November 14, 2012
Education Week, Vol. 32, Issue 12
College & Workforce Readiness
'Soft Skills' Pushed as Part of College Readiness
Resiliency, grit, and self-efficacy are among the so-called "soft skills" increasingly being viewed as vital for college success.
School & District Management
Today's Tests Seen as Bar to Better Assessment
A commission says accountability testing is impeding research on tests that gauge deeper learning.
College & Workforce Readiness
Report Roundup
K-12 and College Completion Rates Set Record
Record shares of young adults are completing high school, going to college, and completing degrees.
Education Funding
District-Union Tensions Foil Some RTT Proposals
To be eligible for a share of $400 million in new Race to the Top grants, districts had to prove they had union buy-in.
Education
Correction
Corrections
• A story in the Nov. 7 edition on the Educare early-childhood model gave an incorrect location for the Washington Educare center. It's in the northeastern quadrant of the city.
Education
Clarification
Clarification
A story about state graduation-rate accountability in the Oct. 31, 2012, issue of Education Week omitted a second way that Michigan uses graduation rates. In the state's accountability score card, graduation rates count as 16.66 percent of a school's overall score.
Standards
Common-Core Deal in Florida Sparks Legal Feud
The Florida Department of Education is in a bitter dispute with a software company it hired to create online resources aligned with the standards for teachers and students.
School & District Management
Opinion
How to Encourage School Board Accountability
School boards have many responsibilities, chief among them is student learning, writes Traci Elizabeth Teasley.
Federal
Idaho Voters Scrap 'Luna Laws'
A sweeping set of measures that included laptops for high school students and curbs on collective-bargaining are overturned by voters.
Teaching Profession
Opinion
Teacher Quality: Investing in What Matters
Schools that support the cognitive engagement of their teachers have an advantage when it comes to instructional quality, write Arthur L. Costa, Robert J. Garmston, and Diane P. Zimmerman.
School & District Management
News in Brief
New Orleans Board Seat Goes to Charter Advocate
Sarah Newell Usdin, a Democrat whose campaign for the Orleans Parish school board in New Orleans drew attention for its big contributions from out-of-state education activists, won the 3rd District seat with 58 percent of the vote.
Professional Development
Report Roundup
Preparing Teachers
The Memphis Teacher Residency produces teachers that outperform the average veteran teacher in Tennessee with students in grades 4-8.
States
Indiana State Schools Chief Loses in Upset
GOP incumbent Tony Bennett is unseated by a Democratic teacher who challenged him on the policy front.
Reading & Literacy
Report Roundup
Early Reading
Researchers found that varying the consonants in words instead of using similar-sounding words with less variable consonants improved learning.
Federal
News in Brief
Democrat Wins Key Contest in Texas State Board Race
The social conservatives on the Texas board of education lost a key vote when Republican incumbent Carlos "Charlie" Garza lost to Democrat Martha Dominguez, likely helping move the board in a more moderate direction.
Education Funding
News in Brief
San Antonio Approves Increase for Pre-K
San Antonio voters backed their mayor's early-childhood-education initiative by approving a local sales-tax increase that will be used to expand all-day prekindergarten for 4-year-olds.
Curriculum
News in Brief
Tax for Arts Education Given Nod in Portland, Ore.
Voters agreed to a new tax to help pay for arts education in Portland, Ore.
Special Education
News in Brief
Voters Grant Aid Increase for Mo. Special Ed. District
In St. Louis County, Mo., voters approved a tax increase for the special school district that serves about 25,000 students with disabilities in 22 districts in the county, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
School Climate & Safety
Opinion
Addressing Bullying: Schoolwide Solutions
Schools, districts, and school boards should work together to develop comprehensive anti-bullying policies, Nicole Yetter writes.
School & District Management
Report Roundup
Foster Children
A Nebraska advocacy group argues that transition programs for students aging out of foster care should ensure coordination among housing, financial aid, and academic support.
Education Funding
Winners in Latest 'i3' Round to Split $150 Million
None of the 20 Investing in Innovation victors got one of the largest federal "scale up" grants this time.
College & Workforce Readiness
'Choice Bus' Gets Students to Ponder Dropout Dangers
A foundation program presents students with stark possibilities about what lies ahead for many who drop out of school.
Teaching Profession
Surveys Find Generation Gap on Contested Teacher Policies
Newer teachers are more likely than their veteran counterparts to support controversial education policies.
Equity & Diversity
Voters Approve Md. 'Dream Act'
Maryland voters ratify a law making undocumented students eligible for in-state tuition.
Education Funding
Report Roundup
Teacher Absences
Teacher absences are estimated to cost schools a minimum of $4 billion annually, according to a report by the Center for American Progress.
Education Funding
News in Brief
Colorado May Recall Turnaround Grants
Five schools in Colorado may lose their federal School Improvement Grant due to lack of improvements in student achievement after two years of big financial support.
Ed-Tech Policy
News in Brief
More Research Urged on Social-Media Use
Authors of a new report raise concerns about the lack of substantive research on children's social-media habits.
Law & Courts
News in Brief
Ala. Seeks to Change Constitution's Racist Wording
Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley says he's more determined than ever to try, after two failed attempts, to delete vestiges of segregation from the state's 1901 constitution.