August 29, 2007
Education Week, Vol. 27, Issue 01
Education
Letter to the Editor
Richmond’s Reading Gains Didn’t Come From a Script
Referring to student reading gains, Walt Gardner, in his Aug. 1, 2007, letter to the editor, claims that Richmond, Va., is trading teachers for “any adults” who can follow a “script.” In fact, Richmond has turned adults into skilled teachers.
Education
Letter to the Editor
As Text Publishers Merge, ‘Diversity of Ideas’ Is Lost
What disturbs me about the pending sale of Harcourt’s educational publishing divisions to the Houghton Mifflin Co. is an issue not raised in your article reporting on concerns about this merger.
Education
Letter to the Editor
Disputing Claim of Progress After Calif. Case Settlement
The study on which your article "Improvements Seen to California Schools As Result of Williams Case Settlement" (Aug. 13, 2007) reports calls into serious question the optimistic view left by your reporting.
Education
Letter to the Editor
National-Board Dilemma: ‘Elitist Hand-Wringing’?
In response to "The National Board: Challenged by Success?" (Aug. 15, 2007): You’re kidding, right?
Assessment
Report Roundup
Computerized Tests
In a federal study that could shed light on the potential uses of computers for large-scale tests, researchers have found that computerized tests can effectively measure large groups of students’ skills in problem-solving with technology.
Federal
Report Roundup
NCLB ‘Highly Qualified’ Rules for Teachers Seen as Ineffective
Administrators in 74 percent of districts said the law had been minimally effective, or not effective at all, at producing better teachers, according to a study released last week by the Center on Education Policy.
Recruitment & Retention
New Teacher Project Brings Holistic Style to Urban Districts
Since 2002, the New Teacher Project
has been finding at least 10 applicants
for each teaching job it fills for
the once hard-to-staff Baltimore district.
Federal
Candidates Urged to Back STEM Initiatives
Business leaders are turning their attention to the 2008 presidential race and urging candidates in both parties to make prosperity through education a core piece of their platforms.
Recruitment & Retention
Opinion
Letters to a Young Teacher
Jonathan Kozol writes about why new recruits leave inner-city classrooms—and what it will take to keep them there.
Equity & Diversity
Record Enrollment Is Projected, But Trend Varies by Geography
Continuing a 10-year trend, U.S. public schools as a whole plan to welcome 49.6 million pre-K-12 students this fall, a projected rise of 1 million from the 2005-06 school year.
Student Well-Being
After-School Push Poses Complex Challenge
California’s experience shows hurdles states may confront when moving to implement popular, ambitious programs.
Reading & Literacy
Reading Results Hard to Translate, Panel Concludes
The Reading First Advisory Committee has asked for more time and technical assistance in evaluating the data from the $1 billion-a-year program.
School & District Management
Project Aims to Cut Through Fog of Studies On Charters
The National Charter School Research Project has spent three years trying to bring a neutral perspective to the contentious charter school debate.
Federal
Pittsburgh Building 'Nation' of 9th Graders
To combat the problem of dropouts, the school district has launched a full-on campaign to get its rising freshmen into high school and keep them there.
School & District Management
As School Year Looms, Detroit Predicts Enrollment Drop
School leaders are planning to serve 111,000 students—a drop of 5,000 from last year.