In a rare example of bipartisanship in Washington, the Senate approved a sweeping rewrite of the No Child Left Behind act that would roll back the federal role in education and give states more flexibility to create their own accountability systems. (EdWeek)
An unlikely alliance played a big role in the bill’s passage: Republicans and teachers unions, who are united in their opposition to some accountability measures and who want to decrease the influence of U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan. (Vox)
The superintendent of Tennessee’s Achievement School District, Chris Barbic, announced that he is resigning at the end of this year; here’s seven lessons Barbic says his work has taught him about the challenge of improving schools. (Chalkbeat Tennessee)
The same advocacy group that successfully challenged some teacher job protections in California is now suing 13 school districts, arguing that they are ignoring a law requiring teacher evaluations to include test scores. (L.A. Times)
Roughly half of Washington’s high school juniors refused to take standardized tests this year, raising thorny questions for that state and others around accountability systems. (NPR Ed)
A reported exodus of teachers from Kansas raises questions that many states and districts share about how to best support teachers and keep them happy with their jobs. (The Atlantic)
Teachers say there’s a reason that “To Kill a Mockingbird” is still on so many eighth-grade reading lists: It resonates with students (even if some start out thinking it’s a hunting manual). (St. Louis Post Dispatch)
In the South and around the country, school districts are weighing changes to Confederate mascots and schools named after Confederate officials. (Schooled in Sports)
