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NATIONAL: Eyeing stimulus money for education, states adopt reforms ( Christian Science Monitor ) States seek stimulus funds tied to education reforms (PBS NewsHour) CALIFORNIA: Parental involvement in Race to the Top (KPBS) RttT bill is divisive ( Sacramento Bee ) ILLINOIS: Hard policy work to advance RttT goals (illinoistatehousenews.com) KANSAS: State is 'well positioned' ( Lawrence Journal-World ) MICHIGAN: State Senate passes teacher tenure bill ( Detroit Free Press ) NEVADA: Special session to address Race to the Top? ( Las Vegas Review-Journal ) ------------------ Past "Updates on the Race"

An important survey was released this week that captures teachers' perceptions of their professional working environment. The national study of 900 teachers by Public Agenda describes educators as falling into one of three groups: "Disheartened," "Contented," and "Idealists." It also raises some serious policy implications for the placement, retention and longevity of teachers based on teachers' perceptions about working conditions, why they entered the profession, and their opinions about proposed policy reforms. But as useful as this survey may be in defining these issues at a 30,000-foot level, it does not approach the power and utility of teacher surveys that offer entire populations of educators in individual states and districts the opportunity to share their voice about working conditions, leadership support, resources, opportunities for professional learning, etc. In turn, these anonymous surveys also provide contextualized, customized s...