Warsaw Community Schools hosted a technology conference last week, inviting educators and other guests to learn about integrating new and innovative technologies into the classroom. The conference was part of the Indiana Department of Education’s Summer of eLearning. WNDU

The state of Georgia is struggling to implement its teacher-evaluation plans, and unless it makes progress, the US Department of Education may withhold some of the state’s Race to the Top grant money. This marks the first time the Department has moved to take back money from a an awardee. Politics K-12

The second Race to the Top-District competition kicks off this week. Districts that present the best plans for improving education at the local level will can take home the $120 million prize. Politics K-12 

This first-person narrative from a first-generation student at Yale University tells the story of his goals to inspire black youth. It’s a powerful read. New York Times

Hawaii has finally rid itself of the “high-risk” label from the US Department of Education from its Race to the Top grant. A July 29 letter from the Education Department reads that it “recognizes and commends Hawaii’s efforts to accelerate the progress of its Race to the Top plan.” Politics K-12

The US Department of Education is planning to host another round of the Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge competition this year. States will again compete for money with innovative proposals to boost student achievement and outcomes.Politics K-12

Several states are reconsidering adopting the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers’ (PARCC) Common Core State Standards aligned assessments due to the cost. This helpful chart breaks down the cost, looking at how much each state would pay. The Quick & The Ed

Welcome to the latest edition of the Deeper Learning Digest! Wherever you are, please accept our sincere hopes that it is not as hot there as it was in our nation’s capital last week. Can we please start our students on some projects based on weather modification on demand?

The Hawaii Department of Education announced a selection of 8 schools to participate in a pilot program that will provide students with a digital tablet and laptop. The program is designed to help students adapt to the upcoming implementation of the Common Core State Standards. The Republic

In a recent survey of principals on their awareness of at-risk students, it was the girls who slipped under their radars. The principals aren’t showing bias; the theory is that at-risk boys tend to have behavioral problems while at-risk girls are more subtle. Education by the Numbers

Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has been working both sides of the political divide trying to pass much-needed education reforms from student loans to the rewrite of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The Wall Street Journal 

A Bronx, New York elementary school principal was once told not to go to college by a guidance counselor. The counselor suggested going into the Navy instead. “I learned from that counselor that there was something wrong with the public schools, and I wanted to fix it,” Torres said. “That counselor discouraging me from going to college has actually kept me motivated right until the present.” New York Daily News

“By expanding high-speed internet in the nation’s schools and libraries, the federal government can ensure that teachers and students have access to tools that make learning more personalized and more engaging, making it possible for all students to reach their learning destinations,” Alliance president Bob Wise says in a statement on the Federal Communications Commissions announcement that it will take public comments on a proposal to expand and modernize the e-rate program that provides discounted internet access to schools.Alliance for Excellent Education

The Student Success Act, the House version of the No Child Left Behind, would strike many of the key provisions of No Child Left Behind and kill several of the Obama administration’s education programs. Republicans widely backed the bill yesterday on the House floor. Politico 

Debating the ESEA reauthorization bill on the House floor yesterday, conservative lawmakers won a big concession on teacher-evaluations. Under the change, states and school districts wouldn’t be required to base teacher evaluations systems on student outcomes. Politics K-12 

It’s Thursday, and that means it’s time to talk digital learning! Today’s post comes from Stephen Lazar, a teacher at Harvest Collegiate High School in New York City and a member of the Project 24 Team of Experts. 

One of the earliest lessons I teach students in my Global History courses is that technology is not something that was newly invented, but rather, it’s anything humans create to help make our lives easier. Language was a good starting place for humans.  A lot of progress has been made from there: parchment, ink, pens, paper, the printing press, telegram, computer, iPhone, etc. Thanks to technology, the communication that defines our humanity became more powerful over time.