• Alarms Sounded As Federal Education Cuts Loom
• N.Y. may add family, cultural factors to private placement decisions
• Bill Gates Talks Teacher Evaluation, Common Core at ECS Forum
• D.C. Parents and Students Protest Cuts to School Librarians
• 3 members of DC Council call on Mayor Gray to resign; Grays defends leadership

Alarms Sounded As Federal Education Cuts Loom

A pair of new reports out this week, from the American Association of School Administrators and the National Education Association, raise dire warnings about the impact on school districts and federal education programs from the sweeping, across-the-board spending cuts set to hit all federal agencies in early January if Congress doesn’t act to head them off.

N.Y. may add family, cultural factors to private placement decisions
A bill approved by New York’s Legislature would require school districts to consider cultural factors, including clothing, dietary rules and language spoken at home, when determining private-school placements for students with disabilities. The bill is awaiting action by Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Supporters say the bill is needed to facilitate learning, while opponents say the measure would be a financial burden for school districts and promotes segregation.

Bill Gates Talks Teacher Evaluation, Common Core at ECS Forum
Among the elements of a good teacher evaluation system, some of the “most surprising” results can come from what students say about their teachers on surveys, said Microsoft founder Bill Gates, speaking at the Education Commission

3 members of DC Council call on Mayor Gray to resign; Grays defends leadership
WASHINGTON — District of Columbia Mayor Vincent Gray said Wednesday that he still believes he’s the best person to lead the city despite revelations that he was elected with the help of a $650000 in illicit funds, and he said he has no plans to resign.

D.C. Parents and Students Protest Cuts to School Librarians …