February 8, 2012
Education Week, Vol. 31, Issue 20
Standards
Common Core's Focus on 'Close Reading' Stirs Worries
Drawn together by the Aspen Institute, some chief academic officers hash out how to deliver a profound shift in reading instruction.
Education
Letter to the Editor
Remove Gender Dynamics From the Equation
To the Editor:
In the typical discussion of the pros and cons of single-sex education, vis-à-vis coed education, the elements generally include curriculum, pedagogy, best practices, legal implications, stereotype concerns and assumptions, and academic outcomes ("Single-Gender Schools Scrutinized," January 18, 2012.)
In the typical discussion of the pros and cons of single-sex education, vis-à-vis coed education, the elements generally include curriculum, pedagogy, best practices, legal implications, stereotype concerns and assumptions, and academic outcomes ("Single-Gender Schools Scrutinized," January 18, 2012.)
Education
Letter to the Editor
Physical Classrooms Are Not the Problem
To the Editor:
The Commentary "Out of the Box: Ending the Tyranny of the Self-Contained Classroom" (Jan. 25, 2012) is another educational essay and pedagogical approach that forgets to consider what young children, in particular, need.
The Commentary "Out of the Box: Ending the Tyranny of the Self-Contained Classroom" (Jan. 25, 2012) is another educational essay and pedagogical approach that forgets to consider what young children, in particular, need.
Families & the Community
'Parent Trigger' Laws Gain Traction, But Slowly
Proponents and critics of the citizen-led efforts split on how profound an impact they're likely to have on public schools.
Teacher Preparation
Opinion
It's Time for New Ideas in Teacher Training
Schools of education could learn lessons from "corporate universities," Doug Lynch writes.
Families & the Community
Opinion
Who Is Responsible for Student Achievement?
David Cantor argues that policymakers must be sensitive to the pressures on educators and others when unveiling new plans for schools.
Education
Correction
Correction
A story about virtual education partnerships between schools in China and the United States in the Feb. 2, 2012, special report "Virtual World of Learning" incorrectly named an instructional technology specialist for State College Area High School. Her name is Jane Sutterlin.
Standards
News in Brief
GE Foundation Gives Grant For Common-Core Work
The GE Foundation has awarded an $18 million grant to a nonprofit that helped shape the Common Core State Standards.
College & Workforce Readiness
Report Roundup
Transition to College
At the same time students are paying more of their own share of college costs, many are becoming more serious about their studies.
Education Funding
Report Roundup
Advertising in School
The amount of revenue that some of the largest school districts get from selling advertising space is minimal.
Reading & Literacy
Report Roundup
Writing
Students' reading skills benefit from instruction in writing, according to a research review in the winter issue of the Harvard Education Review.
College & Workforce Readiness
Report Roundup
Paying Attention
Children's attentiveness in kindergarten predicts how well they would develop the skills needed to succeed at work.
School & District Management
Report Roundup
School Lunches
Research suggests that putting pictures of vegetables on students' school-lunch trays could nudge them to eat healthier.
Law & Courts
News in Brief
Lawsuit: K12 Inc. Oversold Results
A recent New York Times article criticizing virtual school operator K12 Inc. appears to have sparked a lawsuit against the Herndon, Va.-based company.
School Choice & Charters
Report Roundup
Charter School Closings Trending Downward
The percentage of charter schools that are being closed when they are up for renewal has fallen for two straight years.
School & District Management
News in Brief
Arizona Lawmakers Target Bargaining
Arizona lawmakers are scheduled to begin debating a host of bills that would, among other things, prohibit collective bargaining for public employees and make it even more difficult for unions to deduct money that could go towards lobbying, the Associated Press reports.
Education Funding
News in Brief
Texas Officials Weigh Cost of Budget Cuts
Texas school district superintendents say that state budget cuts are hindering their ability to educate children as a result of teacher layoffs, bigger class sizes and fewer services for students who need academic help.
School Climate & Safety
News in Brief
Student Thwarts Alleged Bomb Plot
A 16-year-old Utah student who shared a suspicious text message with school officials helped foil apparent plans by two schoolmates to set off a bomb during a school assembly, police said.
Education
News in Brief
Ind. Bill Would Amend Creationism Lessons
A state senator in Indiana has succeeded in amending a bill to require that public schools teaching creationism include origin theories from multiple religions, including Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Scientology, the Associated Press reports.
School & District Management
News in Brief
Schools Chief to Ignore Texas Promotion Ban
Texas Education Commissioner Robert Scott said last week that he will not enforce the state ban on social promotion of students in public schools unless the legislature restores funding to help students in danger of failing because of their low test scores.
Teaching Profession
News in Brief
Gov. Cuomo Pushes Teacher Evaluations
Taking on the state's traditionally powerful teachers' unions, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo threatened to impose tougher job evaluations Feb. 16 if the unions continue to, as he put it, block progress.
Education
State of the States 2012: Illinois, Maine, Maryland, New Hampshire, Rhode Island
Here are summaries of recent annual addresses by governors around the country.
School & District Management
Q and A: Rudy Crew's Public-Private Ed. Perspective
The former New York City and Miami schools chief and National Superintendent of the Year was recently named president of Revolution K12, an educational technology company.
Early Childhood
Threat to Transitional Kindergarten Roils Calif.
Educators and preschool advocates urge state lawmakers to reject eliminating the new program as a budget move.
Education Funding
Kentucky Ed. Dept. Proposes Innovation Foundation
It would be created to specifically fund innovative public school projects designed to help students achieve.
College & Workforce Readiness
Obama College-Cost Plan Aims to Go Beyond Access
Assuring value for students would be crucial for schools to receiving a greater share of campus-based aid.
IT Infrastructure & Management
Teen Callers Turn to Texting on Minn. Suicide Hotline
A suicide call center in the state is getting as many cellphone text messages from teenagers in a day as it used to get phone calls from teens in a month.
Classroom Technology
Ed. Experts Critique 'Digital Learning Day'
Advocates and critics offer their assessments of the inaugural event, which featured the release of a new federal resource advising educators about digital-textbook adoption.