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Teacher stress levels in England ‘soaring’, data shows

EdCircuit StaffMarch 18, 2015043 views

By Matt Precey-Stress levels among teachers in England’s classrooms are soaring, a BBC investigation has found.Unions are blaming workload for large numbers of staff taking time off work or leaving the profession.Insurance industry data suggests stress is the biggest cause of staff absence save for maternity.The Department for Education insists it is working “to tackle the issue of unnecessary workload which we know can lead to stress”.The BBC has also seen a survey of 3,500 members of the Nasuwt teaching union which shows more than two-thirds of respondents considered quitting the profession in the past year. Read the rest of the story at BBC News

States Prepare Public for Common-Core Test Results

EdCircuit StaffMarch 18, 2015030 views

Outreach aims to temper any backlash over tests aligned with the common coreBy Andrew UjifusaEven as states begin administering new tests aligned with the Common Core State Standards, they are ramping up efforts to eliminate or minimize public backlash when the scores—widely expected to be markedly lower than results from previous assessments—are released later this year.From old-fashioned fliers designed to reach parents via students’ backpacks to webinars intended for administrators and teachers, states including Illinois and New Jersey are using a diverse set of resources and partnering with various groups to prepare school communities and the general public for what’s coming.Read the rest of the story at Education Week