By Devin Boyle, DFER Director of Communications
DFER Seen & Heard:
- Radio ad urges the Chicago Teachers Union and Chicagp Public Schools to reach an agreement on their new contract
- DFER’s CA State Director, Gloria Romero, weighs in on efforts by the California Teachers Union to oppose a bill that would have made it easier to remove criminal teachers from classrooms (Wall Street Journal & LA Weekly)
- It’s that time again! Nominate an Education Warrior for DFER’s third annual Brian Bennett Education Warrior Awards
- Indiana State Rep. Mary Ann Sullivan is DFER’s Reformer of the Month for July (Read more here)
From DFER’s Blog:
- “Strange Days Indeed in Hoosierland,” reports DFER Indiana State Director, Larry Grau – Worth a read for the music alone (DFER Blog)
- DFER Michigan endorses five candidates for state representative (DFER Blog)
- DFER’s NJ State Director, Kathleen Nugent, blogs on the unanimous passage of tenure reform in New Jersey (DFER Blog)
- Guest bloggers, Colorado State Senators Mike Johnston and Pat Steadman, praise Metropolitan State University for developing a separate tuition category for CO’s undocumented students in their post, “Bold Move for Students in Colorado” (DFER Blog)
In Related News:
- 32 states, plus DC, have now received waivers to No Child Left Behind. Yesterday’s new additions include: AZ, KS, MI, MS, OR, SC, DC (US DOE)
- Despite tireless efforts from DFER’s IL State Director, Rebeca Nieves Huffman, a compromise over longer schools days and teacher raises, has not been made in Chicago (Ed Week & Chicago Tribune: Here & Here, Sun-Times Editorial)
- The House Appropriations Committee approves bill that would cut Race to the Top, School Improvement Grants (SIG) and Investing in Innovation (i3) grants (Ed Week)
- Good news for teachers and kids: Obama announces a $1 billion master teacher program incentivizing master teachers to teach in high-need subject areas (The Huffington Post)
- According to a Pew Research Study, 90% of kids in the bottom income group that earn a college degree ascent from poverty (Pew)
- 80% of students in NY’s Stuyvesant High School admit to participating in some form of academic dishonesty (NY Post)
- The ACLU files a lawsuit against a MI school district for, what they allege, is a violation of students’ right to learn to read (The Washington Post)
- Bill Gates tells Education Week, if he had to pick one thing that would give the US the best chance of a strong future it would be great teaching in our classrooms (Ed Week)
- The prospect of cuts to federal education through sequestration has many groups worried (Ed Week: here and here)
Videos:
- Angela Rudolf (DFER/ERN) was interviewed by CBS Chicago yesterday, asking both sides of the debate between Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Teachers Union to put their sabers away and come to a compromise
Call to Action:
- Contribute to DFER
- Support our Reformer of the Month
- Sign our Statement of Principles
And, as always – Have a great weekend!