Chalkbeat

Education news. In context.

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ESSA

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Colorado
August 14, 2017

Feds to Colorado: You must count students who opt out of standardized tests

The U.S. Department of Education told state officials that the policy is not acceptable. Colorado faces losing millions in federal funding if it doesn’t change course.

Detroit week in review

Detroit
August 11, 2017

Week in review: A hurry-up-and-wait moment for Detroit’s landmark education lawsuit and more in this week’s school news

If the suit does move forward, it’s likely to take years to have any real effects on local schools.
Indiana
August 4, 2017

As Indiana schools try to make every graduate count, educators fear struggling students will lose out

Schools will certainly try to steer more students to the Core 40; if they don’t, their graduation rates will plummet.

essa watch

National
August 4, 2017

No Child Left Behind is dead. But have states learned from it?

Are states really changing course from No Child Left Behind? Are they learning from what many viewed as the problematic aspects of the law ESSA replaced?

ESSA and Equity

Tennessee
August 2, 2017

Tennessee’s plan to ensure schools help students of all races raises red flags for advocates and feds alike

Tennessee is the only state to propose lumping black, Hispanic, and Native American students together into a single “supergroup” when assessing schools.

Feedback loop

Colorado
July 27, 2017

Colorado’s education plan earns cheers, jeers from national reform groups

Official approval from Washington is still pending.

a failure of accountability

National
July 14, 2017

High-stakes testing may push struggling teachers to younger grades, hurting students

it’s a big problem when schools encourage their least effective teachers to work with their youngest students. And a new study says that the pressure of school accountability systems may be encouraging exactly that.

ESSA DRAFT

New York
July 11, 2017

Critics call NY state’s plans to rate schools based on racial, ethnic group performance ‘dangerous’ and ‘confusing’

New York state’s proposed rating system for reporting on how well schools serve specific “subgroups” sends the wrong message, some advocates say, by creating…

Chalkbeat explains

Tennessee
June 29, 2017

Memphis suburbs are receiving federal money for more poor students than they have. Here’s why.

A quirk in rules for allocating federal funds for poor students will give most municipal districts a big budget boost. Meanwhile, Shelby County Schools will receive less.

feedback

Tennessee
June 27, 2017

Tennessee’s ESSA plan gets solid marks in independent review

The state's proposed plan for school accountability rates strong on measuring academic progress, but weak on counting all kids, reviewers say.

essa watch

National
June 22, 2017

Growth plus proficiency? Why states are turning to a hybrid strategy for judging schools (and why some experts say they shouldn’t)

The idea has a high-profile supporter: The Education Trust, a civil rights and education group now headed by former U.S. Education Secretary John King.
Indiana
June 16, 2017

New data will reveal which schools are winners — and losers — in the school funding fight

In many places across the country, schools that primarily serve low-income families are getting less money than schools with more affluent populations.

school improvement

Tennessee
April 20, 2017

Tennessee reveals quicker exit plan for schools in the Achievement School District

A school will return to its local district if it improves and stays off of two consecutive “priority lists, or if it fails to improve.

First Person

National
April 20, 2017

Counting attendance in school ratings could be smart — or completely misleading

Joshua Starr asks the real question: What are schools doing to create good reasons for students to attend?

‘identity politics?'

Colorado
April 13, 2017

Vote on Colorado education plan erupts into war of words over which kids benefit

Ultimately, the board agreed to send the 145-page plan to Washington, D.C., for approval.

ESSA plan

Tennessee
April 4, 2017

Tennessee overhauls approach to low-performing schools under plan sent to Secretary DeVos

The state will delay its next “priority school” list by one year, while creating a new office to oversee low-performing schools and clarifying the role of its ASD.

game plan

Colorado
April 3, 2017

Does Colorado’s state education plan fall flat? Some who helped write it think so.

The department expects to file the plan after it receives feedback from the governor’s office and the state board takes a formal vote on the plan at its April meeting.

school leadership

Tennessee
April 3, 2017

Principals matter — and Tennessee wants to do a better job of equipping them

The State Department of Education launches an initiative to cultivate aspiring leaders who want to become principals, as well as to support existing principals.
Tennessee
March 20, 2017

Tennessee lawmakers want to roll back A-F school grades before they’ve been given

Just a year after deciding that every school should get a single letter grade, Tennessee lawmakers are poised to take it back.

school rules

National
March 14, 2017

Yes, Congress scrapped Obama-era education rules. But states say little is changing

What is changing? A requirement for states to get input from community members. But that doesn't mean input is being scrapped, either.

on the record

Colorado
March 6, 2017

Congressman Jared Polis is more worried about Congress than about Betsy DeVos. Here’s why.

The Boulder Democrat is nevertheless vowing to keep an eye on the secretary.

Unleashed

Tennessee
February 21, 2017

McQueen rips Tennessee’s school turnaround work as ineffectual, overdue

Calling outcomes "a little embarrassing," Education Commissioner Candice McQueen notes that the state has only moved 10 schools off its “priority” list since 2012.

first semester

National
February 16, 2017

Betsy DeVos’s first week at the U.S. Education Department: What you need to know

She’s having trouble getting into schools, inspired some people to jump into public service, and is still attracting attention far beyond the usual education audience.

Feedback loop

Colorado
February 10, 2017

Colorado’s education department has a plan. And they want to know what you think about it.

Public comment on Colorado's proposed education plan is open until March 10.

ASD Reset

Tennessee
February 8, 2017

Tennessee’s Achievement School District would return to its original purpose under a bill that its leaders support

Lawmakers will consider a bill that would stop the state-run district from starting new charter schools, rather than just overhauling struggling schools.

Equity and ESSA

New York
January 27, 2017

Famed researcher Linda Darling-Hammond on the future of New York education — and what she makes of Betsy DeVos

An influential education researcher, who has been helping New York implement ESSA, spells out how the state can focus on equity under the new law.

deconstructing devos

National
January 19, 2017

Will Betsy DeVos change education as you know it? Probably not — but your state lawmakers could

The most important upcoming decisions about schools won’t be made by DeVos. They’ll happen in the state legislatures.

ESSA equity

Tennessee
January 19, 2017

Tennessee ESSA draft can be improved to help kids of color, says equity group

The Tennessee Educational Equity Coalition is one of the first groups to weigh in on assets and shortcomings in the state's plan.

Extension please

Tennessee
January 13, 2017

Sponsor of Tennessee’s A-F school grading law wants launch postponed

Rep. Glen Casada says the state should hold off because schools are still transitioning to a new Tennessee test.

TNLEG 2017

Tennessee
January 9, 2017

Here are four education issues to watch as Tennessee’s legislature kicks off

Tennessee lawmakers expect to revisit two perennial questions about school spending and vouchers during the 110th General Assembly, which starts this week.

year in review

Tennessee
December 21, 2016

Ten stories defining Tennessee public education in 2016

From testing and standards to school funding and bus safety, Tennessee has navigated a tumultuous and historic year.

It's here!

Tennessee
December 20, 2016

Tennessee’s completed schools plan is finally out. Here’s what insiders are saying.

The plan, released in response to a sweeping new federal education law, has the potential to reshape the state’s 1,600 public schools.

Making the grade

Tennessee
December 15, 2016

Tennessee schools soon will receive letter grades. But will poverty be considered?

Not everyone is in agreement about what should constitute an A under Tennessee's new system for evaluating schools.

ASD

Tennessee
December 12, 2016

Tennessee’s school turnaround district might lose some power. Here’s why.

Under proposed changes prompted by a new federal law, the Achievement School District would have less flexibility over which schools it can take over.

It's a start

Tennessee
December 6, 2016

Here’s a first look at how Tennessee schools could change under new federal law

The Tennessee Department of Education kicks off meetings about its plan for the Every Student Succeeds Act.

ELL connection

Tennessee
December 6, 2016

New network launches to highlight policies impacting Tennessee’s immigrant students

Tennessee’s growing immigrant population spawns a network for educators, parents and advocates of students who are learning to speak English.

To grade or not to grade?

Indiana
November 28, 2016

Feds say Indiana can drop its A-F system. But does it want to?

Today federal officials made two announcements about ESSA.

Change in the air

Colorado
November 11, 2016

What does Trump’s win mean for Colorado schools? Here are some good guesses.

Trump has said little about his education priorities.

Rethinking school

Tennessee
October 11, 2016

How Tennessee might drastically change testing, and other potential changes to the state’s schools

State officials share their takeaways from nearly six months of discussions on how Tennessee should adapt to the sweeping new federal education law.

explainer

Tennessee
September 12, 2016

What Tennessee’s decision to pull out of a social-emotional learning collaborative means

Tennessee will not get to collaborate with other states — and vice versa — as they draft guidelines around social-emotional learning.
Indiana
September 12, 2016

Indiana debates giving state exams to newly arrived immigrants

Indiana must soon decide between two options for measuring how well immigrant students are doing in school.
Indiana
August 22, 2016

State committee ponders changes to school A-F grade system — again

Indiana is beginning the tedious, but important, work of making sure every part of its A-F school grading system meets new federal education rules.

All the committees

Colorado
August 9, 2016

Why are there two committees in Colorado working on the nation’s new education law?

At both meetings, members worried that their respective work could end in a political showdown.

hold on wait a minute

Colorado
August 5, 2016

Colorado to U.S. Department of Education: Your proposed rules will stifle us

In a strongly worded letter, interim Education Commissioner Katy Anthes told the federal government they should restart the regulation process from scratch.

ESSA and Equity

Tennessee
August 4, 2016

Here’s how advocates for students of color want Tennessee to change its education rules

ESSA could offer a pivotal moment for students of color in Tennessee, depending on how the law is implemented.

The chosen ones

Colorado
July 21, 2016

Meet the 20 people who will help reshape Colorado’s education policies

Among the topics the committee and its various sub-committees must address: standards, testing and teacher quality.

More than scores

Tennessee
July 20, 2016

Beyond test scores, Tennessee looks at how to evaluate districts and schools under ESSA

With the switch to ESSA looming, state leaders consider which metrics to include in the state's accountability plan.

the long view

Tennessee
July 13, 2016

Why this year’s failed TNReady test leaves Tennessee with challenges for years to come

The decision to cancel standardized testing this year will impact the state's accountability system for at least three years.

MAKE SENSE?

Indiana
July 12, 2016

No Child Left Behind is gone. Here’s how new federal law could affect Indiana schools

As Indiana tries to decide the future of testing in classrooms across the state, it’s also dealing with complicated new federal rules.

List of principles

New York
July 11, 2016

What makes a highly effective school? New York State takes its first crack at describing what will count

The state's new accountability system could be based on these 20 principles.
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