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Early Childhood Education Highlighted
Some of the most fascinating research is being done in the development of the minds of little children. What can be more fun to watch than a young child’s first steps or to hear that first word. 
Suppose progress just does not happen as we think it should. By the time they get to kindergarten, these children are already behind. Catching up is really difficult.
Across the nation, the realization that pre school has to be more than day care has reached legislators. Do we understand what quality pre school is? What should be taught, and how do these children learn? Who is teaching?
What is happening in states? We learned that a 16 year old can be an instructor in some pre school programs in Florida. We need better standards. If we want to judge progress, what makes good reading? Here are some sources for programs in different states.Continue reading
Florida Legislators Hear Testing Uproar
The Florida Legislature is listening.
The Tampa Bay Times reported today that some testing reform is likely in the next legislative session. The article ‘School testing poised to get scaled back by Florida lawmakers’ cites several tentative proposals for reforming assessment practices in Florida. Senator John Legg acknowledges that testing has grown for many well intentioned reasons, but ” …one question got waylaid: How is it affecting the students?”
Proposals are surfacing, Continue reading
Understanding New Mexico
by Meredith Machen
New Mexico is a beautiful state. It is also known in politics as a swing state. It has a Republican Governor, and the Democrats just lost a majority in the legislature. The people have an interesting history. While the majority are primarily Hispanic, most claim a Spanish or native American heritage and have lived there for centuries.
Thirty-six percent of the school age children speak a language other than English at home compared to 20.1% nationwide. The per capita income in most NM communities is below the state average of $22,966 and the national average of $27,334. A University of New Mexico Center for Education Policy Research report provides detailed statistics, by county, of social and economic concerns that the New Mexico schools face.Continue reading
Alternative assessments for Students with Disabilities Abolished
In June, 2014 the U.S.DOE increased reporting requirements for students with disabilities programs. Both program procedures such as meeting evaluation timelines and student outcome data are now required for federal funding. The U.S.DOE estimates that only 18 states and territories will meet the new standards; 41 states and territories met previous standards. California, Texas and Delaware are in the lowest compliance level.
A change in assessment policy can have a big impact. Title I Part A regulations have been amended. Alternative ESEA standards and assessments that are based on disabilities with be phased out. Data such as graduation and suspension rates as well as state assessment scores will be used for Individuals with Disability Act (IDEA) grants.
The acting Assistant Secretary of Special Education stated that less than 10% of 8th graders with IEPs were proficient in reading. In his announcement of the new requirements, Secretary Arne Duncan said “We must be honest about student performance, so that we can give all students the support and services they need to succeed”. Federal programs provide $11.5 billion in grants to states that in 2010 served 6,614,000 children.
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- League Members visit the office of Senator Marco Rubio
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- League Members wait to see Senator Bill Nelson
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- Education Team at the Department of Education
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