September 21, 2016
Education Week, Vol. 36, Issue 05
Teaching Profession
Projects Couple Affordable Teacher Housing With New School Construction
A Newark, N.J., complex’s ties to charter schools has created tensions in the district.
Recruitment & Retention
Opinion
Obama's Legacy for Male Principals of Color
Students of color need more teachers and leaders with whom they share a cultural background, writes Winston C. Cox.
School & District Management
Opinion
Mayors Have Role in Improving Education
Mayors must work across party lines to build education partnerships and capacity in their communities, write two Arizonian mayors.
Education
Letter to the Editor
Teacher Shortage No Reason To Omit Physics Classes
To the Editor: Physics isn't offered at two out of five high schools? ("Physics Not Offered at 2 in 5 High Schools, Analysis Finds," Aug. 24, 2016) There is no reason for that. Physics can be taught through experimentation, but it can also be taught by focusing on the ideas behind the scie...
Education
Letter to the Editor
ESSA Alone Not Enough To Help Students
To the Editor: The Every Student Succeeds Act seems like more of the same rhetoric we saw under No Child Left Behind ("Weighing In on ESSA," Aug. 24, 2016). Accountability and subgroup disaggregation are still prominent. Yet, there is limited information on public school choice, the financial impac...
Education
Letter to the Editor
Teacher-Prep Accreditation 'Appears to Be in Disarray'
To the Editor: I was dismayed as I read the piece about the current accreditation of teacher education programs and how the process appears to be in disarray ("Teacher-Prep Accreditation Group Seeks Traction," Aug. 24, 2016). I have fond memories of my involvement with the National Council for Accr...
Education
Letter to the Editor
District Effort Can Assist Teacher-Training Process
To the Editor: In the Aug. 24, 2016, issue of Education Week, Marc F. Bernstein's Commentary presented an excellent argument for recertifying teachers by giving teachers and their unions responsibility for implementing that process. Bernstein accurately reviews the issues with reform, such as poor implement...
School & District Management
Ten 'Super Schools' Win $100 Million
The winning high school redesign projects get $10 million each to bring their ideas to life.
IT Infrastructure & Management
State Ed-Tech Leaders Outline Ambitious Broadband Goals
Despite major strides in getting schools connected to the internet, state ed-tech leaders are calling for redoubled efforts to provide equitable access to technology.
Student Well-Being
From Our Research Center
Teachers Seize On 'Growth Mindset,' But Crave More Training
An Education Week Research Center survey highlights teachers' enthusiasm for the concept and their desire for more professional development on how to effectively use it in their classrooms.
Education
ESSA Testing Rules: The Public Weighs In
The U.S. Department of Education recently released two sets of proposed regulations that deal with how student testing will work under the Every Student Succeeds Act. The official "comment period" ended earlier this month, and more than 100 educators, parents, and advocates took the opportunity to offer their thoughts.
Every Student Succeeds Act
Fresh Policy Leverage Waits as Governors' Contests Heat Up
A dozen states pick governors Nov. 8, and they'll play a crucial role in setting the education agenda under the new Every Student Succeeds Act.
Special Education
Cameras in Special Ed. Classrooms a Complex Issue
A new Texas law requiring such cameras at the request of parents and teachers raises questions about cost, privacy, and even whether they'll help protect children.
Education Funding
Report Roundup
School Funding
A state effort to target funding to lagging school districts did not reduce disparities in student achievement and per-student spending, a study has found.
Every Student Succeeds Act
Flashpoints Emerge as States Step Up ESSA Planning
Tight timelines and the requirement for a summative rating for schools are among the issues officials must navigate as they craft accountability plans under the new federal law.
Federal
'Back-to-School' Bus Tour Focuses on Obama Education Legacy
U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr.'s swing through six Southern states included stops highlighting the administration's competitive-grant programs.
Classroom Technology
K-12 Computing Market Moves Toward 2-in-1 Devices
Hybrid laptop-tablet devices are growing more popular in the global K-12 education market, according to a recent analysis by Futuresource Consulting.
School Climate & Safety
News in Brief
H.S. Athletes Emulate NFL Star on Anthem
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick made headlines for refusing to stand during "The Star-Spangled Banner" in protest of what he perceived to be racial inequalities and injustices in the United States. The incident has inspired similar protests by a number of high school students.
School & District Management
Report Roundup
School Choice
Officials often struggle to determine if students participating in school choice programs like vouchers and education savings accounts are receiving the "equitable services" they are entitled to under federal law, such as speech therapy and reading tutors, according to a report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office.
School Climate & Safety
Report Roundup
Food Insecurity
It's not news that traditional school meal programs for students in poverty don't work as well for busy and hyper-self-conscious teenagers, but new research throws the problem into graphic relief: Teenagers shoplifted, sold drugs, or traded sex to get enough food for themselves and their families.
Equity & Diversity
News in Brief
Mich. Guidelines Urge Inclusive Treatment of LGBT Students
Michigan's board of education last week approved voluntary guidelines that urge schools to create an inclusive environment for LGBT students, including by letting transgender students use restrooms and locker rooms consistent with their chosen gender identity.
Special Education
News in Brief
Texas Schools Reported To Deny Spec. Ed. Services
More than a dozen Texas teachers and administrators say they delayed or denied special education to students with disabilities in order to stay below the benchmark state officials set for the number of students who should get such services.
College & Workforce Readiness
Report Roundup
Access to Higher Education
As college-application season ramps up once again, an annual survey of college-admissions officers reiterates an important message for high school students who are worried about their SAT or ACT scores: The classes you take and the grades you earn are far more important than your test scores.
Science
Report Roundup
States' Push for Computer Science Grows
Twenty states now require that high school students be allowed to count a computer science course as a math or science credit toward graduation, according to a new report from the Education Commission of the States.
Ed-Tech Policy
News in Brief
CEO of Ed-Tech Group Leaves Unexpectedly
The International Society for Technology in Education and its CEO, Brian Lewis, have parted ways, the organization announced last week, in an unexpected leadership change at the top of the prominent ed-tech organization.
Student Well-Being
News in Brief
Minn. Schools Go Years Without Water Testing
Testing for lead in drinking water at some Minnesota schools hasn't been done since the late 1990s, despite a state health recommendation that it take place every five years.
English-Language Learners
News in Brief
California to Ensure Language Services for ELLs
California schools have agreed under a federal settlement to ensure language education for 1.4 million students who are designated as English-language learners.
College & Workforce Readiness
News in Brief
U.S. House Passes Version Of Perkins Reauthorization
The U.S. House of Representatives last week approved a reauthorization of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act.
Student Well-Being
News in Brief
Mercury Contaminates Las Vegas School
Investigators say they're puzzled by the significant amount of mercury found at a Las Vegas school, days after a few dribbles of the neurotoxin were first discovered and forced more than a thousand students into a quarantine that lasted overnight.