Head of the Class

How do states measure up on education-technology laws?
The recently released Digital Learning Report Card grades states on a set of 39 criteria related to their education-technology policies. Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Minnesota, Virginia and Utah were the only states to receive As or Bs on the assessment. Of ed-tech policies, the report found that most trends were related to increasing online learning for K-12 students, expanding course choices and eliminating barriers to blended learning. Education Week/Digital Education blog (3/21)

eLearning

Common core app aids educators on the go
MasteryConnect's Common Core Standards application should be of great use to educators and students who want a convenient reference to just what those standards are, Katie Lepi writes. The app organizes the standards by grade level and course and, through a series of drop-down menus, gets to the standard requirement itself, providing detailed examples. Edudemic (3/20)

Systems Management

School districts find a better way to pay for software
Full-time-equivalent licensing is catching on among school districts that have found FTE helps cut costs, improve workflow and benefits teaching and learning. FTE uses head-count-based subscriptions for software, rather than a device- or user-based model. A California school district, for example, saves about 40% each year on software after transitioning to FTE, the district's director of technology said. EdTech magazine (3/2013)

Managing Budgets

Chicago officials reveal plans to shutter 61 schools
Chicago city officials announced plans Thursday to cut costs by closing 61 city schools -- affecting 30,000 students who attend mostly low-performing, under-enrolled schools in primarily African-American neighborhoods. Officials say the move is expected to eventually conserve resources by creating a smaller school footprint and help chip away at next year's anticipated $1 billion deficit. Some critics, however, say they are concerned that displaced students will have to make longer -- and potentially more dangerous -- walks to school. Chicago Tribune (tiered subscription model) (3/22)

Other News

Schools and Social Media

Mass. officials monitor Twitter during testing season
As students in Massachusetts begin taking the English-language portion of the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System exam this month, officials will be monitoring Twitter for examples of cheating. That includes looking for the hashtag for MCAS. Officials say they are being increasingly vigilant, after -- when monitoring Twitter last June during testing -- they discovered 10 students using the site during the exams. The Boston Globe (tiered subscription model) (3/22)

Your Views

Which devices are educators using during math instruction?
More than 50% of educators who responded to a recent poll about the use of technology in schools said it is being used across core subjects but most often during math instruction. Data show most commonly used devices include classroom-based technologies such as interactive whiteboards and clickers. SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Education (3/22)

Last Byte

Pa. school film project uses sign language to teach nursery rhymes
Every other year, young students who are deaf or hearing impaired enrolled at Lincoln Intermediate Unit No. 12 in New Oxford, Pa., perform nursery rhymes without sound. School staff video the renditions and older students then use sign language to tell the story on camera, giving students a better understanding of sign language and filming, educators say. The Evening Sun (Hanover, Pa.) (3/20)

SmartQuote

People who are brutally honest get more satisfaction out of the brutality than out of the honesty." -- Richard Needham, Canadian humorist Share: