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Arizona law on third-grade reading mandate goes live
Even as many districts and individual schools have ramped up their instruction, this year's implementation of a 2010 state law may mean an estimated 1,500 Arizona third-graders will be denied promotions to fourth grade for not meeting required reading levels
Brewer ditches ‘Common Core’ moniker for new standards
Hoping to douse a political firestorm that has sprung up in some conservative circles, Gov. Jan Brewer ordered state employees Friday to begin calling the state’s learning standards by a different name.
Huppenthal: Arizona should rename Common Core
Arizona's top education official says the state should stick with implementing the Common Core academic standards but rename them and act independently of other states that helped develop them.
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.
Brewer plans renewed push for K-12 performance funding
Among Gov. Jan Brewer's big three priorities for the 2013 legislative session, performance funding for K-12 schools was the one that got left behind.
Costs soar for new Common Core achievement test
The cost per student for the new test to measure progress under Common Core is nearly 50 per cent more than the AIMS test, causing sticker shock among some lawmakers and advocates for the learning standards.
State looks to O’Connor House for help teaching Arizona kids civics
As expectations for reading, writing and math have increased, emphasis on civic awareness among Arizona students has dropped, according to the state’s top education official.
Senators defeat attempt to nullify Common Core education standards
Arizona senators defeated a sweeping amendment Monday aimed at preventing the state from participating in the Common Core and placing responsibility for approving educational standards in the hands of lawmakers.
Judge upholds immersion approach to teaching English
A 20-year legal odyssey took a step closer to completion Friday when a federal judge ruled the state’s way of teaching English to kids who don’t know the language is “a valid educational theory.”
Tucson district to begin new cultural studies program
All eyes will be on Tucson Unified School District in the next year as it establishes a court-ordered “culturally relevant” classes.
And while most are going to see how the process unfolds, Attorney General Tom Horne is certain the curriculum merely will be a resurrected version of the banned Mexican American Studies program because the new classes are under development by the same [...]
With accounting system ‘on the ropes,’ Arizona moving forward with upgrade
The state’s accounting system is on life support, but thanks to funding allocated last year by the governor and the Legislature it’s getting an overhaul that officials say is long overdue.
Arizona school chief calls for $24M data system upgrade
Superintendent of Public Instruction John Huppenthal warned lawmakers Monday that all of Arizona’s K-12 reforms will come up short without an upgraded educational-data system.
