September 3, 2008
Education Week, Vol. 28, Issue 02
Teaching Profession
Report Roundup
Out-of-Field Teaching
A report from California’s Commission on Teacher Credentialing found more than 11,000 out-of-field instructors of English-language learners from 2003 to 2007, accounting for more than half the total out-of-field assignments reported during that period in the state.
School & District Management
Report Roundup
Out-of-School Science
A new study makes recommendations on how education leaders and policymakers can judge the effectiveness of informal and after-school science programs, which are fixtures in many districts.
School & District Management
Report Roundup
Homework: How Much Is Enough?
Giving students extra homework in mathematics tends to benefit the highest- and lowest-achieving students more than it does more-average performers, a study has concluded.
School & District Management
Report Roundup
Hispanic Demographics
Some states are more likely than others to enroll Hispanic students born outside the United States rather than on U.S. soil, says a report released by the Washington-based Pew Hispanic Center.
Ed-Tech Policy
Report Roundup
Open Textbooks
The escalating cost of college textbooks—which typically add $700 to $1,000 to a student’s annual cost of education—has generated an urgent need for solutions, says a study released last month.
School & District Management
Report Roundup
Adolescent Literacy
The What Works Clearinghouse has released a new practice guide to help teachers address students’ proficiency in reading in grades 4-12.
School Choice & Charters
Report Roundup
Public Opinion and Charters
Although most Americans lack a clear understanding of public charter schools, they “solidly support some of the key principles that govern the organizations,” concludes a new report by the Center for Education Reform, a pro-charter group based in Washington.
School & District Management
Ga. Chief Will Brave War of Wits, Words
Georgia’s education system could certainly use a break from some of its critics, especially after a summer’s worth of mandatory classes for 82,000 students in grades 5 and 9 who failed controversial assessment exams last school year.
Federal
Campaign Notebook: Democratic Convention
Notes on Sens. Joe Biden and Barack Obama's education policy, the future of the ED in '08 campaign, and the future of No Child Left Behind according to House Education and Labor Committee Chair Rep. George Miller.
School & District Management
Behavior Disorders in Teens Are Focus of New R&D Effort
A consortium of seven universities received a grant to establish a research group that will search for successful methods for educating a group of students that some experts see as long overlooked.
Federal
Federal File
Technical Council to Advise Dept.
A panel established to advise the Department of Education on technical issues regarding state assessment and accountability systems under the No Child Left Behind Act could play a significant role in defining the next generation of federal accountability.
States
Bay State Governor Presses Education Plan
Gov. Deval Patrick's agenda would include free access to community college for all state residents, a statewide teacher contract, and an aggressive dropout-prevention program
Teaching Profession
As Economy Slumps, Teachers' Jobs in the Cross Hairs
Faced with high energy costs and crimped budgets, school districts have cut administrative positions, bus routes, special services, and athletics programs.
Federal
Arizona Still Grappling With Balance on Mandated ELL Instruction
Education officials are giving school districts some room to diverge from a mandate that all English-language learners be taught specific English skills in classrooms separate from other students for four hours a day.
Student Well-Being
Opinion
Small Sacrifices
"It is the educator’s moral obligation to help students embrace causes larger than themselves, and to encourage them to display good citizenship in all spheres of life," says Bernice Lerner.
College & Workforce Readiness
Opinion
Are Advanced Placement Courses Diminishing Liberal Arts Education?
AP preparation is overrated and may diminish, rather than advance, the deeper objectives of a liberal arts education, says UCLA senior lecturer Paul Von Blum.
College & Workforce Readiness
Opinion
Lost Horizons
Many rural students lack family members and role models who attended college, and schools should do more to assist these students, say Rick Dalton and John Mills.
School Choice & Charters
Opinion
Under the Voucher Radar
States are embracing 'neovoucher' tuition-tax-credit plans without knowing what their long-term risks or benefits might be, says Kevin G. Welner.
School Choice & Charters
Texas Waiting Lists Tied to Cap Issue
When charter advocates argue against state caps limiting the number of charter schools, they often point to long waiting lists as evidence of a pressing public demand, confirms a new analysis.
Accountability
Loss of Accreditation Rocks Georgia District
The decision by an accrediting agency could complicate everything from students’ college applications to teachers’ continuing education credits.
Federal
Republicans May Waver Over NCLB
It remains far from clear whether Sen. McCain—and other top Republicans—will continue to embrace No Child Left Behind Act or whether the GOP will return to its role as a champion of limited government and local control of schools.
IT Infrastructure & Management
Tech. Advances Prompt Proposed Changes for E-Rate Rules
FCC seeks input from educators and others on how the rules adjustments would affect schools and technology vendors.
Federal
Top-Notch Education 'A Moral Obligation,' Obama Tells Throng
Accepting the historic Democratic presidential nomination, Barack Obama sets an ambitious goal that members of his party don't necessarily agree on how to reach.
Teaching
Guidance by Principals Emerging as Crucial in Science Instruction
Outreach efforts seek to train school leaders to understand, advocate for good teaching.
Federal
NEA Locals Slowly Start to Join Giant Labor Federation
The national organization gave affiliates the go-ahead to ally themselves with the labor federation two years ago, but concerns about performance pay, health care, and other issues are driving them to act now.
Federal
SAT Scores for Class of 2008 Halt Slide of Recent Years
Average scores on the verbal, math, and writing sections of the college-entrance exam were identical to last year’s, halting a slide that began after the test was overhauled three years ago.
Federal
Denver District, Teachers Reach Tentative Accord
Beginners would get substantially higher salaries, while veterans would see much smaller raises under renegotiated terms of performance-pay plan.
Federal
D.C.'s Chancellor Makes Her Case
For Michelle A. Rhee, exposing mismanagement, incompetence, and wide disparities in teaching quality has been a deliberate tactic as she builds her case to overhaul one of the nation’s most beleaguered school districts.
Federal
Storied Education Landscape Greets Democrats in Denver
The host city and state for the Democratic National Convention has made a range of contributions to U.S. education.