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The article summaries the panel discussion with Arne Duncan, United states Secretary of Education during the second annual combined Federal Programs summer meeting held at Washington D.C. on July 29, 2015. Article stresses on th Ducan's opinion that the educators need to deal openly and honesty with poverty, inequality and social injustice. The opinions of Senior adviser Ann Whalen and Assitant secretary for special education Michael Yudin is also mentioned.

The article discusses the Promise Zones initiative for school districts in high-poverty communities to create safer spaces and increase educational goals. Topics covered include the collaboration between the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to revitalize high-poverty communities, and the supports that Promise Zone designees would receive.

The article discusses a forum conducted by the Alliance for Excellent Education which focuses on the challenges and success of the number of graduate students in New York City. It mentions the views of small-school partner Robert L. Hugnes of New Visions for Public Schools on identifying the needs and personalities of small schools. It also states that autonomy among the small school was the key factor for the school gains to recruit school staffs and allocate resources.

The article reports on the issuance of the U.S. Education Department of a spending guidance on Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) flexibility. It is inferred that the guidance, which highlights fiscal cautions and pragmatic requirements to beware of, aims to decrease confusion and maximize flexibility. Examples of allowable spending suggested under the guidance are given, along with recommendations to use Title I funds.

The article focuses on the report "Mismatches in Race to the Top Limit Educational Improvement" of the campaign Broader, Bolder Approach to Education, which examines the Race to the Top (RTTT) plan of the U.S. Department of Education. According to the report, RTTT states are behind schedule in meeting their goals and have experienced shortcomings because of unrealistic promises and challenges. The three major mismatches found by the report are explored.

The article offers the insights of several education officials in Alabama regarding Plan 2020, a state strategic educational plan under the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Alabama State Superintendent of Education Tommy Bice states the attainability of Plan 2020's subgroup goals for minority students. It adds the criticism of Lisa Harris, education committee chairman of Alabama Federation of Republican Women, on the lower end-point proficiency goals of the plan.

The article reports on U.S. middle school education, as discussed at a forum held in Washington, D.C. in 2012. It comments on efforts to implement early warning systems and track academic progress in the middle grades in an effort to assist problem students before they reach high school. Other topics explored include the Success in the Middle Act, the role of middle schools in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), and professional social services in middle schools.

The article reports that 10 out of 12 state winners of the U.S. federal Race to the Top Fund (RTF) competition have made acceptable educational progress as of March 2012. The article cites the think tank Center for American Progress's (CAP's) study "Race to the Top: What Have We Learned From the States Thus Far?: A State-by-State Evaluation of Race to the Top Performance." Problems noted include overambitious state goals, state budget cuts, and criticism of RTF by members of the U.S. Congress.

The article discusses comments made by Ohio Department of Education superintendent of public instruction Stan Heffner regarding the Common Core State Standards at an event hosted by the nonprofit Thomas B. Fordham Institute. Heffner offers advice to schools on focusing on college and career readiness as an aim of education and on ways in which they can implement the Common Core, or national educational standards.

The article discusses the report "States' Progress and Challenges in Implementing Common Cores Standards," by the Center on Education Policy (CEP) in the U.S. It reports that the implementation of education benchmarks and goals related to an education reform project may take longer for some U.S. states. Such states face criticism from education experts. The main goal of the Common Core Standards program, which is to ensure college and workforce success among high school graduates, is explored.

The article reports on the questions being raised within several administrative circles over the effectiveness of the Promise Neighborhoods local school initiative proposed by U.S. President Barack Obama as of 2010. Details are given describing the program's major objectives, focusing on several social and personal issues besides merely academic achievement. Comments are given noting the growth of doubt towards the initiative's potential efficacy.

The article reports on a release by the U.S. Council of Chief State School Officers on July 19, 2010 revising the body's formal teaching standards. Comments are given noting changes in the standards, highlighting updates in technology use and classroom practices. Conclusions are given asserting the standards are not meant to be a direct checklist of abilities and practices but merely examples for teacher improvement.

The article discusses the report "Educational Economics: Where Do School Funds Go?" by senior data and economic advisor at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Marguerite Roza, who found that school administrators should ensure their spending budgets align with their education goals. According to the article, Roza tracked school district spending backwards beginning with classroom programs. How a school district spends its money can help improve student achievement is discussed.

The article focuses on educational goals expressed by the U.S. Education Department under President Barack Obama, noting that funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has allowed the administration to bypass reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Priorities, funded through competition instead of formulas, include merit pay for teachers, use of student data and comprehensive assessments. Concern has been expressed about the reporting burden for states.

The article reports on efforts which the Alliance for Excellent Education is making to promote nationally scaled reform of secondary teacher preparation programs in the U.S. that have been developed to deliver college ready and career ready instruction for teachers. The organization is seeking the reform because it feels that the educational needs of students have changed in the 21st century.

The article discusses the report "Why We're Behind: What Top Nations Teach Their Students But We Don't" by the organization Common Core. The report states that U.S. education compares poorly to international standards because of what it calls the basic, narrow approach promoted by the No Child Left Behind Act. The authors are not encouraged by the movement towards national standards, noting practices in foreign countries that outstrip any national standards the U.S. is likely to adopt.

The article discusses problems related to data collection in the reporting of the number of children in U.S. schools who were disciplined by seclusion or physical restraint. The article describes how Education Secretary Arne Duncan has asked U.S. states to develop strategies to prevent the abuse of disciplinary measures related to seclusion and restraint.

The article reports that the Coalition for Student Achievement, which is comprised of influential education and business groups, has advised the United States Department of Education to encourage states to share the costs of adopting common college standards. A list of five recommendations from the coalition is included.

The article reports on a change of opinion which was announced by Susan Neuman, a former U.S. Department of Education official. In the announcement Neuman indicated that while she had been an advocate of the U.S. No Child Left Behind program from 2001 to 2003, in 2008 she had become an advocate of a whole child approach to education.

The article focuses on the report "NMC Horizon Report: 2015 K-12 Edition," released by the Consortium for School Networking and the New Media Consortium, which discusses the increase use of multidisciplinary and active learning.

The article reports on the use of the student learning objectives (SLOs) in evaluating Career and Technical Education (CTE) teachers in New Jersey. Topics include the use of the SLOs for CTE teachers recommended by the Center on Great Teachers and Leaders (GTL Center), the use of portfolio in monitoring students' learning, and the recommendations by the GTL Center on necessary training of teacher and administrator.

The article discusses an advisory for schools and local educational agencies in distinguishing goals and objectives of an educational grant program. Knowing the difference between the 2 terms is important to make grant proposals and programs, as Lubbock-Cooper Independent School District grantwriter Gary Frye stated the confusion is caused by people labeling objectives as goals and vice versa. Frye cites ways to know the differences like using the SMART method, and restricting goals.

The article discusses the U.S. Education Department's (ED) guidance on annual measurable achievement objectives 3 (AMAO 3) for state schools with Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) waivers. It notes the accountability of ESEA waiver schools in measuring the performance of English Language Learners (ELL) through the AMAO 3. Determination of the AMAO 3 will be based on the proficiency of ELLs to meet the new annual measurement objectives and the 95 percent required participation rate.

The article reports on the assessment of the impact of setting goals on the response to intervention for middle or high school students. It recommends the evaluation of a peer group's growth rate instead of identifying the proficiency level that may be achieved. It offers information on an alternate method that is realistic on capability and does not pressure a child to achieve.

The article discusses the need to revise the postsecondary transition plans, including the applicable goals and transition services. It is revealed that there was an inadequacy in a student's transition plan in Ohio high school, which leads the Department of Education (ED) to come up with an improved plan that will address the correct goals and identify specific services to be provided. In addition, the ED also instructed the district staff to be proficient on writing transition plans.

The article discusses a study on the concept of using cell phones and smart phones for educational and instructional purposes. The Fall 2010 Speak Up survey by Project Tomorrow examines three aspects of educational technology including the use of mobile devices for instructional purposes, online and blended learning and electronic textbooks. According to the survey, parents are supporting smart phone use and other electronic devices to enhance learning but school leaders oppose the use of mobile devices in the classroom.

The article offers information on the proposal of U.S. President Barack Obama to revise the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, which includes Blueprint for Reform, to improve school safety where it offers competitive grants to school districts. It mentions statewide school assessment like reducing violence and creating safety school environments. In addition, grantees could fund full-service community schools that will help establish effective schools and will promote students' well-being.

The article discusses the objectives of the U.S. President Barack Obama administration's U.S. Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) reauthorization. Areas of college- and career-readiness, teachers and educational leaders, student equity, increasing standards, and promoting innovation are noted in the outline. The educational priorities in the U.S. American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that the ESEA expands on are discussed.

The article reports that the four educational goals included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) will be the foundation of the proposal of the U.S. Education Department (ED) for the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). It notes that the reauthorization proposal will expand on the assurances required for ARRA, which include equitable teacher distribution. It cites the plan of ED to launch a broad outreach and technical assistance to improve teacher recruitment and training.

The article presents education news briefs for Washington, D.C. the week of September 21, 2009. State teams of early childhood and human services specialists are being formed to coordinate policy for better child outcomes. An expert group says school districts can improve teaching and learning through effective use of Web 2.0 applications. A report shows tremendous demand for New York City charter schools and shows charter students making greater gains than peers in traditional public schools.

the article discusses requirements for seventh-grade Virginia students in 2010-2011 to devise academic plans leading to high school graduation, college and career plans. Schools will help students with the plans, which must be approved by the student, parents or guardians, and school officials. A template from the state Education Department will be available by December 2009.

The article presents educational news briefs for the week of September 14, 2009. U.S. Senator Tom Harkin will assume the chairmanship of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee to replace the late Senator Edward Kennedy. A brief from the Alliance for Excellent Education notes that teacher training on data-driven instruction, commonly cited as a best practice, is rare. Education stakeholders stated that the longer a child is in school, the better that child's health will be.

The article reports that U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan opened a process for nominating individuals to review and rate applications for the Race to the Top Fund of the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act. The plan is to assemble 50-80 individuals of distinction as educators, policymakers and scholars to participate. They should have wide-ranging experience in one of four areas including education policy, education reform, capacity and scale, and application review and evaluation.

The article presents education news briefs for the week of September 9, 2009. The U.S. Education Department announced improvements in the process for states to enter data into the EDFacts system. Local education authorities will be allowed to use American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds for strategies and activities aligned with the act's reform goals. Education groups have urged the Education Department to revise language used in guidance for the Race to the Top Fund.

Information is presented about education events for the week of September 9, 2009, including a panel discussion of the link between education and health by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build a Healthier America September 9, a briefing by the Council for American Medical Innovation September 10, and a town hall meeting in Alexandria, Virginia by U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan discussing student safety and security.

This article focuses on goals set forth by the U.S. education initiative Common Core State Standards which is run by the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers. Goals include educating parents, teachers, and the public on expectations for students, benchmarking standards for educational materials, and evaluating policy changes.

The article announces that William Bushaw is the 2009-2010 chairman of the Learning First Alliance organization.

The article discusses a tool to help policymakers increase the number of students entering the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) by 2015. The tool is a joint effort of Raytheon company and the Business-Higher Education Forum. The tool, called the Raytheon U.S. STEM Education Model, allows users to determine their potential to increase the number of STEM majors. It uses census data and standardized test scores to track K-16 students through the education system.

The article discusses an initiative of the Schott Foundation for Public Education to track distribution by states of monies provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The initiative provides a plan to warn of poor performance by school districts, cite inequitable distribution of resources and trigger appropriate interventions in a timely manner. The initiative is supported by Democratic legislators Representatives Chaka Fattah and Michael Honda.

The article reports on the decision of the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) to drop plan for a new category of preschool programs in the U.S. It is said that OSEP's aim of highlighting the efforts to put children with disabilities into the most inclusive setting has been withdrawn due to the department's skepticism on what proportion is beneficial for child outcomes.

The article reports that a bill has been introduced in the United States Senate that is designed to address U.S. history education. The bill was sponsored by U.S. Senators Lamar Alexander, Robert Bryd and Edward Kennedy. The bill would authorize summer academies for high-achieving students and teachers, increase funding for American history programs and call for states to develop and implement standards for student assessment in U.S. history education.

The article reports that the National Governors Association, the Council of Chief State School Officers, and Achieve Inc. have released an action plan to help the United States compete in the global economy. The plan says that states should collectively upgrade their education standards and measure themselves against international benchmarks.

The article reports that educators push U.S. Congress to support and prioritize dropout prevention programs in the U.S. It emphasizes that economic crisis is the perfect opportunity in discussing education priorities and competitiveness. National Urban League notes that workforce readiness and cooperation are needed to implement educational reforms. INSET: Report: Dropout crisis should be national priority.

The article offers news briefs related to education. McGraw-Hill Assessment and Reporting has released its new position paper entitled "21st Century Approach: Preparing Students for the Global Workforce." A House Green Schools Caucus lobbied for federal lawmakers' support on advancing energy-efficient building design, environment-friendly school's curricula, and higher indoor health quality. The performance-based assessment is developed to measure all content standards in schools in the U.S.

The article reports that Blair Ewing, a member of the state Board of Education, plans to request delaying a requirement for students to pass an assessment to receive a high school diploma. The requirement is designed to strengthen education standards but Ewing doesn't believe that students are adequately prepared.

The article discusses the use of uniform federal standards for high school curricula as a method of dropout prevention. Panelists at a Campaign for High School Equity forum suggested that even though a common standard may be politically and logistically unpopular, it would likely improve high school graduation rates.

The article reports on the education of children with disabilities in developing countries. The article suggests that countries such as Lebanon, Bangladesh, and Uganda should pursue an inclusive model of education and not create separate schools for disabled students. Other topics include siblings' marriage prospects, intellectual disabilities, and Western aid.

The article reports on the state of Pennsylvania's 2008 decision to invest $65 million into the Educational Assistance Program. The state's governor, Edward Rendell, indicated that the money would be used to increase instructional time for more than 172,000 students through targeted tutoring, which would give students reading and mathematics skills.

The article highlights the Partnership for 21st Century Skills in U.S. Ken Kay said that the integration of the 21st century skills and core subjects will provide a quality education. It mentions that the partnership includes education business leaders, educators, policy leaders and nine states who have developed reforming systems of the schools. The goals of the partnership and the curriculum are provided in the article. INSET: 21st centuty kindergarten.

The article provides information on how rigorous coursework engages students and helps improve their performance. According to the article, rigor is about taking what you are doing and making it more complex by focusing on depth of learning, instead of breadth. The key characteristics of rigor are enumerated, which include expectation that all students can learn at high levels. Strategies for principals to boost rigor, including practice what you preach and be the early bird, are suggested.