November 7, 2001
Education Week, Vol. 21, Issue 10
Federal
ESEA Conferees Reach Accords On Social Issues
House and Senate negotiators last week tackled some of the vexing social issues embedded in the pending education bill, as they cast votes on provisions concerning hate crimes, school prayer, and school access for the Boy Scouts.
House and Senate negotiators last week tackled some of the vexing social issues embedded in the pending education bill, as they cast votes on provisions concerning hate crimes, school prayer, and school access for the Boy Scouts.
Student Well-Being
Minute of Silence Stands As High Court Declines Case
The U.S. Supreme Court declined last week to review the constitutionality of a Virginia law that requires a daily minute of silence for public school students to "meditate, pray, or engage in any other silent activity."
Assessment
Illinois Panel on Teacher Quality Split Over Use of Testing
Illinois is poised to change the way it licenses teachers, setting up a clash between teachers' unions and business groups.
Recruitment & Retention
Smaller-Than-Expected Bonuses Anger Some L.A. Teachers
Feeling left out of the loop, some Los Angeles teachers say a program that was promoted as a way to reward teamwork is now fueling divisiveness by rewarding teachers based on seniority.
School & District Management
Fine Lines: School Boards Clash Over New District Maps
With results from the 2000 U.S. Census in hand, state politicians and local school board members have plunged into the unglamorous but politically charged job of redrawing voter boundaries to reflect new population figures.
With results from the 2000 U.S. Census in hand, state politicians and local school board members have plunged into the unglamorous but politically charged job of redrawing voter boundaries to reflect new population figures.
Education
Retrospective
District of Columbia voters reject tuition tax credits; a survey finds that most history teachers are white males; and Sen. Dan Quayle seeks to strip the Education Department's power; and more.
District of Columbia voters reject tuition tax credits; a survey finds that most history teachers are white males; and Sen. Dan Quayle seeks to strip the Education Department's power; and more.
Education
People in the News
President Bush has appointed Nancy S. Grasmick to the federal Commission on Excellence in Special Education.
Special Education
Bilingual Students With Disabilities Get Special Help
The 246,000-student Clark County, Nev., school district, among the nation's largest, is one of the few districts in the country that provide through one program—and dually trained teachers—overlapping English-acquisition and special education services for students.
Federal
Report: Ed. Dept. Financial Steps Will Halt Abuses
New financial controls will help protect against future misuse of Department of Education resources, agency leaders vowed last week in releasing a final report on efforts to overhaul the department's management system. Includes a table, "Path to Improvement."
School & District Management
Whole-School Projects Show Mixed Results
The July closing of Memphis's closely watched effort to install schoolwide improvement programs in every school in the city was just the latest in a string of setbacks in the nationwide movement known as comprehensive or "whole school" reform.
Equity & Diversity
Senate Spending Bill Would Bolster Title I 'Targeting' to Poor Schools
The Senate, in a break from its past stance, agreed last week to distribute a portion of Title I aid under a formula that seeks to better target money to high-poverty school districts.
Social Studies
Bush Calls On Schools To Welcome Veterans
President Bush unveiled another initiative last week connecting schoolchildren and the ongoing international conflict over terrorism, asking schools across the country to invite veterans to speak to students during the week of Nov. 11.
Assessment
News in Brief: A State Capitals Roundup
- N.Y. Tells District to Enforce Attendance for State Tests
- Mich. Bill Seeks Equal Military Access
- Md. State Test Gets a Passing Grade
Education Funding
Lawmakers Cushion School Aid Cuts As Budgets Shrink
States hardest hit by the economic aftermath of the September terrorist attacks took action last week to shield public schools from the most severe budget cuts— at least for now.
International
U.N. Report: No School For 156 Million Children
Some developing countries have made considerable gains in providing schooling for all their citizens, moving away from traditions of educating only the privileged or those with exceptional academic aptitude, a UNESCO report says.
Education
International
It has been 54 years since India gained its independence from Britain. And while the country has made progress toward educating every child during that time, education has been a privilege for children rather than a right.
Historic Effort for India
It has been 54 years since India gained its independence from Britain. And while the country has made progress toward educating every child during that time, education has been a privilege for children rather than a right.
Education
Private Schools
Application Jitters
It wasn't a typical letter home to high school parents. There were no newsy tidbits about school events. This letter carried one message: Stop the insanity.
Student Achievement
GAO: Student Achievement Lagging At Bureau of Indian Affairs Schools
Student achievement at schools operated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs as measured by scores on standardized tests is considerably lower than that of public schools, according to a report by the federal General Accounting Office.
Education
Path to Improvement
The Department of Education has drawn up a list of annual goals to improve its financial-management systems. Among the highlights:
Accountability
Panel Reviews How States Post Education Data Online
States' posting of school performance evaluations online is giving parents and educators quick access to vital information they need, but some states are doing a much better job of it than others are, said a Heritage Foundation panel last week.
School & District Management
Some Top Students Just Average At 'Star' Schools
Ask any realtor: Prospective buyers with children compete for homes in neighborhoods where the public schools are top-notch, believing it will increase the youngsters' chances of admission to the best colleges. A recent study, however, suggests that can actually put applicants at a disadvantage.
Early Childhood
Institute Puts Professional Artists In Little Ones' Classrooms
The Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts has placed performing artists in preschool classrooms and child-care centers for one- and seven-week residencies for 20 years. The organization's work is now focusing on building young children's literacy and language development.
Education
News in Brief: A National Roundup
- Md. Students, Staff Members Tested for Anthrax Bacteria
- Commission on Teaching Gets New Executive Director
- El Cajon, Calif., School Shooter Commits Suicide in Jail Cell
- Newton, Mass., Parents Question Charges Against Driver in Fatal Crash
- California District Scraps Proposal for Families to Buy $2,000 Laptops
- Indianapolis Students Sue to Form Gay-Straight Club
- Admissions Plans Approved for Competitive S.F. Schools
- Reported Crimes in Schools Drop Slightly, Report Says
- 800-Student Calif. District to Sell Superintendent's $80,000 BMW
Budget & Finance
Unprecedented Change Eyed For Phila. Schools
Gov. Mark S. Schweiker of Pennsylvania proposed last week that the Philadelphia schools be taken over by a private management company, a move that would turn one of the country's largest school systems into the biggest public-school-privatization experiment yet.
Teacher Preparation
Total Immersion
In an ambitious attempt to redefine the way prospective educators are trained and inducted in to the field, the Aurora Partnership for Teaching plunges college students into the life of a local school from their first moments on campus.
Education
Federal File
Military Breakthrough
Congressional negotiators have reached an agreement that would make it easier for military recruiters to deliver their time-honored "Uncle Sam wants you" message to high school students.
States
Online-Education Consortium Created for States
To help states share the powerful online educational tools that some are developing, 14 states have joined together to form the U.S. Open e-Learning Consortium.