February 24, 2010
Education Week, Vol. 29, Issue 22
Education
Letter to the Editor
Community School Model: Help in Stressful Times
To the Editor:
Sarah M. Fine’s Commentary “Community Schools: Reform’s Lesser-Known Frontier” (Feb. 3, 2010) was a welcome addition to the growing recognition of such schools as a significant model.
Sarah M. Fine’s Commentary “Community Schools: Reform’s Lesser-Known Frontier” (Feb. 3, 2010) was a welcome addition to the growing recognition of such schools as a significant model.
Education
Letter to the Editor
Critical Analysis Missing in Story on OECD Study
To the Editor:
Your article “Study Links Rise in Skills to Nations’ Output” (Jan. 27, 2010) once again displays Education Week’s curious failure on too many occasions to engage in actual journalism. It reports the findings of a study produced by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development that claims, according to Andreas Schleicher, an OECD functionary, “almost a one-to-one match between what people know and how well economies have grown over time.”
Your article “Study Links Rise in Skills to Nations’ Output” (Jan. 27, 2010) once again displays Education Week’s curious failure on too many occasions to engage in actual journalism. It reports the findings of a study produced by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development that claims, according to Andreas Schleicher, an OECD functionary, “almost a one-to-one match between what people know and how well economies have grown over time.”
Education
Letter to the Editor
More Ideas for Gates Foundation
To the Editor:
I write in response to James D. Starkey’s recent Commentary on the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s $45 million grant to study what makes a great teacher (“Attention, Gates Foundation,” Feb. 3, 2010).
I write in response to James D. Starkey’s recent Commentary on the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s $45 million grant to study what makes a great teacher (“Attention, Gates Foundation,” Feb. 3, 2010).
Education
Letter to the Editor
Lack of 'Investigative Vigor' on Reporting Gates' Role?
To the Editor:
I am starting to notice a slight bias in Education Week. For example, your article “Turnaround Project Signs Six States” (Feb. 3, 2010) lacks investigative vigor. In it, you discuss how six states have signed up with the Mass Insight Education and Research Institute to spearhead “aggressive interventions” at underperforming schools. Yet nowhere do you mention what Mass Insight wants teachers to do differently in a school turnaround, or the fact that Mass Insight has no prior track record in school interventions.
I am starting to notice a slight bias in Education Week. For example, your article “Turnaround Project Signs Six States” (Feb. 3, 2010) lacks investigative vigor. In it, you discuss how six states have signed up with the Mass Insight Education and Research Institute to spearhead “aggressive interventions” at underperforming schools. Yet nowhere do you mention what Mass Insight wants teachers to do differently in a school turnaround, or the fact that Mass Insight has no prior track record in school interventions.
Teaching Profession
Obama's Teacher Plans Stress Competitive Grants
In a major rethinking of teacher-quality programs, the fiscal 2011 budget proposal calls for shrinking funding doled out by formula.
Standards & Accountability
Opinion
Why Did the Gates Small-High-Schools Program Fail?
By favoring a "school-within-a-school" approach, the foundation missed the fact that small, personalized high schools work very well indeed, writes David Marshak.
Standards & Accountability
Gates Awards 15 Grants for Common-Standards Work
The money will fund development of such teaching resources as course outlines, syllabuses, and assessments aligned to the standards.
Professional Development
Opinion
Teacher Learning: Sine Qua Non of School Innovation
It isn't enough to bring new talent into the classroom or reward high performers, writes Stephanie Hirsh; innovation will require teachers who learn together and work collaboratively.
Federal
Federal Initiatives Target Child Nutrition
A push for improved access to school meals and a White House-led anti-obesity campaign are among the Obama administration's efforts.
Federal
Home-Language Surveys for ELLs Under Fire
The method used to identify whether students need help learning English can be inaccurate or misused, some critics complain.
Education
Opinion
Celebrating Seymour Sarason
Michael Fullan, Andy Hargreaves, and Ann Lieberman pay tribute to the influential Yale University psychologist and educator, who died on Jan 28, and will be remembered, they write, as a "public intellectual," prolific writer, and mentor.
Student Achievement
With Grants, NEA Fund Paves Its Own Path to Reform
Three districts receive awards from the NEA Foundation to improve instruction, close achievement gaps, and boost parent involvement.
School & District Management
Opinion
'Untie My Hands': A Principal's Plea
Principals don't mind being held accountable, writes Gerald N. Tirozzi, but they want a few facts of their working lives factored in.
College & Workforce Readiness
Growing Popularity of AP Exams Brings Trade-Offs
As more students take Advanced Placement tests, including students from disadvantaged groups, the overall failure rate has climbed.
Standards & Accountability
In National First, Kentucky Adopts Common Standards
Three state education panels approve the move, even before the final version of the English/language arts and math standards is finished.
Education Funding
Concerns Raised About Impact of Stimulus on Equity
Short-term aid may have long-term consequences for funds targeting students with disabilities and other disadvantages, researchers say.
College & Workforce Readiness
Disadvantaged Students Continue AP Climb
Still, persistent gaps exist between low-income and minority students and their more-affluent peers on the Advanced Placement exams.