March 7, 2007
Education Week, Vol. 26, Issue 26
Education
Events
1-3—Achievement: North Central Association Annual Conference, sponsored by the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement, for administrators and teachers, at the Chicago Downtown Marriott in Chicago. Contact: Mary Jo Rasmussen, NCA CASI, Arizona State University, P.O. Box 871008, Tempe, AZ 85287-1008; (800) 525-9517; fax: (480) 773-6901; e-mail: mrasmussen@ncacasi.org; Web site: www.ncacasi.org.
April 2007
1-3—Achievement: North Central Association Annual Conference, sponsored by the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement, for administrators and teachers, at the Chicago Downtown Marriott in Chicago. Contact: Mary Jo Rasmussen, NCA CASI, Arizona State University, P.O. Box 871008, Tempe, AZ 85287-1008; (800) 525-9517; fax: (480) 773-6901; e-mail: mrasmussen@ncacasi.org; Web site: www.ncacasi.org.
Federal
E-Rate Program, at 10, Is Lauded for Helping Wire Schools
The program helps build the technology infrastructure of schools and libraries and wire them to the Internet.
Reading & Literacy
Ed. Dept. Allowed Singling Out of ‘Reading First’ Products
Federal officials also failed to screen a contractor for potential bias, says a new report.
Student Well-Being
Utah Poised for Parental Sign-Off on Club Activities
Opponents say the measure is intended to prevent students from joining gay-straight clubs in schools.
Law & Courts
Court Wrestles With Taxpayer Suit on ‘Faith’ Initiative
At issue is taxpayers' ability to challenge federal conferences that encourage religious groups to seek federal funding.
Mathematics
Early Starters in Math Reach Higher Levels
Students who took Algebra 1 by 8th grade were more likely to take advanced math courses before college.
Teacher Preparation
Teacher-College Group Presses for Single Accrediting Body
Some members worry about the move's impact on the smaller of the two groups that judge teacher education programs.
School & District Management
Some Researchers Call for Classroom Sound Systems
Eliminating noisy distractions gets short shrift when educators are thinking of ways to improve student performance, some researchers believe.
Federal
Obama’s Annenberg Stint Informs White House Bid
In the 1990s, Mr. Obama led a privately funded school reform initiative—an experience that shaped the Illinois senator's perspective on the critical importance of principals and teachers.
Early Childhood
House Committee Preparing Its Own Head Start Bill
The House education committee will seek to address funding, monitoring issues when it considers the reauthorization of Head Start, likely this month.
School Climate & Safety
Opinion
Chat Wrap-Up: Class Size and Student Learning
Readers and guests discussed the impact of class size on learning, as well as what configurations work best.
Education
Letter to the Editor
Program Linking Literacy, Social Skills Draws Praise
I was pleased that you recently featured my school’s work in combining literacy instruction with social-skills development. There are a couple of additional points I would like to make.
Reading & Literacy
Letter to the Editor
Reading Field Needs to ‘Get Off Its High Horse’
I have a few questions for Louisa Moats regarding the report she wrote for the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation, "Whole-Language High Jinks: How to Tell When ‘Scientifically Based Reading Instruction’ Isn’t."
Education
Letter to the Editor
Which Status Quo Should We Change?
Thomas W. Payzant and Charles B. Reed build their case on the claim that the United States has the second-most-expensive system of education in the developed world, but only mediocre results. This oft-repeated observation is virtually meaningless, however, when viewed in proper context.
Education
Letter to the Editor
‘No Child Left Behind’ and Nation’s Common Ground
The No Child Left Behind law can be saved, but should it be? No.
Education
Letter to the Editor
Education Dept. Security Procedures Questioned
It was good to see the issue of contractor-employee security screening at the U.S. Department of Education receive attention. But your article, which in part discusses my refusal to comply with these new rules, leaves many basic questions unanswered.
Education
Letter to the Editor
Report Adds Fuel to Belief in ‘Demographic’ Destiny
Your special report Quality Counts 2007 rightly presses its readers to look at education as a continuum, from pre-K through college. But the annual report also appears to have made the mistake of focusing on what we, as educators, cannot change, instead of what we can do to ensure all students succeed.
Assessment
Cleveland Takes Testing Message Door to Door
It wasn’t Sunday, but Cleveland’s Army of Believers was out rapping on doors. They were preaching the gospel of passing Ohio’s high school graduation test.
School & District Management
A Washington Roundup
Accountability Director to Retire
Jacquelyn C. Jackson, the director of the Student Achievement and School Accountability Program in the Department of Education’s office of elementary and secondary education, plans to retire from her job, effective June 1.
Education
A Washington Roundup
Measure Seeks to Add Phys. Ed. as Core Subject
A bill to add physical education as a core subject under the federal No Child Left Behind Act was introduced in Congress last week to address concerns of the growing risk of obesity among children.
Education
A Washington Roundup
House Backs Bill on Pell Grant Rule
The House approved a measure last week that would abolish a provision in the Higher Education Act reducing Pell Grant scholarships for certain students who chose to attend lower-cost colleges.
Education
Federal File
FCC to Children’s Rescue?
The Federal Communications Commission is expected to fine the Spanish-language Univision Communications Inc. $24 million for violating the Children’s Television Act over its claims that a soap opera was educational. The fine would be the largest the FCC has levied against any company.
Education
A State Capitals Roundup
Schools in California Face NCLB Makeovers
The number of California schools facing restructuring has increased significantly since last year.
Teaching Profession
Embarrassment—or Full Disclosure?
Few workers would want to have their salary information posted online. But some teachers in West Virginia say it might not be that bad.
School & District Management
U.S. Chamber Adds Business Viewpoint on Schools’ Quality
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce sees its report as a prescription for more innovative, efficient, and better-performing schools.
Special Education
‘Unilateral’ Placements Face Review
The U.S. Supreme Court accepts a case involving a parent’s efforts to seek public reimbursement for a private school placement of his child, who has a learning disability.
Special Education
Court Weighs Parents’ Rights Under IDEA
Federal law generally bars parents who are not lawyers from representing their kids in court.
Federal
Reporter's Notebook
AACTE Warned of Efforts to Harm Public Education
Noted education historian Diane Ravitch issued the warning at the annual conference of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education.
School & District Management
An Advisory Advantage
The Bronx Lab School in New York City places strong emphasis on staff members' relationships with students, and gets good results.