April 22, 2009
Education Week, Vol. 28, Issue 29
Law & Courts
News in Brief
ACLU Accuses Tenn. Districts Of Blocking Gay-Themed Web Sites
The American Civil Liberties Union has asked public school officials in Tennessee to stop blocking students’ access to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Web sites on school computers.
Education Funding
News in Brief
S.C. Student Sues State Over Rejection Of Stimulus Money
A South Carolina high school student asked the state’s highest court to quickly clear the way for millions of federal stimulus dollars to flow to schools by ending Gov. Mark Sanford’s ability to decline the money.
Ed-Tech Policy
News in Brief
Maine High Schools Express Interest in Laptop Initiative
A straw poll taken last week indicates that nearly half of Maine high schools would be likely to participate in a program that expands the state’s laptop-computer initiative to grades 9 through 12.
Teaching Profession
Pensions Blamed for Costing Schools New Talent
As baby-boomers inch closer to retirement and the economy continues to sputter, there are renewed worries about pension-fund liabilities cropping up across the nation.
Federal
Quality of Evaluations Draws New Attention As Stimulus Aid Flows
The nation’s oft-criticized systems for evaluating the quality of its educator workforce are poised to receive increased scrutiny, thanks to an Obama administration plan to require school districts to disclose how many teachers perform well or poorly.
Budget & Finance
College-Fund Loss Draws Oregon Ire
Oregon officials—stung by steep losses in the Oregon College Savings Plan—are seeking $36.2 million in damages from OppenheimerFunds Inc., which managed a fund responsible for those losses.
Curriculum
Opinion
Our 21st-Century 'Risk'
Richard H. Hersh writes, "The debate is not just about the ends of education but, equally important, its means—curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment—and where the emphasis on content and skill acquisition and its measurement ought to be placed, given limited time and resources."
School & District Management
Opinion
Why We're Still 'At Risk'
Ronald A. Wolk writes, "We will make real progress only when we realize that our problem in education is not one of performance but one of design."
School Climate & Safety
Restraint, Seclusion of Students Attracting New Scrutiny
The federal Government Accountability Office is expected to issue a report on the practices in light of accusations of abuse.
Federal
NGA, CCSSO Launch Common Standards Drive
Representatives from 41 states met in Chicago to begin the process of drafting voluntary national content standards.
School & District Management
Former Official at Gates Takes On 'Innovation' Job
James Shelton, among the latest Education Department appointees, will help oversee some $5 billion in education grants under the economic stimulus package, including the Race to the Top Fund.
Assessment
‘Double Dose’ of Algebra Found to Lift Scores, Not Passing Rates
But the extra classes’ impact on 9th graders’ course failure rates and grades was mixed, a new study finds.
School & District Management
Report Roundup
Edge Found for District-Run Schools
New research finds that students in district-run schools posted larger gains than those in city schools run by private managers.
School Climate & Safety
School Strip-Search Case Heads to Supreme Court
The case raises questions about how far schools can go to protect campus safety before running afoul of students’ rights to privacy.
School Climate & Safety
Stimulus Offers Funding Support For Ed. Facilities
But facilities experts are worried that other financial priorities are likely to overshadow building projects.
Federal
Volunteer Tutors Found to Help Poor Readers
A program that uses senior citizens as tutors boosts the reading skills of low-performing pupils in the early grades, a study finds.
Federal
Tips Given on Best Use of Stimulus Money
The education secretary details how states and districts should use billions of extra dollars his department has started pumping out.