December 16, 2009
Education Week, Vol. 29, Issue 15
Federal
Reassurance Offered on 'Race to Top' Availability
"Plenty of money" will be left over after the first round of stimulus grants, Education Department officials tell states.
Curriculum
News in Brief
Music Donation
The Country Music Association is donating $1 million toward music education programs for Nashville's public schools.
School & District Management
News in Brief
Change at the Top
The Kansas City, Kan., school board has chosen Assistant Superintendent Cynthia Lane to be the next superintendent.
Law & Courts
News in Brief
La. School Board Shifts Policy on Prayers as Trial Looms
The Tangipahoa Parish, La., school board unanimously agreed last week to change the word "prayer" to "invocation" in its practice on prayers before board meetings.
Education
News in Brief
Uneven Playing Field
The U.S. Education Department is investigating a complaint that some high schools in N.C. favor male baseball athletes at the expense of girls softball teams.
Teaching Profession
News in Brief
Acute Teacher Shortage Eyed for Tennessee in Years Ahead
Within the next four years, 40 percent of current teacher positions across the state could be open, according to a study.
Education Funding
News in Brief
Governor of New York Says State Out of Cash
Gov. David Paterson is directing budget officials to reduce state aid payments to schools, local governments, and nonprofit service providers until the financial picture improves.
School Climate & Safety
News in Brief
Asian Students Protest Treatment
Philadelphia's superintendent says she wants to make sure that violence against Asian students at South Philadelphia High School does not continue.
School & District Management
News in Brief
Union's Loss of Recognition Spurs Walkout in Arkansas
The Pulaski County, Ark., special school district's board has voted to withdraw recognition of unions that represent teachers and the support staff, prompting a one-day work stoppage on Dec. 10.
Education
News in Brief
Foreign Aid
Twelve Minnesota schools are to split nearly $500,000 from the Confucius Institute Headquarters in Beijing, to teach Chinese language and culture.
Federal
Report Roundup
College-Completion Barriers
A national survey suggests that work and family obligations prompt many students to drop out of college and keep them from re-enrolling.
School & District Management
Report Roundup
College Success
State leaders can help ensure that students thrive in college by advocating policies in four areas, according to a policy brief by the National Governors Association’s Center for Best Practices.
School Climate & Safety
Report Roundup
Research Report: School Safety
During the 2007-08 school year, 21 school-age children were killed on their school campuses, and five committed suicide at school, according to a report published by the U.S. Departments of Education and Justice.
Mathematics
Report Roundup
Math in Asia
A new study examines the academic standards for mathematics in high-performing Hong Kong, Singapore, and South Korea and creates a "composite" of their approaches.
School Climate & Safety
News in Brief
Calif. District Drops Lessons About Anti-Gay Bullying
A San Francisco Bay Area school board will use broad lessons against bias to replace a curriculum against bullying gay people.
School & District Management
Major Study Gives Edge to Scripted Reform Models
An examination of three off-the-shelf designs for improving schools finds learning gains for the two with more-prescriptive approaches.
Standards
'Race to Top' Standards Link Questioned
Grant-competition rules that give states extra points for joining the common-standards push amount to federal intrusion, some argue on Capitol Hill.
School & District Management
Principals' Certificate on Horizon
The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards says it has raised money and is moving toward a 2011 launch.
Federal
Restructuring Under NCLB Found Lacking
The Center on Education Policy says its report raises questions about the Education Department's strategies for turning around low-performing schools.
Education Funding
Education Funding Bill Moving Through Congress
The appropriations measure gains steam, even as lawmakers and the Obama administration mull the prospect of a new jobs package.
School & District Management
Opinion
Thinking Anew About Teacher Tenure
Reluctance to reform tenure policies will undercut efforts to improve teacher effectiveness, writes Paul S. Sutton.
Teaching Profession
Opinion
Is Merit Pay the Answer?
Kim Marshall cites nine reasons why merit pay is an ineffective strategy for improving teaching and learning.
Teaching
Emotional Learning Promoted in Bill
Supporters of social and emotional learning are beginning to have friends in high places.
School & District Management
Opinion
Dropout Factories: New Strategies States Can Use
Drawing from a recent study, Cheryl Almeida, Robert Balfanz, and Adria Steinberg tell how new federal funds can be effective.
School & District Management
Education Stakes High in 2010 State Elections
With at least 20 governorships set to turn over, the continuity of states’ reform efforts loom large.
School & District Management
Report Roundup
More Top Scorers Found in Tracked Schools
A new study contends schools that don't track students of the same grade into multiple course levels based on their achievement have fewer students scoring at the advanced level on state standardized tests.
School Climate & Safety
News in Brief
Restraint, Seclusion Bills Introduced
The proposed law would establish the first federal safety standards in schools for the use of restraint and seclusion.
School & District Management
'Diplomas Now' Offers Potential Dropouts Lots of Help
The model blends school reform, social support, and an early warning system to help students stay on track to graduation.