September 18, 2013
Education Week, Vol. 33, Issue 04
Education
Correction
Correction
The timeline accompanying a story about accrediting teacher education programs in the Sept. 11, 2013, issue of Education Week gave an incorrect name for the accrediting group, the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation.
College & Workforce Readiness
Congress Gears Up for Higher Ed. Law Renewal
Proposals fly in Washington to add fresh scrutiny to student outcomes as Congress prepares to tackle reauthorization of the Higher Education Act.
Law & Courts
Louisiana Vouchers, Desegregation Case Prove Volatile Mix
State officials and the U.S. Department of Justice clash over the state's voucher program in the shadow of a long-standing desegregation case.
Teacher Preparation
National-Board Certification to Be Cheaper, Smoother
The organization overseeing advanced teacher certification plans to revise the assessment process for the credential and to make it less costly for teachers to earn.
Families & the Community
Bronx Partnership Aims to Build Parent-Engagement Skills
Mercy College's education school in New York City has opened a parent center to train adults to become advocates and active partners in their children's schooling.
Curriculum
Classroom Portfolios Used as Alternative Teacher-Evaluation Measure
Tennessee is allowing arts teachers to submit their students' work as one yardstick of how well they contribute to the children's achievement.
School & District Management
Education Companies Invest Time, Money in Startups
Companies such as Kaplan and Pearson are mentoring startups on how to refine their products and services to succeed in the K-12 marketplace.
Education
News in Brief
Transitions
Sheila M. Harrity, the principal of Worcester Technical High School in Massachusetts, has been named the 2014 MetLife/NASSP National High School Principal of the Year. Ms. Harrity was selected for her work to implement small learning communities, change the school’s culture, and focus on preparing the school’s 1,400 students for colleges and careers, since becoming principal in 2006.
Education Funding
Report Roundup
No Bounce-Back Seen in States' K-12 Spending
State education budgets still haven’t recovered sufficiently from the Great Recession in 2007, concludes a 48-state report released last week by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
School & District Management
Iowa District Puts Twist on Four-Day Week
As more districts trim the school week to cope with budget crunches, the WACO district is doing so to expand student enrichment opportunities and teachers' professional development.
Federal
Lawmakers Question Education Research's Usefulness
As it considers reauthorizing the Education Sciences Reform Act, a House panel assesses IES' stewardship of school research.
Classroom Technology
Consumer Demand for Digital Learning Games, Simulations Growing Worldwide
The global market for learning games and simulations is expanding, but experts say the level of interest does not appear to be as evident in K-12 schools.
Accountability
Opinion
Why the New Teacher Ed. Standards Matter
The standards will elevate the profession, better prepare teacher-candidates, and ensure that new teachers have the skills they need to improve student outcomes, write Mary Brabeck and Christopher Koch.
Education Funding
Opinion
Unfairly Fired Teachers Deserve Court Protection
Teachers who have been fired because of flawed evaluations will not have their day in court, write W. James Popham and Marguerita K. DeSander.
IT Infrastructure & Management
Broadband Effort Touted as Good for Classroom, Budget
A White House official says the Obama administration’s ConnectED initiative could help districts see that digital learning “is affordable and within our reach.”
Special Education
News in Brief
No Protections for Students Improperly Placed in Special Ed.
Children mistakenly identified by their schools as having disabilities may not bring claims under the main federal special education law, a federal appeals court has ruled.
Law & Courts
News in Brief
Minneapolis to Settle Suit by Teen Mothers
The Minneapolis school board has approved a settlement in a lawsuit on behalf of more than 600 young mothers who were taught by unlicensed teachers.
College & Workforce Readiness
News in Brief
GED Test Prep, Support to be Offered Online
To help individuals prepare for the new GED tests, which kicks in January, the GED Testing Service will offer individualized online support starting in late November.
School Climate & Safety
News in Brief
Ark. Board to Permit Schools to Arm Staff
Thirteen Arkansas school districts will be allowed to continue employing teachers, administrators, and other staff as armed security guards, despite a warning from the state's top lawyer that the licensing law they relied on is intended for private security companies.
School & District Management
News in Brief
Ind. Records Eyed for Political Role
Email correspondence and computer data near the end of his tenure suggest that former Indiana Superintendent Tony Bennett may have skirted a state law that prohibits the use of state resources for political purposes.
Education Funding
News in Brief
Report Finds Flaws in Race to the Top
A new report finds big flaws in the Race to the Top program and questions how spending to spur education improvements in states will improve student outcomes.
Assessment
News in Brief
Consortium Seeks Bids for Major Tech Project
One of the two main consortia of states developing tests aligned to the Common Core State Standards is asking for proposals from vendors to develop an ambitious array of technology services.
Families & the Community
News in Brief
L.A. Drafts Procedures for 'Parent Trigger'
Los Angeles parents and staff now have guidelines from the Los Angeles Unified School District’s board to help them navigate the parent-trigger process.
School & District Management
News in Brief
Federal Agencies Issue Research Guidelines
The Institute of Education Sciences and the National Science Foundation have formally released common guidelines for education research and development.
Law & Courts
News in Brief
Educator Acquitted in Ga. Cheating Case
A former Atlanta public schools administrator charged with influencing a witness in the district's massive cheating scandal was found not guilty this month by a jury in Fulton County, Ga.
Science
News in Brief
Ky. to Move Forward on Science Standards
Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear plans to implement the new Next Generation Science Standards under his own authority, after a legislative review panel rejected them last week.
School Climate & Safety
Report Roundup
Student Discipline
The number of students arrested in Connecticut schools has declined in recent years, but many of those arrests were avoidable, according to an advocacy group report.
School Climate & Safety
Report Roundup
Learning and Fitness
Higher levels of aerobic fitness can bolster a child's ability to learn and remember information, according to a study in the online journal PLOS ONE.