December 7, 1988

Education Week, Vol. 08, Issue 14
Education States News Roundup
The New York State Education Department has violated federal civil-rights laws by awarding scholarships solely on the basis of scores on college-admission tests, four groups charged in federal court last week.

The American Civil Liberties Union, the New York Civil Liberties Union, the New York Public Interest Research Group, and the National Center for Fair & Open Testing claim that such use of tests discriminates against women, since men consistently outperform women on the Scholastic Aptitude Test and the American College Testing program.

December 7, 1988
1 min read
Education Colleges' Affirmative-Action Policies Hurt Asian Students, Reynolds Claims in Speech
The Justice Department's civil-rights chief last week attacked as "legally and morally wrong" college-admissions practices that limit the number of Asian-American applicants accepted.
Mark Walsh, December 7, 1988
3 min read
Education Study Finds No Competition for Graduates Between the Military and Higher Education

The increasing attractiveness of military service for some high-school graduates does not pose a competitive threat to higher education, a new report by the American Council on Education concludes.
December 7, 1988
2 min read
Ed-Tech Policy Column: Computers
An unusual exchange program between schools in the United States and the Soviet Union will link students, teachers, and administrators by computer and video-telephone lines.

A joint venture of the New York-based Copen Foundation and the New York State Education Department, the three-year program will bring together a dozen American schools with counterparts in the ussr

December 7, 1988
2 min read
Education New Public-Awareness Project Aims To Focus on the 'High-Risk' Young
Authorities on juvenile crime and delinquency met here last week to plot out a national public-awareness campaign designed to bring new vigor to the fight to save "high risk" youths--and the nation at large--from the devastation of destructive behavior patterns.
Lisa Jennings, December 7, 1988
7 min read
Education News In Brief
The Kentucky legislature's Democratic caucus has rejected Gov. Wallace G. Wilkinson's recommendation on when to begin spending proceeds from a new state lottery.

Mr. Wilkinson called lawmakers into special session last month to pass legislation implementing the lottery authorized by voters on Nov. 8.

December 7, 1988
4 min read
Education Bush's 'Flexible Freeze' Would Cut Education Funding, Panel Finds
President-elect George Bush's "flexible freeze" plan for the federal budget could result in a 10 percent cut in education spending within the next five years, according to an analysis by the House Budget Committee.
Reagan Walker, December 7, 1988
1 min read
Education Boston University-Chelsea Pact Clears First Two Hurdles
At the end of a three-hour public hearing, the school committee in this working-class community last week tentatively approved a landmark agreement to allow a private university to manage its school system over the next 10 years.
Robert Rothman, December 7, 1988
5 min read
Education District News Roundup
Prior restraint by school officials of unofficial or "underground" student publications is unconstitutional, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has ruled.

The decision represents a significant elaboration of the Supreme Court's decision in Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier, issued last January, in which the Court held that school administrators have sweeping authority to regulate school-sponsored publications.

December 7, 1988
4 min read
Education Drug-Test Policy Targets Workers In Indian Schools
Virtually all employees of federally operated Indian schools--including teachers, administrators, school-bus drivers, and even aides--would be subject to random drug testing under a new policy set by the Department of the Interior.
Julie A. Miller, December 7, 1988
6 min read
Education When Extracurricular Means Extra Costs Districts Resorting to 'Pay-To-Play' Option
Making the squad of an interscholastic team at Michigan's Lapeer High School requires more than just athletic prowess--students must also pay $275 each.
Ellen Flax, December 7, 1988
9 min read
Education Federal File: Budget season; Picks and pans
The Office of Management and Budget has returned revised 1990 budget proposals to federal agencies, kicking off an annual guessing game that will last until the numbers become public in early January.

Secretary of Education Lauro F. Cavazos, who has vowed to fight for more money for his department, apparently made some substantial upward revisions in the budget plan that had been drafted by his predecessor, William J. Bennett.

December 7, 1988
1 min read
Education Ford Grants $650,000 To Test Training Teachers in Schools
The Ford Foundation last week awarded more than $650,000 in planning grants to projects testing a new approach to training future teachers.

The grants will help 11 communities shift the primary responsibility for the clinical training of teachers from colleges and universities to the public schools, where the prospective teachers will work as interns for a few months before graduating.

December 7, 1988
3 min read
Education Drug Abuse and Corruption Charges Jar New York Schools
Top-ranking officials in as many as 10 of New York City's community school districts are currently being investigated by school or law-enforcement officials in response to an outpouring of allegations about drug use and other illegal activities in the districts.
William Snider, December 7, 1988
3 min read
Education Nevada Study Sees Financial Squeeze in Mid-1990's
Rapid growth in Nevada's school-age population may force the state to consider raising taxes or cutting expenditures by the middle of the next decade to maintain present levels of service, an independent study prepared for state lawmakers concludes.

But, barring an unforeseen economic shock, Nevada's tax base should be adequate to fund services at their present levels until then, according to the 900-page report.

December 7, 1988
2 min read
Education National News Roundup
The Carnegie Corporation of New York has created a new task force on the education of young adolescents, with the goal of developing plans for the restructuring of education in the middle grades.

"The traditional junior high school has failed as an institution to meet the unique and critical needs of young adolescents," said David Hamburg, president of the corporation. "The enormous opportunity for intellectual and personal development dur6ing early adolescence is simply wasted for millions of American youngsters."

December 7, 1988
1 min read
Education Unsolicited Advice: Transition's Abundant Fare
Washington--Unsolicited advice for President-elect George Bush and his aides on how to run the country has become the hottest cottage industry in Washington these days.
Reagan Walker, December 7, 1988
5 min read
Education New Jersey High Court Sets Deadlines For State Chief, Board in Aid Lawsuit
New Jersey's supreme court has ordered the state school commissioner and board of education to complete administrative hearings in a major school-finance lawsuit by mid-April.
Nancy Mathis, December 7, 1988
2 min read
Education 'Technologically Enhanced' Schools State Chiefs' Goal
The Council of Chief State School Officers has adopted a plan designed to help it develop a "technologically enhanced 'vision' of restructured schools."

The plan, adopted at the Council's annual meeting in Indianapolis last month, grew out of discussions held in late September at the group's Third National Conference on Educational Technology.

December 7, 1988
2 min read
Education Rising Enrollment and Costs Threaten Special-Education Gains, Study Finds
The pressure on school districts to contain costs as special-education enrollments expand may undermine the progress that has been made toward providing all such students with the services they need, a five-year study has concluded.
Ellen Flax, December 7, 1988
5 min read
Education Milestones
Mother Katharine Drexel, a Philadelphia nun who established schools for blacks and American Indians, has been beatified by Pope John Paul II.

By proclaiming Mother Drexel worthy of veneration, the Pontiff also made her eligible to be canonized as the second American-born saint. The first was Mother Elizabeth Seton, who was canonized in 1975.

December 7, 1988
1 min read
Education University Awarded Grant To Study Possible Regulation of Tests
In a step that could lead to stronger regulation of the testing industry, Boston College's center for the study of testing, evaluation, and educational policy has begun a two-year study to determine whether an independent body should monitor the industry's practices and products.

The study, funded by a $197,000 grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, will examine existing governmental, independent, and industry-based regulatory bodies to see if those models are appropriate for the testing field, according to George F. Madaus, the center's director.

December 7, 1988
1 min read
Education People News
A Los Angeles teacher last week vowed to continue her solo hunger strike to bring about improved "teacher benefits and rights."

Annya Bell, a 1st-grade teacher at the 42nd Street School, began fasting on Nov. 17 to help focus public attention on stalled contract negotiations between the school district and United Teachers-Los Angeles.

December 7, 1988
1 min read
Education News Update
The New York State Board of Regents will remove a passage that was denounced as racist from its dropout-prevention manual, Commissioner of Education Thomas Sobol has said.

The manual, which was distributed in 1987 to some 15,000 educators, stated that certain groups of students at risk of dropping out of school--particularly blacks and those having handicaps or limited English proficiency--have "learning styles" that are different from those of other students. (See Education Week, Oct. 14, 1987.)

December 7, 1988
1 min read
Education 250 Inner-City 1st Graders Get Pledge of College Aid
Merrill Lynch & Company has pledged to pay the college tuition of 250 1st graders in 10 cities, in one of the latest, and most sweeping, of corporate-support tuition programs for inner-city children.

Under the auspices of the Merrill Lynch Foundation, the charitable arm of the brokerage firm, the ScholarshipBuilder program will invest $2,000 for each student in the program to cover college expenses.

December 7, 1988
1 min read
Education Washington State Panel Issues Blueprint for School Reform
Washington State would join those that have adopted some of the most popular regulatory ideas of the education-reform movement if it backs proposals contained in a draft report by a blue-ribbon panel studying economic-development needs in the state.
Lisa Jennings, December 7, 1988
3 min read
Education Lawmakers Pass Bill To Revamp Chicago Schools
The Chicago Public Schools will become the site of the nation's largest experiment with locally controlled schools under landmark legislation passed late last week by Illinois lawmakers.
William Snider, December 7, 1988
7 min read
Education Capital Digest
Secretary of Education Lauro F. Cavazos has rejected a plea by House members to replace three members of the new governing board for the National Assessment of Educational Progress.

The 23-member board, appointed by former Secretary of Education William J. Bennett, took office on Oct. 1.

December 7, 1988
2 min read
Education Column: Early Years
The U.S. Education Department is funding a two-pronged study to provide guidance to schools on how to help disadvantaged children retain the benefits of early-childhood programs.

The effort is aimed at reversing a trend noted in studies showing that gains achieved by children in the Head Start program "trail off" as they progress through elementary school, said Elizabeth Farquhar, project director for the study.

December 7, 1988
4 min read