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The Drama of Common Core
New set of school standards searches for success
Topock, an Arizona town on the far western edge of the state, doesn’t even have a stoplight. But its school district has scrambled to prepare for the new standards and get the Internet capacity and computers necessary for the 2015 debut of the accompanying test.
Monuments to education funding
Reid Buckley, brother of the late political commentator William F. Buckley, Jr., used to ask audiences, “Do you know how high a pile one million bucks would make in thousand dollar bills?” After a pause, he would answer: “Seven inches.” Then he asked, “Now, do you know how high a pile one billion bucks would make in thousand dollar bills?” Again, after a pause: “Well, 28 feet higher [...]
New $50M statewide education data system faces uphill battle
The state is searching for nearly $50 million to implement an interconnected school data system that officials and lawmakers say is vital to measuring student achievement and teacher performance at all levels throughout the state. And the clock is ticking.
Education reform idea ‘moving down the track’
A group of business and education advocates that held a meeting in Scottsdale last month to discuss a possible education ballot measure for the 2012 elections has conducted a poll that reportedly shows broad support for a proposal that would restructure how schools are funded - provided there is accountability tied to improving test scores and graduation rates.
It’s high time for school finance redesign
Funding Arizona’s K-12 public schools is on the mind of every educator, most policymakers, and business leaders — those who count on a ready workforce. The Arizona Business & Education Coalition (ABEC) presents a set of proposals to redesign the school finance system entirely, to support increasingly higher levels of learning in all public schools.
‘Future of education’ panel previews education reform debate
Implementing new technology, competition, accountability and effective funding will be the key to preparing Arizona’s children for the complex global marketplace that now awaits them, a panel of education experts said Tuesday.
Sacrifice and restructuring needed to improve education in Arizona
As any parent will tell you, doing the right thing for your kids is not always easy. Providing them with the support they need to succeed requires a lot of effort on our part as the adults. Making sure homework gets done or attending early morning parent-teacher conferences can be an inconvenience, but they are critical to our kids’ academic success. The same is true in education reform.
UpClose with Andrew Morrill: Teachers union chief says he’s not a liberal, takes balanced approach
Andrew Morrill took over as president of the Arizona Education Association, the state’s biggest teachers union, early this year. It’s a job no one would envy.
Watchdog group questions state universities’ spending
Arizona's three state universities spend too much on administrative costs, driving up the price of a college education, the Phoenix-based Goldwater Institute said in a study released Tuesday.
Economy sending Ariz. teachers toward jobs abroad
Forced to search elsewhere for teaching jobs in the lackluster economy, and looking for some adventure and job stability, 1,200 North American teachers have been hired for Teach Away jobs this year.
Arizona a finalist for ‘Race to the Top’ school grant
Arizona was named among the finalists Tuesday in the second round of the federal "Race to the Top" school reform grant competition, giving the state a chance to receive a share of $3.4 billion.
