by Andrew Ujifusa | Nov 11, 2017 | Betsy DeVos, California, Congress, Education Week, Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), Illinois, K12 Education, New York, President Donald Trump, US Department of Education
President Donald Trump repeated a few promises related to the Common Core State Standards and education governance from his 2016 campaign, and also praised Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, at a town hall of business executives in Washington on Tuesday.
In response to a question about college- and career readiness at the event, Trump sharply criticized the academic performance of students New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles, while also praising charter schools. “I don’t call it an experiment any more. It’s far beyond an experiment,” he said of charters. (More on recent academic performance of students in Chicago and L.A. here.)
He then moved on to one of his key priorities for education: shifting control from federal to state and local leaders…
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by Alyson Klein | Nov 11, 2017 | Betsy DeVos, Education Week, Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, No Child Left Behind, Ohio, Oregon, US Department of Education, Vermont, Washington DC
Break out the balloons and the bubbly drinks, it’s April 3! That’s right, it’s the first official deadline for states to turn in their plans for implementing the Every Student Succeeds Act to either the U.S. Department of Education or to their governors for review. (States that go that second route officially get to turn in their plans, to the department on May 3.)
Late last year, 17 states and the District of Columbia said they were shooting to turn in their plans on April 3, although a couple, including Ohio, have decided to sit tight and keep working. There is a second deadline, on Sept. 18.
The plans will now be read by different teams of peer reviewers at the department. Political appointees, including U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, are forbidden from monkeying with that process. But the secretary gets to give the plans the final thumbs or down. More on how all that will work here…
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by Alyson Klein | Nov 11, 2017 | Betsy DeVos, California, Delaware, Education Week, Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), Florida, K12 Education, Massachusetts, President Donald Trump, Texas, Trump Administration, US Department of Education
President Donald Trump has proposed getting rid of the Title II program, which has been around for more than a decade and aims to help districts and states pay for teacher and principal development, reduce class-size, craft new evaluation systems, and more.
The program, which is officially called the Supporting Effective Instruction State Grant prorgram, or Title II, Part A, is the third largest in the U.S. Department of Education’s budget that goes to K-12 education. Eliminating it would be a really big deal, state, district, and school officials say. Zeroing out Title II could hamper implementation of the new Every Student Succeeds Act, lead to teacher layoffs, and make it tougher for educators to reach special populations of students, or use technology in their classrooms.
The Trump administration, though, doesn’t see the program as effective. And its predecessor also questioned Title II. Former U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan expressed concerns early on his tenure that the program wasn’t getting much bang for its buck. But overall, he was in favor of tweaking Title II, not ditching it…
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by Alyson Klein | Nov 11, 2017 | Betsy DeVos, Education Week, Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), Florida, Trump Administration, US Department of Education
U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos said in a video interview that it should be up to states and districts to decide how frequently to test their students.
“It’s really a matter for states and locales to determine how much testing is actually necessary for measuring what students are learning,” DeVos said Friday. “I think it’s important to know and understand, however, what they are learning, and it’s important for parents to have that information, so that they can be assured that their students are in the right place. … Testing is an important part of the equation, but I think it’s really a matter for the states to wrestle with, to decide how and how frequently the testing is actually done.”
Her answer came in response to a question from WFTV Florida’s Martie Salt, who asked DeVos how much testing is enough and what should change about testing…
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by Andrew Ujifusa | Nov 11, 2017 | Congress, Education Week, Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), Nebraska, President Barack Obama, President Donald Trump, Trump Administration, US Department of Education
Along with the various cuts to the U.S. Department of Education’s budget proposed by President Donald Trump, the other part of Trump’s fiscal 2018 spending plan getting a lot of attention is the $1 billion the president wants to add to Title I in order to encourage open enrollment in public schools. There are a lot of questions about how that, along with many other parts of Trump’s education budget blueprint, would work. Let’s explore some of them.
First, it’s important to point out this increase isn’t necessarily and strictly a $1 billion bump for Title I. The budget says it’s an increase from the $14.9 billion that Title I grants technically get now. But ESSA gets rid of the Obama-era School Improvement Grants and instead shifts that money over to a portion of Title I money states can set aside for their own school improvement activities. That means that once Congress gets around to doing a regular fiscal year budget, Title I is already slated to rise to $15.4 billion.
So once (or if, for you pessimists out there) that happens, Trump’s proposed Title I funding increase would only be roughly $500 million…
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by Alyson Klein | Nov 11, 2017 | Congress, Education Week, Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), Minnesota, North Carolina, President Donald Trump, Trump Administration, Virginia
Washington
Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., told a roomful of state education chiefs Tuesday that he’ll push to fund the new block grant Congress created under the Every Student Succeeds Act to help districts cover the cost of health, safety, technology programs, and moer. And he said he looks forward to the kind of innovation and change the new law can bring to states.
Meanwhile, Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., also an ESSA architect and the top Democrat on the House education committee, challenged states to develop plans that will look out for historically disadvantaged groups of students.
And Scott told those at the…
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by Andrew Ujifusa | Nov 11, 2017 | Education Week, Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), k-12, Tennessee, US Department of Education
Associations representing local superintendents, teachers, state lawmakers and others have sent a clear message to chief state school officers: Work with us on the Every Student Succeeds Act.
On Tuesday, 11 groups sent a letter to the Council of Chief State School Officers expressing their disappointment that the U.S. Department of Education removed a requirement that states detail their work with stakeholder groups in their consolidated plans for ESSA. Nonetheless, they say the group has an obligation to make sure each chief “demonstrates clearly and explicitly in each state plan how stakeholders were involved in its development, and how they…
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by News from NYSED | Nov 10, 2017 | ESSA, Every Student Succeeds Act, Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), K12 Education, New York
Dear Parents,
Last weekend, I had the pleasure of attending and speaking at the NYSPTA Annual Convention. Regent Collins also attended the convention and participated in the Diversity, Inclusion and Equity Caucus. I want to thank Kyle Belokopitsky, Executive Director at the NYSPTA, and her team for organizing and hosting the convention, which included many important discussions. As Commissioner of Education, I strive to stay connected to those closest to our students: their parents and families. I admire and appreciate the work you do to ensure a high-quality education for all our students.
Last week, the New York State Museum opened a new exhibition,
Votes for Women: Celebrating New York’s Suffrage Centennial . On display through May 13, 2018, the exhibition honors the centennial of women’s suffrage in New York State and raises awareness of the struggle for equal rights through the present day. The exhibition features more than 250 artifacts and images from the collections of the State Museum, State Archives, State Library, cultural institutions, and private lenders from across the state.
It’s important for everyone – especially our students – to fully understand this pivotal moment in our history. The women’s suffrage movement in New York isn’t just about the struggle for women’s rights; it also teaches us about cultural heritage, activism, democracy, and the struggle for equal rights for all. It’s up to us to inspire the next generation and show our children that they too can raise their voices and achieve great things. If you can, I encourage you to visit the State Museum with your children and see this exhibition.
In addition to exposing your children to educational experiences at the State Museum or other cultural institutions, you might also be helping them navigate the college application and admission process! If you have a student enrolling in college for the spring semester, Governor Cuomo announced that the Excelsior Scholarship application has reopened for students attending college this spring. The application is open through December 4 for students to attend SUNY or CUNY tuition free.
This week, NYSED announced that seven New York State mathematics and science teachers are state-level finalists for the 2016-17 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) at the secondary level (grades 7-12). The PAEMST is one of the highest honors in the nation for teachers of mathematics and science. The award recognizes outstanding teaching and leadership in science and mathematics education. The teachers being recognized here have become masters of their craft, and our students are lucky to have them and all the other teachers who do an outstanding job every day in our classrooms. For more information and the list of finalists, see our
PAEMST news release .
NYSED also recently announced that more than
95 percent of schools in receivership made demonstrable improvement in the 2016-17 school year. A total of 61 of 63 schools in receivership showed progress on performance indicators jointly selected by NYSED and the districts in which the schools are located. The two schools that did not make demonstrable improvement will now be placed under an independent receiver.
I have visited many of the schools in receivership, and I am seeing schools tackle their issues in new and positive ways, which is encouraging. At the same time, much work remains to be done in many of these schools to provide an even greater focus with more intensive interventions to ensure that progress in these schools accelerates and they improve their outcomes for students.
Finally, next week is American Education Week, a great opportunity to celebrate public education. As part of American Education Week, November 14 is Parents Day, and NYSED will join in the celebration by launching a campaign on social media. Be sure to follow NYSED on
Twitter and
Facebook to check out some ideas and tips for parents to help support your children in school.
Thank you for all you do to support strong family and community involvement in our schools. We have made it easier to
subscribe to our parent email list, so please spread the word in your communities and help us all stay connected!
Sincerely,
MaryEllen Elia
Commissioner
by NNPA ESSA | Nov 8, 2017 | Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), Georgia, K12 Education
MEDIA CONTACT: Meghan Frick, GaDOE Communications Office, (404) 463-4246, mfrick@doe.k12.ga.us
November 8, 2017 — The Georgia Department of Education has named five local school systems as pilot participants in its new Economic Development Partnership (EDP) program. Pilot work will begin with Whitfield County, Marietta City, Newton County, Muscogee County, and Wayne County this school year, with plans to roll out to all interested school systems in the 2019-2020 school year.
The EDP program seeks to promote improved relationships between local school districts and business/industry. The program, which is loosely modeled on GaDOE’s STEM and STEAM certification for schools, aims to meet the workforce development needs of Georgia’s current and future employers and expand opportunities for students. The designation is endorsed by the Georgia Economic Developers Association (GEDA).
“We have been pleased to partner with the Georgia Department of Education in the development and rollout of the Economic Development Partnership,” GEDA President Kevin Shea said. “We are excited about the potential for an improved partnership with school districts and GEDA member economic development organizations throughout the state of Georgia, to enhance communication and opportunities for business and quality of life and place.”
Alignment of common priorities among education and industry leadership is a central tenet of the program. Pilot systems will work with Department staff to ensure smooth program delivery and broad applicability across the state.
“It’s our primary goal and responsibility to equip students with the tools they need to live successful, rewarding lives after they complete their K-12 education,” State School Superintendent Richard Woods said. “As the primary emphasis for so many businesses has shifted from physical location to future talent, it’s critical that we facilitate a stronger connection between our educational system and the business/industry community. The EDP program will make that connection an ongoing reality in Georgia’s public schools.”
The Economic Development Partnership will include required leadership trainings and a review of local Career Pathway offerings, as well as components that can be scaled or modified to fit individual communities.
“The ability of CTAE to keep up with changes in technology and workforce trends is dependent on building and maintaining open lines of communication and lasting partnerships with business and industry,” said Dr. Barbara Wall, State Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE) Director.
by NNPA ESSA | Nov 8, 2017 | Education, ESSA, Every Student Succeeds Act, Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), K12 Education, Louisiana
Opinion by Carol McCall — Much is written — especially nationally — about what is happening in
education in Louisiana. We should be cheering for our students and teachers as we do for our athletes and their coaches. By critically important measures, Louisiana has experienced and continues to experience major wins in education.
For more than 20 years, the state has been moving for higher standards and accountability. Now led by state Superintendent John White and his staff at the Department of Education, Louisiana has been nationally recognized for progress in a number of key areas.
Teacher preparation: Recognized by the Council of Chief State School Officers, Louisiana has built a collaboration between PreK-12 and higher education institutions for teacher preparation programs that include a year-long teacher internship program, to increase competence prior to entering the classroom.
Curriculum-driven reform: According to an article by national education policy journal Education Next, Louisiana’s education administration “has quietly engineered a system of curriculum-driven reforms that have prompted Louisiana’s public school teachers to change the quality of their instruction in measurable and observable ways.” These advances are unmatched in other states.
High school graduation rate: In 2005, 54 percent of Louisiana students graduated from high school, and now that number has significantly increased to 77 percent. These results come amidst a five-year push by Louisiana’s Department of Education to increase the number of graduates earning employer-validated “Jump Start” credentials and early college credits…
Carol McCall is chairwoman of the Education Committee for Citizens for 1 Greater New Orleans.
Read the full story here.
