In the News on May 1, 2008
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
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texassouthwest/stories/050108dnmettestanxiety.320d8e3.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
In the News on April 30, 2008
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