Afternoon Announcements: Senate Committee Passes ESEA Reauthorization Bill

States are requesting more leeway and time on evaluating teachers during the implementation of the Common Core State Standards, less than two years away in the majority of states. The new assessments will be tied to accountability systems for teacher performance, and educators want to know they’ll be given adequate time to adjust to the standards. Education Week

The Senate education committee passed a bill yesterday that, if made into law, would reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and improve high schools across the nation. Jessica Cardichon, the Director of Federal Advocacy at the Alliance, writes more about the bill’s markup and what implications it could have. High School Soup

East Hampton School District in Middletown, Connecticut is finding ways to increase their budget for technology. Leftover money from this year’s budget will be used to make a commitment to new technology. The district currently has no wireless computer access in several schools and is functioning on outdated computers. The Middletown Press

In the last few years, the number of Americans graduating from college has increased, putting the number at a new high, according to recent federal data. The increase in college degrees comes after two decades of slow growth. New York Times