States Blog

State EdWatch

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 This blog is no longer being updated, but you can continue to explore these issues on edweek.org by visiting our related topic pages: state policy, state legislatures, state superintendents, and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.

Education Scholar Linda Darling-Hammond Picked to Chair California's State Board
The state's board will have to tackle a teacher shortage, uproar over the state's growing charter sector and frustration among many advocates over the way the state assesses its schools.
Daarel Burnette II, February 13, 2019
2 min read
Education These States Could Actually Replace Their School Funding Formulas This Year
Buoyed by budget surpluses and prodded by teacher activism and legal challenges, legislators and governors are gearing up to tackle long-outdated K-12 funding formulas.
Daarel Burnette II, January 29, 2019
7 min read
Education At Pivotal Moment, Nevada State Education Chief, Deputies Resign
State Superintendent Steve Canavero resigned just two weeks before the state's legislative session was to begin, with more than 80 education-related proposals, including a new funding formula, is on the agenda.
Daarel Burnette II, January 28, 2019
1 min read
Education Meet the Team Tasked With Overhauling New Mexico's Accountability System
Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham named education professors Karen Trujillo as secretary of public education and picked Pedro Noguera as a special education advisor.
Daarel Burnette II, January 24, 2019
1 min read
Education Why Your Superintendent Doesn't Want to Give Teachers a Raise
Lots of districts will get more state money this year, but superintendents say there are lots of things they have to pay for before they consider teacher raises.
Daarel Burnette II, January 23, 2019
3 min read
Education Incoming Tenn. Governor Taps Charter School Founder, TFA Vet for State Chief
Tennessee has struggled to administer its statewide exam, improve its worse-performing schools and get its new accountability system off the ground.
Daarel Burnette II, January 18, 2019
1 min read
Education California Isn't Alone. School Funding Will Be a Headache for Many States This Year.
With multi-million dollar surpluses, several governors and public school advocates are at odds over what to do with new money this year. Teachers want pay raises and governors want to save for the next recession.
Daarel Burnette II, January 18, 2019
4 min read
Education R.I. Lawmakers, Shamed by Massachusetts' Test Scores, Vow Action
After Rhode Island released test scores comparing its students to those in Massachusetts', political havoc ensued. Governance, standards, curriculum are all on the table, policymakers say.
Daarel Burnette II, January 11, 2019
2 min read
Education Michigan Spent Two Years Crafting a New Accountability System. Then Republicans Scrapped It.
Republican legislators last month replaced the state's accountability system with a new one amid debate over the powers of the governor. The state education department says it's not ESSA-compliant.
Daarel Burnette II, January 8, 2019
1 min read
Education School Spending is Broken. So Why Is it So Hard to Replace Funding Formulas?
The legislative session hasn't even started and yet efforts to replace funding formulas are already starting to unravel as states realize they don't have the political capital to raise taxes.
Daarel Burnette II, December 20, 2018
4 min read
Education Minnesota Governor-Elect Names AFT National VP to Be State Education Chief
The state's incoming governor and education commissioner both are former teachers. They face battles over school accountability, funding and the achievement gap between white and minority students.
Daarel Burnette II, December 20, 2018
1 min read
Education Florida's State Board Hires Former House Leader to Run Education Department
The state's department of education has several major tasks ahead of it in the coming years, including rolling out a new federal accountability system and fixing a statewide teacher shortage.
Daarel Burnette II, December 18, 2018
1 min read
Education School Spending Is Up, and Other Key Takeaways From Latest Federal Data
Teachers and public school advocates have complained about dramatic budget cuts in recent years, but a recent report says spending is trending upward.
Daarel Burnette II, December 6, 2018
1 min read
Education Florida State Education Commissioner Pam Stewart Resigns
The state's board of education had renewed Commissioner Pam Stewart's contract for a year before the midterm election but after the election of a new Republican governor, she said she'd leave in January instead.
Daarel Burnette II, December 5, 2018
1 min read