Common Core: Sinking Ship or Rescue Vessel?

Lea Ann Atherton, a 2013-2014 Hope Street Group Fellow who teaches writing at Lone Oak Middle School in Paducah's McCracken County discusses the implementation of the common core in her classroom.

http://bit.ly/1h9YKQW

Engaging Teachers in Policy Development

Hope Street Group, a national nonpartisan, nonprofit organization known for working with teachers to impact education policy, recently released a new report, "Engaging Teachers in Policy Development."

http://bit.ly/1iV3VrP

An ebb in higher education enrollment

FiveThirtyEight is spotlighting a decline in the percent of high school graduates going directly on to higher education, from 70% in 2009 to 66% for 2013, leading me to wonder about the Kentucky pattern.  As far as I can tell, the Bureau of Labor Statistics isn't publishing state-level reports like the one used by FiveThirtyEight, but I did find Council on Postsecondary Education data on a related issue: total undergraduate enrollment.  As graphed above, our in-state pattern includes:

• A 4% increase in public university undergraduate enrollment since 2010
• A 15% decline in Kentucky Community and Technical College System enrollment over those years
• A 5% decline in total undergraduate enrollment combining the four-year and two-year schools

Both 538 and CPE reason that the peak years of the recession saw a peak in students choosing college and the economic recovery is likely to mean that some high school graduates choose to focus on employment immediately after graduation.

How About Life Ready Students?

David N. Cook, Director of Innovation and Partner Engagement at the Kentucky Department of Education says students need to be "Life Ready."

http://bit.ly/1fpfWBk

How to Invest Education Dollars

Liza Holland,Secretary of the Kentucky PTA, discusses the input received from citizens about how to best invest our education dollars.

http://bit.ly/1nsjQ1q

Seat Time or Results?

Dr. Terry I. Brooks who is the Executive Director of Kentucky Youth Advocates talks about the need to revisit seat time versus results.

http://bit.ly/1m6j1v6

It's About Time

Lauren Hill, who teaches English at Western Hills High School in Frankfort, Kentucky discusses how to best utilize time for teachers.

http://bit.ly/1jr6AJj

Get On Board for Academic Excellence

Julia Link Roberts, Mahurin Professor of Gifted Studies at Western Kentucky University says it is time to get the conversation going about achieving excellence, in all academic areas, in all schools across the United States. http://bit.ly/1lDUaB7

Education advocates praise Kentucky budget that raises teacher salaries, restores funding

Prichard Committee @prichardcom Education advocates praise Kentucky budget that raises teacher salaries, restores funding kentucky.com/2014/04/01/317… @stusilbermanfc #kyga14 12:07 PM - 02 Apr 14

We Must Change Accountability First

David N. Cook, Director of Innovation and Partner Engagement at the Kentucky Department of Education discusses the need to change the types of accountability systems used in education.

blogs.edweek.org/edweek/engagem…