“In regards to education policy, Bill Gates ought to have a loud voice in his school district, but a quieter one in mine.” So says a father and Fordham professor who argues the Common Core learning standards, while positive, should not be imposed uniformly upon all schools and teachers.

Teachers and parents swapped stories about the English Language Arts exams that wrapped up Thursday. Hear Beth Fertig on the Brian Lehrer Show take callers’ questions and try to clarify some confusion around the state tests.

During the two weeks of state tests, the rules of behavior are so strict it can make a classroom feel like it is on lockdown. To combat test stress, one teacher says we all should cheer on the students and teachers with support — and ice cream.

Last year just over one hundred New York City students opted out of taking state tests. Parents behind the effort this year say their ranks are growing as frustration mounts over testing.

Parents and advocates pressed education officials on how they’re anticipating the needs of special education students as instructional goals change. The answer often boiled down to the city schools needing time to adapt the new Common Core learning standards to fit all students in the system.

Former Schools Chancellor Joel Klein told NPR his new education company is focused solely on developing top-notch materials in math, science and English language arts. “Our commitment,” Klein said, “is education only. We have no subsidiary agenda.” That said, parent company News Corp. is seeking revenue to buttress other parts of its conglomerate.

ICYMI: Three principals joined WNYC’s Brian Lehrer for a wide-ranging conversation about how they managed their schools and how big changes like Common Core and teacher evaluations affected them. Take a listen and share your thoughts.

Tapping into the popularity of PSY’s “Gangnam Style” music video, students at I.S. 285 reviewed the steps of long division, with style.

The principal of the High School of Telecommunication Arts and Technology in Brooklyn argues that any new teacher evaluation system needs to include training and not merely rely on student scores.