This week's teaching & learning tidbits

The mess of No Child Left Behind

No Child Left Behind is in shambles.

In a report released Thursday, the Center on Education Policy found that 48 percent of the nation’s public schools failed to meet NCLB goals in 2011. This is up from 39 percent in 2010 and 29 percent in 2006. Furthermore, there is a great disparity in the performance among states. For instance, 11 percent of Wisconsin schools fell short of advancement goals; in Florida, that number was 89 percent. Read the story in the The Atlantic.

Innovation law doesn’t spark major change

Colorado’s first schools granted more autonomy under the Innovation Schools Act don’t look a lot different today than they did before – particularly in terms of curriculum and instruction.

That’s because principals have chosen to move slowly and have focused so far on changes in budgeting, scheduling and managing their staffs, according to an initial report released Wednesday. Read more in EdNews Colorado.

Colorado loses again in “Race to the Top” grant competition

Colorado failed once again to receive a grant in the latest “Race to the Top” competition, the U.S. Department of Education announced this morning. In the previous two rounds, Colorado was a finalist, but did not receive any funds. Read more in the Denver Post.

Ruling a clean sweep for plaintiffs in Colo. schools lawsuit

A Denver judge’s ruling in the Lobato school funding case represents a sweeping legal victory – at least at the trial court level – for the parents and school districts that brought the case.

In fact, District Judge Sheila Rappaport’s 189-page decision, issued late Friday afternoon, incorporates word-for-word virtually all of a proposed ruling filed by the plaintiffs in late October. Read more in EdNews Colorado.

Survey of Dougco parents about school vouchers vexes some

In Douglas County School District, where everybody seems to have a strong opinion about vouchers, a survey on that topic, emailed to every family, got a lot of people excited about the chance to voice their opinion on the matter. Read more in the Denver Post.

Number of certified teachers in Colorado up by 17 percent

An increasing number of Colorado teachers are applying for and earning advanced teaching credentials that go beyond state licensure through the National Board Certification.

According to a news release from the Colorado department of education citing the national board, 93 Colorado teachers earned National Board Certification in 2011, up 17 percent from a year ago. Read more in the Denver Post.

About our First Person series:

First Person is where Chalkbeat features personal essays by educators, students, parents, and others trying to improve public education. Read our submission guidelines here.