June 12, 2013
Education Week, Vol. 32, Issue 35
Assessment
News in Brief
Consortium Releases Online Practice Tests
The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium has released sets of online sample test questions for grades 3-8 and 11 in English/language arts and math, the two subjects covered by the standards.
Teaching Profession
News in Brief
Data-Use Training Urged for Teachers
Schools have a wealth of student data but teachers are just beginning to learn how to use that information effectively, a report says.
School & District Management
News in Brief
Schools Adding Time to Teach the Arts
Some expanded-learning-time schools are now using their longer school days for arts education, according to a report.
Federal
News in Brief
U.S. Officials Take Up Student Mental Health
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius launched a "national conversation" on mental health at the White House last week.
Education Funding
News in Brief
Student-Loan Plans Fall Short in Senate
Interest rates on new student loans are likely headed higher after the U.S. Senate failed last week to advance proposals to keep them from doubling July 1.
Federal
News in Brief
Spellings to Head Bush Foundation
Margaret Spellings, who served as U.S. secretary of education under President George W. Bush, has been hired as the president of the foundation named after her former boss.
Teaching Profession
Race Is on to Ready Teacher Evaluations in New York City
A state-imposed teacher-evaluation system rolls out in three months, giving teachers and principals limited time to adapt.
College & Workforce Readiness
Letter to the Editor
STEM Preparation, Career Link Overstated
To the Editor:
A recent post in the College Bound blog on edweek.org reported: "High school students are being told to take more rigorous math and science courses if they want to be prepared for college and get lucrative jobs in STEM careers" ("High School Students Taking More Math and Science Courses," May 23, 2013).
A recent post in the College Bound blog on edweek.org reported: "High school students are being told to take more rigorous math and science courses if they want to be prepared for college and get lucrative jobs in STEM careers" ("High School Students Taking More Math and Science Courses," May 23, 2013).
Federal
Rival Proposals Show No Clear Path to ESEA Rewrite
With new proposals for reauthorizing the law's No Child Left Behind edition, Congress is split on the federal K-12 role and on teacher evaluations.
Teacher Preparation
Opinion
What Teacher Education Programs Don't Tell You
Educator Otis Kriegel writes that the absence of practical skill training in teacher-preparation programs creates real problems for new teachers.
Federal
Obama Pushes Faster Internet, More Tech Funding for Schools
A new proposal unveiled by the president includes an ambitious overhaul of the federal E-rate program to ensure universal broadband access and updated technology in the nation's classrooms.