Secretary Duncan Issues Thoughts on Teacher Appreciation Day In an opinion piece issued today, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan commended National Teacher Appreciation Day and further called for renewed support of Educators beyond just small gifts and cards.     Continue Reading...

Head Start Cuts Still to be DeterminedIn the wake of federal sequestration and subsequent budget cuts, low-performing Head Start centers were told to anticipate a major loss of grant money. However, the Office of Head Start has yet to specify which centers will be affected.

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President Obama Releases 2014 Fiscal Year BudgetYesterday, President Obama released the 2014 Fiscal Year Budget. These guidelines contain several implications for education, as outlined below.   Continue Reading...

Congress Takes Action on Special Education FundingIn light of the recession, several states have attempted to cut their spending on special education programs. However, Congress has curtailed this practice by cutting federal funding for states that spend less than they spent last year on special education initiatives.   Continue Reading...

U.S. House Education and the Workforce Committee Holds Hearing on Challenges and Opportunities Facing America's Schools and WorkplacesLast week, the U.S. House Education and the Workforce Committee held a congressional hearing to explore the challenges and opportunities facing America's workforce and K-12 students. In testimony by several prominent education and business leaders, witnesses argued that our nation must prepare our students for the jobs of the 21st century.   Continue Reading...

Federal Lawmakers Recognize National School Choice WeekThis week, as we celebrate National School Choice Week, several federal elected officials have taken time to recognize the grassroots movement aimed at providing educational options for all stakeholders. U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce Chairman John Kline (R-MN) and Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Chairman Todd Rokita (R-IN) released the following statement in recognition of National School Choice Week:   Continue Reading...

Longer School Year: Helpful or Harmful?Recently, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, and Tennessee transitioned to a three-year pilot program that adds 300 hours to the school year. The program will affect nearly 20,000 students in 40 schools. The news comes on the heels of bipartisan recommendations from federal lawmakers and reform advocates who are calling for increased instruction time.   Continue Reading...

The 'Fiscal Cliff' Deal and Education SpendingFollowing an eventful holiday season, yesterday President Obama signed legislation designed to avoid the "fiscal cliff" and prevent automatic spending cuts across all government agencies. The measure was passed just in time to delay the cuts until March. Federal education programs will be spared from deep cuts, but only temporarily.   Continue Reading...

U.S. Department of Education Releases New Report on National Graduation RatesLast week, the U.S. Department of Education released a new state-by-state graduation rate report. The data details four-year high school graduation rates in 2010-11 – the first year for which all states used a common, rigorous measure.   Continue Reading...

Obama Administration Faces Education Hurdles   Continue Reading...

The 2012 Election: The Education ImpactThe votes are in and the people have spoken. President Obama's re-election means four more years of unprecedented federal education spending and education reform-minded competitive grants. As the dust settles on the 2012 election, experts are predicting a continuation of an active Department of Education and changes to some controversial state education laws.   Continue Reading...

 

Congress to Face Uncertainty after November Election

With the November election just weeks away, a newly-elected Congress will undoubtedly face gridlock over education issues such as No Child Left Behind (NCLB) reauthorization and dire budget realities. Experts contend that regardless of who wins both presidential and congressional elections, federal officials will face difficult roadblocks in 2013.

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Governor Romney Discusses Common Core at Education Nation During last week's Education Nation summit, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney told NBC's Brian Williams that he doesn't think the federal government should provide support-financial or otherwise-for common core standards, which have been adopted by forty-six states and the District of Columbia.   Continue Reading...

Federal Leaders Comment on Chicago Teacher Strike

 

As the Chicago teacher strike enters into its second week, federal leaders continue to comment on the national implications this situation will have on education and labor policy for years to come.   Continue Reading...

Secretary Duncan Speaks to Teachers about New School Year As students and teachers begin a new school year, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan recently told a group of more than 800 teachers that "teaching is hard work." In setting the tone for the 2012-2013 academic year, Secretary Duncan challenged educators and commented that teaching has become more difficult as education reforms take hold in classrooms across the country.   Continue Reading...

President Obama Calls for Aid to Stall Teacher Layoffs According to a White House Report by President Obama's Council of Economic Advisors, tight school budgets have meant fewer teachers, larger classes and shorter school years. President Obama is now using the report to persuade Congress to pass administration proposals to help states reduce teacher layoffs.   Continue Reading...

Department of Education Announces August is "Connected Educators Month" Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has announced August 2012 is "Connected Educator Month," a month-long exploration and celebration of online communities and networks dedicated to broadening and deepening educator participation in learning and sharing. The push toward connecting through technology is designed to bring online community and education leaders together to move towards a more fully connected and collaborative profession.   Continue Reading...

President Obama Calls for $1 Billion "Master Teachers" ProgramFollowing a renewed commitment to education and teacher quality policy that began earlier this year, the Obama administration this week unveiled plans to create an elite corps of master teachers with the stated goal of ushering in a new era of respect and retention for the profession. The program is projected to cost $1 billion and is designed to recruit and retain teachers with science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) experience.   Continue Reading...

President Obama Signs Student Loan Interest Bill into Law

Last Friday, President Obama signed into law a bill that he says will create or save millions of jobs and help millions of college students with rising student loan interest rates. Among the broad provisions, it is designed to rebuild the country's roadways, extend the National Flood Insurance Program and maintain student loan interest rates that were set to double at the beginning of the month.

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Eight More States Receive NCLB WaiversLast week, at an event in Connecticut with Governor Dan Malloy and local, state, and federal officials, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced that eight additional states- Connecticut, Delaware, Louisiana, Maryland, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, and Rhode Island - will receive flexibility waivers from the mandates of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB).   Continue Reading...