July 18, 2007
Education Week, Vol. 26, Issue 43
Federal
Policymakers Ponder National Data System
Students’ progress over their academic careers could be tracked across states.
Education
Report Roundup
N.J. Preschool Program
"The Abbott Preschool Program Longitudinal Effects Study" is posted by the National Institute for Early Education Research.
Reading & Literacy
Report Roundup
Reading Instruction
To be proficient in reading and writing, students need continuous literacy instruction throughout middle and high school, not just in the early grades, a report by the Washington-based Alliance for Excellent Education argues.
Federal
NCLB-Renewal Ideas Circulate on Capitol Hill
The chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee signaled that he’ll propose some major changes in his reauthorization bill.
Education
Report Roundup
Naming Schools
Fewer schools are being named after prominent people such as former U.S. presidents and military leaders, and more schools are being named after natural features such as rivers, mountains, and lakes, a study shows.
Federal
AFT Cites Hiring Policies as Hitches in School Staffing
The American Federation of Teachers calls on districts—along with unions—to review their own hiring and placement practices.
Education
Report Roundup
Summer Learning
The necessary elements of a successful summer learning program are outlined in a report by the Washington-based Urban Institute.
Education
Report Roundup
Teacher-Policy Review Grades the States
The State Teacher Policy Yearbook 2007 is posted by the National Council on Teacher Quality.
Federal
U.S. Switches Contractors for ‘What Works’ Research Site
The U.S. Department of Education hopes the site will become more nimble and relevant for practitioners and policymakers.
Federal
Use of Race Uncertain for Schools
Many educators are recommitting themselves to strive for racial diversity in K-12 education, but the court's decision has left them speculating about which tactics will withstand legal challenges.
School & District Management
L.A. District Faces Mounting Pressure Over High Schools
The momentum for improving high schools in the nation’s second-largest district has been coming from outsiders, centering largely on the fate of one troubled campus.
Federal
Teacher-Turned-Astronaut to Deliver Educational Payload
Barbara R. Morgan and the crew of the space shuttle Endeavour will conduct a variety of educational activities on an 11 day mission.
Special Education
Ed. Dept. Evaluation of Spec. Ed. Programs Focuses on Data Collection
The first federal evaluation of the programs saw most states falling into the two middle evaluation categories, “needs assistance” or “needs intervention.”
Education
Report Roundup
Math and Science
A new report highlights different strategies being taken by teacher education programs to train mathematics and science teachers, addressing a topic that has become a prime focus of elected officials and educators across the country.
Law & Courts
Charter Schools Sue Arizona Over Course Mandates
The plaintiffs say that the state education agency lacks authority to demand curricular alignment.
Federal
States Lag in ELL Curriculum Guidance
Local districts often are on their own in figuring out how to use the new standards in the classroom.
Federal
U.S. OKs Pilot ‘Growth Models’ for Last 2 States
Arizona and Alaska will participate in the pilot project to measure student progress.
Education
Letter to the Editor
‘Paycheck Protection’ Laws Are No Bar to Union Politics
Education Week mistakenly claimed in an article about the U.S. Supreme Court’s Davenport v. Washington Education Association decision that the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation has made a "push to pass [‘paycheck protection’] measures across the country over the years."
School & District Management
Vallas Charts New Path for New Orleans
The superintendent of the state-run Recovery School District plans to open more schools this fall and ensure the schools are fully staffed.