November 7, 2007
Education Week, Vol. 27, Issue 11
Federal
The Candidates on Education
Our updated interactive guide provides side-by-side comparisons of the education positions of the Democratic and Republican contenders for president.
Education
Letter to the Editor
Would Religious Charters Divide Us at Public Expense?
Fragmenting our school population along religious, linguistic, and cultural lines is a surefire formula for the destruction of public education and social peace.
Education
Letter to the Editor
L.B.J.’s View of NCLB? The Answer Is Unclear
George W. Bush is not the first president to sacrifice increases in education spending to the cost of fighting an ill-advised war and to a preference for tax cuts over tax increases to fund social programs.
Education
Letter to the Editor
Can NCLB Naiveté Become National-Standards Wisdom?
Given Chester E. Finn Jr.'s record of admitted error and naiveté, why should we believe him when he says that national standards and testing will be any less destructive than state standards and testing?
Education
Letter to the Editor
Praise for ‘Modest’ Principal of Converted High Schools
For any politicians, funders, and educators who doubt successful conversion can be done, I highly recommend the Coalition of Essential Schools’ “School Culture” DVD.
Education
Letter to the Editor
Gender Affects Language in Teacher-Sex-Abuse Story
People have different responses to sex-abuse cases by male and female teachers because the media portray them quite differently.
Education
Letter to the Editor
Post-Sputnik Law’s Impact Not Seen in Moon Landing
The frantic American attempt to beef up math and science in public schools through the National Defense Education Act of 1958 played absolutely no role in the moon landing.
Education
Correction
Corrections
• An Oct. 24, 2007, article in Education Week about parents’ influence on their children’s interest in mathematics and science misidentified the city where Pieter Noordam resides. He lives in San Jose, Calif.
Federal
Federal File
Bilingual Ed. Returns to ELL Topic List
The topic was addressed in several presentations at a "summit" meeting last week, a departure from previous years when bilingual education got little attention.
School Choice & Charters
School Bucks Tide With Tuition Freeze
With the costs of attending many independent schools climbing sky-high, one Boston school has declared a year off from boosting tuition.
Federal
The Next Education President?
The candidates for the 2008 presidential nominations have not been as detailed about education policy as in some recent elections. But that doesn’t mean the stakes aren’t high.
Teaching Profession
Idaho Eyes a Swap: Teacher Pay Raises for Job Protections
A $59 million plan from the Idaho Department of Education could raise annual salaries for some teachers in the state by thousands of dollars, but to get some of the money, they would have to give up job security.
Curriculum
Foreign-Languages Acquisition a Vital Part of District’s Mission
The 8,000-student Glastonbury school district outside Hartford, Conn., is now viewed as a model for meeting the demand for graduates with language skills and an understanding of other countries and cultures.
Teaching Profession
Report Roundup
First-Year Teachers
Nearly 80 percent of first-year teachers would support the use of money to hire effective administrators over their own salary increases, says a report.
Federal
Opinion
First, Do No Harm
Peter Hlebowitsh urges lawmakers to think about the potential side effects of educational interventions.
Federal
Opinion
Seek a ‘Fuller Language of Schooling’
Standardized tests can well be part of the constellation of assessment, but should not overwhelm it, argues Mike Rose.
Federal
Opinion
Measure Actual Classroom Teaching
Robert C. Pianta encourages lawmakers to rethink how teacher quality is defined and assessed.
Federal
Opinion
Know What the Real Goals Are
An improved No Child Left Behind Act should help the nation become a "learning society," Arnold Packer writes.
Early Childhood
Report Roundup
Pre-K in Southern States
Five Southern states now have at least 40 percent of their 4-year-olds enrolled in public prekindergarten programs, says a study.
Education
Report Roundup
Children and Immigration
Schools and social service agencies in communities with a lot of immigrants should establish plans for how to respond if federal immigration authorities conduct workplace raids, concludes a study.
Early Childhood
Report Roundup
Early-Childhood Research
At age 4, more than 60 percent of children have a lot of the skills needed to succeed in school, such as recognizing numbers and shapes, according to a study.
Student Achievement
Report Roundup
School Readiness
Large and growing percentages of the nation’s children, especially those who come from poor or minority families, come to school lacking the home and family supports they need to succeed in the classroom, concludes a report.
Science
Report Roundup
U.S. Math, Science Skills Exceed Broad Perception
Contrary to the opinions being voiced by many business and political leaders today, U.S. schools are producing an ample supply of students with the skills necessary to work in science and engineering fields, a study suggests.
School Choice & Charters
News in Brief
Green Dot, N.Y.C. Teachers’ Union Clear Hurdle for Starting Charter
A panel of New York education officials has approved a new charter high school for the South Bronx to be jointly operated by the Los Angeles-based Green Dot Public Schools and the United Federation of Teachers.
College & Workforce Readiness
News in Brief
Texas Proposing Tougher Standards to Assure Preparation for College
Texas students may be expected to meet more-rigorous standards in core subject areas under proposed college-readiness standards.
Federal
News in Brief
New Federal Regulations Take Aim at Student-Loan Conflicts of Interest
The new regulations require colleges to have at least three lenders on their so-called “preferred-lender lists,” which are distributed to students.
Federal
News in Brief
Illinois Drops Its Alternative Test for English-Language Learners
State officials haven’t been able to convince the U.S. Department of Education the test is comparable to the state’s regular tests.
Science
News in Brief
GE Foundation’s Award Aimed at Math, Science
The foundation last week awarded a $22 million grant to the Atlanta public school system to revamp its science and mathematics curriculum across all grade levels.
IT Infrastructure & Management
Cellphones in Classrooms Land Teachers on Online Video Sites
The threat of exposure by cellphone cameras has potential professional, as well as emotional, consequences for teachers.