August 31, 2016
Education Week, Vol. 36, Issue 02
School & District Management
Opinion
NAACP's Call for K-12 Charter Moratorium Is Wrong
The NAACP's call for no new charters places them on the wrong side of history, writes Howard Fuller.
Law & Courts
Judge Blocks Guidance On Transgender Rights
The national debate over transgender rights took yet another turn after a federal judge in Texas temporarily blocked the Obama administration from enforcing new guidelines meant to expand students' access to restrooms and locker rooms in schools.
Every Student Succeeds Act
Questions Loom as ESSA Funding Awaits
As the Education Department moves closer to issuing draft spending regulations under the new education law, past guidance may offer clues to its thinking on the issue.
Every Student Succeeds Act
Q&A
Q&A: Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., Talks ESSA, K-12 Policy
North Carolina congresswoman Virginia Foxx is a feisty member of the House education committee and was chairwoman of the Republican Party's platform committee at its recent convention.
Families & the Community
Gaps Found to Shrink Between Rich and Poor Students
Research finds that children from low-income families are coming to school better prepared than in past years.
College & Workforce Readiness
ACT Scores Slip as Ranks of Test-Takers Grow
A significant increase in the number of students taking the ACT college-readiness test may help explain the slight dip in scores for 2016, says ACT.
Federal
U.S. State Department Tackles Gender Gap in STEM Participation
Special programs lure students to the United States from the Middle East and North Africa to develop skills in science, technology, engineering, and math.
Recruitment & Retention
Teacher Diversity Gap Poses a Steep Climb
Without substantial patches to the teacher pipeline, the goal of reaching a broadly diverse teacher workforce likely won't be achieved within the next half-century, according to a new report.
School & District Management
Charter Schools Aren't Good for Blacks, Civil Rights Groups Say
Will the NAACP and the Movement for Black Lives' demands to halt new charters sway black support for the sector?
IT Infrastructure & Management
Maine 1-to-1 Computing Initiative Under Microscope
Gov. Paul LePage has called for a review of his state's groundbreaking digital learning program, questioning the impact of the effort on student achievement.
Assessment
Back to School: Taking the Public's Pulse
Two new polls gauging American opinion on K-12 schooling, from the journal Education Next and PDK International, help capture public opinion on common-core standards and standardized testing.
Equity & Diversity
Opinion
Q&A With Christopher Emdin: Reaching Students of Color
Educator Christopher Emdin talks to Education Week Commentary about what white teachers who engage with students "in the hood" need to know.
Early Childhood
Studies on Head Start Bolster Arguments for Long-Term Impact
A pair of new studies, taking different approaches, say the $8.6 billion federal preschool program has measurable continuing benefits in a number of key areas.
Classroom Technology
Report Roundup
Research Report: Special Education
Special education teachers are more likely than general education teachers to use mobile apps with their students, but are not receiving enough formal training on the use of mobile technology for instructional purposes, a report says.
Equity & Diversity
Report Roundup
District Hot Spots Identified for Economic Segregation
The nation's most economically segregated school districts are highlighted in a report released last week by EdBuild, a nonprofit organization that studies school funding issues.
College & Workforce Readiness
Report Roundup
Research Report: Charter Schools
Texas charter schools, on average, appear to negatively affect students' future earnings, according to a working paper by two economists.
School Climate & Safety
Report Roundup
Cyberbullying
The likelihood of cyberbullying is about seven times greater between current or former friends or dating partners than between young people who don't know each other, a study says.
Equity & Diversity
Report Roundup
STEM Careers
It's hard to be one of only a few students of your race in a science field, but new research suggests the possibility of helping your own community can spur students to become trailblazers.
Education
Letter to the Editor
U.S. Budget Priorities Are Flawed
To the Editor:
In the midst of nationwide calls by communities to end police brutality, a July 8, 2016, post on Education Week's Politics K-12 blog covered a report by the U.S. Department of Education indicating that states and cities across the country have increased spending on prisons and jails at triple the rate of funding for public education in preschool through 12th grade ("Corrections Spending Grows at Triple the Rate of School Funding, Ed. Dept. Reports").
In the midst of nationwide calls by communities to end police brutality, a July 8, 2016, post on Education Week's Politics K-12 blog covered a report by the U.S. Department of Education indicating that states and cities across the country have increased spending on prisons and jails at triple the rate of funding for public education in preschool through 12th grade ("Corrections Spending Grows at Triple the Rate of School Funding, Ed. Dept. Reports").
School Climate & Safety
News in Brief
Many Schools Remain Closed Following Flooding in Louisiana
Historic flooding that swept across southern Louisiana continued to keep scores of schools closed and thousands of students out of their classrooms last week as a massive cleanup effort got underway in a wide swath of the state.
Teaching Profession
News in Brief
Judge Rules Against Detroit Over Teacher Sickouts
A judge has ruled against the Detroit school district in its lawsuit against two teachers involved in teacher sickouts.
School Choice & Charters
News in Brief
La. Private Schools Take Students Without Funding
The waiting list for students hoping to attend private schools through Louisiana's voucher program has been cut nearly in half, after schools agreed to take in more students without certainty they'll get state funding.
School Choice & Charters
News in Brief
Founder of Pa. Online School Admits to Federal Tax Fraud
The founder and former CEO of an online public school that educates thousands of Pennsylvania students pleaded guilty last week to federal tax fraud.
School Choice & Charters
News in Brief
Mailer Tarring Public School Leads Charter CEO to Resign
The CEO of a Pennsylvania charter school is resigning after a mailer promoting the school cited a 2015 drug arrest at a nearby public high school.
Teaching Profession
News in Brief
Florida Teachers Push Back On Mandated Collaboration
Research has shown that when teachers collaborate, their practice changes, and student learning improves.
Education
News in Brief
Ky. Education Officials Find 200-Plus Violations on Tests
Kentucky officials have determined that 241 testing violations occurred on required statewide tests for the 2014-15 school year.
School Climate & Safety
News in Brief
Orlando Students Stay Away After Threats on Twitter
More than 900 students were absent from three Orlando-area schools after authorities say a man posted threats on Twitter to shoot students and put pipe bombs inside the Florida campuses.
English-Language Learners
News in Brief
Dual-Language, Bilingual Ed. Expanding in Los Angeles
The Los Angeles district is redoubling its commitment to language immersion and bilingual education, starting with the addition of nine dual-language programs this school year.
Education
News in Brief
Texas Penalizes Vendor ETS After Glitches Mar Testing
Texas is fining the Educational Testing Service $5.7 million—and ordering it to invest $15 million in future safeguards—after computer glitches caused problems in statewide testing last school year.