SEATTLE (AP) -- Although he endorsed the idea during his campaign, Gov. Jay Inslee says a Republican legislative proposal to give letter grades to public schools is flawed and he doesn't support it.
The Democratic governor's opposition to Senate Bill 5328 has surprised and disappointed Republican leaders, The Seattle Times ( http://is.gd/X6Zhci ) reported in Friday's newspaper.
"Without a doubt, it would have been much easier if the governor had maintained his position," said state Sen. Bruce Dammeier, R-Puyallup. The bill narrowly passed the Senate last month but has stalled in the House.
Jaime Smith, a spokeswoman for the governor, told The Associated Press on Friday that the Republicans shouldn't be surprised.
Mary Alice Heuschel, the governor's chief of staff, met with Sen. Steve Litzow, Republican chairman of the Senate Education Committee, earlier in the legislative session to express concerns about the school grading bill, Smith said.
Inslee is still interested in setting up an A-F grading system for schools, but the details are important, Smith said. He wants to make sure Washington uses the right criteria, gets stakeholder input and gives schools enough time to prepare.
"One way or another, we'll move forward on this," she said. "Whether it's a bill or whether it's the governor directing the Student Achievement Council and State Board of Education to work on this during the interim."
Under the Republican proposal, a school grading system would start in a pilot program this fall and be based on test scores, graduation rates, college readiness and other factors.
Among the governor's opposition to the bill was the fast turnaround, Smith said.
The state Board of Education and the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction have been working on a school grading system called the Achievement Index for several years. One of the main differences between the two ideas is the letter grades would replace labels like "struggling."
The grading schools bill was a centerpiece of the Republican education reform plan. Other education bills approved by the Senate this session are also hitting the skids in the House. Reform bills sent in the other direction also have faced opposition.
Senate Republican leaders have said they will make the grading schools proposal a priority during end-of-session budget negotiations.
"We'll be looking at investing something like $1 billion in our schools," said Litzow, R- Mercer Island. "With that kind of investment, we need to ensure that we get outcomes for students."
The bill is inspired by a similar system implemented in Florida by then-Gov. Jeb Bush in 1999.
Bush has since founded the Foundation for Excellence in Education to push his policy ideas. School-grading laws now exist in 11 states, according to the foundation.
---
Information from: The Seattle Times, http://www.seattletimes.com
After months of being wrapped in black bars, Netflix has updated its Windows Phone 8 app with fullscreen support for devices wielding native 720p displays. While this update doesn't add HD video playback, it definitely improves the app's image quality for phones with hi-res screens. So, if you're sporting a top-shelf WP8 device and you're looking to take full advantage of your display's real estate, head on over to our source link to pull down this 2MB refresh.
The sexiest women in action films are gorgeous to look at and it’s fun to watch them kick butt! Men used to be the only action stars, but these days hot chicks will give them a run for their money. Let’s check out some of the hottest women in action movies! Kate Beckinsale British beauty ...
This screen shot, made available on the blog for Rdio, the music streaming service started by a co-founder of Skype, shows the company's new digital store for video, called Vdio. The content will work on personal computers and Apple's iPad for now. It's opening at first to users in the U.S. and Britain. The latest TV episodes from shows such as "The Walking Dead" will sell for about $3 each and will be in high definition, while movies such as "Zero Dark Thirty" will cost from $3 to rent to $20 to buy. (AP Photo/Vdio) (
This screen shot, made available on the blog for Rdio, the music streaming service started by a co-founder of Skype, shows the company's new digital store for video, called Vdio. The content will work on personal computers and Apple's iPad for now. It's opening at first to users in the U.S. and Britain. The latest TV episodes from shows such as "The Walking Dead" will sell for about $3 each and will be in high definition, while movies such as "Zero Dark Thirty" will cost from $3 to rent to $20 to buy. (AP Photo/Vdio) (
LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Rdio, the music streaming service started by a co-founder of Skype, is getting into video.
New and current subscribers of a $10-a-month unlimited music plan from Rdio (AR-dee-oh) will get $25 to spend in the new digital store for video, called Vdio (VEE-dee-oh).
The content will work on personal computers and Apple's iPad for now. It's opening at first to users in the U.S. and Britain. The latest TV episodes from shows such as "The Walking Dead" will sell for about $3 each and will be in high definition, while movies such as "Zero Dark Thirty" will cost from $3 to rent to $20 to buy.
Rdio Chief Executive Drew Larner said the plan is for users to get ideas about what to watch based on the music they and their friends love, and the other way around.
For instance, fans of Adele's hit single "Skyfall" might want to watch the James Bond movie of the same name, or viewers of the 1978 documentary "The Last Waltz" might want to listen to music by The Band, the subject of that movie.
"There's just so much interplay between film, TV and music. We just think this is going to be a natural combination," he said.
The company opted against a subscription video offering because the newest TV shows and movies would not be available that way, Larner said. Studios typically offer online subscription services such as Netflix Inc. only past seasons of TV shows, along with movies that have debuted in theaters months or years earlier. Larner said the company hopes to one day offer a plan that would give customers a selection of movies, TV shows and music for one price.
He didn't specify how many subscribers San Francisco-based Rdio has amassed since it launched in 2010 with the backing of Skype co-founder Janus Friis. But he said the rate at which new users come to the service, offered in 23 countries, has tripled since the company began spending money on advertising late last year.
Contact: Sheryl Weinstein 973-596-3436 New Jersey Institute of Technology
A technology vital for tapping much-needed energy or one that's environmentally destructive? That's the question a panel of experts will explore at the Technology and Society Forum session on fracking April 10, 2013 from 3 4:30 p.m. in the Campus Center Ballroom. The NJIT Technology and Society Forum is free and open to the public.
Fracking, short for hydraulic fracturing, injects fluid underground at high pressure to fracture rock formations in order to extract previously inaccessible oil and gas. Opponents point to the negatives, including groundwater contamination, risks to air quality, and migration of toxic chemicals to the surface.
The panel looking at both sides of fracking will be chaired by Michel Boufadel, NJIT professor of civil and environmental engineering and director of the university's Center for Natural Resources Development and Protection. Boufadel's wide range of environmental research includes assessing effects of the the Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska and the BP Deepwater Horizon blowout in the Gulf of Mexico.
Panelist Fred Baldassare is a senior geoscientist at ECHELON Applied Geoscience Consulting as well as the owner of the practice. He has been a leader in applying isotope geochemistry to identification of the source and type of gases in soils, aquifers and other geologic features of the Appalachian Basin.
Tracy Carluccio is assistant director of the Delaware Riverkeeper Network (DRN), a nonprofit whose staff and volunteers work throughout the entire Delaware River Watershed. DRN is engaged in environmental advocacy, volunteer monitoring, stream-restoration assistance and educational initiatives.
Daniel Soeder is a scientist with the U.S. Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory in West Virginia. His research interests include geology, energy and environmental issues related to unconventional fossil fuel resources such as shale gas, oil shale, enhanced oil recovery, and the geological sequestration of carbon dioxide.
###
For more information, contact Jay Kappraff, 973-596-3490. Co-sponsors of the event are NJIT Technology and Society Forum Committee, Albert Dorman Honors College, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Sigma Xi. NJIT welcomes attendees from Essex County College, Rutgers-Newark, and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.
Visit the NJIT Technology and Society Forum on the Web. Previous Forum presentations are available at http://itunes.njit.edu; search for "Technology and Society Forum."
NJIT, New Jersey's science and technology university, enrolls more than 9,558 students pursuing bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in 120 programs. The university consists of six colleges: Newark College of Engineering, College of Architecture and Design, College of Science and Liberal Arts, School of Management, College of Computing Sciences and Albert Dorman Honors College. U.S. News & World Report's 2011 Annual Guide to America's Best Colleges ranked NJIT in the top tier of national research universities. NJIT is internationally recognized for being at the edge in knowledge in architecture, applied mathematics, wireless communications and networking, solar physics, advanced engineered particulate materials, nanotechnology, neural engineering and e-learning. Many courses and certificate programs, as well as graduate degrees, are available online through the Division of Continuing Professional Education.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Contact: Sheryl Weinstein 973-596-3436 New Jersey Institute of Technology
A technology vital for tapping much-needed energy or one that's environmentally destructive? That's the question a panel of experts will explore at the Technology and Society Forum session on fracking April 10, 2013 from 3 4:30 p.m. in the Campus Center Ballroom. The NJIT Technology and Society Forum is free and open to the public.
Fracking, short for hydraulic fracturing, injects fluid underground at high pressure to fracture rock formations in order to extract previously inaccessible oil and gas. Opponents point to the negatives, including groundwater contamination, risks to air quality, and migration of toxic chemicals to the surface.
The panel looking at both sides of fracking will be chaired by Michel Boufadel, NJIT professor of civil and environmental engineering and director of the university's Center for Natural Resources Development and Protection. Boufadel's wide range of environmental research includes assessing effects of the the Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska and the BP Deepwater Horizon blowout in the Gulf of Mexico.
Panelist Fred Baldassare is a senior geoscientist at ECHELON Applied Geoscience Consulting as well as the owner of the practice. He has been a leader in applying isotope geochemistry to identification of the source and type of gases in soils, aquifers and other geologic features of the Appalachian Basin.
Tracy Carluccio is assistant director of the Delaware Riverkeeper Network (DRN), a nonprofit whose staff and volunteers work throughout the entire Delaware River Watershed. DRN is engaged in environmental advocacy, volunteer monitoring, stream-restoration assistance and educational initiatives.
Daniel Soeder is a scientist with the U.S. Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory in West Virginia. His research interests include geology, energy and environmental issues related to unconventional fossil fuel resources such as shale gas, oil shale, enhanced oil recovery, and the geological sequestration of carbon dioxide.
###
For more information, contact Jay Kappraff, 973-596-3490. Co-sponsors of the event are NJIT Technology and Society Forum Committee, Albert Dorman Honors College, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Sigma Xi. NJIT welcomes attendees from Essex County College, Rutgers-Newark, and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.
Visit the NJIT Technology and Society Forum on the Web. Previous Forum presentations are available at http://itunes.njit.edu; search for "Technology and Society Forum."
NJIT, New Jersey's science and technology university, enrolls more than 9,558 students pursuing bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in 120 programs. The university consists of six colleges: Newark College of Engineering, College of Architecture and Design, College of Science and Liberal Arts, School of Management, College of Computing Sciences and Albert Dorman Honors College. U.S. News & World Report's 2011 Annual Guide to America's Best Colleges ranked NJIT in the top tier of national research universities. NJIT is internationally recognized for being at the edge in knowledge in architecture, applied mathematics, wireless communications and networking, solar physics, advanced engineered particulate materials, nanotechnology, neural engineering and e-learning. Many courses and certificate programs, as well as graduate degrees, are available online through the Division of Continuing Professional Education.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
The sexiest women in action films are gorgeous to look at and it’s fun to watch them kick butt! Men used to be the only action stars, but these days hot chicks will give them a run for their money. Let’s check out some of the hottest women in action movies! Kate Beckinsale British beauty ...![[ Back to EurekAlert! ]](http://www.eurekalert.org/images/back2e.gif){kind=small}
Public release date: 3-Apr-2013
Share ]