November 15, 2017
Education Week, Vol. 37, Issue 13
School Choice & Charters
'There Is No Oversight': Private-School Vouchers Can Leave Parents on Their Own
The Florida private schools that last year collected $825 million in taxpayer-funded vouchers and scholarships have few requirements for informing the public on how they are serving students.
Every Student Succeeds Act
What's Next for This State's Tough Teacher Evaluation System?
A higher percentage of teachers come up short in New Mexico than in many other states—but that could change.
Every Student Succeeds Act
Are States Changing Course on Teacher Evaluation?
Current trends indicate states are backing away from using student-growth measures—and standardized-test scores, in particular—to gauge teacher quality.
Standards
A One-Year Scorecard for Trump on K-12 Campaign-Trail Promises
Here's a look at how things have turned out on several key campaign pledges a year after Trump's upset presidential victory.
Teaching Profession
Teachers Get an Invite to Policy Table in N.M.
After some contentious debates over its tough teacher-evaluation system, New Mexico is reaching out with new initiatives aimed at incorporating teachers’ input on education decisions made at the state level.
Families & the Community
Study: Do Parents Need a Reason to Go School Shopping?
A new study finds that parents are more likely to research and compare schools online when they face an impending move or a new school-choice option.
Families & the Community
Teaching Parents the Right 'Questions to Ask' in Schools
A long-running California program teaches parents how to advocate for their children and navigate a sometimes-unfamiliar school system.
School & District Management
Opinion
How to Make the Most of Your Time as a Principal
Make the most of faculty meetings, leverage parent volunteers, and other tips for school leaders from author and educator William Sterrett.
Federal
Opinion
Give Teachers a Voice in Education Reform
Here are four guiding principles for a more robust public education system, from the leaders of the Teacher Union Reform Network.
Student Well-Being
Food Allergies Are on the Rise. Are Schools Prepared?
Peanut allergies in children have increased 21 percent since 2010, a concern for school officials who must be prepared to counter severe reactions.
Student Well-Being
Opinion
Good Communication Doesn't Come Naturally. We Have to Teach It
In a climate of intense political polarization, students need better training in communicating their ideas, write three education researchers.
Education
Letter to the Editor
When School Leaders Must Cede Control
To the Editor:
Education Week’s article on the New Teacher Center’s "School Leadership Counts" report (“Teacher Leadership Is Linked to Higher Student Test Scores in New Study,” Oct. 26, 2017) reinforced what most of us already knew: Schools do better when teachers are involved in making the decision. The report offers compelling evidence that school leaders should take more proactive steps to bring teachers into school improvement efforts. The issue the report doesn’t address is what proactive steps they should take.
Education Week’s article on the New Teacher Center’s "School Leadership Counts" report (“Teacher Leadership Is Linked to Higher Student Test Scores in New Study,” Oct. 26, 2017) reinforced what most of us already knew: Schools do better when teachers are involved in making the decision. The report offers compelling evidence that school leaders should take more proactive steps to bring teachers into school improvement efforts. The issue the report doesn’t address is what proactive steps they should take.
Education
News in Brief
Transition
Don Kirkegaard, the schools superintendent of the Meade County, S.D., district, has been appointed South Dakota's secretary of education. He replaces Melody Schopp, who resigned last month after six years in office.
English-Language Learners
Report Roundup
Research Report: English-Language Learners
Families of English-language-learner students in Houston are less likely to take advantage of the district's school choice options than other students' families, finds a study from Rice University's Kinder Institute for Urban Research.
Education Funding
Report Roundup
Early-Childhood Education
Federal funding for state-administered child-care-assistance programs has declined since 2001, leaving many low-income families struggling to find child care, finds a study by the National Women's Law Center.
College & Workforce Readiness
Report Roundup
Career Education
Taking career and technical education classes in high school increases students' odds of graduating on time but doesn't improve their chances of enrolling in college, finds a new study in the American Educational Research Journal.
School Climate & Safety
Report Roundup
Research Report: Social-Emotional Learning
Praising young children for their intelligence comes naturally to a lot of parents and early-childhood educators, but a new study of preschool children in China suggests it also may promote cheating.
College & Workforce Readiness
Report Roundup
High School
Does intensive advising really have a meaningful impact on students' college access and retention? A report in an ongoing study of a program called Bottom Line, released this month by the University of Virginia and Texas A&M University, says yes.
School Climate & Safety
News in Brief
Vermont Takes Lead in Recognizing 'Ultimate' (Frisbee) as Varsity Sport
Vermont is now the first state in the country to recognize "ultimate"—the game that started as Ultimate Frisbee—as a high school varsity sport.
School & District Management
News in Brief
Connecticut District to Require Course in Ethnic Studies for Graduation
High school students in Bridgeport, Conn., will be required to take a course in African-American studies, Latin-American studies, or perspectives on race to earn a diploma, reports the CT Post.
Education Funding
News in Brief
Arizona Misallocates Millions of Dollars in Federal Special Education Funding
The Arizona education department has uncovered an error in federal funding allocations that led to millions of dollars intended for special education programs being allocated to the wrong schools.
School & District Management
News in Brief
Philadelphia Mayor Makes Moves to Retake Control of School District
Mayor Jim Kenney of Philadelphia has taken steps to regain control of the city's struggling public school system after 16 years of state oversight.
Teaching Profession
News in Brief
'Absent Reserve' Teachers Heading Back to New York City Classrooms
Hundreds of New York City teachers who'd lost their full-time positions but stayed on the payroll are back in classrooms or headed that way.
Teaching Profession
News in Brief
Rival Teacher-Prep Accreditation Group to Allow Flexibility in Setting Standards
A new group is seeking to compete with the existing accreditor for teacher-preparation programs.
Federal
News in Brief
Trump Administration Pulls Plug on Career-Tech-Ed Nominee
The Trump administration is yanking the nomination of Tim Kelly, a Michigan state representative who President Donald Trump tapped to lead the office of career, technical, and adult education at the U.S. Department of Education.
Teaching Profession
News in Brief
Teachers' Union Candidates Oust Pro-Voucher Board in Colorado
A slate of teachers'-union-backed candidates has won control of Colorado's Douglas County school board—ousting its pro-school-choice majority in a strongly Republican area.
Law & Courts
News in Brief
Civil Rights Group Warns States About Barring Immigrant Students
A Washington-based civil rights group has issued a stern reminder to attorneys general in all 50 states and the District of Columbia that all students, regardless of their immigration status, can enroll in K-12 public schools.
Education Funding
Opinion
Privileged Kids Aren't the Only Ones Who Deserve a Good Education
Trump's budgetary priorities don't line up with the education he chose for his son, write Elaine Weiss and Christopher T. Cross.
Special Education
New Data Detail Effect of Inclusion on Teaching Time
Time spent teaching drops as the number of students with disabilities in a classroom goes up, a survey finds, but there's a complex web of factors at play.