow for School Spending
Demonstrators in Philadelphia call for increased funding for public schools. A new study shows that most states are spending less on K-12 education than they did before the recession. (AP) Although state revenues are slowly recovering from the recession, most states still are spending less per-pupil in K-12 schools than they did before the recession […]
Sequester Hits Special Education Like ‘Ton of Bricks’
Speech Language Pathologist for Berkeley County Schools Trisha Palmer (right) assists high school student Tiffany Ronk in Martinsburg, W.Va. Personnel, materials and technology to help students with disabilities are being cut by the federal sequester. (AP) Since the first day of class for most schools in Michigan last week, Marcie Lipsitt’s phone has been ringing […]
Vermont First State to Offer Free Breakfast and Lunch to Students
Students pick up their lunch at a Barre Town, Vt., elementary school last week. Vermont is the first state to offer free breakfast and lunch to needy students to ensure all students have enough to eat. (AP) With the start of the new school year, low-income students in Vermont can now eat breakfast and lunch […]
Study: Associate’s Degrees and Technical Certificates Can Yield More than 4-Year Degrees
Dental hygiene students work on patients at Northampton Community College in Bethlehem Township, Pa. Technical or associate degrees can sometimes pay better than a four-year college degree. (AP) Students who earn associate’s degrees and occupational certificates often earn more in their first year out of college than those with four-year college degrees, according to a […]
Survey: Americans Unfamiliar With the Common Core
Fifth-grader Daniel Slotten reads for comprehension during a Common Core exam at Westview Elementary School class in Apple Valley, Minn. Many adults don’t know what Common Core is, a new survey found. (AP Photo/The St. Paul Pioneer Press) A majority of Americans have never heard of the Common Core State Standards and dissatisfaction with standardized […]
Worst Cuts to Head Start Since Program Began
Children welcome Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., to their Benton Franklin Head Start class in May. The sequester is hitting states hard as fall classes begin. (AP Photo/The Tri-City Herald, Kai-Huei Yau) (Updated 8/20/2013: NCSL provided incorrect information about the number of states that appropriate additional funds to supplement Head Start. It is about 20, not […]
Budget Cuts Hurt Common Core Implementation
New York City fifth graders enter a Brooklyn elementary school. Many states say budget cuts have made it a challenge for them to implement the Common Core State Standards. (AP) Cuts to state education budgets are hurting the ability of some states to implement the Common Core State Standards, according to a new survey. The […]