Afternoon announcements: Waivers, waivers, waivers!

On Thursday, U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan testified in front of the Senate education committee. One of the biggest topics was his support for No Child Left Behind waivers for states. Duncan defended the waivers. Huffington Post

Education Trust released a report yesterday in conjunction with the Senate education committee’s hearing on NCLB waiver reauthorization. The report, A Step Forward or a Step Back? State Accountability in the Waiver Era, criticizes the Obama administration for failing to address the needs of at-risk students. Politics K-12

And finally on waivers, an overview of the Senate education committee’s hearing on the waiver plans yesterday. Politics K-12

In California, state districts have illegally misused nearly $170 million in funds meant for reduced-price student lunches, according to a legislative oversight report released this week. San Francisco Chronicle

Students were given the opportunity to redesign their classroom furniture – including desks and chairs. See the creative solutions they came up with to keep more organized and make them more functional. Cannon Design blog