US Secretary Of Education Arne Duncan

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2015/03/ArneDuncan.png
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:452;s:4:"file";s:22:"2015/03/ArneDuncan.png";s:5:"sizes";a:8:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:22:"ArneDuncan-336x253.png";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:253;s:9:"mime-type";s:9:"image/png";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:22:"ArneDuncan-140x140.png";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:9:"image/png";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:20:"ArneDuncan-80x80.png";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:9:"image/png";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:22:"ArneDuncan-600x450.png";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:450;s:9:"mime-type";s:9:"image/png";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:22:"ArneDuncan-413x311.png";s:5:"width";i:413;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:9:"image/png";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:22:"ArneDuncan-352x265.png";s:5:"width";i:352;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:9:"image/png";}s:28:"ab-block-post-grid-landscape";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:22:"ArneDuncan-600x400.png";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:400;s:9:"mime-type";s:9:"image/png";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:22:"ArneDuncan-125x125.png";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:9:"image/png";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:1304627;s:14:"optimized_size";i:476908;s:7:"percent";d:63.439999999999998;}s:5:"sizes";a:9:{s:4:"full";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:50:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/03/ArneDuncan.png";s:13:"original_size";i:415698;s:14:"optimized_size";i:132195;s:7:"percent";d:68.200000000000003;}s:9:"thumbnail";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:58:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/03/ArneDuncan-140x140.png";s:13:"original_size";i:32995;s:14:"optimized_size";i:13834;s:7:"percent";d:58.07;}s:6:"medium";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:58:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/03/ArneDuncan-336x253.png";s:13:"original_size";i:117846;s:14:"optimized_size";i:45898;s:7:"percent";d:61.049999999999997;}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:56:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/03/ArneDuncan-80x80.png";s:13:"original_size";i:12372;s:14:"optimized_size";i:5723;s:7:"percent";d:53.740000000000002;}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:58:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/03/ArneDuncan-600x338.png";s:13:"original_size";i:270327;s:14:"optimized_size";i:102791;s:7:"percent";d:61.979999999999997;}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:58:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/03/ArneDuncan-300x300.png";s:13:"original_size";i:130148;s:14:"optimized_size";i:50189;s:7:"percent";d:61.439999999999998;}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:58:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/03/ArneDuncan-413x311.png";s:13:"original_size";i:169862;s:14:"optimized_size";i:65749;s:7:"percent";d:61.289999999999999;}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:58:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/03/ArneDuncan-352x265.png";s:13:"original_size";i:128303;s:14:"optimized_size";i:49163;s:7:"percent";d:61.68;}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:58:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/03/ArneDuncan-125x125.png";s:13:"original_size";i:27076;s:14:"optimized_size";i:11366;s:7:"percent";d:58.020000000000003;}}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => success
        )

)
1636091080 
1426723200

90.3 WBHM Birmingham– According to the U.S. Department of Education, Alabama’s high school graduation rate jumped eight percent between the years 2011 and 2013. That may not sound like a lot, but it was the second-largest increase in the country, which also saw its rate increase while racial gaps decreased. WBHM’s education reporter Dan Carsen caught up with U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to talk about what the numbers mean for the state and for the nation. An extended web-only version of the interview is above. Below are the state superintendent’s thoughts.

 

State Schools Chief Tommy Bice’s Thoughts On Alabama’s Grad Rate Increase

 

Reached by phone early this morning, Alabama schools superintendent Tommy Bice attributed Alabama’s spike in high-school graduation rates to three factors:

Setting a target. One goal of the state’s “Plan 2020” is a 90 percent graduation rate by that year. In order to help bring that about, Bice says, the Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) is giving every system in the state disaggregated student data and working with the systems on their plans to bring rates up.

The state’s new data system. Up and running since 2012, it gives more reliable “clean” student data in a way that’s comparable across systems and across the nation.

Flexibility. The legislature, the state board of education, and ALSDE have in recent years granted waivers and permissions to try new approaches to help prevent at-risk students from dropping out. Bice cited as one example the “Hope and Twilight” program in Walker County, where students are allowed to attend school from 4 to 8 p.m., which helps students working jobs during the school day stay on track to graduate.

“We let them know, ‘you can do this — there’s nothing that says school has to be between 8 and 3,'” says Bice.

 

States and cities beef up security to prepare for potential election-related violence

Washington state's governor activated the National Guard to stand by to help local law enforcement as needed. Meanwhile, extra security is in place at locations across Washington, D.C.

When will mail-in and absentee ballots be counted?

Various state rules regarding when election officials can process and count mail ballots means it will likely take some time after Election Day before the results from these ballots are fully known.

When do polls close in every state? Here’s a timeline

The Associated Press can't call any races until polls close in their respective state. Here's a breakdown of when that will happen.

How has the Electoral College survived, despite being perennially unpopular?

Despite its substantial-sounding name, the Electoral College isn’t a permanent body: It’s more of a process. For decades, a majority of Americans have wanted it to be changed.

Thousands of Pennsylvania voters have had their mail ballot applications challenged

Thousands of last-minute challenges to voters’ mail ballot applications, along with baseless claims by former President Donald Trump, are adding pressure on Pennsylvania county officials.

No more fluoride in the water? RFK Jr. wants that and Trump says it ‘sounds OK’

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s claims about fluoride in the drinking water are linked to Cold War conspiracy theories about the substance.

More Education Coverage