State Board of Education

Rigorous, Relevant Curriculum
Students - internally motivated (literally) - create their own fishy science project.
In this video, the former WV governor explains that we are doing better than we did in 1995 in terms of helping students graduate from college but that other nations are doing much better than we did then or now.
How West […]

Effective Leaders
An in-depth look at the schools in New Orleans.
Here’s a sample quote about the state education superintendent Paul Pastorek: “His conclusion, more than a year into his work, is that fixing a public-school system is not at its root a question of curriculum or personnel or even money. It is a question of governance. […]

Effective Teachers
E-mentors for first year teachers.
Rigorous, relevant curriculum
NC Gov promotes online post-secondary courses for high school students.
VA looks at new accreditation for high schools, to include GED completers with graduates.
Charles Murray proposes equating workforce readiness and college readiness by replacing the B.A. with certification tests (and notes that college would not be a prerequisite for […]

The agenda for the State Board of Education’s Fall meeting has been posted.
August 22nd, 1:00 PM, CST
1st Floor Conference Room
Andrew Johnson Tower
710 James Robertson Parkway
Nashville, TN 37243

Rigorous, relevant curriclum
Watch Governor Bredesen speak at Achieve’s presentation on the American Diploma Project. Bredesen speaks after Mike Cohen and Governor Tim Pawlenty.
An interesting report on trends among HS seniors, 1972-2004.
Grounding teachers in math.
A profile of Chattanooga State’s seven year old Middle College High School.
Sufficient resources
Memphis City Schools’ new superintendent announces a broad plan […]

NewsHour’s John Merrow interviews George Parker, D.C. teachers’ union chief, and others.
Transcript here. Audio here.
Some highlights:
JOHN MERROW: Rhee is hoping to tie teacher pay to student achievement. Because teacher union membership is declining, Rhee may have an edge in negotiations.
GEORGE PARKER: The charter school enrollment is increasing. Public school […]