State News

Conn. Schools Shift Strategy on Swine Flu, Staying Open More

Despite a handful of school closings last month when a second wave of swine flu hit the state, superintendents overall now seem to be showing more restraint when deciding whether to close. November 20, 2009, MCT

Final Chapter for Texas Textbooks?

With the state moving toward online material, textbooks could be going the way of slide rules and Big Chief tablets in Texas classrooms. November 20, 2009, MCT

Hispanics Ignored in Texas Standards, Board Told

Sixteen of 162 historical figures that must be covered in social studies are Hispanic, in a state where Hispanics are 40 percent of the population. November 20, 2009, MCT

Texas Schools File Suit Over Minimum Grade Ban

November 19, 2009, AP

Tighter Tracking Vowed on Stimulus Jobs Impact

Obama administration officials concede reporting errors, but tell skeptics in Congress the program is creating and saving many jobs. November 19, 2009

News Briefs

Project Offers Teacher Scholarships

Math and science teachers in Michigan will be eligible for stipends to pay for their master's-degree training if they commit to working in high-need schools. November 17, 2009

Principal Held Hostage

Upset by the treatment of U.S. military personnel, a 42-year-old father of an Army veteran sneaked a disassembled shotgun into Stissing Mountain Middle School in Pine Plains, N.Y., Nov. 10. November 17, 2009

Federal Report Faults N.Y. State Over Monitoring of Stimulus Funds

New York state needs to improve the way it monitors how districts and others spend their stimulus dollars, the U.S. Department of Education's office of the inspector general reported last week. November 17, 2009

Cash Idea Crashes

Administrators in Goldsboro, N.C., have nixed a cash-for-grades fundraiser that was offering 20 test points to students in exchange for a $20 donation. November 17, 2009

Work Groups Picked for K-12 Standards

The members of the "work groups" for developing K-12 standards in English-language arts and mathematics were announced last week. November 17, 2009

Washington State Supreme Court Overturns Ruling on Salary Money

Variation in the way Washington state teachers are paid does not pose a constitutional problem, the Washington Supreme Court ruled last week. November 17, 2009

More News Briefs

Lawsuit: Florida Failed to Provide 'High-Quality' Schools

A lawsuit filed today charges that the state has failed to adequately fund education or to provide for a system of "high quality" public schools. November 19, 2009, MCT

Detroit Schools Seek to Force Board Member to Talk

November 19, 2009, AP

Winners Named for Gates Teacher Grants

Three districts and a charter school consortium will receive a share of $500 million to improve teacher effectiveness. November 19, 2009

Washington Leaders Split Over Delaying Exit Exams

November 19, 2009, AP

Police Hold Off on Ruling in Michael Scott's Death

Scott owned the gun found under his body and tests showed he had gun residue on his left hand from firing a weapon, firming up what police believe was a suicide. November 19, 2009, MCT

Ga. District Hones Social Media Policy

The Barrow County Schools superintendent put the brakes on a proposed policy that would have limited teacher-student online communications and restricted what teachers can post on social networking sites. November 19, 2009, MCT

Michael Scott's Use of Board Credit Card Probed

In recent weeks, the Chicago school board president was facing scrutiny for using his board credit card to pay for a trip to Copenhagen to lobby for the city's Olympics bid. November 19, 2009, MCT

Anti-Violence Program Targets Chicago Boys

Two community groups will offer counseling and sports while University of Chicago researchers study whether this approach helps curb violence. November 19, 2009

ACLU: Ohio Student Doesn't Have to Say 'Pledge'

November 19, 2009, AP

Conn. ACLU Demands End to Graduations at Church

November 19, 2009, AP

Idaho Schools Face Cuts, Agencies Face Elimination

November 19, 2009, AP

Texas Gov. Likely to Face School Finance Problems

November 18, 2009, AP

Conn. ACLU Demands End to Graduations at Church

November 18, 2009, AP

Mass. Gov. Rebuffed in Request for Ed. Bill

November 18, 2009, AP