AM News: New College Board Head's Social Justice Agenda

College Board President: Tear Down 'Wall' of Underachievement CurriculumMatters: Coleman—best known until now as a chief architect of the Common Core State Standards in English/language arts—has zeroed in on three key areas in his bid to turn up the volume on the College Board's social-justice mission.

Contract With Merit Pay, Backed by Union Chiefs, Is Tough Sell for Newark Teachers NYT: On one side of the table was the union firebrand Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers. On the other was the state education commissioner handpicked by Gov. Chris Christie, who became a star among fellow Republicans for aggressively taking on public employee unions.

Undocumented Students Take Education Underground NPR: Georgia is one of three states to bar undocumented students from attending schools. But a group of professors at the University of Georgia has created a fledgling school to provide a place for students to learn.

Should State Education Chiefs Be Elected? StateLine: If it were up to Walter Dalton and Pat McCrory, they’d have a little less company on the ballot in North Carolina this year. In particular, they wouldn’t be sharing space with candidates for State Superintendent of Public Instruction. Dalton and McCrory are opposing gubernatorial nominees, but they agree on one thing: The governor ought to be able to appoint the state’s top education official.

Some states will soon call the roll on school reform Reuters: Traditionally allied with Democrats, union leaders these days are sounding Republican themes to woo voters in conservative states such as Idaho, Georgia and South Dakota. They're warning that the proposed reforms would mean higher taxes, bigger government and intrusive state meddling in local affairs.