Federal/NCLB

ID State Board of Education asks for a fresh start for public schools facing sanctions under NCLB
http://www.idahostatesman.com/newsupdates/story/394551.html

School Funding Litigation/Policy

AL School Superintendent hopes that the Senate’s speedy progress toward passing next year's education budget will mean superintendents will be able to rehire recently fired teachers starting next week
http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/121204893474310.xml&coll=2

Backlog of projects to fix HI public schools is growing, and state Department of Education says it would need to spend $412 million to get 261 schools back in shape
http://starbulletin.com/2008/05/29/news/story02.html

LA plan would require school boards to spell out exactly how new state aid is spent
http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/politics/19343339.html

PA governor promotes a plan to enact a new law to increase state education funding by $2.6 billion over the next six years
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/breaking/news_breaking/20080529_Rendell_in_Delco_to_push_new_school_funding_plan.html

State Roundup

GA attempts to ease the burden on school systems preparing for drastic increases in summer school enrollment because of dismal math scores on standardized tests
http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/052908/met_460339.shtml

HI schools are asked to pay as much as $26,000 for "excessive" energy usage following a yearlong effort by the state Department of Education to reduce electricity consumption
http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080529/NEWS07/805290362/1001

Boston public schools request an additional $9.9 million from the city to make ends meet this school year
http://www.boston.com/news/education/k_12/articles/2008/05/29/citing_shortfall_boston_schools_seek_99m/?rss_id=Boston.com+--+Education+news

NH House and Senate lawmakers fail to reach agreement over universal kindergarten
http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080529/NEWS01/805290389/1043/NEWS01

NJ governor begins a push for legislation enabling the state to borrow $2.5 billion to build schools in the state's poorest districts
http://www.mycentraljersey.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080528/NEWS/805290348

New application process intended to simplify pre-kindergarten enrollment leaves NYC parents confused and angry about options for their children, according to advocates
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/29/nyregion/29schools.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin

OR’s proposed high school exit exam would unfairly deny diplomas to good students who struggle with a single academic weakness, warn Oregonians
http://www.oregonlive.com/education/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/121203151352860.xml&coll=7

UT group plans to file a lawsuit over the controversial education omnibus bill, which rolled a dozen bills into one
http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,700229897,00.html

School-based reward programs that offer students incentives like cash and MP3 players, result in improved reading achievement across grade levels, says research project
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/05/27/39pay_web.h27.html

Commentary – Public schools need to develop a “college culture” to address the tragedy of lost talent; many college-capable public school seniors are not applying to college
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/06/04/39richardson_web.h27.html

State Roundup

Only a fraction of CA teachers who received pink slips will lose their jobs
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/education/20080528-9999-1n28teachers.html

Despite threats to delay payments, IL school districts will receive the money they were promised from the state
http://www.qctimes.com/articles/2008/05/28/news/local/doc483cc65bb4eee491026633.txt?sPos=3

KY Department of Education reports an increase in high school graduation rates and a decrease in dropout rates
http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080528/NEWS0105/805290301/1008/NEWS01

MD principals and teachers prepare for a year-long push so that thousands of students - some of whom have failed mandatory graduation exams multiple times – graduate
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-te.md.tests28may28,0,3095239.story

NYC Schools Chancellor talks about cuts for schools in a four hour hearing filled with skepticism that bordered on hostility from council members
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/28/nyregion/28schools.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin

RI governor says the state “can’t afford” to commit any more cash to education
http://www.projo.com/news/content/SCHOOL_AID_CUT_05-28-08_8VA9U3T_v16.3809218.html

TX education groups criticize Education Commissioner for allowing private schools to get state funding for programs aimed at dropouts
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texassouthwest/stories/052808dntexdropout.35217c05.html

CA new teachers look for jobs during a time of decreasing positions, school budget cuts and declining enrollment
http://www.latimes.com/news/education/la-me-teachers25-2008may25,0,1252198.story?track=rss

GA schools prepare for a surge in summer school enrollment
http://www.macon.com/220/story/360761.html

IA becomes the last state to enforce a state education curriculum
http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/articles/2008/05/27/news/iowa/a20f2c211fa4259a8625745600107f28.txt

IL schools will get early state payments; governor decides to go ahead with two extra state aid payments that were promised to schools as part of this year’s state budget
http://www.sj-r.com/news/x1867431800/Schools-to-get-early-state-payments

OH earns mixed grade on preparing teachers
http://www.cleveland.com/ohio/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/1211704267120581.xml&coll=2

Parents question proposed changes to the way PA educates its gifted students
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/home_top_stories/20080527_Parents_question_proposed_changes_to_Pennsylvania_s_gifted-student_regulations.html

Published Monday, Jun. 2, 2008