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U.S. secretary of education opposes California’s testing plan
The nation’s top education official threatened Monday to withhold federal funds if California lawmakers approved pending legislation to revamp the state’s standardized testing system. U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan issued the warning as AB 484 awaits a full vote of the Assembly and state Senate.  LA Times

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LA Unified schools may get leeway in how to spend cash for Common Core
Los Angeles Unified may give principals leeway in how to spend more than a quarter of the $113 million the district will receive from the state to transition to new standards called the Common Core. The board is set to vote on the budget at Tuesday afternoon’s meeting. KPCC

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LAUSD launches farm-visit contest for classes using gardens 
Teachers who use community gardens to teach kids about nutrition can win a $200 gift card for the classroom and a field trip to a local farm for their students, in a contest being launched Tuesday by LAUSD. The deadline is Oct. 11 for teachers to submit a photo of their school’s garden, along with a 500-word essay describing how a farm visit would help their students learn about healthful eating and sustainable food practices. Daily News

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Parents of younger students opt out of standardized tests
A growing group of parents are letting their children skip out on standardized tests. The movement has been flourishing on social media and particularly on the East Coast, but also in parts of Los Angeles, where parents are increasingly worried that with the modernizations of standardized testing, their children will be left behind. NBC LA

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NCLB waiver-renewal process turns up heat on states
Two years after offering states waivers under the No Child Left Behind Act , the U.S. Department of Education is expecting them to up the ante on teacher quality if they want another two years of flexibility. Barring a reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, this waiver-renewal process may mark the last opportunity for the Obama administration to put its stamp on the ESEA. EdWeek

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Good or bad? New rating system can’t decide about this principal
Superintendents in New York State’s public school districts have for the last week or so been receiving what’s called the “growth scores” for teachers of grades 4-8 and principals serving grades 4-8 and 9-12. These scores are based on the new Common Core test results, which saw a 30-point drop in students being classified as “proficient.” Washington Post