National News

3 Western Massachusetts teachers win White House award for excellence in science, math teaching

Posted on Wednesday, August 24th, 2016 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Patrick Johnson, Masslive
Date: 8/22/2016
Link: Complete Article

Two elementary school teachers in Williamsburg and a high school science teacher from Springfield were among some 200 teachers nationwide selected as recipients of the 2016 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, the White House announced Monday. Science teacher John Heffernan and math teacher Karen Schweitzer of the Anne T. Dunphy School… [Read More]

Distance Learning infrastructure project funded by USDA Rural Development

Posted on Monday, July 18th, 2016 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Collaborative for Educational Services
Date: July 18, 2016

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack today announced $23.4 million in grants to support 81 Distance Learning and Telemedicine projects in 32 states across the nation. Massachusetts’ Collaborative for Educational Services (CES) was awarded $337,356 for a distance learning hub in Northampton. The hub will enable distance learning services for 23 field sites across Massachusetts and… [Read More]

US Dept of Education announces webinar “Two Approaches to Improve Student Achievement in Rural High Schools”

Posted on Tuesday, June 14th, 2016 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Link: Complete Article

The U.S. Department of Education’s Investing in Innovation (i3) Program is pleased to announce an upcoming webinar with two i3 grantees working to improve achievement in rural high schools-the Rural Math Excel Partnership (RMEP) and the Building Assets, Reducing Risks (BARR) model of school improvement. With approximately 30 percent of our nation’s 50+ million students… [Read More]

No Child Left Behind getting makeover

Posted on Thursday, December 10th, 2015 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Jennifer C. Kerr, The Recorder
Date: 12/10/2015
Link: Complete Article

WASHINGTON — The way the nation’s public schools are evaluated — teachers, students and the schools themselves — is headed for a major makeover, with a sweeping shift from federal to state control over school accountability and student testing. The Senate on Wednesday voted 85-12 to approve legislation rewriting the landmark No Child Left Behind… [Read More]

Lawmakers Move to Limit Government’s Role in Education

Posted on Thursday, July 9th, 2015 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Jennifer Steinhauer, Motoko Rich, The New York Times
Date: July 8 2015
Link: Complete Article

WASHINGTON, DC — Congress on Wednesday moved to substantially scale back the federal government’s role in education, particularly the use of high-stakes standardized testing to punish schools, in the first significant proposed revisions since the No Child Left Behind law was passed 14 years ago. While there is near-universal agreement that the law should be… [Read More]

Expanding the Presidential Scholars Program to Honor Students in Career and Technical Education

Posted on Wednesday, July 8th, 2015 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Roberto J. Rodriguez, The White House Blog
Date: 6/23/15
Link: Complete Article

President Obama signed an Executive Order expanding the United States Presidential Scholars program to establish a new category of outstanding scholars in career and technical education (CTE). The announcement of this new award category of CTE Presidential Scholars is fitting because the White House also welcomed and honored the 51st class of Presidential Scholars yesterday… [Read More]

The High Cost of Low Technology Skills in the U.S.–and What We Can Do About It

Posted on Thursday, July 2nd, 2015 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Change The Equation
Link: Complete Article

Although American millennials are the first generation of “digital natives”–that is, people who grew up with computers and the internet–they are not very tech savvy. That fact would probably come as a shock to most Americans–especially to millennials themselves. After all, millennials are glued to their phones, tablets, and other devices. Many assume that using… [Read More]

Title IX – US Department of Education issues policy letter

Posted on Friday, May 15th, 2015 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Commissioner's Weekly Newsletter
Date: 5/15/15

The US Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights recently issued a policy letter to public school districts reminding administrators of their obligation to designate at least one individual to coordinate schools’ efforts to comply with Title IX. It also reminded districts to provide training and support to the Title IX coordinator. The document is… [Read More]

Elementary Secondary Education Act Reauthorization news from AESA

Posted on Friday, April 17th, 2015 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Date: 4/13/15

The Collaborative for Educational Services (CES) recently received analysis from The Association of Educational Service Agencies (AESA) regarding the multiple versions of the Elementary Secondary Education Act currently under consideration by Congress to replace No Child Left Behind. CES thought it would be useful to share this analysis. ESEA, which funds primary and secondary education,… [Read More]