Archive for August 2015
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August 31, 2015
E-mail in class grows as an instructional tool
(N.Y.) A 5,800-student district on the state’s western border plans to open the school year with a new communication tool in place for its older pupils – their own school email accounts.
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August 31, 2015
Using flexibility to design new school interventions
(Calif.) Two years ago, House Republicans insisted that states be given more control over the nation’s primary program for turning around persistently under-performing schools –this week, California officials will be taking advantage of that option.
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August 27, 2015
SBE to set attendance mark for federal reporting
(Calif.) Elementary and middle schools would be expected to maintain an average student attendance rate of 93 percent for federal accountability purposes, under a plan set to come before the California State Board of Education next week.
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August 27, 2015
High-stakes teacher evaluations may not help
(N.Y.) High-stakes teacher evaluations have not been shown to improve student achievement and may even be detrimental to student success, according to a recent study.
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August 27, 2015
Ensure prudent purchasing by following procurement standards
The numerous stipulations laid out in federal regulations for general purchasing provide admonitions that are ethical, economical and, believe it or not, practical. Use them as procedural guides for decision-making and spending.
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August 26, 2015
Feds set to do away with 2 percent testing rule for SWD
(D.C.) States will no longer be allowed to assess students with disabilities using tests based on modified achievement standards under a new rule proposed by the U.S. Department of Education.
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August 26, 2015
Audit calls for overhaul of school Medi-Cal claims
(Calif.) A complex and bureaucratic program used to reimburse schools for medical services to low-income students should be streamlined as part of a broader restructuring of the system, the state auditor has recommended.
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August 25, 2015
Marking a big turnaround managing teacher misconduct
(Calif.) Three years after a critical audit found the average teacher misconduct case could take 22 months to resolve, state officials reported last week that timeline has been cut almost in half.
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August 25, 2015
Converting accountability models into modern performance tools
(S.C.) The state’s three existing but separate school rating tools can be successfully melded to create a single accountability index that reliably measures school performance, according to new analysis released this month.
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August 25, 2015
The trap of underrepresentation
Although federal monitoring for disproportionality applies only to overrepresentation of ethnicities, underrepresentation can also be indicative of systemic flaws, especially in regard to procedures for identification and equal access to services.
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