| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NJ Spotlight--NJEA Sees New Leadership with Exec Director, No Lobbyist in Place
Assistant Director Swetsky will fill executive director slot, but union yet to decide on chief lobbyist
The New Jersey Education Association — by most accounts the state’s most powerful union – is about to go through a change in leadership just as several big issues and elections are looming.
The 200,000-member union confirmed that Edward Richardson, the executive director for five years, will be stepping down Dec. 1 to be replaced by Steve Swetsky.
John Mooney | October 8, 2019 | Education
NJ Spotlight--Murphy Answers Critics, Lays out Plan to Get Lead Out of Schools
Governor announces increased inspections and better reporting of water results
As worries over lead in drinking water continue to dominate, Gov. Phil Murphy announced a multi-pronged program Monday to bolster the state’s response to specifically addressing the existence of lead in public schools’ water.
https://www.njspotlight.com/2019/10/murphy-answers-critics-lays-out-plan-to-get-lead-out-of-schools/
Michael Hill, NJTV News | October 8, 2019 | Energy & Environment
Star Ledger--Murphy just took these steps to fight lead in N.J. schools and alert parents of problems
New Jersey schools will be required to test their water for lead more frequently and parents will get a more streamlined way to search if levels are dangerous in their children’s schools under new state regulations Gov. Phil Murphy announced Monday.
Brent Johnson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com| Updated Oct 07, 2019; Posted Oct 07, 2019
The Atlantic--Why Is Middle School So Hard for So Many People?
It doesn’t have to be this way.
Alia Wong| Oct 7, 2019
NPR--The Things Parents Don't Talk About With Their Kids ... But Should
A majority of parents rarely if ever discuss race/ethnicity, gender, class or other categories of social identity with their kids, according to a new, nationally representative survey of more than 6,000 parents conducted by Sesame Workshop and NORC at the University of Chicago. The researchers behind Sesame Street say the fact that so many families aren't talking about these issues is a problem because children are hardwired to notice differences at a young age — and they're asking questions.
Cory Turner| October 8, 20195:03 AM ET
Education Dive--Rising temperatures leave students sweltering as districts look to fund AC
As students around the country swelter in autumn heat waves, districts are brainstorming ways to fund air conditioning in classrooms while school is in session, District Administration reports.
Shawna De La Rosa| Oct. 4, 2019
Chalkbeat--No thanks, Obama: 9 states no longer require test scores be used to judge teachers
Fewer states are using student test scores to evaluate teachers, according to a report released Tuesday by the National Council on Teacher Quality. As of this year, 34 states require scores to be used in teacher evaluations, down from a high of 43 in 2015.
The decline illustrates the continued retreat of an idea that took education policy by storm during the first half of the decade, but proved divisive and difficult to implement.
https://chalkbeat.org/posts/us/2019/10/08/teacher-evaluation-test-scores-nctq-obama-duncan/
Matt Barnum | October 7, 2019
