News & Issues

We take a look at the 44th annual Phi Delta Kappa-Gallup poll that surveyed Americans' opinions about education. A few findings are interesting, but most are what we would expect based on bombardment of media messages to the American public.

Teacher evaluations are, by law, to be tied to student performance data, as much as that can be measured. Not the whole evaluation, but about half of it. Oh, and this is a national trend that I totally cannot understand.

The US education secretary visited a high school in Baltimore County last week, saying he supports finding money to increase teachers' salaries. He also addressed the idea of career and technical education, which are high on Maryland's education agenda.

Havana High School will be "flipping" all classrooms during the 2012-13 academic year. Some advice follows from those with some considerable experience in flipping or inverting classrooms.

President Obama's White House issued a report last weekend, pointing out that teachers are losing their jobs, early childhood programs are being cut, and school days and years are being shortened across the country. He blames the economy, but says it would be worse under the Republican budget recently approved in the House.

Hispanic students are more numerous on college campuses and in the nation's public schools, a Pew Hispanic Center report says. In addition, more Hispanic young adults report that they have finished high school than ever before.

Illinois students in the graduating Class of 2012 scored higher on the ACT than students in any of the nine states that mandate the ACT for all high school graduates.

The finalists for Maryland Teacher of the Year were announced today. Here they are!

A media advisory from the US Department of Education says US Education Secretary Arne Duncan will visit Perry Hall High School in Baltimore County on Wednesday, Aug. 22, for a little Q&A.