October 4, 2012
  
 
EDUCATION NEWS     

US Education Secretary wants textbooks to go digital -- and soon

Posted 3 October

  

Smarter Balanced newsletter: States meet at Collaboration Conference

Posted 3 October

 

Posted 2 October 

 

'Race to Literacy' plan proposed to increase skills for current job climate 

Posted 2 October  

 

Inslee-McKenna Q&A
(See answers about education funding)
 

Posted 1 October 
    

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REPORTS/OPINION

  

Report: Regular public schools can apply lessons from charter schools  

Posted 2 October

Posted 2 October

  

     

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SAT/ACT Results Show Majority of Students Not Ready for College     

The majority of the nation's public high school students, including those from Washington, are not fully prepared for college and the workplace, according to recent results from the SAT and ACT college-entrance exams. 

  

Nationally, just 43 percent of SAT test takers met the SAT's college-ready benchmark, which indicates the likelihood of achieving a B- or higher in the first year of college. On the ACT, just 25 percent met all four benchmarks in English, reading, math and science, meaning 1 in 4 students are adequately prepared to succeed in college in all four core subjects.

 

In Washington, the majority of students who take a college-entrance exam use the SAT -- 33,485 public school students in the class of 2012 took the SAT compared to 13,929 for the ACT. Of those Washington public school students who took the SAT, just 49 percent achieved the SAT college- and career-readiness benchmark.   

 

Also, 43 percent of students taking the SAT met the reading benchmark, while 38% met math and 50% writing. Overall, black and Hispanic students' benchmark performance stood at 22 and 21 percent, respectively.

  

To read the Partnership's complete analysis, click here


MICROSOFT CALLS FOR NATIONAL STEM STRATEGY

Despite a continued struggling economy, many major U.S. employers are finding difficulty in finding U.S. workers with the skills needed to fill open jobs.  Last week, Microsoft released a whitepaper on the need for a national talent strategy while improving and investing in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education with a "Race to the Future" initiative.

 

Microsoft Vice President Brad Smith wrote, "Our nation faces the paradox of a crisis in unemployment at the same time that many companies cannot fill the jobs they have to offer. In addition to the short-term consequences for businesses and individuals, we risk these jobs migrating from the U.S., creating even bigger challenges for our long-term competitiveness and economic growth."

 

To download the whitepaper, click here. Also, to view a Webcast on the issue, click here. In addition, the Seattle Times endorsed Microsoft's plan. 

   

WA RELEASES NEW ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES  

Last Thursday, State Superintendent Randy Dorn unveiled Washington state's new education accountability measures, called Annual Measurable Objectives (AMO). These replace the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) measurements and reflect requirements outlined in the Washington's waiver request to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). 

 

The new AMO accountability system measures are set by calculating proficiency gaps among groups of students. Washington's goal is to cut all student group proficiency gaps in half by 2017.

 

The new targets (AMOs) for student learning reflect 1) Washington's transition to Common Core State Standards and high-quality assessments; and 2) Washington's vision that each student -- including English language learners, students with disabilities, and students from historically underserved subgroups -- engages in rigorous content and graduates prepared to engage in the deeper learning essential for post-secondary success.

 

To learn more about the Annual Measurable Objectives, click here.

  

PARTNERSHIP NOTES

  • Education funding will be the top priority during the 2013 legislative session. The Community Forums Network is conducting a survey to get your views on how the state should fund K-12 education. Let your voice be heard and take the survey. Be sure to tell them the Partnership sent you.  
  • In case you missed it, the Partnership compiled an analysis of 2012 state testing results and graduation rates.  
  • Thirteen Washington school districts (or groups of districts) intend to apply for the latest round of Race to the Top, geared at spurring improvements at the local level.  
  • The Partnership supports the Washington Public Charter School Initiative (I-1240) because it provides options for all students who might not be well served by a traditional public school. If you want to support the initiative, click here.
ABOUT PARTNERSHIP FOR LEARNING
Partnership for Learning is a statewide nonprofit that informs and mobilizes opinion leaders, educators, parents and the general public in order to improve our public schools and better prepare our high school graduates for the demands of today's global society.

Learn more about Washington's school improvement efforts at our Website:  

www.partnership4learning.org

NEWS & RESOURCES
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