Ed Policy
Education policy consists of news, commentary and stories that follow legislation and government action in the educational sphere.
Reform as a Platform for Innovation
Across a half a dozen states in the last week I've listened in on edreform chats with an eye on innovation. Embracing the world of digital opportunity will take new governance models, stronger state capacity and new relationships between districts and statewide providers.
EdTech 10: Superhero News Makers
Don your cape, your mask, and your spandex. Here are this week’s edtech super heroes!
Utah Personalizes Learning With Portable Records
Robyn Bagley, Parents for Choice in Education, saw the paper and knew Utah's existing data system infrastructure gave them a big head start on a portable record. She talked to a champion of Ed Tech policy and personalized learning, Senator Jerry Stevenson who agreed to sponsor a bill.
Smart List: 40 Advocacy Orgs Making a Difference
Today we are recognizing 40 great policy and advocacy organizations. These groups put students first, set the path, and lead the conversation.
Activate Ed’s Rockstar Number 3, Lydia Logan
The next Activate Ed Education Rockstar, Lydia Logan, Managing Director of Chiefs for Change at the Foundation for Excellence in Education.
PARCC “On Time, On Task”
PARCC chiefs and staff held calls this week to update progress and, in the light of defections, to reassure partners. The message was “PARCC is on time, on task,” and 14 states and the District of Columbia have committed to field-testing the assessment in the spring of 2014.
E-Rate 2.0 is Here
We believe it is time to compete. To do this, we need to work together with the Federal Communications Commission on E-Rate 2.0 and rally around clear broadband capacity goals for every school.
PARCC Unveils Pricing, Stresses Benefits of New Online Tests
PARCC, one of the two big state testing consortia, unveils pricing and a planning tool for states to help them determine what they need to do to get ready to administer the new tests. The price may be a little higher than some had hoped, but PARCC outlines big benefits compared to current state tests.
Achieve Releases State Framework For Competency-Based Education
Achieve, the leading advocate for college- and career-ready standards, posted an important policy resources this week: Advancing Competency-Based Pathways to College and Career Readiness: A State Policy Framework for Graduation Requirements, Assessment and Accountability. Competency-based education has been part of Achieve’s strategic plan for a few years, but this report is the most important action to date.
The Conservative Case for Higher Common Standards
Highlighting the support of most current and many former Republican governors, conservatives launched a website yesterday in support of Common Core State Standards (CCSS).