Afternoon Announcements: January 11, 2012

It’s the middle of the week so you can wave goodbye to Monday and Tuesday  and finish up Wednesday strong and in-the-know with the latest in education news.

Teacher Beat reports that the U.S. Department of Education has selected the panelists who will write new regulations for the reporting requirements for teacher preparation programs. The is a step in the education reform process that will readdress teacher preparation and evaluations.

Earlier the Alliance mentioned the tension brewing between teacher unions and school districts that may put schools in jeopardy of losing federal funding. According to the New York Times, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo issued a blistering statement, saying "the forces that protect this bureaucracy have stymied reform at every turn." The governor urged both sides to come to an agreement.

Several states that won a slice of the U.S. Department of Education's $4.3 billion Race to the Top competition have had to delay plans to implement ambitious reforms according to the Associated Press. Although they have not yet been deemed “high risk,” New York state and Florida could possibly lose money if they don't get back on track.

Education Week takes a look at the opinions of policy and lawmakers regarding the Elementary and Secondary Education Act which seeks to update the No Child Left Behind Act. Reviews are mixed and emotions are high.

The Washington Post reports that the new scorecards for student achievement evaluation go far beyond testing. The profiles offer rates of student growth on standardized tests along with information on attendance, discipline and retention of teachers who received top annual evaluations. High school scorecards also list rates of graduation and college enrollment.