Topic: National Governors Association

GOP governors see Mitt Romney as one of their own, but hesitate to endorse him

Just eight of the 29 Republican governors have endorsed Romney, and while he’s one of their own – a former state chief executive – there are good reasons to hold back, including the GOP’s divisive nominating campaign.

Republican governors worry about divisive GOP primary race

Republican governors say they are concerned the prolonged primary race has alienated independent voters and may have badly damaged the eventual nominee.

Five major SOPA supporters

The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and its Senate counterpart, the Protect IP Act or PIPA, would allow the US government to seek a court order and even shut down websites that contain content or links “committing or facilitating online piracy.”  Moreover, advertisers and Internet service providers would be banned from doing business with violators.

However, payment and advertising networks, search engines or service providers that take voluntary action to redress detected violations – by terminating businesses with transgressor sites or comply with the law – will be granted immunity from liability charges.

On Sept. 22, 2011, more than 350 trade associations, professional and labor organizations, and businesses signed a letter urging Congress to enact legislation to stop “rogue sites” from copyright infringement.

Here are five key SOPA and PIPA supporters:

Debt ceiling crisis: another day without resolution as the clock ticks

The political dance over the US debt ceiling crisis continued Sunday with the possibility that top lawmakers could be summoned to the White House, although no meeting had been scheduled.

Health care reform: How big is Obama's concession?

On Monday, President Obama offered to let states design their own health systems, as long as they meet the overall goals of the national health care reform plan.

House approves jobs bill: Do states deserve $26 billion more stimulus?

The House of Representatives cut short its August recess to return to Washington and pass a state jobs bill Tuesday. Supporters say the bill is much-needed additional stimulus; detractors argue that it has too little money to really make a dent in states' budget problems.

Jobs bill will help teachers, public workers

Jobs bill worth $26 billion has unmistakable implications for November congressional elections.

Uniform education standards: Momentum grows as more states sign on

About 40 states will probably have adopted the 'Common Core' education standards by spring. But critics caution that buy-in is just a start.

As state governors meet, a scorecard on states' challenges

State governors are entering a weekend of talks in Boston about policy matters. Here are four indicators of the 'state of the states.'

Read states' lips: No new taxes in next fiscal year, hardly

For most states, new taxes are off the agenda next fiscal year, according to reports from the National Governors Association. The recovering economy will yield higher tax revenues for states, but not to pre-recession levels.

New public school 'core standards': Which states might not sign on?

The core standards unveiled Wednesday would establish a national bar for what students in any state should know when they graduate from high school. But some states are wary.

National education standards not a federal takeover of public schools

A big concern about proposed national education standards for grades K-12 is that they amount to a federal takeover of public schools. Not true. This plan originated from the states, is voluntary, and is backed by 48 governors.

No Child Left Behind embraces 'college and career readiness'

The current buzz phrase in education is 'college and career readiness.' It's even part of Obama's vision for a revised No Child Left Behind law. But what does it mean? Is it real progress in education reform?

No Child Left Behind overhaul: five key things that would change

Here are five key changes that the Obama administration is proposing in an overhaul of the No Child Left Behind Act.

Uniform academic standards for US students: draft released

Academics and education officials have drafted a broad outline of academic standards in English and math. The standards could eventually replace the current patchwork of state standards.

Obama proposes new way of uniformly raising academic standards

Under Obama’s plan, states would be eligible for federal Title I funding only if they adopt new academic standards that are certified as 'college- and career-ready.'

State govs saying 'No thanks' to mystery laptops

Officials in West Virginia, Vermont, Wyoming and Washington state have reported receiving between three and five laptops, each over the course of two separate deliveries — but none had ordered any of them.

When the elected, like Palin, exit badly

Public office is a contract with voters. The exit bar should be high.

Coming to 25 states: higher taxes

And more states may follow, as officials try to balance budgets in the midst of an economic slump.

New budget year finds many states still scrambling

Some will need to make midyear cuts, beyond what they've sliced from their budgets already, say fiscal experts.

States weigh setting one bar for students

A 'common' standard for K-12 education is in the works.

Homeland security to repeal national ID law

The Obama administration wants to replace the controversial Bush initiative with a cheaper, less rigorous ID program.

Lessons for Obama's education goals in the SAT

The shakiness of the college admissions test is a warning about setting national standards for states.