Afternoon Announcements: Sec. Duncan Writes, ‘All Kids Deserve an Equal Chance to Succeed’

In an op-ed for The Hill, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan wrote that every child in America deserves an equal opportunity to succeed, and that such an opportunity can be made possible by including ‘common-sense measures’ in the rewrite of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) . Co-authored with Mark Morial, president of the National Urban League, and Janet Murguia, president of the National Council of La Raza, Duncan’s editorial states, “We firmly believe Congress can reach bipartisan agreement on a bill that upholds the promise of equitable opportunity, for children all across the nation.”

The Vista Unified School District was one of four districts in the country spotlighted last week during the Alliance for Excellent Education’s fourth annual Digital Learning Day for its efforts in demonstrating how technology can improve student achievement. U-T San Diego

Hispanic Americans are not meeting the economic, educational, and healthcare successes of other ethnic group peers due to inadequate broadband internet access, according to a recent study by The Hispanic Institute. eSchoolNews

Several efforts in Washington are converging on the sensitive question of how best to safeguard the information software programs are gathering on students. NPR

Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is calling on Congress to nix plans to cut federal funding specifically designated for after-school programs in a proposed reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind law. Associated Press

Gov. Doug Ducey of Arizona urged state education officials on Monday to re-evaluate Common Core State Standards adopted by the state. The New York Times

President Obama unveiled more than $240 million in new STEM commitments Monday designed “to inspire and prepare more girls and boys — especially those from underrepresented groups — to excel in the STEM. THE Journal

As LA Unified School District is currently laying off hundreds of teachers and other employees to deal with a looming budget crisis, there is perhaps one piece of good news: it has become an “employees’ market” for teachers in the state. LA School Report

Denver Public Schools plans to temporarily change the way it evaluates its schools due to changes in the state’s assessment system. Chalkbeat CO

Between now and mid-June, approximately 3.2 million California students will take new online tests aligned with the Common Core State Standards, marking a new era in California’s multi-decade efforts to establish an accountability system to assess student performance. EdSource

New York City Public Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña announced Monday a new program that will help 10 city high schools either launch or expand career and technical education programs this fall as part of the city’s efforts to prepare more students for college and develop new ways to measure students’ progress. Chalkbeat NY

As Montgomery County, Maryland leaders search for a new school superintendent, many feel they should look for someone committed to tackling achievement gaps by race and ethnicity in a district with a growing minority enrollment. The Washington Post

And as school leaders buy new technology they’re seeking products designed to be part of a philosophical shift in education, one that enables students to direct their own learning and teachers to engage and encourage them in doing that. The Hechinger Report