Afternoon announcements: Obama's 2nd term focus on education

A new Alliance report calls for district and state leaders to create a systematic, strategic plan for integrating technology into schools within the next two years. Ed Week 

Education is one area in which republicans and democrats can, on occasion, agree. It shows in the polls. A recent Gallup poll shows that 68 percent of Americans believe Obama will improve education in his second term. Will we see reform, or will he stay the course on policies already put in place? The Week

In Michigan, K-12 students may not be tied to schools in their districts for much longer. A proposed bill would “remove district ownership of students.” They would have increased flexibility in choosing which schools to attend. Michigan Live

What if educators could sit down with President Obama and help influence his education policy? Teachers spoke out about what they would say. Ed Week

It looks as though Arne Duncan will stay on as Obama’s Education Secretary for his second term. “Let me, first, sketch the outlines, or provide a mini-preview, of a second-term education agenda,” Duncan said recently to state education leaders at the Council of Chief State School Officers conference in Atlanta. Huffington Post

The federal School Improvement Grant program (SIG) aims to improve educational outcomes at traditionally underperforming schools by granting them funds. The Department of Education released data showing that one quarter of schools in the program have seen gains after receiving the SIG funding. Ed Week