October 11, 2006
Education Week, Vol. 26, Issue 07
Education
A National Roundup
Boston Makes Offer Official
The Boston school board has approved its search committee’s recommendation to hire Manuel J. Rivera, the superintendent of the Rochester, N.Y., schools, as Boston’s next superintendent.
Education
A Washington Roundup
Grants Awarded to Develop Qualified Spec. Ed. Teachers
The Department of Education has awarded $11.6 million to 59 colleges and universities to help develop highly qualified teachers for students in special education.
Education
A Washington Roundup
Seat-Belt Waivers OK in Head Start
Head Start preschool programs may now receive waivers from a 2001 federal requirement that students must wear proper restraints, such as seat belts, while being transported to and from the programs.
Federal
Federal File
Dubya Elementary
When President Bush said that he was moved almost to tears by the honor of having a school named after him.
Education
A National Roundup
Calif. District Is Sued Over Assignment Plan
The American Civil Rights Foundation is suing the Berkeley, Calif., school district over its use of race in determining students’ assignment to elementary schools and to special high school programs.
Education
A State Capitals Roundup
California Exit Test Upheld a 2nd Time
The California Court of Appeal has upheld the state’s high school graduation test for the second time. A three-judge panel of the midlevel state appeals court ruled unanimously on Sept. 29 against the Californians for Justice Education Fund. The fund sued the state board of education earlier this year alleging that the state did not explore alternatives to the test in a timely manner.
Education
A State Capitals Roundup
State Auditor Seeks Probe on Minn. Retirement Fund
The Minnesota state auditor has called for a criminal investigation of officials who ran the now-defunct Minneapolis teachers’ retirement fund.
Education
A State Capitals Roundup
Ga. Governor Proposes Middle School ‘Coaches’
Gov. Sonny Perdue of Georgia announced a plan last week to place a “graduation-coach” in every middle school in the state by the 2007-08 school year.
Education
A State Capitals Roundup
Calif. Governor Vetoes Bill on Special Textbooks for ELLs
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger of California has vetoed a bill that called for special textbooks for the state’s 1.6 million students with limited English proficiency.
Reading & Literacy
‘Reading First’ Details Sought by Lawmakers
Two prominent Democrats are demanding to know more about the problems identified in the implementation of the federal Reading First program, including whether criminal violations may have occurred and what Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings may have known about the problems while she was a White House aide.
Teacher Preparation
Opinion
Taking the Measure of Teacher Education
Ted Sanders, a co-chair of the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future, argues that teacher education has not kept pace with changes designed to raise standards and accountability in K-12 schools.
School Climate & Safety
School Shootings in Policy Spotlight
The three school shootings that left a principal and six students dead in less than a week have sparked a barrage of pledges from national and state political leaders to tighten campus security. But school safety experts urged caution against overreacting to the horrific, but rare, incidents in rural schools in Colorado, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
School Climate & Safety
Amish Not Seen Likely to Embrace Security Measures
The Amish in Lancaster County, Pa., are not likely to respond to the fatal shootings in one of their schools by adding technology for security, according to scholars of Amish society.