AM News: You Watch The NCLB Markup, I'll Watch The NY Testing Launch
Senate Attempts To Revise No Child Left Behind Measure NPR: A Senate committee begins work on a bill that would overhaul the education law. That measure — once considered a great uniter of politicians on the left and right — has since become a great divider. See also NPR
Parents Get An Earful on Opting Out of the State Tests WNYC: Last year, 1,925 students opted out, according to the city's Department of Education. In 2012, 113 students opted out of the tests, education officials said.
Some Parents Oppose Standardized Testing on Principle, but Not in Practice NYT: Even parents who are uncomfortable with the exams are discovering that it is hard to push the button on the nuclear option — refusing to have their own children take them.
Atlanta Judge Urges Talks on Sentences in School Cheating Case NYT: Judge Jerry W. Baxter said, he thought an appropriate sentence for educators convicted of altering test scores would mean sending them to jail. But then he had a change of heart. See also Washington Post: Judge urges Atlanta educators to accept plea deals in test cheating case.
Marco Rubio's education plan is pretty much like President Obama's Fusion: and Obama both support the idea of early childhood education. Rubio even said on CBS' Face the Nation that he thinks programs like Head Start, which Obama has championed, are well-intentioned.
More news below (and throughout the day at @alexanderrusso).
Parent trigger proposal fails this session AP: A proposal that would make it easier for parents to convert struggling public schools into charter schools has failed this
Hit by school violence, Colorado mulls districts' liability AP: A novel approach to make public schools liable for campus violence under a measure is advancing in Colorado, even as lawmakers from both parties wonder whether liability will prevent the next mass shooting....
Mayor helps end scare over man reported with gun near school AP: A scare over a homeless man allegedly spotted carrying a rifle near a school in western Pennsylvania ended when the suspect surrendered to the city's mayor, who knew the man, the mayor said....
Teachers unions on the rise again in New Orleans, 10 years after charters pushed them out Hechinger Report: The move by the Morris Jeff board to establish a contract with the union is the second action by a city charter school in the past month that indicates teachers — and school operators — may be willing to give unions a role in education.
Seattle School Board not keen to enter charter-school business Seattle Times: Seattle School Board members Wednesday evening decided against applying to the state for the authority to approve charter schools.
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