Arne Duncan challenges the country to deal with educational inequity Washington Post: Education Secretary Arne Duncan thinks the chances that Congress will replace No Child Left Behind, the main K-12 federal education law now eight years overdue for revision, took a nosedive with House Speaker John Boehner’s decision to retire.
Rank and file revolt? NEA’s expected backing of Clinton has members fuming Fox News: “Hillary Clinton is a tested leader who shares our values, is supported by our members and is prepared for a tough fight on behalf of students, families and communities,” AFT President Randi Weingarten said in a July press release. See also American Prospect: Hillary’s Relationship Status with Labor: It’s Complicated, also LA Times.
Suit to limit use of teacher union dues for political purposes is tossed Los Angeles Times: A federal judge in Los Angeles has dismissed a lawsuit that, if successful, would have hindered the ability of teachers unions to raise money.
Three quarters of traditional public schools in D.C. now require uniforms Washington Post: Most of the city’s affluent students don’t have to wear uniforms, following a national trend.
Three Urban Districts Lauded for Strong Governance, Strategic Vision District Dossier: The school boards in Cleveland, Fort Wayne, Ind., and Lincoln, Neb., were awarded the 2015 Annual Award for Urban School Board Excellence.
With D.C. Schools No Longer ‘Broken,’ Next Step Is More Relevancy, Chancellor Says WAMU: Graduation rates are up, truancy is down, enrollment is up, and now DCPS must start focusing on doing even more for students, Chancellor Kaya Henderson said in her “state of the schools” remarks and in earlier comments to reporters.
A Tale of Two Schools WNYC: The Department of Education just released its new plan to rezone two schools in Brooklyn Heights, DUMBO and Vinegar Hill.
MacArthur ‘Genius’ focuses on immigrant education WBEZ: Juan Salgado is president and CEO of the Instituto Progresso in Chicago, and is among the 24 winners of this year’s MacArthur Foundation “genius grants” who will each receive $625,000 over five years, no strings attached. Salgado’s organization has become a national model for helping immigrants learn English and improve their work skills.
The Big New Effort To Revamp College Admissions — Will It Work? NPR: A coalition of colleges and universities aims to level the admissions playing field between rich and poor, and to make the whole process more creative, engaging and less daunting.
Baltimore third-grader dies after falling in a school hallway Washington Post: The student fell last week, was taken to the hospital, and died Tuesday night, according to Baltimore City schools.