Virginia needs to focus on STEM
There is an understated component of the economic crisis in the US economy that needs immediate attention. Every day we hear about federal budgets, the impact of the global economy, unemployment, and consumer confidence. Often the report on these is bad. But have you paid attention to the news that business actually has over 3,000,000 […]
New Math SOLs Set Higher Standard
Virginia schools are at the height of the testing season as students in grades 3-12 take Standards of Learning (SOL) tests in English, mathematics, history and science. The SOLs, which have been a rite of spring since 1998, measure whether students and schools are meeting the commonwealth’s standards for academic achievement. The mathematics SOL tests […]
Virginia lawmakers eyeing year-round school
Longer school years are an idea school officials in Maryland and the District also have been advocating for, as research shows that extending the calendar improves student achievement — but funding and teacher contracts can complicate the picture, and parents sometimes prefer to keep summers for vacations and camps. Del. Kaye Kory, D-Falls Church, is […]
Chubb and Moe: Higher Education's Online Revolution
At the recent news conference announcing edX, a $60 million Harvard-MIT partnership in online education, university leaders spoke of reaching millions of new students in India, China and around the globe. They talked of the “revolutionary” potential of online learning, hailing it as the “single biggest change in education since the printing press.” Heady talk […]
Governor McDonnell Announces Virginia College Partnership Laboratory School Planning Grant Awards
RICHMOND – Governor Bob McDonnell today announced the winners of the 2012 Virginia College/University Partnership Laboratory School Application Planning Grants. Eligible applicants were public institutions of higher education that operate a teacher education program approved by the Virginia Board of Education. After a long review process, the following institutions were awarded grants: George Mason University ($145,500) […]
Growing roots for more STEM
Local technology companies, concerned by a growing pool of jobs and an inadequate number of qualified employees, have increasingly focused on initiatives to improve what they call STEM — science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The focus is partly out of necessity. Many companies, such as defense contractors who need employees with security clearances, simply can’t […]
