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.
‘Firestorm’ over new school standards embroils Republican lawmakers
As Arizona ramps up efforts to invest in Common Core, a tide of opposition has defeated one of the first legislative efforts to implement the new education standards by likening them to a national takeover of Arizona’s school curriculum.
State prepares for debate on costly Common Core educational standards
Those who support Arizona’s new Common Core standards for math and English education say they help turn students into better thinkers and prepare them for college and the workforce.
Those who question the new standards say they could create added expenses for public schools, including new textbooks, teacher training and the need for new technology. They say the price tag, still undete[...]
Brewer plan would tie school funding to student achievement
Taking a page from higher education, Gov. Jan Brewer announced today she wants to install a system in which public schools would earn some of their funding based on student achievement.
School-choice group pushes parent trigger law
First it was featured in a controversial summer movie, and now it could come to a school near you. A liberal school-choice group from California is trying to build a coalition of local education groups to pass an Arizona law allowing parents to take over failing schools.
Bill to remove principals’ evaluations from public review draws fire
Advocates for government transparency are objecting to language in an education bill that would prevent the public from reviewing school principals’ performance appraisals. At present, whether the public has access to those performance appraisals depends largely on the policies of individual school districts. But HB 2823, authored by Rep. Doris Goodale, R-Kingman, would specifically exempt princ[...]










