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Articles of Interest
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State & Local Policy
Saslaw bill would make colleges report sexual assaults to police
Richmond Times Dispatch Nov 26, 2014
Senate Minority Leader Richard L. Saslaw, D-Fairfax, delivering a tirade about the report of an alleged gang rape at the University of Virginia in 2012, told the Falls Church City Council on Monday that he is drafting legislation to hold officials at state colleges and universities accountable.
Saslaw said that under the measure, a state employee at an institution of higher education who has been informed that a sexual assault has taken place would have to report it to local police within 24 hours or face up to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine.
SOL Innovations Committee recommends changes to Va. Leaders
Loudon Times
Nov 26, 2014
In an effort to reform current methods for educational assessment, Virginia's Standards of Learning (SOL) Innovation Committee has completed its first round of interim recommendations, Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced in a release Wednesday.
The Committee—made up of Virginia educators, advocates, lawmakers and business leaders—was directed to look at current SOL assessments and other instructional and accountability issues and send suggestions for improvement to the Board of Education and General Assembly.
Federal Policy
Teach for America at 25: With maturity, new pressure to change
MPR News
Dec 1, 2014
With her Princeton senior thesis in 1989, Wendy Kopp made a masterstroke. The idea: Redefine teaching in public schools in the United States as an illustrious two-year postgraduate service mission, rather than a safe middle-class career choice — more Peace Corps than post office. Within a few years, TFA had became a top recruiter at elite schools around the country.
Today, there are 37,000 TFA alumni, and 10,500 corps members in the field. The current corps are just 1 percent of the U.S. teaching workforce, but the ripples TFA has created are far broader.
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Remembering Virginia's Superintendent
It is with great sadness that this week we must share the news of the sudden passing of our Executive Director, Dr. Bill Bosher. He passed away Sunday night, but his impact on education in the commonwealth will live on for many years. Through his many years of service he helped shape education policy, or as the Times-Dispatch framed it, "Bill Bosher devoted himself to education, which is to say he devoted himself to young people." Several articles reviewing his career noted his dedication to being an advocate for students and keeping the focus on the classroom, whether as a teacher, principal, university dean and professor, local or state superintendent.
His impact may be most greatly measured, though, through the hundreds of students and colleagues that he mentored. (Dr. Bosher, at right, hoods PhD graduate Kendall Tyree at VCU's 2014 spring commencement). Many of those persons shared remembrances on NBC12's digital tribute page. Please consider adding your own.
Our heartfelt condolences go out to Dr. Bosher's family, along with our gratitude for sharing him so generously with the rest of us. He is greatly missed already.
Sincerely,
CEPI
Bill Bosher served young people - Richmond Times Dispatch, Dec. 2, 2014
Longtime educator William C. Bosher Jr. dies at 68 - Richmond Times Dispatch, Dec. 2, 2014
Bill Bosher, former Henrico, Chesterfield school superintendent, dies in sleep - CBS 6 (WTVR), Dec. 1, 2014
Long Time Educator William "Bill" Bosher Has Passed - ABC 8 (WRIC), Dec. 1, 2014
Former state superintendent of public schools William C. Bosher dies at 68 - Daily Journal, Dec. 1, 2014
Former public schools chief Bosher dies - Houston Chronicle, Dec. 1, 2014
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Poll Snapshot: How important is the role of superintendent
As noted above, many praised Dr. Bosher's career for his ability to keep a consistent focus on the classroom. Dr. Bosher was often quick to point out to students that part of leadership is knowing the limits of what you can do. Though his wisdom was earned from years of experience, it is perhaps not surprising that it aligned with the common sense of the general public. In 2002, we asked a representative sample of Virginians about their sense of how much several factors contributed to better school performance. At the bottom of the list was leadership from the district superintendent. At the top? Good quality teachers, parents involved in the school and students with a strong motivation to learn.
Perhaps this is why Dr. Bosher was also known for doing a great deal of listening to all three of those groups, but especially for encouraging students and teachers at every turn.
(To read the full results of all the polls, visit our website. In 2002, questions 30-34 are the questions reported above - topline results are on page 19; crosstabs are on page 48-52.)
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