Photo from DC Council website.

Chancellor defends proposed budget: At a DC Council hearing, Kaya Henderson dealt with questions for 4 hours about how the school system plans to spend money allocated for at-risk youth and other matters. (Post)

Opposition to boundary change proposals, but from whom?: With few parents east of the river weighing in, some are cautioning against drawing conclusions from the reactions that have come in on the proposed changes in school assignment policy. (WAMU)

Grants help schools redesign teaching: A coalition of philanthropists gave $100,000 awards to two DCPS schools and 4 charter schools that came up with plans to individualize learning through the use of technology. (Post)

One charter joins DCPS, and another gets to stay open one more year: Hospitality High, a charter school backed by large hotel companies, will avoid closure for poor performance by becoming part of a traditional public school. And Options, a school for special needs students that has been threatened with closure because of alleged self-dealing by former managers, will stay open through 2015 under its court-appointed receiver. (Post)

Catania criticizes Bowser on education: Councilmember and mayoral candidate David Catania says he’s produced results while his rival Muriel Bowser has only made promises. (City Paper)

Funding needed for school mental health services: More than half of public schools lack a mental health clinician, and thousands of children with severe mental health issues are going untreated. (DCFPI)

Honoring the Duke: Duke Ellington’s legacy lives on at the school in DC that bears his name. (WAMU)

High school graduation rates peak: The country has reached an average graduation rate of 80%, the highest in history, and the significant gains have been among Hispanic and black students. But in DC, the rate is only 59%. (Post, PBS Newshour)

In-state tuition for Virginia’s Dreamers: The Virginia Attorney General announced that some illegal immigrants who were brought to the US as children can qualify for reduced tuition at the state’s colleges. (Post)

To improve student behavior, train the teachers: Schools have been emphasizing social and emotional learning, but in order for it to work, teachers need to engage in it themselves. (NY Times)

New York’s chance to reinvent middle schools: With new funding for after-school programs, schools have the opportunity to change school culture so that additional hours are seen as part of the school day. (Hechinger Report)

Another achievement gap: The gap in behavioral skills between young girls and boys is even bigger than the gap between rich and poor, with girls being substantially ahead. (NY Times)