The New York Times – Sam Dillon

“Secretary of Education Arne Duncan set an ambitious goal last year of overhauling 1,000 schools a year, using billions of dollars in federal stimulus money. Pacific High School was supposed to be converted into a charter school. But that effort is off to an uneven start. ”(more)

Dawn – Staff Writer

“The Pakistan Coalition for Education has rightly criticised the government’s tardiness in announcing Pakistan’s education policy. It is now four years since the policymakers in Islamabad decided — and correctly so — that the education policy introduced in 1998, and which was meant to be in place until 2010, was highly inadequate and needed far-reaching revisions.”(more)

Los Angeles Times – Seema Mehta

“Democratic gubernatorial nominee Jerry Brown unveiled an education reform plan Wednesday that calls for a wholesale restructuring of California’s public school system, from changing the way schools are funded to revamping the state’s higher education system.”(more)

The Guardian – Mike Baker

“The education secretary, Michael Gove, says he wants to give schools greater freedom over the curriculum and “allow teachers to teach”. That is an admirable aim. But as he prepares to abolish the QCDA, the body that develops the curriculum at arm’s length from government, is he about to take unprecedented direct political control over what children learn?”(more)

The Star-Ledger – Jeanette Rundquist

“Promising to make New Jersey’s public education system “the best in America,” state Education Commissioner Bret Schundler yesterday said he plans to introduce a package of reforms next week that will include merit pay for teachers.”(more)

Charlotte Observer – Tom Breen

“A Superior Court judge warned three large urban school districts on Tuesday to clear the “deadwood” out of chronically bad schools, or face the possibility of greater state control.”(more)

Sacramento Bee – Laurel Rosenhall

“Then: Fifty years ago today, Gov. Edmund G. “Pat” Brown signed the law that became the central tenet of California’s Master Plan for Higher Education. The plan created the state’s three-tier system — the University of California, California State University and the community colleges — and determined what portion of high school graduates would get into each segment. It said California should offer high-quality public colleges and universities that are accessible and affordable to the masses.”(more)

The Oregonian – Kimberly Melton

“Smith’s main goal is to help reduce the stubbornly high dropout rate — less than 60 percent of Portland Public Schools’ high school students graduate in four years — and end glaring inequities between the curriculum offered to most of the city’s white and middle-class students and its minority and low-income teens. ”(more)

Hindustan Times – Staff Writer

“Conning employers and getting jobs by producing fake degrees is about to get a lot tougher. Universities in the state will soon give students smart cards. These cards will have a student’s marksheets and degrees stored on them. They will also post information on a student’s degree online. Prospective employers, by paying a small fee, can verify these online.”(more)

The New York Times – Tamar Lewin

“Middlebury College, a small Vermont college known for its rigorous foreign-language programs, is forming a venture with a commercial entity to develop online language programs for pre-college students. The college plans to invest $4 million for a 40 percent stake in what will become Middlebury Interactive Languages.”(more)