Education News

Throughout the month we scour the headlines from around the nation and prepare brief executive summaries of the top education stories.

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This Week in Education: April 22nd - May 3rd

Bill Introduces Online University in Florida
(The Huffington Post, April 22, 2013)Next year, the state-run University of Florida will start a series of online bachelor’s degree programs that will allow students to work towards a degree without stepping foot on campus. Florida will be home to the first fully accredited, online public university. House Speaker, Will Weatherford, believes “These bold higher-education reforms will help increase Florida's global competitiveness and ensure our students have meaningful opportunities after high school."

Weingarten Warns Against Using Recent Test Scores
(The New York Times, April 30, 2013)Following the introduction of new state exams that align with the Common Core, Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers, stated that schools should not be held accountable for this year’s exam results. She believes that teachers need at least a year to review test materials and master new curricula. Those who oppose her statements believe the effort to use student test scores in rating teachers is being stalled.

High School Focuses on Job Preparation
(Education Week, April 24, 2013)At Wheeling High School, in Illinois, students are beginning to graduate with significant experience in a career field. Lazaro Lopez, the principal of Wheeling High School, manages more than 50 industry partners who help provide students with meaningful work experience. States that have adopted this new model hope to make high school more relevant and inform students of the options that can exist after graduation.