EduClips: New Chicago Schools Chief Faces ‘Tough Decisions’; MS-13 Gang Forces Balancing Act for NY Schools — and More Must-Reads From America’s 10 Biggest School Districts
EduClips provides a compilation of the most important education news from the largest school districts in America, where over 4 million students attend class every day across eight states. You can access previous editions of EduClips here. Stay updated on the latest school and policy news by signing up for the TopSheet Education Newsletter, which delivers daily updates straight to your inbox.
Top Story
The U.S. Department of Education is currently reviewing state accountability plans under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). However, there is growing concern regarding the states’ commitment to following the law, ensuring quality education for historically disadvantaged students, and whether the department has the capacity or desire to enforce compliance.
This approval process has sparked frustration among Republicans, who seek greater flexibility for states in developing education plans, and Democrats, who believe that removing Obama-era regulations that guide state officials on implementing the law was a mistake. (Read at U.S. News & World Report)
National News
TEACHER TERMINATED— Teacher Fired Over Controversy Involving Nude Art Paintings (Read at Education Week)
EDUCATION 2018— The Five Major Education Reform Stories of 2018 (Read at Flypaper)
ESSA— Answering Your ESSA Questions: What’s Happening with Testing Audits? (Read at Politics K-12)
District and State News
ILLINOIS— Incoming CEO Acknowledges the Need for Difficult Decisions to Address Challenges Faced by CPS (Read at Chicago Tribune)
NEW YORK— MS-13 Gang Lawsuits Force New York Schools to Balance Safety and Civil Liberties (Read at The74Million.org)
NEVADA— Downgraded Credit Rating Does Not Cause Excessive Concern for Clark County School District Officials (Read at Nevada Independent)
CALIFORNIA— The Seven Most Significant Education Storylines in California to Watch in 2018 (Read at LA School Report)
NEW YORK— Cuomo Presents Few New Education Plans for 2018, But Highlights Need for Increased Funding in Low-Income Schools (Read at Chalkbeat)
FLORIDA— What Proportion of Education Funding Should the State Government of Florida Provide? (Read at Tampa Bay Times)
ILLINOIS— Illinois Taxpayers Contribute $36 Million to Private School Scholarships (Read at Chicago Business)
TEXAS— U.S. Department of Education Demands Significant Changes to Texas’ Education Accountability Plan (Read at Texas Public Radio)
PENNSYLVANIA— Partnerships Between Universities and School Districts Offer Hope (Read at Education Week)
Think Pieces
NCLB— Watch the Oral History: Reflecting on the Legacy of the Landmark Education Law, 15 Years after No Child Left Behind (Read at The74Million.org)
COLLEGE & CAREER READY— The Idea of a Career-Ready High School Graduate Exists Only in Your Imagination (Read at Market Watch)
TESTING— Is the Smarter Balanced National Test Flawed? (Read at Real Clear Education)
UNIONS— Will Janus v. AFSCME Limit the Power of Public Sector Unions? (Read at Weekly Standard)
Quote of the Day
"If the department is disregarding the agreement we made in the law and simply choosing to implement whatever it wants – which, in my opinion, they are doing with the approval of state plans so far – then this committee needs to hear from the secretary about how she plans to uphold the laws that Congress has agreed upon." — Sen. Patty Murray, leading Democrat on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, commenting on the approval of state ESSA accountability plans. (Read at U.S. News & World Report)
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