January 9, 2002
Education Week, Vol. 21, Issue 16
School & District Management
It's Official: State Takes Over Philadelphia Schools
Philadelphia's 200,000 students returned from winter vacation last week to the same desks and books they had 12 days earlier. But a profound change had occurred while they were gone: The state took charge of their schools and embarked on what is sure to be one of the nation's most scrutinized educational experiments.
Teaching Profession
Pennsylvania Teachers Put to Test
State tests are familiar medicine to students. Most of the country's prospective teachers get a dose of them as well. But when some 33,400 Pennsylvania classroom teachers recently took state-mandated tests of their reading and mathematics skills, it was something of a first.
Accountability
Report Card Days
South Carolina schools are getting new report cards, but it's not clear if the state's latest effort to improve will make the grade.
Assessment
Testing Systems in Most States Not ESEA-Ready
Based on a strict interpretation of the federal education legislation passed by Congress in December and set for signing by President Bush this week, few states currently meet its requirements for an unprecedented expansion of state testing systems.
Education
A History of Intervention
While Pennsylvania's new control of the Philadelphia schools marks the largest state takeover of a school district, other districts around the country have been the subjects of intervention in their governance systems or management over the past decade or so. Here's a look at some prominent examples.
Education
Measuring Up
Just nine states have testing systems that meet the new ESEA's requirements. Under the federal law, states must give standards-based English and math tests annually to students in grades 3-8.
Education
Adding It Up
The Department of Education has received a record increase of $6.7 billion in discretionary spending for fiscal 2002, which began Oct. 1, for a total of $48.9 billion. That represents a 15.9 percent increase from fiscal 2001. Here are some highlights from the new budget and comparisons with last year's levels.
Education
An ESEA Primer
Here are highlights of the "No Child Left Behind" Act, the legislation to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, which President Bush was expected to sign into law this week.
Special Education
Jeffords' Defection Fails to Yield Special Education Windfall
Upon bolting from the GOP to become a political Independent, and handing control of the Senate to Democrats, Sen. James M. Jeffords reasoned that he might succeed in a move to inject billions of additional dollars annually into special education. It didn't work out that way.
Education
Mission Imponderable: Goals Panel to Disband
In 1993, when the National Education Goals Panel was near the height of its influence, a focus group reviewed its publications and documents. "This too shall pass," one anonymous educator remarked.
Assessment
Online Report Cards for Teacher Programs Draw Heavy Response
More than 7,000 people rushed late last fall to log on to a new Department of Education Web site that is intended to illuminate the quality of the nation's teacher-preparation programs and their graduates. The heavy first-day response both surprised and pleased federal administrators.
Law & Courts
Court Declines Chance to Clarify Graduation-Prayer Law
Public school commencement season this spring could be marked by renewed legal uncertainty because of the U.S. Supreme Court's refusal to review a Florida school district's policy allowing student messages at graduation. The policy has often resulted in student-led prayers.
Equity & Diversity
Cambridge Becomes Latest District To Integrate by Income
The Cambridge, Mass., school system has joined a small but growing number of districts seeking to integrate schools on the basis of income rather than race— helping to expand what some experts see as a coming trend in American education.
Education
Scotland Yard Official Suggesting Police Track Child Troublemakers
A warning to all the bad little boys and girls in London: Scotland Yard is watching.
Education
News in Brief: A Washington Roundup
- Former Virgina Official
Gets Postsecondary Job - Pell Grant Ceiling Raised to $4,000
- Reservists Get Repayment Window
- Department Prevails in Loan Dispute
- Meetings on Student Aid Set
Federal
ESEA to Boost Federal Role In Education
Following an exhaustive effort by Congress that spanned nearly three years and ultimately generated broad bipartisan support, President Bush was expected to sign the revised Elementary and Secondary Education Act into law this week.
Education
Federal File
Dog Days of December
Amid all the analysis of how Congress and President Bush were able to reach agreement on education matters last month, one negotiator has been ignored: Splash.
Student Well-Being
California and Toledo Efforts Win Innovation Awards
A California state effort to help disadvantaged students improve their math and science skills and a teacher-mentoring program in Toledo, Ohio, were recently honored with prominent national awards that recognize government innovation.
School & District Management
Two New Projects to Examine Quality, Impact of Exit Exams
Two new projects have been launched to examine the quality of high school exit exams and their effects on students.
Equity & Diversity
Afghanistan Struggles to Rebuild Its Education System
Now that the heavy veil of Taliban rule has been lifted by the United States-led war in Afghanistan, dissident educators and relief workers are hopeful that the grassroots educational movement there will now strengthen and thrive. Includes an accompanying international education story, "Scotland Yard Official Police Track Child Troublemakers."
Education
Children & Families
Educating Grandparents: Because many grandparents play crucial roles in the lives of their grandchildren—some even serving as parents—a new initiative is aiming to inform them about the latest on child development.
School & District Management
Study Shows Test Gains In 'Accelerated Schools'
Accelerated Schools, a school improvement program designed to bring challenging curricula to disadvantaged students, appears to have paid off in some of the schools that tried it early on, according to an independent study.
Education
Retrospective
A study says NAEP has failed to make itself useful; parties on both sides of the evolution debate dig in; Minneapolis makes plans to close nearly one-third of its schools; prominent authors defend a book about that contains four-letter work; and more.
A study says NAEP has failed to make itself useful; parties on both sides of the evolution debate dig in; Minneapolis makes plans to close nearly one-third of its schools; prominent authors defend a book about that contains four-letter work; and more.
Law & Courts
New York State Court Dismisses Student-Poverty Suit
A New York state appeals court has dismissed a class action brought on behalf of poor children in the Rochester public schools that contended students were denied a sound, basic education because the state had failed to alleviate concentrations of poverty in the 37,000-student district.
Recruitment & Retention
Study: Teachers Seek Better Working Conditions
A recent study suggests that pay raises alone may not be enough of an incentive to attract teachers to hard-to-staff, low-performing schools.
Education
People in the News
John M. McLaughlin has been named the vice president for education leadership and strategic planning for the Brown Schools, a Nashville, Tenn.- based provider of education and support services to families with children who have special needs.
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Law & Courts
Student Survey Found to Violate Federal Law
A New Jersey school district broke a little-known federal law two years ago when it surveyed students on drugs, sex, and other sensitive topics, the U.S. Department of Education has declared.