AM News: What To Expect from Tonight's GOP Debate? (Not Much)

Preview the GOP Presidential Debate: What to Expect on Education PK12: Will Bush and Kasich continue to support for the common core? How will the three senators with similar education agendas differentiate themselves? Will ESEA reauthorization come up?

State budget protects districts from low-performing virtual schools Journal Sentinel: The budget signed by Gov. Scott Walker would keep low-performing virtual charter schools from hurting the report cards of hosting districts.

Teachers Demand Chris Christie Apologize For Face-Punching Comment HuffPost: Randi Weingarten, president of the AFT, and Wendell Steinhauer, president of the New Jersey Education Association -- the state's largest teachers union -- have both condemned Christie's comments. See also Politico, CSM.

Ahead of state’s Common Core review, Commissioner Elia looks outside New York Chalkbeat: At least 18 states have taken steps to revise, rebrand, or review the standards since adopting them in 2010, according to the Council of Chief State School Officers. New York is set to begin its own review effort this year,  prompted by state lawmakers, who ordered Commissioner MaryEllen Elia to examine the state’s reading and math standards.

Here's What Americans Want From A No Child Left Behind Overhaul HuffPost: More than half of Americans think state governments should have more power than the federal government to determine how standardized tests are used in schools. Only 21 percent of respondents said they thought the federal government should have more power than states in this arena; about a quarter said they were not sure.

High Expulsion Rates, Lower Test Scores for Oregon English-Language Learners State EdWatch: "Disciplinary actions that take students out of the classroom can make it more difficult for them to stay on track to graduate," a Regional Education Laboratory report stated.

Anxiety, frustration and incredulity follow suggestion of school sports cuts Washington Post: Some members of the school board and the county board of supervisors — which furnishes most of the school system’s budget — quickly accused the task force of histrionics, saying it was merely a tactic to anger community members in a campaign for more money. Fairfax’s budget season is often marked by tense exchanges and dire predictions as the county prides itself on having a top-tier school system.

Atlanta District Rolls Out New Grade-Changing Rules District Dossier: Superintendent Meria Carstarphen launched an investigation into grade changing after an internal investigation found that one high school principal changed more than 100 student grades from failing to passing.

Select Chicago Principals to Get More Autonomy, Less Oversight District Dossier: The Chicago school district will tap 25 high-performing school leaders who also have a strong record on school operations and community partnerships.

Three Seattle-Area Charter Schools Prepare To Open Seattle Public Radio: On a recent sunny afternoon, a work party was underway at a low-slung building just south of Seattle that will soon become Rainier Prep, a charter middle school.