Much-Debated Scholarship Program for DC Students Is Renewed
Speaker John A. Boehner and Senator Joseph I. Lieberman announced on Monday that they had reached an agreement with the Department of Education to renew the scholarships. The much debated program gives low-income students a route out of District of Columbia public schools and pays their way into private and parochial institutions.
AFT Partners With Private Firm to Provide Common Standards Resources
The American Federation of Teachers and British publishing firm TSL Education have invested $10 million together in an online repository of lesson plans, tools, and supports aligned to the Common Core State Standards. The union hopes it will become the premier destination for teachers seeking to align their instruction with the new student expectations.
Musical chairs in D.C. State Board of Education races
With Friday’s release of nominating petitions for the Nov. 6 general election, the summer political season in D.C. is now open in earnest. The most interesting moves so far have concerned the State Board of Education — the nonpartisan policymaking body established in 2007 during the mayoral schools takeover.
Senate Panel Would Allow Use of After-School Funds for Extended Day
Should states and schools be able to use federal dollars originally aimed at afterschool and summer learning programs to add extra time to the school day? The Senate appropriations committee says yes—in fact, lawmakers there recently passed a bill that allows states to do just that.
Under the proposal, which has not yet been put forward in the U.S. House of Representatives, states could allow schools to use money from the $1.15 billion 21st Century Community Learning Centers program to add “significant” time to the school schedule.
