Afternoon announcements: October 31, 2012

Sandy has wreaked her havoc, the federal government is back up and running, and we’re back with our daily roundup of #ednews. How’d you fare during Sandy? Share your stories with us in the comments.

Blended learning gets a push from last week’s Virtual School Symposium. The subject took precedent during the symposium, as the topic of many keynote speeches, presentations and more. Ed Week

The US Department of Education has officially extended the Race to the Top – District application deadline due to Hurricane Sandy. A new submission deadline is to be announced. US Department of Education

Students in the district are headed back to school today after two days off. Their parents were, understandably, ready and excited. Washington Post

The number of homeless students in Tennessee has risen by 74 percent from 2007-2010. The national average is 38 percent. Ed Week

One opinion writer advocates for extending the use of online teaching in college campuses. He argues it will lower student and college costs while still providing quality education. Wall Street Journal

A superintendent responds to Thomas Friedman’s recent New York Times opinion column, in which Friedman expressed support for Race to the Top. The responder disagrees, arguing that “Race to the Top is hardly innovative…” Washington Post