November 28, 2007
Education Week, Vol. 27, Issue 13
School Climate & Safety
Opinion
Respecting Teachers
David McGrath reflects on his years teaching in Chicago's "war zone."
Education Funding
Michigan Fiscal Woes, Minimal Funding Hike May Pressure Schools
The governor and lawmakers agreed to a 1 percent hike in education spending as they sought to keep the state from veering into a second government shutdown this fall.
Education Funding
Bush, Congress Still Battling Over Education Budget
Congress could pass a long-term extension that would support education programs at last year’s levels for the rest of fiscal 2008.
School & District Management
Study Finds Need for Sharp School Spending Hike in Pa.
The state must increase spending by nearly 27 percent in order to reach its goal of bringing all students to proficiency in math and reading by 2014.
School & District Management
More Power to Schools
After a period of top-down control under the mayor, the New York City system is freeing schools to run their own affairs—and holding them accountable for results.
College & Workforce Readiness
Dual-Enrollment Proposal in N.Y. Faces Fiscal Hurdle
The new, $100 million grant program would give at least 12,000 disadvantaged students a leg up for college.
Teaching Profession
Teacher Pension Plans’ Structure Criticized
Decisions on when to leave the classroom are guided more by the early-retirement incentives built into state pension plans than by educational considerations, according to new research.
International
College Board ‘Compact’ Targets Low-Income Students
The College Board is seeking to mobilize its more than 5,200 members in a national campaign to better help students from low-income families prepare for, get into, and succeed in college.
School Climate & Safety
‘Green’ Charters Forge a Network
A new organization launched last month aims to help link up environmentally focused schools and expand their numbers.
Assessment
U.S. Testing Poised to Be Scaled Back
NAEP officials have said scheduled exams in economics, foreign language, geography, and world history could be canceled if funding remains flat, as is projected.
International
Printing Errors Invalidate U.S. Reading Scores on PISA
A top education official called the mishap an “embarrassment” for the federal government and the private contractor responsible for administering the exam.
Assessment
Opinion
Assessments and Standards: The Case of History
No multiple-choice exam is going to demonstrate proficiency in the subject, historian Theodore K. Rabb argues.
Federal
Scientists Nurture Teachers' Growth in Math and Science
The Academies Creating Teacher Scientists program pairs top federal scientists with middle and high school teachers.
Equity & Diversity
Strong English Seen as Key to Immigrants’ School Success
The quality of the overall language arts program at a school is strongly linked to whether those students acquire English, an in-depth study has found.