Federal/NCLB

National teacher of the year tactfully suggests that the president rethink his landmark No Child Left Behind Act during honor event at the White House
http://www.oregonlive.com/education/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1209612307255970.xml&coll=7

Other News

Children participating in Reading First initiative have not become better readers than their peers, says federal study
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/01/AR2008050101399.html?nav=rss_educationSchool

Funding Litigation/Policy

NE school districts that recently dropped their school finance lawsuit will receive $28.4 million more in state aid next school year
http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2798&u_sid=10323565

NH School Finance Committee approves amended school funding plan, but House Finance Committee Chairwoman is waiting for “the end of the game”
http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080430/NEWS01/804300388/1043/NEWS01

NJ will expand its powers over how all schools spend their money with new regulations; according to state Education Commissioner, the goal is greater fiscal accountability
http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-10/120961661966210.xml&coll=1

NJ Education Department releases 205-page rulebook on how districts must craft their budgets, hire and fire top administrators and handle shared-service agreements
http://www.northjersey.com/news/aroundnj/School_Spending_101.html

Abbott Attorneys urge NJ Supreme Court to deny effort to end the long-running Abbott v. Burke lawsuit because “callous formula” will limit kids’ education
http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-10/120961659366210.xml&coll=1

State Roundup

CA residents are divided over whether they would support higher taxes for schools, according to a poll
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-poll1-2008may01,1,4775983.story

FL Senate finally puts together a bill that would change the state’s high stakes exam, but the same legislation would also expand a controversial private school voucher program
http://www.miamiherald.com/458/story/516448.html

HI state budget gives money for university and public school improvements while falling short of administration requests for welfare and public charter schools
http://www.boston.com/news/education/k_12/articles/2008/04/30/hawaii_budget_focuses_on_education/?rss_id=Boston.com+--+Education+news

ME's use of the SAT college entrance exam as the state achievement test, a state effort to get more high school students to think about college, gains final federal approval
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=184904&ac=PHnws

NC education committee urges changes to public school testing program and teacher bonuses
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/education/story/1056617.html

In the News on April 30, 2008

Trend of improving achievement in the largest public school districts continues as urban students post gains on their states’ reading and mathematics exams in 2007
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/04/30/35report-b1.h27.html

Advocates say state policymakers could help alleviate rural education challenges by equalizing the teacher-salary structures of urban, suburban, and rural districts
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/04/30/35stjour.h27.html

Rep. George Miller says the 25th anniversary of “A Nation at Risk” should give federal policymakers the opportunity to reconsider its current federal approach to education
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/04/30/35risk.h27.html

Advocates of universal schooling hope to persuade federal lawmakers to increase the United States’ contribution to the international effort “Education for All”
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/04/30/35global.h27.html

Gifted education advocates say changes to a grant notification have allayed fears that money designated for high-achieving students was being diverted to other needs
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/04/30/35speced.h27.html

Commentary – “The Teaching Penalty:” Analysis shows public school teachers earn considerably less than comparably educated and experienced people, and less than people in occupations with similar educational and skill requirements
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/04/30/35mishel_ep.h27.html

Commentary – “The End of School Finance as We Know it”
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/04/30/35hill.h27.html

School Funding Litigation/Policy

AK overhauls school funding system and supporters predict the change will provide much-needed financial help to rural schools and those serving students with disabilities
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/04/30/35recaps.h27.html

Hundreds of AZ students, teachers and parents rally to urge governor and lawmakers to spare distance-learning schools from budget cuts
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0430rally0430.html

NH Finance Committee recommends more school funding changes; House Finance Chairwoman says "not one dime will be spent before commission meets and reports back"
http://www.boston.com/news/education/k_12/articles/2008/04/29/house_finance_recommends_more_school_funding_changes/?rss_id=Boston.com+--+Education+news

Repeal of VT’s controversial school-spending law now seems unlikely and critics say it will have severe consequences on public education in the state
http://www.timesargus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080430/NEWS02/804300352/1003/NEWS02

State Roundup

Every six weeks black students in CA school take home a letter documenting their achievement, simply because of the color of their skin; the purpose is to raise expectations and achievement
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9103842

KS governor asks Legislature to spend $27 million extra on early childhood learning
http://www.kansascity.com/news/politics/story/598160.html

New Orleans experiments with educational superstructures assembled from abroad; academic experts cannot recall any campaign this “radical”
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/30/us/nationalspecial/30orleans.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

MD Department of Education launches an awards program to recognize parents who have made significant contributions to the schools in their community
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/04/30/35parent.h27.html

MD school officials approve plans to overhaul nine failing schools in the state
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/education/bal-md.board30apr30,0,6183507.story

ME school districts say recent changes to state law to remove financial barriers to consolidation aren’t making the process any easier
http://bangornews.com/news/t/news.aspx?articleid=163681&zoneid=500

NE looks at some big changes in education policy and those who set it
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/04/30/35nebraska.h27.html

25% of TX eight-graders fail high-stakes math exam on first try
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/5741253.html

Federal/NCLB

Judge dismisses the last of CT’s challenges to NCLB, in lawsuit claiming the federal law is unconstitutional because expenses outweigh federal reimbursements
http://www.theday.com/re.aspx?re=987780a6-3f73-4dfd-a4bb-7df1c80a5285

VT students struggle on NCLB assessment; 38 percent of schools did not meet federal academic standards in reading and math this year
http://www.timesargus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080429/NEWS02/804290350/1003/NEWS02

Other News

U.S. Department of Education pushes to elevate the role of rigorous research in public education, which sometimes conflicts with politics, policy and public opinion
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/27/AR2008042701866.html?nav=rss_education

California Dropout Project will be featured at community-based forums in all 50 states over the next three years, in an effort to tackle the high school dropout rate
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/04/30/35dropout.h27.html

Opinion – “It’s a relief to know that honest graduation rates are on the way”
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/28/opinion/28mon3.html?ex=1367121600&en=5419828af937f3cf&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

State Roundup

Editorial – Vouching for vouchers in D.C.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/28/AR2008042802483.html?nav=rss_opinions

Baltimore schools use cash to teach class and boost attendance and scores; some are concerned about school-sanctioned bribery
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0429/p20s01-ussc.html

The American Federation of Teachers says NE’s academic standards fail to clearly define what students are expected to learn in school; report says state scores 0 out of 12
http://www.journalstar.com/articles/2008/04/29/news/local/doc48164c50b5b57107359443.txt

Federal appeals court affirms dissolution of NE small school districts
http://www.journalstar.com/articles/2008/04/29/news/nebraska/doc4815fe9cb6fa9654218339.txt

Despite roadblocks, TN governor still hopes to expand Pre-K funding
http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080429/NEWS0201/804290386/1009/NEWS02

In the News on April 28, 2008

Standardized formula for graduation rates may soon pair with tests; proposal wins applause from education experts who say it will shed light on the dropout problem
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/27/AR2008042701667.html?nav=rss_education

Opinion – Twenty-five years later, a nation still at risk
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120916804732546311.html?mod=rss_opinion_main

State Roundup

AZ lawmakers consider elevating recess to the same level as readin', writin' and 'rithmetic as required subjects
http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/236394

Survey finds that Los Angeles students are frightened by school violence, dissatisfied with choices of college preparatory classes, and exhibit symptoms of clinical depression
http://www.latimes.com/news/education/la-me-survey26apr26,1,599226.story?track=rss

CO lawmakers consider education reform and curriculum standards and debate over using traditional coursework and paper-and-pencil tests, or nontraditional forms of instruction and testing
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/apr/28/ed-reform-debate-seesaws-between-act-new/

HI will take the first step toward greater state involvement in preschool education; report says less than 18 percent of children enter kindergarten with the necessary literacy standards to succeed
http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080428/NEWS01/804280347/1001/LOCALNEWSFRONT

IL is considered a model for preschool education for children 3 years-old and younger
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-earlybrain-illinois_bd27apr27,0,3023029.story

Published Monday, May. 5, 2008