Press Release: Statement from State Superintendent Lowery on Education Secretary Duncan's Announcement on Assessment and Evaluation

For Immediate Release                                                        Contact: Bill Reinhard, 410-767-0486
 
Baltimore, MD (August 21, 2014)

Maryland State Superintendent of Schools Lillian M. Lowery issued the following statement today in response to U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan’s announcement on state assessment and educator evaluations.  Secretary Duncan said that states will have the opportunity to request a delay in using assessment results for teacher and principal evaluation during this transition to higher standards, better state assessments and new teacher and principal evaluation systems.    

“Secretary Duncan's announcement demonstrates his ongoing engagement with educators in the field and his willingness to respond to issues raised with reasonable flexibility.  We are pleased in Maryland that we were granted flexibility for school years 2013-14 and 2014-15, and we will continue to work with our federal partners to ensure that State Law and Federal Law align in the best interest of our students and educators.”

(Secretary Duncan’s thoughts can be found at: http://www.ed.gov/blog/2014/08/a-back-to-school-conversation-with-teachers-and-school-leaders)

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