May 30, 2017
Education Week, Vol. 03, Issue 36
Education
Georgia Panel Recommends State-Mandated Curriculum
Copyright 1984, Editorial Currently, Georgia does not have a state-mandated curriculum. The Georgia Board of Education merely makes available to the state's 187 school jurisdictions a set of curriculum guidelines.
Education
Lack of Global Understanding Imperils Nation, Experts Say
The nation is at risk not because it has lost its competitive advantage in the world marketplace but because Americans have little understanding of the world outside the national boundaries, according to leading educators who met this month at a global-education conference here.
Education
Federal File
The Senate Agriculture Committee has voted to extend for two years the authorization for five child-nutrition programs.
The move follows an extended debate within the panel over various proposals to amend the $1.9-billion set of programs. They include nutrition education and training; the special supplemental food program for women, infants, and children; state administrative expenses; the summer food service; and commodity distribution.
Education
Black Students Score Big Gains on Florida's Basic-Skills Exit Test
Results of the first functional-literacy examination taken by Florida sophomores since the state won court approval to use the test as a diploma sanction indicate that black high-school students recorded big gains on the mathematics section, according to Commissioner of Education Ralph D. Turlington.
Education
Louisiana Senate Votes Repeal of Creation Law
The Louisiana Senate last week voted 21 to 16 to approve a bill to repeal a two-year-old law that requires equal treatment of creationism and evolution in science curricula.
Education
Court Orders City Officials To Find Funds To Keep Schools Open
At the urging of the Massachusetts Board of Education and the local teachers' union, a state Superior Court judge has issued an injunction that forces school and town officials find enough money to keep the Lynn Public Schools open for a full 180-day year as required by law.
Education
Californians Urge State Lottery for Education
Backed by the Bally Corporation, one of the nation's largest manufacturers of games of chance, a group of California citizens has collected more than one million signatures in support of establishing a state lottery whose proceeds would be used to support public education.
Education
Proposed Day-Care Project in New York Would Keep Schools Open Until 6 P.M.
The head of the New York City Youth Bureau has proposed that some of the city's public schools, "the great institution of the community," remain open until 6 P.M. to provide free after-school day care for young children.
Education
Few Levies Are Approved in Oregon
An error in a computer grading system for the promotion tests given to Louisiana students in grades 2 to 4 accidentally failed about l,800 students who had passed the tests, according to Joe Williams, director of accountability for the Louisiana Department of Education.
The department caught the mistake before the test results were sent to the children's parents and some school districts. It sent out revised test scores on May l7 and l8.
Education
President Charts Administration Role In Education's 'Electrifying Renewal'
Though he spent the first two years of his term urging a reduced federal role in education, President Reagan during the past 12 months has played a central role in returning the condition of the schools to the top of the national agenda. He has spoken out on the subject repeatedly, has visited schools in many parts of the country, and has brought scores of students and educators to the White House for various ceremonies. He has also lobbied the Congress vigorously on behalf of his education agenda.
Though he spent the first two years of his term urging a reduced federal role in education, President Reagan during the past 12 months has played a central role in returning the condition of the schools to the top of the national agenda. He has spoken out on the subject repeatedly, has visited schools in many parts of the country, and has brought scores of students and educators to the White House for various ceremonies. He has also lobbied the Congress vigorously on behalf of his education agenda.
Education
House Panels Pass Bill Broadening Rights Coverage
Two House committees ignored the advice of two high-ranking Reagan Administration officials last week and overwhelmingly approved a bill that would broaden the scope of four federal anti-discrimination laws.
Education
Education Measures Enacted in Alabama, Colorado, Rhode Island
Legislatures in Alabama, Colorado, and Rhode Island concluded their regular sessions this month. The following summaries of their actions on education matters were reported by Sheppard Ranbom, Susan G. Foster, and Correspondent Cynthia Smith.
ALABAMA
Education
Court Will Hear Case on Firings
The U.S. Supreme Court agreed last week to decide whether school employees and other civil servants who are fired are entitled to pre-termination hearings even though state laws allow them to appeal their firings after they lose their jobs.
Education
A Meeting of Minds: Young and Old Share Views on Ethics Issues
"The U-2 is nobody's damn business. When we're on missions like that, it's nobody's damn business," said Arthur E. Stanat, 79.
Education
New Warning Issued on Investments After Second Firm Collapses
The New York State Comptroller's Office has again warned local school districts and municipalities not to invest in so-called repurchase agreements, a type of investment that can be threatened by difficulties in the bond market.
Education
Justices Give Rights Group Standing To Bring Suit Against State Agency
The U.S. Supreme Court opened the way last week for a major civil-rights group to sue the California Department of Education over claims that it acted in a manner that contributed to segregation in the Los Angeles public schools.
Education
News In Print
All the Best, Neill: Letters from Summerhill, edited by Jonathan Croall (Franklin Watta, 387 Park Ave. South, New York, N.Y. 10016; 264 pages, $15.95). 
Education
Grades of Future California Teachers Above Average, Study Says
Prospective teachers in California are more successful academically than some surveys would indicate, according to a California State University study.
Education
Branstad Vetoes Iowa Teacher Bill
Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad has vetoed a bill approved by the legislature last month that would have established a new certification system for teachers.
The certification bill--which was supported by the state's major teachers' organization and opposed by the Iowa Department of Public Instruction--would have created a new certification board that included teachers and required prospective teachers to pass a basic-skills test, as well as professional and subject-matter tests, before receiving a certificate.
Education
Sciences Group Asks Core Curriculum For All Students
A panel of business executives, labor leaders, and educators has concluded in a report released here last week that the primary responsibility of the high schools is to provide students with a set of "core competencies" and that everything else--regardless of their perceived benefits--"must come second."
Education
Schools Urged To Seek Solutions to Troubles of Latchkey Children
Although the effects on "latchkey" children of being left alone at home are not yet clearly documented, educators and others should not wait for research findings but should move quickly to develop after-school alternatives for such children.
Education
House Passes Pension Bill Requiring Equity for Women
Legislation that will require equity in pension payments to women was approved unanimously by the House of Representatives last week.
Education
Grades Are Skewed
Only 15 of 105 school-district levies were approved by Oregon voters this month, according to Jan Ryan, the state's assistant superintendent for public instruction.
"We're concerned about the vote, but we realize that residents tend to vote 'no' the first time, forcing the districts to go back and trim budgets for the next ballot," she said.
Education
For The Record
Following is the text of the President's May 19 radio address on the subject of his subminimum-wage proposal for teen-age summer workers.
Education
N.S.F. Funding 'Science and Society' Program
The National Science Foundation this month awarded a three-year $800,000 grant to Pennsylvania State University's Science, Technology, and Society program to help introduce science and technology issues into the nation's high schools.
Education
School-Based Child-Care Programs Called 'Natural'
School-based child-care programs are one of the most common and workable solutions to the problem of latchkey children, according to many of the participants in the "First National Conference on Latchkey Children."
Education
Opinion
When the Cost of Fairness Is Too High
Each year, school administrators are beset with more and more laws, rules, regulations, and court precedents that seek to guarantee everything from the minimum lunch periods to job security for all teachers.
Education
Opinion
New Mexico Schools Reap Benefits, Some Serendipitous, of Four-Day Week
Perhaps students would benefit from a longer school year, but during the past decade, some school districts in New Mexico have been doing just the opposite--that is, decreasing the number of days in the school year--with surprising results.
Education
Letter to the Editor
Letters To The Editor
Since my retirement in 1975, I have been substitute teaching part time in the Baltimore City and County public schools in mathematics, science, and related subjects.
Recently, I discovered that most students do not know how to whisper. I show them how and they love it, think it's fun, and cooperate fully. The noise level drops many decibels. The discipline problem in the classes I teach has faded accordingly! I think you ought to know about this.