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In This Issue
Forty-three states are implementing the Common Core State Standards—the biggest change to K–12 education nationwide in the past decade. The standards outline the knowledge and skills students need to succeed beyond high school. The standards also require instructional shifts in both English language arts and math—but how are educators being prepared to help students reach these new college- and career-ready goals? ASCD’s latest Policy Priorities examines efforts to ensure that teachers enter the classroom prepared to succeed with the new standards.
The issue notes that aligning teacher preparation programs with the new standards is not solely the responsibility of colleges and universities, although many are in the process of implementing programmatic changes. States also play a role in forging a strong alignment, and many have taken the lead in doing so by supporting collaborations between university faculty and local school districts that are implementing the Common Core standards and integrating the standards into state teacher licensure assessments.
Read Policy Priorities for more insights about why proper training of incoming teachers provides a logical first step in helping students reap the benefits of the new standards; how the standards could affect teacher evaluations; the federal government’s plans to improve the effectiveness of teacher preparation programs; and how some states, such as New Jersey, have effectively engaged all stakeholders in moving teacher preparation programs and the standards forward.
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Guidance and additional resources to ensure that English language learners (ELLs) have access to a high-quality education have been released jointly by the U.S. Department of Education and Department of Justice. The guidance reiterates schools’ responsibilities such as identifying ELLs in a timely manner, avoiding unnecessary segregation of these students, and providing information about school programs and services to parents with limited English proficiency in a language they understand. The departments released a toolkit (PDF)—the first in a series to support states and districts as they work to meet their obligations—to help districts identify ELLs.
President Obama has unveiled a new proposal to make two years of community college free to students who attend school at least part time and maintain a 2.5 grade point average. According to the White House, the proposal—America’s College Promise—could benefit 9 million students per year, saving each full-time community college student approximately $3,800 in tuition per year. Federal funding would cover 75 percent of the program’s costs, and states that choose to participate would be responsible for covering the remaining costs. The ambitious program, however, faces an uphill battle for approval from Congress, which has already moved to cut funding for many of the President’s key initiatives.
President Obama will deliver his annual State of the Union address Tuesday, January 20 at 9:00 p.m. EST. The White House will stream the event live and will provide graphics and data alongside the President’s remarks. Be sure to tune in for more information on the President’s 2015 education priorities, and check back in with Capitol Connection for ASCD’s annual response to the address.
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