DFER News Roundup
By Devin Boyle, Director of Communications, and Stephanie Doctrow, Communications Coordinator and Web Editor
Upcoming Events:
- Join DFER and the Thomas B. Fordham Institute for “Opt-Out or Cop Out? A Debate on ‘New’ Accountability Systems” on July 25th. Click here to RSVP to attend in person or watch online.
DFER Seen & Heard:
- Joe Williams tells Kristen Meriwether of the Epoch Times, “If you are in charge of the school system you need to be able to say to the parent ‘I want to make sure we are putting more great teachers in the classrooms.’”
- “Charter advocates say candidates’ rhetoric isn’t cause for panic,” reports GothamSchools.
- “Fifty National Organizations [DFER Included] Rally Behind E-Rate Overhaul,” reports EdWeek.
- DFER’s Lisa Macfarlane, on the Washington Education Association’s suit against WA’s new public charter school law: “We’re confident that our law is going to pass constitutional muster.” (Seattle Times)
Advocacy, Policy Briefs & Such:
- Statement | “Senate Appropriations Bill Restores Some Funding Lost to Sequestration.”
DFER Blog:
- DFER CO’s Moira Cullen writes, “4 School Board Candidates for Denver Public Schools’ November 5th Election We Are Proud to Support.”
- Join TFER’s Summer 2013 Book Club for their first pick, Jal Mehta’s The Allure of Order.
In Related News:
- Why should conservatives support the Common Core State standards? Fordham gives a good rundown of reasons.
- “Rift Among Democrats Stalls Effort to Reverse Rise in College Loan Rates,” reports The New York Times.
- In Washington, Richard David says last-gasp suit over public charters in the state is a waste of time. (The News Tribune)
- NCTQ’s Kate Walsh: “Teacher prep is the Wild West of education.” (Education Next)
- The Huffington Post’s Sam Stein writes, “Sequestration pushes Head Start families to the precipice.”
- Gallup and EdWeek revealed findings from their recently-launched panel of U.S. superintendents on current issues facing education (Gallup).
- “Charter school advocates say candidates’ rhetoric isn’t cause for panic,” writes GothamSchools’ Anika Anand.
- AP’s Lucas Johnson writes, “Gov. Bill Haslam defends Education Commissioner Kevin Williams.”
- “NEA delegates defeat bid to explore merger with AFT,” by EdWeek’s Stephen Sawchuck.
- “Objections to the initiative are premised on the charge that the Common Core — ‘Obamacore’ as some would have it — is an attempt by Washington to force a nationwide curriculum on the states, even though that’s very far from the truth.” (CQ)
- EdWeek’s Alyson Klein writes about the NCLB waiver states’ split stances on the new flexibility offer.
- Chicago Tribune’s Diane Rado: “More than 1 million respond to first statewide education survey.”
- NPR’s Cory Turner writes of the realities and importance of the Common Core State Standards.
- TFER’s Mac LeBuhn: “The (Un)Prepared First Year Teacher.”
- The National Assessment of Educational Progress updated its long-term trend report. (NAEP)
Fun With Infographics & More:
- President Obama briefs the press. We love the ace reporter in the fedora!
- Infographic Tuesdays: CREDO’s 2013 National Charter School Study.
- It’s never too late to celebrate the 4th: Baby surprised by fireworks.
- Infographic Tuesdays: NAEP 2012: The Nation’s Report Card.
- Check out all those DFERs!