Work on tests means cash for states

U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan came to the Triangle on Sunday with a promise of $350 million for states to work on establishing national standardized tests that will allow students from around the country see how they stack up against each other and with their counterparts around the globe.

The states have taken a first step, with 46 states, including North Carolina, agreeing to develop standards in English and mathematics that all high school students should meet to make them ready for college and work. The states will also develop basic grade-by-grade and course-by-course standards.

Duncan spoke at a governors' meeting sponsored by the James B. Hunt Jr. Institute for Educational Leadership and Policy and the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices.

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