September 12, 2012
Education Week, Vol. 32, Issue 03
Student Well-Being & Movement
MTV Digital Game Models a Fantasy Presidential Election
The aim of the game is to grab the attention of teenagers and young adults and encourage them to get more involved in political issues.
Federal
Ed. Dept., Virginia Stumble Over Waiver
Flawed achievement-gap targets in the state's NCLB flexibility waiver force a do-over and highlight complexities.
College & Workforce Readiness
Can NAEP Predict College Readiness?
Educators and policymakers have been trying for years to use NAEP as a barometer of college and career readiness.
Standards & Accountability
Opinion
Going Online to Ease Common-Core Transition
Online learning communities will help make the transition to the common-core standards easier, Christine Newell writes.
School & District Management
Common Core Thrusts Librarians Into Leadership Role
Already equipped with inquiry-based skills, librarians are helping teachers acquire the instructional methods they need to adopt.
School & District Management
Opinion
Is New Orleans a Model for America?
Other school systems can learn much from the charter schools experiment in New Orleans, David Osborne writes.
Education Funding
Districts Queue Up for Race to Top Aid
Nearly 900 school districts tell the Education Department they will compete for grants intended to spur local-level improvement.
Education
Letter to the Editor
The System Causes High Teacher Turnover
To the Editor:
To the recent juxtaposition of Lawrence Baines' excellent analogy comparing education reform with the military and Jordan Kohanim's poignant essay on why she left teaching, I'd like to add my own perspective ("What If We Brought Education Reform to the Military?" and "Why I Left Teaching," Aug. 22, 2012).
To the recent juxtaposition of Lawrence Baines' excellent analogy comparing education reform with the military and Jordan Kohanim's poignant essay on why she left teaching, I'd like to add my own perspective ("What If We Brought Education Reform to the Military?" and "Why I Left Teaching," Aug. 22, 2012).
Education
Letter to the Editor
Poor Lesson Plans Are the Problem
To the Editor:
Regarding the Commentary "Don't Hire Substitute Teachers in High School," John Fitzsimons suggests several reasons why bringing substitute teachers into high schools is a waste of time and money, noting that we do so for such reasons as lack of trust, legal consequences, and a lack of creativity on the part of school administrators. I would contend that some of his brush strokes are rather broad and inaccurate.
Regarding the Commentary "Don't Hire Substitute Teachers in High School," John Fitzsimons suggests several reasons why bringing substitute teachers into high schools is a waste of time and money, noting that we do so for such reasons as lack of trust, legal consequences, and a lack of creativity on the part of school administrators. I would contend that some of his brush strokes are rather broad and inaccurate.
Education
Letter to the Editor
Substitutes Should Be Applauded
Substitutes Should Be Applauded
Being a substitute teacher is a daunting challenge, especially in high school, and too often an unrecognized act of courage ("Don't Hire Substitute Teachers in High School," Aug. 22, 2012). In a matter of minutes, our heroic substitute needs to evaluate, organize, and present the important concepts, goals, and objectives for each lesson. Creating the climate for learning is the goal of each educator, and the substitute is no exception.
Being a substitute teacher is a daunting challenge, especially in high school, and too often an unrecognized act of courage ("Don't Hire Substitute Teachers in High School," Aug. 22, 2012). In a matter of minutes, our heroic substitute needs to evaluate, organize, and present the important concepts, goals, and objectives for each lesson. Creating the climate for learning is the goal of each educator, and the substitute is no exception.
Standards & Accountability
Report Roundup
Shy Students
A new study suggests that extreme shyness can actually affect academic success as early as preschool.
Education Funding
Report Roundup
Georgia Pre-K
A new report suggests that Georgia's vaunted reputation as an early-childhood education leader is threatened by funding cuts to its prekindergarten program.
Equity & Diversity
Report Roundup
Student Safety
A new survey by the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network shows that anti-LGBT language at schools has been decreasing.
College & Workforce Readiness
Report Roundup
College Preparation
A new report by the federal government shows high school girls outpacing boys when it comes to planning for college, enrolling, and completing a degree.
Special Education
Report Roundup
Learning Disabilities
Many Americans are confused about what learning disabilities are, how prevalent they are, and how they are lived with and dealt with in the law and classroom.
College & Workforce Readiness
Report Roundup
Research Report: Absenteeism
Students who regularly cut classes and skip school say their parents are largely unaware they are cutting class, according to a report from the Get Schooled Foundation.
Special Education
Report Roundup
Study Points to Savings In Special Ed. Staff Cuts
A new analysis of the cost of special education concludes that by cutting the number of special education personnel in high-spending districts to the national median, the nation could save up to $10 billion a year and improve educational outcomes for students with disabilities.
Education
Correction
Correction
• In a special report on e-learning in the Aug. 29, 2012, issue of Education Week, an article about "flipped classrooms" should have said Woodland Park High School is in Woodland Park, Colo.
School & District Management
News in Brief
Ed. Dept. Disables Access to ERIC
Officials discovered that personal information associated with some of the published studies was available on the site.
Teaching Profession
News in Brief
Teacher-Evaluation Bill on Hold in California
A controversial bill revamping teacher-evaluation requirements in California was put on hold last month by its sponsor, state Rep. Felipe Fuentes.
Student Well-Being & Movement
News in Brief
Child-Obesity Rate Drops in Philadelphia
The prevalence of childhood obesity among all Philadelphia students dropped more than 4.5 percent between the 2006-07 and 2009-10 school years.
Teaching Profession
News in Brief
Chicago Teachers Poised to Strike
Teachers in Chicago were poised to walk off the job Sept. 10, in what would be the first teachers' strike in the city in 25 years.
School Climate & Safety
News in Brief
Report Finds States Unready for Disasters
A report by the international child-advocacy group Save the Children raises concerns that many U.S. institutions entrusted to protect children are not fully prepared to do so in the event of a disaster.
Law & Courts
News in Brief
Copyright Guidance Offered for Teachers
The American Library Association has released the "Complete Copyright for K-12 Librarians and Educators," after a survey that found a dearth of guidance on the topic.
Law & Courts
News in Brief
Appeals Court Backs Student Religious Club
A federal appeals court has ruled that the Minneapolis school district likely engaged in discrimination when it barred a religious club for elementary students from an after-school program.
English Learners
News in Brief
U.S. and Arizona Settle English-Learner Dispute
Two federal investigations completed in 2010 found that Arizona was violating the civil rights of some students who are not native English-speakers.
Education Funding
News in Brief
Former Federal Official Named Texas Chief
Texas Gov. Rick Perry, a Republican, has tapped a former federal education official to be the next chief of the Texas Education Agency.
Education Funding
News in Brief
U.S. Students Fail Test on Financial Literacy
A new study shows the nation's youths have a poor grasp of basic financial concepts.