October 2, 2013
Education Week, Vol. 33, Issue 06
Education Funding
News in Brief
Michigan House Passes Bill to Unfreeze Standards Aid
A freeze on spending for the Common Core State Standards in Michigan would be eliminated under a resolution the House of Representatives approved last week.
School Climate & Safety
News in Brief
Newtown Told to Release Tapes of School 911 Calls
A Connecticut commission ruled that the Newtown police department must release the tapes of 911 calls made during last December's shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
School & District Management
News in Brief
Education Researcher Wins 'Genius' Grant
Educational research psychologist and former teacher Angela Duckworth was named one of this year's 24 MacArthur Fellows.
Assessment
News in Brief
Common Math Tests to Be Translated Into Spanish
The common math assessments under development by PARCC will be translated into Spanish and possibly other languages.
Education Funding
News in Brief
Ga. High Court Rules In Favor of Charters
The state's highest court has upheld a Fulton County court ruling that bars the Atlanta school district from using tax dollars to pay for its pension obligations before distributing a share of the money to local charter schools.
School Climate & Safety
News in Brief
Calif. Law Helps Youths Salvage Online Reputations
Legislation signed by Gov. Jerry Brown will give teenagers a little more control over their online identities.
Education
Correction
Correction
A story in the Sept. 25, 2013, issue of Education Week about the Missouri school transfer law misspelled the last names of Jennifer Jellison Holme and Marty Hodits.
Education
Letter to the Editor
Commentary Unpersuasive on Lack of Health-School Link
To the Editor:
In his Commentary "Think Education Is Like Medicine? Think Again" (Aug. 28, 2013), James H. Nehring misinterprets some very complex issues in his analysis of "bad ideas" in education. For example, in his comparison of the medical profession and education, he argues that medicine is far more individualistic than education, where teachers allegedly work in a more collective, holistic environment. Yet the heart of effective teaching is examining students' profiles, academic backgrounds, and interests in determining the best ways to provide instruction in a more differentiated, individualistic fashion.
In his Commentary "Think Education Is Like Medicine? Think Again" (Aug. 28, 2013), James H. Nehring misinterprets some very complex issues in his analysis of "bad ideas" in education. For example, in his comparison of the medical profession and education, he argues that medicine is far more individualistic than education, where teachers allegedly work in a more collective, holistic environment. Yet the heart of effective teaching is examining students' profiles, academic backgrounds, and interests in determining the best ways to provide instruction in a more differentiated, individualistic fashion.
Education
Letter to the Editor
Perhaps It's Not Courage That Educators Lack
To the Editor:
I read Alfie Kohn's latest Commentary ("Encouraging Courage," Sept. 18, 2013) with great interest. I've worked in education, mainly as an elementary school teacher in several different independent schools, for the past 20-plus years.
I read Alfie Kohn's latest Commentary ("Encouraging Courage," Sept. 18, 2013) with great interest. I've worked in education, mainly as an elementary school teacher in several different independent schools, for the past 20-plus years.
Education
Letter to the Editor
Schools Cannot Ignore Students' Physical, Emotional Readiness
To the Editor:
I recently heard of a parent of a 3-year-old child who had just started preschool. The parent was upset because she was told that her son was behind because he didn't know his ABCs, and that she should consider after-school tutoring to catch him up to the school's standards.
I recently heard of a parent of a 3-year-old child who had just started preschool. The parent was upset because she was told that her son was behind because he didn't know his ABCs, and that she should consider after-school tutoring to catch him up to the school's standards.
School & District Management
Poll Finds School Chiefs Lukewarm on School Boards
Superintendents voice both skepticism and optimism on the governing abilities of school boards in the second of a series of Gallup-Education Week polls.
Education Funding
New Data Demands in Calif. Seen as Onerous by Districts
To satisfy the state's K-12 database requirements and a brand-new system for education finance, officials are asking many schools for information on each individual student.
School & District Management
Many Districts Go Without a Chief Tech Officer
Even as schools juggle a daunting array of evolving technological demands, federal data show that roughly half of districts do not have a full-time chief technology officer.
Teacher Preparation
Districts Developing More Intelligent Data Use
School systems are taking a hard look at the data they have, adding to the information, analyzing it more effectively, and presenting it to educators in user-friendly ways.
Standards
Districts Upgrade Tech Ahead of Common-Core Testing
Though more breakdowns likely are inevitable given online testing's relatively new place in schools, the ability to protect the validity, integrity, and security of the process is increasingly crucial.
Classroom Technology
About This Report
This report aims to address such questions and provide guidance for school leaders looking for new ideas and approaches for managing the digital evolution of their districts.
School & District Management
Talented Chief Tech Officers Hard to Find for K-12
Many school district leaders themselves lack an understanding of how a smart CIO or CTO can help transform their schools, experts point out.
IT Infrastructure & Management
Q&A
Q&A: How Los Angeles Negotiated a 1-to-1 Deal With Apple
In a question-and-answer session with Education Week, Mark Hovatter, the architect of the groundbreaking agreement, addresses issues related to the $30 million deal.
Curriculum
Curating Digital Content Is a Complicated Task
Schools across the country are overwhelmed by the breadth and abundance of digital resources, but they are identifying better ways to organize open-source and paid content.
Classroom Technology
'1:X Computing' Aims to Tailor Digital Tools to Learning Tasks
The idea of a coordinated strategy to give students a choice of devices depending on the task at hand is a potentially powerful new development, experts say.
Curriculum
Building a District Culture to Foster Innovation
What is the "secret sauce" in a district's culture of operation that allows good ideas to flourish, and how can those attitudes and approaches be replicated?
School & District Management
K-12 Leaders Shift From Protectors of Status Quo to Change Agents
Advancements in technology are forcing superintendents to put more time and energy into crafting and implementing a vision for how technology should be used to improve schools.
School & District Management
Ed. Leaders Balance Risk-Taking and Failure
One vital characteristic of innovative, forward-thinking districts, observers say, is a commitment to encouraging administrators, teachers, and students to take risks and not be afraid to fail.
School & District Management
Q&A: Houston Schools Chief and CTO Push Digital Learning Vision
Houston Superintendent Terry B. Grier and Chief Technology Officer Lenny Schad have learned important lessons about how to work together to improve the use of technology in schools.
International
Opinion
Looking for School Improvement Ideas Beyond Our Borders
Leading nations integrate several aspects of schooling simultaneously, a holistic approach to pre-K-16 education that the United States should consider, writes Helen Janc Malone.
College & Workforce Readiness
New SAT Results Show No Change in Average Scores
Data for the class of 2013 show slight gains for Hispanic and African-American students. The number of test-takers, meanwhile, declined slightly from the prior year.