‘Embodied learning’ blends lessons with student-computer interaction
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School Reform News
SETDA urges shift to digital instruction
Everyone remembers lugging a 20-pound textbook. But should today’s students still have to consult hefty—and often outdated—printed texts? And should states and districts still pay for resources that…
D.C. sets bar for firing teachers over performance
Tough new teacher evaluations led to a strike this month in Chicago, but in the District of Columbia, such evaluations are "business as usual."
What do teachers deserve? In Idaho, referendum may offer answer
In the struggle to fix the nation’s public schools, the old red-state, blue-state idea is looking as dated as Dick and Jane, the New York Times reports.
A high-poverty school gets the ultimate makeover
Jordan High School, located in the gang-ridden neighborhood of Watts, California, has historically been known for dropout rates, not for high achievement, TakePart reports.
In Michigan reform district, students set their own pace for learning
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Though teachers strike is over, implications still unclear
Mayor Rahm Emanuel secured an extension of Chicago's school day and empowered principals to hire the teachers they want. Teachers were able to soften a new evaluation process…
Chicago teachers vote to return to classroom
Teachers agreed Tuesday to return to the classroom after more than a week on the picket lines in Chicago, ending a combative stalemate with Mayor Rahm Emanuel over…
Social think tank on innovation in education
I was lucky enough to be invited to participate in Dell's "Social Think Tank" on Innovation in Education today., says Christopher Dawson for ZDNet Education.
School lunch rules for healthier meals get mixed reviews from students
One student complains because his cafeteria no longer serves chicken nuggets. Another gripes that her school lunch just isn't filling. A third student says he's happy to eat…
Parents mull private, charter schools amid teachers strike
With a Chicago Public School teachers strike in its fourth day on Thursday, some parents are looking into possible alternatives including charter or private schools, Reuters reports.
Meet San Francisco’s own version of the American dream–beginning in the classroom
After serving as San Francisco's Deputy Superintendent of Instruction, Innovation and Social Justice, Carranza assumed the role as the district's head honcho this past July, the Huffington Post…
Chicago teacher strike poses test for unions
The massive teacher strike in Chicago offers a high-profile test for the nation’s teacher unions, which have seen their political influence threatened as a growing education reform movement…
Elementary schools get rid of recess
For Syracuse’s elementary school students, recess will no longer be part of the daily agenda, as the district’s master schedule for the new year mandates every minute of…
Strike highlights division on teacher evaluation
One of the key disagreements driving Chicago teachers to the picket lines this week is also a central component of President Barack Obama's education policy: evaluating instructors in…
Slanted Wikipedia revisions dog Idaho schools chief
The spokeswoman for Idaho state schools superintendent Tom Luna triggered a tug of war over his Wikipedia entry when revising the web page last week to make changes…
Education policies, funding at stake in 2012 election
When voters go to the polls to choose the nation’s next president in November, they’ll be making a choice that has important implications for schooling in the next…
New attendance push prized by students, educators
School day wake-up calls recorded by celebrities. Weekend makeup classes. Contests with laptop computers, private concerts and cars as prizes. Educators across the nation are using creative strategies…
Nearly 900 districts to apply for Race to the Top funding
Nearly 900 school districts across the nation intend to apply for a slice of close to $400 million in grants that the U.S. Education Department will distribute in…
Text: Jeb Bush’s ed speech at GOP convention
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush addressed the Republican Convention on Thursday night, giving a speech about education reform that is likely to fuel talk that he could be…
Not all private schools parallel Romney education plan
Expanding school choice is a central piece of Mitt Romney's education platform. But allowing more public dollars to follow low-income and special-needs children to private schools -- one…
On education, GOP distances itself from Tea Party
The Republican National Committee’s platform on education contains a lot of tea party buzzwords: abstinence, English-first, homeschooling, vouchers, local control, the National Journal reports.
New movie reignites debate over ‘parent trigger’ laws
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Rhee at GOP convention: Reform will require ‘getting ready for a fight’
Former D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee called for classroom teachers unhappy with the system to brace themselves for battle, says the Hechinger Report.
Seeking respect, Wisconsin teachers go abroad
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Teachers must make the grade under new guidelines
When Ohio's new teacher evaluation system kicks in starting next year, teacher Tammy Schmidt may be joining her third-grade students in preparing scrapbooks of their classroom accomplishments, the…
New ISTE CEO: It’s time to partner up
Strong leadership to guide policy, and a voice to speak for education stakeholders nationwide, are essential to discussions about school reform, according to the International Society for Technology…
To increase learning time, some schools add days to academic year
It was the last Sunday in July, and Bethany and Garvin Phillips were pulling price tags off brand-new backpacks and stuffing them with binders and pencils. While other…
Duncan discusses education reform, back-to-school changes
A more well-rounded curriculum with less focus on a single test. Higher academic standards and more difficult classwork. Continued cuts to extracurricular and other activities because of the…
Teacher union boss bends to school reform winds
In the maelstrom of criticism surrounding America's unionized public teachers, the woman running the second-largest educator union says time has come to collaborate on public school reform rather…
New high school is latest to focus on project-based learning
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Veteran superintendent brings turnaround model to schools nationwide
Can turnaround results in one troubled school district be replicated in another? A new partnership between an education intervention provider ... Read more
Mass. high school may change start time so teens can sleep
Teenagers in Weston may be able to score a little extra shut-eye each morning starting in the 2013-2014 school year, depending on the findings of a local committee…
Pennsylvania ready to put scholarship program for failing schools to test
Families and students throughout Pennsylvania got their first glimpse of the news list of failing schools in the Keystone State, Yahoo! News reports.
CPS, CTU agree to hire more teachers for longer school day
According to the Chicago Sun-Times , the city of Chicago and the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) have reached an agreement that will put more teachers in the classroom…
Partnership encourages local districts to launch their own cyber schools
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Louisiana sets rules for landmark school voucher program
State money will continue to flow to scores of private and religious schools participating in Louisiana's new voucher program even if their students fail basic reading and math…
New project aims to transform the ‘first five days’ of school
While there is general agreement that the first five days of school are “absolutely essential” for establishing a culture of learning that will set the right tone for…
Obama proposes $1B for science, math teachers
The Obama administration unveiled plans Wednesday to create an elite corps of master teachers, a $1 billion effort to boost U.S. students' achievement in science, technology, engineering and…
Bill Gates: Why ‘game-based learning’ is the future of education
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