June 4, 2008
Education Week, Vol. 27, Issue 39
School Choice & Charters
Charters Offered Support in Georgia
Though legislation that would have changed how to pay for education in Georgia failed to pass, lawmakers recently approved bills aimed at giving charter schools some financial help and easing some of the barriers to the approval of new charters.
Education
Hawaii Lawmakers Urge Program Offering Flexibility
The legislature passed several school-related resolutions, including one urging the state department of education to implement a pilot project that could offer more flexibility to a group schools in Hawaii’s statewide school district.
Law & Courts
‘Viewpoints’ Clash On Law Protecting Religious Beliefs
There’s nothing like legislation on the issue of religious tolerance to test the limits of tolerance.
School & District Management
A Local Feud Proves Toxic
Facing the loss of accreditation, a troubled Georgia school district struggles with the legacy of its fractious, dysfunctional board.
Teaching
Labs at Elementary Level Help Bring Science Alive
The teacher at Prairie Creek Elementary School captivated her elementary pupils through a core science-class activity that educators and advocates say is vital to building enthusiasm and understanding for the subject in the early grades.
School & District Management
As Year Ends, Questions Remain for New Orleans
Fundamental questions remain as the 2007-08 academic year draws to a close, including how the city’s still-evolving decentralized mix of regular public schools and charters will operate in the coming years.
Teaching
Opinion
How 'Disruptive Innovation' Will Change the Way We Learn
Theories of "disruptive innovation" can be successfully applied to the
education sector, write three authors.
Teaching Profession
Opinion
‘An Impossible Choice’
Lesley Guilmart contemplates leaving her five-year teaching job. "If I leave, I will be an education statistic. ... If I stay, I fear for my financial future."
Federal
Opinion
It’s About the Schools
"We hear less about the failure of the schools in regard to black students, and more about 'disadvantaged groups,' 'people of color,' and so forth: all expressions that take the focus away from those who have ... been specifically selected for disadvantage," writes Michael Holzman.
Reading & Literacy
‘Reading First’ Research Offers No Definitive Answers
As Reading First nears the six-year mark, no clear empirical picture has emerged of how well the federal program is doing nationally to bring struggling readers to proficiency.
School Choice & Charters
Voucher Plan for New Orleans Gathers Steam
With strong backing from Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal, versions of the measure have cleared important hurdles in the House and two key Senate committees.
Federal
Work on Funding Bills With Education Items Goes On in Congress
Schools would continue to be reimbursed for Medicaid services, and many would receive payments for diminished timber revenues, under a supplemental-spending bill approved by the Senate.
Federal
Steep Climb to NCLB Goal for 23 States
Schools and districts will need to stay on target toward NCLB's goal of 100 percent proficiency in reading and mathematics in the next six years—or else face sanctions or interventions.
Federal
Hurdles Remain High for English-Learners
Despite academic progress, standardized tests have been a handicap in school's quest to meet the yardstick for adequate yearly progress.
Equity & Diversity
Ed. Dept. Says Enrollment Nears Milestone
Enrollment in U.S. public elementary and secondary schools is expected to reach 50 million for the first time in the nation’s history in 2009-10.
Law & Courts
Supreme Court Bolsters Workers’ Job Protections
In a decision that potentially expands the job protections of public school employees, the high court ruled that a Reconstruction-era civil rights law protects workers against retaliatory conduct.
School Climate & Safety
South Carolina Training Aimed at Sex-Abuse Prevention
The state is launching an effort to prevent sex abuse in schools by training 10,000 teachers and other school employees in how to spot potential problems and intervene in abusive relationships.
College & Workforce Readiness
Tennessee Loosens Reins on Mandate for Scholarships' Minimum GPA
The legislature's move is designed to prevent recipients from losing their awards when their grades fall short.