Jan. 22, 2014

Education Week, Vol. 33, Issue 18
Education War on Poverty: Progress and Persistent Inequity
Education Week reflects on the 50th anniversary of the War on Poverty and its impact on the lives of children, especially those living in poverty.
January 23, 2014
Education Timeline: The War on Poverty
In the 1960s and today, children under 18 are the most likely Americans to live in poverty.
Sarah D. Sparks, January 23, 2014
Education War on Poverty: Mapping Inequality
Since the 1960s, school spending across the country has skyrocketed. During the 2009-10 school year, some states, however, spent vastly more money per student than others.
Sarah D. Sparks & Doris Nhan, January 23, 2014
Education War on Poverty: A Look at Child-Poverty Rates
The proportion of children under 18 living in poverty dropped markedly after the War on Poverty began. But childhood poverty rates began creeping up again in the 1980s and now are as high as they were in 1965.
January 23, 2014
College & Workforce Readiness Revised GED Ushers in New Era With More Options
Some states are facing a bumpy transition as they adjust to the altered assessment landscape and had to cope with a late 2013 surge in test-takers.
Caralee J. Adams, January 22, 2014
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5 min read
Equity & Diversity Analysis Points to Growth in Per-Pupil Spending—and Disparities
Since the War on Poverty, the average gap in per-pupil spending between two states grew by 256 percent, an Education Week analysis finds.
Andrew Ujifusa & Michele McNeil, January 22, 2014
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5 min read
Then and Now: Children play at recess outside of Hays-Porter Elementary School in Cincinnati's West End neighborhood. The yearbook photo on the left depicts the neighborhood around 1990. on the right, Aaryn hill, 9, and her 2nd grade classmates stand in the same spot earlier this month. The school is still largely racially and economically segregated, despite decades of government anti-poverty efforts.
<b>Then and Now:</b> Children play at recess outside of Hays-Porter Elementary School in Cincinnati's West End neighborhood. The yearbook photo on the left depicts the neighborhood around 1990. on the right, Aaryn hill, 9, and her 2nd grade classmates stand in the same spot earlier this month. The school is still largely racially and economically segregated, despite decades of government anti-poverty efforts.
Photos from left: Hays-Porter Elementary School, Swikar Patel/Education Week
Equity & Diversity Still Segregated After 50 Years: A Visit to Cincinnati's West End
Fifty years after the War on Poverty began, schools serving children in Cincinnati's West End are still largely segregated by economics and race.
Sarah D. Sparks, January 22, 2014
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8 min read
Classroom Technology K-12 Publishing, Ed-Tech Markets Seeing Sales Increases
An improving economy, schools' greater reliance on digital resources, and demand for common-core materials are creating new revenues, two recent reports suggest.
Michele Molnar & Sean Cavanagh, January 22, 2014
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5 min read
“The requirement to submit all this data to a private vendor was a little bit Orwellian.”—Scott G. Martzloff, Williamsville Central district, N.Y.
“The requirement to submit all this data to a private vendor was a little bit Orwellian.”—Scott G. Martzloff, Williamsville Central district, N.Y.
Federal Districts Bail on Race to the Top in Five States
Concerns over costs and student privacy have spurred districts in Delaware, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, and Ohio to withdraw from the federal school improvement program.
Lesli A. Maxwell, January 22, 2014
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5 min read
Transgender student Ashton Lee in his room at his family's home in Manteca, Calif.
Transgender student Ashton Lee in his room at his family's home in Manteca, Calif.
Hime Romero/Manteca Bulletin
School Climate & Safety Calif. Transgender-Student Law Takes Effect, Amid Recall Push
A new law that requires schools to allow transgender students to use the restrooms and locker rooms that align with their gender identity faces a recall effort.
Evie Blad, January 22, 2014
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6 min read
Law & Courts Danger Posed by Student-Data Breaches Prompts Action
Privacy advocates say the increased collection, storage, and sharing of educational data entails real threats to children and families, and some high-profile incidents have led to new legislation, legal action, and formal complaints.
Benjamin Herold, January 22, 2014
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7 min read
Mya Adams, a 4th grader at the Miami school, reads aloud for her classmates. Because of its low reading scores, the school under a 2012 state law had to extend the day by an hour and use the time for intensive reading instruction.
Mya Adams, a 4th grader at the Miami school, reads aloud for her classmates. Because of its low reading scores, the school under a 2012 state law had to extend the day by an hour and use the time for intensive reading instruction.
Josh Ritchie for Education Week
Reading & Literacy Fla. Pushes Longer Day, More Reading in Some Schools
Early results suggest the new state policy, which targets the 100 lowest-performing elementary schools in the Sunshine State, may be paying off.
Catherine Gewertz, January 22, 2014
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8 min read
In the Trenches: President Lyndon B. Johnson and his wife, Lady Bird, center left, leave a home in Inez, Ky., on a visit to the state’s Appalachian region in April 1964. They visited a father of eight who said he had been out of work for nearly two years.
<b>In the Trenches:</b> President Lyndon B. Johnson and his wife, Lady Bird, center left, leave a home in Inez, Ky., on a visit to the state’s Appalachian region in April 1964. They visited a father of eight who said he had been out of work for nearly two years.
AP-File
Equity & Diversity 50 Years Later, War on Poverty Yields Mixed Success
While child poverty remains a stubborn enemy, the federal anti-poverty initiative launched by President Lyndon B. Johnson has led to health and IQ gains for disadvantaged students.
Sarah D. Sparks, January 22, 2014
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11 min read
An Arkansas National Guardsman prevents Elizabeth Eckford, right, from entering Little Rock Central High in 1957. Efforts to prevent integration in Little Rock made the city a national symbol of school segregation.
An Arkansas National Guardsman prevents Elizabeth Eckford, right, from entering Little Rock Central High in 1957. Efforts to prevent integration in Little Rock made the city a national symbol of school segregation.
Will Counts/Arkansas Democrat/AP-File
Law & Courts Desegregation Payments to End for Little Rock Schools
A federal judge has approved a settlement to allow Arkansas to phase out millions of dollars in school desegregation aid to three Little Rock-area districts.
Evie Blad, January 22, 2014
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4 min read
Reading & Literacy Opinion Don't Underestimate the Power of Pleasure Reading
When students crack open a book of questionable literary merit in their free time, teachers and parents should see it as a valuable exercise, not a waste of time, write Jeffrey D. Wilhelm and Michael W. Smith.
Jeffrey D. Wilhelm & Michael W. Smith, January 22, 2014
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3 min read
Gov. Sam Brownback, a Republican, greets lawmakers before his State of the State speech at the statehouse in Topeka. He promised Kansas legislators that the tax cuts he championed would spur economic growth and pay for various initiatives, including his all-day kindergarten proposal.
Gov. Sam Brownback, a Republican, greets lawmakers before his State of the State speech at the statehouse in Topeka. He promised Kansas legislators that the tax cuts he championed would spur economic growth and pay for various initiatives, including his all-day kindergarten proposal.
Orlin Wagner/AP
School & District Management State of the States State of the States 2014: Kansas
Gov. Sam Brownback used his speech to state lawmakers to call for full-day kindergarten at every public school in the Sunflower State.
Evie Blad, January 22, 2014
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1 min read
Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal
Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal
David Goldman/AP
School & District Management State of the States State of the States 2014: Georgia
Gov. Nathan Deal told lawmakers that he would push for more education funding during the next year so that districts can restore instructional days, end furloughs of teachers, and boost educators' salaries.
Sean Cavanagh, January 22, 2014
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1 min read
School & District Management State of the States State of the States 2014: Arizona
In her fifth State of the State address, Gov. Janice Brewer introduced policy proposals that include her bid to revive a plan she unveiled last year to overhaul the K-12 formula for state aid.
Lesli A. Maxwell, January 22, 2014
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1 min read
School & District Management State of the States State of the States 2014: Nebraska
Gov. Dave Heineman used part of his speech to blast the federal Affordable Care Act, saying its mandatory provisions will cost the state.
Michele McNeil, January 22, 2014
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1 min read
School & District Management State of the States State of the States: Rhode Island
In his State of the State address, Gov. Lincoln Chafee pledged to continue investing in education, proposing an additional $38 million for fiscal 2015 through the state's K-12 funding formula.
Stephen Sawchuk, January 22, 2014
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1 min read
School & District Management State of the States State of the States: New Jersey
Gov. Chris Christie gave a State of the State address that put key K-12 education changes at the top of his 2014 to-do list.
Catherine Gewertz, January 22, 2014
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1 min read
School & District Management State of the States State of the States 2014: Kentucky
Gov. Beshear used his State of the State speech to renew his call for an expansion of gambling to, in part, increase funding for schools.
Michele McNeil, January 22, 2014
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1 min read
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence
Darron Cummings/AP
School & District Management State of the States State of the States 2014: Indiana
Gov. Mike Pence offered state lawmakers perhaps his strongest indication yet that he wants Indiana to drop entirely out of the Common Core State Standards initiative.
Michele McNeil, January 22, 2014
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1 min read
School & District Management State of the States State of the States 2014: Virginia: Incoming Gov. Terry McAuliffe's Speech
In his first speech to the legislature, newly sworn-in Gov. Terry McAuliffe put assessment reform high on his list of priorities for K-12 education.
Catherine Gewertz, January 22, 2014
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1 min read
Gov. Jay Inslee of Washington, a Democrat, told state lawmakers in his State of the State speech that he intends to funnel more money into K-12 education to meet basic education funding mandates in state law.
Gov. Jay Inslee of Washington, a Democrat, told state lawmakers in his State of the State speech that he intends to funnel more money into K-12 education to meet basic education funding mandates in state law.
Elaine Thompson/AP
School & District Management State of the States Wash. Governor Pledges School Aid Boost
Washington state's governor tells lawmakers he wants to pour additional money into education to meet that state's basic education mandate.
Katie Ash, January 22, 2014
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1 min read
Federal News in Brief Testing, Graduation Rates Top Accountability Factors
Graduation rates top the list of school accountability measures states have undertaken since passage of the No Child Left Behind Act, according to an analysis by the Education Commission of the States.
Andrew Ujifusa, January 22, 2014
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1 min read
Law & Courts News in Brief Mich. Appeals Court Upholds Teacher-Benefits Law
Public school employees will have to pay more for their pensions and contribute some of their own money upfront if they want health insurance in retirement, a Michigan appeals court ruled last week.
The Associated Press, January 22, 2014
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1 min read
Federal News in Brief Ed. Department Falling Short in ELL Support, Report Says
The Obama administration has not paid adequate attention to the needs of English-language learners, concludes a new report.
Lesli A. Maxwell, January 22, 2014
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1 min read
Standards News in Brief Florida Officials Propose Changes to Common Core
Embroiled in uncertainty about the common core, the Florida education department is proposing dozens of changes to the standards for its schools, including adding more than 50 in math focused on calculus.
Catherine Gewertz, January 22, 2014
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1 min read
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