Effective teaching is the cornerstone of student achievement in our classrooms. Around the country the call has gone out to strengthen standards for teacher preparation in colleges and universities. Delaware’s legislature has responded, enacting a bill on Thursday that, if signed by Gov. Jack Markell, will raise the bar to qualify for admission to a state teacher education program. Markell praised the passage of Senate Bill 51 in a press release.

Stateline Midwest ~ May 2013

One of the nation’s most extensive state school-voucher initiatives has withstood a constitutional challenge and will be expanded even further as the result of 2013 legislation. 

The 2011-2012 school year was the worst in a decade for progress in access to high-quality pre-K for America’s children, according to the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER). The organization reached that conclusion in its annual State of Preschool report. NIEER’s 2012 Yearbook, released Monday, concludes state funding for pre-K decreased by over half a billion dollars in 2011-2012, the largest one-year drop ever. The organization blames in part the lingering effects of the recession on state budgets.

More than 6.7 million college students took at least one online course during the 2011-12 school year, making online classes the fastest growing segment in higher education. But while students across the country seem to be rapidly embracing online education, federal and state laws have some catching up to do. States have adopted numerous approaches to authorizing and regulating online higher education over the past two decades. This confusion has limited student access and created an inconsistent regulatory process for institutions seeking approvals to operate in multiple states.

Pam Goins, director of The Council of State Governments’ Center for Innovation and Transformation in Education, will join other education experts in a webinar discussion on how state policymakers can support deeper learning in their schools April 29. The webinar, sponsored by the National Association of State Boards of Education, will explore policies that can help students not only master academic content, but also critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration and communication skills. The goal of deeper learning is to ensure students can meet the demands of the 21st century work force.

Schools Strive to FInd Efficiences, Ways to Improve Academic Output

Unlike other school districts across the country, Clark County, Nev., was bursting at the seams.

Over a 25-year period, the district saw an increase of 200,000 students with a rapidly changing set of demographics. Before school officials knew it, they found themselves operating the fifth-largest district in the United States. Each year, the district added as many as 16 new schools and hired thousands of new teachers and staff to meet the demands of their growing system.

Stateline Midwest ~ April 2013

Under a first-of-its-kind measure signed into law in March, local school districts in South Dakota will have the authority to allow armed personnel in their school buildings. HB 1087 will take effect in July. It opens the possibility of school employees, hired security personnel or volunteers carrying a weapon on school grounds.

Question of the Month ~ CSG Midwest

Childhood obesity rates have tripled over the past three decades, leading to a rise in state efforts to combat the trend. And since children spend much of their day in school, new state laws and regulations have focused on the types of foods and levels of physical activity offered at school.