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 This blog is no longer being updated, but you can continue to explore these issues on edweek.org by visiting our related topic pages: state policy, state legislatures, state superintendents, and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.
States
Open School Chiefs Jobs Located in GOP-Controlled States
Three states, Mississippi, North Dakota, and Texas, are looking to fill state superintendents' positions, and all three are controlled by Republican politicians.
Education Funding
Race to Top, Waivers Require Follow-On Commitment, N.Y. Chief Says
New York Commissioner of Education John King told those at a Center for American Progress event he is concerned with matching strong accountability measures and high levels of teacher and school support.
States
'Kids Count' Study: States Defy Neat Categories in Ed. Performance
A report on education indicators by the Annie E. Casey Foundation shows that persistent gaps remain among states on the basis of race and other factors.
States
AIDS Conference, New Documentary Raise Questions About Sex Ed.
New data from The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that while people age 15-29 make up 21 percent of the U.S. population, they account for 39 percent of all new HIV infections, but some states are moving away from comprehensive sex education classes.
States
What Do Higher School Grades Mean for Florida Accountability System?
The Florida Department of Education announced that 8 percent of the schools measured by the state's A-F accountability system would receive higher grades than initially reported.
Teaching Profession
Wisconsin Bargaining: 'What's There to Talk About?'
Wisconsin school boards report that under the new collective bargaining laws that limit what is subject to negotiations with teachers' unions, they are reaching deals in very little time.
Budget & Finance
Do Ohio Lottery Proceeds Truly Benefit Schools?
Ohio school officials are claiming that record state lottery revenues won't translate into more dollars for K-12 education because of a revenue swap at the state level, although Gov. John Kasich's administration denies the allegation.
Student Achievement
Teacher Beat: Tennessee Teacher Ratings Inflated
A new Tennessee Department of Education report shows that teachers who received strong evaluation scores from school officials did not always receive correspondingly high scores on student growth measures.
Budget & Finance
State Ed. Spending Faces Gloomy Future, Report Warns
A new report from the State Budget Crisis Task Force says that states' K-12 education funding may rebound as the economy improves, but health care and retirement obligations and limits on property taxes could hamper that recovery.
Student Achievement
Maryland, Southern States Do Well in NAEP Study
A study of National Assessment of Educational Progress scores among states between 1992 and 2011 show that Maryland showed the greatest rate of improvement among the 41 states considered, with southern states also scoring relatively well.
Federal
College-Attainment Rates Show D.C., Mass., N.D. Leading
Information from the U.S. Department of Education and the Census Bureau shows that post-secondary completion rates among 25-34 year olds increased slightly from 2009 to 2010 up to 39.3 percent, with the District of Columbia, Massachusetts, and North Dakota leading the way.
Student Achievement
Bill Gates Talks Teacher Evaluation, Common Core at ECS Forum
Microsoft founder Bill Gates stressed the importance of multiple measures in teacher evaluation systems and praised the Common Core State Standards in the keynote speech at the Education Commission of the States' National Forum on Education Policy.
Standards & Accountability
ECS National Forum, Day 2: 'Expect Outrage' on Common Core
Two lead writers of the Common Core State Standards say the standards would improve achievement by focusing on fewer but more important topics in the earlier grades, and getting rid of unproductive activities and topics.
States
ECS National Forum, Day 2: Regaining 'Competitive Edge'
Governors from Delaware and Nevada discussed America's "competitive edge" and the best way to improve students' transition and performance in a global marketplace on the second day of the National Forum on Education Policy hosted by the Education Commission of the States in Atlanta.