1. Beginning in spring 2015, the ACT exam will be offered both online and as a paper and pencil test.

2. Ability grouping is now back, thus helping teachers cope with students’ various skills and achievement levels.

3. Pennsylvania is proposing to toughen standards and tying them to graduation tests for all public and charter school students. Under the proposal, in 2016-16, students must pass Keystone Exams in algebra, biology, and English literature to graduate.

4. Pennsylvania’s 16 cyber charter schools enroll some 35,000 students and are funded largely by taxpayers to the tune of $366 million.

5. Philly’s astonishing $304 million debt will result in the layoff of 676 teachers, 283 counselors, 127 assistant principals, and 1,202 noontime aides. The city is hoping for $132 million in concessions for the district’s union members.

6. Blackboard has introduced its free TipTxt program that allows kids to send texts confidentially and directly to school officials.