A first look at today's most important education news:
- The Education Department will allow public charter schools to weight their lotteries for disadvantaged student groups without losing federal grants. Checker hates it, but Mike loves it. (Washington Post, Charters & Choice, Chalkbeat, and Flypaper)
- A report from Bellwether Education Partners finds that charter schools, if properly supported by state laws, have the potential to strengthen rural education. (Charters & Choice)
- After an eighteen-month investigation, an Ohio auditor finds that the Columbus school district played “fast and loose” with attendance data, grades, and other records. (Associated Press)
- A Whiteboard Advisors survey finds that 71 percent of Washington insiders think that the Florida gubernatorial race is the most important one to watch for education. (Politics K–12)
- In spite of criticisms from the new de Blasio administration, New York City’s charter schools are inundated with applications: 27,680 applications have been filed for the 2014–15 school year, a 56 percent increase over 2013. (New York Post)
- In a New York Times op-ed, Nicholas Kristof argues that the research supports investing in early-childhood education.
