The three big stories of the day include the Supreme Court’s decision to hear a big case affecting public unions including teachers, plus Ohio’s decision to leave PARCC (which is now down to 11 states), and some last-minute budget/jobs drama in Chicago Public Schools:
Justices Take up Dispute Over Union Fees AP: Supreme Court to consider power of public sector unions to collect fees from non-members. See also NYT, EdSource Today.
Ohio dumps the PARCC Common Core tests after woeful first year Cleveland Plain Dealer: PARCC spokesman David Connerty-Marin said Ohio’s decision is a “disappointment.”But he said the Common Core standards and improved tests are “a huge advance and a big victory for students across the country.”
At eleventh hour, CPS makes huge pension payment WBEZ Chicago: The head of the Chicago Teachers Pension Fund says Chicago Public Schools deposited its full $634 million pension payment Tuesday evening. “The need for long-term solutions is not erased with this payment,” CTPF’s executive director Charles Burbridge said in a statement. See also Sun-Times, AP, District Dossier.
De Blasio blasts Cuomo for making mayoral control a ‘political football’ ChalkbeatNY: “An issue that was not politicized in the extreme in the past has now been turned into a political football,” de Blasio said in his office, in remarks reported by Capital New York and WNYC. “How on Earth does the city of New York get only one-year extension of mayoral control of education?”
Hillary Clinton to huddle privately with top labor leaders Politico: Clinton, Sanders, and O’Malley have also all trekked down to Washington, D.C. in recent weeks to court the American Federation of Teachers, helmed by longtime Clinton ally Randi Weingarten. The union has yet to make an official endorsement in the race.
Gov. Christie, Newest GOP Presidential Contender, Bemoans U.S. PISA Rankings PK12: Christie made his presidential announcement at the Livingston, N.J. high school, which he attended and where he said he developed many of his traits that served him well later in public office. See also FiveThirtyEight, ProPublica.
Edu-Organizations to Congress: Keep Vouchers Out of ESEA Rewrite PK12: Next week, the U.S. Senate is slated to start debating a rewrite of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. One of the big points of contention to watch? Expanding school choice.
