State Education, State Government Sky Arnold State Education, State Government Sky Arnold

Lawmakers to consider reducing student testing and teacher evaluation requirements

Representative Cochran’s amendment would reduce elementary and middle school testing by continuing to require annual state ELA and math assessments but only requiring students to take science tests once in grades 3-5 and once in grades 6-8.  Additionally, middle school students would only have to take state social studies assessments once, instead of each year.

Read More
State Education, State Government Sky Arnold State Education, State Government Sky Arnold

Students would learn firearm safety at school under a bill that’s advancing in the House

Proposed legislation that requires firearm safety to be taught in schools advanced from the House Education Instruction Committee Tuesday morning.Representative Chris Todd, R-Madison County, says he created the bill with the hope that it would save lives by teaching kids what to do when they encounter a firearm.“It’s certainly not about how to handle a firearm or proper techniques or anything like that. This is literally going to be more on the lines of ‘if you see a gun, tell an adult.’ And that’s the general concept that I think all of these type courses are going to have,” said Todd. “I think this is definitely going to save some lives.”

Read More