Morning Announcements: ‘Chronic’ Truancy Plagues DC Public Schools

Despite intensified efforts to improve school attendance rates in D.C. Public Schools, more than half of high school students were considered ”chronically truant” during the 2013-2014 school year, according to a report scheduled to be released Monday by the Children’s Law Center and D.C. Lawyers for Youth. The Washington Post

As millions of students prepare, for the first time, to take a battery of assessments aligned with the Common Core using computers, at least portions of the tests will have to be scored the old-fashioned way: by humans. EdSource

A pair of Colorado colleges have announced they will evaluate the use of scores on PARCC language arts and math exams as a way to determine whether students are ready to take college courses. Chalkbeat CO

Across the nation there are thousands joining the ranks each year in programs eager to tackle the achievement gap in the nation’s toughest school districts. However, the unfortunate reality is that just as quick as these teachers come in the door, they are often out. Examiner

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush said Friday night he is standing by his support for the Common Core standards which have faced rejection by a segment of the GOP’s most conservative members. Associated Press

Policies allowing children to opt out of academic assessments vary by state and, at times, can be confusing, according to a new report by the Educational Commission of the States, a Denver-based nonprofit that researches and tracks education policy. EdSource

The California Statewide Task Force on Special Education is calling for a greater integration of much of special education into the education system, including teacher training, early interventions, the use of evidence-based practices and data tracking. EdSource

The American Academy of Pediatrics has urged schools to push back their start times to help give students a full night’s sleep. The Huffington Post

The market for mobile computing devices in K-12 worldwide has grown by 18 percent, according to new analysis by Futuresource Consulting. THE Journal