Less Than Half of Students Achieve Proficiency on Calif. Common-Core Exams State EdWatch: California students performed better on the English/language arts section of the Smarter Balanced exam than in math, according to scores released by the department Sept. 9. See also KPCC, LA Times, Bakersfield Californian.
Obama Promotes College Affordability Plan on Michigan Trip NYT: At an event near Detroit, Mr. Obama announced the creation of a national advisory board to push the idea that community college should be free for many students across the country. “Education has always been the secret sauce, the secret to America’s success,” Mr. Obama said to a small but enthusiastic crowd of students at Macomb Community College in Warren, Mich. “Every American willing to work hard should have a shot at higher education.” See also The Wall Street Journal and The Huffington Post.
Rep. John Kline is still optimistic on No Child Left Behind rewrite this year Washington Post: House Education Committee chair wants bipartisan deal that Obama will feel “a lot of pressure” to sign.
No classes Thursday as Seattle strike continues AP: There will be no classes again Thursday for tens of thousands of public school students in Seattle as teachers will remain on strike. District spokeswoman Stacy Howard said both sides would be back at the negotiating table Thursday morning. See also NPR, HuffPost, EdWeek, Seattle Times.
One of Teach For America’s Top Executives Is Stepping Down TeacherBeat: The organization had been run by co-chief executive officers, but now one of them is stepping down. More news below (and throughout the day at @alexanderrusso)
A First Day of School Spent in Limbo Instead of in Class NYT: It was a day of paperwork, pleading and raised or dashed hopes for New York City students who were seeking to transfer, or to just get into any school at all.
Girls Are The Majority at Some of D.C.’s Top High Schools, Which Some See as an Inequity Washington Post: In the District, 48 percent of black male students and 57 percent of Hispanic male students graduate in four years, compared with 62 percent of black girls and 66 percent of Hispanic girls and 82 percent of white boys and 91 percent of white girls.
Intel Ending Sponsorship Of Prestigious Science Contest For High School Students NPR: Intel has been the corporate sponsor of the Science Talent Search since 1998. This year the company gave out more than $1 million in prize money.
In Montgomery County, questions and a mixed reaction after finals are cut Washington Post: A day after the Board of Education voted to end the tests, some want to know more about their replacement.
