May 13, 2009
Education Week, Vol. 28, Issue 31
Federal
News in Brief
Poll Adds 'Youth Voice' on Schools
More than a third of students in grades 5-12 who were surveyed this spring are struggling or suffering in school and life, according to a new polling project that aims to present the “youth voice” on school issues.
Law & Courts
News in Brief
Ex-Treasurer of Ark. School Group Pleads Guilty to Stealing Money
The former treasurer for a parent-teacher organization in Bentonville, Ark., has pleaded guilty to stealing from a fund for an elementary school.
Law & Courts
News in Brief
Teacher's Remark on Creationism Ruled Violation of Student’s Rights
A federal judge in Santa Ana, Calif., has ruled that a public high school history teacher violated the First Amendment when he called creationism "superstitious nonsense" during a classroom lecture.
Education Funding
News in Brief
Many Ohio Voters Turn Down Round of School Tax Proposals
A sluggish economy and uncertainty over the Ohio governor’s education plan were among factors that led voters to reject more than a third of the latest round of school tax proposals.
Education Funding
News in Brief
L.A. District Paying Teachers 'Housed' on Misconduct Charges
As the Los Angeles Unified School District considers mass layoffs to deal with a budget deficit.
Education Funding
News in Brief
Illinois Governor Drops Proposal to Increase Teachers' Pension Costs
Gov. Pat Quinn of Illinois has canceled his call to increase pension costs for Illinois teachers, university staff members, and state employees.
Education
News in Brief
Judge Orders California District to Stop Drug Testing for Activities
A Northern California school district must temporarily stop a sweeping drug-testing program that included students involved in band and other after-school activities, a judge ruled last week.
Education Funding
News in Brief
Foundations Team Up With AFT on Projects
Four private philanthropies will partner with the American Federation of Teachers through its Innovation Fund.
School & District Management
News in Brief
Troubled Georgia District Wins Accreditation, Selects Leader
The lone finalist for the Clayton County, Ga., superintendent’s job says he is committed to turning around the troubled district.
Federal
In Standards Push, Lawmakers Cheer States’ Initiative
Some in Congress voice support for a state-driven initiative, while remaining wary of an explicit federal role.
Teaching Profession
Souter a Key Voice in Education Cases
To the extent that education cases can be cast in conservative or liberal terms, Justice David H. Souter’s record on such cases in his 19 years on the U.S. Supreme Court can be characterized as reliably liberal.
School Climate & Safety
E-Learning’s Potential Scrutinized in Flu Crisis
Districts examine their plans for how they would educate students during extended school closures.
School Choice & Charters
Reimbursement for Private Placement Again Topic of Supreme Court Scrutiny
A decision could flesh out when parents of a child with disabilities can seek to recover costs for private school services.
Curriculum
Opinion
Creativity: The Path to Economic Recovery
David Burns writes, "While there is little dispute about the importance of the disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and math, we must consider beauty, art, invention, and imagination."
Education Funding
Arkansas Funding Increases for K-12
The state’s governor says even the slight increase approved by lawmakers in their recent session will make a difference.
Federal
Opinion
Rethinking 'Restructuring'
Jack Jennings, Caitlin Scott, & Nancy Kober write, "Hope should not be pinned on a single restructuring plan."
Education
Report Roundup
Comparing School Success
Young children in five New England states are more likely to succeed in school than children elsewhere in the country, according to a recently published "school success" index.
Teaching Profession
Report Roundup
Teacher Retention
An evaluation of Chicago schools using the Teacher Advancement Program found that after a year, TAP teachers were more likely to return to their schools than non-TAP teachers.
Education
Report Roundup
Dropout Rates
A loophole allows students to be "discharged" from the 1 million-student New York City district without being counted as dropouts, and the problem keeps growing, a report says.
Ed-Tech Policy
Report Roundup
Research Report: Educational Technology
School administrators are debating the classroom role of popular social-networking sites and editable Web pages known as wikis, a survey suggests.
Curriculum
Report Roundup
Adolescent Reading
The Southern Regional Education Board is advising its 16 member states to devise comprehensive policies to improve reading for middle and high school students.
Federal
Testing Faces Ups and Downs Amid Recession
Amid the recession, many assessments are getting cut back, though districts are trying to spare those that diagnose problems.
School & District Management
Deputy Secretary Pick Brings Business Background
In naming Tony Miller to fill the No. 2 slot at the U.S. Department of Education, President Barack Obama has turned to a manager with extensive business experience as the department tackles the challenge of overseeing some $100 billion in economic-stimulus aid to education.
Law & Courts
Voters in California Face Fiscal Issues
A ballot propositions will go before voters to settle a legal dispute about whether the state owes K-12 schools and community colleges $9.3 billion.
Curriculum
Letter to the Editor
Students’ Ability and Effort Are True Source of Effects
To the Editor:
Regarding " 'No Effects' Studies Raising Eyebrows" (April 1, 2009):
Regarding " 'No Effects' Studies Raising Eyebrows" (April 1, 2009):
Teaching Profession
Letter to the Editor
Non-Centrist Teachers Have Their Place, Too
To the Editor:
It’s about time that a reformer finally pays proper attention to what actually happens in the classroom (" 'Hugging the Middle': Why Good Teaching Ignores Ideology," Commentary, April 29, 2009). By analyzing nearly 10,000 lesson plans created between the 1890s and 2005 in urban, suburban, and rural schools, Larry Cuban immediately establishes credibility at a time when so much is written by theoreticians.
It’s about time that a reformer finally pays proper attention to what actually happens in the classroom (" 'Hugging the Middle': Why Good Teaching Ignores Ideology," Commentary, April 29, 2009). By analyzing nearly 10,000 lesson plans created between the 1890s and 2005 in urban, suburban, and rural schools, Larry Cuban immediately establishes credibility at a time when so much is written by theoreticians.
Education
Letter to the Editor
Charting the Development of Australia’s Curriculum
To the Editor:
In general, your In Perspective article "National Curriculum Inching Forward" (April 22, 2009) presents an extensive and perceptive account of the debate among Australian policymakers over the development of a national curriculum for that country’s schools. The piece, however, fails to highlight sufficiently several important issues.
In general, your In Perspective article "National Curriculum Inching Forward" (April 22, 2009) presents an extensive and perceptive account of the debate among Australian policymakers over the development of a national curriculum for that country’s schools. The piece, however, fails to highlight sufficiently several important issues.
Education
Letter to the Editor
Criticism, and Some Praise, of A Nation at Risk Coverage
To the Editor:
Clearly the public schools have failed. Your April 22, 2009, issue contains the second installment of articles this year recounting the 25th anniversary of A Nation at Risk, which told us so. A Nation at Risk appeared in 1983. This is 2009. Unless I was mistaught, or Education Week is using something different than the usual base-10 system, that’s 26 years, not 25.
Clearly the public schools have failed. Your April 22, 2009, issue contains the second installment of articles this year recounting the 25th anniversary of A Nation at Risk, which told us so. A Nation at Risk appeared in 1983. This is 2009. Unless I was mistaught, or Education Week is using something different than the usual base-10 system, that’s 26 years, not 25.
School Climate & Safety
Letter to the Editor
Columbine Anniversary Recalls an Earlier Shooting
To the Editor:
Your article "Lessons Sifted From Tragedy at Columbine" (April 8, 2009) was a touching reminder of that terrible school shooting 10 years ago last month. Unfortunately, it also left me feeling denied and omitted.
Your article "Lessons Sifted From Tragedy at Columbine" (April 8, 2009) was a touching reminder of that terrible school shooting 10 years ago last month. Unfortunately, it also left me feeling denied and omitted.