Afternoon announcements: New law could arm South Dakota teachers

An increasing number of states are focusing on third-grade literacy levels to determine a move into fourth grade. Thirteen states adopted laws last year requiring schools to retain students who fail reading tests by the end of the third grade. Washington Post

South Dakota school districts are legally allowed to arm teachers and school personnel with guns. Dennis Gaugaard, the State’s Governor, signed the bill into law on Friday afternoon, despite opposition from some teachers, school administrators and school board representatives. Wall Street Journal

How will President Obama’s focus on early-childhood education impact teacher qualifications for Pre-K? His call for “qualified” teachers begs multiple questions about how to improve quality, along with the number of children served, while raising pay. Education Week

A new education blog is on the scene, and it might be one you want to bookmark if you’re interested in education data. Dubbed a “datablog,” the aim is “to become educated enougha bout education data to develop ideas for data projects.” Education by the Numbers