August 31, 1983

Education Week, Vol. 02, Issue 42
Education Bell To Convene National Forum On Education
Secretary of Education Terrel H. Bell announced last week that he will sponsor a major two-day conference of the nation's educational leaders "to share ideas about how we can best work together to strengthen American education."
Tom Mirga, August 31, 1983
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3 min read
Education Carnegie Report Examines the 'Unhealthy Condition of Teaching'
A smaller portion of public-education funding was used for teacher salaries in 1982-83 than in 1972-73, and the purchasing power of teacher salaries declined sharply during the intervening decade, according to a report released last week by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.
Thomas Toch, August 31, 1983
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2 min read
Education Tech School Closed
A Silicon Valley school that trained children and adults to operate computers was shut down last week after Gov. George Deukmaejian withdrew state funding for the project.

The San Jose school, called the Institute of Computer Technology, was to receive $150,000 from the state, said David Gordon, an associate superintendent in the state's education department.

August 31, 1983
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1 min read
Education Reagan Budget Belies Statements Supporting Education, Union Says
Leaders of a major division of the afl-cio, who last week released a report criticizing the Reagan Administration's budget cuts in education, said they intend to offer the document to Democratic presidential candidates for use against the President in the 1984 election campaign.
Susan G. Foster, August 31, 1983
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4 min read
Education The Week [States, National, etc.]
Thousands of federal employees who have defaulted on their federal student loans can expect to see their paychecks cut by as much as 15 percent under a new "get-tough" policy recently announced by the Reagan Administration.

Earlier this month, Education Department officials sent sealed envelopes containing the names of 41,000 suspected delinquent borrowers to various department and agency chiefs.

August 31, 1983
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15 min read
Education Blacks' Financial, Educational Gains Slowed During 1970's
As black leaders prepared last week for a march on Washington to mark the 20th anniversary of the late Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, the U.S. Census Bureau released a report concluding that the economic and educational progress of blacks slowed down in the middle 1970's.
Charlie Euchner, August 31, 1983
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3 min read
Education Half of Colorado's School Districts May Seek Local Tax Hikes
A move by Colorado legislators earlier this year to tighten restrictions on one form of state aid to school districts is forcing more districts than ever before to appeal to local voters for school operating funds.
Hope Aldrich, August 31, 1983
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4 min read
Education Federal File
Political conservatives who have traditionally been "against" public schools must change their stance or face "exclusion" from the growing school-reform movement, argues one of the leaders of the New Right in a monthly newsletter.

Connaught C. Marshner, in the August issue of the Family Protection Report, writes that conservatives, by fighting against the public-school "monopoly," have "played into the hands of the education establishment, which wants to discredit us."

August 31, 1983
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1 min read
Education Poll Finds Public Endorsement of School Reforms
The latest edition of a national opinion poll has found that the American public largely agrees with the major findings of several recent blue-ribbon panels on education: The quality of the nation's public schools has declined, and broad reforms--including merit pay for teachers and a tougher curriculum--are needed.
Eileen White, August 31, 1983
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9 min read
Education Health Column
Childhelp usa, a national nonprofit organization for the prevention and treatment of child abuse, is now operating a national toll-free hotline for professionals who must deal with the problem of child abuse.

School personnel, social workers, and others who need expert advice can call the service and will receive a return consultation call the same day. In emergencies, the organization will provide immediate help.

August 31, 1983
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2 min read
Education U.S. Sues Texas District Over Hiring Practices
The Justice Department has filed a civil suit charging that the largest suburban school district in the Houston area discriminates against blacks in its hiring of teachers, secretaries, and clerks.
Tom Mirga, August 31, 1983
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2 min read
Education Parents Win Iowa Suit
A state associate-court judge ruled earlier this month that a Muscatine, Iowa, couple may continue to teach their children at home.

Judge James A. Weaver said he was not convinced that Jesse and Nancy Shuler, who removed their three children from the public schools last year, were breaking Iowa's laws on home schooling.

August 31, 1983
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1 min read
Education New Immigrants Swell Enrollments in Texas Border Towns
When schools opened in Eagle Pass Tex., last Thursday, a new junior high school stood half-built and empty because the district did not have money to complete it. But teachers will face as many as 38 students per room, and a high school built for 2,000 will house nearly 3,000, when all the enrolled children arrive in a few weeks, according to Superintendent Inez Ramirez.
Hope Aldrich, August 31, 1983
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5 min read
Education Survey Indicates Teacher Support For Merit Pay
Nearly two of three of the teachers responding to a national survey on the issue of merit pay said they support the idea of paying better teachers more money.
Thomas Toch, August 31, 1983
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3 min read
Education 'Grades Plan Working
Los Angeles Unified School District officials have released the first results of a new academic-standards rule for extracurricular activities that went into effect last spring.

The rule prevents students in the 4th through 12th grades from participating in band, sports, arts groups, and other activities if their grades fall below a C average or they fail at least one course.

August 31, 1983
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1 min read
Education Federal Funds Misspent by Jackson Group, Audit Says
Education Department auditors have determined that Push For Excellence Inc., a nonprofit educational organization headed by the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, should return to the government at least $736,000 and perhaps as much as $1.7 million in federal funds that were improperly spent.
Tom Mirga, August 31, 1983
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3 min read
Education IN FEDERAL AGENCIES
"Child Health Day." President Ronald Reagan announced, in the Aug.10 Federal Register, that Monday, Oct. 3, 1983, has been designated as "Child Health Day."

Civil rights. The Secretary of Education announced, in the July 27 Federal Register, that the Education Department is accepting comments on the proposed FY 1984 annual operating plan for its Office for Civil Rights. Those interested are invited to submit comments, suggestions, and objections for the proposed plan on or before Sept. 12. Written comments should be sent to Harry M. Singleton, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, ed, 400 Maryland Ave., S.W., Mail Stop 2516, Washington, D.C. 20202. For more information, call Fred Tate at (202) 245-1724.

August 31, 1983
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2 min read
Ed-Tech Policy Conference Features Computer Education
Educators from 30 states will convene on Sept. 7 at 57 sites--including Holiday Inns and the studios of public-television stations--to watch a video teleconference that will familiarize them with six model computer-education programs selected for inclusion in the National Diffusion Network (ndn).
Sheppard Ranbom, August 31, 1983
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2 min read
Education People News
Willard B. McGuire, president of the National Education Association, will return to teaching 8th-grade mathematics at Maplewood Junior High School in Maplewood, Minn., when his term expires at the end of this month.

Mr. McGuire has held the top position in 1.6-million-member teachers' union for the past four years; prior to being elected president, he was vice president of the union for five years.

August 31, 1983
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1 min read
Education News Update
Science educators from 24 countries met last week at Columbia University to join in the development of a uniform approach to analyzing the data being collected for the second international study of science achievement. (See Education Week, July 27, 1983.)

The study is sponsored by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement. In the U.S., researchers have gathered data from 7,500 children and 500 teachers. Comparable information is being amassed by researchers in other nations. The study will examine the levels of achievement in different countries and the factors that affect students' performance. The U.S. researchers expect to issue preliminary findings in the spring of 1984.

August 31, 1983
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2 min read
Education Southern Lawmakers Pledge Support for Education Improvement
Southern legislators meeting here last week adopted a resolution calling on their states to "sustain and increase" efforts to improve the quality of education in the South.
Richard Wilson, August 31, 1983
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3 min read
Education Mich. Athletic Association Sues E.D.
The Michigan High School Athletic Association filed suit in federal court earlier this month to prevent the U.S. Education Department from continuing an investigation of sex discrimination in the state's interscholastic athletics program.
Charlie Euchner, August 31, 1983
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3 min read
Education The Bus Driver's Tapes: An Open-and-Shut Case
The potentially sticky situation seems to have been patched up: The Armstrong County (Pa.) School District has decided not to recommend the firing of a school-bus driver who gave misbehaving students the option of being sent to the principal or having their mouths taped shut.

A group of parents had asked for the transfer or dismissal of Shirley Stubrick, a 25-year-old bus driver who transports students in from the outlying regions surrounding the town of Elderton.

August 31, 1983
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1 min read
Education District News Roundup
Alabama District To Challenge Law On Dues Deduction

August 31, 1983
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2 min read
Education 'There Has Been A Conspiracy of Silence About Teaching'
Improving methods of teaching would do more to help public education than would lengthening the school day or any of the other reforms proposed by the National Commission on Excellence in Education and other groups that have recently issued reports on education.
Susan Walton, August 31, 1983
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7 min read
Education Cities News Roundup
Boston Files Suit Questioning Legality of Union Insurance

August 31, 1983
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1 min read
Education States News Roundup
U.S. Appeals Court Rules Dallas Schools Still Segregated

August 31, 1983
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3 min read