Weekend Reading: As more states shift to Common Core-aligned tests, the neediest students face the toughest road

As states upgrade their tests to meet Common Core standards, low-income students are struggling more. (U.S. News/Hechinger)
The practice of delaying a child’s entrance into kindergarten (sometimes called “redshirting”) could have consequences far beyond a single child’s competitive advantage because affluent parents are more likely to choose to do it. (The Atlantic)
A memo to states: Kansas offers a handy recipe for how to create a teacher shortage. (Huffington Post)
Teacher shortages spur a nationwide hiring scramble, and credentials are optional. (NY Times)
A teacher on learning how to talk to her students about race: “We have to do better than we have been doing.” (Mocha Momma)
When Pinellas County, Florida, abandoned integration, it quickly became the worst county in the state for black students. (Tampa Bay Times)
In Hartford, an integration plan to attract suburban students to magnet schools is helping lots of low-income black students but is leaving many others behind. (This American Life)
Practically speaking, Sesame Street’s move to HBO is a smart financial move to keep the show on the air. Symbolically, the move to pay cable of a show designed to help low-income kids catch up to their more affluent peers is very sad. (Slate)
A group of foundations is in the early stages of planning a major expansion of charter schools in Los Angeles. (L.A. Times)
A teacher and — self-proclaimed — helicopter mom learns to embrace her children’s failure. (Vox)
The architect of a Georgia plan to allow the state to take control of struggling schools is now becoming a consultant to help districts improve schools enough to ward off state intervention. (Atlanta Journal Constitution)
Early findings from a multi-year study show that a teacher leadership program is having positive effects on student achievement and teachers skills and retention. (Leading Educators)
Did a CNN story claiming kids have too much homework rely too heavily on one unrepresentative study? (Washington Monthly)
Feds OK Michigan’s plan to give schools a reprieve by not publishing school performance data or applying sanctions. (Detroit Free Press)
How do you make Michigan a top 10 state for education in 10 years? Address poverty, the state board of education is told. (Detroit Free Press)
Chicago schools laid off 1,500 workers after a new budget was released, despite hundreds of expected teacher openings. (Reuters)
The Kentucky State Board of Education will interview 12 for education commissioner. No names announced yet. (WDRB)
Non-stop investigations fuel uncertainty for one Dayton, Ohio, charter school. (Dayton Daily News)
Finally, The Onion tells us Arne Duncan is stressing out over how he’ll do on the standardized Secretary of Education Test and wishes he could afford a high-priced tutor like Margaret Spellings. (The Onion)