Draft Common Core standards released
Posted on 10. Mar, 2010 by Heather.
The National Governors Association and Council of Chief State School Officers released the draft K-12 Common Core standards this morning. NGA and CCSSO are asking for feedback, so those interested should have at it.
Education Week coverage here. Press release below:
DRAFT K-12 COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS AVAILABLE FOR COMMENT
NGA Center, CCSSO Release First Official Public Draft
WASHINGTON-The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) today released the first official public draft of the K-12 standards as part of the Common Core State Standards Initiative, a process being led by governors and chief state school officers in 51 states, territories, and the District of Columbia. These draft standards, developed together with teachers, school administrators and experts, seek to provide a clear and consistent framework to prepare our children for college and the workforce.
The NGA Center and CCSSO have received feedback from national organizations representing, but not limited to teachers, postsecondary education (including community colleges), civil rights groups, English language learners, and students with disabilities The NGA Center and CCSSO encourage those interested in the standards to provide further feedback by Friday, April 2, 2010, at www.corestandards.org.
“We are pleased to release the K-12 standards today and to begin reviewing comments from the public,” said Dane Linn, director of the NGA Center’s Education Division. “These standards build upon the goals articulated in the college- and career-readiness standards released last year and will ensure our students are prepared to compete and succeed in a global economy. We look forward to working with educators, leaders and state board members in the states as they consider adopting these standards that will guide their educational programs.”
“The feedback and comments states and our additional stakeholders have provided us are solidifying these standards into the better standards our students need,” stated Gene Wilhoit, executive director of CCSSO. “We will continue to work diligently and tirelessly to ensure these standards are where they need to be, and today we are asking the public to help us do just that.”
These standards define the knowledge and skills students should have within their K-12 education careers so that they will graduate high school able to succeed in entry-level, credit-bearing academic college courses and in workforce training programs. The standards are:
- Aligned with college and work expectations;
- Clear, understandable and consistent;
- Include rigorous content and application of knowledge through high-order skills;
- Build upon strengths and lessons of current state standards;
- Informed by other top performing countries, so that all students are prepared to succeed in our global economy and society; and
- Evidence- and research-based.
The standards are expected to be finalized in early Spring. For more information, visit www.corestandards.org.
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Race to the Top, phase 1 finalists announced
Posted on 04. Mar, 2010 by Heather.
From the U.S. Department of Education’s website, the 16 finalists for phase 1 of Race to the Top were announced this morning. Some may surprise, others may not (Education Week reporters made predictions using a bracket) — Colorado, Louisiana, Massachusetts and Ohio were considered early front-runners.
The phase 1 finalists are:
•Colorado
•Delaware
•District of Columbia
•Florida
•Georgia
•Illinois
•Kentucky
•Louisiana
•Massachusetts
•New York
•North Carolina
•Ohio
•Pennsylvania
•Rhode Island
•South Carolina
•Tennessee
The 16 finalists will go before a panel in mid-March, and “winners” will be announced in April. Phase 2 applications are due in June (Washington will apply then).
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Obama: college/career-ready standards linked to federal $
Posted on 22. Feb, 2010 by Heather.
President Obama today shared with the nation’s governors his plan to include college- and career-ready standards in the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (aka No Child Left Behind).
Here are the bulleted policiesObama and his educrew would like to see integrated into ESEA:
- “Require all states to adopt and certify that they have college- and career-ready standards in reading and mathematics, which may include common standards developed by a state-led consortium, as a condition of qualifying for Title I funding.
- Include new funding priorities for states with college- and career-ready standards in place, as they compete for federal funds to improve teaching and learning and upgrade curriculum in reading and math. This priority applies to the President’s FY2011 budget request for new Effective Teaching and Learning programs in literacy ($450 million) and STEM ($300 million).
- Encourage states, schools districts, and other institutions to better align teacher preparation practices and programs to teaching of college and career-ready standards. This priority supports the President’s FY2011 budget request for a new Teacher and Leaders Pathways program ($405 million).
- Assist states in implementing assessments aligned with college- and career-ready standards, under a new Assessing Achievement program. The President’s FY2011 budget supports $400 million in state grants under this program.
- Support the expansion of the Race to the Top, beyond funding in the Recovery Act, to dedicate $1.35 billion in awards to states and school districts that have college- and career-ready standards in place as a condition of funding.
- Support professional development for teachers, leaders and other school instructional staff to better align instruction to college and career-ready standards. This supports the President’s FY2011 budget request for the Effective Teacher and Leaders state grant program ($2.5 billion).”
The big thing to note is the potential linkage of Title I funds to the adoption of college- and career-ready standards. For reference, Washington received $388.1 million in Title I funds in FY 2009(or roughly $776 million a biennium). This gels with previous statements and sentiments shared by the Obama adminstration that Race to the Top components will start to bleed into ESEA.
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OLY SHORTS: Potato Day
Posted on 10. Feb, 2010 by Heather.
Yum!
The much anticipated day during session is upon us: Potato Day. I saw more people in the Rotunda waiting for or enjoying a potato than I have in any committee hearing. I take my baked potato loaded up with the works — chili, cheese, sour cream, chives and bacon pieces. Yum!
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OLY SHORTS: Rep. Haigh is a Trekkie
Posted on 04. Feb, 2010 by Heather.
Rep. Kathy Haigh, chair of the House Education Appropriations committee, just declared her affinity for Star Trek during a public hearing. Rep. Haigh is a self-professed Trekkie.
A related thought: How would society change if Vulcan mind meld were possible?
Live long and prosper.
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OLY SHORTS: Watch committee hearings live
Posted on 25. Jan, 2010 by Heather.
Legislative session slash ed reform junkies can watch this afternoon’s hearings on SB 6696 and HB 2731 live on TVW online.
The Senate Early Learning & K-12 committee is meeting right now, as I type, and may just be action packed. The House Ways & Means committee meets at 3:30pm.
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OLY SHORTS: Bikes and bikers everywhere
Posted on 21. Jan, 2010 by Heather.
Typically during Legislative Session every day is some organization’s lobby or celebration day. E.g. yesterday was Dairy Day. A perennial favorite is Potato Day, when — you guessed it — potatoes are handed out to one and all.
Apparently today is BLACK Thursday, sponsored by ABATE of Washington, which I know hardly anything about. What I do know is that today has brought a wealth of American motorcycle muscle to the capitol, along with a lot of black leather. No comment or opinion on the message, I simply admire the bikes — most of them are beautiful.
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R2T: 40 states + DC apply
Posted on 20. Jan, 2010 by Heather.
Bee-tee-dubs, if you hadn’t already heard, the deadline for round 1 Race to the Top applications was yesterday. In the end, 40 states and the District of Columbia applied (Washington State is vying for round 2).
Find the list of applicants here, along with press conference footage and other items from the White House. Also see news coverage in Education Week.
It doesn’t look like the U.S. Department of Education has posted state applications yet. Applications for other ARRA grant programs (e.g. State Fiscal Stabilization Fund) were posted…
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Tax credit for college expenses
Posted on 19. Jan, 2010 by Heather.
As we all know, college is expensive. Previously, the federal government allowed families to claim a tax credit for college expenses (Hope credit). Families can now claim the similar American Opportunity credit on their federal income tax returns.
Details from the Higher Education Coordinating Board below:
American Opportunity tax credit may help offset college expenses
OLYMPIA- Students and families who had tuition and other college-related expenses in 2009 may be eligible to claim the American Opportunity tax credit when they prepare their federal income tax returns this year.
The full tax credit, which can be claimed for college expenses incurred during the 2009 and 2010 tax years, is available to taxpayers whose modified adjusted gross income is $80,000 or less ($160,000 or less for joint filers). A reduced credit amount is available to taxpayers with adjusted gross incomes up to $90,000 ($180,000 for joint filers). If a taxpayer’s income level was not high enough during the year to incur federal income tax liability, up to 40 percent of the tax credit can be received as a refund.
American Opportunity replaces a similar tax credit provision called the Hope credit. The new credit of up $2,500 for tuition and eligible college expenses is higher than under the Hope provision. In addition, tax filers may now claim expenses incurred during the first four years of their post-secondary education rather than only the first two.
Depending on individual circumstances, the American Opportunity tax credit may not be the most advantageous tax option for all families with higher education expenses. For guidance, consult a tax expert or visit the HECB website (www.hecb.wa.gov/Paying/payingresources/AmTaxCredit.asp) for links to additional information from the Internal Revenue Service.
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Annual university president salary rankings out
Posted on 18. Jan, 2010 by Heather.
Every year the Chronicle of Higher Education releases the salaries and rankings of top earning public university presidents, and the latest results are out today. This is one list where Washington universities “score” highly.
On average, salaries for university presidents increased by 2.3 percent in 2008-09, compared to 7.6 percent in 2007-08. The median salary for 2008-09 was $436,111. Here are the earners of the top five compensation packages:
- $1.58 million — E. Gordon Gee, Ohio State University
- $905,000 — Mark Emmert, UW
- $810,600 — Patrick T. Harper, University of Delaware
- $797,050 — John T. Casteen III, University of Virginia
- $787,260 — Francisco G. Cigarroa, University of Texas
WSU President Elson Floyd came in at #16 with a compensation package of $648,000.
Find additional coverage here and here.
