This blog covered state education policy, tracking governors, legislatures, state schools chiefs, and political developments. This blog is no longer being updated, but you can continue to explore these issues on edweek.org by visiting our related topic pages: state policy, state legislatures, state superintendents, and governors.
Federal
Wash. State Schools Chief Randy Dorn Won't Seek Another Term
A former school teacher and state lawmaker, Dorn has been at the center of several interesting K-12 policy and political events in the Evergreen State.
Standards & Accountability
Department of Defense Schools Join PARCC Testing Consortium
The DoDEA organization, which runs 172 schools serving 74,000 students, awarded a one-year, renewable contract to Parcc Inc., the nonprofit group that manages the PARCC consortium
Standards & Accountability
Will Massachusetts Use PARCC, But Not the PARCC Test, Next Year?
After months of weighing whether to use the PARCC test or its previous state exam next year, Massachusetts K-12 officials now might consider a third choice.
Federal
As President, Gov. Kasich Would Push Ed. Department to 'End Its Interference'
Kasich wants to "shrink the federal education bureaucracy" by consolidating over 100 programs into "four block grants" for states, he said Thursday in a speech in New Hampshire.
States
Texas Commissioner Michael Williams to Resign at Year's End
During his time in Texas, Williams oversaw the state's shift to new academic standards and new assessments, and had disputes with the Education Department over the state's NCLB waiver.
States
Chiefs Share Insights From School-Turnaround Efforts in New Mexico, Utah
Has any state cracked the code when it comes to turning around schools that have been foundering for decades?
Teaching Profession
Trouble Keeping Track of Teacher Evaluation Lawsuits? We Do It for You
Some of the suits have been filed in state courts, other in federal courts, mainly on constitutional grounds that the systems violate equal-protection guarantees.
Standards & Accountability
Ark. Chief Backtracks, Says State Will Use PARCC's Cut Scores for College Readiness
"Our description of Level 3 and above as reflecting students being 'on track for college and career readiness' was in error," Arkansas chief Johnny Key said in his statement.
Standards & Accountability
What Counts as Proficient on the PARCC Exam? Arkansas Moves Up the Limbo Stick
Arkansas joins Ohio as a state that will report PARCC scores differently than the testing consortium when it comes to student performance.
Budget & Finance
Indiana Chief Seeks Clarification From Feds Over Title I Funding for Charters
Indiana's schools chief Glenda Ritz asked the U.S. Department of Education on Friday to clarify guidelines for distributing federal funding to charter schools with large numbers of low-income students.
States
NCLB Waiver Extended for Texas, But With a Red Flag for Teacher Evaluations
The department was initially really strict when it came to teacher evaluation, but it has become much more flexible recently.
States
When Schools Get a Failing Grade (Some) Voters Rush to the Polls, Study Says
On average, North Carolina voters whose local school failed to make AYP had higher turnout in the next school board election by 5 to 8 percentage points, according to a Duke University study.
States
Pledging a Do-Over on Common Core, N.Y. Gov. Cuomo Announces New Task Force
Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, announced the Common Core Task Force on Sept. 28. It will study the standards and aligned exams and make those recommendations by the end of 2015.
States
Arizona Gov. Ducey's K-12 Council Pushes Policy Shifts for Funding, Charters
The Classrooms First Initiative Council published its initial recommendations to change the K-12 funding formula earlier this month.