November 4th, 2010

Harrisburg shifts to GOP control, changes priorities

Thursday, November 04, 2010

By Dennis B. Roddy and Tom Barnes, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

HARRISBURG -- The GOP capture on Tuesday of the governorship and both houses of the General Assembly points to both an ideological and geographic shift in the state's center of power, with Western Pennsylvanians re-emerging as an influential bloc.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10308/1100508-454.stm#ixzz14JJajM7f

Washington Post Answer Sheet Blog 11/04/10

Where Kline stands on education policy

The man expected to be the new chairman of the U.S. House Education and Labor Committee, Rep. John Kline (R-MN), just advanced his broad priorities for education policy in the next Congress: “reform that restores local control, empowers parents, lets teachers teach, and protects taxpayers.”

What exactly does that mean?

For a clue, we can look to this interview Kline gave last month to Dropout Nation, in which he spoke about his dislike for No Child Left Behind, his concern about the Common Core standards movement and his support for more school choice.

He said No Child is "a very large intrusion into education, into areas of education that the federal government shouldn’t be involved. This isn’t just Republican dissatisfaction. When I talk to teachers, parents, superintendents, my colleagues, everyone wants to fix No Child Left behind. There is great dissatisfaction with No Child Left Behind."

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/answer-sheet/congress/where-rep-john-kline-stands-on.html

Washington Post – Jay Matthews Class Struggle Column 11/04/10

AP saves money for families, but what about taxpayers?

In Advanced Placement Nation, that version of America populated by high school students taking college-level AP courses and tests, Florida covers a huge portion of the map. The St. Petersburg Times points out the state is number one in the percentage of graduating seniors taking AP tests and number five in the percentage of seniors passing them.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/class-struggle/2010/11/ap_saves_money_for_families_bu.html