Afternoon Announcements: Duncan Calls for Raised Academic Standards

Forty-seven advocacy groups signed a letter to Senate leaders asking them to move forward on reauthorizing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Politics K-12

The U.S. Department of Education has a new staffer. Amy McIntosh, a senior fellow in the New York Department of Education’s Regents Research Fund, will join the federal Department’s office of planning, evaluation, and policy development. Politics K-12

“We must invest in early education, raise academic standards, make college affordable, and do more to recruit and retain top-notch educators,” Duncan said, responding to the release of the 2012 PISA Results during PISA Day yesterday. NBC News

Students in Massachusetts excelled on the PISA test, ranking below only participating countries – Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Singapore. The Boston Globe

Here’s a great resource that breaks down the most ‘common’ questions about the Common Core State Standards. Stateline