Photo credit: Medill DC By Alyson KleinPerhaps no single K-12 policy is more closely associated with the Obama administration than teacher evaluations tied to student test scores, which the president and U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan have championed, first through Race to the Top, and then through No Child Left Behind Act waivers.Read the rest of the story at Education Week.

Photo credit: Martin Jacobsenby Lyndsey LaytonTeachers who spend their own money on classroom supplies — most of the nation’s nearly 4 million K-12 teachers — would be eligible for a permanent tax credit of up to $250 annually for unreimbursed expenses, under a bill passed by the House Ways and Means committee on Thursday.Read the rest of the story at The Washington Post.

J ohn McIntire, Chairman at Yogome, discusses educational gaming, new methods to personalize the experience for students and his history in the business of education. Yogome is played by students in over 150 countries.McIntire, along with nearly 900 participants, including some 250 global education companies was in New York for the BMO Capital Markets 15th Annual Back to School Education Conference. Dr. Berger, in collaboration with MindRocket Media Group and edCircuit captured views from business leaders to investors taking a look behind the scenes of investment in education and technology.

M ark Claypool, President and CEO of ChanceLight Behavioral Health and Education, took time to discuss his efforts to improve public-private partnerships (PPP) in the education sector. Claypool recently co-authored We’re In This Together: Public-Private Partnerships in Special and At-Risk-Education. A social worker and education administrator, Claypool grew frustrated by decreasing resources for children with learning differences, so in 1999 he founded ChanceLight™ Behavioral Health & Education, formerly known as Educational Services of America (ESA). Under his leadership, the company has grown from a start-up to nearly $130 million in annual revenue, and today, ChanceLight is the nation’s leading provider of behavior therapy and alternative and special education programs for children and young adults. Claypool, along with nearly 900 participants, including some 250 global education companies was in New York for the BMO Capital Markets 15th Annual Back to School Education Conference. Dr. Berger, in collaboration with MindRocket Media Group and edCircuit captured views from business leaders to investors taking a look behind the scenes of investment in education and technology.

K aren Mahon, Ed.D joined Dr. Berger to discuss educational apps and lessons for the industry. Mahon is the founder of Balefire Labs that has reviewed nearly 5,000 apps in education. Balefire Labs utilizes a research-based set of criteria to review apps in the areas of instructional and usability design. Karen L. Mahon Ed.D is an Educational Psychologist and Instructional Designer with more than 15 years’ experience in education technology. Mahon was Principal Investigator and Research Scientist at Praxis, Inc., a Waltham (MA) ed tech startup that produced instructional software for children with severe and profound disabilities. While at Praxis, Mahon successfully generated National Institutes of Health Small Business Innovation Research grants totaling close to $4M.Other previous appointments have included Global Senior Manager of Learning Sciences at Mimio Interactive Teaching Technologies and Research Assistant Professor at the University of Kansas. Karen received her Ed.D. and M.A. in Educational Psychology from West Virginia University, her Product Management Certificate from the University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business, and her B.A. in Psychology from the University of California, San Diego.  

Photo credit: BuzzfarmersBy Chris BerdikFacing some of America’s biggest education challenges, Benjamin Castleman thinks small. In his new book, The 160-Character Solution: How Text Messaging and Other Behavioral Strategies can Improve Education, the University of Virginia education professor argues that the humble text message can boost student achievement, improve study habits and help students stay on track in the transition from high school to college.Read the rest of the story at The Hechinger Report.