August 24, 2011

Education Week, Vol. 31, Issue 01
Third-grade students Jasir Moore, center, and Shamarri Henry, right, confer on their first day of class at Achievement First Brownsville Elementary School in New York.
Third-grade students Jasir Moore, center, and Shamarri Henry, right, confer on their first day of class at Achievement First Brownsville Elementary School in New York.
Melanie Burford/Prime for Education Week
School Choice & Charters Charter Operators Spell Out Barriers to 'Scaling Up'
Critics of charter schools contend that some operators get preferential treatment.
Mary Ann Zehr, August 23, 2011
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9 min read
Federal USDA: Cafeterias Shouldn't Be Cash Cows for Schools
New federal rules lay out which 'indirect' costs schools and districts can charge to their food-service operations.
August 23, 2011
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6 min read
BRIC ARCHIVE
Federal Opinion Rural Student Success Critical to National Goals
The number of rural students is growing and we can no longer afford to look the other way, writes Marty Strange.
Marty Strange, August 23, 2011
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6 min read
Education Best of the Blogs Blogs of the Week
| VIEWS | WALT GARDNER'S REALITY CHECK
August 23, 2011
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3 min read
BRIC ARCHIVE
Chris Whetzel
Assessment Opinion Finding Hope in Atlanta
The punitive culture of high-stakes testing could provide the impetus for needed reforms, writes Dave Powell.
Dave Powell, August 23, 2011
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6 min read
Education Funding Report Roundup Study Says Outlook Grim for Children in Poverty
One in five children lived in poverty in the United States in 2009, and the economic outlook for them and other children from low-income families is increasingly bleak, according to a new report by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
Alexandra Rice, August 23, 2011
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1 min read
Families & the Community Report Roundup Rural Schools
Researchers from Kansas State University are offering advice for working with special-needs or low-income students in rural areas: Provide special programs for female students with disabilities, consider the hardships of low-income families when creating family-involvement programs, and advocate for anti-poverty programs.
Diette Courrégé Casey, August 23, 2011
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1 min read
School & District Management Brown Veto Puts Calif. in Jeopardy
The state has to return its entire $6 million State Longitudinal Data Systems grant to the U.S. Department of Education.
Michele McNeil, August 23, 2011
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1 min read
Teaching Profession Report Roundup Teacher Preparation
Four out of 10 new public school teachers hired since 2005 came through alternative teacher-preparation programs, according to a survey by the National Center for Education Information, a private research group based in Washington.
Liana Loewus, August 23, 2011
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1 min read
Special Education Report Roundup Research Report: Special Education
Seven years after the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act was renewed with a provision allowing "response to intervention" to be used when deciding if a child has a specific learning disability, a new study shows 71 percent of school districts use the strategy in at least one school.
Nirvi Shah, August 23, 2011
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1 min read
Teaching Profession Report Roundup Research Report: Professional Development
Teacher-coaching linked to a well-known teaching framework paid dividends for student achievement in the secondary grades, according to a study published this month in the journal Science.
Stephen Sawchuk, August 23, 2011
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1 min read
Education Correction Correction
A story in the Aug. 10, 2011, issue of Education Week on legislation aimed at protecting student-athletes misstated the number of states with pending concussion laws. The count is 11.
August 23, 2011
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1 min read
See Yang, 17, a senior at Harding Senior High School works on her senior portfolio in her home in St. Paul, Minn., on Wednesday. The portfolio is a collection of essays, awards, community service, and school work from her time at Harding which is presented at the end of her senior year in order to graduate. Admission Possible coach, Victoria Dutcher, is helping Yang navigate the complicated college admissions process.
See Yang, 17, a senior at Harding Senior High School works on her senior portfolio in her home in St. Paul, Minn., on Wednesday. The portfolio is a collection of essays, awards, community service, and school work from her time at Harding which is presented at the end of her senior year in order to graduate. Admission Possible coach, Victoria Dutcher, is helping Yang navigate the complicated college admissions process.
Jenn Ackerman for Education Week
Equity & Diversity Groups Help Poor Students Through College Admission
Nonprofit organizations are emerging to help disadvantaged students navigate the often difficult college-admissions and financial-aid processes.
Caralee J. Adams, August 23, 2011
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8 min read
Logan Square Neighborhood Association leader Shirley Reyes speaks at a mayoral election forum last year at the University of Illinois, in Chicago. Ms. Reyes credits the organization’s parent-mentor program with helping her become more engaged her in her children’s school and overcome the sense of isolation she felt as an immigrant and a stay-at-home parent.
Logan Square Neighborhood Association leader Shirley Reyes speaks at a mayoral election forum last year at the University of Illinois, in Chicago. Ms. Reyes credits the organization’s parent-mentor program with helping her become more engaged her in her children’s school and overcome the sense of isolation she felt as an immigrant and a stay-at-home parent.
Sarah Jane Rhee
Families & the Community Chicago Group Helps Break Down Home-School Barriers
With its grassroots parent-mentor program, Chicago's Logan Square Neighborhood Association is empowering immigrant parents and engaging them in their children's schooling.
Alexandra Rice, August 23, 2011
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7 min read
Standards Analysis Finds States Strengthening Rigor of Student Exams
A federal study finds that eight states raised their proficiency standards on one or more exams and two lowered them.
Stephen Sawchuk, August 23, 2011
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6 min read
Standards News in Brief Gates Joins Stanford ELL Project
The project is developing English-language-proficiency resources for states' common-core academic standards.
Sarah D. Sparks, August 23, 2011
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1 min read
School & District Management News in Brief Chicago Plans Principal Merit Pay
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is establishing a $5 million fund to provide merit pay to reward Chicago's top-performing public school principals.
The Associated Press, August 23, 2011
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1 min read
Accountability News in Brief Higher Academic Standards Approved by the NCAA
The approval carries the threat of postseason bans for teams that fall below a certain standard.
Bryan Toporek, August 23, 2011
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1 min read
Equity & Diversity News in Brief ACLU Files First School Suit Over LGBT Website Filtering
The group alleges that a Missouri district is using an Internet filter that prevents access to LGBT material.
Ian Quillen, August 23, 2011
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1 min read
Law & Courts News in Brief School Board Meeting Prayer Ruled Unconstitutional
A school board's policy of having members lead prayers before public meetings is unconstitutional, a federal appeals court has ruled.
Mark Walsh, August 23, 2011
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1 min read
Education Funding News in Brief House Page Program Ending
The U.S. House of Representatives page program has become a victim of budget cuts.
The Associated Press, August 23, 2011
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1 min read
School & District Management News in Brief Ex-Governor Turns to Lobbying
Former Alabama Gov. Bob Riley told reporters this month that his next role will be as a lobbyist on education and economic development.
Sean Cavanagh, August 23, 2011
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1 min read
Law & Courts News in Brief Memphis Merger Declared Legal
A court decision paves the way for the creation of a system with 150,000 students by 2013.
The Associated Press, August 23, 2011
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1 min read
Education Funding News in Brief Penalty Delayed for Cutting S.C.'s Special Ed. Dollars
The U.S. Department of Education was poised to cut the state's share of federal special education dollars by $36 million.
Nirvi Shah, August 23, 2011
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1 min read
Law & Courts News in Brief Colo. Judge Blocks Voucher Program
A school district's groundbreaking private school voucher plan violates Colorado's Constitution, a state judge has ruled.
Mark Walsh, August 23, 2011
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1 min read
Republican presidential candidate, Texas Gov. Rick Perry makes a campaign stop at the Iowa 80 Group in Walcott, Iowa last Tuesday.
Republican presidential candidate, Texas Gov. Rick Perry makes a campaign stop at the Iowa 80 Group in Walcott, Iowa last Tuesday.
Charles Dharapak/AP
Federal News in Brief Perry, GOP Hopefuls Take on Education
Few have been more vocal than the Texas governor.
Sean Cavanagh, August 23, 2011
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1 min read
Law & Courts News in Brief Judge Blocks State-Mandated Contracts
The ruling prevents school districts from using new contracts to change the hours or days that teachers work without adjusting their pay.
The Associated Press, August 23, 2011
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1 min read
Federal News in Brief GOP Keeps Power in Wis. Recall
Wisconsin Republicans held on to control of the state Senate by a single seat.
Sean Cavanagh, August 23, 2011
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1 min read
Education Funding News in Brief Wis. Teachers' Union Cuts Jobs
Wisconsin's largest teachers union, the Wisconsin Education Association Council, confirmed last week that it is laying off 42 workers out of about 100 staff members.
Sean Cavanagh, August 23, 2011
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1 min read
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