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Curious Grade for Teachers: Nearly All Pass
Across the country, education reformers and their allies in both parties have revamped the way teachers are graded, abandoning methods under which nearly everyone was deemed satisfactory, even when students were falling behind. NY Times
California’s Largest Teachers Union Now Backs Bill to Ease Firing
Districts have long complained that the process is cumbersome and expensive, but unions have stridently fought attempts to change it. Union leaders say the new proposal would shorten the dismissal process in a way that still allows charges against teachers to be handled fairly. San Jose Mercury News
Want to Teach Better? New Study Says Use Your Hands
One key to more effective teaching could be as simple as talking with your hands, according to a new study from the University of Iowa and Michigan State University. KPCC
Final Count in L.A. Election Due Tuesday After Three-Week Delay
Three weeks after the Los Angeles primary election, the city will announce the final vote count Tuesday in races for mayor, City Council and other local offices. LA Times
State Still Has a Role in Supporting and Holding Districts Accountable
With the passage of Proposition 30 and almost nine out of 10 local ballot measures last November, the voters of California gave our schools an almost unprecedented chance to begin rebuilding after years of budget cuts. EdSource Commentary
Students Would Do Well to Learn Cursive, Advocate Says
For many, cursive handwriting is a thing of the past, an archaic method taught in the days before keyboards and touch screens. But some argue that writing longhand could help in placement exams. LA Times
Three Former Wilmington Elementary School Students File Suit Alleging Abuse
A lawsuit filed Friday on behalf of three former students at Wilmington’s George De La Torre Jr. Elementary School alleges they were sexually abused by their fourth-grade teacher and that school district officials engaged in a cover-up. Daily Breeze
On the School of Second Chances: a Q&A With Mike Rose
Each spring across America, thousands of students who once lagged behind their peers get accepted to top-notch universities, thanks to what author Mike Rose calls “second chance” learning. LA Times
LiveSchool Behavior Tracking App Helps KIPP LA Shift School Culture
KIPP LA middle schools have a powerful tool in a behavior-tracking app that helps reward students for good choices and build a school culture that supports learning. PR Newswire
With GOP Advocate, Ed. Issues Could Gain Steam in Congress
Education issues—which haven’t gotten a lot of attention from Congress over the past four years—may have picked up an unlikely but powerful advocate: U.S. Rep. Eric Cantor. EdWeek
Schools Struggle to Provide Dental Health Safety Net
Hundreds of thousands of low-income children suffering from dental disease, some with teeth rotted to the gum line, are presenting California school districts with a widespread public health problem. EdSource