Welcome to this week's news and link roundup. Without further ado, let's dig right in . . .

We're releasing the 2nd edition of Vocabulary for the College Bound. Read more about the update here.

The U.K. moves toward a more British literature curriculum — at the expense of some fine books like To Kill a Mockingbird. Some Britons are not entirely chuffed about the changes.

Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin has signed a bill that mandates replacing the Common Core State Standards with a set of standards Oklahoma will develop. Read more here.

At Empathic Teacher, Jennifer Isgitt writes about what teachers can learn from Jiro Dreams of Sushi, a documentary about a Japanese man's quest to constantly improve the quality of his sushi. It's an enchanting read.

Harsh disciplinary policies result in worse outcomes for students. Education Week has more on a report that shows schools a different path.

You need time to develop your approaches to the Common Core State Standards. The author of this article gets it, and she calls for districts to give teachers the time and opportunities they need to develop their own lessons in their own styles.

NPR has an article on a Kentucky school where standardized tests aren't the answer to everything. Choice quote: "I feel like on a standardized test you're really showing what kids don't know."

Last but not least, Larry Ferlazzo tells us about his favorite web applications of 2014 thus far.