September 16, 2009
Education Week, Vol. 29, Issue 03
Federal
Criteria Seen as Too Restrictive in Quest for 'Race to Top' Funds
Federal education officials are urged in comments to eschew a one-size-fits-all approach in doling out $4 billion in grants.
Law & Courts
Courts Sound Sour Note on 'Ave Maria' at Event
The decision illustrates the perennial tug-of-war over religious expression in public schools.
Curriculum
Letter to the Editor
Cited District Does Have Options for 'Acceleration'
To the Editor:
In their Commentary "What Ever Happened to Grade Skipping," (Aug. 12, 2009), Laura Vanderkam and Richard Whitmire cite Montgomery County, Md., as a district “overlooking” acceleration as a way to nurture gifted students in a time of tight budgets.
In their Commentary "What Ever Happened to Grade Skipping," (Aug. 12, 2009), Laura Vanderkam and Richard Whitmire cite Montgomery County, Md., as a district “overlooking” acceleration as a way to nurture gifted students in a time of tight budgets.
Teaching Profession
Letter to the Editor
'Outrageous' Teaching Has a Residual Effect
To the Editor:
In his Aug. 12, 2009, letter to the editor responding to my Commentary "Boredom in Class? Try 'Outrageous' Instruction," (edweek.org, July 13, 2009), Walt Gardner correctly writes that it takes more work to teach an “outrageous” lesson, or one that uses dramatic technique as the primary method for delivering existing content. Indeed, trying to teach such a lesson every day would be draining. But that frequency is not what I proposed.
In his Aug. 12, 2009, letter to the editor responding to my Commentary "Boredom in Class? Try 'Outrageous' Instruction," (edweek.org, July 13, 2009), Walt Gardner correctly writes that it takes more work to teach an “outrageous” lesson, or one that uses dramatic technique as the primary method for delivering existing content. Indeed, trying to teach such a lesson every day would be draining. But that frequency is not what I proposed.
Federal
Letter to the Editor
A Second Set of Proposals for Better Accountability
To the Editor:
In his Commentary "Replacing No Child Left Behind," (Aug. 12, 2009), Richard Rothstein offers valuable proposals to overhaul the federal role in education and transform assessment and accountability. The Forum on Educational Accountability (which I chair) has produced a complementary set of proposals, building on the Joint Organizational Statement on NCLB that has been endorsed by 151 national organizations.
In his Commentary "Replacing No Child Left Behind," (Aug. 12, 2009), Richard Rothstein offers valuable proposals to overhaul the federal role in education and transform assessment and accountability. The Forum on Educational Accountability (which I chair) has produced a complementary set of proposals, building on the Joint Organizational Statement on NCLB that has been endorsed by 151 national organizations.
Federal
Letter to the Editor
Is 'Turnaround' Plan Simply Union-Busting?
To the Editor:
When I think of President Barack Obama, many qualities—smart, intelligent, good-looking—come to mind. But after I read your article "School-Turnaround Call Points Up Challenges," (Aug. 12, 2009), a new description entered my list: union-buster.
When I think of President Barack Obama, many qualities—smart, intelligent, good-looking—come to mind. But after I read your article "School-Turnaround Call Points Up Challenges," (Aug. 12, 2009), a new description entered my list: union-buster.
Education
Letter to the Editor
Randomized Trials: A Way To Stop 'Spinning Wheels'
To the Editor:
Although we support Lisbeth B. Schorr’s call for a variety of evaluation methods to identify promising social programs ("Innovative Reforms Require Innovative Scorekeeping," Aug. 26, 2009.), we respectfully disagree with her rejection of a central role for randomized controlled trials.
Although we support Lisbeth B. Schorr’s call for a variety of evaluation methods to identify promising social programs ("Innovative Reforms Require Innovative Scorekeeping," Aug. 26, 2009.), we respectfully disagree with her rejection of a central role for randomized controlled trials.
Teaching Profession
News in Brief
Researchers to Probe Teaching
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will embark this fall on an ambitious research effort to analyze a perennially vexing question in education: What are the best indicators of excellent teaching?
School & District Management
News in Brief
Middle School Leader in Georgia Wins National Honors
A middle school principal known for her inclusive management style has been named the national middle-level principal of the year for 2010 by the National Association of Secondary School Principals and the MetLife insurance company.
School & District Management
News in Brief
Harvard to Create Doctorate Merging Education, Business Skills
The Harvard Graduate School of Education is launching an education leadership program.
Education
News in Brief
Alabama Board Overhauls Tests for High School Graduation
The Alabama board of education has approved an overhaul of the state's testing plan that will replace the high school graduation exam with end-of-course tests.
Education
News in Brief
Louisiana District Facing Lawsuit Challenging Single-Gender Classes
The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit that accuses a south Louisiana school district of illegally segregating male and female students.
Education Funding
News in Brief
Arizona Paper Faults Organizations Over Spending on Scholarships
At least 10 Arizona organizations that receive tax-credit donations for private school scholarships have failed so far to spend at least 90 percent of their revenues on the scholarships as required by law.
Education
News in Brief
University of Texas Pulls Out Of Merit-Scholarship Program
The University of Texas at Austin is pulling out of the National Merit Scholarship Program to focus on needs-based financial assistance.
Education
News in Brief
Mo. School Funding Upheld
Missouri's school funding formula was upheld this month by the state Supreme Court against a long-running challenge.
School Choice & Charters
News in Brief
Ohio Court Backs Charter
A state appeals court agrees the Ohio attorney general's office had no standing to sue an embattled charter school.
Law & Courts
News in Brief
Wash. Teacher Strike in Court
A judge in Kent, Wash., was expected to weigh in last week on a teacher strike that shut down the fourth-largest school district in Washington.
School & District Management
News in Brief
Milwaukee Official Fights Mayoral Control
Milwaukee school board President Michael Bonds says the public is being misled when told a mayoral takeover of the district would improve Wisconsin's chances of qualifying for federal stimulus money.
Education
News in Brief
Georgia Educators Disciplined Over Test-Cheating Scandal
A former DeKalb County, Ga., principal was banned from schools in the state for two years and his assistant principal was suspended for a year after the two were involved in a cheating scandal.
Education Funding
Report Roundup
Schooling Pays Off, OECD Says
As nations around the globe, including the United States, attempt to crawl out of a deep recession, evidence suggests they would be wise to invest in education.
School Choice & Charters
Report Roundup
School Choice
New York City and Boston offer a wide array of public school options to students, and both cites’ student-assignment systems ensure that nearly every student is placed in a school of their choice.
Teaching Profession
Report Roundup
Measuring Teacher Performance
Seven different assessments that attempt to define and measure effective teaching practices are reviewed in a new working paper from the Consortium for Policy Research in Education.
School Climate & Safety
Report Roundup
Teenage Drinking
Seeing a parent drunk dramatically increases the likelihood that a teenager will drink, use marijuana, or smoke cigarettes.
School & District Management
Film, Materials Aim to Spotlight Research on School Leaders
Outreach campaign aimed at getting word out on effective principals and research findings.
Federal
Report Roundup
No Child Left Behind Act
A new report from the Washington-based Center on Education Policy tracks how four states taking part in a federal pilot program are using their added flexibility under the No Child Left Behind Act.
School & District Management
Researchers Try to Promote Students' Ability to Argue
A little-developed skill gets fresh recognition as essential for success in school and beyond.
Teaching
Opinion
Not Too Adept at the Monkey Bars
"We must find strategies and educational arrangements for teaching young people according to their needs, rather than according to ours," writes Bernard Fryshman.
School Choice & Charters
Report Roundup
Research Report: Charter Schools
A new report finds that the approval rate for opening new charter schools appears to be declining among the nation’s 50 largest charter authorizers.