Photo by Jason Bache on Flickr.

DC Council tentatively approves college aid proposal: The vote came on Councilmember David Catania’s plan to provide “Promise” scholarships for lower-income DC students. Some, including the Washington Post editorial board, fear that the program could jeopardize federal funds for a similar initiative, DC TAG. Post reporter Emma Brown delved into the details with Kojo Nnamdi. (Post, WAMU)

Former Washington Post owner helps fund scholarships for “dreamers:” Donald Graham is part of a group that hopes to provide tuition aid for 1,000 undocumented students at selected colleges in various states and the District. (Post)

How much time do DC students spend taking tests?: A survey shows that the number of testing hours here is at or below the average for 12 large cities, but some teachers question the survey results, saying they spend twice that much time on tests. (Post)

DCPS Chancellor hires labor relations lawyer as senior adviser: Kaya Henderson has brought Kenneth Slaughter on board as the school system gears up to restart contract negotiations with the Washington Teachers Union. (Post)

Henderson seeks more community input during budget process: The DCPS chancellor has been holding meetings with principals, teachers, and parents to discuss their priorities. Some of the wish-lists point up the differences in various schools’ needs. (Post)

And Fairfax school budget, drafted with community input, gains approval: The county school board unanimously approved a proposed $2.5 billion budget after Superintendent Karen Garza sought input from civic leaders and others. (Post)

Don’t misjudge KIPP: Jay Mathews says that those who criticize the charter network as “akin to concentration camps” haven’t actually seen the schools in action. (Post)

DCPS seeks candidates for “parent cabinet”: To apply, parents or prospective parents need to answer 3 essay questions, and the deadline is February 11. (WAMU)

Technical glitch on school lottery website: Last Monday was supposed to be the deadline for submitting high school applications through My School DC, but problems that arose Monday afternoon prompted officials to postpone the deadline until 11:59 pm Tuesday. (Post)

Study’s conclusions on DCPS vs. charter funding draw varied reactions: The Post’s editorial board endorses a study’s finding that charters have been shortchanged, but Mark Lerner complains that the study should have recommended an increase in the amount charters get for facilities. The DC Fiscal Policy Institute, on the other hand, says the study’s recommendation on funds for maintenance overestimates what charters need and underestimates the needs at DCPS. (Examiner)

Montgomery teachers air views on why students fail math exam: The survey, in the wake of a high failure rate on a county-wide exam, pointed to problems with how students prepare for the exam and how the county grades it. (Post)

And agree, tentatively, to a new contract: The deal, which the teachers union has yet to ratify, would launch a program to lure the county’s most effective teachers to high-poverty schools. (Post)

No dance for you: Some parents have complained about a Silver Spring middle school’s practice of holding a dance to which only straight-A students are invited. (Post)

Dealing with change in Prince George’s schools: The school board went on a two-day retreat to improve working relationships after a change in the county’s school governance structure, and the county’s chief academic officer announced his departure. (Post)

Fairfax mistakenly posts personal student data on website: County officials admit that student identification numbers, birth dates, and home addresses were visible to the public for about 24 hours. (Post)

Upcoming events:

Cutting to the Core is a free, teacher-led professional development series for teachers interested in learning from one another about the Common Core. Dinner is provided. The first session is Wednesday, February 26, at Deal Middle School, 3815 Fort Drive NW, from 5:30 to 7:15 pm.