March 14, 2007
Education Week, Vol. 26, Issue 27
Federal
Gates Cites Need to Improve High Schools, Boost Visas
Microsoft Corp. Chairman Bill Gates testified before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee about “competitiveness.”
Federal
Conservative Plan Would Shift Accountability to the States
Rep. Peter Hoekstra, R-Mich., says the bill reflects the Republican party's belief in limiting federal government's role in setting education policy.
Federal
Senators Seek ‘Highly Qualified’ Refinements
Reducing teacher-quality gaps in public schools was the central topic of a hearing held in Washington last week.
Education
Report Roundup
Weight Control
Being in a school environment may help children curb weight gain, a report suggests.
School & District Management
Florida Governor Seeking to Boost Performance Pay
In his first State of the State address, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist pushed for additional funds to expand a program that is under fire in the legislature and in court.
Student Well-Being & Movement
Report Roundup
Student Engagement
High school students say they are bored in class because they aren’t interested in what they’re studying or they don’t have enough interaction with their teachers, says a report.
Assessment
Report Roundup
Exit Exams’ Effects on Teaching Studied
High school exit exams are influencing curriculum and instruction, a study of two school districts suggests.
Federal
States to Get Guides on ELL Test Methods
By this summer, the U.S. Department of Education expects to publish several guides in an effort to improve the testing of limited English proficiency students.
Education
People in the News
Casey Mahon
Casey Mahon has become the news-media liaison for the 42,000-student St. Paul, Minn., school district.
Education
People in the News
Ann B. Clark
Ann B. Clark is the new assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction for the 129,000-student Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools in North Carolina.
Education
People in the News
Rob Lippincott
Rob Lippincott has been named the senior vice president of education for the Arlington, Va.-based Public Broadcasting Service.
Federal
A National Roundup
Summer Camps for Arabic and Chinese
The National Foreign Language Center at the University of Maryland College Park has awarded grants averaging $100,000 each to 34 institutions to run programs this summer for teachers and as many as 1,100 high school students to study Arabic or Chinese.
School & District Management
Federal File
Texan Nominated for Key K-12 Post
President Bush last week nominated Kerri L. Briggs to serve as assistant secretary for elementary and secondary education in the Department of Education.
Education
State of the States
Illinois Governor Recommends Overhaul of State’s Tax System
Gov. Rod Blagojevich predicts the move would pour billions of dollars in new revenue into Illinois schools.
Education
State of the States
Governor in Alabama Highlights Education
Gov. Bob Riley is asking the state legislature to support an expansion of his reading, mathematics, and online-learning efforts.
Education Funding
Vouchers, School Funding Highlights of Utah Session
Of the $490 million in new education funding, a relatively small amount—$12.4 million—is earmarked for the statewide voucher plan.
Education
A State Capitals Roundup
Wisconsin Rejects U.S. Funds for Education On Abstinence
Gov. Jim Doyle, a Democrat, believes that abstinence must be taught in school, but not to the exclusion of other sex education, his spokesman told the Associated Press.
Recruitment & Retention
Tiny Iowa District Trolling for Pupils
But neighboring schools are not amused by the ploy.
Student Well-Being & Movement
States Are Divided on Vaccinations for HPV
Lawmakers are questioning the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine, parents' rights, and states' ability to afford the three-shot cycle.
Education
Finding Value in a Different Way to Learn
A recent study provides support for those who believe that Montessori’s philosophy can develop children who are as successful academically as those who are educated in traditional ways.
Early Childhood
Taming Montessori
Public Montessori schools across the country are feeling the pressure of staying true to "practical life" teachings while preparing students to meet AYP standards.
School Climate & Safety
Deadly Tornado Spurs Calls for Emergency Planning
State and local officials say they're confident the Enterprise, Ala., school did all it could to protect students.
School & District Management
L.A. Board Race Hinges on Runoff
Candidates favored by Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa are leading in two races that won't be resolved until a May 15 runoff election.
IT Infrastructure & Management
Opinion
About Face
Anne Macleod Weeks has found more and more students are turning to social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook to help determine the best college fit for them.
Professional Development
Opinion
Understanding by Accident
After attending an "inane" in-service training seminar, author Kim Chase encourages fellow educators to push for more meaningful professional development.
Curriculum
Consensus Is Sought on Religion in Schools
Diverse groups meet to weigh issues that vex public education.
School Climate & Safety
Rookie Teachers, Stressed Students Confront Realities of New Orleans’ Schools After Storm
Some 18 months after Hurricane Katrina, the Recovery School District exemplifies the difficulties of reinstating education in a struggling city.
Federal
Opinion
High-Stakes Testing Is Putting the Nation At Risk
America's students and their teachers will suffer serious and long-term consequences if the accountability provision of NCLB is not revised, David C. Berliner and Sharon L. Nichols argue.
Assessment
Bush Claims About NCLB Questioned
The student-achievement results the president recently cited are from a single subsection of the National Assessment of Educational Progress and tentative Reading First data.