AM News: White House Takes "Race To The Top" Victory Lap

Obama officials tout Race to the Top, saying it has unleashed ‘enormous positive change’ Washington Post: In a conference call with reporters to mark the fourth anniversary of the creation of Race to the Top, the White House’s Domestic Policy Council director, Cecilia Muñoz, and Education Secretary Arne Duncan rattled off examples of what they said was proof that the $4 billion competitive grant was driving “dramatic change.” See also PK12, USA Today, Hechinger.

Arne Duncan heads to New Zealand, Hawaii with gaggle of staffers  Washington Post: My Post colleague Lyndsey Layton asked the Education Department about Secretary Arne Duncan's trip this week to New Zealand and Hawaii — which will round out his visits to all 50 states during his tenure. 

In an about-face, Indiana decides to drop Common Core PBS: While Indiana was one of the first states to adopt the standards in 2010 — which set out guidelines for the topics and skills students should study at each grade level — opposition to the guidelines has been building since Pence took office in 2012. Last year, the state’s Republican-controlled legislature put the standards roll-out on hold and work began on drawing up Indiana’s own standards.

Hearing Weighs How Congress Should Improve Teacher Preparation PK12: One of the big questions facing lawmakers: Should the federal government call for colleges of education to track their graduates into the classroom? And, if so, what exactly should that look like?  Already, states are required to identify teacher prep programs that aren't up to snuff and help them improve. But states aren't exactly knocking themselves out to fulfill that requirement, noted Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, the chairman of the Senate education committee, at Tuesday's hearing. As of 2013, nearly half the states and the District of Columbia hadn't pointed to a single low-performing program, he said. 

School-Finance Overhaul in Kansas Could End Early-Education Push StateWatch: A plan to boost school funding in Kansas in the wake of a court ruling could mean Gov. Sam Brownback's plan to increase pre-K spending won't succeed.

The Writing's On The Wall For Cursive — Unless Lawmakers Can Save It NPR: The Common Core State Standards have ended lessons in cursive writing, but lawmakers in some states are trying to change that. Blake Farmer of WPLN reports on an effort in Tennessee to revive cursive.

Video: Teacher brings Elvis inspiration into classroom TODAY: TODAY’s Bob Dotson travels to Sand Springs, Okla., to tell the American Story of a teacher who’s using his talents (including impersonating the King of Rock ’n’Roll) to inspire students, reminding them to keep their promises. 

More news throughout the day at @alexanderrusso.