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Item(s) found: 3319
SUNY NYSED regs
Date CapturedSunday March 31 2019, 8:37 PM
The State University of New York (“SUNY”) has reviewed the Department’s proposed regulations adding a new Part 121 to Title 8 NYCRR in relation to protecting students’ personally identifiable information
FINAL REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMISSION ON School Safety
Date CapturedFriday February 22 2019, 7:21 AM
Challenges in Matching Student and Worker Information Raise Concerns about Longitudinal Data Systems
Date CapturedWednesday July 15 2015, 7:29 AM
EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DATA Challenges in Matching Student and Worker Information Raise Concerns about Longitudinal Data Systems Report to the Chairman, Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, U.S. Senate November 2014 GAO-15-27 United States Government Accountability Office
Protecting Student Privacy in Research Projects
Date CapturedSaturday April 04 2015, 4:26 PM
While a great deal of attention has been paid recently to protecting the privacy of students’ personal information and education records, families and educators also need to be aware of the use and disclosure of students‘ personal information in research conducted by universities and other entities.
Hearing on “How Emerging Technology Affects Student Privacy"
Date CapturedMonday February 16 2015, 12:24 PM
United States House of Representatives 114th Congress, 1st Session; Committee on Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education Hearing on “How Emerging Technology Affects Student Privacy" February 12, 2015 Statement of Joel R. Reidenberg Stanley D. and Nikki Waxberg Chair and Professor of Law Founding Academic Director, Center on Law and Information Policy Fordham University New York, NY Good morning Chairman Rokita, Ranking Member Fudge and distinguished
GAO: States Have Made Progress in Implementing New Standards and Assessments but Challenges Remain
Date CapturedMonday December 15 2014, 8:24 AM
What is known about states' implementation of college- and career-ready standards? 2. What key considerations are states facing as they implement assessments aligned to college- and career-ready standards? 3. How does Education plan to oversee statewide assessments, and how has it overseen the Assessment Program? GAO is not making recommendations.
Case Study #5: Minimizing Access to PII: Best Practices for Access Controls and Disclosure Avoidance Techniques (Oct 2012)
Date CapturedThursday November 27 2014, 7:14 AM
is case study illustrates best practices for minimizing access to sensitive information with education data maintained in a Statewide Longitudinal Data System.
The Belmont Report
Date CapturedMonday November 24 2014, 10:57 AM
Belmont Report does not make specific recommendations for administrative action by the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare. Rather, the Commission recommended that the Belmont Report be adopted in its entirety, as a statement of the Department's policy.
“Using Data Safely and Effectively to Strengthen Student Performance”
Date CapturedThursday June 26 2014, 10:28 AM
Written Testimony of Thomas C. Murray State and District Digital Learning Director Alliance for Excellent Education Prepared for the House Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Security Technologies and House Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education June 25, 2014
“Using Data Safely and Effectively to Strengthen Student Performance”
Date CapturedThursday June 26 2014, 10:28 AM
Written Testimony of Thomas C. Murray State and District Digital Learning Director Alliance for Excellent Education Prepared for the House Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Security Technologies and House Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education June 25, 2014
“How Data Mining Threatens Student Privacy”
Date CapturedThursday June 26 2014, 10:24 AM
Joyce Popp Chief Information Officer Idaho State Department of Education June 25, 2014 “How Data Mining Threatens Student Privacy”
“How Data Mining Threatens Student Privacy"
Date CapturedThursday June 26 2014, 10:19 AM
1 United States House of Representatives 113th Congress, 2nd Session Committee on Homeland Security Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection and Security Technologies and Committee on Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education Hearing on “How Data Mining Threatens Student Privacy" June 25, 2014 Statement of Joel R. Reidenberg Stanley D. and Nikki Waxberg Chair and Professor of Law Founding Academic Director, Center on Law and Information Policy Fordham University New York, NY
“How Data Mining Threatens Student Privacy”
Date CapturedThursday June 26 2014, 7:49 AM
Prepared Statement of Mark MacCarthy Vice President, Public Policy Software & Information Industry Association Before the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Of the Committee on Education and the Workforce And the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Security Technologies Of the Committee on Homeland Security United States House of Representatives On “How Data Mining Threatens Student Privacy” June 25, 2014
Parents Must Be Sure Education Data Use Is Effective and Safe
Date CapturedWednesday May 14 2014, 8:44 PM
Data Quality Campaign blog guest post by Olga Garcia-Kaplan
Capitalize on Federal Education Funding Opportunities with the IB
Date CapturedMonday April 28 2014, 10:23 PM
One of the four core priorities for all ARRA funding is building data systems that measure student growth and success, and inform teachers and principals about how they can improve instruction
Mapping the Nation video
Date CapturedMonday April 28 2014, 12:00 AM
November 18, 2013 — U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Asia Society Vice President for Education Tony Jackson and other officials at the U.S. Department of Education introduce the Asia Society interactive project Mapping the Nation, which makes a case for a globally competent workforce and citizenry. (1 hr., 29 min.)
Dangerous Use of Seclusion and Restraints in Schools Remains Widespread and Difficult to Remedy: A Review of Ten Cases
Date CapturedFriday April 18 2014, 1:07 AM
US Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Report February 12, 2014
CPO for Education in NY
Date CapturedSaturday March 29 2014, 10:24 AM
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Date CapturedFriday March 28 2014, 2:18 PM
New York State Education Department Request for Information (RFI) for an Enterprise Identity and Access Management System
Children’s Databases Safety and Privacy A Report for the Information Commissioner Foundation for Information Policy Research
Date CapturedWednesday March 19 2014, 4:42 PM
The specific background to the project is the establishment recently of databases relating to children across social services, education, crime and health.
Protecting Student Privacy While Using Online Educational Services
Date CapturedTuesday February 25 2014, 2:51 PM
2013 CASEL Guide
Date CapturedSunday December 22 2013, 12:47 PM
Effective Social and Emotional Learning Programs (Preschool and Elementary School Edition)
The Missing Piece -- A Report for CASEL (Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning)
Date CapturedSaturday December 21 2013, 10:58 PM
A National Teacher Survey on How Social and Emotional Learning Can Empower Children and Transform Schools
Forum Guide to Metadata: The Meaning Behind Education Data.
Date CapturedTuesday December 17 2013, 11:33 AM
Education Breaches 2013
Date CapturedFriday December 06 2013, 10:00 AM
Problems with Data Privacy in Relation to Common Core Standards, The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act, and The Education Sciences Reform Act
Date CapturedMonday November 18 2013, 1:38 AM
ESRA is up for reauthorization. That law allows the National Center for Education Statistics to collect data “by other offices within the Academy and by other Federal departments, agencies and instrumentalities.” and “enter into interagency agreements for the collection of statistics.”
Selected Statistics from the Common Core of Data: School Year 2011–12
Date CapturedSunday November 03 2013, 2:12 PM
This First Look report presents findings on the numbers and types of public elementary and secondary schools and local education agencies and public school student enrollment and staff in the United States and other jurisdictions for school year 2011–12.
Chief Privacy Officer for Education Act letter to NYT editor
Date CapturedTuesday October 15 2013, 9:40 AM
Chief Privacy Officer for Education Act
Date CapturedSaturday August 24 2013, 4:18 PM
Version 2.1
Chief Privacy Officer for Education Act
Date CapturedFriday August 23 2013, 10:20 PM
SHEEO NPRM FERPA MAY 2011
Date CapturedMonday August 05 2013, 10:35 PM
We have formally endorsed the suggestions from the Data Quality Campaign (DQC) and acknowledge the value of the specific comments and suggestions they have provided.
Status of the Department of Education’s Inventory of Its Data Collections
Date CapturedSaturday August 03 2013, 8:32 AM
1. What information will the inventory of Education’s data collections contain and when will the inventory be completed? 2. What process is Education using to catalog its data collections, and to what extent does that process include internal controls to ensure the accuracy of the information collected? 3. What are Education’s plans to make its data collection inventory publicly available?
Transforming Data to Information in Service of Learning,
Date CapturedFriday May 24 2013, 8:58 AM
SETDA developed this new report, "Transforming Data to Information in Service of Learning," to raise awareness about the major K-12 data standards and interoperability initiatives underway to address this gap and to offer recommendations for how K-12 education can become more responsive to educators and better targeted toward individual student success. The report will help education leaders understand the context for these interoperability initiatives and their relationship to teaching and learning. The widespread implementation of new and emerging interoperability initiatives will be instrumental to realizing the full potential of technology in education.
National Education Data Model
Date CapturedSunday May 19 2013, 10:16 PM
he National Education Data Model (NEDM) is a P-20 data resource that provides a common framework and language for collecting, comparing, and using data to improve schools and answer important research and policy questions. NEDM is a project funded by the US Department of Education and coordinated by the Council of Chief State School Officers to: • describe relationships between and among data sets; and • create an open framework based on current standards to build education data systems.
WESTERN INTERSTATE COMMISSION FOR HIGHER EDUCATION (WICHE)
Date CapturedMonday April 08 2013, 11:39 PM
NATIONAL CENTER FOR HIGHER EDUCATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Date CapturedMonday April 08 2013, 11:31 PM
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION (ACE)
Date CapturedMonday April 08 2013, 10:59 PM
“How Data Can be Used to Inform Educational Outcomes”
Date CapturedSunday April 07 2013, 3:54 PM
Reidenberg provided written testimony for the House Committee on Education and Labor hearing, “How Data Can be Used to Inform Educational Outcomes”.
Chronology of Education Data Breaches
Date CapturedTuesday March 12 2013, 4:03 PM
LEARNING REGISTRY screen shot
Date CapturedThursday March 07 2013, 9:08 PM
EPIC v US ED Reply
Date CapturedWednesday March 06 2013, 12:02 PM
2/15/13
EPIC vs US ED reply
Date CapturedFriday February 22 2013, 9:30 AM
NMC Horizon Report: 2013 Higher Education Edition
Date CapturedFriday February 08 2013, 6:17 PM
Johnson, L., Adams Becker, S., Cummins, M., Estrada, V., Freeman, A., and Ludgate, H. (2013). NMC Horizon Report: 2013 Higher Education Edition. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium.
FACT SHEET: UNLOCKING THE POWER OF EDUCATION DATA FOR ALL AMERICANS
Date CapturedFriday February 08 2013, 12:41 PM
EPIC V US ED Defendant Statement of ISSUES
Date CapturedTuesday February 05 2013, 11:26 AM
TRUTH IN AMERICAN EDUCATION
Date CapturedMonday January 28 2013, 12:07 PM
EPIC v US ED
Date CapturedMonday January 21 2013, 1:46 PM
PLAINTIFFS’ CROSS-MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT AND MEMORANDUM OPPOSING DEFENDANT’S MOTION TO DISMISS AND MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT
‘‘Uninterrupted Scholars Act (USA)
Date CapturedWednesday January 16 2013, 2:01 PM
Amends FERPA: ‘‘(L) an agency caseworker or other representative of a State or local child welfare agency, or tribal organization (as defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b)), who has the right to access a student’s case plan,
Data De-identification: An Overview of Basic Terms
Date CapturedWednesday January 16 2013, 1:35 PM
PTAC-GL, Oct 2012: In addition to defining and clarifying the distinction among several key terms, the paper provides general best practice suggestions regarding data de-identification strategies for different types of data. The information is presented in the form of an alphabetized list of definitions, followed at the end by additional resources on FERPA requirements and statistical techniques that can be used to protect student data against disclosures
FERPA and the Cloud: What FERPA Can Learn from HIPAA
Date CapturedTuesday December 18 2012, 7:01 AM
SOLOVE: Parents need to look at what their schools are doing about student privacy and speak up, because the law isn’t protecting their children’s privacy. School officials who want to develop a more meaningful and robust protection of privacy should talk to government officials who are tasked with complying with HIPAA. They can learn a lot from studying HIPAA and following some of its requirements. Congress should remake FERPA more in the model of HIPAA. If Congress won’t act, state legislatures should pass better education privacy laws. Because FERPA does not provide adequate oversight and enforcement of cloud computing providers, schools must be especially aggressive and assume the responsibility. Otherwise, their students’ data will not be adequately protected. School officials shouldn’t assume that the law is providing regulation of cloud computing providers and that they need not worry. The law isn’t, so right now the schools need to be especially vigilant.
It's 3PM: Who's Watching Your Children?
Date CapturedWednesday December 12 2012, 5:48 PM
Parents concerned about their children's privacy should be aware of how easily personally identifiable information can be bought and sold by marketers as well as by identity thieves. FERPA was enacted in 1974 to protect the privacy of education records and directory information -- including name, address, phone number, date of birth, and e-mail address, among other personally identifiable information. Parents should be aware that under FERPA, directory information can be disclosed without parental consent. If you do not opt-out of directory information personal and identifiable information about your children may be public.
Frequently Asked Questions—Cloud Computing
Date CapturedMonday September 24 2012, 10:25 AM
FERPA does not prohibit the use of cloud computing solutions for the purpose of hosting education records; rather, FERPA requires States to use reasonable methods to ensure the security of their information technology (IT) solutions.
State and District Receipt of Recovery Act Funds
Date CapturedFriday September 21 2012, 3:09 PM
A Report From Charting the Progress of Education Reform: An Evaluation of the Recovery Act’s Role; SEPTEMBER 2012: The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA or the Recovery Act) of 2009 provided an unprecedented level of funding designed to “stimulate the economy in the short-term and invest wisely, using these funds to improve schools, raise achievement, drive reforms and produce better results for children and young people for the long-term health of our nation.”1 The distribution of Recovery Act funds was intended to reflect these multiple goals. Nearly $97.4 billion were allocated to the U.S. Department of Education (ED), of which $70.6 billion were awarded by ED for primary and secondary (K-12) education through existing and new federal programs.2 These funds were distributed to states and districts using formulas based primarily on population and student poverty and through competitive grants. In return for grants, Recovery Act recipients were required to commit to four core reforms or assurances: 1. Adopting rigorous college-ready and career-ready standards and high-quality assessments, 2. Establishing data systems and using data to improve performance, 3. Increasing educator effectiveness and the equitable distribution of effective educators, and 4. Turning around the lowest-performing schools.
2010-11 Beta Growth Model for Educator Evaluation Technical Report
Date CapturedFriday August 24 2012, 2:34 PM
2010-11 Beta Growth Model for Educator Evaluation Technical Report New York State Education Department
Enhancing Teaching and Learning through Educational Data Mining and Learning Analytics
Date CapturedWednesday August 22 2012, 5:03 PM
Featured Report: Enhancing Teaching and Learning through Educational Data Mining and Learning Analytics [DRAFT] Big data is everywhere—even in education. Researchers and developers of online learning, intelligent tutoring systems, virtual labs, simulations, and learning management systems are exploring ways to better understand and use learning analytics to improve teaching and learning
“Study of Promising Features of Teacher Preparation Programs”
Date CapturedTuesday August 14 2012, 3:59 PM
COMMENTS OF THE ELECTRONIC PRIVACY INFORMATION CENTER to THE INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION SCIENCES of the DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Notice of New System of Records: For the foregoing reasons, the Education Department must revise its Privacy Act notice for the Study of Promising Features of Teacher Preparation Programs to: (1) limit the collection of student information to only that which is necessary and relevant; and (2) clarify the circumstances under which it will disclose information pursuant to the routine use exception.
Welcome to The Opt Out of Standardized Tests Site!
Date CapturedSaturday August 04 2012, 7:05 PM
This site was created to collect and share information on state by state rules and experiences related to opting out of standardized tests. This is an open community for any parent, student, or educator interested in finding or sharing opt out information, irrespective of personal decisions regarding political party, religion, or choice of public or non public education.
EPIC v US ED : MOTION TO SUPPLEMENT THE ADMINISTRATIVE RECORD AND CONSIDER EXTRA-RECORD EVIDENCE
Date CapturedMonday July 23 2012, 6:23 PM
EPIC’S MOTION TO SUPPLEMENT THE ADMINISTRATIVE RECORD AND CONSIDER EXTRA-RECORD EVIDENCE
EPIC v US ED Scheduling Order
Date CapturedWednesday June 27 2012, 4:35 PM
SCHEDULING ORDER: In light of the joint report submitted by the parties, it is ORDERED that: 1. The administrative record will be due June 29, 2012. 2. Defendant’s dispositive motion will be due on July 27, 2012, with plaintiffs’ opposition and any cross-motion due on August 27, 2012; the reply and opposition to any cross-motion due September 26, 2012; and reply to any cross-motion due on October 10, 2012.
LRMI, schema & de-facto metatag
Date CapturedSaturday May 05 2012, 11:30 PM
Defacto metatag standard for education content on the Internet. <-Their words.
Common Education Data Standards (CEDS) Version 2
Date CapturedSaturday May 05 2012, 5:53 PM
EPIC v US ED (US ED answer)
Date CapturedFriday May 04 2012, 2:53 PM
Learning Registry Index Solution – RFP Guidance SLC Project Document January 31, 2012 Copyright
Date CapturedSunday April 29 2012, 3:33 PM
The Learning Registry is a joint technology effort of the US Departments of Education and Defense, supported by public, private and nonprofit members who participate in various roles as educational content publishers, indexing and search providers, and content consumers.
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT GRANTS: Education Should Take Additional Steps to Enhance Accountability for Schools and Contractors
Date CapturedThursday April 12 2012, 9:57 AM
GAO-12-373 GAO recommends that Education (1) provide additional support to states about making evidence-based grant renewal decisions and (2) ensure that contractor performance is reviewed. Education generally supported our first recommendation but disagreed with the second. We modified our recommendation to address some of Education’s concerns.
Applications for New Awards; Carol M. White Physical Education Program
Date CapturedWednesday March 21 2012, 4:55 PM
Federal Register/Vol. 76, No. 60/Tuesday, March 29, 2011/Notices
EPIC v US Department of Education
Date CapturedThursday March 01 2012, 9:08 AM
EPIC has filed a lawsuit under the Administrative Procedure Act against the Department of Education. EPIC's lawsuit argues that the agency's December 2011 regulations amending the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act exceed the agency's statutory authority, and are contrary to law. The agency issued the revised regulations despite the fact that “numerous commenters . . . believe the Department lacks the statutory authority to promulgate the proposed regulations."
Timothy D. Slekar
Date CapturedSunday February 26 2012, 8:26 AM
Father, Associate Professor of teacher education, and public school advocate. Penn State Altoona
SOS March
Date CapturedThursday February 16 2012, 2:33 PM
A sustained movement to preserve America's best idea: a free, high-quality public education for every child.
New York State Race to the Top Subgrants to Participating LEAs NOV 2010
Date CapturedTuesday February 14 2012, 12:08 AM
Race to the Top Subgrants to Participating LEA's (50% of Total) Based on Receipt of Letters of Intent total $348,323,000 in 2010.
Kevin Michael Foster
Date CapturedMonday February 13 2012, 5:43 PM
All about: community/university partnerships; education practice & policy; black student success, being Dad.
Logue
Date CapturedMonday February 13 2012, 4:06 PM
Independent mom. Realist. Fighter. Mama Bear. Education Watchdog. Tired of crony capitalists and the politicians who fund them.
Urban Youth Justice
Date CapturedMonday February 13 2012, 3:32 PM
Equal Rights, Equal Justice & Equal Opportunity for Our Youth! Fighting Education Inequality, School-to-Prison Pipeline & the Disenfranchisement of Urban Youth.
Sandra Brevard
Date CapturedMonday February 13 2012, 3:29 PM
A continuing commentary on education reform written by a non-educator for non-educators.
Jaye Bea Smalley
Date CapturedMonday February 13 2012, 3:03 PM
Education, disability and healthcare policy and politics.
Shaun Johnson
Date CapturedMonday February 13 2012, 2:35 PM
Assistant professor of elementary education, public school activist, and edu-blogger.
Diane Ravitch
Date CapturedMonday February 13 2012, 2:30 PM
Writes about education. Blogs at Bridging Differences at Education Week.
OREGON'S PROJECT ALDER misspells "education"
Date CapturedSunday February 12 2012, 5:12 PM
Would you entrust an education system with personal, sensitive and identifiable information about your child if you knew they can't spell education correctly? Project ALDER is Oregon's state longitudinal database. SLDS. Link is screen shot: [Senate Bill 909i, signed by Governor Kitzhaber on June 28, 2011, creates an efficient, accountable, and integrated zero-to-20 funding and governance system for public education, from early childhood services through post-secondary education and training. SB 909 establishes the Oregon Education Investment Boardi for the purpose of ensuring that all public school students in this state reach the educaiton outcomes established for the state. The board shall accomplish this goal by overseeing a unified public education system that begins with early childhood services and continues throughout public education from kindergarten to post-secondary education.]
MISSOURI EDUCATION WATCHDOG
Date CapturedThursday February 02 2012, 11:25 AM
FLORIDA HB 543
Date CapturedTuesday January 31 2012, 7:09 PM
Bill to be entitled: An act relating to parental involvement and accountability in public schools; creating s. 1008.347, F.S.; providing purpose to provide information and tools to parents of prekindergarten through grade 5 students and to set minimum standards for parental involvement; specifying causes for student underachievement; requiring shared information between teachers, schools, and parents; requiring prekindergarten through grade 5 teachers to evaluate parental involvement and send a parental involvement evaluation to parents under certain circumstances; requiring adoption of a process to dispute a parental involvement evaluation; requiring reports on parental involvement evaluations by district school boards and the Department of Education; providing for implementation;.
December 2011 FERPA Regulations: Information Sharing Around Child Welfare and Education
Date CapturedThursday January 26 2012, 8:02 AM
The new rules offer expanded opportunities for state or local child welfare and education agencies to share information. However, given that these new regulations do not sufficiently eliminate the barriers to intersystem communication for children in care, we look forward to legislative changes to ensure that child welfare agencies can fulfill their duty to ensure that the educational needs of the children in their care are met.
“We’re From the Government and We’re Here to Help You”
Date CapturedWednesday January 25 2012, 12:29 PM
Speakers: Kathleen M. Styles, Chief Privacy Officer, U.S. Department of Education and Michael B. Hawes, Statistical Privacy Advisor, U.S. Department of Education The Department of Education administers the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and recently established a Chief Privacy Officer position to coordinate federal technical assistance on privacy and confidentiality to the education community. Kathleen will discuss ED’s privacy initiatives, both in schools and in connection with student longitudinal databases. The presentation will cover recently issued and forthcoming guidance documents and regulation changes. She and Michael Hawes will also discuss the difficult balance in releasing student data, about the need to both be transparent and protect privacy through disclosure avoidance.
NEW YORK: RACE TO THE TOP ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REPORT
Date CapturedFriday January 20 2012, 2:57 PM
New York faces the ongoing challenge of communicating and collaborating with its various stakeholders. Similarly, the complexity of reviewing and approving Scopes of Work, budgets, expenditures, and evaluation plans for all of the State’s participating LEAs presented a formidable task that required a high level of strategic planning and logistical coordination by NYSED leadership. The State is working to overcome these challenges by investing in communication tools and leveraging other quality-control methods (such as a new online expenditure reporting tool) in order to increase its responsiveness and efficiency in the future.
Race to the Top: Characteristics of Grantees’ Amended Programs and Education’s Review Process
Date CapturedTuesday January 10 2012, 3:13 PM
GAO Findings: • According to Education officials, most amendments consisted of minor adjustments to grant budgets, activities, and timelines, and some amendments involved significant changes to the grant award. Grantees have cited a variety of reasons for these amendments, such as timeline delays and difficulty finding qualified staff. • Education established a review process in which Education officials consider amendment requests on a case-by-case basis. In addition, the department distinguishes significant amendment requests from minor requests based on how the amendment would change project timelines, budgets, performance measures, and the implementation of other related projects. Education reportedly applied greater scrutiny to requests that involved significant changes to grantees’ planned activities, often by requiring that grantees provide additional information or seek consultation from issue- area experts within the department. Rather than reject amendment requests, Education officials explained that they generally asked grantees to resubmit requests with more information.
APPENDIX A: FERPA Guidance for Reasonable Methods and Written Agreements
Date CapturedThursday January 05 2012, 5:57 PM
FERPA represents the floor for protecting [student] privacy, not the ceiling. PAGE A-5 Federal Register/Vol. 76, No. 232/Friday, December 2, 2011/Rules and Regulations.
FERPA: Guidance for Reasonable Methods & Agreements
Date CapturedTuesday December 20 2011, 4:45 PM
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 34 CFR Part 99 in the Federal Register (76 FR 19726)
Date CapturedMonday December 05 2011, 11:20 AM
SUMMARY: The Secretary of Education (Secretary) amends the regulations implementing section 444 of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA), which is commonly referred to as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). These amendments are needed to ensure that the U.S. Department of Education (Department or we) continues to implement FERPA in a way that protects the privacy of education records while allowing for the effective use of data. Improved access to data will facilitate States’ ability to evaluate education programs, to ensure limited resources are invested effectively, to build upon what works and discard what does not, to increase accountability and transparency, and to contribute to a culture of innovation and continuous improvement in education.
EDUCATION INTERRUPTED: The Growing Use of Suspensions in New York City’s Public Schools
Date CapturedThursday October 13 2011, 4:16 PM
This report analyzes 449,513 suspensions served by New York City students from 1999 to 2009 to draw a picture of zero tolerance practices in the nation’s largest school district. The number of suspensions served each school year has nearly doubled in a decade—even though the student population has decreased over the same period—sending a clear message that public education is a reward for “good” behavior, rather than a fundamental right. This section explains the methodology we used to analyze the suspension data, and provides valuable background on zero tolerance discipline. Section II provides an overview of New York City disciplinary policies and practices. It examines the ever- increasing emphasis on out-of-class and out-of-school suspensions in New York City’s Discipline Code, which governs student behavior. This section also analyzes the impact that NYPD school safety officers have had on the increasing reliance on suspensions and arrests as primary disciplinary tools. Section III analyzes 10 years of school discipline data in New York City, explaining the data behind our conclusions. Finally, the report concludes with our recommendations for the DOE, as well as city and state lawmakers.
FTC "STOLEN FUTURES" WEBCAST Session Two - FAMILIAL IDENTITY THEFT - July 12, 2011
Date CapturedSunday September 11 2011, 12:04 AM
WEBCAST ON CHILD IDENTITY THEFT. DISCUSSES MOST AT RISK STUDENTS. Session 2 Linda Foley is the founder of the Identity Theft Resource Center, a nationwide nonprofit, victim-services advocacy, and consumer-education program based in San Diego, California. Russell Butler is Executive Director of the Maryland Crime Victims Resource Center, which provides criminal justice information and education, support services, therapeutic individual, family, and group counseling, and legal information, referrals, and representation to victims of crime. Theresa Ronnebaum is the Identity Theft Program Specialist for the Florida Attorney General's office with over 15 years experience in victim advocacy.
US Education Department Model Notice for Directory Information
Date CapturedMonday September 05 2011, 12:21 PM
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), a Federal law, requires that [School District], with certain exceptions, obtain your written consent prior to the disclosure of personally identifiable information from your child's education records. However, [School District] may disclose appropriately designated "directory information" without written consent, unless you have advised the District to the contrary in accordance with District procedures. Directory information may include: Student's name; Address; Telephone listing; Electronic mail address; Photograph; Date and place of birth; Major field of study; Dates of attendance; Grade level; Participation in officially recognized activities and sports; Weight and height of members of athletic teams; Degrees, honors, and awards received; The most recent educational agency or institution attended; Student ID number, user ID, or other unique personal identifier used to communicate in electronic systems that cannot be used to access education records without a PIN, password, etc. (A student's SSN, in whole or in part, cannot be used for this purpose.)
Privacy Rights Clearinghouse chronology of education breaches
Date CapturedMonday September 05 2011, 11:07 AM
Beth Givens -- Privacy Rights Clearinghouse Education breach chronology from 2005 - 2011.
Office of Inadequate Security
Date CapturedMonday September 05 2011, 10:40 AM
Education breaches
Online Public Policy Master’s Degree Programs
Date CapturedTuesday August 23 2011, 5:29 PM
Guide to Masters in Special Education Degrees
Date CapturedMonday August 15 2011, 10:12 AM
S. 1464 - METRICS Act
Date CapturedSaturday August 13 2011, 3:10 PM
To enable States to implement integrated statewide education longitudinal data systems. This Act may be cited as the ``Measuring and Evaluating Trends for Reliability, Integrity, and Continued Success (METRICS) Act of 2011'' or the ``METRICS Act''.
Social Media: Federal Agencies Need Policies and Procedures for Managing and Protecting Information They Access and Disseminate
Date CapturedThursday July 28 2011, 6:51 PM
Federal agencies increasingly use recently developed Internet technologies that allow individuals or groups to create, organize, comment on, and share online content. The use of these social media services-- including popular Web sites like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube-- has been endorsed by President Obama and provides opportunities for agencies to more readily share information with and solicit feedback from the public. However, these services may also pose risks to the adequate protection of both personal and government information. GAO was asked to (1) describe how federal agencies are currently using commercially provided social media services and (2) determine the extent to which agencies have developed and implemented policies and procedures for managing and protecting information associated with this use. To do this, GAO examined the headquarters-level Facebook pages, Twitter accounts, and YouTube channels of 24 major federal agencies; reviewed pertinent policies, procedures, and guidance; and interviewed officials involved in agency use of social media. Agency: Department of Education; Records management: Document processes and policies and record-keeping roles and responsibilities for how social media records are identified and managed: Did not develop policies and procedures for use of social media services; Privacy protection: Update privacy policy to discuss use of PII made available through social media: Did not develop policies and procedures for use of social media services; Privacy protection: Conduct privacy impact assessment for social media use: Developed policies and procedures that guided use of some but not all services; Security risk management: Identify security risks associated with agency use of social media and security controls to mitigate risks: Did not develop policies and procedures for use of social media services. ***** Appendix IX: Comments from the Department of Education:
Stolen Futures: A Forum on Child Identity Theft July 12, 2011
Date CapturedMonday July 25 2011, 5:26 PM
Session 3 TRANSCRIPT - Securing Children’s Data in the Educational System: Steven Toporoff - Federal Trade Commission. PANELISTS: Kathleen Styles, U.S. Department of Education; Michael Borkoski, Howard County Maryland Public Schools; Larry Wong, Montgomery County Maryland Public Schools; Richard Boyle ECMC, Denny Shaw i-SAFE, Inc. [This panel will explore the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and initiatives to protect children’s personal information in school systems. We will also explore lessons learned from a high-profile data breach involving student information. Finally, the panel will discuss outreach efforts to teach children, teachers, youth counselors, and school administrators about privacy and securing children’s personal information.]
Stolen Futures: A Forum on Child Identity Theft July 12, 2011
Date CapturedMonday July 25 2011, 5:16 PM
Session 2 TRANSCRIPT intro [Linda Foley is the founder and research director of the Identity Theft Resource Center, a nationwide nonprofit, victim-services advocacy, and consumer-education program based in San Diego, California. Russell Butler is Executive Director of the Maryland Crime Victims Resource Center, which provides criminal justice information and education, support services, therapeutic individual, family, and group counseling, and legal information, referrals, and representation to victims of crime. And then I have Theresa Ronnebaum. Theresa is the Identity Theft Program Specialist for the Florida Attorney General's office with over 15 years experience in victim advocacy.]
Balancing Student Privacy and School Safety: A Guide to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act for Elementary and Secondary Schools
Date CapturedMonday July 25 2011, 1:51 PM
Many school districts employ security staff to monitor safety and security in and around schools. Some schools employ off-duty police officers as school security officers, while others designate a particular school official to be responsible for referring potential or alleged violations of law to local police authorities. Under FERPA, investigative reports and other records created and maintained by these "law enforcement units" are not considered "education records" subject to FERPA. Accordingly, schools may disclose information from law enforcement unit records to anyone, including outside law enforcement authorities, without parental consent. See 34 CFR § 99.8. While a school has flexibility in deciding how to carry out safety functions, it must also indicate to parents in its school policy or information provided to parents which office or school official serves as the school's "law enforcement unit." (The school's notification to parents of their rights under FERPA can include this designation. As an example, the U.S. Department of Education has posted a model notification on the Web at: http://www.ed.gov /policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/lea-officials.html.) Law enforcement unit officials who are employed by the school should be designated in its FERPA notification as "school officials" with a "legitimate educational interest." As such, they may be given access to personally identifiable information from students' education records. The school's law enforcement unit officials must protect the privacy of education records it receives and may disclose them only in compliance with FERPA. For that reason, it is advisable that law enforcement unit records be maintained separately from education records.
Addressing Emergencies on Campus June 2011
Date CapturedTuesday June 28 2011, 6:32 PM
United States Department of Education (USED) : Summary of two applicable Federal education laws administered by the Department of Education (Department): the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA), as amended. This Federal component is only one piece of what is necessary to consider in ensuring the safety of our Nation’s students, faculty, and school staff. A comprehensive and effective campus policy must incorporate all Federal and State policies regarding health and safety emergencies, education, student privacy, civil rights, and law enforcement, as well as specific local community needs.
Education New York comments re Student Privacy submitted to FERPA NPRM - May 23, 2011
Date CapturedMonday May 23 2011, 9:22 PM
Document ID: ED-2011-OM-0002-0001: Family Educational Rights and Privacy. The proposed changes to FERPA do not adequately address the capacity of marketers and other commercial enterprises to capture, use, and re-sell student information. Even with privacy controls in place, it is also far too easy for individuals to get a hold of student information and use it for illegal purposes, including identity theft, child abduction in custody battles, and domestic violence. Few parents are aware, for example, that anyone can request -- and receive -- a student directory from a school. Data and information breaches occur every day in Pre-K-20 schools across the country, so that protecting student privacy has become a matter of plugging holes in a dyke rather than advancing a comprehensive policy that makes student privacy protection the priority.
Supporting Data Use While Protecting the Privacy, Security and Confidentiality of Student Information
Date CapturedMonday May 02 2011, 6:28 PM
Data Quality Campaign: [Meet the moral and legal responsibility to respect the privacy and the confidentiality of students’ personally identifiable information; Mitigate risks related to the intentional and unintentional misuse of data, which are amplified by the digital nature of today’s society in which more information — in education and every sector — is housed and shared in electronic and web-based forms; and ensure clarity around roles and responsibilities, including states’ authority to share data, in what form the data can be shared, at what level of detail, with whom and with what protections in place.]
DQC: The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Support for State Longitudinal Data Systems (SLDS)
Date CapturedFriday April 22 2011, 5:06 PM
Data Quality Campaign - The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provides federal support to states to further build and promote the use of statewide longitudinal data systems. This document includes: 1. ARRA Overview and Data Systems; a. American Recovery and Reinvestment Act; b. America COMPETES Act; 2. State Stabilization Funds and Assurances 3. Institute of Education Sciences State Longitudinal Data Systems Grants: a. American Recovery and Reinvestment Act – IES Funding; 4. U.S. Department of Education Guidance on Implementation of ARRA : a. Fact sheet: The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009: Saving and Creating Jobs and Reforming Education; b. Letter to Governors from Secretary of Education Arne Duncan c. Implementing the American Recovery Act – Letter from Secretary of Education Arne Duncan
U.S. Department of Education (USED) Safeguarding Student Privacy 
Date CapturedFriday April 08 2011, 6:38 PM
The use of data is vital to ensuring the best education for our children.  However, the benefits of using  student data must always be balanced with the need to protect students’ privacy rights.  Students and their  parents should expect that their personal information is safe, properly collected and maintained and that it is  used only for appropriate purposes and not improperly redisclosed.  It is imperative to protect students’  privacy to avoid discrimination, identity theft or other malicious and damaging criminal acts.  All education  data holders must act responsibly and be held accountable for safeguarding students’ personally identifiable  information – from practitioners of early learning to those developing systems across the education  continuum (P-20) and from schools to their contractors.  The need for articulated privacy protections and  data security continues to grow as Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems (SLDS) are built and more education  records are digitized and shared electronically.  As States develop and refine their information management  systems, it is critical that they ensure that student information continues to be protected and that students’  personally identifiable information is disclosed only for authorized purposes and under the circumstances  permitted by law.  All P-20 stakeholders should be involved in the development of these statewide systems  and protection policies.    
New York State Race to the Top Application
Date CapturedWednesday March 16 2011, 10:54 AM
New York State submitted its Phase II Race to the Top application to the U.S. Department of Education on June 1. On August 24, the U.S. Department of Education announced that New York State had been awarded $696,646,000 as a winner in the second round of the federal Race to the Top competition. The application and related documents are posted below: Selection Criteria and Competition Priorities (4.05 MB) Appendices (28.88 MB) Participating LEA Memorandum of Understanding and Preliminary Scope of Work (Exhibit I) (63 KB) Frequently Asked Questions and Answers (57 KB) The Regents Education Reform Plan and New York State's Race to the Top (RTTT) Application Summary | PDF (41 KB) Legislation in Support of Race to the Top Application
United States House of Representatives Committee on Education and Labor Hearing on “How Data Can be Used to Inform Educational Outcomes” April 14, 2010
Date CapturedMonday March 14 2011, 7:36 PM
1. States are warehousing sensitive information about identifiable children. 2. The Fordham CLIP study documents that privacy protections are lacking and rules need to be developed and implemented to assure that children’s educational records are adequately protected. 3. As part of basic privacy standards, strong data security is necessary to minimize the risks of data invasions, scandals and melt-downs from centralized databases of children’s personal information. Statement of Joel R. Reidenberg, Professor of Law and Founding Academic Director Center on Law and Information Policy, Fordham University School of Law New York, NY
GAMMILL v USED - USA Merit System Board documents
Date CapturedMonday March 14 2011, 1:14 PM
Proposed regulatory (not statutory) change vastly expands term authorized representative well beyond these four 3 entities: Comptroller General of US, Secretary, Attorney General, and state or local education authorities. (See pages 10 and 11)
PAUL GAMMILL v U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Date CapturedMonday March 14 2011, 12:44 PM
Whistleblower Retaliation lawsuit filed by Gammill against USED for retaliation of sharing an illegal attempt to circumvent FERPA. Case Number: 1:2011cv00409; Filed: February 18, 2011; Court: District Of Columbia District Court; Office: Washington, DC Office; County: 88888; Presiding Judge: John D. Bates
CONSUMER SENTINEL NETWORK \DATA BOOK for January - December 2010
Date CapturedSaturday March 12 2011, 11:39 AM
The 2010 Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book is based on unverified complaints reported by consumers. The data is not based on a consumer survey.
The Handbook for Campus Safety and Security Reporting
Date CapturedFriday March 11 2011, 7:35 PM
FERPA does not preclude an institution’s compliance with the timely warning provision of the campus security regulations. FERPA recognizes that information can, in case of an emergency, be released without consent when needed to protect the health and safety of others. In addition, if institutions utilize information from the records of a campus law enforcement unit to issue a timely warning, FERPA is not implicated as those records are not protected by FERPA. U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education, The Handbook for Campus Safety and Security Reporting, Washington, D.C., 2011.
OHIO 3319.321 Confidentiality
Date CapturedThursday March 10 2011, 2:40 PM
Ohio Revised Code » Title [33] XXXIII EDUCATION (A) No person shall release, or permit access to, the directory information concerning any students attending a public school to any person or group for use in a profit-making plan or activity. Notwithstanding division (B)(4) of section 149.43 of the Revised Code, a person may require disclosure of the requestor’s identity or the intended use of the directory information concerning any students attending a public school to ascertain whether the directory information is for use in a profit-making plan or activity.
Some questions raised over release of student info (North Dakota)
Date CapturedTuesday March 08 2011, 4:54 PM
[North Dakota: High schools across the state would be required to give names, addresses and phone numbers of their students to the State Board of Higher Education under a proposed Senate bill.] [Several committee members expressed concern about the additional information and wanted to make sure parents would be fully aware of what information was being requested before opting out. That view also was shared by Bev Nielson of the North Dakota School Boards Association.]
Data Quality Campaign Release of Data for Action 2010: DQC's State Analysis
Date CapturedMonday March 07 2011, 6:15 PM
On February 16, 2011 DQC discussed the results of its sixth annual state analysis Data for Action 2010, a powerful policymaking tool to drive education leaders to use data in decision making. Data for Action is a series of analyses on states’ ability to collect and use data to improve student success. It provides transparency about state progress and priority actions they need to take to collect and use longitudinal data to improve student success.
American Student List (ASL)
Date CapturedMonday March 07 2011, 5:39 PM
Student data for sale ONLINE. College Bound High School Students - Over 3 million high school juniors and seniors who have indicated an interest in higher education. Selectable by class year, age, head of household, income, geography and more; Teenage Lifestyle Interests - 5 million individuals ages 14-19. Selectable by self-reported interests in specific areas including sports, scholastic activities, careers, computers and more; College Students - Approximately 5 million students attending numerous colleges and universities. Home and/or school addresses and phone numbers are available. Selectable by class year, field of study, college attended, tuition level, competitive rank and more; College Grads And Alumni - Approximately 17 million College Grads/Alumni. Selectable by school last attended, household income, home ownership and more; Families With Children - 20 million households with the presence of children, tweens and teens (newborn through age 19). Selectable by head of household, income, gender, ethnicity, geography and more. Ethnic Lists - Over 3 million Ethnic Teens, 4.5 million Ethnic Families and 15 million Ethnic Young Adults. Numerous backgrounds are available including Hispanic/Latino, Asian-American, Native-American, African-American and more. Also available — Foreign-Speaking Teens — first- or second-generation teens who speak the language of their ethnic group.
Basic Concepts and Definitions for Privacy and Confidentiality in Student Education Records
Date CapturedThursday March 03 2011, 1:21 PM
NCES 2011-601 This first brief discusses basic concepts and definitions that establish a common set of terms related to the protection of personally identifiable information, especially in education records.
Guide to Public Policy Degree Online Programs
Date CapturedMonday February 28 2011, 2:44 PM
Comprehensive list of accredited public policy degree programs in the US.
Recommendations on Data Security and Privacy Protections
Date CapturedSaturday February 19 2011, 11:00 PM
Excerpted from the Data Protections Report submitted to the U.S. Department of Education’s Performance Information Management Service by Highlight Technologies on June 16, 2010. (Where is original report and comments?)
NYC Schools Parents Bill of Rights
Date CapturedMonday February 14 2011, 9:49 PM
Parents have the right to: 12. consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent that Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and Chancellor’s Regulation A-820 authorize disclose without consent.
Campus Attacks:Targeted Violence Affecting Institutions of Higher Education
Date CapturedTuesday January 18 2011, 1:53 PM
The report included a recommendation that the U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Department of Education, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation explore the issue of violence at institutions of higher education. Accordingly, the three agencies initiated a collaborative effort, the goal of which was to understand the scope of the problem of targeted violence at these institutions in the United States. In total, 272 incidents were identified through a comprehensive search of open-source reporting from 1900 [their typo] to 2008. The incidents studied include various forms of targeted violence, ranging from domestic violence to mass murder. The findings should be useful for campus safety professionals charged with identifying, assessing, and managing violence risk at institutions of higher education.
Identifying Violence-prone Students
Date CapturedThursday January 13 2011, 2:02 PM
The fine line higher education officials walk in dealing with troubled students is discussed.
NCES 2011-602 Data Stewardship: Managing Personally Identifiable Information in Electronic Student Education Records
Date CapturedTuesday January 04 2011, 9:55 PM
SLDS Technical Brief - Guidance for Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems (SLDS) [A privacy and data protection program for student education records must include an array of rules and procedures for protecting PII held in the record system. It also must include a full set of public disclosures of the existence and uses of the information included in the data system, a description of all parents’ or eligible students’ rights to review and appeal the contents of an individual education record and of their rights and the procedures to appeal a violation. ]*****[A school directory may include PII such as a student’s name, grade level, and contact information. Taken by itself, the release of this information is not harmful to a student. However, when combined with the student’s Social Security Number or another identifier and the student’s education record, this information has the potential for violating a student’s right to privacy. The release of this combined record could lead to harm or embarrassment. Thus, the privacy and data protection program should focus on PII that will be maintained in the electronic student record system with its likely wealth of student data.2}
Directory Information Part 1 (WAV file, no text -- it's audio)
Date CapturedSunday December 26 2010, 5:36 PM
EDNY comments on Data Quality Campaign webcast with US ED response. See Part 2 for continuation of conversation.
Directory Information Part 2 (This file is an audio 'wav' file)
Date CapturedSunday December 26 2010, 5:23 PM
Part 2 of EDNY comments on Data Quality Campaign webcast with US ED response.
New York State Student Information Repository System (SIRS) Manual
Date CapturedWednesday December 22 2010, 8:44 PM
New York State Student t Information Repository System (SIRS) Manual; Reporting Data for the 2010–11 School Year (SEE APPENDIX 19)
NEW YORK STATE’S Essential Elements: Schools-to-Watch Recognition Program for 2011-12
Date CapturedTuesday December 21 2010, 12:31 AM
New York State’s Essential Elements: Schools-to-Watch (EE: STW) recognition program seeks to identify and recognize diverse, high-performing model middle-level schools that demonstrate what all schools with middle-level grades should be and are capable of achieving.
K-12 Education: Many Challenges Arise in Educating Students Who Change Schools Frequently
Date CapturedMonday December 20 2010, 9:20 PM
GAO-11-40 November 18, 2010 - The recent economic downturn, with foreclosures and homelessness, may be increasing student mobility.
K-12 EDUCATION - Selected Cases of Public and Private Schools That Hired or Retained Individuals with Histories of Sexual Misconduct
Date CapturedFriday December 17 2010, 1:00 PM
GAO-11-200 ; GAO examined show that individuals with histories of sexual misconduct were hired or retained by public and private schools as teachers, support staff, volunteers, and contractors.
COMMERCIAL DATA PRIVACY AND INNOVATION IN THE INTERNET ECONOMY: A DYNAMIC POLICY FRAMEWORK
Date CapturedThursday December 16 2010, 1:16 PM
US DEPT OF COMMERCE REPORT says the principles "should promote increased transparency through simple notices, clearly articulated purposes for data collection, commitments to limit data uses to fulfill these purposes, and expanded use of robust audit systems to bolster accountability." NO RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING EDUCATION AND FERPA DIRECTORY INFORMATION.
Many States Collect Graduates’ Employment Information, but Clearer Guidance on Student Privacy Requirements Is Needed
Date CapturedMonday December 13 2010, 9:17 AM
GAO-10-927 - GAO recommends that Education clarify means by which states can collect and share graduates’ employment information under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and establish a time frame for doing so. Education agreed with the recommendation.
NSF Funds Research to Enable Distributed, Fair, and Privacy-Preserving Collaboration
Date CapturedSaturday September 25 2010, 4:14 PM
Stevens Institute of Technology: [Hoboken, NJ, September 25, 2010 --(PR.com)-- Dr. Susanne Wetzel, Associate Professor of Computer Science, has recently been awarded a $457K research grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to investigate privacy and security in the context of enabling collaboration.]
FERPA Myth Busters
Date CapturedFriday July 23 2010, 2:58 PM
Organization: Education Counsel -- Draft for WICHE Conference Use -- December 16, 2008
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Disclosure of Student Information Related to Emergencies and Disasters
Date CapturedThursday June 24 2010, 1:48 PM
The purpose of this guidance is to answer questions that have arisen about the sharing of personally identifiable information from students’ education records to outside parties when responding to emergencies, including natural or man-made disasters. Understanding how, what, and when information can be shared with outside parties is an important part of emergency preparedness.
FERPA Legislative History
Date CapturedWednesday May 05 2010, 10:21 AM
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (“FERPA”), § 513 of P.L. 93- 380 (The Education Amendments of 1974), was signed into law by President Ford on August 21, 1974, with an effective date of November 19, 1974, 90 days after enactment. FERPA was enacted as a new § 4381 of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) called “Protection of the Rights and Privacy of Parents and Students,” and codified at 20 U.S.C. § 1232g.2 It was also commonly referred to as the “Buckley Amendment” after its principal sponsor, Senator James Buckley of New York. FERPA was offered as an amendment on the Senate floor and was not the subject of Committee consideration. Accordingly, traditional legislative history for FERPA as first enacted is unavailable.
Education and Workforce Data Connections: A Primer on States’ Status
Date CapturedWednesday April 14 2010, 6:16 PM
Data Quality Campaign - [States are currently working to connect education and workforce data, however, states are far from reaching the goal of having data systems that can link across the P-20/Workforce spectrum. To connect these education and workforce databases, states should engage a broad range of stakeholders to: 1. Prioritize, through broad-based stakeholder input, the critical policy questions to drive the development and use of longitudinal data systems. 2. Ensure data systems are interoperable within and across agencies and states by adopting or developing common data standards, definitions and language. 3. Protect personally identifiable information through governance policies and practices that promote the security of the information while allowing appropriate data access and sharing.]
Delta College trustees won't add more student information to campus directory
Date CapturedThursday March 18 2010, 1:34 PM
By Andrew Dodson | The Bay City Times - [Currently, information on Delta College students that is readily available, unless they have opted out, includes their name, degree, address, awards, dates attended, program, participation in activities, enrollment, e-mail and weight and height for members of athletic teams. Higgs argued that the college should have more items on file, including a student photo, whether or not that student is full or part time and a phone number. "That's what the courts look to," said Higgs. "Our policy doesn't have those things and it should." Other board members disagreed, saying that more data collecting isn't required and isn't worth the time. They voted against the plan 8-1.]
Privacy flags raise concern for graduate students
Date CapturedThursday March 11 2010, 9:24 PM
by Katie Perkowski -[Undergraduate students are not the only ones concerned with personal information available through UK’s online people search — now, graduate students are voicing their concern, too. Members of UK’s graduate school have recently voiced concern about their information like home address and home telephone number being available on the UK Web site without their knowledge, said English teaching assistant Jesslyn Collins-Frohlich.]
Clash Over Student Privacy
Date CapturedTuesday March 09 2010, 5:05 PM
This document should not be shared due to copyright. Inside Higher Ed - [WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Education Department has fired the top federal official charged with protecting student privacy, in what the dismissed official says was a conflict with the agency's political leaders over their zeal to encourage the collection of data about students' academic performance. Paul Gammill says he was physically escorted out of the department's offices on a Friday morning last month after he refused to resign as director of the agency's Family Policy Compliance Office. Administration officials said that "[p]rivacy laws require us to keep certain employment matters confidential, so we cannot comment on Mr. Gammill. But Gammill, not so encumbered, maintains that he was dismissed because, on several occasions, he argued in internal meetings and documents that the department's approach to prodding states to expand their longitudinal student data systems violated the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, which protects the privacy of students' educational records.]
Federal Register: July 6, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 130)
Date CapturedTuesday March 09 2010, 4:56 PM
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION - 34 CFR Part 99 - Family Educational Rights and Privacy- AGENCY: Department of Education. ACTION: Final regulations. SUMMARY: The Secretary amends the regulations implementing the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). The amendments are needed to implement sections 951 and 952 of the Higher Education Amendments of 1998 (HEA). These amendments permit postsecondary institutions to disclose certain information to the public and to parents of students. DATES: These regulations are effective August 7, 2000.
Putting Private Info on Government Database
Date CapturedTuesday March 09 2010, 4:34 PM
Phyllis Schlafly writes - [The Fordham report made numerous recommendations to beef up student privacy, such as collecting only information relevant to articulated purposes, purging unjustified data, enacting time limits for data retention and hiring a chief privacy officer for each state. There is no indication that these suggestions will be implemented. The Obama Department of Education officials believe that collecting personally identifiable data is "at the heart of improving schools and school districts." One of the four reform mandates of the Race to the Top competition is to establish pre-kindergarten to college-and-career data systems that "track progress and foster continuous improvement."]
H.R.6. Higher Education Amendments of 1998
Date CapturedMonday March 08 2010, 6:54 PM
An Act - To extend the authorization of programs under the Higher Education Act of 1965, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. (a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Higher Education Amendments of 1998’’.
Sunguard
Date CapturedSaturday November 21 2009, 1:02 PM
[Student Information Management -- eSchoolPLUS is a student management system that helps educators and parents by providing them direct, real-time access to the most relevant student information available. Teachers and administrators can easily manage day-to-day student information and data such as demographics, scheduling, attendance, discipline, standardized tests, report cards and transcripts. With eSchoolPLUS, parents gain the ability to be more informed as to their child’s grades, attendance, assignments and discipline information. Superintendents, principals and other district administrators and school board members can track daily school status, student performance and progress.]
Family Policy Compliance Office (FPCO)
Date CapturedWednesday November 04 2009, 5:04 PM
The mission of the Family Policy Compliance Office (FPCO) is to meet the needs of the Department's primary customers--learners of all ages--by effectively implementing two laws that seek to ensure student and parental rights in education: the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA).
Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA)
Date CapturedFriday October 30 2009, 11:00 AM
Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) The Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232h; 34 CFR Part 98) applies to programs that receive funding from the U.S. Department of Education (ED). PPRA is intended to protect the rights of parents and students .
Education Marketing Group/ECRA LAWSUIT RE: SALE OF STUDENT INFORMATION
Date CapturedFriday October 30 2009, 10:15 AM
Parties Subject to Order ORDERED, ADJUDGED AND DECREED that this Consent Order and Judgment shall extend to Student Marketing Group, Inc. (“SMG”) and Educational Research Center of America, Inc. (“ERCA”), their successors, assignees, officers, agents, representatives, affiliates and employees and any other person under their direction or control, whether acting individually or in concert with others or through any corporate entity or device through which they may now or hereafter act or conduct business (collectively “respondents”).
CHILDREN’S EDUCATIONAL RECORDS AND PRIVACY -- A STUDY OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL STATE REPORTING SYSTEMS -- October 28, 2009
Date CapturedFriday October 30 2009, 9:44 AM
[The Study reports on the results of a survey of all fifty states and finds that state educational databases across the country ignore key privacy protections for the nation's K-12 children. The Study finds that large amounts of personally identifiable data and sensitive personal information about children are stored by the state departments of education in electronic warehouses or for the states by third party vendors. These data warehouses typically lack adequate privacy protections, such as clear access and use restrictions and data retention policies, are often not compliant with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, and leave K-12 children unprotected from data misuse, improper data release, and data breaches. The Study provides recommendations for best practices and legislative reform to address these privacy problems.] Joel R. Reidenberg, Professor of Law and Founding Academic Director of CLIP Jamela Debelak, Esq., Executive Director of CLIP
National Forum on Education Statistics. Forum Guide to Protecting the Privacy of Student Information: State and Local Education Agencies
Date CapturedSaturday March 21 2009, 1:43 PM
National Forum on Education Statistics. Forum Guide to Protecting the Privacy of Student Information: State and Local Education Agencies, NCES 2004–330. Washington, DC: 2004.
Commercial Activities in Schools: Use of Student Data is Limited and Additional Dissemination of Guidance Could Help Districts Develop Policies
Date CapturedThursday March 12 2009, 3:16 PM
GAO -- Recommendation: The Secretary of Education should take additional action to assist districts in understanding that they are required to have specific policies in place for the collection, disclosure, and use of student information for marketing and selling purposes by disseminating its guidance to state school boards associations.
Report Is Said To Criticize On-Campus Recruitment
Date CapturedThursday March 12 2009, 3:10 PM
September 6, 2007 -- NY SUN -- ALEXANDER BRITELL -- [A report by a civil liberties group and the president of Manhattan, Scott Stringer, will criticize military recruitment tactics at some city school campuses. A source familiar with the findings of the report, which is drawn from the survey responses of nearly 1,000 students, said it alleges that military recruiters have been given too much access to public school classrooms, and that the city's Department of Education has not adequately informed students about their right to remove their names from recruiting lists.]
One in four data breaches involves schools
Date CapturedThursday March 12 2009, 3:02 PM
Wednesday, May 14, 2008 --Meris Stansbury, Assistant Editor, eSchool News writes - [One in four data breaches involves schools 'You're losing the cyber security battle,' experts warn during a higher-education computer-security conference near Washington, D.C.]
Quinn Emanuel Brochure Spills Value of Confidential Facebook Settlement
Date CapturedWednesday February 11 2009, 7:17 PM
The Reporter - Zusha Elinson -- [Facebook paid the founders of ConnectU $65 million to settle lawsuits accusing Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg of stealing the idea for the wildly successful social-networking Web site, according to a law firm's marketing brochure. Lawyers in the heavyweight fight had expended great effort to keep the settlement secret -- even going as far as persuading a judge to clear the courtroom of reporters on one occasion. But ConnectU's former lawyers from Quinn Emanuel Urquhart Oliver & Hedges published the settlement amount in a firm advertisement trumpeting the firm's prowess.] [The ConnectU dispute got started at Harvard, where ConnectU's founders, Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss and Divya Narendra hired fellow student Zuckerberg to work on code for a dating Web site for Harvard students. They sued Facebook in 2004, accusing Zuckerberg of delaying the project while using the information to start his own Web site. He quit Harvard and moved to Palo Alto, Calif., to start the company. ConnectU's lawyers argued that it amounted to trade secret theft and copyright infringement. Last February, Facebook agreed to settle the matter by paying to acquire ConnectU.]
Student Information Not For Sale At UW- Marathon County
Date CapturedWednesday February 11 2009, 7:06 PM
Wsaw.com reporter: Margo Spann -- [Private companies looking to sell or market products to college students are buying information about them directly from their schools. The Assistant Director of Student Services at UW Marathon County Annette Hackbarth-Onson says federal law allows colleges to sell information about their students. She says companies are often looking to buy students names, birth-dates, and email addresses.]
New York State Consumer Protection Board (CPB)
Date CapturedFriday December 26 2008, 5:07 PM
The Consumer Protection Board, established in 1970 by the New York State Legislature, is the State's top consumer watchdog and "think tank." The CPB's core mission is to protect New Yorkers by publicizing unscrupulous and questionable business practices and product recalls; conducting investigations and hearings; enforcing the "Do Not Call Law"; researching issues; developing legislation; creating consumer education programs and materials; responding to individual marketplace complaints by securing voluntary agreements; and, representing the interests of consumers before the Public Service Commission (PSC) and other State and federal agencies.
E P I C - A l e r t -- Volume 15.25 -- December 23, 2008
Date CapturedTuesday December 23 2008, 6:41 PM
Published by the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) - Washington, D.C. Table of Contents - [1] Privacy Coalition Members Write to President-elect Obama [2] India Hosts Third Internet Governance Forum [3] Government Issues Final Rules in Education Records Privacy [4] Privacy, Security and Openness at the Internet Governance Forum [5] DHS Releases Fusion Center Privacy Impact Assessment [6] News in Brief
Integrating Cyberinfrastructure Resources to Support Research
Date CapturedSaturday December 13 2008, 6:41 PM
EDUCAUSE Live! December 18, 2008 1:00 p.m. ET (12:00 p.m. CT, 11:00 a.m. MT, 10:00 a.m. PT); runs one hour Many helpful insights emerge from ECAR's June 2008 research study report, Higher Education IT and Cyberinfrastructure: Integrating Technologies for Scholarship. Join us for an interactive session with study author Mark C. Sheehan and discover a suite of practices that the most successful institutions use to meet the needs of their research communities.
In-Depth Summary of Changes to FERPA Rules
Date CapturedThursday December 11 2008, 7:54 PM
Family Educational Rights and Privacy; Final Rule
Date CapturedTuesday December 09 2008, 7:02 PM
FR Doc E8-28864[Federal Register: December 9, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 237)] [Rules and Regulations] [Page 74805-74855] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr09de08-8]
Education Department Reworks Privacy Regulations
Date CapturedMonday December 08 2008, 8:46 PM
Wall Street Journal (WSJ) ELIZABETH BERNSTEIN -- [Ferpa has long allowed colleges to share information about a student if there is a "health or safety" emergency, but had stipulated that the definition of such an emergency must be strictly construed. The new regulations strip away this condition that the definition of the emergency must be narrow and emphasize that schools may use this health-or-safety exception as long as there is an "articulable" and significant threat to the student or other individuals. The regulations also specifically state that parents are among the appropriate parties who may be called in case of a health-or-safety emergency] [The new regulations will also tweak other parts of Ferpa, including areas dealing with electronic records, students' Social Security numbers, and outside contractors hired by educational institutions who are given access to student records to perform services for the institution. In addition, they will address the circumstances under which schools may give researchers access to aggregated student records.]
Data Privacy Day 2009
Date CapturedSaturday December 06 2008, 3:08 PM
On January 28, 2009, the United States, Canada, and 27 European countries will celebrate Data Privacy Day together for the second time. Designed to raise awareness and generate discussion about data privacy practices and rights, Data Privacy Day activities in the United States have included privacy professionals, corporations, government officials, and representatives, academics, and students across the country. One of the primary goals of Data Privacy Day is to promote privacy awareness and education among teens across the United States. Data Privacy Day also serves the important purpose of furthering international collaboration and cooperation around privacy issues.
U Alabama at Birmingham Student Records Policy, Photo as Directory Information
Date CapturedThursday December 04 2008, 8:41 PM
UAB’s Student Records Policy, derived from the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), lists the following items of a student record as “directory information:” Name, Telephone number, E-mail address, Date and place of birth, Major field of study, Participation in officially recognized activities and sports, Dates of attendance, Degrees and awards received, Institution most recently previously attended These items are considered public information which may be made available by the university without prior consent of the student and are considered part of the public record of the student’s attendance. Effective Spring 2009, the photo used on the CampusCard will become an item of directory information. Under the provisions of FERPA, students have the right to withhold the disclosure of directory information.
Thurston cameras not a privacy violation
Date CapturedThursday December 04 2008, 5:06 PM
Amanda Crowe, a freshman majoring in international affairs and Hatchet columnist says [Authoritarianism prevents personal freedoms, these cameras do not. Students are free to do as they wish, as long as they follow the law and University rules. These laws and rules are what you agree to when you live in this country and go to this school. So what's there to hide?]
Joint Guidance on the Application of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) And the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) To Student Health Records (ID: CSD5578)
Date CapturedThursday December 04 2008, 4:36 PM
The HIPAA Privacy Rule specifically excludes from its coverage those records that are protected by FERPA. At the elementary or secondary school level, students’ immunization and other health records that are maintained by a school district or individual school, including a school-operated health clinic, that receives funds under any program administered by the U.S. Department of Education are “education records” subject to FERPA, including health and medical records maintained by a school nurse who is employed by or under contract with a school or school district. Some schools may receive a grant from a foundation or government agency to hire a nurse. Notwithstanding the source of the funding, if the nurse is hired as a school official (or contractor), the records maintained by the nurse or clinic are “education records” subject to FERPA.
Vermont to study student privacy policies
Date CapturedThursday June 12 2008, 4:14 PM
Reformer reports, "The state (Vermont) board is also going to consider how the education department handles third party research requests on behalf of the education department using student data. Under the proposed change, the department information technology team would classify data as sensitive and confidential, and a written contract would have to be signed before the release of records. A third proposed policy spells out how organizations that contract with the education department go about obtaining student information for their work."
Mobile phones demystify commuter rat race
Date CapturedSaturday June 07 2008, 5:04 PM
Blog responds to this controversial academic research.
Study secretly tracks cellphone users
Date CapturedThursday June 05 2008, 3:01 PM
AP reports, "Researchers secretly tracked the locations of 100,000 people outside the United States through their cellphone use and concluded that most people rarely stray more than a few miles from home. The first-of-its-kind study by Northeastern University raises privacy and ethical questions for its monitoring methods, which would be illegal in the United States."
Access Rights to Business Data on Personally-Owned Computers
Date CapturedThursday June 05 2008, 10:51 AM
A White Paper by John C. Montaña for The ARMA International Education Foundation. "The continuing and pervasive blurring of the boundaries between work and home environments is another reality for many workers. Increased responsibilities and workloads, demands for longer hours and many other factors combine to create a situation in which many workers are required to resort to extraordinary measures to meet the demands of work and profession. In many cases, these demands are met by working at home. Increasingly, this work is computer-based work, and includes e-mail, word processing documents, spreadsheet and other computer-generated data objects. In many cases, this work is done on a computer provided by the employer for the purposes of facilitating the employee’s at-home work. In many other cases, however, the work is performed on a computer owned the employee themselves or someone else living in the employee’s residence."
EDUCAUSE
Date CapturedTuesday June 03 2008, 8:26 PM
EDUCAUSE is a nonprofit association and good source of information about FERPA and higher education.
Huge Databases Offer a Research Gold Mine — and Privacy Worries
Date CapturedTuesday June 03 2008, 8:14 PM
By DAVID GLENN from the issue dated May 9, 2008 Chronicle of Higher Education, "Researchers have used the new databases to study many issues, including which high-school math courses are most important for college success and how exposure to adjunct instructors affects student retention. But the new education databases create obvious challenges for protecting student privacy — which is one reason most states have been slow to build them. Florida's education department takes elaborate steps to 'de-identify' its information before handing it to outside researchers. Despite those efforts, nervous officials in other states look at a system like Florida's and worry about potential violations of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, or Ferpa. In March the U.S. Department of Education proposed new Ferpa regulations that might clarify the ground rules for the use of such databases, but it is far from certain that the new rules will make states more comfortable with the projects." http://chronicle.com -- Section: The Faculty -- Volume 54, Issue 35, Page A10
Frequently Asked Questions
Date CapturedSunday June 01 2008, 4:41 PM
What is "Directory Information"? FERPA defines "directory information" as information contained in the education records of a student that would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. Typically, "directory information" includes information such as name, address, telephone listing, date and place of birth, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, and dates of attendance. A school may disclose "directory information" to third parties without consent if it has given public notice of the types of information which it has designated as "directory information," the parent's or eligible student's right to restrict the disclosure of such information, and the period of time within which a parent or eligible student has to notify the school in writing that he or she does not want any or all of those types of information designated as "directory information." The means of notification could include publication in various sources, including a newsletter, in a local newspaper, or in the student handbook. The school could also include the "directory information" notification as part of the general notification of rights under FERPA. The school does not have to notify a parent or eligible student individually. (34 CFR § 99.37.)
Student information found in recycle bin
Date CapturedThursday August 30 2007, 12:57 PM
Deseret Morning News reports, "Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), addresses, phone numbers and names of students fall into the category of 'directory information' and generally may be released by a school district unless the parents have objected in writing, said Jim Bradshaw, in the U.S. Department of Education. However, that doesn't release schools from the responsibility to dispose of records safely to protect student education records. 'That includes disposing of documents in a way that guards against unauthorized disclosure, such as shredding or burning,' Bradshaw said. 'Banks don't throw records in Dumpsters and schools are also obligated to protect the confidentiality of student records.'" -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- E-mail: sisraelsen@desnews.com 1 commentRecent comments Why indict the school on such a non-issue? Your article even cites... Owen | Aug. 30, 2007 at 8:54 a.m. Add your comment Stuart Johnson, Deseret Morning News Folders with student names and other information at Centennial Middle School in Provo are found in a recycling bin Wednesday. Most Popular Most Commented Detmer remains humble Cougs finalizing plans for Arizona Rocky says Buhler would be a 'disaster' Thursday Night Lights: Questions aplenty as Utes open at Oregon State tonight Bombard Comcast, not the dish folk Cousin is willing to risk his life Chinese victims of forced abortion are fighting back U.S. busts brazen ID theft ring in Utah Is there a 'workplace princess' at your firm? Mtn. woes? Try contacting Comcast direct 'Dawn' is an embarrassment 132 Utah mine owner Murray says Gov. Huntsman is jeopardizing 700 jobs 128 Cougar linebackers lead 'D' 96 At odds: Murray says Huntsman endangers jobs 94 The mtn. working for better exposure 90 Going independent not the solution to BYU's problems 89 Cougs counting down to rematch 88 MWC TV situation frustrating 87 Kirilenko praises Utahns, LDS to media in Russia 83 Ex-member of LDS choir pleads guilty in porn case 79 (Stories published in the last seven days with the most comments) Sports A & E LDS news Community Thursday Night Lights: Questions aplenty as Utes open at Oregon State tonight 29 Detmer remains humble 28 Behind the wheel — Roller derby makes women feel tough, sexy, empowered 3 Campgrounds will fill up this Labor Day weekend 0 Argentines fuel RSL victory 6 Concert review: Groban delights Salt Lake audience 0 Sirius channel to play Dead all the time 0 DVD reviews: 'Blades of Glory' tops DVD pack 0 Auditions 0 Wilson drops out of movie after his hospitalization 0 Anti-religion documentary includes visit to Salt Lake City 1 Idaho provides cash crop for Romney 0 Provo firm to produce movie on Emma Smith 6 Concert review: 'White Star' debuts at BYU 1 BYU Ed Week classes to air 0 Above the Rim — At Cloud Rim, Girl Scouts learn about outdoors and more 0 Touching nature — Syracuse park offers urban fishing, trails, wetlands 1 Helping hand 0 Artists to strum tunes at acoustic fest 0 Cherry Hill is celebrating 40 years 1 Columnists Contests Daily Index Education Family & Life Food & Dining Health & Fitness Help Line Home & Garden LDS Church News Local Births Marathon Mobile Politics Religion & Ethics Science & Tech Travel & Outdoors deseretnews.com: Home | Subscription services | Contact us | FAQ | Feedback | Jobs | Purchase photos | RSS | Privacy policy
Who knows your student?
Date CapturedThursday August 30 2007, 12:24 PM
Vermont County Courier reports, "Many parents, though, are surprised to find out that more general information about their children - names, addresses, telephone numbers, e-mail addresses, honors and awards - can be more openly shared under FERPA. FERPA calls this 'directory information' that 'is generally not considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if released.' Mark Oettinger, the General Counsel for the Vermont Department of Education, said, 'The "directory information " piece is the exception.' According to FERPA, directory information can be disclosed by schools without parent consent."
Privacy issues curb teen-driver rules
Date CapturedWednesday August 29 2007, 8:24 PM
Chicago Tribune reports, "The law would have required school districts to submit information to the State Board of Education, detailing whether a student had been expelled, truant or who had dropped out of school. That information would then have been passed to Secretary of State Jesse White's office, which would have flagged the affected students and barred them from driving privileges. State education officials said they decided to delay enforcing the law after the U.S. Department of Education notified them that it violated the Federal Education Rights and Privacy Act, said Matthew Vanover, a spokesman for the state board. 'They told us it would be a violation ... for that information to be shared with the secretary of state's office,' he added."
Program to assist at-risk students
Date CapturedWednesday August 29 2007, 7:26 AM
Poughkeepsie Journal reports, "To prevent students from falling behind and to encourage them to stay in school, the Wappingers school district is creating an afternoon intervention program at its Orchard View Alternative High School for students who have have failed ninth-grade English and/or social studies at least once. The program, which has been included in the district's Contract for Excellence with the state, was discussed during Monday's board of education meeting. It is slated to start in the second quarter of this school year."
CITY'S SAT SCORES SINK
Date CapturedWednesday August 29 2007, 6:38 AM
NY Post reports, "In a year that saw more students and more minorities than ever taking the most popular college-entrance exam, education leaders pointed to the upswing in participants as both a positive trend and also a contributing factor to the overall decline."
SCHOOL 'HOT LINES' GO COLD: GOTBAUM
Date CapturedWednesday August 29 2007, 6:20 AM
NY Post reports, "Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum said employees at district offices, which are designed to serve as one-stop information centers on issues like transportation and enrollment in public schools, were largely unavailable or unresponsive to nearly 100 calls from her office last week. At nearly half the districts her team contacted, phone calls went unanswered or were not returned, according to the report. As a result, Gotbaum said she is launching an education hot line, at (212) 669-7250, to fill in the information gap."
Let's give the influx of students a welcome
Date CapturedMonday August 27 2007, 10:54 AM
Troy Record opines, "Over the last few years, under the stewardship of Dr. Shirley Jackson, what may considered to be nothing more than lip service has become an actuality. To think of RPI, its faculty, staff and student body as existing in a bubble of its own is to subscribe to a reality that is now, fortunately, in the past. Freshman orientation now includes a mandatory trip through downtown Troy, and students have shown their mettle consistently by becoming community volunteers, particularly in programs helping disadvantaged youth."
Confront obesity in schools, too
Date CapturedMonday August 27 2007, 7:42 AM
Poughkeepsie Journal opines, "With childhood obesity's alarming growth, New York must help reverse the trend by creating a healthier eating atmosphere in its schools. That, in turn, could help children develop good habits that could last a lifetime."
College M.D. alert to stressed-out students
Date CapturedSunday August 26 2007, 9:41 AM
The Post-Standard reports, "This year, campuses across the nation are paying particular attention to identifying troubled students in their midst, as part of the aftermath of the April shooting deaths at Virginia Tech carried out by a student with a history of mental illness."
Campus Safety 101
Date CapturedSunday August 26 2007, 9:35 AM
NY Times op-ed contributor Carolyn Reinach Wolf opines, "One of the major areas of concern in setting up a coordinating office is confidentiality requirements and parental notification. These issues, however, can be addressed by clarifying federal and state confidentiality laws, educating campus employees and parents about exceptions to these laws, and developing protocols to address those situations in which a choice must be made between liability for breach of confidentiality and liability for serious injury or death."
Education Department fixes busing rules
Date CapturedSaturday August 25 2007, 10:08 AM
NY Daily News reports, "Education officials are tweaking several of the school bus eligibility rules that turned last year's route shakeup into a full-blown fiasco. A much-criticized rule requiring students to live a quarter of a mile from a bus stop to receive service - suspended during the debacle - will be scrapped starting this school year. And to prevent young kids from riding public transportation by themselves, students in second grade or under who receive MetroCards can request yellow bus service instead."
The Return on Investment for Improving California's High School Graduation Rate
Date CapturedFriday August 24 2007, 4:44 PM
Belfield, C. and Levin, H., "We review a large range of educational investments that might ensure more students graduate from high school in California. We identify educational interventions for which there is reasonably solid evidence of their efficacy to raise the rate of high school graduation, those for which there is promise, and those for which we have no relevant information. For each of these interventions we calculate the costs to the taxpayer of delivering the intervention. We calculate the delivery costs and the cost of producing one extra graduate. We then compare these costs to the economic benefits to the taxpayer and to the overall citizenry of California from each additional high school graduate. Under most scenarios, the economic benefits are substantially greater than the costs. However, this conclusion is sensitive to the funding source: federal governments gain significantly more from education than state and local governments, even as the latter are primarily responsible for funding."
Department Of Defense Awards $2.1 M Grant To Stony Brook’s Computer Science Department
Date CapturedFriday August 24 2007, 4:20 PM
The project will develop languages, techniques and tools for managing, enforcing, and maintaining trust relationships in systems with service-oriented architectures. The techniques will be implemented as stand-alone tools and integrated into a prototype system that will be an experimental test-bed for evaluation of the techniques. The framework will accommodate services that interact across a variety of interfaces, including network communication channels, shared memory, and shared databases. Therefore, it will apply to many legacy systems as well as explicitly service-oriented systems such as Web services. The project will focus on issues of trust management, information flow tracking, trust analysis and assurance, and policy enforcement.
The Education Gadfly
Date CapturedFriday August 24 2007, 8:08 AM
A Weekly Bulletin of News and Analysis from the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation -- August 23, 2007, Volume 7, Number 32.
Know your rights on recruiters
Date CapturedFriday August 24 2007, 8:00 AM
Allen Gilbert, Executive director of ACLU of Vermont writes, "So-called 'student directory information,' which includes things such as name, age and extracurricular activities, can be made publicly available under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) unless parents choose to 'opt out' and withhold the disclosure of their child's information."
The Economic Losses from High School Dropouts in California
Date CapturedFriday August 24 2007, 7:47 AM
Belfield, C. and Levin, H. "This paper calculates the fiscal and social burdens from high school dropouts in California. We map educational attainment in California for current cohorts of students and young adults. This reveals in stark terms the low levels of educational attainment across the state. Next, the amount of government spending in California is catalogued; this shows how much is spent on various services and by which levels of government. Our main focus is on the economic consequences of inadequate education on earnings, on tax revenues, and on spending on health, crime, and welfare (net of the resources required to provide additional education). For each of these four domains the effect of education has been assessed statistically. This effect is then multiplied by the respective economic burden from each cohort of 20-year olds who fail to graduate in order to get an overall total cost. Using a consistent accounting framework, these costs generate a figure of what is being lost by failing to ensure that all students graduate from high school. The economic magnitudes are substantial."
Let mayor lead schools? Do not make schools another arm of City Hall
Date CapturedFriday August 24 2007, 6:49 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle op-ed contributor Jerri Kaiser, community member, Editorial Board opines, "According to the Public Education Reform Project (2004), cities with mayoral control of schools have seen mixed results. Test scores improved in many of the districts, but they dropped in others, including Detroit. Several variables determined success. Boston, Cleveland and Chicago improved scores but their superintendent turnover was low and their city governments were stable over a long period of time."
27 Schools Named As “Persistently Dangerous” Under NCLB
Date CapturedWednesday August 22 2007, 7:58 AM
All schools designated as “persistently dangerous” must provide school choice to students where transfer options exist. Each school also receives a $100,000 grant to help improve school safety. School districts must also submit an Incident Reduction Plan for each school to show the specific steps that the district will take to reduce the number of violent incidents and improve safety at the school. Staff from the New York State Center for School Safety and Regional School Support Centers also provide help to each school to improve safety.
Mount Saint Mary College students targeted by RIAA
Date CapturedWednesday August 22 2007, 7:44 AM
Times Union reports, "The RIAA is hoping college and university administrators will also take a more proactive role in preventing theft of intellectual property on their campuses."
Creating Critical Linkages between Education and Other Vital Services to Improve Child Welfare
Date CapturedTuesday August 21 2007, 6:59 PM
Tuesday, September 18, 11 am-1 pm (EDT) **Join us in person or via an interactive webcast** As part of the Data Quality Campaign's goal to provide a national forum for conversations about the power of longitudinal data, this Quarterly Issue Meeting will focus on states and communities that are building bridges between longitudinal education data systems and other public systems that track child outcomes, including not only a student's academic performance but also the child's overall quality of being. Featured presenters will include: Jay Pfeiffer, Florida Department of Education; Michelle Lustig, San Diego County Office of Education; Amanda Singer, Utah Department of Human Services.
Educational Facilities Disaster and Crisis Management Guidebook
Date CapturedMonday August 20 2007, 7:26 PM
Florida Department of Education
Emergency Management Planning for Schools and School Districts
Date CapturedMonday August 20 2007, 7:16 PM
Department of Education, Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools.
Persistence and Attainment of 2003-04 Beginning Postsecondary Students: After Three Years
Date CapturedMonday August 20 2007, 2:42 PM
Findings showed that among the beginning students who were recent (2003) high school graduates, enrolled full time in the fall of 2003, and had bachelor’s degree plans, 70 percent were still enrolled at their first institution without a degree, 4 percent had attained a degree or certificate at their first institution, and 20 percent had transferred elsewhere without a degree by June 2006. Berkner, L., He, S., Mason, M., and Wheeless, S. (2007). Persistence and Attainment of 2003–04 Beginning Postsecondary Students: After Three Years (NCES 2007-169). National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC. Retrieved August 20, 2007 from http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch.
State to select a new historian
Date CapturedMonday August 20 2007, 9:30 AM
Times Union reports, "The new hire will chair the 12-member history department at the State Museum and help market its assets. The state historian will also oversee curatorial services, including managing $20 million in planned upgrades to the State Museum's exhibits, according to John P. Hart, director of the research and collections division at the State Museum. The job will include a key role in planning and construction of a $100 million storage facility to house the State Museum's collections."
Schools must pay when parents dispute special education
Date CapturedMonday August 20 2007, 8:08 AM
Journal News reports, "The law now says that school districts must prove their special-education decisions are made in the best interest of a child, instead of parents proving recommended programs harm their children."
STANDARDS AID CUNY STUDENTS
Date CapturedMonday August 20 2007, 7:15 AM
NY Post op-ed contributor Alfred Posamentier, dean of the School of Education at City College-CUNY opines, "To allow students to enter a course without proper preparation is to do them a major disservice, setting them up for failure. It's best avoided with a proper admission requirement. An increase in standards at CUNY blocks no one from a college education, since anyone with a high-school diploma can qualify for admission. Those who cannot meet the new mathematics standards can simply enroll at one of CUNY's community colleges, where they can prepare to meet the standards."
'OUI' CAN'T DO IT -- LANGUAGES NOT TAUGHT
Date CapturedMonday August 20 2007, 6:49 AM
NY Post reports, "Members of City Council Speaker Christine Quinn's task force on middle schools said last week that the Department of Education isn't complying with state requirements that students study at least two years of a foreign language by the end of ninth grade. 'Right now, the Department of Education is not even meeting the minimum requirements for language in intermediate school, and that's not acceptable.' said Councilman Robert Jackson (D-Manhattan). The task force said the city should ensure that all schools comply with the state requirements by 2010."
Campus life is about to resume, opportunities beckon
Date CapturedSunday August 19 2007, 2:53 PM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports, "Our region is getting a new city. Well, perhaps not a city proper, but enough people to populate one. More than 80,000 college and university students will be — or already are — heading to their local campuses, and as they arrive their impressive impact on the local economy and culture will be felt once again. It's sometimes forgotten how much ours is a college region. There are 19 institutions of higher learning here, each bound to a singular mission but sharing many things as well — a commitment to community and public service." Additionally, "On Monday, the Democrat and Chronicle will launch The Loop, an interactive, multimedia Web site that has been designed and produced by local college students for their brethren. It will be an electronic information center and meeting place. Check it out at Rocloop.com."
Reform No Child Left Behind
Date CapturedSunday August 19 2007, 2:48 PM
Buffalo News op-ed contributor Murray B. Light, former editor of The Buffalo News opines, "One aspect of Miller’s proposed changes that most certainly will be opposed by the education unions would in effect be merit pay, something all these unions have vigorously fought, much to my surprise and displeasure. I favor merit pay for worthy teachers and have never understood the union opposition. Aware of the union stance, Miller does not allude to merit pay as such, instead saying that he would propose pay for performance, paying more to teachers based on how much their students improve and if their students were on a path that could lead to proficiency within a few years. Again, that makes eminent good sense. But it is unlikely to gain favor and be included in a renewal measure."
KLEIN SEES 3 R'S FOR 3-YEAR-OLDS
Date CapturedSunday August 19 2007, 7:50 AM
NY Post reports, "'We should have all of our students start and have rigorous standard-based programs at age 3, age 4, age 5,' he [NYC School chancellor Klein] said. He added that it's especially important in high-poverty areas where private preschool is not necessarily an option. 'We're not there yet, but we made progress,' he said, saying the Department of Education is working on a proposal for preschool for all 4-year-olds. 'We certainly have the direction arrow pointed in the right direction.' Klein also sees a future with kids 'testing out' in 10th grade and either proceeding to two more years of high school and then college, or a vocational school, depending on their grades and ambitions."
Toxic dust in SUNY New Paltz dorms, man still insists
Date CapturedSaturday August 18 2007, 10:02 AM
Times Herald-Record reports, "Whatever else you think about Eric Francis Coppolino, you can't deny one thing: he's persistent — as persistent as the toxic dust he has accused SUNY New Paltz administrators of sweeping down the memory hole of a long-ago environmental catastrophe there. Sixteen years after poisonous PCBs infested four college dorms, Coppolino will be on campus at Monday's moving-in day, warning parents and students of a danger the college and state SUNY officials say doesn't exist."
Money alone won't help schools
Date CapturedSaturday August 18 2007, 9:55 AM
Times Herald-Record op-ed contributor Dan Walters opines, "The education establishment has argued vociferously, with some success, that spending more on teacher salaries, smaller classes and better facilities would produce better outcomes. In the main, political leaders have endorsed that contention, although they've been unable to supply all the money that educators say they need. Critics have countered that there is no direct correlation between spending and academic success, noting that private schools and whole states with lower per-pupil spending levels often surpass California in national academic tests, high-school-dropout rates and other measures of performance. They contend that public education needs a structural overhaul, not merely more money."
Breaking ranks on college ratings
Date CapturedSaturday August 18 2007, 9:24 AM
Times Union reports, "Skidmore, RPI, Union and hundreds of other colleges are participating in a new project to provide what they bill as more and better information than what's in the U.S. News rankings. It's called the University & College Accountability Network (U-CAN). The Web site is scheduled to launch in September."
PEN Weekly NewsBlast
Date CapturedFriday August 17 2007, 10:07 AM
Public Education Network (PEN)
Tell parents who good teachers are
Date CapturedFriday August 17 2007, 9:45 AM
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution opines, "Despite the rhetoric about the importance of improving schools in Georgia, no one in authority — not the governor, not the state school superintendent or local school boards — wants to acknowledge the elephant in the classroom, which is teacher quality. The leadership remains silent for fear of being trampled by outraged teachers and education lobbies protesting that there's no fair way to measure teacher performance. The conspiracy of silence is abetted by the state's colleges of education, which deny any responsibility for the skill of their graduates and avoid any discussion of quality out of fear that they'll be implicated and their profitable franchise jeopardized. After all, programs such as Teach for America have already demonstrated that bright college graduates can become excellent and effective teachers without ever stepping foot in a college of education."
National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse XII: Teens and Parents (STUDY)
Date CapturedFriday August 17 2007, 9:31 AM
Study finds, "CASA’s unprecedented in-depth survey of drugs in schools shows that eight out of 10 high school students (80 percent) and more than four out of 10 middle school students (44 percent) have personally witnessed: • illegal drugs used on the grounds of their schools; • illegal drugs sold on the grounds of their schools; • students keeping illegal drugs at school, either on them or in their lockers; • students high on drugs at school; and/or • students drunk at school. This means that for 16 million teens (11 million high schoolers; five million middle schoolers) drug dealing and use, drug possession, and drug or alcohol intoxication are common features of school life."
National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse XII: Teens and Parents (PRESS RELEASE)
Date CapturedFriday August 17 2007, 9:27 AM
Compared to teens at drug-free schools, those at drug-infested schools are: · 16 times likelier to use an illegal drug other than marijuana or prescription drugs; · 15 times likelier to abuse prescription drugs; · six times likelier to get drunk at least monthly; · five times likelier to use marijuana; · four times likelier to smoke cigarettes; · four times likelier to be able to buy marijuana within a day; and · nearly six times likelier to be able to buy marijuana within an hour.
6 colleges from Empire State in mag's top 50
Date CapturedFriday August 17 2007, 9:20 AM
NY Daily News reports, "Six New York universities, including Columbia, Cornell and NYU, are among the 50 best schools in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report."" Additionally, "Seven New York colleges made the top 50 liberal arts list, including Vassar, Colgate and Hamilton. Also making the liberal arts list for the first time this year was the U.S. Military Academy at West Point."
Commercial College Ordered to Repay U.S. $2.5 Million
Date CapturedFriday August 17 2007, 9:01 AM
NY Times reports, "The parent company of Interboro Institute, a commercial college in New York City that a state investigation found had cheated in determining student eligibility for government financial aid, has been ordered to repay the federal government about $2.5 million, the company said yesterday."
RIT campus installing emergency alert system
Date CapturedThursday August 16 2007, 7:04 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports, "The system will alert students, faculty members and staff employees using text messaging, instant messaging, e-mail and voice calls to cell and dormitory phones."
The Confidence Men
Date CapturedTuesday August 14 2007, 10:09 AM
By Eric Hanushek . Hanushek writes, "Clients want a bottom-line statement about how much spending would provide an adequate education, and they want this cost estimate attached to their specific state. Few people care about the 'studies' on which consultants base their reports, or even their validity, because nobody really expects schools to implement these specific programs if given extra funding. Clients simply want a requisite amount of scientific aura around the number that will become the rallying flag for political and legal actions. Summing the added cost of the separate programs suggested by Picus and Odden, I estimate that the overall plan, if fully applied, would increase average spending in Washington by $1,760 to $2,760 per student, or 23 to 35 percent. This estimate of the increased spending necessary to achieve “adequacy” is very similar to the percentage increases they have recommended to other states, and numbers like these will presumably become part of the headlines surrounding the new court case. But pity the poor states that actually implement the Picus and Odden plan. They are sure to be disappointed by the results, and most taxpayers (those who do not work for the schools) will be noticeably poorer."
Wappingers looks at special ed needs
Date CapturedTuesday August 14 2007, 7:59 AM
Poughkeepsie Journal reports, "A Wappingers school district committee is working to create a one-year action plan to address the graduation and dropout rates of special education students by focusing on improving literacy and instruction, improving special education programs and addressing behavior issues that may lead to less instruction time."
Survey finds some mid-Hudson school subjects left behind
Date CapturedTuesday August 14 2007, 7:47 AM
Times Herald-Record reports, "State and federal test requirements are forcing mid-Hudson schools to spend more time on math and English. The price is less time for everything else — from social studies and physical education to art and music, according to some educators. 'What gets tested gets taught,' said Jack Jennings, president and CEO of the Center on Education Policy, an education think tank that recently released a nationwide study on the issue."
Working To Learn, Learning to Work: Unlocking the Potential of New York's Adult College Students
Date CapturedTuesday August 14 2007, 7:36 AM
Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy (SCAA) and the Center for an Urban Future (CUF) study, "Specific recommendations include: * Provide financial aid to part-time students in their first year. In 2006, the New York State Legislature took the first step towards assisting working adults by establishing a 'part-time TAP' program. However, New York should abolish the pointless requirement that students study full-time in the first year to qualify for part-time TAP. * Abolish discriminatory TAP benefits and income thresholds for unmarried childless adults, so that they can receive the same benefits at the same income thresholds as all other students. * Abolish all previous financial aid schedules and get rid of the 'don’t come back' rule, which ties students who leave college and return later to the income and benefit schedule in effect when they first entered college. Since schedules are improved every few years, older schedules are considerably less generous than current ones. * Create a remedial education financing program outside of TAP, so that students can enhance their opportunity for academic success while preserving TAP eligibility for creditworthy classes."
Adult student population shrinking
Date CapturedTuesday August 14 2007, 7:30 AM
Times Union reports, "The report takes an especially close look at the affordability of community colleges. Its findings: Costs at New York's community colleges are the sixth-highest in the nation and more than 50 percent above the national average. SUNY's community college tuition averaged $2,900 in 2004-05, with three campuses cracking $3,000. The national average is $2,272. Nearly half of New York's full-time adult community college students also work full time, compared with one-third in other states. The state covered only 31 percent of community college expenses in 2006."
Revamping special ed
Date CapturedMonday August 13 2007, 8:37 AM
Buffalo News opines, "Williams [Buffalo School Superintendent ] deserves credit for commissioning a study of the district’s special ed program, which led to a highly critical report from a Washington, D.C., consulting firm. The superintendent responded quickly to that criticism by announcing a plan that would move psychologists, social workers and other support staff from administrative offices into schools where they would team with principals, teachers, counselors, math and reading coaches, nurses and speech therapists to identify problems and ways to solve — addressing attitude or behavioral problems, for example, before a pupil is classified as being in need of the special ed program."
New test rules fail CUNY's mission
Date CapturedSunday August 12 2007, 7:50 AM
NY Daily News op-ed contributor William Crain, professor of psychology at The City College, CUNY opines, "CUNY should totally revamp its admissions policy. It should give test scores only the weight they merit, and should use them as part of a holistic assessment that includes students' high school grades, talents and motivation. And it should look for ways to give more students a chance to enter the college of their choice. For generations, CUNY shone as a beacon of democratic opportunity. It can do so again."
Tribes say No Child Left Behind leaves no room for culture
Date CapturedSaturday August 11 2007, 12:03 PM
Santa Fe New Mexican reports, "State [New Mexico] Secretary of Education Veronica Garcia said schools in isolated rural areas, where many tribal and pueblo schools are located, often have difficulty recruiting teachers. The government needs to support ways to encourage Native Americans to become teachers so they can return to teach in their tribes and pueblos, Garcia said. The law also disregards tribal sovereignty by forcing schools to adhere to state academic standards, said Samantha Pasena, a recent graduate of the Santa Fe Indian School. In addition to issues facing Native Americans, the panel also brought up the concern that under No Child Left Behind, special-education students are forced to take the same tests as regular students."
Are City [NYC] Vocational Education High Schools Being Left Behind?
Date CapturedFriday August 10 2007, 8:55 AM
NYC Independent Budget Office Fiscal Brief -- August, 2007.
US Department of Education -- Office of Inspector General (OIG) Perspective on the Unsafe School Choice Option
Date CapturedFriday August 10 2007, 8:14 AM
We suggest that the Department and Congress, in considering legislative changes, require states to ensure that their USCO policies meet the following basic requirements: 1) All violent incidents, according to state code, are factored into the PDS determination, without the use of disciplinary action qualifiers; 2) Benchmarks for determining PDS are set at reasonable levels that are supported by objective and reliable data; and 3) PDS are identified based upon the most current year of data. These suggestions are intended to affect immediate improvement of the USCO in its current state. However, based on our audit work and further research, there is an apparent reluctance to fully comply with the USCO provision. Therefore, we are also offering our perspective on more in-depth changes to the provision that should help USCO to be better received by the education community, and therefore, encourage more willing compliance. The lack of incentive to comply with USCO will need to be addressed and resolved in order for the provision to realize its full potential as a tool for improving the level of safety in our nation’s schools.
The Education Gadfly
Date CapturedThursday August 09 2007, 2:18 PM
A Weekly Bulletin of News and Analysis from the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation. August 9, 2007, Volume 7, Number 30.
Forum on Educational Accountability (FEA)
Date CapturedThursday August 09 2007, 11:32 AM
The Forum on Educational Accountability (FEA) has been formed to expand on and advance the ideas in the "Joint Organizational Statement on No Child Left Behind" to improve federal education policy.
New Jersey Governor Calls for Training Teachers on Internet Safety
Date CapturedThursday August 09 2007, 11:15 AM
School Library Journal reports, "Teachers and administrators would use the training to instruct students, parents and community groups on the potential dangers they may encounter on the Internet, Corzine said in a letter to Attorney General Anne Milgram and Education Commissioner Lucille Davy. The letter asks that the departments of Law and Public Safety and Education work together to strengthen existing Internet safety training and that the program be established and implemented by the beginning of the 2007-2008 school year."
Louisiana Department of Education holds emergency management summit
Date CapturedThursday August 09 2007, 10:45 AM
eSchool News reports, "As the two year anniversary of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita nears, the Louisiana Department of Education (LDE) and the state attorney general's office joined together to co-sponsor the Statewide Summit on School Safety. The one-day summit, held July 27, brought together district superintendents, emergency management experts, and law enforcement from across the state and Florida. Shortly after taking office, State Superintendent Paul G. Pastorek, asked each district to submit its emergency management plans to the state for review."
Learn legal rights at CUNY
Date CapturedThursday August 09 2007, 8:56 AM
Daily News reports, "Complete the introductory course and two advanced courses for credit and you'll earn a Certificate in Immigration Law Studies."
Guidelines for Working with Law Enforcement Agencies
Date CapturedWednesday August 08 2007, 12:15 PM
By Michael Corn. EQ -- Volume 30 Number 3 2007. Checklist: * Create a policy to address the handling of all legal documents. * Form a team consisting of the security officer, legal counsel, and campus police. * Put campus legal counsel on your telephone speed-dial. * Meet with provost and/or chancellor to discuss law enforcement requests and investigations. * Review and document the salient features of your environment, including your institutional policies on data release and retention. * Understand your obligations with regard to confidentiality. * Discuss with the agent(s) in charge of an investigation whom you wish to inform of the investigation and why. * Work with the agent(s) in charge of an investigation to review what they are looking for and what will not be useful to them. * Develop internal procedures that control the materials and information of legally restricted information. Buy a safe for storing legal materials. * Work with law enforcement agents to better understand your environment and narrow the scope of information requests.
BREAKFAST FLUB
Date CapturedWednesday August 08 2007, 6:35 AM
NY Post opines, "Twenty-nine percent of kids from low-income families - or about 150,000 of the more than 750,000 students eligible for free or discounted meals - take advantage of the breakfast program. About 65 percent do so at lunch. Joel Berg, executive director of the New York City Coalition Against Hunger, called on the city to expand participation by serving breakfast in classrooms, rather than cafeterias."
Drug Testing
Date CapturedTuesday August 07 2007, 8:57 AM
Post-Standard opines, "Perhaps drug testing in the schools will spare some kids a lifetime of addiction. Perhaps it will even save some lives. Just the same, parents need to be concerned about protecting their children's basic rights."
Manuel 'Manny' Rivera
Date CapturedMonday August 06 2007, 7:54 AM
Times Union reports, "Rivera is Gov. Eliot Spitzer's senior policy adviser and point man on education issues, helping to oversee accountability issues proposed by the governor. He is working with the state Education Department to help implement the Contract for Excellence that Spitzer pushed through, which provides money to needy or under-performing schools but also sets priorities for making improvements. He was previously the Rochester schools superintendent and turned down an offer to run the Boston city school system to work in the Capitol."
NY's Cuomo expands student loan probe to athletic departments
Date CapturedFriday August 03 2007, 8:22 AM
Newsday AP reports, "New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday he's investigating whether top college athletic departments steered athletes and other students to education lenders in exchange for kickbacks. He served 39 universities with subpoenas and requests for documents about deals between their athletic departments and Student Financial Services Inc., which operates as University Financial Services. He said he's looking at how team names, mascots and colors were used to suggest the company was the college's preferred lender."
LI colleges fight terror
Date CapturedThursday August 02 2007, 9:03 PM
Newsday opines, "Stony Brook University has received a $2.1 million grant from the Department of Defense to research ways to help plug this yawning gap in the security of computer systems. The grant, one of only four awarded nationally by the Pentagon in the cyber-security field, will fund a five-year project to develop solutions to help computer users prevent their systems from being corrupted or infiltrated. And Long Island University's Homeland Security Management Institute has been chosen as one of six universities across the nation to share in an annual $18 million program over the next four years to improve railroad security. "
Engaging Parents in Education: Lessons From Five Parental Information And Resource Centers
Date CapturedThursday August 02 2007, 12:31 PM
The purpose of this guide, "Engaging Parents in Education: Lessons From Five Parental Information and Resources Centers," is to explain "how to" strategies that the Parent Information Resource Centers (PIRCs) use to improve or expand their parental involvement programs in public schools.
Graduation Matters: Improving Accountability for High School Graduation
Date CapturedThursday August 02 2007, 8:26 AM
By Daria Hall, Assistant Director for K-12 Policy at The Education Trust. "The Education Trust report provides recommendations for policy changes at both the federal and state levels, including the following priorities for NCLB reauthorization: * Crafting meaningful graduation-rate accountability provisions in the law and providing high schools with a greater share of the federal investment in education so they have more resources to meet ambitious improvement goals; * Targeting federal investments to improve high school curriculum and assessments; and *Better directing funds and interventions toward the lowest performing schools to ensure that high-poverty and high-minority schools get their fair share of the tools they need to be successful – strong teachers, high standards and high-quality curriculum and assessments."
GRADUATION MATTERS: How NCLB allows states to set the bar too low for improving high school grad rates
Date CapturedThursday August 02 2007, 8:21 AM
Despite the national focus on reforming America’s high schools, most states are setting woefully low goals for improving graduation rates and are not setting goals for ensuring that more low-income, minority, disabled and English language learner students graduate, according to a report released today by The Education Trust.
New York State ranks 44th in graduation rate
Date CapturedThursday August 02 2007, 8:15 AM
Times Union reports, "'We're a lot more honest, I think, than others,' said Education Department spokesman Tom Dunn. But he conceded that 'expectations must be much higher.' Yet the report found that New York, like many states, actually exaggerates its graduation rate in some instances. The report says the state told the U.S. Department of Education that 77 percent of its high school freshmen graduated in four years. But by what the report says is a more accurate measure, the figure was 12 points lower."
To Teach or Not to Teach? Teaching Experience and Preparation Among 1992-1993 Bachelor's Degree Recipients 10 Years After College
Date CapturedWednesday August 01 2007, 10:42 AM
The report provides an overview of teachers’ job satisfaction and, for those not teaching in 2002-03, the main reason for not teaching. The second section looks at graduates’ preparation for teaching, including the key steps of completing a teacher education program, serving as a student teacher, and earning certification. Finally, the report examines the main reasons graduates who never taught gave for deciding against teaching. Alt, M.N., and Henke, R.R. (2007). To Teach or Not to Teach? Teaching Experience and Preparation Among 1992–93 Bachelor’s Degree Recipients 10 Years After College (NCES 2007-163). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
Why don't we make education succeed?
Date CapturedWednesday August 01 2007, 10:06 AM
Press Republican contributor Ken Wibecan opines, "A nation that sent a human being to stroll on the moon can surely figure out how to educate their young people. A little creative thinking can go a long way. In a sane society, schools that fail in their mission 'both private and public' would disappear while the good ones flourish. Either we make the difficult but necessary changes or we fall behind the rest of the world and complain about why Americans keep losing so many good jobs to foreign competition."
Local classes picked for tech program
Date CapturedWednesday August 01 2007, 9:56 AM
Poughkeepsie Journal reports, "The program is part of a regional effort by the Tech Valley Chambers of Commerce Coalition, a group of 24 chambers of commerce in 19 counties from the Canadian border to the Orange-Rockland county line, to encourage math, science and technology education to eventually create a more tech-savvy work force."
Make college budget better
Date CapturedWednesday August 01 2007, 9:40 AM
Newsday opines, "The real question should be: Why does the county [Suffolk] continue to pay less than its fair share? The long-established division of effort is a third by the state, a third by the county, and a third by the students. Though the state has increased its share recently - it now stands at about 31 percent - the county is still several ticks under 30 percent, and the students are at more than 40 percent. The legislature must address that imbalance. It can start with the recommendations of its budget review office, which would do more for the college than Levy would."
TC3 tuition program helps
Date CapturedWednesday August 01 2007, 9:36 AM
Ithaca Journal opines, "Though there is an abundance of state and federal tuition assistance programs for returning veterans who want to seek an education, Tompkins County Community College has initiated a new financial aid program that addresses the difficulties veterans may face upon immediate return from duty. While the Department of Veterans Affairs offers veterans up to $1,000 per semester for full-time study and the federal Montgomery GI Bill provides educational benefits, TC3's program takes these ideas one step further. Beginning this fall, TC3's “Welcome Home” program allows the college to waive one semester of tuition for New York state residents returning from Iraq and Afghanistan combat zones. The program is especially beneficial because it allows veterans to immediately pursue an education upon return to the United States rather than waiting for the government to process their VA benefits or needing to compile income information for financial aid offices."
State is on guard to keep schools safe
Date CapturedWednesday August 01 2007, 8:52 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle guest essayist Alan Ray, director of communications and policy development, New York State Education Department opines, "During the past year, we have: *Provided help to Rochester's and other schools to create safer, more supportive learning environments and prevent bullying. *Held focus groups with parents, students, teachers and administrators to get more ideas on how to make schools safer. *Given uniform training to school personnel statewide on accurate reporting. *Made site visits to nearly 100 schools statewide to determine the accuracy of their data. *Provided detailed guidelines on the Internet so school officials can refer to them easily as needed. We are constantly adding to a question-and-answer document on the Web site as people seek additional guidance. *Developed a fully automated incident reporting system so schools can submit data electronically. This system has controls to help schools check the accuracy of their data and omit inadvertent errors."
Charters pass big test
Date CapturedTuesday July 31 2007, 8:59 AM
NY Daily News opines, "The opponents often argue that charter children do better than kids in neighborhood schools because they come from homes where adults are focused on education. In other words, charter kids have an advantage largely because grownups push them to succeed. This, it turns out, is myth. The truth is that charter schools are simply doing better jobs at education. So says a groundbreaking study that should be required reading for Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, United Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten and everyone else who has fought to limit the number of children who can attend a charter school."
Education in the Twin Tiers: Career center on track
Date CapturedTuesday July 31 2007, 8:41 AM
Star-Gazette reports, "'It really is designed to support anybody who wants to look at getting back to work or seeking education,' she [Brenda English] said. The center will be able to address adult literacy issues, provide classes for high school equivalency diplomas and upgrade the skills of people who don't have a high school diploma. The center will also provide noncredit training so people can get a job immediately, as well as the opportunity to begin studies toward two-year degrees that would be completed at CCC's Spencer Hill campus."
KLEIN SETS A RECORD
Date CapturedTuesday July 31 2007, 8:35 AM
NY Post opines, "Klein, with Bloomberg's strong backing: * Undertook to break up decades of bureaucratic infrastructure - sundering longstanding political alliances and an gering union leaders by the score. * Eliminated the corrupt community school boards, imposed a tougher new curriculum, demanded and got stricter performance standards - and put an effective end to social promotion. * Raised basic standards and expectations at the earliest grade levels and installed no-nonsense discipline to remove violent troublemakers from classrooms. * Encouraged the development of charter schools as an innovative way to challenge the long-accepted notions of education that clearly have not been working. * Demanded the same accountability and responsibility from teachers - and principals - as he has set for himself."
Choices, Changes, and Challenges: Curriculum and Instruction in the NCLB Era
Date CapturedMonday July 30 2007, 8:44 AM
This CEP report examines the amount of time spent during the school week on core academic subjects and how that allocation of time across subjects has changed since school year 2001-02 when NCLB was enacted. The report finds that approximately 62% of school districts increased the amount of time spent in elementary schools on English language arts and or math, while 44% of districts cut time on science, social studies, art and music, physical education, lunch or recess.
PTA leader has strong message
Date CapturedMonday July 30 2007, 8:31 AM
Poughkeepsie Journal opines, "Men concerned about how schools handle issues that stretch well beyond classrooms should heed Saylors' call to get more involved by joining the PTA. You don't have to have a child in school to become involved. Membership is open to anybody concerned about the health, well-being and education of American children."
No verdict in Ithaca City School District (ICSD) busing appeal
Date CapturedMonday July 30 2007, 8:24 AM
Ithaca Journal reports, "New York state law requires public schools to transport children who live within the district but attend nonpublic schools within 15 miles of their homes, the same standard mileage limit for public school students. The school district changed its bus schedule to accommodate new start and stop times implemented at schools throughout the district. Gorsky challenged Ithaca's new schedule because it didn't synchronize with Immaculate Conception's schedule and made impractical for Immaculate Conception students to ride the bus. Gorsky filed an appeal with the Commissioner of Education at the end of October."
Time for a surge in war to save our kids
Date CapturedSunday July 29 2007, 9:18 AM
NY Daily News guest essayist Colin Powell, former U.S. secretary of state and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and founding chairman of America's Promise Alliance opines, "Research shows that when young people receive four of five basic resources, which we call the Five Promises - caring adults, safe places, a healthy start, effective education and opportunities to help others - they are twice as likely to receive A's in school, twice as likely to avoid violence and 40% more likely to volunteer. Together, we must ensure that 15 million more at-risk American young people experience these promises. Don't look at young people who are angry or adrift, standing on some city streetcorner, and think they're someone else's problem. They're not. By volunteering to help in this battle, you can help us win the war."
Fix NCLB
Date CapturedSunday July 29 2007, 9:03 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports, "Six years later, as the law comes up for reauthorization by Congress, frustration with its provisions are widespread as evidenced by the essays on today's Speaking Out page. But scrapping the law, which seeks to meet its outlined goal by 2014, isn't the solution. Rather, it needs to be fixed. In a number of places."
CUNY Plans to Raise Its Admissions Standards
Date CapturedSaturday July 28 2007, 8:57 AM
NY Times reports, "In 2008, freshmen will have to show math SAT scores 20 to 30 points higher than they do now to enter the university’s top-tier colleges — Baruch, Brooklyn, City, Hunter and Queens — and its six other senior colleges. Students now can also qualify for the bachelor’s degree programs with satisfactory scores on the math Regents examination or on placement tests; required cutoffs for those tests will also be raised. Open admissions policies at the community colleges will be unaffected."
Demographic and School Characteristics of Students Receiving Special Education in the Elementary Grades
Date CapturedFriday July 27 2007, 9:48 AM
Findings from the analysis indicate that for the cohort of students beginning kindergarten in 1998, specific learning disabilities and speech or language impairments were the most prevalent primary disabilities over the grades studied. The percentage of the student cohort receiving special education grew from 4.1 percent in kindergarten to 11.9 percent of students in fifth grade. The results also indicate that higher percentages of boys than girls and of poor students than nonpoor students received special education.
Community boost sought by child care coalition
Date CapturedFriday July 27 2007, 8:24 AM
Press & Sun-Bulletin reports, "Research shows that investing money in early childhood education and health saves money later in areas such as remedial education, coalition coordinator Barbara Nilsen said, adding some studies have shown a 7-to-1 payback ratio."
KLEIN PLAYS FAVES: FOES
Date CapturedFriday July 27 2007, 7:59 AM
NY Post reports, "The Campaign for Fiscal Equity, whose 14-year-old lawsuit won billions of extra education funding for the city over the next four years, said some of the cash won't reach the struggling schools it's supposed to help."
Ithaca City School District faculty member appointed to task force on preschool special education
Date CapturedThursday July 26 2007, 1:02 PM
Ithaca Journal reports, "The task force, which is comprised of 13 education professionals from across the state, was created to study ways of improving early education for children with disabilities. The group will examine the transition between early childhood programs and elementary school, the cost of preschool special education programs and the task force will do a comparative study of different state's special education preschool programs. Jasinski said he is excited to be part of the task force."
Pols dial up school fight
Date CapturedThursday July 26 2007, 10:16 AM
NY Daily News reports, "Hoping to force the Education Department's hand, the City Council passed legislation yesterday restating the right of children to use cell phones traveling to and from school."
THE CITY OF NEW YORK OFFICE OF THE COMPTROLLER BUREAU OF MANAGEMENT AUDIT : AUDIT REPORT ON THE MONITORING AND TRACKING OF SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Date CapturedThursday July 26 2007, 9:55 AM
MD06-073A -- June 29, 2007. "Based on our findings, we make nine recommendations, five of which are listed below. DOE should: Develop and enforce written formal policies and procedures to ensure that services are provided according to the provisions of each student’s IEP. Develop policies to ensure that all attendance forms and summaries are maintained as evidence of services provided. Ensure that providers fill in all required information on the special education attendance forms and sign the forms as certification of the delivery of services. Ensure that supervisory review of attendance records is performed and documented. Institute a control (e.g., periodically reconcile special education attendance forms with general education attendance forms) to help ensure that the days that services are provided are accurately recorded."
THOMPSON: DEPT. OF EDUCATION FAILING TO MONITOR, TRACK AND DOCUMENT PROVISION OF SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES
Date CapturedThursday July 26 2007, 9:51 AM
Thompson’s audit found a pattern of flaws so severe that many students sampled often didn’t get required services when providers were absent. Examples of the flaws included records that were inadequate and incomplete, and records showing students getting services on days when schools were actually closed.
Upcoming Webcasts of NYSED Board Meetings
Date CapturedWednesday July 25 2007, 9:40 AM
Board of Regents Meetings -- July 25, 2007 - Board of Regents Meeting (10:30 AM - 11:30 AM and 6:15 PM - 6:45 PM): Live Webcast: (Windows Media Player) (Real Player) | Archived Webcast
Revenues and Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary School Districts: School Year 2004–05
Date CapturedWednesday July 25 2007, 9:25 AM
This NCES brief publication contains data on revenues and expenditures per pupil made by school districts for school year 2004-05. Median per pupil revenue and expenditure data are reported by state, as well as values at the 5th and 95th percentiles. Data for charter schools are reported separately. There are also discussions on the different types of school districts, and other resources that may be helpful in analyzing school district level data. Revenues and expenditures for the 100 largest school districts are included, as well as federal revenues by program. Zhou, L., and Gaviola, N. (2007). Revenues and Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary School Districts: School Year 2004–05 (Fiscal Year 2005) (NCES 2007-355). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved July 25, 2007 from http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=200735
SPECIAL-ED WOE
Date CapturedWednesday July 25 2007, 8:42 AM
NY Post Chuck Bennett reports, "The audit reviewed the records of 89 mainstreamed special-ed students during the 2004-05 school year. It found sloppy record-keeping and no formal rules for monitoring the delivery of services."
Buffalo schools get $6.8 million
Date CapturedTuesday July 24 2007, 10:52 AM
Buffalo News reports, "Buffalo Public School officials have announced the district has secured $6.8 million in grant funds from three sources in the state Education Department."
Bloomberg Announces Plan to Shore Up Arts in Schools
Date CapturedTuesday July 24 2007, 10:24 AM
NY Times reports, "Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg announced yesterday that the city’s Department of Education will require all schools to maintain arts programs, and that principals will be rated in their annual reviews on how well they run those programs. The announcement came just months after the department infuriated arts groups by eliminating a multimillion-dollar program to finance arts education. Under a new set of city standards, the arts curriculums will be judged for comprehensiveness, and potential pay bonuses for principals could be affected."
Rural schools gather to enhance programs
Date CapturedTuesday July 24 2007, 7:14 AM
Ithaca Journal reports, "Nearly 100 educators, principals, superintendents and students from rural school districts in Central New York gathered at Cornell University's Becker House Monday for the beginning of a two-day conference focused on improving rural student achievement. The conference is focused on increasing graduation rates among low-income, rural students and preparing rural students for higher education."
SCHOOLS BRUSHING UP ON THE ARTS
Date CapturedTuesday July 24 2007, 7:02 AM
NY Post Chuck Bennett reports, "'I didn't want the arts to be a throwaway. I didn't want the arts to be some add-on, some feel-good thing. I think arts education is critical,' Klein [NYC schools chancellor] said. He added that $250 million in this year's school budget will go toward arts education, including the hiring of 141 new teachers. More students also will be eligible to receive an Arts-Endorsed Regents Honors diploma for taking a concentration in arts classes."
Sex Ed is About Safety
Date CapturedMonday July 23 2007, 9:53 AM
Special Eduction Law blogger Amanda Windom writes, "One of the most controversial topics we face in schools today is sex education. Schools in Illinois vary greatly in the curriculum they offer ranging from none at all to abstinence-only to comprehensive sex education. Putting aside the moral, religious and other debates, the main issue here is safety. Regardless of our personal feelings about the topic the fact remains that children and teens must be educated about sex in a meaningful way, and if they are not educated at school or by parents they will develop ideas based on things they learn from friends or in the media, often to their detriment."
Grant aids districts to keep kids in school
Date CapturedMonday July 23 2007, 8:50 AM
Troy Record reports, "Goodwin [superintendent of the Lansingburgh School District] said the effort began as a look at issues affecting youth, which touched on the correlation between crime and young people, and then gradually narrowed its focus to keeping kids in school. 'There's a lot of issues that go into truancy - sometimes it's family structure, sometimes it's the child's education level, sometimes it's substance abuse or mental health issues that aren't being addressed,' Riegert said. 'Sometimes there's a perception by the child that there's no one who really cares if they go to school." Mary Capabianca, who is in her third year as assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction in the Troy district, concurred. She says reasons for truancy can include a lack of hope on the part of a student, or alternately a sense of obligation to help out their families during tough times.'"
Jury Backs Teacher Who Says Room Made Her Ill
Date CapturedSunday July 22 2007, 8:31 AM
Washington Post reports, "A Montgomery County [Maryland] jury has found in favor of a teacher who said she was driven from her job by mold in a portable classroom at a Burtonsville school."
Large Student Lender Agrees to Code of Conduct, Settling New York Inquiry
Date CapturedFriday July 20 2007, 8:22 AM
NY Times reports, "The company signed a 'code of conduct' developed by Mr. Cuomo’s (New York State Attorney General) office that bars lenders from giving anything of value to a college or university in exchange for help marketing loans to students."
Revised school code flags accomplices
Date CapturedFriday July 20 2007, 8:16 AM
Daily Freeman reports, "The Board of Education has amended Kingston High School's code of conduct in an effort to increase accountability among students. Changes to the Jefferson Code include the addition of the phrase 'aiding and/or abetting.' The move was made in response to an administrative request from members at the high school and will serve as an added level of regulations."
Cornell works with rural schools to increase grad rates
Date CapturedFriday July 20 2007, 8:09 AM
Ithaca Journal reports, "About 100 representatives from 18 rural school districts in Central New York will attend a two-day conference starting Monday at Cornell University to discuss ways the university can help the districts improve student achievement. The conference will also focus on increasing graduation rates among low-income rural students and preparing rural students for higher education."
Newburgh school district unsettled by Supreme Court decision
Date CapturedThursday July 19 2007, 8:59 AM
Times Herald-Record reports, ""The state Department of Education is reviewing the impact of the decision. The issue will come before the state Board of Regents Wednesday, Robert Bennett, chancellor of the Regents, said yesterday. Among the mid-Hudson's 34 school districts, only four have non-white populations exceeding 40 percent: Newburgh (66 percent), Middletown (65 percent), Fallsburg (43 percent) and Monticello (44 percent), according to the most recent state Report Card data. Newburgh is the only one under a desegregation order. It went into effect in 1975."
Girls charter school awaits an OK
Date CapturedThursday July 19 2007, 8:30 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports, "Previously, New York had reached its limit of 100 charter schools statewide. But state legislation that took effect July 1 authorizes an additional 100 charter schools — 50 to be approved by the SUNY panel and 50 to be approved by the state Education Department."
Regents exam: American history for dummies
Date CapturedWednesday July 18 2007, 8:29 AM
NY Daily News guest contributor Marc Epstein opines, "Before we allow Bloomberg and Richard Mills, the state's commissioner of education, to pop the champagne corks over improved test results and higher standards, let's examine the content of the product. Politicians and the public are forever demanding truth in packaging when it comes to food and other consumer products; why should they be deceived about the content of their children's educations?"
College Board Tries to Police Use of ‘Advanced Placement’ Label
Date CapturedWednesday July 18 2007, 8:21 AM
NY Times Tamar Lewin reports, "Developed 50 years ago for gifted students in elite high schools, the Advanced Placement program now exists in almost two-thirds of American high schools. In May, about 1.5 million students took 2.5 million Advanced Placement exams, hoping to earn college credit and impress college admissions offices, which often give applicants extra points on the transcript. But with so many more APs — real and fake — admissions officers have difficulty assessing them, especially since admission decisions are made before the May exams."
Fake degree mill for city medical aides, teachers?
Date CapturedWednesday July 18 2007, 7:27 AM
NY Daily News reports, "State education officials announced a sweeping probe yesterday to determine if the state licensed teachers and medical workers based on phony diplomas issued at Touro College."
Pre-K programs growing throughout Tier
Date CapturedTuesday July 17 2007, 9:16 AM
Press & Sun-Bulletin reports, "New York began its Universal Pre-Kindergarten program in 1997. But, in the 2002-03 school year, fewer than 250 of the state's 700 districts administered pre-kindergarten programs, according to the National Child Care Information Center. And grants had been frozen since 2001, meaning districts could not get into the program, said Cindy Gallagher, coordinator of the Office of Early Education and Reading Initiatives for the state Education Department. By contrast, this year's state budget boosted spending for Universal Pre-Kindergarten by $145.9 million to $438 million. The additional money means 44,000 slots were added to the 73,000 slots available in the last school term, state figures indicate. The state has about 240,000 4-year-olds, Gallagher said."
Congress Prepares for NCLB Reauthorization Debate
Date CapturedTuesday July 17 2007, 7:08 AM
School Reform News contributor Dan Lips, education analyst at The Heritage Foundation writes, "After months of committee hearings, congressional leaders are now looking to begin the legislative process for the scheduled reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). Democrats control Congress, but Republican leaders are proposing an agenda of policy ideas to be considered in the reauthorization."
Fixing special ed
Date CapturedMonday July 16 2007, 10:18 AM
Buffalo News opines, "He [Buffalo school superintendent Williams] intends to establish teams of guidance counselors, social workers, psychologists, special-education teachers and parents at each school. He also intends to relocate specialeducation support staff from administrative offices to individual schools, continue intensive efforts to improve literacy in the early elementary grades and give special-education students greater choice of schools."
RACE-BIAS FLAP IN ELITE-HS TEST PREP
Date CapturedMonday July 16 2007, 6:23 AM
NY Post reports, "A free course offered by the city Department of Education to train students to ace admissions tests at elite public high schools like Stuyvesant and Brooklyn Tech has been quietly enforcing separate standards for blacks and Latinos compared with whites and Asians for the past decade, The Post has learned. Asian and white students had to be 'free-or reduced-lunch eligible' to qualify, according to department guidelines - meaning a white or Asian student from a family of four with an annual income above $37,000 was too rich for the program. Black and Latino students had no such family-income requirements."
West Point honor code to be reviewed
Date CapturedSunday July 15 2007, 12:41 PM
Times Herald-Record Greg Bruno reports, "An honor code study group has been formed to review the state and status of the honor system at West Point, academy leaders announced yesterday. Under the guidance of retired generals, past and present cadet leaders and academy staff, the committee will analyze general feelings toward honor at West Point, and drill into specific areas where improvements could be made. Issues to be addressed include the state of plagiarism in academic classes and the type of legal advice cadets accused of honor violations should receive."
Teachers, on Paper: The Chancellor’s View
Date CapturedSaturday July 14 2007, 9:55 AM
NY Times op-ed contributor Joel I. Klein, Chancellor, New York City Department of Education responds to “So Much Paperwork, So Little Time to Teach,” by Samuel G. Freedman. Klein writes, "He [Freedman] turns 'paperwork' into a dirty word. But when teachers track student performance, they can spot trends, tailor instruction to the needs of students and take corrective action. We have worked to eliminate busywork and have created easy-to-use tools that give teachers constructive information that makes them more effective. Our city is attracting, and holding on to, great teachers, and they are making a difference for our children"
Keep reform simple
Date CapturedSaturday July 14 2007, 9:43 AM
The Adirondack Daily Enterprise opines, "In New York, we vote on our school district budgets, but in Massachusetts, they vote on any local government budget that would increase its property tax levy by more than 2.5 percent. We have yet to see a downside to that. Schools are special, so maybe it's time the state takes over all basic K-12 education costs, letting individual school districts use property taxes to pay for extras."
Zogby Poll: Most Think Political Bias Among College Professors a Serious Problem
Date CapturedSaturday July 14 2007, 8:51 AM
Asked whether they think the quality of a college education today is better or worse than it was 25 years ago, 46% said they think it is worse, while 29% said it is better. Another 16% said the quality now is about the same as it was a generation ago
The Education Gadfly
Date CapturedFriday July 13 2007, 11:06 AM
A Weekly Bulletin of News and Analysis from the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation -- July 12, 2007, Volume 7, Number 26 . Gotham City showdown: Ravitch and Cantor on NYC reading scores. Diane Ravitch's June 7 Gadfly article took the New York City Department of Education to task for hyping the most recent reading scores for students in grades 3-8. "The scores," she wrote, "were mainly flat or declining." And the much-ballyhooed rise in eighth-grade reading "downplayed the curious fact that eighth grade scores were up across the state." Her interpretation drew a critical review from David Cantor, the NYC Department of Education's Press Secretary. His critique and Ravitch's response follow.
Federal Support for Adolescent Literacy: A Solid Investment
Date CapturedFriday July 13 2007, 9:34 AM
This Alliance for Excellent Education brief lays out a set of strategic policy recommendations that include: (1) Encourage schools, districts, and states to articulate clear, comprehensive, actionable plans for improving literacy instruction; (2) Invest in tools that help schools identify struggling readers and appropriately adjust instruction in grades 4-12; (3) Invest in ongoing professional development programs designed to help all middle and high school teachers provide effective reading and writing instruction in their subject area; (4) Support and invest in accountability systems that give teachers strong incentives to provide effective reading and writing instruction; and, (5) Invest in ongoing research on and evaluation of strategies to improve adolescent literacy.
Forum Curriculum for Improving Education Data: A Resource for Local Education
Date CapturedThursday July 12 2007, 7:00 PM
This curriculum supports efforts to improve the quality of education data by serving as training materials for K-12 school and district staff. It provides lesson plans, instructional handouts, and related resources, and presents concepts necessary to help schools develop a culture for improving data quality. National Forum on Education Statistics (2007). Forum Curriculum for Improving Education Data: A Resource for Local Education Agencies (NFES 2007-808). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education Raymond Simon Offers Commencement Address at Brighter Choice Charter Schools 4th Grade Graduation
Date CapturedThursday July 12 2007, 9:47 AM
U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education Raymond Simon today highlighted the efforts of our nation's charter schools to empower parents and improve access to quality education for all students during a visit to Brighter Choice Charter Schools in Albany, N.Y. Offering the keynote address at the school's 4th grade commencement ceremony, Secretary Simon congratulated the students and teachers for their hard work to achieve the top ranking among Albany schools in English and math assessment scores. Additionally, Secretary Simon underscored the importance of No Child Left Behind reauthorization this year and touted President Bush's proposal to expand the availability of charter schools and provide more options for families.
Summer NYC school program feeds city's children for free
Date CapturedTuesday July 10 2007, 9:31 AM
Newsday reports, "The $23 million program takes more than 7,800 employees and 99 school kitchens to prepare the meals, and 84 trucks to deliver them. The food is being served at 1,166 locations, up from 966 last summer."
SCHOOL BATTLE OVER CLASS SIZE
Date CapturedMonday July 09 2007, 9:34 AM
NY Post reports, "Advocates yesterday slammed the city Department of Education for not putting up a five-year strategy to reduce class size as part of its plans to spend $4.7 billion in additional funding for schools."
Education, building and money: a look at the Wicks Law
Date CapturedMonday July 09 2007, 9:28 AM
The Journal News reports, "Unless you're in the building trades or a public entity doing some construction, proposed changes to the Wicks Law probably didn't register particularly loudly on your interest meter. But like any other change that affects education, the issue is really about money: an estimated $13 million more in school construction costs per year in Rockland taxpayer dollars charged for Wicks Law compliance, according to research by members of the Rockland School Boards Association."
Reform needed for school funding
Date CapturedMonday July 09 2007, 8:53 AM
Ithaca Journal op-ed contributor Ron Mac Lean, on behalf of Citizens Advisory Committee, Political Action Concerning Education and the Trumansburg Central School District opines, "For many years, numerous organized attempts have been made to convince our legislators that the School Aid Formula is not fair and equitable to all students throughout New York. Under the present method of school aid distribution, the “wealthier” school districts continue to prosper with curriculum, costs per student and tax levy disproportionate to 'poorer' districts. A recent New York Times article noted that in 2005, of the 100 highest-spending districts in the nation, 25 are in Westchester County and 38 are on Long Island. This year Albany did take a step in the right direction by revising portions of the funding formula."
State measures on steriods in high school sports
Date CapturedSaturday July 07 2007, 1:04 PM
AP reports on state-by-state glance at high school steroid policies: TESTING MANDATED BY LAW.
CITY EYES 1,300 NEW TEACHERS
Date CapturedFriday July 06 2007, 10:27 AM
NY Post reports, "The city wants to hire 1,300 new teachers to reduce class sizes, using some of the millions of dollars in extra school funding it wrangled from the state, the Department of Education said yesterday."
City Schools Focus New Aid on Reducing Class Sizes
Date CapturedFriday July 06 2007, 10:10 AM
NY Times reports, "Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein announced yesterday how the city school system plans to spend $228 million in new education financing from the state, including allocating nearly half the money to reduce class sizes. That money, $106 million, will allow the city to add 1,300 teachers to cut class sizes, and officials say they will concentrate on the most crowded classrooms with students most at risk of failure. The city also plans to use $57 million for increased instructional time for students, $44 million toward professional development for teachers and principals, $20 million for middle and high school restructuring and $294,000 for expanding full-day prekindergarten slots."
Schools Move Toward Following Students’ Yearly Progress on Tests
Date CapturedFriday July 06 2007, 10:02 AM
NY Times reports, "Concerned that the traditional way amounted to an apples-to-oranges comparison, schools in more than two dozen states have turned to growth models. Now a movement is mounting to amend the federal No Child Left Behind Act, which is up for reauthorization this year, to allow such alternative assessments of student progress. Many urban educators contend that growth models are a fairer measure because they recognize that poor and minority students often start out behind, and thus have more to learn to reach state standards. At the same time, many school officials in affluent suburbs favor growth models because they evaluate students at all levels rather than focusing on lifting those at the bottom, thereby helping to justify instruction costs to parents and school boards at a time of shrinking budgets"
$80M still not enough
Date CapturedFriday July 06 2007, 9:43 AM
NY Daily News reports, "The education department's new $80 million student-tracking computer system just got more expensive - and some parents are questioning whether that's the best use of the money. To ensure that children's test scores and other private data don't get into the wrong hands, the city began accepting bids this week from companies that specialize in safeguarding information, which experts say could add several million dollars to the system's price."
'ID LEAK' FEAR IN $80M ED. COMPUTER
Date CapturedFriday July 06 2007, 8:26 AM
NY Post CHUCK BENNETT reports, "Now education officials are worried that the info, ranging from a child's achievement record to family income to Social Security number, could be at risk when teachers, principals and support staff download information or access it from shared computers. The system 'makes available to inexperienced users an enormous amount of extremely sensitive data about students and staff,' the Department of Education said in a request for proposals seeking a fix."
Many Teachers Dubious of Merit Pay
Date CapturedWednesday July 04 2007, 2:39 PM
AP reports, "Merit pay tied to student test scores seems all the rage in some educational circles, but many teachers think it's an idea whose time hasn't come. It's a concept that is gaining ground in state capitals and in Washington, nevertheless. Members of Congress, for instance, are considering adding funding bonuses for teachers who raise student achievement as part of the No Child Left Behind Act, which is up for review this year. Proponents say such a system would reward effective teachers and attract strong new recruits to the profession. But teachers attending the annual convention of the National Education Association seem dubious -- even if it could put more money in their pockets."
Money for Nothing
Date CapturedMonday July 02 2007, 8:26 AM
NY Times Op-Ed contributor BARRY SCHWARTZ opines, "Obviously, the intrinsic rewards of learning aren’t working in New York’s schools, at least not for a lot of children. It may be that the current state of achievement is low enough that desperate measures are called for, and it’s worth trying anything. And we don’t know whether in this case, motives will complement or compete. But it is plausible that when students get paid to go to class and show up for tests, they will be even less interested in the work than they would be if no incentives were present. If that happens, the incentive system will make the learning problem worse in the long run, even if it improves achievement in the short run — unless we’re prepared to follow these children through life, giving them a pat on the head, or an M&M or a check every time they learn something new. Perhaps worse, the plan will distract us from investigating a more pertinent set of questions: why don’t children get intrinsic satisfaction from learning in school, and how can this failing of education be fixed? Virtually all kindergartners are eager to learn. But by fourth grade, many students need to be bribed. What makes our schools so dystopian that they produce this powerful transformation, almost overnight?"
Rescuing Brown v. Board of Education: Profiles of Twelve School Districts Pursuing Socioeconomic School Integration
Date CapturedFriday June 29 2007, 2:07 PM
By RICHARD D. KAHLENBERG, SENIOR FELLOW AT THE CENTURY FOUNDATION concludes, "Making American schools integrated is tough work, requiring strong political leadership and a sustained commitment to the promise of equal opportunity. The U.S. Supreme Court’s decisions in the Louisville and Seattle cases present new obstacles, but across the country, school districts are not giving up, and indeed, are coming up with an alternative that can be an even more powerful engine for social mobility."
The Education Gadfly
Date CapturedFriday June 29 2007, 9:12 AM
A Weekly Bulletin of News and Analysis from the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation -- June 28, 2007, Volume 7, Number 25.
Local governments stripped of some community college budget control
Date CapturedFriday June 29 2007, 8:45 AM
AP reports, "Local governments, which pay a third of the cost for their local community colleges, have lost some fiscal control over the two-year schools under a court ruling Thursday. The state Court of Appeals rejected an attempt by Westchester County and the New York State Association of Counties to annul regulations that the State University of New York Board of Trustees made in 2003. As a result, counties and other local sponsoring governments would no longer have the authority to change specific lines and areas of spending within a budget. The college board could also transfer spending within a budget without approval by the local government sponsor."
Dropout Rates in the United States: 2005
Date CapturedThursday June 28 2007, 9:02 PM
This report builds upon a series of National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reports on high school dropout and completion rates that began in 1988. It presents estimates of rates for 2005, and provides data about trends in dropout and completion rates over the last three decades (1972-2005), including characteristics of dropouts and completers in these years. Among other findings, the report shows that in students living in low-income families were approximately six times more likely to drop out of high school between 2004 and 2005 than of their peers from high-income families. Laird, J., DeBell, M., Kienzl, G., and Chapman, C. (2007). Dropout Rates in the United States: 2005 (NCES 2007- 059). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved June 28, 2007 from http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch.
Area schools get funds for disabled
Date CapturedThursday June 28 2007, 8:28 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports, "The grants will fund programs to assist disabled students in vocational opportunities helping them move into college, job training opportunities, employment and internships."
Reauthorization of No Child Left Behind: Federal Management or Citizen Ownership of K–12 Education?
Date CapturedWednesday June 27 2007, 8:13 PM
Eugene Hickok, Ph.D., Bradley Education Fellow at The Heritage Foundation previously serving the U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education and Pennsylvania's Secretary of Education and Matthew Ladner, Ph.D., Vice President of Research at the Goldwater Institute conclude, "Shifting greater policymaking authority back to the state level would protect academic transparency in American education. Parents, citizens, and policymakers would continue to receive the information about students' and schools' performance through state testing. Maintaining this transparency would ensure that all stakeholders have the needed information about how best to educate children. This would begin to restore citizen ownership of American education--a necessary step for future efforts to strengthen American public schools."
SEC intends to scrutinize class attendance
Date CapturedTuesday June 26 2007, 9:11 AM
Orlando Sentinel reports, "Georgia's attendance policy penalizes athletes with suspensions for missing classes and $10 fines and suspensions for missing academic appointments. Yes, you read that correctly: Georgia is fining its athletes. And the concept might spread. This coming academic year, the Southeastern Conference will require its 12 member schools to have some sort of attendance policy in place -- and ways to enforce those policies."
Regents: Schools must have contracts of accountability
Date CapturedTuesday June 26 2007, 8:48 AM
Poughkeepsie Journal reports, "With the new school year only a few months away, the state Education Department and school officials are racing to get effective accountability contracts in place for 56 school districts receiving large state-aid hikes. The school systems have to develop 'Contracts for Excellence' because they have a minimum of one underperforming school and are getting funding increases of at least $15 million or 10 percent more than last year. Gov. Eliot Spitzer proposed the measure, which was included in the Legislature's budget as part of a $7 billion boost in state school aid over four years."
Students With Disabilities Make Gains, But Overall Achievement and Graduation Rates Still Too Low
Date CapturedMonday June 25 2007, 4:47 PM
New York State Education Department PRESS RELEASE: Data on the performance of special education students released today shows progress in the following areas: * Achievement has improved in grades 3-8 English and math. * Fewer students are being educated in separate settings. * More are taking and passing Regents exams each year. * More are graduating and earning Regents Diplomas each year. * And more are going to college than a decade ago.
Schools call roll at a border crossing
Date CapturedMonday June 25 2007, 8:42 AM
LA Times reports, "Children who are U.S. citizens or legal immigrants but live in Mexico cross every morning to get a better education for free in Arizona, breaking the law that requires them to live within the boundaries of the district. To many of their parents, who have ties in both countries, not living in the district is the educational equivalent of jaywalking."
Priorities set, chairs named for Children’s Cabinet
Date CapturedMonday June 25 2007, 7:59 AM
Legislative Gazette reports, "The governor has named the leaders of his new Children’s Cabinet and announced that health care for New York’s uninsured children and higher quality pre-kindergarten would be the panel’s top priorities. In an executive order issued earlier this month, Gov. Eliot Spitzer established the Children’s Cabinet and announced its ultimate goal would be the reform of children’s programs in the state."
Colleges Pull Out of 'U.S. News' Rankings
Date CapturedSunday June 24 2007, 7:18 PM
Day to Day, June 22, 2007 · A group of liberal arts colleges has announced that they will stop participating in the annual U.S. News and World Report college rankings. Opponents say the rankings mislead students. Doug Bennett, president of Earlham College in Richmond, Ind., talks with Anthony Brooks.
Asbestos in Schools -- The Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA)
Date CapturedSunday June 24 2007, 7:13 PM
US Environmental Agency
Merit pay good idea for teachers
Date CapturedSunday June 24 2007, 12:44 PM
Buffalo News contributor Murray B. Light, former editor of The Buffalo News opines, "I am a wholehearted supporter of merit pay for any individual who consistently has proven to be an aboveaverage performer. It worked for me in the newsroom and there’s no reason to question its ability to bring results in the classrooms of our nation. It is indeed encouraging to see that the leadership in the teachers’ unions is beginning to see the pluses in awarding those teachers who deserve additional dollars in their paychecks. Not all teachers are at the same level and those who are above the average should be compensated accordingly. It makes eminent good sense, motivating teachers and consequently improving the education process."
The Education Gadfly
Date CapturedFriday June 22 2007, 9:09 AM
A Weekly Bulletin of News and Analysis from the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation -- June 21, 2007, Volume 7, Number 24.
Evaluation of D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program: Impacts After One Year
Date CapturedFriday June 22 2007, 8:56 AM
The report studies five key outcomes of the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program: school differences; academic achievement; parental perceptions of school satisfaction and safety; student reports of school satisfaction and safety; and the impact of using a scholarship. The analysis estimates the effects of the program approximately seven months after the start of the students' first school year in the program and finds no statistically significant difference in test scores overall between students who were offered a scholarship and students who were not offered a scholarship. Wolf, Patrick, Babette Gutmann, Michael Puma, Lou Rizzo, Nada Eissa, and Marsha Silverberg. Evaluation of the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program: Impacts After One Year. U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 2007.
Voucher Use in Washington Wins Praise of Parents
Date CapturedFriday June 22 2007, 8:53 AM
NY Times reports, "Students who participated in the first year of the District of Columbia’s federally financed school voucher program did not show significantly higher math or reading achievement, but their parents were satisfied anyway, viewing the private schools they attended at taxpayer expense as safer and better than public schools, according to an Education Department study released yesterday. "
Production Functions and Cost Functions for Public Education
Date CapturedWednesday June 20 2007, 9:31 AM
A monthly column by EFAP director, John Yinger -- "Economists study the production of a good or service using two closely related tools: production functions and cost functions. A production function shows the outputs that can be produced with various combinations of inputs. A cost function show how much it costs to produce various output levels given input prices. These two tools are widely used in studying public education. Dozens of scholars have used education production functions to estimate the impact of a policy, such as smaller class sizes, on student performance (the output). Many other scholars have studied the cost of reaching various levels of student performance, given the wages that must be paid to attract teachers of a given quality (often called the opportunity wage)."
Reforming No Child Left Behind by Allowing States to Opt Out: An A-PLUS for Federalism
Date CapturedTuesday June 19 2007, 5:28 PM
Dan Lips, Education Analyst in the Domestic Policy Studies Department at The Heritage Foundation writes, "After more than four decades of unsuccessful federal intervention, it is time for Congress to con­sider a new approach. Returning greater authority to the states would empower parents, local school leaders, state policymakers, and governors to take responsibility for local schools and implement reforms to strengthen public education."
Cameras May Watch You Take Tests Online
Date CapturedTuesday June 19 2007, 4:13 PM
AP reports, "New technology will place cameras inside students' homes to ensure that those taking exams online don't cheat."
HIGHER EDUCATION ASSISTANCE PLAN
Date CapturedTuesday June 19 2007, 12:18 PM
The bill includes expanding the eligibility for the state’s Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), enhancing the tuition tax credit for families, establishing a student loan debt relief program, providing assistance to help our veterans afford college tuition and creating a math, science and engineering technology retention initiative for New York’s students.
State bill would require campus security plans
Date CapturedTuesday June 19 2007, 9:43 AM
Newsday reports, "State Sen. Kenneth P. LaValle has introduced 'comprehensive campus security plan' legislation that would require all public and private colleges in New York to develop emergency plans, have a relationship with local law enforcement and conduct emergency drills. The bill would also provide $7.1 million to finance more mental health counselors for the state's public colleges in the aftermath of the April massacre at Virginia Tech."
20,000 'CLASS' ACTS
Date CapturedTuesday June 19 2007, 9:07 AM
NY Post reports, "Nearly 20,000 candidates applied for 1,725 teaching-fellow slots at city schools this year, the Department of Education announced yesterday. The 19,846 applications equaled a 17 percent jump over last year's response to the program, which recruits teachers and other professionals from nonteaching backgrounds. They are given special training and offered subsidies to study for master's degrees. The program focuses on subjects with a shortage of qualified teachers, such as math, science, special education and English as a second language."
Students must unplug during Regents, or face losing their scores
Date CapturedTuesday June 19 2007, 8:48 AM
Times Herald-Record reports, "On orders of the state Education Department, the students are banned from using any "electronic device" during the all-important exams, including bathroom breaks. The ban covers cell phones, MP3 players, pagers, CD players, video devices — and all associated headphones, headsets, microphones and earplugs. 'If your cell phone rings, you may not answer it. If your pager beeps or vibrates, you may not look at it. You must turn these and other such devices OFF right now,' says the statement students hear before exams. Failure to comply vaporizes their score on the test. Students have to pass a battery of the exams to get their high school diplomas, so there is plenty of pressure to cheat."
Reauthorizing No Child Left Behind: Schools React
Date CapturedMonday June 18 2007, 12:14 PM
NPR "Tell Me More" reports, "Andrew Rotherham is a published author on education policy and co-founder of the think tank, Education Sector. He discusses the broader implications of the No Child Left Behind Act and how schools are reacting to the pending reauthorization."
New Illinois truancy law clashes with federal law
Date CapturedSunday June 17 2007, 11:41 PM
"Another new law is coming that could further drive down truancy rates in Rockford schools. It threatens something that many teenagers hold dear: their driver’s licenses." "Starting July 1, the new state law requires Illinois school districts to report chronic and habitual truants to Secretary of State Jesse White. Students on the list will not be allowed to obtain a learner’s permit or driver’s license until they are 18, unless the School District certifies that the applicant has resumed regular school attendance. Rockford School District attorney Stephen Katz raises one concern with the new law — another law, called the Federal Education Rights and Privacy Act, prohibits sharing student records without parental permission to all but a select group of agencies."
Mr. Rivera Goes to Albany -- Is Spitzer’s new education lieutenant a genuine reformer?
Date CapturedSunday June 17 2007, 11:21 AM
City Journal contributor Peter Meyer (Contributing Editor of Education Next) writes, "It was a promising sign, perhaps, that the 57-year-old Rivera, a grandfather, had turned down a cushy $300,000 offer to take the reins of Boston’s 150-school district in order to try to fix—with no real power and a mere $169,000 salary—New York’s 4,448 schools. He had to be nuts—a plus when doing real education reform."
DOE Officials Field Parents' Questions At Town Hall Meeting
Date CapturedSunday June 17 2007, 10:59 AM
NY1 reports, "Parents with questions about their children's schools got some time with Department of Education officials Saturday. Chief Family Engagement Officer Martine Guerrier led a town hall meeting, open to all parents, at Brooklyn Tech High School in Fort Greene. "
Could privacy laws hide your student's distress signals?
Date CapturedSunday June 17 2007, 9:14 AM
FREE PRESS reports, "A federal inquiry into the Virginia Tech shootings released last week suggests that confusion about what university officials were authorized to reveal kept them from sharing information that might have assured that Cho got more aggressive medical treatment or stymied his efforts to purchase firearms. Cho's family members also have complained that they knew little about the extent of his troubles until he went on his rampage."
The Abbott Preschool Program Longitudinal Effects Study (APPLES)
Date CapturedFriday June 15 2007, 7:50 PM
by Ellen Frede, Kwanghee Jung, W. Steven Barnett, Cynthia Esposito Lamy, and Alexandra Figueras. "This report discusses the results of a rigorous study of New Jersey's Abbott Preschool Program. The study seeks to determine if the learning gains from the state prekindergarten program found in earlier research at kindergarten entry continued throughout the kindergarten year and assess the quality of Abbott classrooms. Findings form this study: classroom quality in the Abbott Preschool Program continues to improve; children who attend the program, regardless of setting, improve in language, literacy and math skills through the end of their kindergarten year; and children who attend the preschool education program for two years significantly outperform those who attend for only one year or do not attend at all."
Student Lending : Some Facts to Consider
Date CapturedFriday June 15 2007, 7:40 PM
Test fraud lands Uniondale schools on probation
Date CapturedFriday June 15 2007, 7:26 PM
Newsday John Hildebrand reports, "In what appears to be the worst case of test fraud in recent state history, the State Education Department has invalidated all test results in the Uniondale district for last year's math assessments in grades three to eight, together with all math Regents exams at the district's high school. All eight of the district's schools have been placed on academic probation as a result of the state's findings, and could see their state scholastic ratings slip next year if test scores don't improve. However, none of the 5,100 Uniondale students who took those tests have been implicated in the case, and no individual exam scores will be affected."
Georgia Tech Reports Unauthorized Access of Data
Date CapturedThursday June 14 2007, 6:45 PM
Approximately 23,000 current and former Georgia Tech students have been notified that an electronic file containing their demographic data, such as birthdates, may have been exposed. While no Social Security or credit card numbers (the data most commonly used for identify theft) were included in this file, some of the potentially exposed information is protected under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
Most School Districts Have Developed Emergency Management Plans, but Would Benefit from Additional Federal Guidance
Date CapturedThursday June 14 2007, 2:07 PM
GAO Report: While most school districts have procedures in their plans for staff roles and responsibilities, for example, school districts have not widely employed such procedures as, academic instruction via local radio or television, for continuing student education in the event of an extended school closure, such as might occur during a pandemic. Likewise, while many districts have procedures for special needs students, GAO found during site visits that some of these procedures may not fully ensure the safety of these students in an emergency. Finally, while most school districts practice their emergency management plans annually within the school community, GAO estimates that over one-quarter of school districts have never trained with any first responders and over two-thirds of school districts do not regularly train with community partners on how to implement their school district emergency management plans. Many school districts experience challenges in planning for emergencies, and some school districts face difficulties in communicating and coordinating with first responders and parents, but most do not have such challenges with students. Based on GAO’s survey of school districts, in many school districts officials struggle to balance priorities related to educating students and other administrative responsibilities with activities for emergency management and consider a lack of equipment, training for staff, and personnel with expertise in the area of emergency planning as challenges. In an estimated 39 percent of school districts with emergency management plans, officials experienced a lack of partnerships, limited time or funding to plan, or lack of interoperability between equipment used by school districts and first responders.
Opposing view: We're attacking the issues
Date CapturedThursday June 14 2007, 10:24 AM
USA Today op- ed contributor Hank M. Bounds, Mississippi's education superintendent opines, "In Mississippi, we know real improvement takes more than changing the standard on a test. Clearly, expectations and standards matter, but school leaders must focus on more than just standards. That is why we are increasing the rigor of the curriculum and assessments, increasing the quantity and quality of teachers and administrators, creating a culture that values education, and redesigning education for the 21st century workforce. We have built the most comprehensive plan in the country to attack all of these issues. Overcoming the poverty that has historically kept Mississippi near or at the bottom will not be easy, but it must be done. It is the right thing to do for our children."
Senate approves measure to end property taxes for homeowners
Date CapturedThursday June 14 2007, 9:07 AM
Poughkeepsie Journal reports, "The head of the state's largest teacher union said he is concerned districts won't receive adequate funding. 'While we understand property tax is something everyone is struggling with ... we don't want to wind up eliminating the property tax and the ability to properly fund schools,' said Richard Iannuzzi, president of New York State United Teachers. Senate Education Committee Chairman Steve Saland, R-Poughkeepsie, said a state takeover of funding would not reduce traditional state aid to schools, though it could limit how much districts spend."
Fuzzy Understandings of FERPA
Date CapturedThursday June 14 2007, 8:16 AM
Inside Higher Ed reports, "A federal report on the Virginia Tech shootings considers the misunderstanding of federal and state privacy laws to be a 'substantial obstacle' to the information sharing needed to protect students."
Report to the President on Issues Raised by the Virginia Tech Tragedy
Date CapturedWednesday June 13 2007, 8:11 PM
Key Findings -- *Critical Information Sharing Faces Substantial Obstacles: Education officials, healthcare providers, law enforcement personnel, and others are not fully informed about when they can share critical information on persons who are likely to be a danger to self or others, and the resulting confusion may chill legitimate information sharing. *Accurate and Complete Information on Individuals Prohibited from Possessing Firearms is Essential to Keep Guns Out of the Wrong Hands: State laws and practices do not uniformly ensure that information on persons restricted from possessing firearms is appropriately captured and available to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). *Improved Awareness and Communication are Key to Prevention: It is important that parents, students, and teachers learn to recognize warning signs and encourage those who need help to seek it, so that people receive the care they need and our communities are safe. *It is Critical to Get People with Mental Illness the Services They Need: Meeting the challenge of adequate and appropriate community integration of people with mental illness requires effective coordination of community service providers who are sensitive to the interests of safety, privacy, and provision of care. *Where We Know What to Do, We Have to be Better at Doing It: For the many states and communities that have already adopted programs, including emergency preparedness and violence prevention plans, to address school and community violence, the challenge is fully implementing these programs through practice and effective communication.
This Is a Test. Results May Vary.
Date CapturedWednesday June 13 2007, 10:25 AM
NY Times reports, "Mr. Tobias [directs the Center for Research on Teaching and Learning at New York University’s Steinhardt School of Education} said officials generally did not analyze high scores as aggressively as falling ones, and his remark betrays a weary understanding of educational politics. 'Why would you take away your own good story?' he said."
STATEWIDE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT IMPROVES ACROSS GRADES 3-8 ON 2007 MATH TESTS
Date CapturedWednesday June 13 2007, 7:58 AM
NY SED press release: Achievement in grade 3-8 math has improved overall this year, according to State test results announced today by Regents Chancellor Robert M. Bennett and State Education Commissioner Richard Mills. The improvement is notable in middle school, from grades 5-8. This year, 73 percent of students across grades 3-8 achieved the math standards, compared to 66 percent last year. Fewer students also are showing serious academic problems in all grades. The achievement gap narrowed. Across grades 3-8, the number of black students achieving the standards increased from 46 percent last year to 55 percent this year. The number of Hispanic students achieving the standards increased from 52 percent last year to 61 percent this year. White students increased from 76 to 82 percent. Results for students with disabilities also improved overall.
Anti-truancy efforts begin to pay off for Rockford
Date CapturedTuesday June 12 2007, 9:41 AM
Rockford Register opines, "Truancy court may seem harsh, but it is not nearly as harsh as life without a good education. Kids who go to school regularly get better grades. Students who enjoy success at school are more likely to graduate. Teens who graduate are more likely to get better jobs and earn more money to support themselves and their families. Truant students are three times more likely to turn to crime than those who attend school regularly. We have a new jail for those students, but would rather see them turn their lives around than become guests at the criminal justice complex."
Truants dent Texas wallet
Date CapturedTuesday June 12 2007, 9:11 AM
Galveston Daily News reports, "Truant students will cost Galveston public school district thousands of dollars in state money this year, a Region IV consultant told trustees last week. School districts receive funding based on average daily attendance. Records show that Galveston Independent School District’s absenteeism rate was so high in 2006-07 that, on average, each student missed 9.9 days during the year, said Jim Vinson, who conducted an audit on the district’s public education information management system (PEIMS) reports."
2007 Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC) Breach Report
Date CapturedTuesday June 12 2007, 8:58 AM
View breaches of records at education institutions in 2007.
Has privacy trumped common sense?
Date CapturedMonday June 11 2007, 6:38 PM
The Virginian-Pilot reports, "According to a post-massacre review ordered up by Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, a crisis-management team at the University of Florida meets weekly to name names and compare notes. The group, including campus police, the legal counsel's office, university counseling and student affairs, identifies and discusses "specific students who are considered at risk of being a danger to themselves or others." Compare that with the privacy firewall that enforces a code of silence among similar folk at Virginia Tech - and, no doubt, many other colleges and universities nationwide."
Schools call 4-day week a success
Date CapturedMonday June 11 2007, 1:42 PM
Deseret Morning News reports, "Student absences are down. Learning time is up. And people are happy. The four-day school week Rich School District started this past school year is going well, Superintendent Dale Lamborn and Rich Board of Education members told the [Utah] State Board of Education on Thursday. Students go to school Monday through Thursday. Fridays are typically set aside for athletic events under the three-year program approved by the State Board of Education last year."
Plan to pay kids for grades sees success, and suspicion
Date CapturedMonday June 11 2007, 1:36 PM
STATEN ISLAND ADVANCE reports, "The cash-for-kids incentives that Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Education officials are considering in a bid to boost attendance and marks are similar to what the 2,000-student district in Coshocton, Ohio, has tried for three years. And so far, so good, according to Conshocton's School Superintendent Wade Lucas."
A Spectrum of Disputes
Date CapturedMonday June 11 2007, 8:22 AM
NY Times op-ed contributors Paul T. Shattuck, an assistant professor at Washington University’s School of Social Work and Maureen Durkin, an epidemiologist at the University of Wisconsin’s School of Medicine and Public Health write, "The latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that 1 in 150 8-year-old children are on the “autism spectrum.” This proportion is alarming if compared directly to estimates of the frequency of autism before the 1990s, which were in the range of 1 per 2,000 to 5,000. But does this really mean we have a growing autism epidemic, or have we just become better at counting autistic traits in the population that have always been there at roughly the same level?"
Recommendations to Reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
Date CapturedSunday June 10 2007, 1:20 PM
Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO)
New York Suburban School Districts Among Top Spenders
Date CapturedSunday June 10 2007, 10:43 AM
NY Times reports, "New York’s high teacher costs are partly attributable to smaller class sizes: The state’s suburban districts, for instance, employ far more teachers than the rest of the country — 76 per 1,000 students, compared with the national average of 60 — but only slightly more than the New Jersey suburbs, at 74, and Fairfield, at 70. New York’s suburban districts, though, pay more for each teacher, even compared with New Jersey and Connecticut — about $133,000 in salary and benefits for each full-time teacher, compared with $94,000 in northern New Jersey and $100,000 in Fairfield, according to data from the National Center for Education Statistics. Mr. Ernst said teacher salaries reflect higher costs in the state, and a more favorable legal and political atmosphere for labor in New York that makes it difficult to get concessions in years when money is tight. But Richard C. Iannuzzi, president of the New York State United Teachers, said teacher salaries were simply a further demonstration of the state’s commitment to education."
Public Elementary and Secondary School Student Enrollment, High School Completions, and Staff From the Common Core of Data: School Year 2005-06
Date CapturedFriday June 08 2007, 10:43 AM
This report presents 2005-06 school year information at the national and state level on student enrollment by grade, numbers of teachers and other education staff, numbers of high school completers, and the averaged freshman graduaution rate for 2004-05.
STATE VS. NAEP COMPARISONS RELEASED TODAY
Date CapturedFriday June 08 2007, 10:24 AM
The comparison shows that New York ranks as follows: * 9th among 32 states in grade 4 reading (The state test in grade 4 and 8 is actually a test of reading and writing.) * 3rd among 34 states in grade 8 reading * 29th among 33 states in grade 4 math * 13th among 36 states in grade 8 math.
Manhattan: Money to Support Parents in Schools
Date CapturedFriday June 08 2007, 8:19 AM
NY Times reports, "Robert Jackson, the chairman of the City Council Education Committee, yesterday proposed a $3.2 million budget outlay to support programs that encourage parent involvement in public schools."
It's a cash course
Date CapturedFriday June 08 2007, 8:12 AM
NY Daily News Juan Gonzalez writes, "Under the unusual program, pupils in as many as 400 autonomous public schools that are part of Chancellor Joel Klein's Empowerment Schools program will be rewarded with money for results. Fourthgraders would get $25 and seventh-graders would get $50 for nailing a perfect score on a new battery of assessment tests from CTB/McGraw-Hill. The new assessments, announced by the Department of Education last week, will be administered a whopping five times a year to all city students from the third to the eighth grades. This will be in addition to the existing high-stakes New York state English language and math tests, though the McGraw-Hill tests are not meant to determine student placement, officials say. Under the cash incentive plan, all participating students will receive smaller amounts of money just to take the McGraw-Hill tests, according to internal Department of Education memos obtained by the Daily News."
Study: Big Differences in State Tests
Date CapturedThursday June 07 2007, 11:04 AM
AP Nancy Zuckerbrod reports, "The federal government's first-ever comparison of how states test for student progress in school shows big variations across the nation. For example, a reading score that rates a fourth-grader 'proficient' in Mississippi would be a failing score in Massachusetts, according to a report released Thursday by the Education Department."
City Nonprofit Group Gets Money for Merit Pay at Charter Schools
Date CapturedThursday June 07 2007, 10:05 AM
NY Times reports, "The United States Department of Education has awarded a $10.5 million grant to a New York City nonprofit group to create merit pay systems in 10 local charter schools, local and federal education officials announced yesterday. The grant, to be spent over five years, will allow the charter schools to pay annual performance bonuses of up to $8,000 for school supervisors, $6,000 for teachers and $2,000 for aides."
Board of Education Says Goodbye as Activists Fight for Chance to Save It
Date CapturedThursday June 07 2007, 10:05 AM
Washington Post reports, "Fenty is expected to assume oversight of the schools next week, although a group of residents continued yesterday to press their last-minute challenge to the takeover. The legal battle has been playing out in D.C. Superior Court this week, and a ruling could come today."
Education Law Up for Renewal; Teachers Are Leery
Date CapturedThursday June 07 2007, 6:56 AM
NPR Larry Abramson reports in Morning Edition, June 6, 2007 --The No Child Left Behind Act is up for renewal in Congress, and whether it is working remains in question. A new study shows test scores are rising. But it's unclear whether the education law should get the credit. For many educators, the verdict on the law is undetermined.
Boosting safety on campuses
Date CapturedThursday June 07 2007, 6:33 AM
Newsday reports, "James McCartney, president of the New York State University Police Officers Union, which represents about 400 university police officers and investigators, said more officers are needed, and some officers on smaller campuses in particular are not adequately trained."
New Study Finds Gains Since No Child Left Behind
Date CapturedWednesday June 06 2007, 10:27 AM
NY Times SAM DILLON reports, "In the decade before the law was passed, many states had adopted policies aimed at raising achievement, like broadening access to early childhood programs, that could also be responsible for gains. The study also acknowledged that the increases in achievement recorded by many state tests had not been matched by results of the National Assessment of Educational Progress, nationwide reading and math tests administered by the federal Department of Education."
Answering the Question That Matters Most: Has Student Achievement Increased Since No Child Left Behind?
Date CapturedWednesday June 06 2007, 9:40 AM
Center on Education Policy Report: Using testing data from all 50 states, this study addresses two key questions in the debate surrounding the No Child Left Behind Act: has student achievement increased and have achievement gaps narrowed since NCLB was enacted in 2002?
Cash is available to help libraries upgrade
Date CapturedWednesday June 06 2007, 9:28 AM
Poughkeepsie Journal reports, "The 2007-08 Public Library Construction Grant Program allows library systems to apply on behalf of their member libraries for grants that will fund up to 50 percent of a project's cost. Eligible project activities and expenditures include the acquisition of a site and an existing building suitable for conversion to library purposes, construction and renovation or rehabilitation of existing facilities. Libraries may use local, state, federal, public or private funds or a combination from those sources, for the required match. Libraries needing more information should visit the state Education Department Web site at www.nysl.nysed.gov/lib dev/construc/index.html or call 1-518-474-7890."
Harpursville schools cleared of discrimination charges
Date CapturedWednesday June 06 2007, 9:24 AM
Press & Sun-Bulletin reports, "The Harpursville Central School District has been cleared of charges that it discriminated against its female athletes. In a decision dated June 1, the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights concluded there is insufficient evidence to support any of the three allegations filed against the rural Broome County district."
Ten States Awarded Grants to Help Expand School Choice
Date CapturedWednesday June 06 2007, 9:21 AM
U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings announced today that ten states have been awarded a total of $284 million to help create new charter schools and increase the school choices that parents have to provide to their children.
McCall among 3 nominated to SUNY board
Date CapturedWednesday June 06 2007, 9:09 AM
Times Union rerports, "As expected, Spitzer chose former state schools Chancellor Carl Hayden, an Elmira lawyer, for chairman of the board. His third nominee was Linda Sanford of Chappaqua, a senior vice president at IBM."
Schools failing to secure exams
Date CapturedWednesday June 06 2007, 9:01 AM
Times Union reports, "Several school districts sampled statewide failed to properly protect Regents exams before they were administered, a state comptroller's office report released Tuesday said. The state Education Department ships the Regents materials in sealed packages that are locked inside boxes, according to the report, released by Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli. Schools are required to inventory the packages and place them back in the boxes in a safe or vault until exam day."
Foster Care Children Need Better Educational Opportunities
Date CapturedTuesday June 05 2007, 3:33 PM
Dan Lips, Education Analyst in the Domestic Policy Studies Department at The Heritage Foundation writes, "Federal, state, and local policymakers should amend existing programs to improve education options for foster children. As policymakers design these reforms, they should consider four important principles. *New education options for foster children should be structured to address potential legal and constitutional questions. *Opportunity scholarship programs should be structured to ensure that they do not cre­ate adverse incentives for placement and adoption. *Scholarship programs should be designed to address non-tuition costs and considerations arising from school choice. *Policymakers should consult with people and organizations in the foster care community when designing their initiatives to ensure that policies best meet foster children's needs."
Changes in Instructional Hours in Four Subjects by Public School Teachers of Grades 1 Through 4
Date CapturedTuesday June 05 2007, 10:14 AM
Authors: Beth A. Morton, Education Statistical Services Institute--American Institutes for Research, and Ben Dalton, formerly of the Education Statistical Services Institute--Americian Institutes for Research. In the two most recent administrations, 1999-2000 and 2003-04, weekly teacher instructional hours in English increased while instructional time in mathematics, social studies, and science decreased. Despite the fluctuations in hours of instruction, total instructional time in the four subjects as a percentage of the student school week did not change significantly between 1987-88 and 2003-04; it was about 67 percent of the school week in each year.
‘Failing’ schools to get axe - DOE decides to reshuffle the deck once more
Date CapturedMonday June 04 2007, 11:08 AM
Bay Ridge Courier reports, "Schools Chancellor Joel Klein announced plans to revamp 'failing' alternative schools and programs due to poor attendance and success rates. To be eliminated are schools for pregnant girls, New Beginnings centers, which take in disruptive students, and many schools operated by Offsite Educational Services (OES), the alternative high school system that helps students earn General Equivalency Diplomas (GED) and offers small learning environments."
A game plan for state universities
Date CapturedMonday June 04 2007, 10:59 AM
Ithaca Journal Jay Gallagher opines, "The idea that more classes and a longer school year equals more value to the student may be a hard sell, but it is an approach that would certainly distinguish SUNY from many of its peer institutions. Maybe some day SUNY could challenge the University of North Carolina or UCLA to have all of its English majors, say, take the same test and see who does better."
PROF'S RECORD 142G PAY HIKE
Date CapturedMonday June 04 2007, 9:50 AM
NY Post Fredric U. Dicker writes, "It was revealed earlier that Dr. Alain Kaloyeros, the head of SUNY's state-of-the-art College of Nanoscale Science and Technology in Albany, was earning $525,000-a-year. Then last week, SUNY officials - without any notice to the public - granted Kaloyeros, 51, the unprecedented raise, bringing his annual state salary to $666,995."
Massachusetts Governor Proposes Free Community Colleges
Date CapturedSunday June 03 2007, 11:01 AM
NY Times reports, " Community colleges in Massachusetts would be free to all students within 10 years under a proposal by Gov. Deval Patrick. The plan would make Massachusetts the only state with no-cost community college. California’s system was free until 1984."
State improves tracking of student performance, information
Date CapturedSunday June 03 2007, 10:18 AM
The Journal News reports, "Because every public school and charter school student has been given a unique 10-digit identification number, it is possible to track students as they move from school to school, anywhere in the state. That will help the state develop more accurate graduation and dropout rates. The system, which will be maintained by an outside contractor, also holds the promise of richer analysis of student performance. Musser said it would be possible, for example, to analyze the relationship between a pupil's performance on third-grade tests and his or her achievement in upper grades. Such research will help the state and schools develop education policy and help students who are poor performers in lower grades be able to pass high school Regents exams."
Raising the bar at SUNY
Date CapturedSunday June 03 2007, 9:51 AM
Times Union opines, "More full-time faculty will make it possible to lure more top-flight academics to campuses throughout New York. As as the quality of the faculty rises, so will the number of top-achieving students seeking to enroll. In short, quality breeds quality."
My faith is in cash; City's public education stinks, so I gave Catholic schools $22.5M
Date CapturedSunday June 03 2007, 9:19 AM
NY Daily News Erin Einhorn reports, "Wilson, who was married but has no children, is himself the product of public schools. But that was back before teachers were unionized, he said. Wilson angered city teachers union President Randi Weingarten when he used the announcement of his big gift last month to blame unions for the problems with schools. And, during his 90-minute sitdown with The News, he continued his assault, repeatedly knocking unions for 'feather-bedding' and creating a 'rigidity' that hurts kids. He said he wants to help Catholic schools both because he thinks they're better and because they're 'under siege' from unions determined to 'deprive them of a shred of government money.'"
Testing students & teachers; An $80 million system to scrutinize student performance is scrutinized
Date CapturedSaturday June 02 2007, 8:54 AM
NY Daily News opines, "The critics are naysaying. Randi Weingarten, president of a teachers union whose members' strengths and weaknesses will be placed on view: 'How much teaching time is this eating up?' The head of the National Center for Fair and Open Testing: 'We've reduced schooling to preparing for bubble tests.' Kids in struggling schools and knee-jerk critics of education reform: When will they ever learn?"
Prying open autism's door
Date CapturedSaturday June 02 2007, 8:41 AM
Times Herald-Record reports, "Get rid of florescent lights, the kids see their flicker; teach them while they do something else; make portfolios for older kids' work — sell their work, not their social skills; don't allow doctors to over-medicate; stress exercise."
The Condition of Education 2007
Date CapturedFriday June 01 2007, 12:37 PM
This website is an integrated collection of the indicators and analyses published in The Condition of Education 2000–2007. Some indicators may have been updated since they appeared in print.
News & Notes
Date CapturedFriday June 01 2007, 7:59 AM
Johanna Duncan-Poitier, Senior Deputy Commissioner of Education - P-16
OH, MANN! PREP SCHOOL GAGGED
Date CapturedFriday June 01 2007, 7:55 AM
NY Post reports, "Posh Riverdale prep school Horace Mann is giving its students an education in totalitarianism. The student newspaper The Record was banned from publishing two letters to the editor as well as an op-ed piece about the firing of Professor Andrew Trees."
Lawmakers may compromise on education, energy
Date CapturedFriday June 01 2007, 7:29 AM
Star-Gazette reports, "The legislation to be negotiated would: •Set up nutrition and dietary standards for schools to follow, and require additional nutritional and physical education."
Report shows schools' progress under No Child Left Behind Act
Date CapturedThursday May 31 2007, 7:55 PM
AP reports, "Almost half the eligible schools in New York received ratings of 'High Performing/Gap Closing' for the 2005-2006 school year under the No Child Left Behind Act, state education officials said Thursday. The 1,658 public schools, 14 charter schools and 288 public school districts got the designation for meeting all applicable state standards and showing adequate progress in English and math for two years. They included 1,120 elementary schools, 301 middle and 251 high schools. Another 220 public schools, six charter schools and 26 districts were designated 'Rapidly Improving' -- about 6 percent of those eligible -- because they were below state standards in at least one subject but improving. The 148 elementary, 44 middle and 34 high schools improved for three straight school years."
How Educators in Three States Are Responding to Standards-Based Accountability Under No Child Left Behind
Date CapturedThursday May 31 2007, 10:42 AM
This research brief describes work done for RAND Education documented in Standards-Based Accountability Under No Child Left Behind: Experiences of Teachers and Administrators in Three States, by Laura S. Hamilton, Brian M. Stecher, Julie A. Marsh, Jennifer Sloan McCombs, Abby Robyn, Jennifer Lin Russell, Scott Naftel, and Heather Barney, MG-589-NSF, 2007, 302 pp., ISBN: 978-0-8330-4149-4. "Key findings: Most superintendents considered three improvement strategies most important: using data for decisionmaking, aligning curriculum with state standards, and focusing on low-performing students. Teachers changed their instruction in both desirable and undesirable ways. Most educators felt challenged by insufficient alignment among state standards, curriculum, and tests. The researchers recommend improving alignment among standards, tests, and curriculum; providing educators with professional development assistance; and exploring ways to measure performance more accurately."
Capping property tax is way to escape 'tax hell'
Date CapturedThursday May 31 2007, 9:37 AM
Press & Sun-Bulletin op-ed contributor Assembly Minority Leader James Tedisco opines, "A property tax-cap on its own would have merit, but our plan goes much further in assisting local school districts and municipalities with costs. It: * requires that the state pay for any mandate it imposes on a school district or municipality that costs more than $10,000 a year or $1 million statewide. * provides 100 percent reimbursement to schools for costs incurred in administering fourth- and eighth-grade math and English tests. * creates an Office of State Inspector General for Education to investigate financial abuse, corruption and misconduct in schools. * consolidates school district paperwork requirements. * lets neighboring school districts and municipalities join to pool their risks and so lower their health-insurance costs."
ELIOT'S ODD ED. REFORMERS
Date CapturedThursday May 31 2007, 9:05 AM
NY Post opines, "Under Goldstein, CUNY accepts every New Yorker with a high-school diploma who wishes to attend. Not everyone starts at the senior-college level, but everyone can earn a spot - over time, with hard work. He's shown the way. Will Spitzer's panel follow? "
New Jersey charter schools deserve larger share of state aid package
Date CapturedWednesday May 30 2007, 10:16 AM
Asbury Park Press reports, "A couple of real-life scenarios illustrate the impact of the state's policies toward charter schools: Two siblings in Newark attend different public schools: One attends North Star Academy Charter School and has an almost certain prospect of attending a four-year college. The other child attends East Side High School and has only a 15 percent chance of attending a four-year college. The child who attends East Side High School receives $17,974 in education funding, and the child who attends North Star is funded at $10,582, or 59 percent of his sister's funding level. Two young brothers share a room and live with their single mother in an apartment in Red Bank. One attends Red Bank Middle School, the other Red Bank Charter School. The boy at Red Bank Middle School will receive Targeted At-Risk Aid (TARA) funding next year, while his brother at Red Bank Charter will not. Each pair of siblings comes from the same home and therefore shares the same socioeconomic backgrounds, challenges and needs, yet they are not treated equally by the state."
New York Is Top State in Dollars Per Student
Date CapturedWednesday May 30 2007, 9:23 AM
NY Times reports, "Nationwide, public school districts spent an average of $8,701 per student on elementary and secondary education in the 2005 fiscal year, 5 percent more than in the previous year. New York, which also came in highest last year, spent $14,119 per student, followed by New Jersey at $13,800, Vermont at $11,838 and Connecticut at $11,572."
Real education begins at home, especially in summer
Date CapturedWednesday May 30 2007, 9:16 AM
Times Herald-Record op-ed contributor Dorothy Rich, founder and president of the nonprofit Home and School Institute, MegaSkills Education Center in Washington opines, "In the light of what we are learning about how many children today are feeling lonely, it is more important than ever for families to use time off from school to help children feel loved and be able to do better when schools come back into session again."
ELIOT'S COLLEGE TRY
Date CapturedWednesday May 30 2007, 9:01 AM
NY Post op-ed contributor THOMAS W. CARROLL, a graduate of SUNY-Albany and president of the Foundation for Education Reform and Accountability opines on considerations, "Creating a new school of education focused less on education theory and more on proven teaching techniques. Right now, the best urban schools in the state - including those run by KIPP Achievement First and Uncommon Schools - have to retrain and 'reprogram' teachers who've graduated from even the 'best' ed schools. Why not let these successful schools design from scratch an ed school that gets it right the first time?"
Public halls of ivy
Date CapturedWednesday May 30 2007, 8:58 AM
NY Daily News opines, "Spitzer's commission will be headed by former Cornell President Hunter Rawlings, and members will include Carl Hayden, who as chancellor of the state Board of Regents built a record of accomplishment in raising academic standards. Spitzer also chose well in picking Hayden to chair the SUNY board. The governor's panel must resist the forces of inertia and mediocrity and rethink both SUNY and CUNY from top to bottom to preserve the very best and improve the rest."
Spitzer calls for overhaul of higher education
Date CapturedTuesday May 29 2007, 5:23 PM
AP reports, "Spitzer sees higher education -- public and private -- as a key to creating and retaining jobs in what he calls an innovation economy. He notes announcements so far this year to retain and increase jobs in Binghamton, Rochester, Albany and elsewhere have been the result of high-technology firms working with universities."
With lawsuit looming, Spellings discusses No Child Left Behind
Date CapturedTuesday May 29 2007, 5:15 PM
AP reports, "U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings vigorously defended the No Child Left Behind Act Tuesday in Connecticut, which has filed a federal lawsuit challenging the education law." Additionally, "The Department of Education plans to approve growth models for up to 10 states in a pilot program, with five already approved and two others approved conditionally."
The Education Gadfly
Date CapturedTuesday May 29 2007, 5:04 PM
A Weekly Bulletin of News and Analysis from the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation; May 24, 2007, Volume 7, Number 20
At Black Colleges, Door Open for Whites
Date CapturedTuesday May 29 2007, 10:24 AM
AP reports, "The first of what are now called historically black colleges and universities was Cheyney University in Pennsylvania, which was founded in 1837 so that blacks -- barred from attending many traditional schools -- could get advanced educations. Since then, more than 100 such institutions have been established in the U.S. and about 285,000 students attend the schools each year. Lawsuits have forced many of the schools -- about half of them are public -- to diversify their student bodies, Baskerville said. In the 2005-06 school year, nearly 10 percent of their students were white, according to her association's data. Scholarships, new programs and recruitment have attracted dozens of whites to schools such as South Carolina State University, where they account for around 4 percent of the student body, said university spokeswoman Erica Prioleau."
Literacy, really
Date CapturedMonday May 28 2007, 8:59 AM
The Journal News opines, "For starters, school leaders must have high expectations for all staff and students, and quickly supply academic interventions for struggling students. Mills [New York State Commissioner of education] also said that infusing literacy, the ability to read and write well, into every facet of schooling must be paramount. Written answers, say, on a chemistry test, actually have to be properly constructed with correct spelling and grammar. "Literacy,'' Mills said, "must be emphasized across all subjects.'' The other testing area that "most people predicted doom in,'' the commissioner said, was the performance this year of "English Language Learners'' who have been in the country at least a year and now are required by NCLB to take the same English tests as peers; previously students could get a waiver of three years of more. More than double the number of such students took the tests this year - 72,000-plus - yet a higher percentage met or exceeded the standard than last year, 18 percent to 16.2 percent statewide. Not great, but not doom."
Greece schools seek alternate plan for buses
Date CapturedSunday May 27 2007, 4:07 PM
The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports, "On May 15, voters rejected a proposition that called for $1.6 million in financing to purchase 27 new buses to replace old buses the district planned to retire. Voters also rejected the school budget; $21.4 million in state aid-funded repairs and renovations; and setting up a savings account to pay for future bus replacements. The board of education adopted an austerity budget on May 22."
Secretary Spellings Approves Additional Growth Model Pilots for 2006-2007 School Year
Date CapturedSaturday May 26 2007, 8:44 AM
The Department intends to gather data to test the idea that growth models can be fair, reliable and innovative methods to measure student improvement and to hold schools accountable for results. Growth models track individual student achievement from one year to the next, giving schools credit for student improvement over time. The pilot program enables the Department to rigorously evaluate growth models and ensure their alignment with NCLB, and to share these results with other States.
COLLEGE CRISIS
Date CapturedSaturday May 26 2007, 8:17 AM
NY Post op-ed contributor Matthew Goldstein, chancellor of The City University of New York opines, "The graduate students forming the next generation of postsecondary instructors come increasingly from foreign lands. This has two serious adverse consequences for our students. First, once trained, many of these accomplished individuals leave the United States to pursue opportunities in their home countries. And among those who may remain, many have significant difficulties speaking English. Even as we face these challenges in replacing faculty, we expect the trend of increased student enrollment to continue."
Steroids testing in high schools long overdue
Date CapturedFriday May 25 2007, 10:35 AM
Newsday Jim Baumbach writes, "Last year New Jersey installed a statewide random testing program for teams in all sports that qualify for the championships. Texas and Florida also have begun the process of random steroid testing. But Weisenberg's (Assemblyman) steroid-testing bill outdated those states by many, many years, yet it hasn't seen the light of day. It's been passed by the Senate numerous times and in January was passed on to the education committee, which is where it sits down. But there's still little hope. Weisenberg said he's managed to get it passed through the education committee in the past, but it has never made it past the codes committee, which oversees all new laws with penalties. But Weisenberg said the bill does not advocate seeking criminal offense for a failed steroid test. Instead, it seeks to use a failed test as a way to educate the athlete. 'There are no consequences,' he said. 'The consequences are that you have to get psychological help. Families need to understand the consequences of being involved in steroids.' Here's the exact wording of the summary listed on the bill: 'Requires the education department to establish guidelines for drug testing of student athletes by public and non-public school authorities wishing to conduct such testing; specifies that student and parent or guardian must consent to testing; makes numerous related provisions; establishes the class C felony of criminal sale of an anabolic steroid to a minor or, being over 21 years of age, knowingly and unlawfully selling an anabolic steroid to a person who is under 21 years of age; establishes state grants to school districts for the cost of testing students for anabolic steroid use, and appropriates $5,000,000 therefor.'"
Schenectady City schools could lose police presence
Date CapturedFriday May 25 2007, 8:51 AM
Times Union reports, "The assignment of police officers to the city schools could be a casualty of the Police Department's effort to get more officers on the street. Police Department spokesman Lt. Peter Frisoni said no decisions have been made, but the six school resource officer positions and the single officer assigned to the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program could be reassigned to new beats as the department tries to overcome a persistent staff shortage."
A moment to evaluate Mills
Date CapturedThursday May 24 2007, 8:06 AM
Newsday opines, "Mills should keep his job - for now. But the state must do its job, in Roosevelt and beyond. And that includes starting to think about new leadership in Albany."
Pol calls for Mills to step down
Date CapturedWednesday May 23 2007, 9:40 AM
Newsday John Hildebrand reports, "A key state senator from Long Island is calling for the resignation of State Education Commissioner Richard Mills, saying the state's top schools executive bears direct responsibility for a multimillion-dollar budget deficit in Roosevelt."
MIDDLE SCHOOL PERFORMANCE IMPROVES ON 2007 GRADE 3-8 ENGLISH TESTS
Date CapturedWednesday May 23 2007, 8:56 AM
Achievement in grade 3-8 English has improved overall this year, according to results from newly released State tests. The improvement is notable in middle school. Grades 6-8 improved. Grade 6 increased by 2.8 percent, grade 7 improved by 1.4 percent, and grade 8 increased by 7.7 percent. Fewer students also are showing serious academic problems in all grades except grade 3. The number of English Language Learners taking this year’s tests more than doubled from 2006. This increase was caused by new federal rules under NCLB in which all ELL students who have been in the country for at least one year are now required to take the tests. Nevertheless, the performance of ELL students dipped only modestly in each grade, a better result than many predicted. The increase in the number of students tested was especially large in elementary school; scores declined overall in grades 3 and 4. The change in rules also affected the overall performance of Hispanic and Asian students. Results for students with disabilities improved overall. The decline in the percentage of students who showed serious academic problems was especially large.
Yonkers still lacks teaching assistants
Date CapturedWednesday May 23 2007, 8:45 AM
The Journal News reports, "For three years, the school district and the city's teachers union have been unable to reach a compromise on the hiring of teaching assistants. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 requires school districts to use teaching assistants, versus teacher aides, to give instructional support to students. The Yonkers school district still has not hired any teacher assistants, who have higher education and certification standards than aides."
Community School lessens dropout crisis
Date CapturedWednesday May 23 2007, 8:17 AM
Ithaca Journal guest columnist Gerry Friedman, retired as principal of the TST Community School opines, "Everybody knows that 'one size fits all' does not. That is as true in education as in other aspects of our lives. The TST Community School was established as an alternative to a student's regular high school. It is successful because it has a cadre of highly qualified, experienced, outstanding teachers and staff who specialize in working with students who have not been successful in other schools. The cost is reasonable when the aid is considered. The school has been successful for many years. If school districts are to successfully work on reducing their dropout rate, allowing students to attend the Community School should be a major part of the plan."
Regents board touts rise in English scores
Date CapturedWednesday May 23 2007, 7:56 AM
Times Union reports, "State education officials on Tuesday applauded what they said were rising scores for reading and writing, especially in the middle-school grades, which are typically characterized by a decline in academic accomplishment."
Experts: Let your kids play
Date CapturedTuesday May 22 2007, 7:30 PM
Newsday MICHAEL AMON reports, "Child care is a $612 million industry on Long Island, speakers said, but pre-kindergarten programs often put too much emphasis on conventional academic lessons and too little on good-old-fashioned fun. Citing studies that show young children are overscheduled and overstressed, Friedman [director of Early Care and Education Long Island] and others said children under 5 need time to play in the dirt and run aimlessly in the park, not math and reading lessons."
Secretary Spellings Delivers Remarks at Manhattan Institute Education Conference
Date CapturedTuesday May 22 2007, 3:17 PM
Today in New York City, U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings spoke at the Manhattan Institute Education Reform Conference to discuss the need to reauthorize No Child Left Behind (NCLB) this year. Following are her prepared remarks:
SCAA Reports: Winter 2007
Date CapturedTuesday May 22 2007, 10:53 AM
This issue of SCAA Reports spotlights some of the key areas urgently needing attention in order to assure the success of more children, and identifies several strategies for strengthening early child development: by significantly investing in early programming through home visiting, welcome baby contact, quality child care and early education. Research has shown that these investments have the longest-lasting and greatest return.
IVY BIG I$ CUT DOWN: COLUMBIA LOAN AX
Date CapturedTuesday May 22 2007, 9:10 AM
NY Post Fred Dicker reports, "A source close to the probe said Charlow [top Columbia University student-aid officer], who did not return calls seeking comment, had made over $100,000 from the sale of stock in the company. Meanwhile, Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore announced the resignation of its 18-year director of student financial services, who received $65,000 in fees and tuition payments from Direct III."
Transition Leader Is Named for Ailing Roosevelt Schools
Date CapturedTuesday May 22 2007, 9:02 AM
NY Times WINNIE HU reports, "State education officials have asked a veteran school administrator who is a former president of the New York State Council of School Superintendents to oversee a transition period for the troubled Roosevelt Union Free School District on Long Island. The administrator, William Brosnan, will lead transition efforts until a new superintendent is appointed, Richard P. Mills, the state education commissioner, said yesterday."
Stony Brook posts personal info by mistake
Date CapturedTuesday May 22 2007, 8:57 AM
Newsday reports, "Instead of the usual fundraising pitch or another notice, letters sent to tens of thousands of Stony Brook University affiliates earlier this month contained disturbing news: The university had inadvertently posted their personal information on the Internet. The letters, dated May 7, said that during a Web site overhaul, the Health Sciences Center library had made public a long-dormant file containing the names and Social Security numbers of 89,853 current and former faculty, staff, students, alumni and others. The file had been stored on a university Web server from 2002 until it was inadvertently copied to a publicly accessible area."
Mike gives high marks for rising scores
Date CapturedTuesday May 22 2007, 7:23 AM
NY Daily News reports, "State officials are expected today to release lackluster reading scores for city elementary schoolers, but that didn't stop Mayor Bloomberg yesterday from touting near-perfect success in improving the schools. 'By virtually every objective measure - attendance, promotion rates, test scores, you name it - student achievement is on the rise,' the mayor said as he released City Hall's version of the 2006 graduation rate. City officials put the graduation rate at a record-breaking 60% because they include kids who graduate in August after summer school, kids who drop out and earn GEDs and special education students who earn individualized diplomas."
Tax relief package unveiled
Date CapturedMonday May 21 2007, 7:29 AM
Legislative Gazette reports, "The proposal, called the Property Taxpayer Protection Act, is aimed at cutting the cost of education and Medicaid and providing incentives to municipalities working to consolidate services ¯ all in the name of lowering property taxes. One major piece of the proposal would cut the amount schools can spend. Specifically the act would limit the amount school districts could increase tax levies to 4 percent, or the rate of inflation, whichever is lower."
Parents' rights supersede privacy law
Date CapturedMonday May 21 2007, 7:19 AM
Newsday contributor Carol R. Richards, Newsday's former deputy editorial page editor currently teaching journalism at Hofstra University opines, "The federal privacy law was written three decades ago to help elementary school parents get their hands on pupil records, but it has turned into an Iron Curtain between parents and collegians at times of need. As Murphy [Rep.] said, "The whole thing is: Shouldn't we err on the side of parents loving their kids?" Absolutely. "
Poor grade for timing?
Date CapturedSunday May 20 2007, 3:25 PM
Newsday John Hildebrand reports, "Officials representing the state's school superintendents are relieved by the timing. A group representative, Robert Lowry, was outspoken earlier this month, declaring that it would be wrong to publish report cards immediately before elections - especially since this wouldn't allow schools time to correct any mistakes."
Civics Exam: Schools of choice boost civic values
Date CapturedSunday May 20 2007, 9:23 AM
Patrick J. Wolf, professor of education reform and 21st century chair in school choice at the University of Arkansas College of Education and Health Professions writes, "In summary, the empirical studies to date counter the claims of school choice opponents that private schooling inherently and inevitably undermines the fostering of civic values. The statistical record suggests that private schooling and school choice often enhance the realization of the civic values that are central to a well-functioning democracy. This seems to be the case particularly among ethnic minorities (such as Latinos) in places with great ethnic diversity (such as New York City and Texas), and when Catholic schools are the schools of choice. Choice programs targeted to such constituencies seem to hold the greatest promise of enhancing the civic values of the next generation of American citizens."
Ed groups push for joint NCLB changes
Date CapturedFriday May 18 2007, 8:36 PM
Six of the nation's top education groups, including the National School Boards Association, jointly urged Congress to reauthorize NCLB to focus on five major areas of change: • A redesign of the federal accountability framework to improve public schools rather than abandon them. • Valid, reliable, unbiased assessment systems that are aligned with state standards. • Maximum flexibility for states and school districts to address the assessment and learning needs of English language learners and students with disabilities. • Helpful interventions tailored to the needs of schools and communities rather than the current system of punitive sanctions. • Determination of the qualifications of principals, teachers, and other education professionals by states and local school districts.
Georgia Department of Education Attendance Policy
Date CapturedFriday May 18 2007, 1:10 PM
New York State School and District Report Cards for School Year 2005-2006
Date CapturedFriday May 18 2007, 8:45 AM
These Report Cards are produced to inform the people of New York State about the performance of public schools and districts. We hope that these reports are used in constructive conversations which lead to improved education for all children in the State. Select a county to access school and district reports:
Error clouds vote on school budget
Date CapturedFriday May 18 2007, 8:40 AM
Times Union reports, "A state Education Department error left voters thinking they could save $1.37 million by rejecting Albany's school budget this week.."
Secretary Spellings on U.S. Education
Date CapturedThursday May 17 2007, 6:34 PM
All Things Considered, May 17, 2007 · Michele Norris talks with U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings. Spellings has been on the defensive this month amidst an ongoing scandal about the student loan industry and accusations from Congress that her department has not provided sufficient oversight. Spellings has been highly focused on higher education during her tenure, and will talk with us about how she is responding to the recent investigation.
U.S. Education Official Testifies Before House Homeland Security Committee
Date CapturedThursday May 17 2007, 6:26 PM
Today, Holly Kuzmich, deputy chief of staff for the U.S. Department of Education, testified before the House Homeland Security Committee to discuss ways the federal government can help keep our nation's schools and college campuses safe learning environments.
New York Statewide Annual School District Budget Voting Results
Date CapturedThursday May 17 2007, 8:33 AM
(Listed by BOCES Region)
Leading Lady: Sallie Mae and the Origins of the Student Loan Controversy
Date CapturedWednesday May 16 2007, 7:52 AM
Education Sector Policy Analyst Erin Dillon explains how a small, government-sponsored program has evolved over four decades into a vast, aggressive, and highly lucrative industry. No company has been more ambitious than Sallie Mae, the industry's dominant player, and the story of Sallie Mae's rise from a government-regulated niche enterprise to a fully private, multi-billion-dollar corporation goes a long way toward explaining how and why the student loan industry has landed at the center of controversy today.
Rigor at Risk: Reaffirming Quality in the High School Curriculum
Date CapturedWednesday May 16 2007, 7:10 AM
The Rigor at Risk report suggests that some students progress toward college readiness in high school, but many lose momentum during their last two years there. There are action steps that states and schools can take to improve the rigor of high school core courses: 1. Specify the number and kinds of courses that students need to take to graduate from high school ready for college and work. 2. Align high school course outcomes with state standards that are driven by the requirements of postsecondary education and work. 3. Hire qualified teachers and provide training or professional development support to help them improve the quality of the courses they teach. 4. Expand access for all students to high-quality, vertically aligned core courses. 5. Measure results at the course level.
SCHOOL BUDGETS: VOTE NO
Date CapturedTuesday May 15 2007, 7:58 AM
NY Post opines, "Yes, Albany agreed to ship more cash to both homeowners and local districts. Lawmakers expanded rebates and exemptions to ease local taxes and goosed state aid to schools to $19.7 billion - a record $1.7 billion jump, on top of last year's record spike of $1.1 billion. But none of this has actually slowed spending growth. On the contrary: All it's done is bloat school budgets - as we repeatedly said it would. Only spending caps can hold down levies. But the pols in Albany won't impose them, lest they anger the education cartel, which funds them generously. So taxpayers are left holding the bag."
The Chapter 655 Report
Date CapturedMonday May 14 2007, 10:31 PM
Report to the Governor and the Legislature on the Educational Status of the State's Schools
Section 104.1(i) of Commissioner’s Regulations
Date CapturedMonday May 14 2007, 9:18 PM
EXCERPT: (vi) a description of the incentives to be employed to encourage pupil attendance and any disciplinary sanctions to be used to discourage unexcused pupil absences, tardiness and early departures; (vii) a description of the notice to be provided to the parent(s) of or person(s) in parental relation to pupils who are absent, tardy or depart early without proper excuse. (viii) a description of the process to develop specific intervention strategies to be employed by teachers and other school employees to address identified patterns of unexcused pupil absence, tardiness or early departure; (ix) identification of the person(s) designated in each school building who will be responsible for reviewing pupil attendance records and initiating appropriate action to address unexcused pupil absence, tardiness and early departure consistent with the comprehensive attendance policy. (3) The board of education, board of cooperative educational services, charter school board, county vocational education and extension board and governing body of a nonpublic school shall annually review the building level pupil attendance records and if such records show a decline in pupil attendance the board or governing body shall revise the comprehensive pupil attendance policy and make any revisions to the plan deemed necessary to improve pupil attendance. (4) Each board of education, board of cooperative educational services, charter school board, county vocational education and extension board, and nonpublic school shall promote necessary community awareness of its comprehensive attendance policy by: (i) providing a plain language summary of the policy to the parents or persons in parental relation to students at the beginning of each school year and taking such other steps deemed necessary to promote the understanding of such policy by students and their parents or persons in parental relation; (ii) providing each teacher with a copy of the policy and any amendments thereto as soon as practicable following initial adoption or amendment of the policy, and providing new teachers with a copy of the policy upon their employment; and (iii) making copies of the policy available to any other member of the community upon request.
Section 3211 - Title IV, Article 65, Part I -- Records of attendance upon instruction
Date CapturedMonday May 14 2007, 9:00 PM
Sec. 3211. Records of attendance upon instruction. 1. Who shall keep such record. The teacher of every minor required by the provisions of part one of this article to attend upon instruction, or any other school district employee as may be designated by the commissioner of education under section three thousand twenty-four of this chapter, shall keep an accurate record of the attendance and absence of such minor. Such record shall be in such form as may be prescribed by the commissioner of education. 2. Certificates of attendance to be presumptive evidence. A duly certified transcript of the record of attendance and absence of a child which has been kept, as provided in this section, shall be accepted as presumptive evidence of the attendance of such child in any proceeding brought under the provisions of part one of this article. 3. Inspection of records of attendance. An attendance officer, or any other duly authorized representative of the school authorities, may at any time during school hours, demand the production of the records of attendance of minors required to be kept by the provisions of part one of this article, and may inspect or copy the same and make all proper inquiries of a teacher or principal concerning the records and the attendance of such minors. 4. Duties of principal or person in charge of the instruction of a minor. The principal of a school, or other person in charge of the instruction upon which a minor attends, as provided by part one of this article, shall cause the record of his attendance to be kept and produced and all appropriate inquiries in relation thereto answered as hereinbefore required. He shall give prompt notification in writing to the school authorities of the city or district of the discharge or transfer of any such minor from attendance upon instruction, stating the date of the discharge, its cause, the name of the minor, his date of birth, his place of residence prior to and following discharge, if such place of residence be known, and the name of the person in parental relation to the minor.
National Dropout Prevention Centers
Date CapturedMonday May 14 2007, 7:40 PM
The mission of the National Dropout Prevention Center/Network is to serve as a research center and resource network for practitioners, researchers, and policymakers to reshape school and community environments to meet the needs of youth in at-risk situations so these students receive the quality education and services necessary to succeed academically and graduate from high school.
MAXIMIZING THE POWER OF EDUCATION DATA WHILE ENSURING COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL STUDENT PRIVACY LAWS: A GUIDE FOR STATE POLICYMAKERS
Date CapturedMonday May 14 2007, 5:39 PM
This issue brief was written by the managing partners of the Data Quality Campaign and based on the legal analysis by Steve Winnick, Scott Palmer and Art Coleman of Holland & Knight LLP. This issue analysis may serve as a guide to assist states as they build and use state longitudinal data systems in ways that comply with FERPA and fully protect the privacy rights of students and their parents.
A Blueprint for Handling Sensitive Data: Security, Privacy, and Other Considerations (ID: ESEM071)
Date CapturedMonday May 14 2007, 1:35 PM
Link to powerpoint presentation by H. Morrow Long and Krizi Trivisani -- Information security risks at colleges and universities present challenging legal, policy, technical, and operational issues. According to a recent study by the EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research (ECAR), security incidents have resulted in compromises of personal information which have led to bad publicity and the potential for identity theft. Among the steps to protect sensitive data include an information security risk management program, data classification policies, clearly defined roles and responsibilities, awareness programs, and technology solutions among other interventions. This seminar presentation outlines a blueprint for protecting sensitive data according to the EDUCAUSE/Internet2 Security Task Force.
EDUCAUSE
Date CapturedMonday May 14 2007, 1:11 PM
EDUCAUSE is a nonprofit association whose mission is to advance higher education by promoting the intelligent use of information technology.
104.l Pupil attendance recordkeeping
Date CapturedMonday May 14 2007, 10:43 AM
EXCERPT (FULL TEXT AT LINK) (ix) identification of the person(s) designated in each school building who will be responsible for reviewing pupil attendance records and initiating appropriate action to address unexcused pupil absence, tardiness and early departure consistent with the comprehensive attendance policy. (3) The board of education, board of cooperative educational services, charter school board, county vocational education and extension board and governing body of a nonpublic school shall annually review the building level pupil attendance records and if such records show a decline in pupil attendance the board or governing body shall revise the comprehensive pupil attendance policy and make any revisions to the plan deemed necessary to improve pupil attendance. (4) Each board of education, board of cooperative educational services, charter school board, county vocational education and extension board, and nonpublic school shall promote necessary community awareness of its comprehensive attendance policy by: (i) providing a plain language summary of the policy to the parents or persons in parental relation to students at the beginning of each school year and taking such other steps deemed necessary to promote the understanding of such policy by students and their parents or persons in parental relation; (ii) providing each teacher with a copy of the policy and any amendments thereto as soon as practicable following initial adoption or amendment of the policy, and providing new teachers with a copy of the policy upon their employment; and (iii) making copies of the policy available to any other member of the community upon request.
Sec. 3212-a. Records of telephone numbers
Date CapturedMonday May 14 2007, 10:26 AM
1. Each school shall maintain a record of the telephone number of each pupil enrolled in the school and each person in parental relation to such pupil including the residential and business telephone numbers of persons in parental relation to pupils unless such person or pupil chooses not to supply such numbers. The record of such telephone numbers shall, except as otherwise provided by law, be accessible solely for emergency purposes. 2. The provisions of this section shall not be applicable in any school district in which the board of education has adopted a resolution providing that the record otherwise required hereby shall not be maintained.
Key Laws and Regulations Regarding Attendance
Date CapturedMonday May 14 2007, 10:20 AM
ATTENDANCE INCENTIVES
Date CapturedMonday May 14 2007, 10:16 AM
Attendance policy and programming, coupled with school climate and increased academic performance, offers a unique opportunity to engage the entire school community – parents, staff, students, and community members – in a process that will build upon the strengths of all concerned. Maintenance of high attendance rates depends upon incentives that range from climate/culture to district-wide and building programs to recognition for accomplishments to individual sanctions (disincentives). Each category has distinct functions. Although districts will differ in the incentives employed depending upon the philosophies and needs of family and community, programs are quite likely to span the entire spectrum. The specific strategies developed and implemented by a district will reflect the diversity and creativity that exists within schools and their communities.
Arabic school fails the test
Date CapturedMonday May 14 2007, 8:34 AM
Daily News contributor Diane Ravitch, senior fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University and the Brookings Institution in Washington opines, "The American public school is supported by public tax dollars because it has an important role in American society. It is the one institution that is supposed to teach children to think critically about the world they live in and at the same time to prepare them to take responsibility as American citizens. The founders of American public education knew that our democratic experiment would survive only if the people were educated enough to participate in our democracy and to select wise leaders."
Protecting the Privacy of Student Records
Date CapturedSunday May 13 2007, 11:24 AM
Guidelines for Education Agencies -- NCES and National Forum on Education Statistics (1997)
Abstinence-only education is failing our youth
Date CapturedSunday May 13 2007, 10:56 AM
Press-Republican opines, "Give them the abstinence-only talk if you want. But arm them with knowledge, just in case."
Reopen school talks
Date CapturedSunday May 13 2007, 10:41 AM
Buffalo News opines, "New York State’s schoolchildren received a huge gift when newly elected Gov. Eliot L. Spitzer earmarked millions of dollars in state aid for education. A district still struggling to enhance student performance and meet tough standards must spend as many of those dollars as possible in the classroom. Part of that spending — in the district’s view, $32.8 million — reasonably can go to contracts that improve district employee performance, morale and enthusiasm. Codifying the single-payer plan, which requires the district to match benefits under the previous multiple-insurer array and has worked as promised so far, is one way the unions can help reach that goal. The teachers union has argued that the single-payer plan must be negotiated, not imposed. This is its chance. The district has come up with a reasonable plan that looks several years ahead, and the BTF and other unions should embrace that for the sake of the students."
Attendance -- What States Are Doing
Date CapturedSunday May 13 2007, 9:24 AM
Education Commission of the States
Recent State Policies/Activities: Attendance
Date CapturedSunday May 13 2007, 9:08 AM
Education Commission of the States -- The following summary includes policies enacted since 2000.
Habitual Truancy: Examples of State Definitions
Date CapturedSunday May 13 2007, 9:01 AM
For the most part, compulsory attendance laws do not specify the number of times a student must be truant before sanctions (also part of the compulsory attendance laws) are enforced. This ECS StateNote provides examples of states where truancy and habitual truancy are defined at the state level. (Kyle Zinth, Education Commission of the States, April 2005)
National Compulsory School Age Requirements
Date CapturedSunday May 13 2007, 8:55 AM
Education Commission of the States -- Compulsory school attendance refers to the minimum and maximum age required by each state in which a student must be enrolled in and attending public school or some equivalent education program defined by the law.
Pilot program helps students overcome absenteeism
Date CapturedSunday May 13 2007, 8:25 AM
Kalamazoo Gazette reports, "The student had been chronically absent through the fall semester, and the official reason was illness. But when a social work student from Western Michigan University dug deeper, the real issue was uncovered."
School survey: Syracuse parents pleased
Date CapturedSunday May 13 2007, 7:53 AM
Post-Standard reports, "The first major survey in more than a decade of Syracuse school district parents shows about 75 percent of them - be they black, white, more educated or less educated - generally are satisfied with the education their children receive. On the flip side, about one-quarter of parents or guardians are not satisfied, and school environment and discipline are big concerns."
Matching Foster Care and School Records: How Children's Foster Care Experiences Affect Their Education
Date CapturedSaturday May 12 2007, 9:30 PM
Vera Institute of Justice researchers Dylan Conger and Alison Rebeck find, "In comparison to children in the general student population, foster children have very low attendance rates. Yet, many foster children’s attendance rates improved from before to after entry into care. Younger children, those who remain in care for at least the entire semester after placement, children with stable placements, children in foster boarding homes or kinship homes, and those who entered care on charges of abuse or neglect show greater gains than other children. This finding indicates that these foster care experiences may improve an important aspect of school stability. Other foster care experiences contributed to declines or smaller gains in attendance. Children with short stays in foster care do not progress as well as children who stay longer, suggesting room for improvement during discharge planning conferences. These discussions could place greater importance on the consequences of educational disruptions and ensure that aftercare services are sufficient to help families provide for their children’s educational needs."
How Children's Foster Care Experiences Affect Their Education
Date CapturedSaturday May 12 2007, 9:30 PM
Matching Foster Care and School Records In comparison to children in the general student population, foster children have very low attendance rates. Yet, many foster children’s attendance rates improved from before to after entry into care. Younger children, those who remain in care for at least the entire semester after placement, children with stable placements, children in foster boarding homes or kinship homes, and those who entered care on charges of abuse or neglect show greater gains than other children. This finding indicates that these foster care experiences may improve an important aspect of school stability. Other foster care experiences contributed to declines or smaller gains in attendance. Children with short stays in foster care do not progress as well as children who stay longer, suggesting room for improvement during discharge planning conferences. These discussions could place greater importance on the consequences of educational disruptions and ensure that aftercare services are sufficient to help families provide for their children’s educational needs.
How Children's Foster Care Experiences Affect Their Education
Date CapturedSaturday May 12 2007, 9:30 PM
Matching Foster Care and School Records In comparison to children in the general student population, foster children have very low attendance rates. Yet, many foster children’s attendance rates improved from before to after entry into care. Younger children, those who remain in care for at least the entire semester after placement, children with stable placements, children in foster boarding homes or kinship homes, and those who entered care on charges of abuse or neglect show greater gains than other children. This finding indicates that these foster care experiences may improve an important aspect of school stability. Other foster care experiences contributed to declines or smaller gains in attendance. Children with short stays in foster care do not progress as well as children who stay longer, suggesting room for improvement during discharge planning conferences. These discussions could place greater importance on the consequences of educational disruptions and ensure that aftercare services are sufficient to help families provide for their children’s educational needs.
How Children's Foster Care Experiences Affect Their Education
Date CapturedSaturday May 12 2007, 9:30 PM
Matching Foster Care and School Records In comparison to children in the general student population, foster children have very low attendance rates. Yet, many foster children’s attendance rates improved from before to after entry into care. Younger children, those who remain in care for at least the entire semester after placement, children with stable placements, children in foster boarding homes or kinship homes, and those who entered care on charges of abuse or neglect show greater gains than other children. This finding indicates that these foster care experiences may improve an important aspect of school stability. Other foster care experiences contributed to declines or smaller gains in attendance. Children with short stays in foster care do not progress as well as children who stay longer, suggesting room for improvement during discharge planning conferences. These discussions could place greater importance on the consequences of educational disruptions and ensure that aftercare services are sufficient to help families provide for their children’s educational needs.
How Children's Foster Care Experiences Affect Their Education
Date CapturedSaturday May 12 2007, 9:30 PM
Matching Foster Care and School Records In comparison to children in the general student population, foster children have very low attendance rates. Yet, many foster children’s attendance rates improved from before to after entry into care. Younger children, those who remain in care for at least the entire semester after placement, children with stable placements, children in foster boarding homes or kinship homes, and those who entered care on charges of abuse or neglect show greater gains than other children. This finding indicates that these foster care experiences may improve an important aspect of school stability. Other foster care experiences contributed to declines or smaller gains in attendance. Children with short stays in foster care do not progress as well as children who stay longer, suggesting room for improvement during discharge planning conferences. These discussions could place greater importance on the consequences of educational disruptions and ensure that aftercare services are sufficient to help families provide for their children’s educational needs.
Truancy News and Reports Archives
Date CapturedSaturday May 12 2007, 6:17 PM
Education New York online "truancy" news and reports archives.
STATE FORMULA AIDS AND ENTITLEMENTS FOR SCHOOLS IN NEW YORK STATE (AS AMENDED BY CHAPTERS OF THE LAWS OF 2006)
Date CapturedSaturday May 12 2007, 3:40 PM
The University of the State of New York -- THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT -- State Aid Unit -- October, 2006. Some definitions -- A. Total Aidable Pupil Units (TAPU): The total aidable pupil unit is the sum of several pupil counts, each count being assigned a distinct weighting. Weightings are used as a means of reflecting the assumed average cost of educating a particular pupil category. These categories and weightings are further explained by the following: 1. Full Day K-12 Adjusted Average Daily Attendance (Adjusted ADA) (Weighting = 1.00): The Adjusted ADA includes the average number of pupils present on each regular school day, the full-time-equivalent enrollment of resident pupils attending a charter school, the enrollment of pupils with disabilities in full time BOCES programs, and the equivalent attendance of students under the age of 21 not on a regular day school register in programs leading to a high school diploma or high school equivalency diploma. This average is determined by dividing the total number of attendance days of all pupils by the number of days school was in session and attendance was recorded. 2. 1/2-Day K Adjusted Average Daily Attendance (Weighting = 0.50): A 0.50 weighting adjustment to the average daily attendance for half-day kindergarten attendance. 3. Pupils in Dual Enrollment with a Nonpublic School (Weighting = 1.00 * Fraction of Day in Public School Programs): The attendance of nonpublic school pupils in career education, gifted and talented, or special education programs of the public school district as authorized by Section 3602-c of the Education Law. Attendance is weighted by the fraction of the school day that the student is enrolled in the public school programs. 4. Pupils with Special Educational Needs (PSEN)(Additional Weighting = 0.25): The number of pupils with special educational needs attending the public schools of the district is determined by the percentage of pupils below minimum competence as measured by the third and sixth grade pupil evaluation program (PEP) tests in reading and mathematics. The average of the percentage of pupils in a district who scored below the State reference point on these third and sixth grade PEP Tests in 1984 85 and 1985 86 continues to be used to determine the number of pupils with special educational needs. This percentage is multiplied by the district's adjusted ADA to produce the number of pupils for weighting. The PSEN pupil count is equal to the number of eligible pupils multiplied by the 0.25 additional weighting. Since this is an additional weighting, these pupils also would have been counted under average daily attendance. 5. Secondary School Pupils (Additional Weighting = 0.25): Eligible pupils in grades seven through twelve receive an additional weighting of 0.25. Eligible pupils for this weighting are defined as the number of students in average daily attendance in grades seven through twelve excluding any such students whose enrollment generates Public Excess Cost Aid. The eligible pupils are multiplied by 0.25 to produce the additional secondary school weighting. 6. Summer Session Pupils (Weighting = 0.12): Summer session pupils are those pupils who attend Approved programs of instruction operated by the district during the months of July and August, other than pupils with disabilities in twelve month programs. The full weighting of 0.12 is applicable if the student attends a total of 90 hours of class sessions during the summer. B. Adjustment in Computing Total Aidable Pupil Units Based on Enrollment Growth: For TAPU aids payable during 2006-07, attendance in the year prior to the base year is multiplied by the ratio of base year enrollment to year prior to the base year enrollment. Base year is the school year prior to the current year. (Example: For the 2006-07 aid year, 2005-06 is the base year and 2004-05 is the year prior to the base year.) C. Selected TAPU: For the purposes of computing Formula Operating Aid, districts may use the total aidable pupil units as described above or the average of such number and the total aidable pupil units calculated for aid payable in the base year. The higher of these two figures is usually referred to as Selected TAPU.
Perfect Attendance?
Date CapturedSaturday May 12 2007, 12:42 PM
Education Week reports on Ohio online charter schools, where "Twenty of the state’s 41 online charters reported perfect attendance last year [2005]."
As Studies Stress Link to Scores, Districts Get Tough on Attendance
Date CapturedSaturday May 12 2007, 12:20 PM
Education Week reports, "Student attendance also has been a big focus in Buffalo and Rochester, N.Y. When officials of the 37,000-student Rochester district looked at attendance and achievement patterns, researchers found that students who had scored between 85 and 100 on the state English tests had attended school an average of 93 percent of the time. Students who scored below the 54th percentile had an 85 percent attendance rate. The district is now phasing in new minimum attendance requirements, shooting to hit 93 percent districtwide by 2004. Students are now required to attend school 85 percent of the time, or 153 days a year. The new policy would add the equivalent of 14 days of school. Rochester also is getting the community to help with its efforts. Attendance information is shared with community organizations such as the YMCA, city recreation programs, and churches so that they can help reinforce the commitment to school attendance. In addition, the city has coordinated a summer-jobs program for students who maintain at least C averages and who attend school at least 90 percent of the time. 'We must deconstruct the policies that encourage kids to miss or leave school, and construct the incentives to get them to stay,' said Clifford B. Janey, the superintendent of the Rochester schools. 'Attendance should be linked to achievement.' Meanwhile, Buffalo is already seeing gains that officials attribute to relatively simple adjustments in the district's attendance policy this fall. By stating a new minimum attendance rate—85 percent—and making it clear, for the first time, that students who fall short cannot take final exams, the district seems to be raising attendance. In report covering the first five weeks of the school year, one Buffalo high school's attendance rate went from 81 percent in the same period last year to 88 percent. The yearlong average-attendance rate for the school last year was 76 percent, which mean that one in every four students was absent. The 47,000-student Buffalo district is providing home visits for students who have health problems, and automated phone calls to homes for every absence. 'Children and families are making better choices,' said Susan Doyle, the principal of the Buffalo Traditional School and the chairwoman of the district's attendance committee. 'They're changing doctor's appointments, and students are coming to see me before and after school, not during classes.'"
More schools on LI making the grade
Date CapturedSaturday May 12 2007, 9:26 AM
Newsday John Hildebrand reports, "Private analysts are skeptical. They note that the state Education Department for the first time this year has decided not to release "school report cards" until budget votes are completed. Voters need those report cards to judge schools' performance, analysts say, because the reports cover test results for a full range of subjects, not just the highlights. And some voice concern that the state would release the names of the highest-scoring schools so close to election time. "So we're having a cheerleader session before the budget vote," said B. Jason Brooks, a senior research associate at the Foundation for Education Reform and Accountability, an Albany-area think tank. 'Yet parents and residents don't have straightforward data.'"
U.S. Department of Education Awards $1.6 Million to Help Students Develop Strong Character and Good Citizenship
Date CapturedSaturday May 12 2007, 9:15 AM
The Partnerships in Character Education Program awards grants for up to four years to eligible state and local education agencies to design and implement character education programs that teach students core ethical concepts, such as: civics; citizenship; justice; responsibility; and respect themselves and others. Grant recipients must show how they have integrated character education into classroom instruction and teacher training. They also must involve parents, students and the community in the process. The projects are evaluated to determine their success in helping students develop positive character, reduce discipline problems and improve academic achievement. Projects also must increase parent and community involvement with the school.
Scarsdale schools' plan to drop AP courses sparks backlash
Date CapturedSaturday May 12 2007, 8:54 AM
The Journal News reports, "McGill [Scarsdale superintendent Michael V. McGill] said money has nothing to do with it. Rather, the school district wants to offer an education that will distinguish it from the thousands of high schools that offer AP courses. McGill explained that the board was responding to concerns about the quality of the advanced placement courses. The board authorized McGill on Monday to eliminate AP art and social studies courses in September to determine if an advanced topics plan works for those subjects. If results are positive, the district will eliminate AP courses such as English, math, science and foreign languages. McGill said that students who want to take an AP test can still do so, and the district will provide test preparation courses. About 70 percent of Scarsdale's high school students take an advanced placement class, and about half of those take more than one."
RADICAL TEACH -- New York City SCHOOLS' NEW FAD
Date CapturedSaturday May 12 2007, 8:39 AM
NY Post contributor Sol Stern, a fellow at the Manhattan Institute opines, "Since gaining control of the city schools in 2002, Mayor Bloomberg has won the plaudits of business leaders for his corporate-style reorganization of the system and for supporting market-oriented initiatives such as charter schools and merit pay for teachers. But there has been a dark side: a hands-off approach to what's actually taught. The result has been travesties like the radical math conference and the proliferation of social-justice schools - and the legitimization of bringing leftist politics into the classroom. It's ironic that, as Mayor Bloomberg extols the benefits of the market approach in education, his schools are becoming rife with radical teachers using the classroom to trash the American system of market capitalism."
Community colleges and teacher preparation: Roles, Issues and Opportunities
Date CapturedFriday May 11 2007, 9:03 AM
May 2007 ECS issue paper by Tricia Coulter PhD and Bruce Vandal PhD highlight recommendations includings: (1) Teacher preparation should be viewed as a four-year process that includes content and pedagogical training throughout the four-years; (2) Program and course development should be a collaborative process including representation from universities, community colleges and the K-12 sector; (3) Each state department of education should encourage ongoing collaboration and communication among legislators, community colleges, universities and the K-12 sector on how community college teacher preparation can be used to improve the quality of teacher preparation and ameliorate teacher shortages; and (4) Policymakers and institution leaders should consider providing resources to community colleges and K-12 school districts to support customized training for teachers through contracts and/or partnerships between community colleges and school districts.
Evaluating 'No Child Left Behind'
Date CapturedFriday May 11 2007, 8:35 AM
The Nation contributor Linda Darling-Hammond, the Charles E. Ducommon Professor of Education at Stanford University writes, "Perhaps the most adverse unintended consequence of NCLB is that it creates incentives for schools to rid themselves of students who are not doing well, producing higher scores at the expense of vulnerable students' education. Studies have found that sanctioning schools based on average student scores leads schools to retain students in grade so that grade-level scores will look better (although these students ultimately do less well and drop out at higher rates), exclude low-scoring students from admissions and encourage such students to transfer or drop out. Recent studies in Massachusetts, New York and Texas show how schools have raised test scores while 'losing' large numbers of low-scoring students."
Spellings Rejects Criticism on Student Loan Scandal
Date CapturedFriday May 11 2007, 8:21 AM
NY Times reports, "In about three hours of testimony before the House education committee, Ms. Spellings portrayed her department’s oversight of federal lending programs as vigorous, but said that the world of private lending, which has become increasingly important as college costs have outstripped federal loan programs, was mostly beyond her regulatory authority. She told the panel that the entire student loan system needed overhaul, saying, 'The system is redundant, it’s byzantine and it’s broken.'”
Laptops a Bust
Date CapturedFriday May 11 2007, 8:14 AM
Post-Standard reports, "Although the number of schools with one-to-one computing is still growing - one study found that half the nation's largest school districts aim to be there by 2011 - a U.S. Department of Education study also showed other districts are abandoning the idea. The federal study concluded the laptops did not measurably improve grades or test scores."
Schools vary on drug-use penalties -- With no statewide protocol, area districts differ on severity
Date CapturedFriday May 11 2007, 7:59 AM
The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports, "The state Department of Education, state School Boards Association and the Monroe County School Boards Association do not offer opinions on how long to suspend young people who abuse alcohol and drugs on campus. 'We leave it totally to local discretion,' said Jonathan Burman, spokesman for the state Education Department, which doesn't keep data on different schools' policies."
The Education Gadfly
Date CapturedThursday May 10 2007, 4:40 PM
A Weekly Bulletin of News and Analysis from the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation -- May 10, 2007, Volume 7, Number 18
Roosevelt cuts elementary teachers
Date CapturedThursday May 10 2007, 11:09 AM
Newsday John Hildebrand reports, "State education officials who have the ultimate say on Roosevelt's spending say the planned cuts would increase average class sizes by three to five students at the district's three elementary schools, starting next fall. Those officials add that some local classes now are unusually small -- as few as four children to a room -- and that expanded classes will be typical of Long Island in size, with an average 21 to 24 students per class."
How should schools react to threats?
Date CapturedThursday May 10 2007, 10:13 AM
uticaOD.com reports, "Young people sometimes say things they don't mean, and it may be difficult to determine the seriousness of threatening statements. How schools should react and when they should alert parents to a situation is a complicated question, parents and school administrators said. The State Department of Education mandates that districts have a safety plan in place, but does not give specifics."
5 enter SUNY hall of fame
Date CapturedThursday May 10 2007, 10:07 AM
Poughkeepsie Journal reports, "Inductees are Albert and Nina Smiley, Business People of the Year; Deborah Wilkins Flippin ('74), Alumna of the Year; Cari Rabinowitz, Student of the Year; and Gerard "Ozzie" Beichert, recipient of the 2007 Dean's Award for Excellence. The five honorees will receive their awards at the induction ceremony this evening at Wiltwyck Country Club in Kingston, in front of 250 of their peers."
Education reform meets truancy head on
Date CapturedThursday May 10 2007, 9:42 AM
On Board Online • Volume 6 • No. 17 • October 10, 2005. "While truancy is an age-old problem, the number of students cutting school increased 61 percent between 1989 and 1998, according to the Colorado Foundation for Families and Children. And truancy is blamed for high juvenile crime rates. In cities with aggressive truancy programs, juvenile crime rates have dropped considerably, 68 percent in Minneapolis alone."
News & Notes
Date CapturedWednesday May 09 2007, 10:26 PM
Johanna Duncan-Poitier, Senior Deputy Commissioner of Education - P-16, May 8, 2007.
Citywide Budget Data
Date CapturedWednesday May 09 2007, 10:30 AM
As part of the Fair Student Funding initiative, the Department of Education [New York City] is committed to providing more information about school funding levels. This data set shows details pertaining to preliminary school budgets for the 2007-2008 school year. Using this data set, you can see information for 1,391 of New York City’s schools regarding: 07-08 preliminary budget allocations 07-08 adjusted per capita data for comparison to previously released 05-06 data 07-08 Average Teacher Salary (ATS) This data set allows some comparison between different schools’ funding levels. However, the set is neither comprehensive nor perfect. It covers only funds that are recorded on the school budgets that principals monitor and control. Therefore, large amounts of money spent in schools on students do not appear here at all, including centrally funded administrative services such as food, transportation, maintenance, utilities; instructional supports, such as related services in special education’ and fringe benefits for school employees.
NYS Office of Mental Health and Education Department Together Promoting Healthy Child Development
Date CapturedWednesday May 09 2007, 10:02 AM
Michael F. Hogan, Ph.D., Commissioner of the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) and Richard P. Mills, Commissioner of the New York State Education Department (SED), today co-hosted a gathering of parents, school teachers and administrators, pediatricians, mental health providers and advocates, to celebrate National Children's Mental Health Awareness day. Held in the Cultural Education Center's Huxley Theater, the event celebrated children's emotional wellbeing and healthy development, and focused on the shared goals and new directions that OMH and SED are undertaking for the children of New York State.
CASHING IN ON KIDS
Date CapturedWednesday May 09 2007, 9:55 AM
NY Post David Andreatta reports, "According to the plan, a school could receive as little as $3,788 for a first-grader who lives above the poverty line, did not transfer from a failing school and is proficient in English. But a first-grader who lives in poverty, transferred from a failing school and cannot speak English could funnel $8,212 to the same school's coffers. Depending on a child's special needs, a school could expect to receive an additional $2,121 and $8,637. While schools already receive additional city money to address student needs - including learning and English-language difficulties - budgets have never been so specifically weighted to student traits."
Middletown Empire State College campus closing?
Date CapturedTuesday May 08 2007, 11:03 AM
Times Herald-Record reports, "The Middletown office has 200 to 300 students and is the smallest of Empire State's four Hudson Valley sites, he said. As many as a third of the students are from the Middletown area and as many as a third are from the Newburgh area; the rest live elsewhere in Orange or Sullivan counties, Trullinger said. Moving from Middletown to Newburgh would place the college at the nexus of Interstates 87 and 84 and move it closer to residents of Putnam and Dutchess counties across the Hudson River, Trullinger [ dean of the Hudson Valley center of Empire College]said. 'We don't just look at the town,' he said. "We are serving a regional population.'"
A check mark under 'tardy' for the state
Date CapturedTuesday May 08 2007, 9:35 AM
Times Union reports, "Typically, the state Education Department releases the data to the media in the form of lengthy computer files. Newspapers and other outlets then sift through the data and present it in a user-friendly form that allows for school-to-school and district-to-district comparisons. But as of Monday, the data hadn't been released to the media. Education Department officials did not say why, but did say it could be coming as soon as this week."
Manhattan School Survey Pushed Back
Date CapturedTuesday May 08 2007, 9:26 AM
NY Times reports, "The Department of Education has extended a deadline for surveys measuring satisfaction in the schools from May 18 to June 1, officials said. The surveys, for parents, teachers and students from grades 6 to 12, are part of a $2 million city effort."
Cell ban upheld - principals get leeway
Date CapturedTuesday May 08 2007, 9:15 AM
NY Daily News reports, "The city's controversial school cell phone ban will stand - but principals may make exceptions, a Manhattan judge ruled yesterday. Judge Lewis Stone wrote in a 50-page decision that the Education Department's cell phone policy is not unconstitutional."
Illinois Efforts to Promote Internet Safety Education for School Age Children
Date CapturedTuesday May 08 2007, 9:08 AM
Government Technology reports, "Joined by educators from Chicago Public Schools (CPS), CPS Board President Rufus Williams and area lawmakers, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan unveiled new and concentrated measures designed to help protect today's school children from threats not known to school kids of just a few years ago: online predators and other criminals that use the Internet to perpetrate crimes against children."
In the school-aid shell game, you pay
Date CapturedMonday May 07 2007, 9:17 AM
Newsday Op-Ed contributor Raymond J. Keating, chief economist for the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council opines, "Indeed, state legislators and school board members don't like to mention that state aid and STAR dollars come from us. It's a shell game. As public school spending marches higher, more money is found under the local property tax shell, the state tax shell, or both. And little of this is about educating children. We passed adequate spending levels for a proper education long ago. It's about taking more from the taxpayers to hand over to public school teachers and administrators, who already rank among the highest compensated in the nation. When it comes to dollars for public schools, state legislators and school boards are not lost in a desert. Instead, they are awash in money. Think about that when you vote May 15, and when state legislators come up for re-election next year. It's not manna from heaven. It's your money."
THE SCHOOL SCAM
Date CapturedMonday May 07 2007, 8:33 AM
NY Post opines, "The annual cash bath, of course, thrills school staffs, union brass and others who make a living off education. And they show their appreciation with generous campaign contributions and other forms of consideration at the appropriate moments in the two-year election cycle. But does it improve learning? If only."
Newburgh School District to vote on $204M budget
Date CapturedFriday May 04 2007, 9:02 AM
Times Herald-Record reports, "The Newburgh District plans to use 'Excellence' dough to: Hire 27 elementary teachers, 25 secondary teachers, three special education teachers, one social worker and three teaching assistants. Establish and expand Extended School Year and Expanded School Day programs. Establish a high school program for grades 9-12 and create grades K-8 programs in at least two elementary schools."
Inform parents -- government policies must not keep families in the dark
Date CapturedFriday May 04 2007, 8:25 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle opines, "Unfortunately, it took the death of a child to alert government to the flaws in a law that left parents on the outside looking in. This should be a wake-up call to the state and government at all levels to ensure that laws and policies are clear when it comes to parents and minor children: parents are to be told about matters large, small and in-between. The state must facilitate the bond between child and parent. Not break it."
How School Testing Got Corrupted
Date CapturedThursday May 03 2007, 10:31 PM
Huffington Post contributor Diane Ravitch writes, "If we want better schools, we must have a solid, knowledge-rich curriculum, one that includes history, science, geography, the arts, civics, and other disciplines, not just reading and math. We must have effective instruction based on that curriculum. Our assessments should be based on the curriculum. Sadly what we are doing today is to use the tests as a substitute for curriculum and instruction. This won't work, and it will only damage American education. We may get higher scores -- short-term -- but we won't get better education."
Government Eyes Special Ed Requirements
Date CapturedThursday May 03 2007, 10:18 PM
AP reports, "The Bush administration, following passage of a broad special education law, issued rules in October that rewrote the way schools determine if a child has a learning disability. States have largely relied on a 1970s-era method that looks for disparities between a child's IQ and achievement scores."
Statement from Secretary Spellings on National Charter Schools Week
Date CapturedThursday May 03 2007, 8:34 AM
These schools [charter] are dispelling the myth that some children can't learn. By acting as laboratories for best practices, they are changing attitudes about education and they're getting great results for kids. Charters are also transforming urban education and tackling head-on our nation's stubborn achievement gap. They are proving that new approaches to education can work—that breaking tradition and taking risks can yield tremendous results for students. Through the groundbreaking No Child Left Behind Act, President Bush and I have supported a robust expansion of school choice options for students and parents, helping to pave the way for greater access to charter schools. Since 2001, the President has invested $1.4 billion in the Charter Schools Program to facilitate start-ups and spread clear information about successful schools and provided over $262 million for charter school facilities. We will continue to support charter schools as they strive to help students achieve their potential.
School board ties professional development to state standards
Date CapturedThursday May 03 2007, 8:13 AM
Kingston Freeman reports, "The goal of the plan is to boost student achievement through continued staff education. The plan passed unanimously, but there was contention at Wednesday's meeting over wording in the plan setting a goal for professional staff to implement 100 percent of state standards for education. Trustee Marc Tack argued that focusing solely on state standards ignores the district's mission, which is 'to educate, inspire, and graduate students who are excellent in scholarship and character and are empowered to reach their maximum potential as responsible and productive members of society.'"
Rochester city schools will falter if leaders get faulty data on pupil progress
Date CapturedWednesday May 02 2007, 9:07 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle guest essayist Cynthia Elliott, Rochester Board of Education member opines, "There is no doubt in my mind that people genuinely want to help our children succeed. But that involvement will be ineffective and our goal of 100 percent graduation rates will not be realized if we don't have accurate information. Only with accurate information can we even begin to entertain the strategies to achieve academic excellence."
STEPS pilot program a great resource for Rockland schools
Date CapturedWednesday May 02 2007, 8:34 AM
The Journal News opines, "This program can mitigate the self-evident price society pays from the stigma that stops identification of treatment of emotional problems. Look at teen suicide rates; look at what happens when that violence is turned outward."
An appeal for help at SUNY
Date CapturedWednesday May 02 2007, 8:25 AM
Times Union reports, "The recommended ratio of counselors to students on a college campus is one counselor for every 1,000 to 1,500 students, a range that takes into account the availability of off-campus support, according to data Ryan cited from the International Association of Counseling Services. At SUNY's state-operated campuses, which doesn't include community colleges, the ratio is one counselor for every 1,700 students. At the University at Albany, with 17,000 students, it is one for every 2,000 students."
Editorial: Where are you now?
Date CapturedTuesday May 01 2007, 8:58 AM
The Post (Ohio) reports, "Big Brother is watching, and he wants to know why you didn’t show up for your math class all last week. Ohio University’s Student Help Center has paired up with Residence Life to keep track of student class attendance. Using swipe-card technology — used in some science, math and art classes in Morton and Walter Halls — resident assistants are notified when one of their residents misses two consecutive classes (a not-so-uncommon occurrence) in the same course. The resident assistants are then required to check on the students."
N.C.A.A. Cracks Down on Prep Schools and Angers Some
Date CapturedTuesday May 01 2007, 8:52 AM
NY Times reports, "The N.C.A.A. quietly passed legislation last week to continue its fight against prep schools that require minimal academic study. In perhaps its most significant move to deter diploma mills, the N.C.A.A. will limit high school students to one core course that would count toward college eligibility after a student’s four-year high school graduation date. The decision will shut down a glaring N.C.A.A. loophole, one exploited by diploma mills: students avoided graduating high school to pad their grade point average in a fifth year. The N.C.A.A. also hopes the new policy will help eliminate schools that exist solely to qualify players for college scholarships."
HESC signs code of conduct for student loan guarantors
Date CapturedTuesday May 01 2007, 8:39 AM
News from New York State Higher Education Services Corp. (HESC) -- HESC, the state agency that helps people pay for college, "has always embraced the highest standards of professional and ethical conduct" during the agency's 33 years of guaranteeing student loans and administering the state's grants and scholarship program, said HESC President James C. Ross. "We are pleased to sign this code of conduct and reaffirm our commitment to transparency in all of our dealings with our customers -- students, families, lenders and college financial aid professionals," Ross added. Several lenders and colleges have signed the attorney general's code.
Teachers find adjusting to technology a real education
Date CapturedTuesday May 01 2007, 8:17 AM
Times Herald-Record reports, "Education is way behind, Richardson said. Business and the media, even politics, have adjusted to the wave of technology and its changes. Students have changed as well: 55 percent of them use social networking sites such as MySpace or Facebook; 57 percent of students have created material for the Internet. They use information sites like Wikipedia. They blog and send instant messages, create videos and more."
Bundy Aid cuts: Proposal should be rejected
Date CapturedTuesday May 01 2007, 7:56 AM
Ithaca Journal opines, "Cutting aid to all private colleges because some are larger and have more resources doesn't do justice to students who study at colleges in the state. Our Assemblywoman, Barbara Lifton, said it best in Saturday's article. While the Robin Hood philosophy behind Rivera's proposal makes sense in theory, students from all types of socioeconomic backgrounds study at private colleges in New York. Though there are no restrictions on how the aid is spent, Bundy Aid ultimately allows private schools to offer more financial aid to students who need it to attend college. Rivera's efforts would be better spent on trying to fine-tune the Bundy Aid system so that the money does ultimately reach students who need a lot of financial assistance to attend colleges."
Rivera moves on
Date CapturedTuesday May 01 2007, 7:51 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle opines, "But there's more to Rivera's record than this. His success in raising fourth-grade test scores at nearly every elementary school was a testament to his focus and emphasis on school-based leadership. His work in the elementary grades, along with his restructuring of the unwieldy and often unsafe middle schools, was a chief reason he was chosen state and national superintendent of the year in 2006. Rivera kept the peace with the labor unions, forged good relations with state politicians and, by and large, with the elected school board. Most of all, he's seen the good and the bad. If he can bring that knowledge and wisdom to bear on Spitzer and state Education Commissioner Richard Mills, he will continue to serve children well."
The Education Gadfly
Date CapturedMonday April 30 2007, 10:39 AM
A Weekly Bulletin of News and Analysis from the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation; April 26, 2007, Volume 7, Number 16.
FREE SPEECH ON TRIAL CAMPUS ALERT
Date CapturedMonday April 30 2007, 7:58 AM
NY Post op-ed contributor The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (thefire.org), a nonprofit group dedicated to defending constitutional rights at U.S. colleges and universities opines, "Potential sanctions include the official dissolution of the paper. Whether one agrees with the content of these articles, they are unquestionably clear examples of core political speech."
Blackboards Not Billboards
Date CapturedSunday April 29 2007, 9:36 AM
NY Times Op-ed contributor David White, adjunct scholar at the Lexington Institute, a public policy research group opines, "All too often, America’s teachers’ unions claim to be championing education when, in fact, they’re pursuing unrelated political agendas."
State probes test fraud in Uniondale schools
Date CapturedSunday April 29 2007, 9:31 AM
Newsday John Hildebrand reports, "The state is investigating potentially large-scale test fraud in the Uniondale school district, including alleged tampering with Regents exams required for graduation, state and local officials said. Investigators from the state attorney general's office questioned both school administrators and teachers last week, according to Uniondale officials who expressed anguish about the situation. The district plans to send out letters Monday to parents of the district's 6,400 students, acknowledging the state probe. Findings could be announced this week. Education Department officials said if any district staffers are implicated, students' scores on past tests would not be affected -- unless students themselves also are found culpable."
A test for the Regents
Date CapturedSunday April 29 2007, 9:26 AM
Newsday opines, "Meanwhile, the problems of poverty force the schools to divert more money from the classroom - for everything from security to special education - than any other district. And political tweaking of state formulas on behalf of the wealthy means Roosevelt still won't get a fair share of school aid. It's show time Even before the next school year, Mills and the Regents must take these steps. They must find new leaders who will in turn inspire teachers, parents and students. And in so doing, they can create a national model of success for other struggling schools - especially those that fall through the cracks in the suburbs. It's an effort that will take the cooperation of everyone from state educators and lawmakers to local governments that aren't normally involved in education. Everyone from private philanthropists to community groups and parents. It's time to give the students of Roosevelt and their parents the fair shake that was denied the thousands who came before them. This is a test not just of Albany's competency but of its character."
High school revelations
Date CapturedSunday April 29 2007, 9:18 AM
The Journal News opines, "More starkly than ever, the new data capture the gulfs between wealthy and poor school districts, between white and non-white students, between general education students and disabled ones. The only way to narrow those gaps is to quickly identify students in danger of failing to meet standards, consistently give them resources and supports, and for those still struggling in high school, give them the time they need to pull through."
Student loan sense
Date CapturedSunday April 29 2007, 9:07 AM
Times Union opines, "Now, here's a reassuring thought. New York, so often held up as an example of how state government shouldn't function, is on the verge of being the first state to impose urgently required restrictions on the $85 billion a year student loan industry. In fact, Congress has taken note and may soon consider federal legislation based on the New York model."
Secretary Spellings Seeks Public Comment on Campus and School Safety
Date CapturedSaturday April 28 2007, 10:35 AM
As part of this effort, Secretary Spellings today met with state and local leaders, educators, mental health experts, parents, students, and local law enforcement officials in Albuquerque, to determine how the federal government can best help states and localities keep students safe. Secretary Spellings announced that she is seeking public comment online at http://www.ed.gov/admins/lead/safety/dialogue.html in an effort to expand this important discussion and gather thoughts and suggestions from across the country. Secretary Spellings will consider these suggestions as she develops recommendations for a report to President Bush next month. "Nothing is more important to American parents than the safety of their children," said Secretary Spellings. "I invite all concerned Americans—parents, educators, law enforcement officials and students—to share their ideas about school safety online at safeschools@ed.gov. Together, we can strengthen our best practices, raise awareness of warning signs and help prevent tragedies."
Districts misreported 4-year graduation rates
Date CapturedSaturday April 28 2007, 10:02 AM
Times Union reports, "Musser and Alan Ray, another spokesman for the Education Department, said the state is unaware of any more districts with similar problems, although some have called in with questions about the data since it was made public on Wednesday. 'The problem is there are always a few that don't pay attention until they see it in the media,' said Ray.
A Lack of Interest (and Candidates) in New System’s School Parent Councils
Date CapturedSaturday April 28 2007, 9:52 AM
NY Times reports, "Unlike the old school board elections, open to all registered voters, current state law restricts this election so that only the top three officers of each school’s parent association vote for council members. Parents serving on the district councils are ineligible to be officers in the parent associations of their own schools. Many parents who have been elected to the councils say they feel out of the loop, disrespected by an education department that, they say, decides first and asks later. And several council presidents said they were frustrated by a perceived lack of support from school principals, many of whom do not even know who their council members are."
Rochester's 39% graduation rate is worst in N.Y.'s Big 4
Date CapturedThursday April 26 2007, 10:12 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports, "The City School District's four-year graduation rate of 39 percent is the lowest of New York's big four upstate city districts, according to state Education Department data released Wednesday. The district's rate dropped from 41 percent in 2005, according to the state. The big four city districts — Rochester, Syracuse, Buffalo and Yonkers — had an average rate of 45 percent in 2006. Statewide, the average for all schools was 67 percent."
Teachers want change in education policy
Date CapturedThursday April 26 2007, 9:36 AM
Observer-Dispatch reports, "New York teachers are asking Congress to: •Allow states to develop appropriate language-arts tests for English-language learners and special-education students. English-language learners have to take the same language-arts tests as their peers, even though they may not have a full command of English. •Distinguish struggling schools from those that are successful but need limited assistance, rather than putting all schools with problems into the same category. •Stop punishing entire schools and districts based on the low test scores of a small number of students. •Adequately fund testing and accountability mandates in the law. New York received $911 million less in funding last year than what Congress authorized when it passed the legislation in 2002, NYSUT said."
Teaching city pupils how to succeed in business, life
Date CapturedThursday April 26 2007, 9:30 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle contributor Marcia O'Brien, assistant professor, Roberts Wesleyan College opines, "At Roberts, our students designed business camps for teens: Women of Hope for girls and Men of Standard for boys. These camps, held on our campus during the February school break, teach young people how to start and succeed in their own businesses. They live and dine on campus; take finance, business ethics and marketing classes; develop life skills, and more. The camps are free for the students, paid for by grants and Roberts Wesleyan College. "
Information & Reporting Services
Date CapturedThursday April 26 2007, 9:15 AM
Graduation Data for New York Public Schools -- includes text and slides.
NEW GRADUATION RESULTS RELEASED FOR HIGH SCHOOLS STATEWIDE
Date CapturedThursday April 26 2007, 9:07 AM
Statewide high school graduation results released today show that: Statewide, 72 percent of the students who started 9th grade in 2001 had graduated after 5 years, by June 30, 2006. Statewide, 67 percent of the students who started 9th grade in 2002 had graduated after 4 years. This is an increase of one percentage point from the 4-year graduation rate of students who started 9th grade in 2001. The 4-year graduation rate of African-American students increased from 44 to 47 percent between 2004 and 2006, although it remains far too low and far below the rate of white students. The 4-year graduation rate of Hispanic students increased from 41 to 45 percent between 2004 and 2006, although it also remains far too low. New York City has increased its 4-year graduation rate from 44 percent in 2004 to 50 percent in 2006.
GRAD TIDINGS: CITY'S RATES UP, BUT 50% OF HS KIDS ARE 'LATE'
Date CapturedThursday April 26 2007, 8:42 AM
NY Post KENNETH LOVETT in Albany and BILL SANDERSON and DAVID SEIFMAN in New York City report, "The new numbers also show that just 19 percent of students with disabilities in New York City graduate in four years compared to a 37 percent statewide average, and that English-language learners have actually seen their on-time graduation rates drop in the last three years, to 27 percent statewide and 22 percent in the city. Also, there is a significant gender gap, with 56 percent of female students and just 43 percent of male students in New York City graduating on time."
School Push-Outs: An Urban Case Study
Date CapturedWednesday April 25 2007, 11:46 AM
Elysa Hyman writes, "While the specter of the No Child Left Behind Act continues to loom over our nations’ schools, grassroots organizations, parent groups, attorneys, educators and policymakers must monitor their local school systems and take action if schools are engaging in exclusionary practices. National coalitions must be formed to highlight the unintended effects of the Act and to advocate reform of laws and policies that punish schools for trying to educate all students or that provide incentives for schools to push them out of the building."
Settlement Approved In Lawsuit Against New York City DOE
Date CapturedWednesday April 25 2007, 11:34 AM
NY1 reports, "The settlement creates more classroom slots for the children and the DOE will use an internal monitoring system to make sure kids get in the classes quickly. The children, between ages 3 and 5, were on waiting lists to get into special education classes in city schools. Some of the children spent months or years waiting to get in the classes which provide speech, physical or occupational therapy."
Billionaires Start $60 Million Schools Effort
Date CapturedWednesday April 25 2007, 10:10 AM
NY Times DAVID M. HERSZENHORN reports, "The project will not endorse candidates — indeed, it is illegal to do so as a charitable group — but will instead focus on three main areas: a call for stronger, more consistent curriculum standards nationwide; lengthening the school day and year; and improving teacher quality through merit pay and other measures. While the effort is shying away from some of the most polarizing topics in education, like vouchers, charter schools and racial integration, there is still room for it to spark vigorous debate. Advocating merit pay to reward high-quality teaching could force Democratic candidates to take a stand typically opposed by the teachers unions who are their strong supporters. Pushing for stronger, more uniform standards, on the other hand, could force Republican candidates to discuss the potential merits of a national curriculum, a concept advocates for states’ rights deeply oppose and one that President Bush has not embraced."
We can stem truancy with community effort
Date CapturedWednesday April 25 2007, 9:53 AM
Indianapolis Star opines, "Gaylon Nettles, the state [Indiana] Department of Education's chief attendance officer, is right in noting that neither parents nor schools can stem truancy on their own. It will take a strong community effort to keep children on the path to improving their educational and economic destinies.
Educating Children in Foster Care: The McKinney-Vento and No Child Left Behind Acts
Date CapturedWednesday April 25 2007, 9:44 AM
Casey Family Programs write, "The recommendations, included as part of a comprehensive report released at a congressional briefing, deal with the reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act and the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. The recommendations are: Improve school stability by ensuring that the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act applies to all children in out-of-home care, and increase funding for the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to a level that covers all eligible children. Ensure that children and youth in foster care have access to education-related support services by making them automatically eligible for Title I, Part A services and including them in the set-aside that exists for homeless children. Increase funding for school counselors and mental health services."
Here's a bright idea: Turn off the lights!
Date CapturedWednesday April 25 2007, 9:21 AM
NY Daily News reports, "Lights at the historic Tweed Courthouse, which houses the Education Department headquarters, were still blazing at 3:50 a.m. Education Department spokeswoman Margie Feinberg said Tweed is regularly cleaned during off-hours. The department's building at 65 Court St. in Brooklyn also was lit well into the wee hours. Feinberg said those lights had to be on because of an unspecified number of information technology and payroll employees who work overnight. She refused to provide an exact number of late-night workers and referred further questions to the city. The Education Department paid $172,000 in the most recent fiscal year for lighting, elevators, air conditioning and heating for the Court St. building. If the department stopped running its lights at night, it would potentially save a third of that cost, or about $57,000 a year. The city could hire one new teacher at the average starting salary of $42,512 or two new cops at $25,000 each."
COMMISSIONER MILLS MEETS WITH NEW YORK CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION; DISCUSSES “NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND” REAUTHORIZATION
Date CapturedTuesday April 24 2007, 9:56 PM
State Education Commissioner Richard Mills met with members of New York’s Congressional delegation in Washington D.C. Wednesday to urge key changes in the upcoming renewal of the No Child Left Behind Act.
State school boss Richard Mills won't quit
Date CapturedTuesday April 24 2007, 9:44 AM
Newsday reports, "Mills and his department received multiple warnings over the past three years that Roosevelt's finances were in weak shape, though the exact size of the deficit was not revealed until last month. "What's going on in Roosevelt is a black mark on the Regents, and we need to fix it," said Merryl Tisch of Manhattan, recently elected the board's vice chairman. "And we need to hold the commissioner responsible." The board is expected to review Roosevelt developments in May, though it is not scheduled to formally review Mills' job performance until July."
Point is right on admissions
Date CapturedTuesday April 24 2007, 9:29 AM
Times Herald-Record opines, "The announcement from the U.S. Military Academy last week that it is looking at ways to change the racial balance in its admissions process is a good move, albeit one that has challenged all selective colleges and that is ripe for political grandstanding. West Point is competing in a college admissions arena that has changed significantly over the past few years, with more well-qualified students amassing superb resumes, often directed by admissions coaches who specialize in making each student irresistible to schools."
Senators Discuss Preventing College Attacks
Date CapturedTuesday April 24 2007, 9:08 AM
NY Times reports, "Much of the testimony focused on the difficulty of securing campuses that are essentially small towns and the challenges of balancing the rights of individuals to privacy with the need for community safety. Senator Susan Collins of Maine, the committee’s ranking Republican, questioned witnesses about whether they believed that some of the laws that govern privacy of medical and school records needed to be changed. None had a ready answer, but they agreed that the most difficult situations involved students who were clearly troubled yet refused treatment. They also agreed that university officials often hesitated to act because they feared litigation."
In U.S. Absence, States Take Lead in Student Loan Cases
Date CapturedTuesday April 24 2007, 9:04 AM
NY Times reports, "State attorneys general around the country are stepping up their scrutiny of college lending practices in the absence of federal enforcement action, following a pattern that experts say has prevailed in some other major consumer investigations in recent years. Yesterday the attorneys general of Illinois and Missouri announced that as a result of investigations into lending practices at three major universities in those states, the universities had agreed to adopt a code of conduct to guide their relations with student lenders. The code will be modeled on one developed by Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo of New York, who has been looking into student loan practices for months and who said in an interview that similar investigative efforts were snowballing around the country."
Bloomberg Reaches Deal With Principals
Date CapturedTuesday April 24 2007, 8:56 AM
NY Times reports, ""The deal was the second time in less than a week that Mr. Bloomberg took a long stride in seeking to quiet some of the loudest critics of his education policies. On Thursday, he reached agreements with the teachers’ union and several advocacy groups that have opposed his reorganization of the school bureaucracy."
Schools Revisit Gun Policies After Virginia Tech Rampage
Date CapturedTuesday April 24 2007, 8:52 AM
NPR Talk of the Nation reports, "Last week's deadly shooting rampage at Virginia Tech shattered the image of college campuses as idyllic sanctuaries of safety. Virginia Tech — like most American universities — forbids students from carrying guns on campus. Now many schools are re-evaluating their gun policies."
A battle with absentees
Date CapturedMonday April 23 2007, 11:08 AM
Indianapolis Tribune opines, "Changing the pattern of poor attendance must start with parents, who must take the time to ensure that their children are in school each day. But school districts, police and the community as a whole also have vital roles to play in holding students and their parents accountable. At a time when a good education has never been more important for economic stability, the high truancy rates that plague Wayne Township and other school districts are intolerable. Missing school may well translate into young people missing opportunities to graduate, land good jobs and secure their future."
New & Notes
Date CapturedMonday April 23 2007, 10:20 AM
From the desk of Johanna Duncan-Poitier, Senior Deputy Commissioner of Education - P-16, April 20, 2007.
Local colleges evaluate safety in wake of Virginia Tech
Date CapturedMonday April 23 2007, 9:33 AM
Newsday reports, "Even before last week's massacre at Virginia Tech, colleges and universities across Long Island had been quietly upgrading campus security for years. Even so, Virginia Tech is a new wake-up call, and it has spurred college officials and local police to re-evaluate security, in particular how to respond to an emergency."
Racial disparities persist in special education, discipline
Date CapturedMonday April 23 2007, 9:21 AM
The Journal News reports, "A new Department of Education report on the 2005-06 school year said minority students in Nanuet, Ardsley, Port Chester-Rye and Irvington were identified as having learning disabilities or placed in restrictive settings at significantly higher rates than other groups. In Yonkers, black students served suspensions of over 10 days at nearly five times the rate of whites."
Rush to slash class size will hurt our schools
Date CapturedMonday April 23 2007, 9:00 AM
NY Daily News Op-ed contributor Michael Rebell, executive director of the Campaign for Educational Equity, at Teachers College, Columbia University opines, "A mandated average class-size reduction plan is likely to be applied across the board to virtually all schools in the system, while it is clear that we should, at least at first, target the students with the greatest education deficits. Let's not forget that it was for them that the CFE case was waged and won, and that the Court of Appeals invalidated the old funding system to ensure that funding follows need. When they meet tomorrow, the Board of Regents should approve regulations that allow class-size reductions to be limited to low-performing schools and to follow improvements in teacher quality and the availability of adequate space."
ELIOT TALKS THE TALK
Date CapturedSunday April 22 2007, 9:32 AM
NY Post opines, "So, yes, Spitzer is again saying the right things. Mayoral control is essential to the schools. If New Yorkers aren't happy with education, they need to be able to give someone - the mayor - the boot. But Spitzer's pattern of speaking loudly while wielding a small stick shouldn't raise hopes too high."
PRINCIPALS CRAM FOR BIG CHANGES
Date CapturedSunday April 22 2007, 9:26 AM
NY Post reports, "City principals will flock to a Manhattan hotel tomorrow for a crash course in the school system's latest reorganization, scrambling to learn details about a newly revealed program they must implement by the fall. The symposium at the Grand Hyatt will attempt to explain three 'support organization models,' which all schools must choose from in the next month. The support organizations are designed to help schools hit accountability targets, provide professional development, attract high-quality teachers and design programs to help scores and attendance, according to the Department of Education."
CITY EDUCATION PLAN TO BOOT 'NEGATIVE' PTA FOLKS
Date CapturedSunday April 22 2007, 9:20 AM
NY Post reports, "Principals may soon have the power to expel parents from PTAs. The city Department of Education is mulling a stunning policy change that would allow principals to ban parents from the volunteer panels for patterns of 'negative behavior.' The controversial proposal to alter existing chancellor's regulations comes as the DOE is trying to increase parent involvement - adding paid parent coordinators at each school and hiring a $150,000 parent czar."
Mr. Rivera Goes to Albany
Date CapturedSaturday April 21 2007, 10:58 PM
City Journal, Spring 2007; Peter Meyer, a Contributing Editor of Education Next writes, "Rivera says that he will push the governor’s initiatives, which he helped create as a member of Spitzer’s education-policy transition team; they include detailed accountability standards and the Contract for Excellence, which obligates educators to spend money on 'what works.'"
Saving 'No Child Left Behind' From Itself
Date CapturedSaturday April 21 2007, 3:01 PM
Fox News reports Dan Lips, education analyst, The Heritage Foundation, "Under the new approach, states would be free to use federal education funds as they see fit, provided they maintain student testing to assess their progress and make the test results publicly available. Some NCLB supporters charge that the conservative plan would undermine accountability. Sandy Kress, a former Bush administration education adviser, protested: 'Republicans used to stand for rigor and standards, but no money for education. Now they seem to be for the money, but no standards.'”
Key Initiative Of 'No Child' Under Federal Investigation
Date CapturedSaturday April 21 2007, 9:39 AM
Washington Post reports, "Despite the controversy surrounding Reading First's management, the percentage of students in the program who are proficient on fluency tests has risen about 15 percent, Education Department officials said. School districts across the country praise the program."
State comptroller questions Roosevelt finances anew
Date CapturedSaturday April 21 2007, 9:25 AM
Newsday reports, "'Serious concerns were identified that what was being proposed was not sufficient to meet the challenges of the deficit ... ' said state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli. 'They didn't follow their own spending plans in previous years.' In addition, some of the methods the district proposed for closing the budget gap were found to be financially unsound or illegal, the comptroller's office said. For example, the district said it was considering using the tax levy to pay down the deficit when state law says that such revenue can only be used for operating expenses."
The Education Gadfly
Date CapturedFriday April 20 2007, 9:32 AM
A Weekly Bulletin of News and Analysis from the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation. April 19, 2007, Volume 7, Number 15
Boosting Accountability in New York's Schools
Date CapturedFriday April 20 2007, 9:12 AM
How to Meet the Governor's Historic Challenge, Thursday, March 8, 2007. A panel of state and national education experts gathered at the state Capitol in Albany March 8 to examine and debate Gov. Spitzer's historic education reform plan, which aims to hold New York schools more accountable than ever before. This page features a link to a slide presentation by one of the featured speakers, and also includes streaming audio of the event including John C. Reid, Assistant Secretary for Education State of New York; Thomas W. Carroll, President, Foundation for Education Reform & Accountability; Paul E. Peterson Director, Program on Educational Policy and Governance Kennedy School of Government; Moderator: David F. Shaffer, President, Public Policy Institute of New York State; Panelists: Carl Hayden, Chancellor Emeritus, New York State Board of Regents; Richard C. Iannuzzi, President, New York State United Teachers; Timothy G. Kremer, Executive Director, New York State School Boards Association; Thomas L. Rogers, Executive Director, New York State Council of School Superintendents; Sol Stern, Contributing Editor, City Journal and Senior Fellow at the Manhattan Institute.
Mayor Revises Some Points of School Budget Proposal
Date CapturedFriday April 20 2007, 9:01 AM
NY Times DAVID M. HERSZENHORN reports, "The deals also call for the city’s Education Department to establish committees to improve parent relations, to comply with a new state law requiring the city to reduce class sizes, and to provide oversight of the new budget process. In addition, the administration agreed to work with the City Council speaker, Christine C. Quinn, on improving middle schools."
THE SCHOOL WARS: TEACHERS UNIONS MAULED GOV
Date CapturedFriday April 20 2007, 8:46 AM
NY Post Op-ed contributor Thomas W. Carroll, president of the Foundation for Education Reform and Accountability opines, "In sum, the governor's vision for educational accountability got mangled in the legislative process. The public and educators will get much better student data. But the political process removed the 'teeth' from any consequences for failure. Teachers unions hijacked the infusion of billions of dollars in state money for things they favor - smaller class size (read more dues-paying teachers) - and blocked crucial companion measures like longer school days, longer school years and more flexible work rules that are the sine qua non for successful schools, especially those serving economically disadvantaged populations. At the same time, the governor couldn't expand school choice on anything like the scale of the vast need for alternatives, especially in New York City. The net result: New York state will spend billions more on public schools, and likely produce marginal, if any, changes in outcomes. Eventually, the new assessment system will let us demonstrate this failure conclusively - but that will be faint solace for the generation of children who will be forever damaged by our failure to get reform right."
THE SCHOOL WARS: LESSONS FROM NYC
Date CapturedFriday April 20 2007, 8:40 AM
NY Post Op-ed contributor New York City Mayor Bloomberg opines, "I've always been a strong believer in the idea that if an extra year is necessary in order to learn basic and essential skills and knowledge, then that year is well-spent. And as our program to end social promotion demonstrated real results, the status-quo crowd stopped screaming. Turning around the school system in D.C. won't be any easier than it's been here in New York. But it can be done - and it must be done. The future of our cities, and of our nation, rests on whether we can create schools where children receive the high-quality education they will need to pursue their dreams in the 21st century. Our children deserve nothing less, and we can't settle for anything less."
Revenues and Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary Education: School Year 2004-05 (Fiscal Year 2005)
Date CapturedThursday April 19 2007, 9:45 AM
This brief publication contains basic revenue and expenditure data, by state, for public elementary and secondary education for school year 2004-05. It contains state-level data on revenues by source and expenditures by function, including expenditures per pupil. Zhou, L., Honegger, S., and Gaviola, N. (2007). Revenues and Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary Education: School Year 2004–05 (Fiscal Year 2005) (NCES 2007-356). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved April 19, 2007 from http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2007356.
At city universities, NYPD is vital asset
Date CapturedThursday April 19 2007, 9:35 AM
NY Daily News reports, " A City University of New York official who asked not to be named said that a 2002 internal review by former NYPD commissioner William Bratton encouraged all 22 colleges in the system to establish close relationships with the NYPD, and to use the department without hesitation."
Academy might relax scores to admit blacks
Date CapturedThursday April 19 2007, 9:25 AM
Times Herald-Record Greg Bruno reports, "The nation's top service academies have all reported difficulties attracting minority talent in recent years. Black candidates have been especially hard to lure. Of 1,311 freshmen who entered the military academy last year, 78 were black, or about 6 percent. Overall, 6 percent of West Point cadets are black, versus 22 percent of the active Army and 12.5 percent of the country."
Laws Limit Options When a Student Is Mentally Ill
Date CapturedThursday April 19 2007, 9:14 AM
NY Times TAMAR LEWIN reports, "For the most part, universities cannot tell parents about their children’s problems without the student’s consent. They cannot release any information in a student’s medical record without consent. And they cannot put students on involuntary medical leave, just because they develop a serious mental illness. Nor is knowing when to worry about student behavior, and what action to take, always so clear."
When student lenders compete, New York wins
Date CapturedThursday April 19 2007, 9:06 AM
NY Daily News guest writer MICHAEL DANNENBERG, director of education policy for the New America Foundation, a nonpartisan public policy institute based in Washington opines, "Banks could offer far cheaper federal loans to students. In fact, one small New York company called MyRichUncle currently offers federal loans at a rate that's a full percentage point lower than Sallie Mae's. For the typical federal student loan borrower with $20,000 in debt, that translates into roughly a $1,000 savings over the life of the loan. When MyRichUncle approached colleges to get on their preferred lender lists, it was rejected - because it didn't offer schools kickbacks, stock options, call centers or computer software like Sallie Mae's. It just had a cheaper product for students. You'd think that would be enough. It is in a real market."
BACKFIRING BAN, RETHINK THE DRINKING AGE
Date CapturedThursday April 19 2007, 8:45 AM
NY Post Op-ed contributor George F. Will opines, "Students may not care about McCardell's cause because they have little trouble finding fake IDs, or getting older friends to purchase their alcohol. His strongest argument, however, may be that delaying legal drinking until 21 merely delays tragedies that might be prevented with earlier instruction in temperance. The age that has the most drunk driving fatalities? Twenty-one."
SUNY EYEING TEXT-MESSAGE ALARM SYSTEM
Date CapturedThursday April 19 2007, 8:40 AM
NY Post reports, "The SUNY system is "actively considering" mandating that all of its 64 campuses adopt emergency text-messaging programs that could instantly warn students via their cellphones in the event of a massacre like the one at Virginia Tech, officials said. SUNY - which has more than 417,000 students - may also adopt a 'reverse 911 system,' in which students and staff would be called en masse on their cellphones with 'a specific' voice message about a threat or emergency, said SUNY spokesman David Henahan yesterday."
TEACHING CONTEMPT . . .
Date CapturedWednesday April 18 2007, 9:29 AM
NY Post opines, "Presumably somebody in the Department of Education understands the gravity of a deliberate violation of the law (The Cuban Democracy Act of 1992); the flouting of trade and travel embargoes dating to 1962 - and blowing off the DOE's own proscription of the trip. That adds up to grounds for suspending Turner posthaste - and maybe a more thorough housecleaning at Beacon. We know Beacon is special. But is it above the law, too?"
Education Department bars lenders from using student database
Date CapturedWednesday April 18 2007, 9:19 AM
AP reports, "Spellings said during the temporary suspension, the department would conduct a review of who is using the database and why. Since 2003, she said, the department has invested more than $650,000 in system security and monitoring tools and processes to ensure the integrity of student information."
Eight for 2008: Education Ideas for the Next President
Date CapturedTuesday April 17 2007, 6:51 PM
Education Sector is offering the following eight education ideas for the 2008 presidential campaign -- Unlock the Pre-K Door , Offer Teachers a New Deal , Create a National Corps of 'SuperPrincipals', Open New Schools in Low-Income Neighborhoods, Launch Learning into the 21st Century, Reward Hard-Working Immigrant Students, Give Students a Roadmap to Good Colleges, Help Students Help Others.
Record state education budget aligns with NYSSBA Principles of Funding Reform
Date CapturedTuesday April 17 2007, 11:44 AM
On Board Online • Volume 8 • No. 7 • April 16, 2007. David A. Little, Director of Governmental Relations writes, "While interpretations about this year’s state budget abound, one thing is clear: With a record investment of state funding, this year’s budget made public education the state’s top spending priority. With nearly $1.7 billion in direct aid to school districts and nearly as much again to offset local property tax increases, the 2007-08 state budget far outstripped its predecessors in support of public education."
'Marketplace' Report: Sallie Mae Buyout
Date CapturedMonday April 16 2007, 7:19 PM
NPR Day to Day reports, "The nation's largest student loan lender, has accepted a $25 billion takeover offer. The buyers are JP Morgan Chase and Bank of America, together with two private equity firms. This puts Sallie Mae into private hands at a time of political scrutiny. Marketplace's John Dimsdale talks with Madeleine Brand about the state of student loans and the potential impact of the takeover."
Proposed NYC Public School Causes Stir
Date CapturedMonday April 16 2007, 9:33 AM
Newsday NAHAL TOOSI reports, "The school, which is named after the famed Lebanese-American Christian poet who promoted peace, would be one of a few nationwide that incorporate the Arabic language and Islamic culture. Almontaser and city Department of Education officials say the curriculum will be in line with basics required from public schools while integrating elements of its theme. For instance, the role of Arabs in developing algebra would be explored in math. In history, students may study Egypt's extraordinary past. And Arabic will be offered as a second language. The goal is to eventually teach half of the classes in Arabic. Plans are to open this September with a 6th grade and gradually expand into a middle school and high school. About half the students are expected to be of Arab heritage, though the school will have open admission."
Pennsylvania schools asked to increase training
Date CapturedSunday April 15 2007, 3:28 PM
The Sentinel reports, "The Pennsylvania Department of Education is asking schools to add something to their curriculum: Job skills training. 'If Pennsylvania’s students are to succeed in the workplace,' says the department in recently approved career education and work standards for elementary and secondary schools, 'there are certain skills that they need to obtain prior to graduation from high school.' The standards set objectives, beginning as early as third grade, for helping students identify their career aptitudes, getting the necessary training and obtaining and keeping jobs."
Connecticut's New Education Commissioner Faces a Long To-Do List
Date CapturedSunday April 15 2007, 9:42 AM
NY Times reports, "Mr. McQuillan, who is to begin his job on Monday as the state’s commissioner of education, said Connecticut has been a leader in education reform and has a unique governing structure that fosters teamwork among local school boards, the State Department of Education, legislators and educational advocates."
NCLB Changes Could Affect Special Ed
Date CapturedSaturday April 14 2007, 8:58 PM
The Post-Journal (Jamestown, New York) reports, "The Bush Administration is suggesting changes be made to the act which will allow more disabled children to take simpler tests than their peers. Roughly 10 percent of special education students — the majority with the most severe cognitive disabilities — already take alternative assessments. If approved, the changes would bump the number of students taking the alternative exams up to 20 percent."
Lenders Sought Edge Against U.S. In Student Loans
Date CapturedSaturday April 14 2007, 6:33 PM
NY Times reports, "In a fierce contest to control the student loan market, the nation’s banks and lenders have for years waged a successful campaign to limit a federal program that was intended to make borrowing less costly by having the government provide loans directly to students. The companies have offered money to universities to pull out of the federal direct loan program, which was championed by the Clinton administration. They went to court to keep the direct program from becoming more competitive. And they benefited from oversight so lax that the Education Department’s assistant inspector general in 2003 called for tightened regulation of lender dealings with universities."
Study: Abstinence Classes Don't Stop Sex
Date CapturedSaturday April 14 2007, 5:55 PM
AP reports, "The federal government has authorized up to $50 million annually for the program. Participating states then provide $3 for every $4 they get from the federal government. Eight states decline to take part in the grant program. Some lawmakers and advocacy groups believe the federal government should use that money for comprehensive sex education, which would include abstinence as a piece of the curriculum."
Government Relations audioconference: What is the status of NCLB reauthorization?
Date CapturedFriday April 13 2007, 7:22 PM
Join Richard Long, IRA Director of Government Relations, in a live audioconference on Tuesday, April 24, at 8:00 p.m. EST as he discusses the House and Senate Education Committees’ work on the reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act as well as the status of Reading First.
The Education Gadfly
Date CapturedFriday April 13 2007, 10:18 AM
A Weekly Bulletin of News and Analysis from the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation; April 12, 2007, Volume 7, Number 14
Incident adds urgency to an issue
Date CapturedFriday April 13 2007, 9:24 AM
Times Union reports, "Board of Education members say they hope the problem of underage drinking will be a topic of conversation in the community now that 18 students have served in-school suspensions for attending a pre-dance party where alcohol was consumed."
Restore trust in student loans
Date CapturedFriday April 13 2007, 9:07 AM
Newsday opines, "New York's institutions should implement Cuomo's recommendation for a code of conduct to prevent future abuses. That would be a start to restoring some of the lost trust. "
Education Department official's disclosure raises questions about oversight
Date CapturedFriday April 13 2007, 8:40 AM
AP reports, "The student lending industry is already under scrutiny by New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, who is investigating allegations of possible kickbacks to school officials for steering students to certain lenders. Cuomo's investigators say they have found numerous arrangements that benefited schools and lenders at the expense of students."
School Official Visits District Run by State
Date CapturedFriday April 13 2007, 8:35 AM
NY Times reports, "Responding to a recent state audit that projected a $12.3 million budget deficit in the chronically troubled Roosevelt school district, Richard P. Mills, the state education commissioner, acknowledged to an audience of parents and teachers on Thursday night that he had failed to notice that the district had been spending millions it did not have."
High style, no class
Date CapturedFriday April 13 2007, 8:24 AM
NY Daily News reports, "City investigators are probing whether bureaucrats built themselves a cozy lounge using money that was supposed to be used to repair crumbling schools, sources told the Daily News. The Education Department's Division of School Facilities - which fixes broken windows, replaces damaged doors and completes other school maintenance - has spent $38,000 for custom bookshelves, electrical wiring and other features inside the room, sources said. But work on the room inside the division's headquarters in Long Island City, Queens, was halted this week after the office of Special Schools Investigator Richard Condon paid a visit, the sources said."
U.S Deputy Secretary of Education Raymond Simon Joins Pennsylvania Congressmen to Highlight Success in Pennsylvania Under No Child Left Behind
Date CapturedThursday April 12 2007, 9:23 PM
Highlighting more than five years of progress under No Child Left Behind (NCLB), U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education Raymond Simon today traveled to Pennsylvania, joining Rep. Tim Murphy (PA-18th) and Rep. Bill Schuster (PA-9th) for roundtable discussions with teachers and administrators to discuss ways NCLB can be expanded and improved as Congress prepares to reauthorize the law this year. Deputy Secretary Simon touted the significant achievements of schools and students throughout Pennsylvania since NCLB was enacted.
Catholic schools need more than our prayers
Date CapturedThursday April 12 2007, 9:00 AM
NY Daily News guest contributor Peter Meyer, contributing editor at Education Next and author of a new report in that journal, titled "Can Catholic Schools Be Saved?" opines, "This is not a sectarian fight, nor should it be. The era of choice in public schools has opened the way for daring reform in the public school system - and the most daring and successful of these new schools look remarkably like Catholic schools of old: they are focused and mission-driven. Parents deserve a choice in the school their children attend. It is in the educational interests of our children not only to allow that competition to take place, but to encourage it."
Blowing the whistle
Date CapturedThursday April 12 2007, 8:44 AM
NY Daily News opines, "Weingarten's purposes are particularly transparent in that city laws already protect whistleblowers who report gross mismanagement or abuse of authority, and a special investigator is tasked with investigating school complaints. New York State law also protects whistleblowing teachers. Regardless, the Council Education Committee yesterday voted 14 to 1 in favor of Weingarten's bill. Among those in support was Chairman Robert Jackson, who allowed that he doesn't really know what's covered under existing law but "wholeheartedly supports" Weingarten's bill anyway. If it sounds good for kids, that's good enough for Jackson. But the people it's really good for are teachers who are worried about being subject to hard data analysis of student progress."
SLEAZIE MAE HIT FOR $2M IN LOAN OUTRAGE
Date CapturedThursday April 12 2007, 8:36 AM
NY Post reports, "The nation's largest student-loan provider will alter its business practices and pay $2 million into a fund to educate students and parents about the financial-aid industry, as part of a settlement announced yesterday in a widening probe of the student loan industry. SLM Corp., commonly known as Sallie Mae, also agreed to adopt a code of conduct created by state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, who is heading the probe. Cuomo said the expanding investigation of the $85 billion student-loan industry has found numerous arrangements that benefited schools and lenders at the expense of students."
College Loan Scandal May Touch Many Schools
Date CapturedWednesday April 11 2007, 8:27 AM
NPR "All Things Considered" Larry Abramson reports, "In a developing student loan scandal, Johns Hopkins University has placed a financial aid official on leave after it was disclosed that she received fees from Student Loan Express, a company that has been accused of giving incentives to a number of financial aid officers around the country."
End city district tug of war over school finances, record
Date CapturedWednesday April 11 2007, 7:52 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle Op-Ed contributors, Rochester Board of Education president and additional board members opine, "City Hall has taken a public stand that funding should be tied to academic achievement. Certainly, this board expects and promotes improved academic standards. Yet reducing aid will not produce better outcomes. No one would suggest that the police force cut its budget because the crime rate is rising. Money does not equal results; however, no reasonable person could expect better results from fewer resources. The district has been focusing on fundamentals, and we have been getting results by virtually every measure. Even our seniors are graduating to a higher standard. Our graduation rate has hovered around 50 percent for many years, but in 2003, only 21 percent of our students earned a Regents diploma. Now, 52 percent of our graduates earn Regents diplomas in four years and an additional 6 percent get theirs in five years."
Fund the Child: A Better Way to Help Disadvantaged Students
Date CapturedTuesday April 10 2007, 10:55 AM
HumanEvents.com contributor Dan Lips writes, "In January, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg proposed that Gotham adopt three new policies: 'backpack funding,' school-based management, and widespread school choice. This bundle of reforms -- known as the 'weighted student formula' -- embodies a new approach to education finance."
Mayor Attacks Critics of Plan to Fix Schools
Date CapturedTuesday April 10 2007, 9:10 AM
NY Times reports, "While the mayor suggested that the gathering yesterday was evidence of a groundswell of support for his agenda, the group was composed of many people who also have business dealings with the school system, including two former Education Department officials, leaders of nonprofit organizations that are helping to run schools and high-profile donors who have given millions to support the mayor’s work. Mr. Bloomberg has come under increasing attack from parent groups, community advocates, elected officials and union leaders, urging him to halt his plans to reorganize the school bureaucracy. These plans include eliminating the city’s 10 instructional regions and adopting a new school budgeting system."
Schools for scandal
Date CapturedTuesday April 10 2007, 8:57 AM
NY Daily News opines, "Cuomo's probe of 100 colleges and six lending firms has exposed a slew of dirty business practices among private lenders, a largely unregulated industry that affects 90% of U.S. college students and did $85 billion in business last year alone. Schools get bonuses from private lenders when their students take out loans; the bigger the loan, the bigger the payoff. They get even more if they put the companies on preferred-lender lists. College administrators get gifts and trips. The companies even staff university financial aid call centers, passing themselves off as school administrators giving students unbiased advice."
MIKE'S SCHOOL-WAR BLAST: UFT = NRA
Date CapturedTuesday April 10 2007, 8:36 AM
NY Post David Andreatta reports, "Bolstered by a vote of confidence from 100 civic leaders, Mayor Bloomberg yesterday took aim at what he called 'special interests' trying to derail his education reforms, and compared the tactics of the teachers union to those of gun lobbyists."
PTA Recommendations for Parent Involvement in the Upcoming ESEA-NCLB Reauthorization
Date CapturedMonday April 09 2007, 10:22 AM
As Congress moves towards reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), reauthorized in 2001 as the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), PTA has crafted specific recommendations to improve the parent involvement provisions within the law. While ensuring local flexibility, PTA recommends creating a system of accountability designed to encourage parents to be active partners in their child's education.
Education law needs flexibility
Date CapturedMonday April 09 2007, 9:35 AM
Poughkeepsie Journal opines, "Spellings says the new tests won't be as easy as those given to the severely disabled already exempted from the regular tests, but they won't be as difficult as those given to the great majority of students. While that sounds promising, it is essential the tests are counted toward a school's performance. Some groups representing disabled students say accountability standards have to be in place because these children were often ignored until No Child Left Behind forced schools to pay more attention to them. There is, indeed, a danger of lowering the bar to the point where some special education students won't be challenged to the degree they should be. More details about the tests will have to be fleshed out over time. But the announcement does show the administration has heard some of the criticism and is proposing changes. That is a good sign in what promises to be a contentious debate about the renewal of No Child Left Behind."
Inside Education: Universal pre-school's new funding a tease?
Date CapturedMonday April 09 2007, 9:27 AM
Journal News reports, "Like the 1997 proposal, the money could be here this year and, once programs are established, disappear, leaving the district the unhappy task of either eliminating a popular program or asking taxpayers to pick up the slack."
'CHARTERS' RACE IS ON
Date CapturedMonday April 09 2007, 8:31 AM
NY Post David Andreatta reports, "Advocates of the alternative public schools say they have been deluged with inquiries from potential operators seeking advice on meeting new demands in the measures that raised the cap from 100 to 200 schools last week."
Govs Call for More Control Over NCLB
Date CapturedSunday April 08 2007, 6:31 PM
Infozine reports, "The NGA's [National Governors Association] recommendations include allowing states to decide the most appropriate way to test students; not requiring any new tests; differentiating consequences for schools that fail to make progress by a little or a lot; rewarding schools that perform well; and giving states grants to voluntarily benchmark themselves to international standards. Some suggestions reflect the battles individual states have had with the federal government over the law, such as alternate tests for students with disabilities, or allowing English learners more time to learn the language. Arizona and Virginia have clashed with the U.S. Department of Education for not giving the states more time to teach their foreign students English before testing them in reading. The governors also want fewer restrictions to consider a teacher 'highly qualified.'"
New Jersey Special Education Enrollment Up Again in ’06
Date CapturedSunday April 08 2007, 11:08 AM
NY Times reports, "School officials have many theories about the growth, including the increasing sophistication of parents advocating for services for their children and backdoor efforts by districts to get more state money and increase achievement scores. But one thing is certain: The increase in special education enrollment is adding to tax bills."
Colleges must learn to teach
Date CapturedSunday April 08 2007, 10:05 AM
Times Union THOMAS TOCH and KEVIN CAREY write, "Ironically, our global dominance in research and persistent mediocrity in undergraduate education are closely related. Both are the result of the same choices. The 17 institutions atop the Shanghai rankings are driven by professional and financial incentives that favor research and scholarship over teaching. Funding from the federal government, publish-or-perish tenure policies, and college rankings from the likes of U.S. News & World Report all push universities and professors to excel at their research mission. There are no corresponding incentives to teach students well. Take the U.S. News rankings. Ninety-five percent of each college's score is based on measures of wealth, fame and admissions selectivity. As a result, college presidents looking to get ahead focus on marketing, fundraising and recruiting faculty with great research credentials instead of investing their resources in helping undergraduates learn and earn degrees."
Charter schools are here to stay
Date CapturedSunday April 08 2007, 9:50 AM
Times Union Op-Ed contributor THOMAS W. CARROLL opines, "Among the measures rejected during negotiations on the charter-school bill were: a cap on additional charters in Albany and Buffalo, limits on enrollment growth, a 20 percent funding cut for elementary and middle-school charters, automatic unionization, elimination of the ability of charters to contract for management assistance, and subjecting charter school facilities (which receive no state building aid) to prevailing-wage mandates and the state Education Department's onerous building code and approval process. At the same time, charter advocates were able to get language approved making clear that new charters could be granted over district opposition, even in high density districts like Albany and Buffalo, when a significant educational benefit can be shown for students likely to attend a proposed charter school. This was a major child-centered victory. To give Albany, Buffalo and other districts time to adjust to the decisions of thousands of parents to move their children to public charter schools, the Legislature approved state-financed transition aid. This was a reasonable accommodation that the Brighter Choice Foundation and others backed."
The Education Gadfly
Date CapturedSaturday April 07 2007, 12:37 PM
A Weekly Bulletin of News and Analysis from the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation; April 5, 2007, Volume 7, Number 13
Conservatives and No Child Left Behind
Date CapturedSaturday April 07 2007, 9:58 AM
NPR All Things Considered and Andrew Rotherham report, "President Bush and key Democrats believe the No Child Left Behind Act is a success. They want the law re-authorized this year. Does conservative opposition spell trouble for President Bush's signature education plan?"
Montanta GOP vows school-funding fight
Date CapturedSaturday April 07 2007, 9:26 AM
AP reports, "Education groups are mixed on the bill. While they support the idea of state funding for all-day kindergarten, they also believe many schools - particularly smaller ones - need more money for basic needs first. They also want the state's share of school funding increased."
New York City readies for eight new charter schools
Date CapturedFriday April 06 2007, 1:10 PM
Crain Communications reports, "Officials at the New York City Department of Education say two new charter schools are scheduled to open in September—Bedford-Stuyvesant Collegiate Charter School in Brooklyn and Carl C. Icahn Charter School Bronx North—because they were approved before the cap was reached in January 2006. Two other schools have received preliminary approval by the DOE and have been sent to the New York State Board of Regents for approval. Six more are under review by Schools Chancellor Joel Klein. "
Probe Targets College Financial Aid Kickbacks
Date CapturedFriday April 06 2007, 11:10 AM
All Things Considered Nancy Solomon reports, "High-ranking financial aid officers at three major universities owned stock in a loan company they recommended as a 'preferred lender,' according to New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo."
Building on Results: A Blueprint for Strengthening The No Child Left Behind Act
Date CapturedFriday April 06 2007, 11:04 AM
Building on Results: A Blueprint for Strengthening the No Child Left Behind Act sets forth the policy proposals of Secretary Spellings for reauthorizing the No Child Left Behind Act . U.S. Department of Education, Building on Results: A Blueprint for Strengthening the No Child Left Behind Act, Washington, D.C., 2007.
Lifeline for Special Education parents
Date CapturedFriday April 06 2007, 10:51 AM
The Queens Courier reports, "The center acts both as advocate for the parents, explaining unfamiliar terms and informing them of their rights, and as a haven, providing 'respite' sessions for frazzled parents, to watch a movie on TV in peace, or pamper themselves with a manicure. Since starting up last October, PRCQ has helped about 40 parents 'get control of their family back,' according to Jacobs. 'Right now we have nine new intakes, and another five applicants. Sometimes they just need a referral to a therapist or an explanation and they move on. Some we work with on an ongoing basis.' she said."
Longer school day would have benefits
Date CapturedFriday April 06 2007, 10:01 AM
Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin 'Guest Viewpoint' Binghamton resident Jane Shear opines, "Teachers also need professional development time where they can compare best practices, analyze data and plan interesting and successful curricula. This should be done before the school year starts, but it is also important to have time during the course of the school year. A longer school year would enable us to have periodic breaks, at the end of each nine-week block of time, during which students would have time to reenergize for the following quarter, while teachers would have time to examine what has been accomplished and what needs to be done next. I believe that a longer school year and a longer school day will enable students and teachers to better work toward our common goal, which is to help each and every student graduate with high levels of the skills they will need in adult life. A firm commitment to education from all of us, teachers, students and parents working together, will help us achieve this goal."
Secretary Spellings Announces New Regulations to More Accurately Assess Students With Disabilities
Date CapturedThursday April 05 2007, 5:01 PM
Under the new regulations released today, states may develop modified academic achievement standards based on grade-level content, and alternate assessments based on those standards, for students with disabilities who are capable of achieving high standards but may not reach grade level in the same timeframe as their peers. States may count proficient and advanced test scores on these alternate assessments for up to 2.0 percent of all students assessed when calculating adequate yearly progress (AYP) under NCLB. These regulations build on the flexibility provided for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities, which allows states to count up to 1.0 percent of proficient and advanced assessment scores based on alternate achievement standards toward AYP calculation.
New Jersey bill would boost school bus safety standards
Date CapturedThursday April 05 2007, 4:27 PM
The Times of Trenton reports, "The new legislation would require potential school bus drivers to go through classroom and behind-the-wheel training and pass a written test, Turner [Senate Education Committee Chair] said. School bus drivers also would be required to complete at least four hours of classroom training every four years in order to renew their certification, and undergo biennial medical exams and random drug testing."
P-16 Implementation and Evaluation of the Regents Teaching Policy: Second Annual Report on Teacher Supply and Demand
Date CapturedThursday April 05 2007, 10:38 AM
What does the data on teacher supply and demand reveal about teacher shortages? What strategies should be used to eliminate those shortages and ensure that all students have certified and highly qualified teachers?
Office of Educational Management Services New York State Education Department
Date CapturedThursday April 05 2007, 10:32 AM
POLICY FOR NYSED’s Response To A Pupil Transportation Fatality
LATEST INFORMATION ON THE NEW YORK 2007-2008 STATE BUDGET
Date CapturedThursday April 05 2007, 10:28 AM
New & Notes
Effectiveness of Reading and Mathematics Software Products: Findings from the First Student Cohort
Date CapturedThursday April 05 2007, 9:16 AM
National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance study finds: "Test scores were not significantly higher in classrooms using the reading and mathematics software products than those in control classrooms. In each of the four groups of products-reading in first grade and in fourth grade, mathematics in sixth grade, and high school algebra-the evaluation found no significant differences in student achievement between the classrooms that used the technology products and classrooms that did not. There was substantial variation between schools regarding the effects on student achievement. Although the study collected data on many school and classroom characteristics, only two characteristics were related to the variation in reading achievement. For first grade, effects were larger in schools that had smaller student-teacher ratios (a measure of class size). For fourth grade, effects were larger when treatment teachers reported higher levels of use of the study product." Dynarski, Mark, Roberto Agodini, Sheila Heaviside, Timothy Novak, Nancy Carey, Larissa Campuzano, Barbara Means, Robert Murphy, William Penuel, Hal Javitz, Deborah Emery, and Willow Sussex. Effectiveness of Reading and Mathematics Software Products: Findings from the First Student Cohort, Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, 2007. Prepared under Contract No.: ED-01-CO-0039/0007 with Mathematica Policy Research, Inc.
College officials owned stock in preferred lenders
Date CapturedWednesday April 04 2007, 4:02 PM
AP reports, "Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's office is investigating stock grants from student loan companies to financial aid officers at three major universities as part of a widening investigation into the $85 billion student loan industry. Cuomo's office on Wednesday sent a subpoena to Columbia University and sent letters to the University of Southern California and the University of Texas seeking information about financial aid officers ownership of stock in a loan company that appears on each school's list of preferred lenders. Securities and Exchange Commission records for Education Lending Group Inc. show officials at the three schools in September 2003 owned at least 1,500 shares each of the company. Education Lending Group's subsidiary, Student Loan Xpress, is listed as a preferred lender at each school."
North Carolina local county students with good attendance could skip exam
Date CapturedWednesday April 04 2007, 3:45 PM
Lexington (North Carolina) Dispatch reports, "The policy would allow students to exempt one final exam per semester if they have good class attendance. However, the exemption could not be applied to any course for which there is a required state end-of-course examination, VoCATS examination or transfer or college course examination. VoCATS are state assessments used for career and technical education classes."
New York State Catholic Conference criticizes state budget decisions
Date CapturedWednesday April 04 2007, 3:01 PM
Catholic News Service reports, "Barnes [Catholic conference executive director] blamed Silver and the state's powerful teachers' unions for the exclusion of the tuition tax deduction from the education portion of the state's $121 billion budget, despite strong support for the credit by the Senate and Gov. Eliot Spitzer. He said New York is ranked second in the nation 'and soon likely to be first' in its per-student cost of more than $15,000 a year for public education, but has 'graduation rates that are a scandalous 48th.' Yet Silver, he said, 'could not see fit to give parents of children in independent and religious schools, who save the state $7.5 billion every single year, a deduction that amounts to about $68 per child.'"
Bush administration wants to loosen NCLB rules
Date CapturedWednesday April 04 2007, 1:16 PM
AP reports, "The Bush administration wants to loosen the rules so that many more disabled children can take tests that are simpler than those required by the president's signature No Child Left Behind law. The changes would triple the number of those children who could take simplified tests. Roughly 10 percent of special education students -- those with the most serious cognitive disabilities -- currently can take easier, alternative tests and have the results count toward a school's annual progress goals under the law. Under final rules the administration was to unveil Wednesday, about another 20 percent of children with disabilities would be allowed to take alternative tests."
LATEST INFORMATION ON THE 2007-2008 NY STATE EDUCATION BUDGET
Date CapturedWednesday April 04 2007, 9:16 AM
2007-08 State Aid Projections; Preliminary Estimates of 2006-07 and 2007-08 State Aids; Payable Under Section 3609 and Other Aids.
P-16 Education: A Plan for Action
Date CapturedWednesday April 04 2007, 9:10 AM
Improve high school attendance and graduation rates by setting performance targets, promoting promising practices that remove barriers to graduation, and holding schools accountable for dramatic improvements. Problem: Since higher standards were adopted in 1996, the number of high school graduates each year has increased. However, only 64% of students who entered 9th grade in 2001 graduated in four years; 18% were still enrolled and 11% had dropped out. Rates for Black and Hispanic students were below 45%. Data show that graduation rates are closely tied to attendance rates. As attendance declines below 95%, graduation rates decline significantly. And both attendance and graduation rates decline with poverty. New York’s current graduation rate standard is only 55%, one of the lowest in the nation. Schools need to focus on the least served students, such as Black males, English Language Learners, and students with disabilities. Actions: ¦ Set a State graduation rate standard, publish four- and five-year graduation rates by school, and specify a schedule of improvement targets for schools to close the gap between their graduation rate and State standard. Set targets now for the students who entered 9th grade in 2004 and will graduate in 2008. This action is especially important to ensure that more schools intervene to help the most underserved students, such as Black males, English Language Learners, and students with disabilities Research and benchmark other states for effective, innovative strategies that improve high school graduation and attendance rates. Include strategies that begin in middle school and focus on the transition from middle to high school. Emphasize a meaningful curriculum that includes the arts, music, physical education and career and technical programs. Provide effective strategies to schools to enable them to achieve the State targets through regional networks
Message from Johanna Duncan-Poitier, Senior Deputy Commissioner of Education- P-16
Date CapturedWednesday April 04 2007, 9:03 AM
It is an exciting time for education in New York State. For the first time in recent history, we have a solid P-16 action plan for statewide education reform and the resources necessary to fully support our schools and to help all students reach high standards of performance. The Board of Regents have set forth a P-16 agenda to improve graduation rates, strengthen instruction, raise learning standards, and increase accountability. At the same time, the new 2007-08 State budget includes an unprecedented increase of $1.7 billion in aid to school districts across the State. With the action plan and resources as the foundation for the future of education in this State, we are well-positioned to marshal the talent and energy across the Pre-Kindergarten through higher education continuum to achieve greater success for all students.
Good calls on education
Date CapturedWednesday April 04 2007, 8:49 AM
Times Union opines, "While it will take time before the full impact of the first state budget under Governor Spitzer is fully known, three results are readily apparent. And all of them are positive."
Real N.Y. school reform has only just begun
Date CapturedWednesday April 04 2007, 8:34 AM
NY Daily News guest contributor Joe Williams, executive director of Democrats for Education Reform opines, "Many Democrats in particular will find themselves in the uncomfortable position of having to choose between, on the one hand, a reform-minded governor who is responding to a frustrated public and, on the other, to entrenched political forces that have proven to be more than willing to simply continue along without making important changes that would make excellence commonplace in our schools. Among the reforms we must begin to try without further delay: genuine accountability for our teachers that gives principals more authority to hire and fire educators; pay scales that give different teachers different salaries, based on market realities and quality; an aggressive overhaul of the way teachers are trained; and more choice for students and families. To be sure, the most historic part of this year's education budget is the resolution of the 14-year-old Campaign for Fiscal Equity lawsuit, under which the state will now hike its spending on education by billions of dollars per year. But lasting change will require much more than just sending more and more money into systems where children compete with grownups for their share of the attention. In that regard, the fight has just begun."
When Schools Stay Open Late: The First Year Findings
Date CapturedTuesday April 03 2007, 6:20 PM
The first-year findings reveal that while 21st-Century after-school centers changed where and with whom students spent some of their after-school time and increased parental involvement, they had limited influence on academic performance, no influence on feelings of safety or on the number of “latchkey” children and some negative influences on behavior. [A “center” refers to after-school services operated in one school, and a “program” refers to one or more centers operated in one school district. The study measured impacts at the program level but not at the center level.] U.S. Department of Education, Office of the Under Secretary, When Schools Stay Open Late: The National Evaluation of the 21st-Century Learning Centers Program, First Year Findings, Washington, D.C., 2003.
National Center for Restructuring Education, Schools and Teachers
Date CapturedTuesday April 03 2007, 5:32 PM
The National Center for Restructuring Education, Schools, & Teaching (NCREST) is a research and development organization at Teachers College, Columbia University. Founded in 1990 by Linda Darling-Hammond and Ann Lieberman, NCREST is currently co-directed by Jacqueline Ancess and Thomas Hatch. NCREST is affiliated with Teachers College Department of Curriculum and Teaching.
Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings Touts Reauthorization of No Child Left Behind for Arizona's Children
Date CapturedTuesday April 03 2007, 10:54 AM
Secretary Spellings also discussed new proposals President Bush put forth in urging Congress to reauthorize No Child Left Behind this year, including provisions that would enhance the availability and performance of charter schools. To give more students the chance to attend a successful charter school, the President also recommended that districts be permitted to lift arbitrary limits on the number of charters available within a state. Moreover, he has pledged to support all viable charter applications that can improve outcomes for students and provide greater flexibility in charter schools' use of grant funds.
Massachusetts schools to pilot longer schedules
Date CapturedTuesday April 03 2007, 10:37 AM
Berkshire Eagle reports, "For the past five months, Pittsfield Public Schools have been working steadily toward a plan to pilot a longer school day. In October, the state Board of Education voted to issue the district a $10,000 Expanded Learning Time planning grant, which will be used specifically to address the needs of Silvio O. Conte and Morningside community schools.The subsequent outcome will be a 25 percent increase — 300 hours per year — in these pupils' time in school, beginning with the 2008-2009 school year."
Answering some of parents' most-asked questions about No Child Left Behind
Date CapturedTuesday April 03 2007, 10:09 AM
Arizona Republic reports, "The Arizona Republic sat down with Spellings to get answers to parents' most-asked questions about the centerpiece of the administration's education policy: the No Child Left Behind Act."
Get Mayors in the Schooling Game
Date CapturedTuesday April 03 2007, 9:58 AM
David Harris, President and CEO of The Mind Trust and Andrew J. Rotherham, co-founder and co-director of Education Sector and a member of the Virginia Board of Education opine, "Mayors can open their own public schools. Doing so does not mean walking away from other struggling public schools, but it does mean providing more high quality seats for students and introducing healthy competition into the public sector. This is not just a theory. In Indianapolis, America's 12th largest city, Mayor Bart Peterson is creating an entirely new sector of public schools. In 2001, the Indiana legislature granted the Mayor of Indianapolis the authority to issue public school charters to nonprofit entities as part of broader charter school legislation. Mayor Peterson, a Democrat who has served as mayor since 2000, enthusiastically embraced the authority and the idea of public charter schooling. Public charter schools are independent public schools that are tuition-free, open to all children, and publicly financed."
Get Mayors in the Schooling Game
Date CapturedTuesday April 03 2007, 9:58 AM
David Harris, President and CEO of The Mind Trust and Andrew J. Rotherham, co-founder and co-director of Education Sector and a member of the Virginia Board of Education opine, "Mayors can open their own public schools. Doing so does not mean walking away from other struggling public schools, but it does mean providing more high quality seats for students and introducing healthy competition into the public sector. This is not just a theory. In Indianapolis, America's 12th largest city, Mayor Bart Peterson is creating an entirely new sector of public schools. In 2001, the Indiana legislature granted the Mayor of Indianapolis the authority to issue public school charters to nonprofit entities as part of broader charter school legislation. Mayor Peterson, a Democrat who has served as mayor since 2000, enthusiastically embraced the authority and the idea of public charter schooling. Public charter schools are independent public schools that are tuition-free, open to all children, and publicly financed."
Schools adopt code for student lending
Date CapturedTuesday April 03 2007, 9:49 AM
Times Union reports, "The schools -- all 29 four-year State University of New York campuses, including University at Albany, New York University, University of Pennsylvania, St. John's University, Syracuse University, Fordham University, St. Lawrence University and Long Island University -- agreed to the code as part of settlements of the nationwide probe by Cuomo's office into student lending. None of the schools admitted any wrongdoing. Cuomo's investigation found that many colleges established questionable 'preferred lender' lists, and entered into revenue sharing and other financial arrangements with those lenders."
MIKE BLASTS CURBS ON CHARTER SCHOOLS
Date CapturedTuesday April 03 2007, 8:40 AM
NY Post DAVID SEIFMAN and DAVID ANDREATTA report, "His remarks, made at city Department of Education headquarters during a press conference to invite applications for new charter schools, were interpreted by many as veiled slaps at Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and the state and city teachers unions, which championed the initiatives. Among the provisions is a mandate to ensure that proposals to place charter schools inside buildings housing traditional public schools - a common occurrence in a city short on space - would now be subject to a public forum. The initiative is a direct outgrowth of a nasty civic battle last year that pitted a public school for gifted students in Silver's home district against the city, whose plans to have the school share space with a new charter school were ultimately beaten back."
Charter OK no help till next year
Date CapturedMonday April 02 2007, 10:20 AM
NY Daily News Erin Einhorn reports, "Many of the city's 58 charter schools have long waiting lists of parents hoping to enroll kids. The schools, often seen as innovative, are subject to less bureaucracy and have more flexibility than traditional public schools. The new charter law addresses some parent concerns by requiring the Education Department to hold hearings before placing a charter within an existing public school. It also requires new charters that enroll 250 students in their first two years to hire only unionized employees."
Fears on school funding
Date CapturedMonday April 02 2007, 10:14 AM
NY Daily News CARRIE MELAGO reports, "The promise behind the plan is that it will end inequity among schools and replace unfair, decades-old formulas that have led to drastic variations in funding, even among similar schools. Under the plan, certain city funds will be directed to schools on a per-pupil basis. Extra cash then will be added to a school's budget based on its students' special needs, ability to speak English, family income and other factors. But the Education Department has not yet decided on the exact formula, causing anxiety among some parents who fear better-performing schools will lose out."
Turn to private and corporate donations
Date CapturedSunday April 01 2007, 10:24 AM
Newsday Op-Ed contributor Timothy P. Mulhearn, president of United New Yorkers for Choice in Education opines, "Private donations could help public schools maintain or expand academic and athletic programs without asking for increased tax revenue or charging players to play on sports teams. The funds could be used to hold tax rates steady. Wealthier individuals or businesses would be encouraged to become engaged with local schools, which can only strengthen the community. As New York State becomes an increasingly expensive place to live and more businesses contemplate relocating, this legislation is a sound attempt to make it a more attractive environment in which people can live, work and raise their families. The sponsors of the Educational Tax Incentives Act have 38 co-sponsors from urban and suburban regional areas of the state. It is in all New Yorkers' interest that the legislature pass it. "
Outside-the-box funding
Date CapturedSunday April 01 2007, 10:19 AM
Newsday Op-Ed contributor Martin R. Cantor, director of the Long Island Economic and Social Policy Institute at Dowling College in Oakdale and a former Suffolk County economic development commissioner opines, "Let's think of teachers as state, rather than local, employees. Teachers and their benefits account for 68 percent of all education spending in the state, or $18.5 billion. If Albany paid teachers, local school budgets would drop by 68 percent. Remaining education expenses could be covered by modest local commercial property taxes."
A finding about aggressive behavior gets headlines, but positive aspects can't be ignored
Date CapturedSunday April 01 2007, 10:14 AM
Newsday Op-Ed contributor Caryl Rivers, professor of journalism at Boston University opines, "With some 70 percent of women in the workforce, with more than half of all mothers of toddlers at work, and with men's wages flat or declining, it's a myth to think that most women will - or can - leave their jobs with the birth of a child. Unlike most European countries, the United States lags far behind in paying good salaries and requiring specialized training for day care workers. Staff burnout and turnover are major problems. We need to constantly fight for better-quality care and more funding for early childhood education. Some ideologues may argue that the only good mother is a stay-at-home mother, but that's not what research tells us. With more than 2 million kids in day care in this country, it's good that we are keeping a watchful eye on what is happening to these kids. But demonizing day care, and exaggerating its harm to children, does no service to parents."
Zoning Changes Proposed to Preserve West Harlem’s Character
Date CapturedSunday April 01 2007, 10:02 AM
NY Times reports, "Columbia University’s proposal for a $7 billion expansion of its campus on 17 acres in West Harlem has touched off fears that another wave of gentrification will wash over this low-scale neighborhood of tenements, brownstones, housing projects, warehouses and small businesses. Rising rents are already forcing out some longtime residents. Local politicians and community groups fear that Columbia’s project will draw other developers to the surrounding area and displace even more people."
A fund boost for charters?
Date CapturedSaturday March 31 2007, 9:46 AM
Newsday reports, "There are about 4,000 charter schools nationwide, according to the pro-charter Center for Education Reform. The budget agreement between Gov. Eliot Spitzer and the state legislature, which is expected to be passed by Sunday, gives the State University of New York and the state Board of Regents the authority to hand out charters to groups interested in running schools. Bloomberg said Friday he was disappointed the deal did not give the schools chancellor similar authority."
Charter the right course
Date CapturedSaturday March 31 2007, 8:56 AM
NY Daily News opines, "Small, flexible and free to experiment with reforms that would be impossible within the confines of a 600-page union contract, New York City's 47 charters get superior results. Last year, 66% of their elementary kids were up to snuff on standardized math tests, compared with 53% in city-run schools in the same districts. The comparison on English tests was 56% passing in the charters, 48% in city-run schools. Charters are giving low-income, minority children a fighting chance to get ahead in life - and blazing the trail toward better education for all. Lawmakers should do all they can to spread this opportunity far and wide. That means a straightforward expansion of charters without costly mandates and innovation-squashing rules."
Budget dance speeds to close
Date CapturedSaturday March 31 2007, 8:48 AM
Times Union reports, "On education, the legislative leaders said about $1.7 billion in aid will be added to funds for schools, including $1.1 billion under Spitzer's new foundation formula that drives funds to the neediest districts. But the language on how to make schools more accountable and shrink class sizes was unwritten late Friday. The school aid formulas also were still unclear. As a result, district-by-district funding estimates were unavailable as of late Friday, a clear signal of the unsettled nature of that financing. Further, the Legislature did not have a clear answer on how $22 million in aid to districts hosting charter schools -- called transition aid -- was going to be cut up. Albany is expected to get a big share of the money."
SPITZER'S SCHOOL SELLOUT ...
Date CapturedSaturday March 31 2007, 8:42 AM
NY Post opines, "The charter battle is about something more vital than money: It's about this state's children and what sort of future they are able to make for themselves. It wasn't enough that the unions and the education lobby made off like bandits, with $7 billion of new cash over the next four years. Spitzer also seems willing to let unions and educrats shackle charters beyond recognition. Even the fig leaf of 100 more charter schools can't hide that. What a disgrace."
The Education Gadfly
Date CapturedFriday March 30 2007, 4:15 PM
A Weekly Bulletin of News and Analysis from the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation April 1, 2007, Volume 0, Number 0
New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch: Plan would allow flexible, sensible school funding
Date CapturedFriday March 30 2007, 9:08 AM
Union Leader Op-Ed by New Hampshire Gov. Lynch opines, "This amendment sets a floor -- requiring the state to provide at least 50 percent of the statewide cost of an adequate education -- and ensures that the state will not abandon its responsibility for education. It requires that some state education aid be provided to every school district. And with this amendment, we will be finally able to effectively target education aid -- lifting up the communities that need help the most and finally ensuring that all children in all our communities have the opportunity they deserve for a good education and better lives."
Pact eases student transfers in Connecticut state colleges
Date CapturedFriday March 30 2007, 8:56 AM
Newsday reports, "Students at Connecticut's two-year community colleges can more easily transfer to four-year state universities under an agreement signed Thursday. Officials of the two-year and four-year public higher education systems signed a partnership that guarantees admission to state universities for community college students who meet specific guidelines."
Help SUNY
Date CapturedFriday March 30 2007, 8:03 AM
Times Union opines, "SUNY full-time faculty has been shrinking for years, with the gap made up by part-time instructors who often have other jobs that demand most of their energies. That's a disservice to students, who rely on a highly qualified faculty not only for instruction, but also for follow-up support, such as conferences, letters of reference and scholarly guidance. Part-time faculty often do not have the time to do so."
On LI, new numbers bring a sigh of relief
Date CapturedThursday March 29 2007, 8:57 AM
Newsday reports, "More than $500 million in extra education aid could ameliorate the blow Long Island school districts had feared under Spitzer's new funding formula, which funnels more money to high-needs districts. The Island's Republican senators succeeded in doubling the amount of school aid the governor had earmarked for the region, adding up to $115 million, said state Sen. John J. Flanagan of East Northport. Others from the delegation predicted that the region's share of school operating aid would be restored to its traditional 13 percent, although state money for school building projects had not been negotiated."
Charter schools deliver success
Date CapturedThursday March 29 2007, 8:39 AM
Times Union contributors Rev. Karim Camara and Sam Hoyt opine, "We cannot afford to ignore promising efforts to increase the supply of quality, high-performing education offerings for New York's children. If anything, we've got to find ways to streamline the application process for successful charter school operators so they are not held back from doing the important work of helping public education live up to its promise to educate all of our children."
POL PUSH VS. SCHOOL CHANGES
Date CapturedThursday March 29 2007, 8:25 AM
NY Post David Andreatta writes, "[City Councilman and head of Education Committee] Jackson promoted the nonbinding measure [resolution urging the Department of Education to stop its reorganization of the school system] outside City Hall with a dozen officials and about 40 parents and protesters, who chanted 'Listen to the parents!' as Mayor Bloomberg exited the building without acknowledging the rallying cry. 'That just shows what he's doing - he's not listening even when you scream and yell,' said parent Corinna Lindenberg."
Why We Must Continue Funding Rural Schools
Date CapturedWednesday March 28 2007, 6:48 PM
Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo writes, "Ideally, management of our forested land would generate the revenue necessary to assist with services in cash-strapped communities with large amounts of federally owned land. Unfortunately, that just hasn’t been the case for some time. We must continue to work to remove impediments to forest health and productivity. However, in the meantime, Congress must commit the resources necessary to ensure that rural communities across this country do not have to forgo road maintenance, close libraries, and make cuts to children’s education. Anything less is unacceptable."
Young African-American boys are in crisis -- and nation is silent
Date CapturedWednesday March 28 2007, 12:24 PM
Sun Times contributor Rev. Jesse Jackson writes, "These kids face long odds from day one. In the crucial early years -- from the time of conception to age 3 -- when the mind is largely forged, they are shackled. One in five children is raised in poverty in this rich country, with no systematic program to ensure prenatal care, health care, day care, parental education. We've got too many babies raising babies who don't have the resources or the knowledge of how to take care of their children. We should be mobilizing intervention on the front side of these lives. Instead, we spend more on police, crime and prisons on the back end."
WFP: WEINGARTEN'S FAKE PROTESTERS
Date CapturedWednesday March 28 2007, 8:23 AM
NY Post opines, "The far-left Working Families Party and its minions - 27 members of the City Council, led by Education Committee Chairman Robert Jackson, answering to teachers-union boss Randi Weingarten - are holding a press conference/rally today at City Hall to launch the latest assault on continuing mayoral control of the city's public schools. Specifically, the group will announce a new council resolution calling on Bloomberg and Chancellor Joel Klein to postpone an upcoming school-reorganization plan, pending a 'dialogue' on the future of the city's schools."
Low-Income Parents Make Informed Education Decisions for Their Kids
Date CapturedTuesday March 27 2007, 8:43 PM
The study indicates most parents take the decision seriously and research their options aggressively: 85 percent visit the schools, and 75 percent said they read printed information about schools, had their child visit the school, and talked with teachers and administrators. Opening Doors: How Low-Income Parents Search for the Right School, by Paul Teske, Jody Fitzpatrick, and Gabriel Kaplan, published in January 2007 by the University of Washingtonn
No Retreat on School Reform
Date CapturedMonday March 26 2007, 9:28 AM
Washington Post Op-Ed contributor Sen. Edward Kennedy, a lead author of the Leave No Child Behind Act opines, "Part of the act's promise was that greater accountability would be accompanied by greater support. We knew that federal resources would be critical to achieving the goals. When the law was adopted in 2002, Congress delivered $22 billion to support public education -- an increase of 20 percent over the previous year. This was an unprecedented federal investment. The law promised increased funding levels over the life of its provisions, in step with the increase in targets for student performance. Yet year after year, the federal government has failed to provide the resources that states and school districts need to improve struggling schools. Assessment and accountability without the funding needed to implement change is a recipe for failure.":
Spitzer's school BMI plan borders on tyrannical
Date CapturedMonday March 26 2007, 8:54 AM
Times Union contributor and parent SVEN R LARSON, in a Letter to the Editor writes, "Ideas of enforced physical conformity have been practiced before, in a country six time zones east of New York. The results were disastrous. Perhaps the governor should give that some thought before he takes his BMI grade idea any further. He should also consider the risks of an epidemic of eating disorders among our kids. After all, that is the only way most kids will be able to comply with the anatomic standards in Gov. Spitzer's dream world."
Proponents tout legislation on sex education
Date CapturedMonday March 26 2007, 8:45 AM
Times Union reports, "The Healthy Teens Act, a bill before the state Legislature, would establish a fund for school districts that teach abstinence and explain how to use birth control. The federal government offers $13 million for abstinence-only programs but no money for sex education that teaches teenagers how to have safe sex, said JoAnne Smith, president and CEO of Family Planning Advocates of New York State. 'Young people deserve better,' Smith said. 'There is no evidence whatsoever, none, that abstinence programs work.'"
CALL WAITING (& WAITING) FOR SPECIAL-ED PARENTS
Date CapturedMonday March 26 2007, 8:23 AM
NY Post David Andreatta reports, "A majority of parents of special-education students are left hanging on the phone when they call the Education Department for help, a report out today charges. A survey of 98 calls to the Committees on Special Education for each of the city Department of Education's 10 regions found that less than half were answered or returned within a week."
Divvying up the aid
Date CapturedSunday March 25 2007, 10:29 AM
Newsday Op-Ed contributor Leanna Stiefel, professor of economics at New York University's Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service and an associate director at NYU's Institute for Education and Social Policy writes, "New York has been out front in the amount of political bargaining that determines funding, but is way behind in making the system fairer and more transparent. More than 40 states use some version of a 'foundation' aid formula that bases state aid on student need and district fiscal capacity. Many allow the richer, often suburban districts to supplement the amount with local revenues, but usually an add-on limit is arrived at by a political compromise that keeps the richer suburban districts supporting the entire state system. Few states, though, have no real formula and start as New York does from a determination of shares. New York's citizens and lawmakers have a number of decisions to make. Among them is an answer to the question: Are we a state community? In a time and world that are divided and divisive, do we in this state want to move toward a public school system that provides adequate funds to students who are at particular risk of not making it? Do we want to try to provide equal opportunity for all? Or not?"
Blaming the poor for their plight
Date CapturedSunday March 25 2007, 10:14 AM
Newsday Op-Ed contributor Amy Stuart Wells, Professor of sociology and education at Teachers College, Columbia University writes, "Indeed, what makes people poor is their lack of access to decent paying jobs in a service economy that pays well-educated and well-connected professionals extremely well and pays people with less formal education next to nothing - not to mention their lack of benefits, most importantly health care. What keeps people poor is the growing segregation between the rich or well-off in terms of where people live and send their children to school. As income gaps have grown and housing prices have exploded, people with money have been able to move farther away from those without. The exclusivity of these communities, protected by zoning ordinances, is the very factor that sends their property values even higher, making their residents and public schools wealthier still."
Education rally touts Spitzer plan
Date CapturedSunday March 25 2007, 9:41 AM
Times Union reports, "Speakers lauded Spitzer's $19.2 billion education proposal while blasting the Senate majority for lopping state aid to so-called high-need districts like Schenectady and siphoning it to wealthier downstate suburbs. Kris Thompson, spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno, R-Brunswick, disagreed with that assessment. 'The suburban school district would suffer the most under the governor's proposal, it is not equitable nor is it fair to the districts,' Thompson said during a phone interview afterward. 'The Senate wants this record increase to be distributed fairly throughout the state.'"
The Administrative Burden of No Child Left Behind
Date CapturedSunday March 25 2007, 9:20 AM
Dan Lips, Education Analyst and Evan Feinberg, Research Assistant in Domestic Policy Studies at The Heritage Foundation write, "As Congress considers the reauthorization of No Child Left Behind, it should address the growing administrative burden that federal education policy imposes on state and local authorities. By allowing states to opt out of federal regulations and bureaucracy, A PLUS would return the authority to improve education to state and local officials. State and local communities would have the freedom to redirect resources currently expended on regulatory compliance toward promising reforms that boost academic achievement. Simplifying education policy in this way would bring about greater transparency in federal education spending and, ultimately, greater public accountability over taxpayer funding of education."
New York City Schools Chancellor KLEIN EDGES TOWARD SCHOOL REVOLUTION
Date CapturedSunday March 25 2007, 9:06 AM
NY Post reports, "Schools Chancellor Joel Klein said during a teaching symposium yesterday that the city should 'take a serious look at some of the recommendations' in a December report by the bipartisan New Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce and consider making 'bold, systemic challenges to the status quo.' The report entitled 'Tough Choices or Tough Times' - the subject of yesterday's panel discussion - made several recommendations, including a 'state board qualifying exam' that would be taken by all children after 10th grade to determine the future of their education. Depending on their scores, students would be sent for two years in high-level secondary school or two to three years in regional vocational schools or community or technical colleges. The commission - which counts Klein as a member - also advocated the elimination of school districts and local school funding, a system of 'contract schools; run by independent entities, high-quality universal pre-K, free adult education and an option for teachers to take higher salaries in exchange for fewer pension benefits."
Length of School Day
Date CapturedSaturday March 24 2007, 3:00 PM
Length of School Day: The minimum length of school day for purposes of generating State Aid is 2.5 hours for half-day kindergarten, 5.0 hours for full-day kindergarten through grade 6 and 5.5 hours for grades 7-12. These hours are exclusive of the time allowed for lunch. If school district officials establish a school calendar in excess of 180 required days, the excess days need not comply with the mandated daily time requirements. (Commissioner's Regulations 175.5) Students of compulsory attendance age must be scheduled for attendance upon instruction for the entire time the school is in session. The term session refers to the period during which instruction is provided. However, such daily sessions may include supervised study periods, supervised cooperative work study, release time for college study or school-to-work programs, and as well as traditional classroom instructional activities. (Education Law 3210(1))
School Year, Extraordinary Condition Days, Examination Days, Superintendent's Conference Days, Length of School Day and Student Attendance
Date CapturedSaturday March 24 2007, 2:48 PM
Days of Session: School districts must be in session for all students, including students with disabilities, for not less than 180 days. Included in the 180 days are days on which attendance is taken, days on which Regents examinations, State Assessments or local examinations are given and days on which superintendent's conference days are held. School district officials may not claim partial or full attendance on days when classes are not in actual session. This situation is most likely to occur on Regents examination days or superintendent's conference days. Such days do count toward the 180 required days, but, since they are not days of actual session, they do not affect and are not factored into average daily attendance. (Education Law 3604(7)).
Ohio legislators, educators look to solve school funding
Date CapturedSaturday March 24 2007, 9:16 AM
Coshocton Tribune reports, "Ten years ago today the Supreme Court ruled that Ohio's method of funding education was unconstitutional. A decade and three more unconstitutional rulings later, organizations, legislators and educators say they are trying to come up with a fair and equal method of funding Ohio's 613 districts. Educators hoped the unconstitutional ruling passed on March 24, 1997, would bring change, not years of more struggling to provide equal, quality education throughout the state."
Ohio teachers union sues state over charter school program
Date CapturedSaturday March 24 2007, 9:10 AM
AP reports, "The state's largest teachers union sued the state over its charter school program on Friday, saying it lacks proper oversight and takes needed money from traditional public schools. The Ohio Education Association listed the Ohio Department of Education, the State Board of Education and Susan Zelman, the state superintendent of public instruction, as defendants."
Remarks of Secretary Spellings at the Celebration of Teaching and Learning Conference
Date CapturedSaturday March 24 2007, 8:44 AM
US Department of Education Press Release: In the last 50 years, American ingenuity has put a man on the moon, a rover on Mars, and computers in our businesses, our homes, and even our pockets. We launched the World Wide Web, mapped the human genome, and developed life-extending drugs and treatment for AIDS. Having every child on grade level by 2014 is another great goal, and it's one we can accomplish. With the right support for teachers, including new technologies, we will close the achievement gap and reach our goal of No Child Left Behind.
SUNY brings classroom into students' homes
Date CapturedSaturday March 24 2007, 8:07 AM
The Journal News reports, "More than 10 years after the State University of New York started offering distance-learning courses, enrollment has reached 85,000 (100,000 with partly online classes included). Several community colleges boast that they offer more than just a few distance-learning classes in different majors. Technological advancement, SUNY's reputation around the world and an ever-increasing number of courses that don't require trips to campus have expanded their reach."
Reading First: States Report Improvements in Reading Instruction, but Additional Procedures Would Clarify Education's Role in Ensuring Proper Implementation by States
Date CapturedFriday March 23 2007, 1:54 PM
GAO-07-161, February 28, 2007. GAO recommends that Education establish control procedures to guide departmental officials and contractors in their interactions with states, districts, and schools to ensure compliance with statutory provisions. GAO also recommends that Education establish and disseminate clear procedures governing its monitoring process. Education, in its response to a draft of this report, agreed with GAO’s recommendations.
No Child Left Behind Act: Education Assistance Could Help States Better Measure Progress of Students with Limited English Proficiency
Date CapturedFriday March 23 2007, 1:44 PM
GAO-07-646T, March 23, 2007. The GAO report recommended that Education (1) support research on accommodations, (2) identify and provide technical support states need to ensure the validity of academic assessments, (3) publish additional guidance on requirements for assessing English language proficiency, and (4) explore ways to provide additional flexibility for measuring annual progress for these students. Education generally agreed with our recommendations and has taken a number of steps to address them.
GAO: Reading Program Improperly Managed
Date CapturedFriday March 23 2007, 9:10 AM
AP reports, "Education Department officials and their contractors appear to have improperly backed certain types of instruction in administering a $1 billion-a-year reading program, congressional investigators found. The Government Accountability Office report supports assertions by the inspector general of the Education Department, who has released several reports in recent months into the Reading First program. The program is a key part of the 2002 No Child Left Behind law. It offers intensive reading help for low-income and struggling schools."
New York to Take Legal Action Over Steering of Students to Lender
Date CapturedFriday March 23 2007, 8:55 AM
NY Times reports, "Andrew M. Cuomo, New York’s attorney general, announced yesterday that he planned to bring a civil lawsuit against a student lending company for deceptive business practices, accusing it of paying colleges and universities to steer borrowers toward its loans."
The Education Gadfly
Date CapturedThursday March 22 2007, 9:37 PM
A Weekly Bulletin of News and Analysis from the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation; March 22, 2007, Volume 7, Number 12
Utah heats up long-simmering school-voucher debate, Governor has signed into law the first 'universal' voucher program in the US
Date CapturedThursday March 22 2007, 9:49 AM
Christian Science Monitor reports, "The idea of vouchers dates back to the 1950s, when economist Milton Friedman suggested it would promote competition and improve schools. Proponents also argue that families should be able to apply some tax dollars to whatever school they choose. Opponents insist that public money should be used only for public schools, rather than to subsidize private and religious institutions. The Reagan administration pushed for vouchers, as did the current Bush administration in the initial education-reform proposals leading up to the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), which is now five years old and up for reauthorization. But so far, voucher programs have persisted only in about half a dozen states and districts; most are offered to students in low-income families, low-performing schools, or special-education programs."
Charter school cost aid sought
Date CapturedThursday March 22 2007, 8:28 AM
Times Union reports, "Spitzer, a charter supporter who has proposed increasing the number of such schools allowed in New York, is the first governor to provide transitional aid. Alliance for Quality Education Executive Director Billy Easton called the $15 million a "good first step," but not nearly enough. 'The problem with the mathematics is that it's not enough money,' Easton said. Easton said his group would like to see Spitzer's figure triple. He said the Senate majority proposed adding $7 million worth of transition aid in its one-house budget, but didn't direct it to high-need districts."
Timing and Duration of Student Participation in Special Education in the Primary Grades
Date CapturedWednesday March 21 2007, 9:19 PM
Emily W. Holt, Daniel J. McGrath, and William L. Herring. This Issue Brief reports the timing of entry into special education and the number of grades in which students receive special education across the primary grades. About 12 percent of students receive special education in at least one of the grades: kindergarten, first, and third grade, including 16 percent of boys, 8 percent of girls, 18 percent of poor children, and 10 percent of nonpoor children. One in three students who receive special education in early grades, first receive special education in kindergarten. Half of those who begin special education in kindergarten are no longer receiving special education by third grade. In addition to students’ gender and poverty status, results are presented separately for other student and school characteristics, including race/ethnicity and school control, urbanicity, region, and poverty concentration. Data for this brief come from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Studies, Kindergarten Class of 1998-99 (ECLS-K).
State comptroller will monitor Roosevelt spending
Date CapturedWednesday March 21 2007, 9:18 AM
Newsday John Hildebrand reports, "Starting in May, auditors from the comptroller's regional office in Hauppauge will bring an added layer of financial supervision to the already much-monitored school district. They will check expenses and revenues as they come in, rather than waiting until year's end as usual."
Focus on black male representation in special ed, honors classes
Date CapturedWednesday March 21 2007, 8:26 AM
Journal News contributor Fred Smith, assistant superintendent, pupil personnel and curricular services, New Rochelle School District writes, "The question is this: 'Are black males overrepresented in special-education programs and underrepresented in honors programs?' The African American Men of Westchester, along with other groups, organizations and individuals, is looking for answers, in an upcoming forum hosted by Iona College's Department of Teacher Education. AAMW has long been concerned about the high numbers of African-American, Hispanic/Latino and American Indian students in classes for the educable mentally retarded, the emotionally disturbed and the learning disabled. AAMW is also concerned about the low numbers of students from these groups who are assigned to programs for the gifted and talented."
Key State Education Policies on PK-12 Education: 2006
Date CapturedTuesday March 20 2007, 12:20 PM
This CCSSO report informs policymakers and educators about the current status of key education policies across the 50 states that define and shape elementary and secondary education in public schools. The report is part of a continuing biennial series by the Council’s state education indicators program. CCSSO reports 50-state information on policies regarding teacher preparation and certification, high school graduation requirements, student assessment programs, school time, and student attendance. The report also includes state-by-state information on content standards and curriculum, teacher assessment, and school leader/administrator licensure.
50-State Report on Key State Education Policies
Date CapturedTuesday March 20 2007, 12:06 PM
From the Council of Chief State School Officers , "The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) announces publication of the biennial report Key State Education Policies on PK-12 Education: 2006. The most recent edition of this report updates two decades of research, providing 50-state analysis and trends for state policies that define teaching and learning across the nation. The report covers several areas of state policy that will define efforts of states, districts, and schools to meet key requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB)."
On Large Scale Student Databases
Date CapturedTuesday March 20 2007, 10:21 AM
Inside Higher Ed contributor John V. Lombardi, chancellor and a professor of history at the University of Massachusetts Amherst writes, "When particular categories of data are used for accountability purposes, institutions will change what they do, because institutional behavior tends to match whatever is measured. If we measure SAT scores, institutions work to increase the average SAT scores; if we measure graduation rates, institutions will do what it takes to graduate students; if we measure sports success, everyone wants a successful sports program. For this reason the quality, characteristics and type of data collected and used in any student unit record system on a national basis assume fundamental significance."
Bruno attacks Spitzer on school aid formula
Date CapturedTuesday March 20 2007, 8:31 AM
Newsday DAN JANISON reports, "Bruno stood at a news conference with David Little, government relations director for the New York State School Boards Association, who praised the Senate's proposed changes in the Spitzer funding formula, particularly relating to special-education aid. Spitzer's proposal would make special-education funding part of the state's basic school-aid distribution formula for the first time. Little praised the Senate for looking to keep it a separate funding stream because this "recognizes the needs of high-needs districts, but doesn't pit high-needs districts against high-tax districts" such as those in Nassau and Suffolk."
Save these students
Date CapturedTuesday March 20 2007, 8:17 AM
NY Daily News columnist Bill Hammond writes, "What is it about charter schools that makes people in Albany so nuts? These privately managed public schools are working miracles in the inner cities of New York, delivering superior education to poor kids at lower cost than many regular public schools. A sane state government would let a thousand charters bloom. Yet Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and his majority Democrats - who claim to represent the downtrodden - are trying to squash the movement."
PARENT PROTEST SHAKES SCHOOL-SHAKEUP MEETING
Date CapturedTuesday March 20 2007, 8:04 AM
NY Post David Andreatta reports, "Dozens of angry parents, students and activists last night disrupted a panel meeting headed by Chancellor Joel Klein, in protest of his planned reorganization of the city's school system. Chanting, 'No respect for parents' and 'Listen to the parents,' about 60 protesters stalled the monthly gathering of the Panel for Educational Policy at Department of Education headquarters for 20 minutes."
MATH AND MARXISM, NYC'S WACK-JOB TEACHERS
Date CapturedTuesday March 20 2007, 7:51 AM
NY Post Op-Ed contributor Sol Stern, fellow at the Manhattan Institute writes, "THERE'S a fifth column in New York City's public schools - radical teachers who openly undermine Schools Chancellor Joel Klein's curriculum mandates and use their classrooms to indoctrinate students in left-wing, anti-American ideology. One center for this movement is El Puente Academy for Peace and Justice in Brooklyn, the city's first 'social justice' high school. The school's lead math teacher, Jonathan Osler, is using El Puente as a base from which to organize a three-day conference in April on 'Math Education and Social Justice.'"
NCLB: Don't scrap it; just fix it
Date CapturedMonday March 19 2007, 10:43 AM
Tallahassee Democrat contributor Sally Butzin, president and executive director of the Institute for School Innovation opines, "It's not too late to return to the original intent of NCLB and fine-tune it. It would be a shame to return to the old days of low expectations and one-size-fits-all teaching. But NCLB as currently being administered and implemented must be fixed before all our creative teachers leave in disgust, and more children drop out of the system altogether. Public education is at a crossroads. I hope our leaders will have the wisdom to keep the good in NCLB, fix the bad, and throw out the ugly."
Union does disservice to Roosevelt
Date CapturedMonday March 19 2007, 10:24 AM
Newsday Ray J. Keating opines, "Government's failure in terms of educating our children is on sad display in Roosevelt. Lots of hard-earned taxpayer dollars have been wasted. But far worse, so many individuals have failed to reach their full potential due to a lousy education. Why can't we have a school choice plan like Utah's in New York? And why not start in districts like Roosevelt so parents can give their kids a chance by liberating them from failing schools? There is no reason we cannot, except for politicians who cower before the education unions. Our elected officials should be ashamed."
School choice would help fix No Child law
Date CapturedMonday March 19 2007, 10:13 AM
News-Leader contributor Cal Thomas opines, "A serious school choice program, not more money to subsidize underachievement, is one answer to poor performance. Competition improves everyone's product and service. It's working in those states and localities that have managed to nominally free themselves from the teachers unions, which seek to maintain the education monopoly for political influence. Paying bonuses to the best teachers is another good idea. There is another point no one in government will address. It is that not all children are equally intelligent."
Rochester City schools in distress
Date CapturedMonday March 19 2007, 9:25 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle opines, "While outgoing Rochester schools superintendent Manuel Rivera has been aggressive in dealing with poor middle school performance, it's clear from the state's tougher stance on performance that the new superintendent must bring in major credentials in education reform. For the new leader, there will be no time for settling in or the typical new-arrival 'assessment'' of the situation. This community will need from the new superintendent a commitment from day one to shake up the status quo, to continue those aspects of Rivera's program that worked — and there were many — and to quickly identify and change those that didn't."
Sex & secrecy in back of the bus
Date CapturedMonday March 19 2007, 9:04 AM
NY Daily News reports, "A four-month Daily News investigation into the troubled network that transports 142,000 New York City public and private school students daily has documented a secret history of physical and emotional abuse, from broken bones to shattered psyches. But the most gutwrenching, nauseating behavior uncovered has been sexual in nature. On many occasions, the sexual abuse victims have been especially vulnerable special-needs students, mercilessly violated within a transportation system designed to protect those most at risk."
White Plains elementary to be among state's first "green" schools
Date CapturedMonday March 19 2007, 8:38 AM
The Journal News reports, "A closed system of pumps and wells will circulate water through the earth hundreds of feet below a parking lot, then bring it back up to help heat and air-condition the building above. Windows and reflectors will be positioned to flood classrooms and hallways with sunlight instead of tungsten and florescence. Toilets will flush with quarts of water rather than gallons. Recycled steel and other materials will be used in everything from hallway lockers to linoleum tiles. The roof over the auditorium and cafeteria will be planted with grasses and wildflowers, providing a natural insulation. Welcome to the new Post Road Elementary School, a 21st-century showcase for environmentally smart architecture that will replace a 92-year-old building that opened in an era when anyone talking about a green building was referring strictly to its color."
Off the Hook
Date CapturedSunday March 18 2007, 9:51 AM
Washington Post opines, "Contrary to the claims of its critics, No Child Left Behind is having, in its fifth year of operation, a positive impact on American education. Before it was implemented, school districts could use the performance of high-achieving students to hide the fact that they were failing students from families with low incomes, minority students, English-learners and students with disabilities. These students had been made invisible, and as a result little attention was paid to improving their performance. No Child demanded that districts show progress for these subgroups as well as overall; as a result, there are encouraging gains in student learning on the elementary level."
Preschoolers' Test May Be Suspended
Date CapturedSunday March 18 2007, 9:45 AM
Washington Post reports, "Critics question whether the test accurately measures how much a child learns and cite a 2005 report by the Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress, that raised concerns about the way the test has been implemented. This spring, the test is scheduled to be administered to 410,000 4- and 5-year-olds unless Congress moves to end it. On Wednesday, the House Education and Labor Committee voted to end the test in a vote on the reauthorization of Head Start, a preschool program started in the mid-1960s to improve the lives of at-risk children and their families. The full House is expected to vote on the measure as soon as this week."
The Wide Spectrum Of Sex-Ed Courses
Date CapturedSunday March 18 2007, 9:37 AM
Washington Post reports, "Disputes over sex-education seldom reach federal court, Staver said, because matters of curriculum are mostly left to local school boards. Many states, including Virginia and Maryland, explicitly permit parents to opt out if they don't like the lessons. Or, they can simply withdraw from the school."
A valuable lesson
Date CapturedSunday March 18 2007, 9:20 AM
Newsday Op-Ed contributor Joseph A. Laria, acting superintendent of the North Babylon Union Free School District opines, "In the effort to restore human and civic values into the fabric of children's lives, schools have a very important role to play. It's easy to forget this in a climate in which standardized testing scores preoccupy state education officials, school boards, administrators, teachers, parents and students. Schools can and must teach values. In fact, New York State education law requires instruction in civility and character education, focusing on basic civic values such as justice, honesty, self-discipline, due process, equality, majority rule with respect for minority rights, and respect for self, others and property. The law speaks for a shared value in our state that education is not just about the basics."
Albany Divided on Calculation of School Aid
Date CapturedSunday March 18 2007, 8:49 AM
NY Times reports, "The Senate’s proposal put education advocates in an awkward position: Should they accept a proposal that calls for more spending but uses the old shares system, or hold out for a new shares system? Several said that the Senate proposal was like getting a bonus instead of a raise — a nice influx of money in the short term, but one that is not built into salaries as a starting point for future years. Geri Palast, the executive director of the Campaign for Fiscal Equity, which brought the court case, said: 'This is a historic moment where we can finally realize the promise of C.F.E. The good news is that there will be a major investment in education — both the governor and the Senate have talked about major investments — but the critical element still is to make sure that the formula goes to the neediest districts.'”
The Center May Not Hold for NCLB
Date CapturedSaturday March 17 2007, 6:22 PM
US News & World Report writes, "Republican leaders no longer stand strongly behind the Bush administration on education. But the mutiny is against more than Bush. It is also against the law itself. In just five years, the law has transformed public education, giving the federal government more say over what and how children learn than perhaps ever before. To maintain federal funding, all levels have had to change practice: States have had to develop detailed math and reading standards for third through eighth grade, teachers have had to devote weeks of their school year to testing those standards, and schools have had to live by the tests' consequences, facing sticks like forced restructuring or mandatory after-school tutoring if their students don't perform."
School meeting minutes put online
Date CapturedSaturday March 17 2007, 10:22 AM
Observer-Dispatch (Utica) reports, "Nearly half of local school districts now post Board of Education meeting minutes online, and several other districts might be heading in that direction, according to an Observer-Dispatch survey. Districts who make minutes available online say it's an easy way to ensure the public has access to the information at any time. And the idea won praise from a state Committee on Open Government official, who said posting information might save district staff time processing Freedom of Information requests."
Local Administrator Honored for Outstanding Contributions to Education
Date CapturedSaturday March 17 2007, 10:12 AM
Ira Goldstein, managing coordinator for emerging technology with Capital Region BOCES, has been selected as the recipient for the Leadership and Support Award by the School Administrators Association of New York State (SAANYS).Goldstein will be recognized for his achievements at the SAANYS annual awards ceremony on May 11, 2007 at the Gideon Putnam Hotel in Saratoga Springs, New York.
Reynolds spotlights school safety programs
Date CapturedSaturday March 17 2007, 10:02 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports, "Flanked by County Executive Maggie Brooks, Greece Supervisor John Auberger, Greece Central School District Superintendent Steve Achramovitch and other officials, Reynolds, R-Clarence, Erie County, outlined three federal initiatives in which schools may take part: The Safe School/Healthy Students initiative, a U.S. Department of Education program that provides school funding for violence and substance abuse prevention. The U.S. Justice Department's Weed and Seed program, which promotes collaboration with law enforcement, community service groups and schools to reduce community crime, weed out' criminals and 'seed' positive, proactive community groups throughout communities. The Department of Education's Emergency Response and Crisis Management Grant program, which provides money so schools can improve their emergency response plans. Reynolds also outlined the Gang Elimination Act of 2007, legislation he sponsored that is pending in the House and would require the U.S. attorney general to develop a national strategy to eliminate the illegal operations of international drug gangs in the United States."
Commissioner Mills Announces Actions Regarding 31 Schools
Date CapturedFriday March 16 2007, 4:58 PM
State Education Commissioner Richard Mills today placed 20 Schools Under Registration; reached agreements with New York City, Rochester, and Albany to phase out and close seven schools; and warned that an additional four former SURR schools are at risk of being identified for registration review next year if performance does not improve. The Commissioner also announced the removal of eight schools from registration review. These actions bring the total number of Schools Under Registration Review (SURR schools) to 65 statewide, 35 of them in New York City.
From the Desk of Jean C. Stevens, Interim Deputy Commissioner
Date CapturedFriday March 16 2007, 4:55 PM
Use of Calculators: An updated field memorandum regarding the use of calculators in commencement level mathematics has been issued. The field memorandum is available at http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/mst/mnews.html. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Schools Under Registration Review (SURR): On March 15, 2007 Commissioner Mills issued a press release placing 20 schools under registration review, removing eight schools from registration review, and phasing out and closing seven schools. The press release is available at http://www.oms.nysed.gov/press/surr031508.htm.
But State Senate must not lose sight of Albany's looming future deficits
Date CapturedFriday March 16 2007, 10:09 AM
Newsday opines, "Based on a study by the Long Island Association and the Long Island Education Coalition, the senators criticize Spitzer's plan to maintain the region's share of new school money by substituting greater tax relief for smaller education-aid increases. Even if the total of tax relief and school aid should equal the Island's traditional share overall, they point out, the tax relief goes directly to homeowners. It doesn't help school districts pay their bills. The Senate is also right to worry that, while some poor districts here will get the double-digit increases they need, most districts will see only 3 percent - well below the state average and local cost increases. Clearly, Long Island needs more than Spitzer proposed, even if this generally wealthy region can't expect as much extra as others."
STATEMENT FROM THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STUDENT FINANCIAL AID ADMINISTRATORS
Date CapturedFriday March 16 2007, 9:05 AM
The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) agrees with New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo that preferred lender list abuses and real conflicts of interest must end. We agree that greater transparency is needed. In fact, two years ago NASFAA published a document for use by aid administrators in developing a preferred lender list using criteria of "good practices" in choosing among lenders.
Lenders Pay Universities to Influence Loan Choice
Date CapturedFriday March 16 2007, 9:01 AM
NY Times reports, "Dozens of colleges and universities across the country have accepted a variety of financial incentives from student loan companies to steer student business their way, Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo of New York announced yesterday. The deals include cash payments based on loan volume, donations of computers, expense-paid trips to resorts for financial aid officers and even running call centers on behalf of colleges to field students’ questions about financial aid."
GOP Bills Would Relax Test Requirements of 'No Child' Law
Date CapturedFriday March 16 2007, 8:51 AM
Washington Post reports, "White House spokesman Scott Stanzel said that Bush supports giving states and school systems more flexibility but that the bills introduced yesterday would go too far. 'We can't return to the time where there were no consequences for failing to educate children and accountability for federal education funding,' Stanzel said."
Cuomo details corruption in student loan industry
Date CapturedThursday March 15 2007, 10:43 PM
AP Mark Johnson reports, "Colleges across the country are taking kickbacks from student loan companies and reaping other benefits while making it harder for students to get better deals on their loans, Attorney General Andrew Cuomo charged Thursday. Cuomo said an investigation he began last month into the $85 billion student loan industry found numerous arrangements made to benefit schools and lenders over the students. Cuomo said he notified more than 400 colleges and universities nationwide, including all in New York State, to end such deceptive practices. Cuomo said he is actively investigating at least 100 schools. Cuomo would not divulge which schools were being investigated, but they include some Ivy League institutions."
The Roosevelt schools budget crisis
Date CapturedThursday March 15 2007, 10:38 PM
Newsday Roosevelt web special
Roosevelt schools will remain under state review
Date CapturedThursday March 15 2007, 10:32 PM
Newsday John Hildebrand reports, "State education officials Thursday announced that they had rejected a request by Roosevelt school superintendent Ronald Ross to remove the district's high school from the "Schools Under Registration Review" list -- a designation reserved for the lowest-performing schools in the state. At the same time, the state added Wyandanch Memorial High School to the list, while removing Hempstead High School, where student achievement has improved in recent years."
Latinos Online: Hispanics with lower levels of education and English proficiency remain largely disconnected from the internet
Date CapturedThursday March 15 2007, 6:28 PM
By Susannah Fox, Pew Internet & American Life Project and Gretchen Livingston, Pew Hispanic Center find, "Differences in levels of education and English proficiency explain much of the difference in internet usage between Hispanics and non-Hispanics. Internet use is uniformly low for whites (32%), Hispanics (31%), and African Americans (25%) who have not completed high school. However, 41% of Latino adults have not finished high school, compared with about one in ten non-Hispanic whites and one in five African Americans. The same pattern is evident at the other end of the spectrum of educational attainment. College-educated adults all have equally high levels (about 90%) of internet use regardless of race or ethnicity, yet the college educated make up a smaller share of the Latino population when compared with non-Hispanics. Language is also a powerful factor, as internet use is much higher among Latinos who speak and read English fluently than among those who have limited English abilities or who only speak Spanish. Language is not an issue in the white and black populations as the shares of adults with limited English abilities is quite small. A statistical analysis of the survey results shows education and language are each highly significant factors when other differences in group characteristics are taken into account. When the different levels of language or education are controlled statistically, Hispanics and non-Hispanics show similar levels of internet use."
New York State Education adds 20 schools to most troubled list
Date CapturedThursday March 15 2007, 6:09 PM
AP reports, "The number of schools in serious need of improvement and at risk of being closed is rising, state Education Commissioner Richard Mills said Thursday. His comment came as the state put 20 schools on its list of those in most serious in need of improvement, while removing eight. Mills added nine New York City schools, three each in Buffalo, Syracuse and Rochester, one in Wyandanch on Long Island and one in Yonkers. Mills removed six schools in New York City, one in Hempstead, and one in Yonkers. That's five more schools than were added in 2006, and five more schools removed than in 2006."
The Education Gadfly
Date CapturedThursday March 15 2007, 6:00 PM
A Weekly Bulletin of News and Analysis from the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation, March 15, 2007, Volume 7, Number 11
A look at Louisiana Gov. Blanco's education budget proposals
Date CapturedThursday March 15 2007, 5:44 PM
AP reports, "[Louisiana] Gov. Kathleen Blanco is asking lawmakers to spend $600 million in new state money on education proposals next year."
More NCLB
Date CapturedThursday March 15 2007, 9:38 AM
Eduwonk is a blog written by Andrew Rotherham, co-founder and co-director of Education Sector.
Utica schools cited for 129 fire code violations
Date CapturedThursday March 15 2007, 9:18 AM
Observer Dispatch reports, "However, [Utica School District Superintendent] Skermont emphasized that several of the violations were due to new regulations and many of the hazards can easily be corrected. While Skermont stressed the violations were being taken seriously, she pointed out Education Department did not decide to close any schools due to the violations."
State Implementation of Supplemental Educational Services under the No Child Left Behind Act
Date CapturedThursday March 15 2007, 8:48 AM
This CEP report was written by Angela Minnici, CEP senior research associate, and Alice P. Bartley, CEP research intern."Key Findings: Limited capacity to monitor -- Many states (38) are unable to monitor 'to a great extent' the quality and effectiveness of SES providers; only 10 states reported being able to do so. The greatest capacity challenges for states in meeting this federal SES monitoring requirement are insufficient numbers of staff and inadequate federal funding. Use of criteria in law -- Almost all (between 47 and 49) of the state education agencies we surveyed reported using the criteria required by NCLB law and federal guidance to review and approve applications from potential supplemental service providers. These criteria are intended to ensure that providers are financially sound, have a record of effectiveness, use research-based strategies, provide services consistent with district instruction, and adhere to health, safety, and civil rights laws. w Frequent updating. NCLB requires states to promote maximum participation of SES providers so that parents have as many choices as possible. Therefore, it is important for states to provide parents and school districts with a current and accurate list of SES providers that they can choose from. On our survey, 20 states said they review new SES provider applications more often than once a year (the minimum required by the NCLB law), and 22 states reported updating their SES provider lists more than once a year. Different reapplication policies -- The reapplication process varies widely by state. In 13 states, SES providers never have to formally reapply, and in 12 states, SES providers have to reapply every year." Nancy Kober, a CEP consultant, edited the report. Jack Jennings, CEP’s president and CEO, and Diane Stark Rentner, CEP’s director of national programs, provided advice and assistance.
States Lax in Overseeing NCLB Tutoring
Date CapturedThursday March 15 2007, 8:37 AM
U.S.News & World Report Elizabeth Weiss Green reports, "Each SES provider uses the money differently, setting the hours it will serve each student according to the fees it will charge the district. So while one company might charge under $20 per student and provide 80 hours of service, another will charge nearly $80 and provide 21 hours. The Chicago study found that expensive and inexpensive tutoring companies generated about the same gains. Private companies draw different conclusions, boasting widespread satisfaction and report cards lifted whole letter grades higher. Education Station, a major private provider, says its pre- and post-tests show that just 30 hours of instruction during the 2003–2004 school year produced gains of 28 percent improvement in math and 13 percent in reading. But the law calls on states, not school districts and companies, to monitor the programs' effectiveness, and the state administrators charged with that task say they are ill-equipped to fulfill it. Few, if any, have conducted studies on the programs' performance effects, and few are likely to be able to do so in the future, the CEP study found. Reasons cited by school districts include insufficient staff and inadequate federal funding."
New Jersey Gov. Corzine visit draws protest over school-funding formula
Date CapturedThursday March 15 2007, 8:31 AM
Asbury Park Press reports, "The parents held signs urging the state to reform its education funding policies, including eliminating the Abbott school district designation, which provides extra state aid to poor districts. Freehold is not an Abbott district and has been getting flat funding for years as have other districts throughout the state. Parents at the demonstration said the inequitable funding must stop and that their district desperately needs money."
Focus on school district access; Watchdog group reaches out to educate public on right to know
Date CapturedThursday March 15 2007, 8:11 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports, "A fledgling education watchdog group has announced an outreach program to improve accountability in the Rochester School District. According to the Rochester Fund for Educational Accountability, its mission is to educate parents and taxpayers on their right to public information."
State owes $138M in refunds to schools
Date CapturedThursday March 15 2007, 8:04 AM
Times Union reports, "After waiting in some cases as long as seven years, a chorus of school superintendents and BOCES officials on Wednesday demanded the state fork over more than $138 million it owes school districts throughout New York. Districts in the Capital Region are owed $11.7 million. The Education Department and state Division of the Budget appeared to point the blame at each other."
California Education Reform Under Spotlight
Date CapturedWednesday March 14 2007, 3:46 PM
AP reports, "Overhauling California's schools will require tougher teacher standards and lots of money -- as much as a mind-boggling $1.5 trillion per year, according to studies being released Wednesday. The reports are intended to kick start a discussion of major reforms to the nation's largest public education system, but make no concrete recommendations."
CALIFORNIA -- Study calls for more targeted school funding
Date CapturedWednesday March 14 2007, 11:25 AM
San Francisco Chronicle reports, "A soon-to-be-released study of California's public education system says the state will have to stop pouring money blindly into schools -- and spend far more money specifically on kids with the highest needs -- if it wants every student to succeed."
'No Child' education act under review
Date CapturedWednesday March 14 2007, 8:58 AM
Washington Times reports, "Mr. Hoekstra and other Republicans plan to introduce a bill later this week that would free states and schools from some of the law's federal regulations. And the House Education and Labor Committee's top Republican, Howard P. 'Buck' McKeon of California, introduced a bill yesterday that would give parents money to place their child in a private school, if their public school is given a failing grade for five consecutive years. Mr. McKeon conceded it probably won't go anywhere because of strong opposition from Democrats and groups such as the NEA, but said he still intends to fight for it -- arguing that it is critical to improving education."
PSA Designed to Prevent Underage Drinking among College Students Unveiled at Statewide College Conference
Date CapturedWednesday March 14 2007, 7:42 AM
The University at Albany was chosen out of submissions from 12 colleges throughout the state, each of whom were awarded up to $25,000 by OASAS to develop a PSA for both their college and surrounding community. These colleges included University at Albany, SUNY Delhi, Fulton/Montgomery Community College, Hudson Valley Community College, Kingsborough Community College, SUNY - Office of University Life, SUNY College at Old Westbury, SUNY College at Oneonta, SUNY Potsdam, St. Bonaventure University, St. John's University and Suffolk County Community College.
After-school programs seen at risk; Education Department only has $3 million for such activities, which proponents say cost $30 million
Date CapturedWednesday March 14 2007, 7:32 AM
Times Union reports, "Proponents like Scharff [executive director of Citizen Action and chairwoman of the Coalition for After School Funding] say they were notified earlier this year that the latest round of multiyear grants that pay for the programs wouldn't be renewed. The Education Department in January announced it wouldn't be taking bids for program funding until 2008, essentially meaning there is no money during the next school year."
SENATE BUDGET INCREASES SCHOOL AID BY $514 Million
Date CapturedTuesday March 13 2007, 6:55 PM
PRESS RELEASE: Senate Plan Ensures Fair School Aid Distribution; Greater Property Tax Relief; Increased Higher Education Assistance.
New York legislature chooses two new Regents
Date CapturedTuesday March 13 2007, 6:50 PM
AP reports, "Charles Bendit and Natalie Gomez-Velez joined the 16-member Board of Regents following a vote of the Legislature dominated by the Assembly's Democrats. Reappointed were Regents James Tallon and Milton Cofield."
State takes aim on Roosevelt's $12M deficit
Date CapturedTuesday March 13 2007, 6:15 PM
Newsday HERBERT LOWE reports, "The actions include mandating the use of $4.4 million worth of new revenue enhancements and spending reductions, according to a joint release from the state Board of Regents and state Education Department. Other measures: Directing the district's state-appointed fiscal monitor to ensure several specific financial controls; and assigning additional state appointees to help solve the situation. Roosevelt is the first district in New York to be taken over by the state."
This Bush Education Reform Really Works
Date CapturedTuesday March 13 2007, 10:05 AM
Manhattan Institute Sol Stern, in "City Journal" Winter 2007 writes, "Despite New York’s wrong turn, the $6 billion for Reading First has more generally been one of the best investments ever in federal education spending. It has already brought some remarkable reading breakthroughs in many parts of the country and among at-risk students. It has spread awareness of what should be going on in the classrooms and in the teacher-training institutions. It has shown that a comprehensive solution to the nation’s reading crisis is right in front of our noses. If, in another decade, an unacceptable proportion of America’s children still can’t read by fourth grade, don’t blame George Bush. Blame the education leaders in our states and cities who, offered the solution, didn’t grab it."
Prepared Opening Statement for U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings Before the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, and Education
Date CapturedTuesday March 13 2007, 9:57 AM
EXCERPT: Our budget provides 500 million dollars for school improvement such as hiring more teachers or if necessary, reinventing the school as a charter school. We've also included nearly 200 million dollars to attract our most effective teachers to work in high-need schools and reward them for results—an approach that's been shown to help students and schools improve. In addition, we offer immediate choices and options for families, including 250 million dollars in Promise Scholarships and 50 million dollars in Opportunity Scholarships for those who want to transfer to better-performing public or private schools, or receive free intensive tutoring.
Education: Voucher skirmish seeps into schools
Date CapturedTuesday March 13 2007, 8:53 AM
The Salt Lake Tribune reports, "School voucher supporters are questioning when and if Utahns determined to put the voucher question before voters can legally gather petition signatures at public schools. But voucher critics, who include many education and PTA officials, say they are operating within the law, and defend their petitioning of supporters during recent parent-teacher conferences. 'We legally can collect signatures at schools because we don't work for the schools,' said Utah PTA President Carmen Snow, whose group is among those behind the push to get the voucher question on a ballot. They have until early next month to get 92,000 signatures to qualify for a referendum that would put vouchers up for a vote on a date to be decided by Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr."
NCES Website on State Education Reforms
Date CapturedTuesday March 13 2007, 8:09 AM
This site, which draws primarily on data collected by organizations other than NCES, compiles and disseminates data on state-level education reform efforts in four areas: Standards, Assessment, and Accountability; School Finance Reforms; Resources for Learning and State Support for School Choice Options.
Students' test rulers don't measure up
Date CapturedTuesday March 13 2007, 7:46 AM
Newsday JOHN HILDEBRAND reports on defective equipment purchased by New York State Education Department, "The problem: 1.1 million plastic protractors mailed out by the state last month with test packets are missing 1/16th of an inch from the four-inch ruler along the bottom of the angle-measuring tools. Moreover, 1.6 million plastic rulers also sent out by the state are irregularly marked, with quarter-inch hash marks that are shorter than three-quarter-inch marks. Those lines are equal on standard rulers."
Mount Saint Mary College makes math, science stand out with new $25M addition to campus
Date CapturedTuesday March 13 2007, 7:40 AM
Times Herald-Record reports, "The nation's shortage of nurses, and math and science teachers is approaching crisis mode. And Mount Saint Mary College has a plan. The answer: a new facility, costing $25 million, that will cover 30,000 square feet and accommodate the school's 2,600 students. 'The Math, Science & Technology Center will serve the entire student body through math, science and information technology requirements in the core curriculum,' said Bryan M. Maloney, the vice president for college advancement. 'It will especially serve nursing, education and science majors in intermediate and advanced courses with labs associated with them.'"
$7B education increase must come with tough standards
Date CapturedTuesday March 13 2007, 7:34 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle opines, "Before the budget passes, the Legislature needs to review the plan to ensure that with this significant increase in funding comes meaningful measures to guarantee money is being used in the best way possible. Otherwise, all it will be is an expensive Band-Aid."
School Boards Seek Teacher Discipline Reforms
Date CapturedMonday March 12 2007, 2:58 PM
NYSSBA at a news conference proposed five reforms to the process aimed at reducing children’s exposure to individuals whose behavior makes them unsuitable for teaching or who simply are incompetent teachers. “These reforms still protect the rights of the accused but expedite the process for reaching a just resolution,” said Timothy G. Kremer, NYSSBA executive director. Changes to the part of the Education Law that governs discipline of tenured professionals, Section 3020-a, were last enacted in 1994.
Manhattan: Shortage of High School Seats
Date CapturedMonday March 12 2007, 7:39 AM
NY Times SEWELL CHAN reports, "The New York City Department of Education hopes to improve the high school graduation rate, but has not planned for enough seats to meet that goal, according to a report released yesterday by the city’s public advocate, Betsy Gotbaum."
SILVER'S NEXT STRIKE, CHALLENGES GOV ON CHARTERS
Date CapturedMonday March 12 2007, 7:21 AM
NY Post Op-Ed contributor THOMAS W. CARROLL, president of the Foundation for Education Reform and Accountability writes, "Given the scale of educational failure in New York State - more than a half million students in failing schools - the speaker's unseemly effort to kill off charter schools speaks volumes about how far Gov. Spitzer still has to go before he truly changes the culture of Albany."
Agencies faulted on Web use
Date CapturedMonday March 12 2007, 7:06 AM
AP reports, "A few agencies, particularly the Education Department and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, bucked the trend and showed the benefits of using the Internet, the study found. Blanton [director of John S. and James L. Knight Foundation] cited NASA, which posts comprehensive guidance on freedom of information access, as a prime example of effective use of the Web. The study singled out as particularly egregious offenders the Department of Veterans Affairs, one of the departments that gets the most requests for information; the Defense Department, particularly the Air Force; the Interior Department; the Office of the Director of National Intelligence; and the Small Business Administration."
Funding school reforms may tax California governor
Date CapturedMonday March 12 2007, 6:56 AM
LA Times reports, "There'll be suggestions that more funds be spent on poor-performing and low-wealth schools. That financial incentives be available to recruit teachers for hard-to-fill positions, such as science instructor. That principals be given more free rein to fire bad teachers and pay the best ones better. That the maze of categorical programs be blown up and restructured. That the whole school system be more open to scrutiny — more transparent — and thus more accountable to the public. 'It will encourage all of us to think about education reform in a holistic way,' says Ted Mitchell, former president of Occidental College and currently chairman of the Governor's Committee on Education Excellence, one of the project's requesters."
Monitors will oversee state testing in Pa. schools
Date CapturedMonday March 12 2007, 6:45 AM
Philadelphia Inquirer reports, "This year, for the first time, the state Department of Education will send monitors to about 1 percent of the 3,120 schools where the tests will be given. They will determine whether schools comply with everything from test security regulations to how instructions are given and what accommodations are made for students with learning disabilities, English-language learners, and others who need special arrangements."
LI eyes more school aid
Date CapturedSunday March 11 2007, 10:35 PM
Newsday John Hildebrand reports, "Nearly three-quarters of Long Island homeowners would get tax breaks under Gov. Eliot Spitzer's school-finance proposals, while wealthier residents and businesses would see rates go up, according to a new report from regional business and education groups. To further ease the Island's tax burden, report sponsors urge the governor to bring Long Island's share of state school aid, currently 12.5 percent, closer to its share of enrollment, now 16.8 percent."
MIT to offer its courses free online by year end
Date CapturedSunday March 11 2007, 10:05 PM
CNN reports, "MIT launched its 'OpenCourseWare' program in 2003 and already offers hundreds of courses online. A small number of other U.S. schools are following suit. Stanford put some classes on line last year and Bryn Mawr plans to do so soon."
Legislation would breathe new life into South Carolina's aging school bus fleet
Date CapturedSunday March 11 2007, 5:08 PM
AP reports, "For the second time in two years, a bill introduced in the Legislature would require the state Department of Education to create a system to replace South Carolina's aging school bus fleet. The buses that transport the state's public school children are among the oldest - and least safe - in the country, according to a study by The (Charleston) Post and Courier. Most of the buses lack safety features like antilock brakes and alarms that signal when the bus backs up, the paper reported. More than 2,000 buses also were without roof and window exits."
LBJ's education commitment leads to building name honor
Date CapturedSunday March 11 2007, 3:01 PM
HOUSTON CHRONICLE reports, "Johnson, who died in 1973, pushed for creation of Head Start, launched the first federal student aid program and provided the first federal funding for elementary and secondary schools."
Subs, but paid tops
Date CapturedSunday March 11 2007, 7:50 AM
NY Daily News Erin Einhorn reports, "Hundreds of tenured teachers who have failed to land permanent jobs in city schools are on the public payroll earning hefty salaries to work as substitutes and fill-ins, the Daily News has learned. While most substitute teachers make $141.70 per day, 236 of the 564 teachers whom nobody wanted to hire currently pull down more than $70,000 a year, plus benefits, to do the same work, according to a News analysis of Education Department data. Forty of those teachers make more than $90,000 - and some are slated to get raises next year, bringing them to the six-figure level."
Panelist speaks on No Child revisions
Date CapturedSunday March 11 2007, 7:10 AM
Virginia Daily Progress reports, "The panel held 12 public hearings in 2006 around the country, at which parents, teachers, principals and state department of education officials presented their concerns. Although Congress has said it plans to revise the No Child law later this year, Pughsley [panelist] said that realistically, the issue probably won’t be resolved until 2008 - an election year. However, he hopes politics will not cloud the commission’s ultimate goal - equipping America’s students with skills to be among the world’s best."
The Economic Promise of Investing in High-Quality Preschool: Using Early Education to Improve Economic Growth and the Fiscal Sustainability of States and the Nation (2006)
Date CapturedSaturday March 10 2007, 1:50 PM
The Economic Promise of Investing in High-Quality Preschool: Using Early Education to Improve Economic Growth and the Fiscal Sustainability of States and the Nation, Committee for Economic Development. Selected recommendations: "CED recommends that communities, states, and the nation make access to publicly funded, highquality preschool programs an economic and educational priority. The economic benefits from preschool will be greatest when all children are provided with access to high-quality, publicly funded preschool programs. States with existing preschool programs should expand access by eliminating enrollment restrictions based on family income, and maximize program efficiency by coordinating state prekindergarten, federal Head Start, and child-care programs. To achieve the potential economic benefits, preschool programs should provide adequate contact hours to improve student learning and provide options for integrating high-quality child care to meet the needs of working parents. Furthermore, states should welcome a diverse set of providers that meet quality standards and the needs of the parents and communities they serve. Business leaders should advocate preschool and other complementary childhood programs and services, emphasizing the strong returns on investment, and the leveraging of current expenditures. CED recommends that publicly funded preschool programs meet the quality standards necessary to deliver the promised economic benefits."
Counting progress: Arkansas participating in No Child Left Behind Act pilot program
Date CapturedSaturday March 10 2007, 12:05 PM
Northwest Arkansas Times reports, "Participation in a pilot program will allow Arkansas schools to count students ’ yearly progress towards requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act, rather than simply measuring whether they are hitting the mark. The concept of the growth model was brought up during a recent visit by Sen. Blanche Lincoln, who was on a tour of the state meeting with educators about the No Child Left Behind Act, which is set to expire this year. Arkansas was able to become one of 10 states to participate in the program because it was ahead of the curve in testing, said Julie Johnson Thompson, director of communications for the Arkansas Department of Education."
New York City Schools Turn To Business Intelligence For Help
Date CapturedSaturday March 10 2007, 11:46 AM
Information Week reports, "The deal, already controversial in New York, likely will face more scrutiny as details are revealed. IBM says ARIS will be a highly secure system, but some parents may voice concerns about a Big Brother approach to tracking the performance of more than 1 million students. And some parties feel the money could be put to better use."
Pay gap for teachers of disabled targeted
Date CapturedSaturday March 10 2007, 10:19 AM
Staten Island Advance reports, "Teachers whose charges have developmental disabilities are paid thousands of dollars less than teachers in the public schools, and advocates at the Staten Island Developmental Disabilities Council called yesterday for a change. Caseworkers and group-home workers also deserve to be paid more equitably, and services for the developmentally disabled on Staten Island need to be expanded to meet a growing need, several speakers noted at the group's annual legislative breakfast at the Staten in West Brighton."
Where have the students gone?
Date CapturedSaturday March 10 2007, 10:04 AM
The State Journal-Register (Illinois) reports, "The dwindling high school population isn't just a problem this year. From 2003 to 2006, Lanphier High School lost so many black students in one class that the federal No Child Left Behind Act didn't count the 42 remaining students as a subgroup in the recently released scores for last year's state tests. The NCLB measures the academic performance of subgroups, such as minorities, students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals and students who receive special-education services. But to be measured, a subgroup must take in at least 45 students. The disappearance of Lanphier's subgroup of black students led Springfield School Board member Judy Johnson to ask, 'Where are all the black students at Lanphier?' during a school board discussion Tuesday night."
NCLB and the Future of Federal Education Policy
Date CapturedSaturday March 10 2007, 9:09 AM
View webcast or download podcast of this Cato Institute event featuring Martin A. Davis, Jr., Senior Writer and Editor, Thomas B. Fordham Foundation; Dan Lips, Education Analyst in Domestic Policy Studies, Heritage Foundation; Andrew J. Rotherham, Co-Director, Education Sector; Dick Armey, Chairman, FreedomWorks, former House Majority Leader; Susan B. Neuman, Professor in Educational Studies, University of Michigan, Former Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education; Neal McCluskey, Policy Analyst, Center for Educational Freedom, Cato Institute; and Andrew J. Coulson, Director, Center for Educational Freedom, Cato Institute.
Shutting Down Fake ‘Prep Schools’
Date CapturedSaturday March 10 2007, 8:58 AM
NY Times opines, "The storefront prep schools have been easy enough to identify. But the N.C.A.A. must now take a closer look at schools one level down that look legitimate but that may be just as willing to shortchange athletes’ education as their fly-by-night counterparts. State departments of education also have a major role to play in curbing these abuses. Beyond that, credible sanctions must be brought to bear on college programs that keep breaking the rules — and exploiting and discarding athletes — to field winning teams. This scandal won’t stop until those colleges are forced to pay a real price."
Inside Public Education 2007
Date CapturedFriday March 09 2007, 10:56 AM
Inside Public Education reports the results of a survey conducted by the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion and funded by the Dyson Foundation. Residents of Dutchess and Ulster Counties in New York were interviewed about the public schools in their communities. They shared their opinions, experiences, and insights about what they consider to be the best and the worst of public education in the school district where they live.
Victory for School Choice! Arizona Court Dismisses Challenge to Corporate Tax Credit Program
Date CapturedFriday March 09 2007, 9:43 AM
Phoenix—Just two days after hearing oral arguments, a Maricopa County Superior Court judge today threw out a legal challenge to Arizona’s new corporate tax credit program. The Institute for Justice and its Arizona Chapter defended the program on behalf of families of modest means who are eligible for private school scholarships thanks to the program.
Dial down the nasty, Regent urges angry New York City parents
Date CapturedFriday March 09 2007, 7:48 AM
NY Daily News Erin Einhorn reports, " State Board of Regents member called on city parent leaders yesterday to 'tone down' the rhetoric they're using to oppose the Education Department. Following weeks in which Mayor Bloomberg and Schools Chancellor Joel Klein have met with rising fury from parents who feel they've not been consulted on sweeping changes planned for schools, Regent Merryl Tisch, a longtime Bloomberg ally, visited a citywide parents group to urge calm."
SUNY chief hears business views on university role
Date CapturedFriday March 09 2007, 7:40 AM
Press-Republican reports, "In the North Country, particularly, goals include developing more small-business and entrepreneurial opportunities and increasing broadband access and online training, [SUNY Chancellor Ryan] he said. 'The importance of putting in broadband infrastructure is crucial.' 'The key thing we have been fighting for is the importance of high-speed broadband, which allows us to do long-distance learning,' said Allen Dunham, chair of the North Country Workforce Investment Board. That would decrease traveling for training opportunities, assist hospitals with imaging needs and provide incentive for students to stay in the area after graduation and land jobs locally, among other things, he said. Other topics that participants said were discussed Thursday included the role of SUNY in providing support for communities and economic developers, the role of colleges in workforce development, how the business community can take better advantage of innovation and invention being produced at SUNY schools and what support emerging technology companies need from SUNY and the state."
SUNY Chancellor erred in holding local closed-door session
Date CapturedFriday March 09 2007, 7:30 AM
Press-Republican opines, "By barring the public from these most public discussions, [SUNY Chancellor Ryan] he turned an opportunity for real dialogue into an elitist gathering that will reflect the interests of only one small segment of the population it serves — if, indeed, that segment is served by SUNY at all. Many of the wealthy in the business community spurn SUNY for their children in favor of the more prestigious private institutions." The Press-Republic adds, "We were told that a couple of weeks ago, Gov. Spitzer held a similar meeting, himself, with business leaders in Manhattan."
Marist poll finds little support for school property taxes
Date CapturedFriday March 09 2007, 7:18 AM
Times Herald reports, "Other highlights of the findings, which were released today: 59 percent of Ulster residents rate local education as good or excellent, compared with 72 percent in Dutchess. 20 percent overall found the best thing about their district is the teachers. 12 percent find the size of schools the worst thing about their local system. One in 10 mentioned taxes. Only 41 percent think school districts negotiate contracts well. 55 percent believe their district is controlled by a small group of people with their own agenda. Many of those polled want more money for science labs, computers, the arts and libraries. Voters supported a school budget because they thought it was fiscally sound. Voters opposed a school budget because they thought it was wasteful and irresponsible. 54 percent of voters do not think increased funding means better schools; 46 percent think it does. 61 percent think any funding alternatives should not include vouchers for private or parochial schools."
Expert flunks school testing
Date CapturedFriday March 09 2007, 7:03 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports, "[Foundation for Education Reform and Accountability president] Carroll said New York needs to: Measure students' gains over a period of time, rather than just use a 'snapshot approach' of comparing students in a single grade each year. Use letter grades or a 0-100 grading system, rather than sorting performance into four levels, so the public can better understand results. Label school performance more accurately. Currently, a school with kindergarten through grade 8 with poor performance in just one or two areas will get the same classification — in need of improvement — as a school that fails in a multitude of areas. That 'simply makes no sense and substantially undermines the overall system's credibility,' Carroll said. Remove conflicts of interest by prohibiting teachers, schools and districts from scoring their own exams. Ensure that exam results are reported sooner. The state Education Department reported results of math and English/language arts exams last fall from the previous school year. The agency has promised to release this year's scores before the school year ends. Provide financial incentives for districts that do well, in addition to having serious consequences for those that do not. The recommendations are in a report the foundation is releasing this week."
The Education Gadfly
Date CapturedThursday March 08 2007, 6:47 PM
A Weekly Bulletin of News and Analysis from the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation; March 8, 2007, Volume 7, Number 10
Why We Fight: How Public Schools Cause Social Conflict
Date CapturedThursday March 08 2007, 2:48 PM
Neal McCluskey, policy analyst at the Center for Educational Freedom writes, "This paper reexamines the accepted story about public schooling’s role in creating unity and upholding democracy. First, it documents outbreaks over the past academic year of the most divisive kinds of public school conflicts— those pitting people’s deeply held values against each other—and makes clear that such combat is inevitable when everyone is required to pay for an official school system that only the most politically powerful control. Next, it examines the historical record of American education and finds that conflict and division have long been part of public schooling. Finally, the report identifies the true foundations of the nation’s unity and success, and explains why the only system of education that can effectively support a free society is one that is itself grounded in freedom."
Congressman to Introduce No Child Left Behind Alternative
Date CapturedThursday March 08 2007, 2:39 PM
CNSNews.com news reports, "Under [Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-Mich.)] his proposal to be introduced next week, the Academic Partnerships Lead Us to Success Act of 2007, states would no longer be required to follow regulations tied to federal funding, and it would allow them to 'assume full responsibility for the educational needs of its students.' But Andrew Rotherham, co-director of the education think tank Education Sector and a member of the Virginia State Board of Education, said, 'The reason we're in the jam we're in is in no small part because of the states.' Rotherham said the federal government has had to intervene to improve equity in America's school systems as well as the quality of education."
NCLB School Reform Deserves Renewal, and It's Not Enough
Date CapturedThursday March 08 2007, 11:23 AM
Mort Kondracke, Executive Editor of Roll Call writes, "The state with the best academic achievement records of all -- Massachusetts -- could boast only that about half of its students scored proficiently on the National Assessment of Education Progress. At the bottom was Washington, D.C., with proficiency ratings barely above 10 percent. The chamber hopes to equip its state affiliates and member businesses to confront state legislatures, local school boards and teachers unions to demand reform. It's a worthy purpose. And it could use some help from a presidential candidate who'll call for a grand trade -- professional level pay for teachers in return for professional accountability, pay-for-performance and an end to rigid union work rules. Also, equalization of funding between rich and poor school districts, a longer school day and a longer school year and more investment in early childhood education. Republicans resist spending more. Democrats chronically do the bidding of the teachers unions. America's kids and the country's future need a president who'll break that rancid mold."
Pennsylvania calls for tougher tactics to tackle truancy
Date CapturedThursday March 08 2007, 11:17 AM
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports, "From warning letters to parents to hauling kids before the local magistrate, school districts in Pennsylvania long have had ways to deal with students who habitually skip school. But state education officials now are asking school officials to dig a little deeper to get to the root of chronic truancy and devise a plan to fix the problem."
Bilingual school embraces both its languages
Date CapturedThursday March 08 2007, 10:44 AM
Post-Standard reports, "Seymour needs to prove itself with the state Education Department. In January 2006, the state put Seymour 'under registration review' because its scores were too low on the state fourth-grade English language arts test. The dual-language program should help those scores, and the state has agreed to the expansion of Seymour's program, Perkins said. The benefits of the dual-language program go beyond academics, Perkins said. 'We're seeing our students being able to integrate together, no separation of our racial or ethnic groups,' she said. Lowengard envisions the Seymour program to be a model."
Failure is not an option; State cannot throw in its fiscal towel and leave Roosevelt schools in lurch
Date CapturedThursday March 08 2007, 10:36 AM
Newsday opines, "There's plenty of blame to go around, but the buck stops with the State Education Department and Commissioner Richard Mills. The state stepped in to run the district because the local school board and officials were doing such a poor job, both in terms of educating children and in running the district efficiently. If the state can't run the district, then nobody can. And that is unacceptable."
All must see to it that schools succeed
Date CapturedThursday March 08 2007, 9:58 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle Guest Essayist Stephen Uebbing, professor in the University of Rochester's Warner School of Education writes, "Schools are reflections of the society they serve, and thus, real accountability must include the social systems surrounding the schoolhouse. Schools must embrace deep parent and community involvement if they hope to realize true reform, especially in high need areas. Fundamental systemic changes, such as the Rochester Children's Zone, offer real promise. In the end, society deserves accountability for its investment, and if the superintendent has to serve as the vanguard for such accountability, so be it. But let's also recognize that we are all accountable for our public schools, and only when we make the entire system accountable do we achieve 'true' reform."
Yates principal gets UAlbany award
Date CapturedThursday March 08 2007, 9:51 AM
Times Union reports, "Valarie Scott, principal of Yates Arts-in-Education Magnet School, will be the 2007 recipient of the Bertha Brimmer Medal. The award, which was established in 1934, is given annually by the University at Albany to an alumnus for excellence in teaching and dedication to the profession."
Debunking a Special Education Myth
Date CapturedThursday March 08 2007, 8:38 AM
Jay P. Greene, professor of education reform, University of Arkansas, and a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research and Marcus A. Winters, senior research associate at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research and doctoral fellow at the University of Arkansas write, " Can spiraling special education costs explain why educational achievement remained stagnant over the past three decades while real education spending more than doubled? Policy makers, education researchers, and school district officials often make this claim. Special education students—goes the argument—are draining resources away from regular education students."
New York City Schools Attendance Memo re: Law and Policy
Date CapturedWednesday March 07 2007, 1:21 PM
The New York City Department of Education is committed to the academic success and social development of all students. Our objective for the 2006 – 2007 school year is to ensure that all students are provided with the necessary intervention and supports that encourage regular school attendance. Regular attendance is critical to successful achievement in school. Conversely, poor attendance is one of the most significant indicators of potential risk. It is our goal to ensure that students are provided with every available resource to support and facilitate their successful completion of school. To this end, the accurate tracking of student attendance is fundamental to the implementation of effective educational services. The Department of Education has established a clearly defined system for recording, tracking and monitoring school attendance. This system is supported and implemented by a series of attendance guidelines and procedures set forth in Chancellor’s Regulations, State Education Laws, and descriptive memoranda distributed to school staff. This Memorandum provides information about attendance law and policy, attendance procedures for this school year, the implementation of attendance services, clearance of register procedures, revised procedures for addressing student absences, requirements for reporting educational neglect and child abuse, and discharge and transfer procedures including the process for conducting and tracking planning interviews on the ATS system. Additionally information about, “ILOG” the new student intervention screen on ATS, will be provided.
New York City Schools Truancy Letter
Date CapturedWednesday March 07 2007, 1:10 PM
As the 2006-2007 school year begins we would like to wish all of our students a successful and productive year. We would also like to take this opportunity to provide important information about our continuing truancy reduction effort, which begins on the end of September 2006. The truancy program, known as TRACK in Brooklyn and Staten Island and PACT in Queens and Manhattan, is a cooperative venture among the New York City District Attorneys’ Offices, the New York City Police Department, the New York City Department of Education and the Police Athletic League. The purpose of the program is to reduce truancy and to keep students safe and in school during regular school hours.
Chancellor Ryan to leave SUNY
Date CapturedWednesday March 07 2007, 12:03 PM
AP MICHAEL GORMLEY reports, "State University of New York Chancellor John Ryan will resign May 31, according to a letter to SUNY officials and employees obtained by The Associated Press. 'It is with mixed emotions that I send this note to all of you,' Ryan wrote in the letter dated Wednesday. 'Later today it will be announced that I will be stepping down as chancellor effective the end of May to become the president and CEO of the Center for Creative Leadership headquartered in Greensboro, N.C.'"
The Mexican American Struggle for Equal Educational Opportunity in Mendez v. Westminster: Helping to Pave the Way for Brown v. Board of Education
Date CapturedWednesday March 07 2007, 11:46 AM
RICHARD R. VALENCIA, professor in the Department of Educational Psychology at the College of Education of the University of Texas at Austin writes, "Few people in the United States are aware of the central role that Mexican Americans have played in some of the most important legal struggles regarding school desegregation. The most significant such case is Mendez v. Westminster (1946), a class-action lawsuit filed on behalf of more than 5,000 Mexican American students in Orange County, California. The Mendez case became the first successful constitutional challenge to segregation. In fact, in Mendez the U.S. District Court judge ruled that the Mexican American students' rights were being violated under the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The decision was affirmed by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Although the Mendez case was never appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, a number of legal scholars at that time hailed it as a case that could have accomplished what Brown eventually did eight years later: a reversal of the High Court's 1896 ruling in Plessy v. Ferguson, which had sanctioned legal segregation for nearly 60 years." Teachers College Record Volume 107 Number 3, 2005, p. 389-423 http://www.tcrecord.org ID Number: 11792, Date Accessed: 3/7/2007 11:44:54 AM
Our View — Special ed needs more state funds
Date CapturedWednesday March 07 2007, 10:29 AM
Minnesota Mankato Free Press opines, "When the topic of special education funding surfaces, the fact the federal government severely underfunds special ed is a given. Although the federal government mandated special ed 30 years ago, it has never paid more than 17 percent of those costs even though it promised to pay 40 percent. School districts across the nation have decried that lack of funding for years on deaf ears. What fewer people probably know is that Minnesota mandated special ed services 20 years before the federal government did. And like the federal government, the state hasn’t fully supported its mandate."
Schools cut truancy by half
Date CapturedWednesday March 07 2007, 9:20 AM
Savannah Morning News reports, "In addition to showing up for the tests and performing well, a school's pass-fail rate can hinge on attendance, according to Dana Tofig, a spokesman for the Georgia Department of Education. 'If students aren't in school, they probably are not keeping up with schoolwork and they are less likely to do well on curriculum exams,' Tofig said. 'Attendance can directly impact AYP, but it's also something school systems can focus on with a great deal of success.' Lockamy said he isn't just satisfied with simply ensuring students are in their desks each day. He wants to know why students stray from the classroom in the first place."
SCHOOL SCI OF RELIEF; CITY WIDE LESSON PLAN
Date CapturedWednesday March 07 2007, 8:03 AM
NY Post David Andreatta reports on new citywide science curriculum, "An expert applauded the plan, but cautioned that it won't cure all the city's ills. 'It's a good idea if it's well managed,' said New York University science education professor Pamela Fraser-Abder. 'What is even more critical than having an enforced curriculum is having elementary teachers trained to teach science.' 'Until we get to the stage where people really feel comfortable teaching science, regardless of what structures we put in place, it will not work as well as it could.'"
Roosevelt schools facing $12M deficit
Date CapturedTuesday March 06 2007, 7:54 PM
Newsday JOHN HILDEBRAND reports, "The state's new comptroller, Thomas DiNapoli, declared that the 2,800-student district is headed toward a fiscal crisis. The state [education department] took direct control of the troubled school system in 2002 -- the first and only time Albany has done this -- and state-appointed administrators have run the district ever since. 'Continuing on this path, the district will run out of cash and won't be able to pay its bills,' DiNapoli declared. 'These problems must be addressed now. It is essential that a realistic, long-term financial plan is developed to get the district on the right track.'"
Teachers union given `F' for truth in lobbying ads
Date CapturedTuesday March 06 2007, 7:47 PM
AP MICHAEL GORMLEY reports, "Spitzer also supports more charter schools _ because they are highly regulated and accountable public schools run by private enterprises. Charter schools must prove success every five years or be closed, which has happened to some already. Spitzer also proposes 'transition aid' to help traditional schools cope financially when they lose students to a charter school, taking their state aid with them. 'Some of the claims are misleading,' said Spitzer spokeswoman Christine Anderson. Nonetheless, the administration will continue to work with NYSUT to advance Spitzer's budget proposal that also calls for a $1.4 billion increase in the fiscal year beginning April 1. 'I find it kind of astonishing, their lack of gratitude, the total piggyness that they want to have it all their own way,' said Tom Carroll of the Foundation for Education Reform & Accountability, which supports charter schools."
Illinois Gov. Blagojevich to seek $1.5 billion increase in school funding
Date CapturedTuesday March 06 2007, 7:18 PM
AP reports, "The money would be boost basic spending for each student, funding for special-education teachers and the amount available for transportation and other special categories."
In Diversity Push, Top Universities Enrolling More Black Immigrants
Date CapturedTuesday March 06 2007, 10:50 AM
Washington Post reports, "The nation's most elite colleges and universities are bolstering their black student populations by enrolling large numbers of immigrants from Africa, the West Indies and Latin America, according to a study published recently in the American Journal of Education. Immigrants, who make up 13 percent of the nation's college-age black population, account for more than a quarter of black students at Ivy League and other selective universities, according to the study, produced by Princeton University and the University of Pennsylvania."
Wyoming seeks help on NCLB education law
Date CapturedTuesday March 06 2007, 10:42 AM
Star-Tribune reports, "The federal government should give Wyoming's department of education more money to help the state's school districts improve, be more flexible with rules about teacher certification, and judge school districts by whether students make personal progress, not by whether they meet arbitrary test scores, [state Superintendent of Public Instruction] McBride said in the letter and at a press conference Monday."
Boosting Accountability in New York’s Schools; How to Meet the Governor’s Historic Challenge
Date CapturedTuesday March 06 2007, 9:27 AM
Thursday, March 8, 2007. Governor Spitzer has proposed an historic education-reform package that includes a ringing call for greater accountability in New York’s schools. But this will require an overhaul of the State’s current educational accountability system, which is simply not designed to accomplish the goals the Governor has laid out. How should the state measure the progress of schools, students, principals, and superintendents? Can the state effectively track the progress of individual students over time? Does the federal No Child Left Behind Act need to be amended? Do current state tests need to be redesigned? Should the Legislature delegate key accountablity decisions to the Board of Regents? How quickly can a new accountability system be implemented?
Fixing No Child Left Behind
Date CapturedTuesday March 06 2007, 8:11 AM
WSJ Review and Outlook, "President Bush's 2008 budget sets aside $250 million for 'promise scholarships' for low-income students in schools that have consistently underperformed for five years. The scholarships would average about $4,000 and "the money would follow the child to the public, charter or private school of his or her choice." Them's fightin' words for the Democrats who now control Congress. But Mr. Bush has the bully pulpit, as well as the moral authority from five years of evidence on failing schools. We hope his Administration uses them to explain why real school choice is essential to any reform in K-12 education."
Massachusetts Gov. Patrick wants to raise dropout age
Date CapturedTuesday March 06 2007, 8:02 AM
Massachusetts students should no longer be allowed to drop out of school at 16, Governor Deval Patrick said yesterday, endorsing a plan to raise the mandatory school attendance age to 18. Patrick, speaking at a summit in Worcester on high school graduation rates, said he would embrace legislation adopted in at least 15 other states and the District of Columbia that will force teenagers to stay in school longer. Other states -- including New Hampshire, New Mexico, Arizona, and South Dakota -- are also considering raising the age to 18, according to the Education Commission of the States.
Council Assails Mayor’s Plan to Give Principals More Autonomy
Date CapturedTuesday March 06 2007, 7:53 AM
NY Times DAVID M. HERSZENHORN reports, "At yesterday’s Council hearing, the Education Committee chairman, Councilman Robert Jackson, invoked the bus problems as part of his criticism of the department’s overall performance and as a reason for slowing down any additional widening of principals’ autonomy. 'I’m not confident in the D.O.E.’s ability to make such large-scale reform,' Mr. Jackson said. 'All we have to do is look back a month ago to the school bus fiasco.'”
Students who attend smaller schools usually do better
Date CapturedTuesday March 06 2007, 7:38 AM
Times Herald-Record contributor Stuart Wirth, TTA president and a math teacher at George F. Baker High School writes, "I am a math teacher at George F. Baker High School. I and my colleagues have devoted our professional careers to educating the children of our communities. Since I have spoken to the Greenwood Lake Board of Education at its last meeting, I have come across many articles about the advantages of attending a small school. One article in particular grabbed my attention, and I would like to share some of it with you."
Big brother is looming; $80M computer to track kids and educators in detail
Date CapturedTuesday March 06 2007, 7:18 AM
NY Daily News Erin Einhorn reports, "The system will combine existing data on kids - from a child's gender and race to whether he or she needs special education services to the name of his or her third-grade teacher - with new data to be generated from annual state exams and interim tests given to kids every four to six weeks. The interim tests measure whether kids havemastered specific skills, such as multiplying fractions or distinguishing fact from opinion, at different times of the year. Teachers will be able to see an entire classroom of results at once. Principals will be able to see an entire school. Parents eventually will have access to their own kids' data plus summary facts about their child's school, the results of parent, student and teacher surveys and details about how their school scored on annual reviews."
New York City Department of Education Attendance Services
Date CapturedMonday March 05 2007, 9:17 PM
The Office of Attendance is responsible for the oversight of attendance policies, procedures and programs for New York City public school students. This includes the development and implementation of attendance guidelines and procedures, provision of on-going technical assistance and support and collaboration with outside agencies and organizations on attendance-related issues. The office also serves as a resource to the community and the public-at-large. In addition, the office is responsible for: Employment Certification; Attendance Improvement and Dropout Prevention (AIDP) Programs; Truancy Prevention Programs (TRACK, PACT); and home schooling.
SUNY posts record enrollment
Date CapturedMonday March 05 2007, 8:59 PM
Newsday reports, "The State University of New York has announced that student enrollment for Fall 2006 has increased for the ninth consecutive year to 417,583--a record for the 64-campus system. SUNY officials said that in addition to the historic, total enrollment, enrollment among minority students and full-time students grew as well and also represent the highest levels in the history of SUNY, which was established in 1948."
Education Update Online
Date CapturedMonday March 05 2007, 7:18 PM
Reaching a deal on education
Date CapturedMonday March 05 2007, 9:00 AM
Jewish World Review Michael Barone writes, "The fact is that our schools are not as good as they could be. This doesn't hurt kids from affluent, stable, book-filled households too much — they're mostly going to do well even if they go to mediocre schools. But it does hurt kids from low-earning, single-parent, bookless households who fall behind in poor schools and too often never reach their potential. It would help them if these Democrats and Republicans could once again reach a deal. Let's hope the insiders are wrong on this one."
Long Island school officials decry state aid program
Date CapturedMonday March 05 2007, 8:45 AM
Newsday Rick Brand reports, "The complaints center on Spitzer's new aid formula, which guarantees many local school districts a minimum 3 percent increase, but disqualifies them from other special aid categories that would help districts with high taxes, large enrollment growth, excessive special education costs and adjustments for the region's higher cost of living. The formulas, they added, will hurt more as time goes on."
Advocates say lack of funding for after-school programs could lead to ‘crisis’
Date CapturedMonday March 05 2007, 8:41 AM
Legislative Gazette reports, "Currently, after-school programs in Albany, Buffalo, Rochester, Port Chester, Poughkeepsie, Elmira, Niagara Falls, Gowanda, Syracuse, Oswego, Utica, Jamestown, Rome, Yonkers and all five boroughs of New York City are funded through the federal 21st Century Community Learning Program. However, since the purse strings are held by the state Education Department, those programs are at the mercy of the state. Since the beginning of the month, state officials have begun informing the after-school programs that they would not be receiving the federal funding this year at all. The funding is expected to be cycled through other types of programs that qualify for the federal allocation."
Mike's leap of faith
Date CapturedMonday March 05 2007, 8:31 AM
NY Daily News reports, "Last week, more than 1,000 parents and activists rallied against the Education Department's reorganization plans and complained their opinions are being ignored. Bloomberg told the congregations he plans to make the teacher tenure process "more accountable and more rigorous." He also said a new program will start in September to base school funding on the number of students enrolled. 'Some schools get more money than others - that's just wrong,' Bloomberg said."
Cutting off library funds would curtail education
Date CapturedMonday March 05 2007, 8:19 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle guest essayist Catherine Carlson, former Rundel Memorial Library Foundation board member writes, "I hope library funding will not be decreased but only increased, as libraries have done more than other institutions to build and continue our democracy and to further the education of our citizens. Libraries are the only egalitarian system available to the entire public. To not fund this institution would be to take away from many citizens their primary, easy access to a variety of learning tools, information, communication, knowledge and learning."
Study says New York kids' chance for success is better than average
Date CapturedMonday March 05 2007, 8:10 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports, "New York state is above the national average in most categories, but is tied at 18th overall with Delaware, and is behind Virginia, Connecticut, Minnesota, New Jersey, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Vermont, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Colorado and South Dakota, respectively. " The study also discusses ensuring education is connected from one stage to the next and reduction of the need for remediation.
Recognizing the accomplishments of Western New Yorkers
Date CapturedSunday March 04 2007, 2:48 PM
Buffalo News reports, "Barbara Nevergold, Ph.D., co-founder of the Uncrowned Queens Institute for Research and Education on Women at the University at Buffalo, is one of five people to be honored this year by the State of New York with a 2007 Dr. Martin Luther King Humanitarian Award."
Special Education Muckrakers
Date CapturedSunday March 04 2007, 1:07 PM
The Special Education Muckrakers are people who care passionately about what happens to disabled kids in the public schools.
Three Georgia schools getting 'character education' grants
Date CapturedSaturday March 03 2007, 1:23 PM
Accessnorthga.com reports, "Each school staff will receive training, coaching and high quality professional learning from national trainers and Pioneer RESA staff. "
Officials say schools hindered in rural, poor areas of Arizona
Date CapturedSaturday March 03 2007, 1:17 PM
East Valley Tribune reports, "Arizona continues to spend a smaller share of its education dollars on direct classroom instruction than the national average. New figures released Thursday by the state Auditor General’s Office show that in 2006 school districts spent an average of 58.3 cents of every dollar provided for education in the classroom. That includes teacher salaries, instructional supplies, textbooks, software and field trips. By comparison, the most recent national average is 61.5 cents."
Hispanics, education discussed
Date CapturedSaturday March 03 2007, 10:37 AM
Orlando Sentinel reports, "Academics, researchers and activists are participating in several discussions organized by the Hispanic Family Learning Institute. It's part of The National Center for Family Literacy, an organization based in Louisville, Ky., that promotes family literacy as an antidote to poverty."
SUNY students lobby for more funding, faculty
Date CapturedFriday March 02 2007, 8:18 PM
Legislative Gazette reports, "In his Executive Budget, Gov. Eliot Spitzer proposed SUNY receive $143 million to sustain the growing university system, but according to [SUNY Chancellor]Ryan, the university is in need of much more money. Ryan requested an additional $120.6 million to fund more programs, hire more full-time faculty and to funnel funding into community colleges. New York’s higher education system was given the highest starting ground in two decades and, according to Ryan, this unique opportunity may help the university to receive desperately needed additional funding."
Concerns over funding formula dominate New York education hearing
Date CapturedFriday March 02 2007, 8:09 PM
Legislative Gazette reports, "Concerns over funding for some districts under Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s proposed foundation aid formula dominated discussion at a joint budget public hearing on elementary and secondary education last week. Debate over foundation aid centered on the premise of the formula, which is designed to drive more funding into New York’s high need schools — should New York design a system that tries to address all students or fully fund a system that targets the state’s neediest students? Cases of similar districts receiving different increases in aid are popping up across the state and are raising questions over how the formula will affect those districts that are moderately wealthy."
Chancellor Klein's Testimony Before the Senate Finance Committee and the Assembly Ways and Means Committee
Date CapturedFriday March 02 2007, 12:53 PM
EXCERPT: There is a lot in the budget proposal that we in New York City are happy about. Highlights include: significant increases in overall educational funding that take a major step toward fulfilling the promise of the Campaign for Fiscal Equity; a foundation formula that factors in student need and provides more transparency and stability to school funding; enhanced accountability that ties new education dollars to student performance; the lifting of the charter school cap; and an expansion funding for pre-kindergarten programs. (READ FULL TEXT)
New York State Education Department NEWS & NOTES
Date CapturedFriday March 02 2007, 9:57 AM
From the Desk of Jean C. Stevens, Interim Deputy Commissioner March 1, 2007.
East Ramapo and Clarkstown districts honored for music education
Date CapturedFriday March 02 2007, 9:33 AM
Journal News reports, "A survey by leading music and educational organizations places the Clarkstown and East Ramapo school districts among the nation's top 100 communities for music education."
Arts education program can serve as model for school districts
Date CapturedFriday March 02 2007, 9:30 AM
Journal News reports, "In a time of one-size-fits-all testing, the arts have been wrongfully shoved aside as irrelevant "fluff." Your view that arts education is vital and your specific suggestions as to how the arts can be given the status they deserve validated all of our efforts: artists, teachers, administrators. Much of what the editorial suggests (referenced below) is already part of our district's unique story, Literacy through the Arts, one we wish to share with others."
New York City BOE BOTCHES REGENTS REPEAT
Date CapturedFriday March 02 2007, 8:50 AM
NY Post David Andreatta reports, "A delayed response to a Department of Education directive resulted in 45 students at Lafayette HS in Brooklyn unnecessarily taking the same Regents courses twice."
ASCB Position on Public Access to Scientific Literature
Date CapturedThursday March 01 2007, 5:38 PM
The American Society for Cell Biology is a nonprofit scientific society of over 11,000 members at leading research institutions, state colleges, undergraduate teaching institutions, and biotechnology companies. The major activities of the Society include organization of influential scientific meetings in cell biology, advocacy for sound science policy, and programs that support the careers of women and underrepresented minorities in basic biomedical research. The ASCB is also a publisher. The Society’s publications include the high-impact monthly research journal, Molecular Biology of the Cell.
2007 is 'a banner year for education'
Date CapturedThursday March 01 2007, 12:33 PM
Deseret Morning News reports, "[Utah]Public education received record funding this year with lawmakers aiming at increasing teacher compensation to help recruit and retain quality educators."
Impact of Mississippi high school dropouts studied
Date CapturedThursday March 01 2007, 12:24 PM
Mississippi Business Journal reports, "If high school dropouts who currently head households in Mississippi had instead earned diplomas, the state's economy would benefit from an additional $1.1 billion in wealth accumulated by families, according to the Alliance for Excellent Education in its new brief, 'Hidden Benefits: The Impact of High School Graduation on Household Wealth,' funded by the MetLife Foundation."
Experts: Expand teaching methods
Date CapturedThursday March 01 2007, 9:19 AM
Courier News reports, "National education experts are urging school districts to drop what they call a 'one-size-fits-all' approach to teaching and replace it with a student-by-student plan developed by educators. 'We need a change in how we approach the governance of public education,' said Andrew Rotherham, former education adviser to President Bill Clinton."
Bridging Differences
Date CapturedThursday March 01 2007, 8:23 AM
Deborah Meier and Diane Ravitch have found themselves at odds on policy over the years, but they share a passion for improving schools. Bridging Differences will offer their insights on what matters most in education.
Educated opinions important part of education
Date CapturedThursday March 01 2007, 8:11 AM
Arizona State University Web Devil opines, "In summary, as an effort to prevent teachers from expressing or advocating political opinions in classrooms, legislators have introduced a bill that would make it illegal for teachers to take a stand on controversial issues, require schools to educate faculty, students and their families on such policies. The bill also outlines penalties for violations."
NCLB Gets Name Change
Date CapturedThursday March 01 2007, 7:40 AM
La Canada Valley Sun reports, "The No Child Left Behind Act [NCLB] is going through a name change. The State of California will soon be referring to the program as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act [ESEA]."
THE UFT'S ALBANY PUPPETS
Date CapturedThursday March 01 2007, 7:19 AM
NY Post opines, "Education Committee Chairwoman Cathy Nolan and Assemblyman Ruben Diaz questioned Mayor Bloomberg's progress in improving the schools in the five years since he wrested control of them from folks like, well . . . Weingarten & Co. In so doing, they made their ultimate goal obvious: to kill off Chancellor Joel Klein's reorganization plan and then reclaim school governance for folks like (you guessed it) Weingarten & Co."
MAYOR BLOOMBERG TAPS CRITIC FOR EDUCATION POST
Date CapturedThursday March 01 2007, 6:55 AM
NY Post David Andreatta reports, "Martine Guerrier, a Brooklyn mom and member of the Panel for Educational Policy, the successor to the Board of Education, will be paid $150,000 a year to manage parent-support functions as the CEO of family engagement for the Department of Education. The differences between the pair were evident immediately after the mayor announced her appointment at City Hall, when she disagreed with his assessment that "most parents really are pleased" with the school system."
U.S. details funds at risk if Virginia English learners aren't tested
Date CapturedWednesday February 28 2007, 2:34 PM
AP reports, "The U.S. Department of Education has detailed how much money Virginia school divisions could lose if they disobey a law that requires children who are trying to learn English to take the same reading tests as their native-speaking peers, state officials said Wednesday."
National chamber finds New York not getting money's worth on education
Date CapturedWednesday February 28 2007, 12:14 PM
The Business Review (Albany) reports, "New York state has the most rigorous standards for public education in the country, according to a new study by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. But New York finished in the middle of the pack in terms of overall academic achievement of its students, the chamber found. "
Leaders and Laggards: A State-by-State Report Card on Educational Effectiveness
Date CapturedWednesday February 28 2007, 12:09 PM
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Center for American Progress analyze education quality around the country.
State education officials question funding distribution
Date CapturedWednesday February 28 2007, 7:08 AM
The Journal News reports, "Some lawmakers and educators said at a budget hearing on education that they worried the new distribution formula would shortchange the 303 districts that receive only 3 percent increases. Education budgets may rise by 7 percent a year, so four years at 3 percent annually would place a heavier burden on local taxpayers to fund education, said Senate Education Committee Chairman Stephen Saland, R-Poughkeepsie, who noted that most school systems in his district would get 3 percent increases. 'If we're talking about fairness, I think there has to be changes (in the formula),' he said."
Changes urged for school aid plan: Spitzer's proposed funding boost welcomed, but many advocates say more money will be needed
Date CapturedWednesday February 28 2007, 7:00 AM
Times Union reports, "There are other differences in how Spitzer is approaching education spending, most notably through his proposals that place strings on how the additional money is spent. A recent amendment to the governor's budget, for instance, helps ensure that struggling school systems won't simply use the extra money to lower taxes. Instead, districts that get significant increases must spend the money on measures like smaller class sizes and full day pre-K programs. Spitzer also has proposed that school superintendents could be fired if their district turns in four years of poor performance. School board members could be removed after six years."
Educators, Youth Workers Tackle Student Issues
Date CapturedTuesday February 27 2007, 5:29 PM
Tennessee Department of Education announces, "Two outstanding lottery for education after-school programs (LEAPs) will present at the conference: TOPS and New Directions Academy. These lottery-funded after-school programs provide students enrichment activities to reinforce the academic goals for all Tennessee students."
San Francisco Unified School District focuses on the arts
Date CapturedTuesday February 27 2007, 9:56 AM
The Examiner reports, "While schools throughout California struggle to maintain arts education programs, the San Francisco Unified School District is beginning to see the effects of a massive plan to beef up its arts curricula across The City. District educators are in the first year of implementing the Arts Education Master Plan, an ambitious road map to give arts education to each student at every school."
A Bad Report Card
Date CapturedTuesday February 27 2007, 9:23 AM
NY Times opines, "Congress, which is preparing to reauthorize both the No Child Left Behind Act and the Higher Education Act, needs to take a hard look at these scores and move forcefully to demand far-reaching structural changes. It should start by getting the board that oversees the National Assessment of Educational Progress testing to create rigorous national standards for crucial subjects. It should also require the states to raise the bar for teacher qualifications and end the odious practice of supplying the neediest students with the least qualified teachers. This process would also include requiring teachers colleges, which get federal aid, to turn out higher quality graduates and to supply many more teachers in vital areas like math and science. If there’s any doubt about why these reforms are needed, all Congress has to do is read the latest national report card."
Demand for English Lessons Outstrips Supply
Date CapturedTuesday February 27 2007, 9:19 AM
NY Times reports, "Census figures show that in the United States there were 32.6 million foreign-born residents 18 years or older in 2005, up about 18 percent from the 27.5 million counted in 2000 (and nearly twice the 17.1 million in 1990). Federal spending on adult education, about $580 million last year, has increased 23 percent since 2000 and more than tripled since 1990; some 45 percent of the money is devoted to English."
In New Jersey, Districts Find Aid Increases Insufficient
Date CapturedTuesday February 27 2007, 9:13 AM
NY Times Winnie Hu reports, "Nearly half of the increased state aid that Gov. Jon S. Corzine promised for schools in his budget proposal last week will be eaten up by teachers’ benefits and school construction, and much of the remaining $300 million is earmarked for literacy and early childhood programs, education officials in New Jersey said yesterday."
KIDS' 'AFTER'MATH
Date CapturedTuesday February 27 2007, 9:09 AM
NY Post David Andreatta reports, "After-school programs that let roughly 34,000 children across the state - including 20,000 in the city - get tutored, play sports and participate in a host of other activities could be lost to a federal-funding shortfall, state education officials and youth advocates warn. Directors of programs at 207 schools were stunned to learn this month in a letter from the state Education Department that they would have to find new funding for the next school year because the federal government didn't pony up $11 million to keep the programs running past June."
Tracking bad behavior will help students' parents: Misconduct data will show school trends
Date CapturedTuesday February 27 2007, 8:34 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle opines, "One of the lingering problems with education is that the public has little sense of continuity, the way that a strong pre-kindergarten program, for example, leads in a quantifiable way to better scores in second, third and fourth grade. Or, on the negative side, how intermittent stories of teacher misbehavior reveal not isolated events but an increasing problem."
No Child Left Behind is working because it provides accountability
Date CapturedTuesday February 27 2007, 8:04 AM
Cincinnati Inquirer contributor Kristine Cohn, secretary of education's regional representative for the U.S. Department of Education, Region V (Chicago) writes, "In 1965, President Johnson signed into law the first federal aid program for high-poverty school districts. It lacked one core ingredient, however: accountability. A year later, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy asked, "What happened to the children? Do you mean you spent a billion dollars and you don't know whether they can read or not?" The No Child Left Behind Act is America's answer to that question. In five years, it has committed unprecedented new resources to public education in exchange for true accountability for results. It has given schools a reliable yardstick to measure students' progress in learning fundamental reading and math skills so that they can succeed in school and in life."
Catholics fight for their schools
Date CapturedTuesday February 27 2007, 7:54 AM
Chicago Tribune reports, "With Catholic school enrollment continuing to plummet in Illinois, Cardinal Francis George and other church leaders met Monday to discuss everything from improved marketing to additional state aid to rejuvenate a once-thriving parochial education system. The summit, involving about 300 Catholic school administrators as well as bishops and priests from across the state, was the first of its kind. And although trends continue to look gloomy--enrollment statewide has dropped to 170,000 from about 215,000 a decade ago--leaders kept the mood upbeat."
DUAL LANGUAGE LEARNING GAINS SUPPORT; Pass along language skills, immigrant parents told
Date CapturedMonday February 26 2007, 10:06 AM
Journal News reports, "When their children are learning English, immigrant parents get advice that surprises them: Don't stop speaking your native language at home. Speak as much as possible, and teach as much as you can. The message draws on research showing that literacy skills learned in one language can be applied in another. That's long been the basis of bilingual education, but even children who aren't enrolled in bilingual programs are being urged to develop their primary language alongside English."
Academic Bill of Rights is a no go at Plattsburgh State
Date CapturedMonday February 26 2007, 8:00 AM
Press Republican reports, "Author and right-wing activist David Horowitz introduced the Academic Bill of Rights in 2001 as an attempt to eliminate perceived liberal bias on college campuses. Proponents say it aims to prevent a professor from sitting in class and telling students that, for example, President Bush is evil and the Iraq war is only about oil."
New York City Education Department To Restore 17 School Bus Routes
Date CapturedSunday February 25 2007, 7:57 PM
NY1 reports, "Starting Monday, the Department of Education will bring back 17 of the bus routes it cut last month."
This Is Not Your 1983 Governor’s School Aid Plan
Date CapturedSunday February 25 2007, 10:02 AM
NY Times reports, "Under the governor’s plan, there would be a $1.4 billion increase in state aid, to $19.2 billion this year. An additional $1.5 billion would go to expanding the STAR tax rebate program next year, with the projection that it would grow to $6 billion in three years. The State Court of Appeals, ruling in a 13-year-old education financing case last year, said more had to be spent in New York City and other needier districts. Every district would get at least a 3 percent increase in the basic aid program this year, and some would get much larger jumps. Depending on some smaller, targeted aid programs, a handful of districts would lose money compared with 2006-7. Over all, Long Island’s state aid would increase by 5.2 percent. In comparison, aid for New York City would increase by 9.5 percent, for Brentwood by 12.3 percent and for Hempstead by 9.6 percent."
Choice would take the fighting out of schooling our kids
Date CapturedSunday February 25 2007, 9:45 AM
Arizona Republic contributor Neal McCluskey , education policy analyst at the Cato Institute's Center for Educational Freedom writes, "Readers of The Arizona Republic this year have witnessed writers, including Arizona's superintendent of public instruction, lobbing charges of racism at each other in an education battle royale. Many have no doubt found the fight troubling and will likely find it even more upsetting to learn that these conflicts are inevitable in any school system for which many must pay, but only a few can control. Thankfully, though elusive, peace can be attained."
Connecticut -- Testing, funding questioned as No Child law faces reauthorization
Date CapturedSaturday February 24 2007, 3:10 PM
AP reports, "With the five-year education act set to expire on Sept. 30, Lieberman, I-Conn., hosted a forum Friday at the state Capitol on ways to improve the rules before Congress votes on reauthorization this summer or fall. Among the concerns voiced: an emphasis on constant testing, inadequate funds to meet mandates, the lack of consistent methods to track and compare progress, and a perception that some states get more latitude than Connecticut to excuse large numbers of special-education students from testing."
'SLIMY TEACHER' WOE WORSENS
Date CapturedSaturday February 24 2007, 9:09 AM
NY Post David Andreatta reports, "The number of teachers in New York facing "moral character" inquiries for having had sex with students or brushes with the law has nearly doubled in the last five years, according to the state Education Department." (READ REPORT on Education New York online at http://www.educationnewyork.com/SearchPublic.aspx?btnSubmit=Go&txtSearch=NYS+Education+Department/)
Dunce cap on school reform
Date CapturedSaturday February 24 2007, 8:48 AM
TU publishes LA Times story, "Although the reports came out five years after passage of President Bush's signature education reform initiative, No Child Left Behind, Hall and others said it would be unfair to blame that program for the students' poor showing. They were already in high school when No Child Left Behind was enacted, and it is primarily aimed at elementary and middle schools." (Read report at www.educationnewyork.com/policy filed under Achievement Gap)
Kentucky court sides with legislature in school funding case
Date CapturedSaturday February 24 2007, 8:40 AM
Lebanan Enterprise reports, "Judge Thomas Wingate wrote in his Feb. 13 decision that more funding for education is a good idea and that funding education should be the legislature's first priority. However, he did not feel it was the court's role to weigh in on how the legislature determines that funding."
House OKs adjustment to Utah voucher law
Date CapturedSaturday February 24 2007, 8:35 AM
Deseret Morning News reports, "HB174 would give the State Office of Education an additional $100,000 to run the voucher program, require teachers at schools where voucher students are enrolled to have background checks and require the state perform an audit of the program in five years."
Could School Vouchers Reduce H.S. Dropout Rate?
Date CapturedSaturday February 24 2007, 8:01 AM
KXAN.com reports, "One group says Texas is in an education crisis. According to School Choice, high school dropouts cost taxpayers $377 million a year."
Some districts to lose aid under Spitzer’s education formula, superintendents say
Date CapturedFriday February 23 2007, 7:59 PM
Legislative Gazette reports, "The New York State Council of School Superintendents said Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s new “foundation aid formula,” which is targeted at putting more funding in high-need schools, has the potential to give different aid increases to similar school districts."
Majority of Linn County, Missouri superintendents believe state education funding inadequate -- hinders academic performance
Date CapturedFriday February 23 2007, 7:48 PM
Linn County Leader reports, "When the litigation was initiated on the premise Missouri's new school funding formula is 'inadequate,' the plaintiffs painted with a broad brush, citing the lack of educational programs, facilities, and qualified educators as resources that needed to be propped up with additional state dollars. But Stanford University Economist Eric Hanushek testified on behalf of the state this week that 'any measure that looks only at inputs-i.e., where the dollars go-without also tracking outputs-how students perform-is fundamentally flawed.'"
Report to the Professional Standards and Practices Board by the Office of Teaching Initiatives
Date CapturedFriday February 23 2007, 7:38 PM
New York State Education Department -- A five year analysis (2001-2002 through 2005-2006) of Moral Character Cases.
From the Desk of Jean C. Stevens, Interim Deputy Commissioner
Date CapturedFriday February 23 2007, 11:41 AM
New York State Education Department
Feingold's constituents raise Iraq, immigration issues -- NCLB
Date CapturedFriday February 23 2007, 9:29 AM
Tomah Journal reports, "Feingold voted against NCLB and said its implementation has been flawed. He agrees with conservatives who contend NCLB erodes local control of education."
Board proposals include closing Arizona homeless schools; In a move that would follow a national trend, one option for Pappas is to convert its schools into resource centers for its kid
Date CapturedFriday February 23 2007, 9:19 AM
Arizona Republic reports, "One of the options mirrors a national movement to convert the few remaining homeless schools to resource centers and keep children in their old neighborhood schools, no matter where they are living, said Barbara Duffield, policy director for the Minneapolis-based National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth. She works in Washington, D.C. Studies indicate that students fare best if they stay put, giving them some stability at a time when their lives are in chaos. Many families don't know that children have the right to stay in their schools, even if they lose their housing or live in a shelter. Schools must provide transportation and support."
Florida Gov. Crist boosts education
Date CapturedFriday February 23 2007, 9:08 AM
News-Press.com reports, "• Reading coaches: Crist’s proposal would put a reading coach in every public school, costing about $26 million. About 2,100 of Florida’s 2,500 schools employ reading coaches, who assist teachers in creating and identifying strategies to improve student reading. • Virtual tutors: Crist supports spending $10 million to create an Internet-based program that lets parents and teachers track a child’s academic progress online while pinpointing areas where they need help. • Teacher bonuses: Crist wants to modify the state’s new teacher performance pay plan — a $295 million component that lets principals dole out bonuses as high as 10 percent to each school’s top educators. "
Statement by Secretary Spellings on 12th-Grade Achievement Reports Released by the Nation's Report Card
Date CapturedFriday February 23 2007, 9:03 AM
Secretary Spellings, "The consensus for strengthening our high schools has never been stronger. It is unacceptable that only half of our African American and Hispanic students graduate from high school on time when nearly 90 percent of our nation's fastest-growing jobs require post-secondary education or training. The President's new proposals include: a $1.2 billion increase in Title I funds for high schools; an additional $1 billion over five years for Academic Competitiveness Grants for low-income students who take on a rigorous high school course load; and $365 million for the American Competitiveness Initiative to strengthen math and science instruction."
Breakthrough in School Choice
Date CapturedFriday February 23 2007, 8:20 AM
Adam Schaeffer, policy analyst for the Center for Educational Freedom at the Cato Institute writes, "Utah has just approved the nation's first universal school choice program, and in New York, Eliot Spitzer has become the first Democratic governor to propose a private school choice program in his state budget. These two firsts are a major shot in the arm for education reform, and they offer a glimpse of the possibilities to come."
Maryland truancy bill offers no real solutions
Date CapturedFriday February 23 2007, 7:54 AM
Maryland Gazette.net reports, "The truancy problem is an urban or inner city problem as a result of failed education policies. It begs the question, why we do not understand that our kids know what they need and what they want? Why are we punishing them for a system that has failed? Why are we not including the truancy offenders at the table to address the problem and solutions? Why are we not engaging our parents, churches, community, social workers and nonprofits to help us solve this problem? We have stripped our schools of vocational training, our county lacks a performing arts center and we do not have state-of-the-art technology training centers. In addition, our schools are overcrowded and many of our children are becoming frustrated when they cannot get the extra help needed to stay on pace. We have failed to provide positive alternatives to the truancy problem."
United Church of Christ (UCC) education advocate questions 'No Child Left Behind'
Date CapturedFriday February 23 2007, 7:46 AM
Religion News Service reports, "The National Council of Churches will sponsor a national conference March 9 in Arlington, Va., on 'fixing' the No Child Left Behind education act. Although the event will include secular participants, the involvement of the nation's largest ecumenical religious organization signals a growing grassroots concern about the 2002 law, which is scheduled for reauthorization by Congress this year."
Feds will withhold funds if Virginia English learners aren't tested
Date CapturedFriday February 23 2007, 7:33 AM
AP reports, "A top U.S. Department of Education official said Thursday that Virginia school divisions will lose federal funding if they do not comply with a federal law that requires children struggling to learn English take the same reading tests as their native-speaking peers.'
School Finance Reform: Back to Where We Started
Date CapturedFriday February 23 2007, 7:18 AM
New Hampshire Center for Public Policy Studies studies finds, "The objectives intended by the court were to equalize opportunity to obtain adequate education (“pupil equity”) and to equalize the tax burden associated with providing it (“tax equity”). However, it now appears that the laws and programs to reform school finance, enacted beginning in 1999 to comply with the Claremont II decision, have had no effect on pupil equity, as measured by per pupil spending. Among the highest spending districts, spending is now actually a little higher relative to the median than it was in 1999. Also, while the new laws enacted in 1999 initially did affect taxpayer equity and resulted in somewhat more equal tax rates for schools among towns, much of that change has been eroded away in the past six years. If current trends continue, the variation in tax rates will be just as great in two years as it was in 1998. In essence, measured against the two goals of the Claremont II decision, the state’s school finance reform has had little impact, and we are back to where we started in 1999."
Century Foundation Equality and Education link
Date CapturedThursday February 22 2007, 5:50 PM
InSight on Education
Date CapturedThursday February 22 2007, 4:24 PM
InSight on Education's Marianne Potter hosts a roundtable discussion with guests Maria DeWald, President of the New York State PTA; Dick Iannuzzi, President of New York State United Teachers; Rick Karlin of the Times Union's Capitol Bureau; and Lori McKenna, Director of Federal and State Programs for the Schenectady School District. Airdate: Thursday, February 22, 2006 at 7:30pm Repeat: Sunday, February 24, 2006 at 12:00am
Local Pennsylvania school board debating truancy
Date CapturedThursday February 22 2007, 10:56 AM
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports, "School districts across the state have been mandated by the Pennsylvania Department of Education to come up with policies dealing with chronic truancy and tardiness. The new mandates address the Federal No Child Left Behind outcomes, which include attendance records as well as measures for math and reading."
Missouri budget official says school funding meets requirement
Date CapturedThursday February 22 2007, 10:24 AM
AP reports, "A key defense of the state is that the only specific constitutional requirement regarding an adequate funding level is that the state spend one-fourth of its revenue on education."
Business tax credit for private school donations faces Arizona court challenge
Date CapturedThursday February 22 2007, 8:57 AM
The Business Journal of Phoenix reports, "Teachers unions and the American Civil Liberties Union have filed a lawsuit challenging Arizona's tax breaks for businesses that donate to private schools. The state approved a tax credit program last year that allows businesses to write off donations to private school scholarship funds. A limited private school voucher program for disabled children also was approved."
Now's the time to test standardized tests
Date CapturedThursday February 22 2007, 7:44 AM
Christian Monitor reports, "The nation remains uneasy about this strong federal hand in local education but also worried about how undereducated workers are affecting its economic future. Whether to impose testing is no longer the issue, but rather how such tests are done, and whether these measurements are used to improve education for all children."
Between Policy and Reality: School Administrators Critical of Department of Education School Safety Policy
Date CapturedThursday February 22 2007, 7:26 AM
A REPORT BY PUBLIC ADVOCATE BETSY GOTBAUM, FEBRUARY 2007. "The Public Advocate makes these recommendation: The Public Advocate made these recommendations: • The DOE must solicit the input of teachers, students, principals, parents, community-based organizations, and other stakeholders in the development of school safety policies that are conducive to teaching and learning. • The DOE, in conjunction with the Office of Management and Budget, should list all school safety budget allocations as line items in the city budget, including items such as Safe Schools Against Violence in Education Act (SAVE) provisions. • The DOE must ensure that all schools have “time-out” or SAVE rooms on-site for disruptive students, as required by state law. • The DOE must substantially enhance the role of conflict education and resolution programming in schools and make training for teachers and administrators mandatory. 'The DOE must provide the resources needed to ensure a safe environment for students and school staff,” Gotbaum said. “School safety must be a top priority. ”
SCHOOL SAFETY GETS AN INCOMPLETE
Date CapturedThursday February 22 2007, 7:21 AM
NY Post David Andreatta reports, "Charges that the DOE underreports school violence data are not new. The state Education Department last year questioned the accuracy of the city's figures, which are maintained by the NYPD, and said it would review the city's method for collecting school safety data."
Admissions Jockeying Starts Earlier in New York
Date CapturedThursday February 22 2007, 7:08 AM
NY Times DAVID M. HERSZENHORN writes, "But some educators say greater school choice primarily benefits students with savvy, motivated parents who are able to spend time figuring out the best schools to list on applications, and puts at a further disadvantage the children with little support at home. 'I think it may in the long run offer more opportunity for better education for kids who aren’t getting it,” said Norm Fruchter of the Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University. “But any choice program or effort gets initially monopolized by people who have the advantages of access and information and the ability to move on what their kids need.'”
Educators React to No Child Left Behind
Date CapturedWednesday February 21 2007, 8:51 PM
NPR reports, "Joel Packer, director of education policy and practice with the National Education Association, offers reaction from educators to recent proposed changes to No Child Left Behind."
A Better Answer for Education: Reviving State and Local Policymaking Authority
Date CapturedWednesday February 21 2007, 8:45 PM
Heritage Foundation Lecturen #994 by the Honorable John Cornyn and the Honorable Jim DeMint says, "What we're asking is that states have the option to stay under the No Child Left Behind regime or choose to take the accountability and standards of that regimen but have the flexibility to accomplish the goals in a different way. This would do what wel­fare reform did. If you remember, welfare reform did not start at the federal level, but by giving states the flexibility to create laboratories for change. Then the federal government saw what was working, and we did some things to allow more states to do that, and we changed the system. We need to do that for education, because, first of all, what we're doing is not working."
Arkansas educators take time with senator
Date CapturedWednesday February 21 2007, 8:31 PM
Jonesboro Sun reports, "Some 50 higher education and K-12 [Arkansas] educators skipped school Monday to converse with U.S. Sen. Blanche Lincoln about education, in particular the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001."
School Choice and Racial Diversity
Date CapturedWednesday February 21 2007, 5:33 PM
The National Center for the Study of Privatization in Education (NCSPE) at Teachers College, Columbia University and The Civil Rights Project at Harvard University. "On May 22, 2000, The Civil Rights Project co-sponsored a roundtable discussion on school racial diversity. A major concern surrounding school choice policies is that they will lead to greater racial and socioeconomic isolation. The conference addressed the question: Under what conditions do school choice policies increase or decrease racial diversity?"
NEA: 'No Child Left Behind' Act/ESEA
Date CapturedWednesday February 21 2007, 5:29 PM
NEA is in the forefront of the effort to improve the federal education law. We have developed a comprehensive "Positive Agenda for the ESEA Reauthorization" that spells out detailed recommendations to make the law better.
Local North Carolina educators to U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler, D-Waynesville: revamp No Child Left Behind
Date CapturedWednesday February 21 2007, 4:25 PM
Citizen-Times reports, "The lesson from the school superintendents Tuesday morning was simple: we need Congress to rework the No Child Left Behind legislation. And U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler, D-Waynesville, heard the message loud and clear. Shuler met with superintendents from 19 Western North Carolina school systems, as well as special education teachers and administrators, Tuesday morning at the A-B Tech’s Enka campus."
February 5-9: Dianne Piché vs. Mike Petrilli vs. Joel Packer on No Child Left Behind
Date CapturedWednesday February 21 2007, 4:09 PM
Now five years old, the landmark federal law is up for reauthorization. Is it working? What needs to change? This three-way exchange features: Dianne Piché, Executive Director of the Citizens' Commission on Civil Rights; Mike Petrilli, Vice President for National Programs and Policy at the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation; Joel Packer, ESEA policy manager for the National Education Association.
The Pending Reauthorization of NCLB: An Opportunity to Rethink the Basic Strategy
Date CapturedWednesday February 21 2007, 10:12 AM
By Daniel Koretz, Harvard Graduate School of Education. "This paper argues that debating possible modifications of many NCLB provisions obscures more important problems that the civil rights community cannot afford to ignore. These problems include the lack of knowledge about how to hold schools accountable, key aspects of NCLB that are inconsistent with the current accountability evidence, and the illusion of progress generated by NCLB through its reliance on state assessments."
The Segregation of American Teachers
Date CapturedWednesday February 21 2007, 9:44 AM
By Erica Frankenberg, M.Ed., is a Research Assistant at The Civil Rights Project and Professor Gary Orfield, Professor of Education and Social Policy and Director of the Civil Rights Project at Harvard University. "This report shows that in an increasingly segregated national system of schools, faculty segregation tends to add to — rather than counteract — the separation of students. We see that the white teachers, who continue to dominate the teaching profession, tend to grow up with little racial/ethnic diversity in their own education or experience. Not only did white teachers, on average, attend schools when they were elementary school students that were over 90% white, they are currently teaching in schools where almost 90% of their faculty colleagues are white and over 70% of students are white."
Report: Districts Unprepared for Education Bill
Date CapturedWednesday February 21 2007, 9:38 AM
Harvard Crimson reports, "The report, 'Domesticating a Revolution: No Child Left Behind Reforms and State Administrative Response,' was published in this winter’s Harvard Educational Review just as the law comes up for reauthorization in Congress this year. It identifies budgetary limitations, constraints on human resources, and limitations on state governments’ capacities to intervene in individual schools and districts as some of the problems states face in implementing No Child Left Behind. The report was authored by Sunderman and Gary A. Orfield, a professor of education and social policy and the co-founder and director of the Civil Rights Project. "
Sen. Clinton on NCLB in Liberty City, FL
Date CapturedWednesday February 21 2007, 7:57 AM
AP reports, "On education, the New York senator and former first lady said more needs to be done to prepare children for school and to get parents involved with their children's' learning."
No Child Left Behind as an Anti-Poverty Measure, Teacher Education Quarterly, Spring 2007
Date CapturedTuesday February 20 2007, 7:06 PM
In the article, Jean Anyon, a professor of educational and social policy and Kiersten Greene, a doctoral student, both with the Doctoral Program in Urban Education of the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York.demonstrate that there are significant economic realities, and existing public policies, that severely curtail the power of education to function as a route out of poverty for poor people."
What can schools do?
Date CapturedTuesday February 20 2007, 9:45 AM
USA Today Op-Ed contributors Charles C. Haynes, senior scholar at the First Amendment Center in Washington and Marvin W. Berkowitz , Sanford N. McDonnell Professor of Character Education at the University of Missouri-St. Louis write, "After the endless headlines involving corrupt politicians, corporate cheats, doped-up sports stars and Internet predators, you might think that the American people would be demanding more character education in schools. Think again."
Virginia high-immigrant schools decry NCLB rule for English learners
Date CapturedTuesday February 20 2007, 8:44 AM
AP reports, "Officials in high-immigrant school districts are taking issue with the U.S. Department of Education's requirement that children still trying to learn English take the same reading tests given to their native-speaking classmates."
Sharing Information: A Guide to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and Participation in Juvenile Justice Programs
Date CapturedSunday February 18 2007, 9:00 PM
1997.Figures, charts, forms, and tables are not included in this ASCII plain-text file. U.S. Department of Education. Family Policy Compliance Office, Shay Bilchik, Administrator. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention The principal authors of this document are: Michael L. Medaris, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; Ellen Campbell, Family Policy Compliance Office; Professor Bernard James, J.D., Pepperdine, University School of Law.
Stop Pandering on Education
Date CapturedWednesday February 14 2007, 10:52 AM
Newsweek Jonathan Alter writes, "It's time to move from identifying failing schools to identifying failing teachers. Sounds obvious, but it hasn't happened in American education."
Tougher Standards Urged for Federal Education Law
Date CapturedWednesday February 14 2007, 7:50 AM
NY Times DIANA JEAN SCHEMO reports "No Child Left Behind, the federal education law, should be toughened to judge teachers and principals by their students’ test scores, and to block chronically ineffective educators from working in high-poverty schools, a private bipartisan commission recommended on Tuesday."
Commission on NCLB Final Recommendations
Date CapturedTuesday February 13 2007, 8:14 AM
Aspen Institute Webcast -- presentation begins 20 minutes, 39 seconds into video. Former Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson and former Georgia Governor Roy Barnes, Co-Chairs of the the Commission will be joined by: Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman, Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions; Senator Mike Enzi, Ranking Member, Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions; Congressman George Miller, Chairman, Committee on Education and Labor; Congressman Howard P. "Buck" McKeon, Ranking Member, Committee on Education and Labor.
Critics Question Education Department’s Screening
Date CapturedSunday February 11 2007, 9:03 AM
NY Times reports, "For about a year, contractors say, the department has been requiring employees of the thousands of contractors it hires — many of them academic researchers like Dr. Zucker — to go through a level of security screening usually reserved for those working with very sensitive information."
Success at fighting truancy to cost local Illinois county
Date CapturedSunday February 04 2007, 1:11 PM
Daily Chronicle reports, "Every three years the regional superintendent's office applies for a grant to the Illinois State Board of Education to fund its DeKalb County Truancy Intervention Program. This year's budget was $119,000, which provides funding for three outreach workers. Beckwith said she expects the grant next year will be 10 percent less. A child is considered a chronic truant if he has missed 18 days in 180 school days."
The Children Neglected by No Child Left Behind
Date CapturedThursday February 01 2007, 9:06 AM
Duke News reports, "As the language of the law suggests, NCLB focuses on the education and support of all children. However, the law has been misinterpreted by many states and school systems in a manner that has been both detrimental and exclusionary to gifted and talented students. No child, regardless of ability, should be left behind."
Newspapers don't make the grade in Web-savvy schools
Date CapturedMonday January 29 2007, 1:08 PM
Reuters reports, "Fifty-seven percent of teachers use Internet-based news in the classroom with some frequency, said the study, which was based on a survey of 1,262 teachers in grades 5 through 12 in the fall of 2006 and released on Monday by the Carnegie-Knight Task Force on the Future of Journalism Education. That compares with 31 percent for national television news and 28 percent for daily papers. Local television news, at 13 percent, was at the bottom of the list, the study found."
Mandatory Testing and News in the Schools:Implications for Civic Education
Date CapturedMonday January 29 2007, 1:06 PM
A Report from the Carnegie-Knight Task Force on the Future of Journalism Education, January 2007. Prepared by Thomas E. Patterson, Bradlee Professor of Government and the Press, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.
Households' Use of Public and Other Types of Libraries: 2002
Date CapturedTuesday January 16 2007, 10:35 AM
This ED TAB presents a series of tabulations that highlight households’ use of public libraries. Patterns of library use by household demographic, social, economic, and geographic characteristics are presented. Glander, M., and Dam, T. (2006). Households’ Use of Public and Other Types of Libraries: 2002 (NCES 2007- 327). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved January 16, 2007 from http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch.
School denial angers activist
Date CapturedTuesday January 16 2007, 9:51 AM
Post-Tribune reports, "A Charter School Academy of Trade and Technology pitched by a local education [Indiana] activist has failed to gain approval to open despite parent and business backing."
Proposal Unsettles D.C. Charter Schools
Date CapturedTuesday January 16 2007, 9:48 AM
Washington Post reports, "Officials at some charter schools say Mayor Adrian M. Fenty's education proposal could cause them to lose touch with the public because it would place them under an appointed board."
Intelligence in the Classroom
Date CapturedTuesday January 16 2007, 6:30 AM
Wall Street Opinion Journal contributor Charles Murray, W.H. Brady Scholar at the American Enterprise Institute opines, "I am among the most emphatic of those who think that the importance of IQ in living a good life is vastly overrated. My point is just this: It is true that many social and economic problems are disproportionately found among people with little education, but the culprit for their educational deficit is often low intelligence. Refusing to come to grips with that reality has produced policies that have been ineffectual at best and damaging at worst."
Empower, support Rochester city teachers to give students their best effort
Date CapturedTuesday January 16 2007, 6:26 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle contributor Adam Urbanski, president, Rochester Teachers Association opines, "What is to be done? Here are some suggestions based on the collective wisdom of city teachers: Improve school safety and student discipline. There can be no effective teaching or learning in an atmosphere of fear, disorder and chaos. The perception of city schools as unsafe and disorderly is the major reason why families and 'highly qualified' teachers avoid them. Stop ignoring the needs of city kids. Too many city kids do not get the services they so desperately need. There are not enough alternative programs for students who cannot function effectively in the regular settings. Treat teachers as professionals. Growing numbers of city teachers complain that their administrators treat them with disrespect and disregard. The most important dynamic in education is what occurs between teacher and student. All else, and everyone else, must serve to support this. So, if the administrators' role is to serve and support teaching and learning, teachers should have a yearly opportunity to affirm their administrator's leadership or to fail to affirm it. And logical consequences should ensue. Let teachers teach. City teachers are saddled with prepackaged instructional programs that micro-manage teaching and rob teachers of much of their professional prerogative. 'Highly qualified' teachers do not want to be educational sales clerks who are not trusted to make instructional decisions for their own students."
White Plains program offers immigrants help with children's education
Date CapturedTuesday January 16 2007, 5:49 AM
The Journal News reports, "A new family dinner-workshop run by the White Plains Youth Bureau aims to integrate immigrant parents into their children's schooling and the community. The 12-week Family Excel, or 'Avance Familiar' in Spanish, usually meets Wednesday nights at the White Plains Middle School's Highland campus to answer parents' questions about homework, education and other city services."
Pusillanimous Pace
Date CapturedTuesday January 16 2007, 5:44 AM
NY Post opines, "In any event, if the school were truly committed to freedom of expression, the only 'dialogue' needed would be to convey one simple message: Anyone thinking of disrupting the film or committing violence will face severe repercussions. End of discussion. Officials could have used the occasion to make it absolutely clear that no one at Pace can be barred from showing a film - even if it's not a left-wing film. But that wasn't the goal. (Again, Pace is not unique in this regard. Consider how Columbia University responded to violence there last October that kept the founder of the Minutemen Project - a group favoring tough control of U.S. borders - from speaking. New York is still waiting for meaningful action.)"
New York City Education Department Becomes an Open Book
Date CapturedTuesday January 16 2007, 5:37 AM
NY Post David Andreatta writes, "After four years of landmark changes to the school system, the Department of Education is preparing to turn over mounds of data related to its most radical reforms to independent researchers, The Post has learned. A list of top priorities for the new Research Partnership for New York City Schools includes examining the controversial academy for training principals, empowerment schools, and changes to the high-school admissions process."
Panel Urges ‘Marshall Plan’ to Improve New York City Middle Schools
Date CapturedTuesday January 16 2007, 3:18 AM
NY Times ELISSA GOOTMAN reports, "A coalition of community groups is calling for the city Department of Education to develop a 'Marshall Plan for middle-grade schools,' saying that all too often, the sixth through eighth grades become 'pathways to failure.' In a report scheduled to be released at a news conference today, the coalition calls for a rigorous curriculum with advanced course offerings in all middle schools, classes of no more than 20 students each, and the creation of a new position within the department: a deputy chancellor who would focus on 'ensuring proper coordination and alignment' among middle schools, high schools, college and the working world."
Role of Rhode Island school nurse-teachers evolves
Date CapturedMonday January 15 2007, 9:35 AM
Newport Daily News reports, "School nursing has changed dramatically over the years, both Bryon and Watkinson [school nurses] agreed, in part because of advancements in neonatal health care. Premature or seriously ill infants who may not have survived a decade or two ago now grow up and go to school, where some continue to suffer from developmental, physical or behavioral problems. In addition, there are more children with asthma, ulcers and diabetes than when she started out as a school nurse-teacher, Byron said."
Most colleges continuing to admit early
Date CapturedMonday January 15 2007, 8:03 AM
Philadelphia Inquirer reports, "After Harvard University announced plans in September to eliminate its early-admission program because it appeared to slight students from lower-income families, many in the higher education community expected other schools to follow. Princeton University did. So did the University of Virginia. But the imitation stopped there. The University of Pennsylvania and its other Ivy League sisters refused to budge. So have other selective private schools, such as Swarthmore, Bryn Mawr and Dickinson. Tossing out early-decision programs wholesale won't magically swing open the doors of higher education to low-income students, because not all schools have the same circumstances as Harvard and Princeton, said Robert J. Massa, vice president of enrollment and college relations at Dickinson College in Carlisle."
Data show where Ithaca City School District (ICSD) has progressed
Date CapturedMonday January 15 2007, 7:08 AM
Ithaca Journal contributor Michael Pliss, Ithaca City School District's Director of Information and Instructional Technology writes, "The Equity Strategic Plan calls for us to set local benchmarks for progress toward equity. The experience of identifying and collecting the diverse array of data for the First Annual Equity Report Card makes plain the need for flexible student information systems and for staff training in data stewardship and data governance. Collecting and analyzing data for equity is not an end in itself. But we believe our ability to make real progress in eliminating race, class and disability in student success and participation is critically supported by our efforts in data analysis. Knowing where we are is a crucial first step in getting to where we need to be, a place where all students are achieving their dreams."
Liberal U. Only Gives B.S. in BS
Date CapturedMonday January 15 2007, 4:32 AM
NY Post Steve Dunleavy writes on curriculum at some institutes of higher education, "No wonder The Chronicle of Higher Education says 40 percent of college students need remedial work in math and English. The list goes on and on with idiocies. It's a testament to why overpaid college presidents should get a course titled 'Common Sense.'"
A promising education
Date CapturedSunday January 14 2007, 9:03 AM
Times Union contributor Frederick J. Frelow, director of the Early College Initiative at the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation in Princeton, N.J. writes, "The next chapter on civil rights in New York will begin in the state's public schools. Indeed, the future of an entire generation of Americans is in the hands of our state leaders right now. They can create national models for education finance, leading the way for 49 other states to meet King's challenges and make good on the Founders' promise. This investment will not only yield a better prepared work force, but make New York's young people ready for true citizenship."
State aid fuels school construction projects
Date CapturedSunday January 14 2007, 8:28 AM
Post-Standard reports, "Each district was allocated a share of EXCEL aid in the state budget, based on enrollment and its financial need.However, districts must submit project applications that meet state criteria in order to collect. The project must involve school expansion or renovation, health and safety, accessibility, energy conservation and education technology. More than a dozen districts in Central New York have passed or are putting expansion and renovation projects before voters in coming months. And other districts are beginning to explore their needs to take advantage of the state's largesse. "
School to Offer Classical Education Program to Girls
Date CapturedSunday January 14 2007, 7:25 AM
NY Times reports, "The Montfort Academy, a Catholic high school for boys in Katonah, opened in 2002 with the goal of offering what it calls a classical education and, as it says on its Web site, 'Forming Men for All Seasons.' But in September, the school — which last year graduated its first full class of boys — will start a similar, but separate, program for girls. The girls’ program will start the way the boys’ did, with a ninth-grade class and adding a ninth grade each year as the other classes move up."
New policy on NCLB testing is flawed
Date CapturedSunday January 14 2007, 7:12 AM
Uticaod.com opines, "It's not wrong to expect the best of every student. But applying a blanket standard to school districts, especially those whose English-speaking and special education populations vary significantly, is like producing a universal windshield and then wondering why it doesn't fit every car."
The Achiever: January 2007 • Vol. 6, No. 1
Date CapturedSaturday January 13 2007, 9:12 PM
What's inside... Fifth Anniversary for No Child Left Behind, Empowering Parents, Spellings Speaks on International Education, Around the Country, Calendar, Q & A Glossary, News Show Celebrates No Child Left Behind, New Design for FREE Web Site. Source: U.S. Department of Education, The Achiever, [January 2007].
Phoenix, Arizona district backs aid for kids of migrants
Date CapturedSaturday January 13 2007, 3:58 PM
The Arizona Republic reports, "Immigrant children brought to this country illegally by their parents should have the same shot at going to college and qualifying for financial aid as other students, the new Phoenix Union High School District board decided Thursday night. The board voted unanimously in favor of a resolution in support of a federal bill that would allow undocumented immigrant students to legalize their residency status."
National standards under review as lawmakers prepare to take up No Child Left Behind law
Date CapturedSaturday January 13 2007, 3:42 PM
AP NANCY ZUCKERBROD reports, "Among educators, there is a concern national standards would become outdated and that changing them would be difficult and bureaucratic. Brenda Dietrich, a superintendent in the Topeka, Kan., area, said she has not formed an opinion on national standards, but does see a logic to them. 'If we're all going to be held to a standard, it certainly would be nice if it were the same standard,' Dietrich said. That is probably going to be the winning argument, says Michael Dannenberg, who directs education policy at the Washington-based New America Foundation, which recently held a forum on national standards. 'My view is that the country is on an inexorable march toward national standards, and the question is not if but when and how,' he said."
Retention key to student, college success
Date CapturedSaturday January 13 2007, 12:41 PM
Benton County Daily Record reports, "Northwest Arkansas Community College worked with several other colleges statewide to learn how to improve its retention rates during an all-day seminar held Thursday at the college’s Shewmaker Center for Workforce Technologies. The keynote speaker, Vincent Tinto, is a nationally known distinguished professor in the School of Education at Syracuse University in New York. He is an expert on student retention issues. Tinto told the gathered crowd of people from about 10 colleges in the state that colleges need to focus more on what students are learning than on what is being taught. He shared the various conditions that promote student success and what steps community colleges are already taking to promote success. 'Focus on the classroom,' he said. 'The classroom becomes the centerpiece for the learning environment. '”
For Teachers, Being 'Highly Qualified' Is a Subjective Matter
Date CapturedSaturday January 13 2007, 10:22 AM
Washington Post reports, "Legal loopholes and uneven implementation by states and the U.S. Department of Education have diluted the law's impact on the teaching workforce, some education experts say. They say that meeting the standards of quality is more about shuffling paper than achieving two vital goals: ensuring that teachers are prepared to help students succeed and reducing the teacher talent gap between rich and poor schools."
No tuition break for Utah migrants, most say
Date CapturedSaturday January 13 2007, 10:11 AM
The Salt Lake Tribune reports, "Sizer, the chairman of Utahns for Immigration Reform and Enforcement (UFIRE), is strongly supporting a bill in this year's Legislature that would repeal a state law allowing undocumented students who graduate from a Utah high school to pay in-state tuition at the state's nine institutions of higher education."
District to ask voters for fix-up funding
Date CapturedSaturday January 13 2007, 7:07 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports, "Courts have ruled that the state must increase spending in New York City schools to ensure that all pupils receive a 'sound and basic education.' The state Legislature plans to increase funding to all New York schools and has set up the EXCEL fund to provide $1.8 billion to New York City districts for capital renovation projects and $800 million to schools in the rest of the state. Under the formula, which considers enrollment and student needs, East Irondequoit is eligible for $1.1 million. The state already reimburses the East Irondequoit School District 73.4 percent of the cost of renovation projects. The district says EXCEL funding, plus interest earned by investing project money until needed, could eliminate the local share for the $5.1 million worth of improvements. No tax increase is on the table. The district plans to use the money for projects including roof repair at four schools, safety upgrades at Eastridge High School and electrical work. "
House Democrats Propose Cut in Student Loan Rates
Date CapturedSaturday January 13 2007, 6:46 AM
NY Times reports, "According to the Project on Student Debt, a nonprofit group, the bill would save a student who graduates from college with $20,000 in debt about $4,000 over the 10-year life of a loan. Under the program of subsidized Stafford loans, the government guarantees lenders a rate of return that can be higher than the interest rate paid by the student. In trying to finance their proposal, House Democrats decided that for the largest lenders, the bill would lower that rate by 0.1 percentage point. It would also raise fees that lenders pay to the government, and cut payments that lenders receive if a student defaults. While applauded by student advocacy groups, the bill drew immediate criticism from the student loan industry, which complained that it had already absorbed $12 billion in reduced payments from the government as part of a larger, Republican-led deficit reduction effort last year."
Inner-city Buffalo students 'nudged' toward college
Date CapturedFriday January 12 2007, 11:23 AM
Buffalo News reports, "African-American high school students in Buffalo are getting a nudge toward higher education under a new initiative at Hilbert College. The small liberal arts college in Hamburg is partnering with two Buffalo churches to bring high school juniors to the Hamburg school. The students will stay for three weeks during the summer, get a dose of campus life and receive tutoring to sharpen the academic skills they will need for college."
Keeping MLK's message alive in education
Date CapturedFriday January 12 2007, 9:40 AM
Ithaca Journal contributors Ithaca College MLK Scholar Courtney Clemente and Deborah Mohlenhoff, member of the MLK Community Celebration Committee and the coordinator of Community Service and Leadership Development for Ithaca College write, "On MLK Day 2007, we encourage you to act upon Dr. King's words as a change agent to level the playing field for all so that many are not left behind. In his Nobel Prize Lecture, Dr. King remarked, 'I have the audacity to believe that people everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, and dignity, equality and freedom for their spirits.' To honor Dr. King's work around the issue of poverty, Tompkins Community Action will be running a poverty simulation at the community MLK Celebration to educate participants on what it means to live in poverty." The 13th annual celebration of the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. will be held Monday, Jan. 15.
Schools need real support, not politics
Date CapturedFriday January 12 2007, 6:02 AM
Times Herald-Record opines, "Also on the Spitzer agenda are a longer school day, a longer school year, more after-school programs and a commission on public higher education. That's an ambitious list in any year. In one with intense pressure to reduce property taxes and tame the Albany monster, it could stand as not only the biggest test the new governor will have to face but also the most important."
SUNY beats deadline by Webcasting meeting
Date CapturedFriday January 12 2007, 5:54 AM
Uticaod.com reports on an executive order to webcast meetings, "'This is an enormous undertaking,' said Gregory Benson, executive director of the New York State Forum at the Rockefeller Institute of Government. Other questions include: •Can the Webcasts just be audio, or do they have to be audio and video, which would allow viewers to see who was speaking? •Do they have to comply with state standards for accessibility? If no special provisions were made, a blind person, for example, might not be able in many cases to identify the speaker. As for money, state officials said there is no way of knowing at this time of what the total price tag will be."
Bush-Democrat alliance on education law feared
Date CapturedFriday January 12 2007, 3:43 AM
Washington Times reports, "Mr. Bush is urging Congress this year to renew one of his biggest domestic accomplishments, the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law of 2002, which aims to increase student achievement through more testing and by tracking results of schools and holding them accountable. Democrats, who now control the House and Senate, are demanding some changes to the law, most notably a significant boost in funding levels. The option of adding high school reform to this year's 'to-do' list hasn't been publicly discussed lately, but Mr. Bush included the makings of such a plan in his budget proposal last year. The NCLB law focuses on grade school and requires testing just once in reading and math from grades 10 to 12. His plan from last year would have expanded high school testing to all three years."
New York City Schools Chancellor Klein Says Privatizing Not Planned for Schools
Date CapturedFriday January 12 2007, 3:26 AM
NY Times reports, "Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein flatly denied yesterday that he would hire private managers to run city schools, but he did not rule out a wide role for outside groups in advising and supporting networks of schools. The Education Department for months had discussed hiring private managers to do everything from recruiting and training teachers to offering an array of support services. Such a move would be a sharp departure from the traditional structure and already has drawn the opposition of labor unions."
SUNY board approves no smoking policy for dorms
Date CapturedThursday January 11 2007, 5:25 PM
AP reports, "The State University of New York's trustees on Thursday adopted a policy to ban smoking from all dormitories as of July 1. The policy will affect the remaining 9 percent of SUNY residence hall beds where smoking is currently permitted, primarily at Stony Brook, Morrisville and Buffalo State, according to a statement issued by the university board."
SUNY trustees to make meetings available on Web
Date CapturedThursday January 11 2007, 9:18 AM
The Business Review (Albany) reports, "'Increasing access to SUNY meetings will better inform the public about how we educate students, strengthen economic development and train New York's work force,' [Chancellor] Ryan said. 'The more the public knows about SUNY, the stronger will be their support for public higher education.'"
Tuition for illegal migrants vexing U of Arizona and community college
Date CapturedThursday January 11 2007, 8:35 AM
Tucson Citizen reports, "The [Arizona] state's public colleges and universities are trying to determine how they will identify and charge illegal immigrant students out-of-state tuition as required by a proposition approved by voters in November. The schools may have asked for the residency status of their students in the past, but institutions have not verified that information themselves. Under Proposition 300, it appears they must."
THE STATE BUDGET: CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR’S PROPOSAL K-12 EDUCATION
Date CapturedThursday January 11 2007, 8:23 AM
San Francisco Chronicle reports, "The governor wants to spend $36.8 billion from the general fund for K-12 education, up from $36.6 billion. For classroom spending, that translates to $8,569 per pupil, up from $8,293. The state would save $283.6 million under the proposal because enrollment in the 5.9 million-pupil system is expected to drop slightly, by about 23,000 students. The total includes $1.9 billion (a 4 percent increase) that districts can use to cover the higher costs of running schools."
University of Michigan Head Balances Law, Diversity
Date CapturedThursday January 11 2007, 7:29 AM
NPR All Things Considered: Recent judicial and electorate decisions in Michigan have limited schools' ability to use affirmative action to promote diversity, a development that has left colleges scrambling to form new strategies. Michele Norris talks with University of Michigan president Mary Sue Coleman, who says she remains committed to diversity. There are ongoing judicial challenges to Proposal 2, the ban on affirmative action that Michigan voters passed in November.
In Education Debate, Congress Must Talk Money
Date CapturedThursday January 11 2007, 7:16 AM
NPR: One of the issues the new Congress will deal with is the renewal of the No Child Left Behind Act. Commentator Andrew Rotherham says that any reconsideration of education legislation will need to consider changes in the way it is funded. Rotherham is co-founder and co-director of Education Sector, a think tank based in Washington, D.C. He serves on the Virginia Board of Education and writes the blog Eduwonk.com.
Albany Capital Region's schools want to leave this list behind
Date CapturedThursday January 11 2007, 4:54 AM
Times Union reports, "Because it is so easy to get on the list, school officials have complained that it unfairly tars them. For example, schools can generally be listed if 95 percent of their 'subgroups' aren't tested. But that can be hard for small schools with just a handful of minority students or those with disabilities; one or two absences on test day can skew the results. 'God forbid there is an outbreak of the flu ... and they don't make their 95 percent participation rate they can be put on the list,' said Maria Neira, vice president of the New York State United Teachers, the state's major teachers union, which has long criticized NCLB on several fronts. Additionally, Neira said, the requirement that test scores rise year after year -- even for schools that are already doing well -- seems to set up a lot schools for failure."
Schools in Flunk Funk
Date CapturedThursday January 11 2007, 4:51 AM
NY Post David Andreatta reports, "Until last year, the city had enjoyed incremental decreases in the number of failing schools since hitting a peak of 497 in 2003. Officials had hailed the declines as evidence that the Bloomberg administration's education reforms were working. City and state education officials yesterday took pains to point out that the latest results were based largely on scores from new statewide tests introduced in grades 3 through 8 last school year. Previously, schools were judged only on the performance of their fourth- and eighth-graders."
New Jersey Education board 'plain language' bill is sent to gov
Date CapturedWednesday January 10 2007, 9:23 PM
The Jersey Journal reports, "Under the bill, each local school board would be required to fill out a form provided by the state that spells out budget and salary information in plain language." Additionally, "The law would mandate the details of administrators' pay packages be spelled out in plain language, and would require school boards to hold public hearings before amending the contract of an administrator."
U.S. Department of Education Seeks Nominations for American Stars of Teaching
Date CapturedWednesday January 10 2007, 6:22 PM
The U.S. Department of Education is seeking nominations for its fourth annual American Stars of Teaching project, which recognizes exemplary teachers who raise student achievement, use innovative classroom strategies and make a difference in their students' lives, Secretary Margaret Spellings announced today.
506 TITLE I SCHOOLS AND 56 DISTRICTS STATEWIDE ARE “IN NEED OF IMPROVEMENT” UNDER NCLB; 193 SCHOOLS ALSO IDENTIFIED UNDER SEPARATE STATE RULES
Date CapturedWednesday January 10 2007, 6:11 PM
NYSED PRESS RELEASE: A total of 506 schools and 56 districts have been identified by the State Education Department as “In Need of Improvement” under the federal No Child Left Behind Act. Of these, 73 schools and 14 districts were newly identified this school year. In addition, 52 schools and 8 districts have been removed from the Title I improvement list because they have made Adequate Yearly Progress for two consecutive years in all areas for which they were identified. Forty-five of the newly identified schools and 27 of the newly removed schools were in New York City. All of these 506 schools and 56 districts receive Title I funds and must take a variety of actions under federal law. A total of 193 schools have also been identified as “Schools Requiring Academic Progress” (SRAP). These schools did not receive Title I funds for the number of years required to be identified as schools “In Need of Improvement” under federal NCLB rules. Of these, 17 schools—6 in New York City—are newly identified. These schools are required to develop a plan for improvement in the area(s) for which they are identified. Thirty-three schools—12 in New York City—in SRAP status in 2005-06 made sufficient progress to be placed in good standing.
NYSUT urges legislators to increase operating aid to public higher education
Date CapturedWednesday January 10 2007, 3:07 PM
New York State United Teachers today urged the Assembly to continue to invest in the State University and City University systems, saying that boosting operating aid to four-year campuses should be a top priority in next year's budget.
BADILLO'S SALVO AT HISPANIC CRITICS
Date CapturedWednesday January 10 2007, 12:40 PM
NY Post CARL CAMPANILE reports, "Herman Badillo yesterday defended his controversial book in which he writes that Hispanic parents don't value education - and slammed his Latino critics as caring more about organizing big parades than educating kids."
Complaining all the way to education successes in the nation's schools
Date CapturedWednesday January 10 2007, 8:44 AM
Journal News opines, "A critical review of NCLB is overdue. Nationwide and locally, some schools and districts are still making sense of the accountability game (see staff writer Leah Rae's Sunday article about "erasure analysis" - a necessary tool for uncovering teachers and schools that, unfortunately, look for the easy way out on standardized tests; to whit, they cheat). And we'll have more to say later on about what specifically is right and wrong about NCLB. But we think there is more than anecdotal evidence to suggest that Congress should get behind NCLB, preferably one that is improved, better funded and up to the very hard challenges that remain."
Adding up teachers
Date CapturedWednesday January 10 2007, 6:24 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle opines, "The state's teacher data give high marks to most local suburban districts and a lower grade to the City School District. Rochester officials said Tuesday the information is flawed and that the district has more "highly qualified'' teachers than they're getting credit for. For example, the numbers show 44 percent of the city's reading teachers are below the standard. The city says they're all highly qualified. Let's get the numbers right, but with the knowledge that, even when they are right, they don't tell the whole story. Only a good teacher-child-parent relationship can fill in the gaps."
Student portfolios seen as way of the future to educators, not standardized tests
Date CapturedWednesday January 10 2007, 6:07 AM
Journal News reports, "The biggest point of contention boils down to whether portfolios can or should be used to measure student achievement in the place of a common assessment. The question has been debated for some time, yet the intensity of the discussion has increased since the creation of the federal No Child Left Behind education law, which mandates annual mathematics and English testing in grades three through eight."
Mike's ed shakeup
Date CapturedWednesday January 10 2007, 4:35 AM
NY Daily News Juan Gonzalez: reports, "According to education sources who have been informed about portions of the plan, the mayor will propose: Doubling the number of schools in Schools Chancellor Joel Klein's experimental "Empowerment Zone" from the current 300 to more than 600 - nearly half of all schools in the system. Hiring private education companies as consultants or managers to oversee smaller networks of schools within the Empowerment Zone. They also would run some support services for the entire system. Further reducing the 10 existing regional school districts into five superdistricts - one for each borough."
Principals say adding character education has positive impact
Date CapturedTuesday January 09 2007, 7:50 PM
Telegram Staff Writer repotts, "Several innovative efforts to curb behavioral and disciplinary problems at Remington and Barringer Road elementary schools have proven to be highly successful, the principals of both schools told school board members during last night's meeting. Both schools have made a big push in recent years to incorporate character education into the curriculum. The schools have a 'word of the month' that is ingrained into the students for the entire month through assemblies and also working its way into classroom instruction. Students are also rewarded for acts of kindness shown toward their fellow students or staff during the school day."
'No Child Left Behind' Law Up for Renewal
Date CapturedTuesday January 09 2007, 11:17 AM
NPR Larry Abramsom reports, "The Bush administration is using the law's fifth anniversary to urge reauthorization without changes. But the process won't be as simple as the adminstration once hoped."
IRS Gearing Up to Process Tax Breaks
Date CapturedTuesday January 09 2007, 11:05 AM
AP reports, "The higher-education deduction allows taxpayers to deduct up to $4,000 of tuition and fees, while the educator expense adjustment provides deductions of up to $250."
SUNY New Paltz president has high hopes for education friendly governor
Date CapturedTuesday January 09 2007, 7:56 AM
Mid-Hudson News reports, "Poskanzer’s [SUNY New Paltz President] message to the new governor would be one of partnership in moving the state forward."
Frozen Assets: Rethinking Teacher Contracts Could Free Billions for School Reform
Date CapturedTuesday January 09 2007, 6:57 AM
Education Sector report written by Marguerite Rosa . Many common provisions of teacher contracts require school districts to spend substantial sums to implement policies which research has shown have a weak or inconsistent relationship with student learning. This report examines eight such provisions: Increases in teacher salaries based on years of experience; Increases in teacher salaries based on educational credentials and experiences; Professional development days; Number of paid sick and personal days; Class-size limitations; Use of teachers’ aides; Generous health and insurance benefits; and Generous retirement benefits.
Teacher quality issues remain
Date CapturedTuesday January 09 2007, 6:26 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports, "School districts across the state are increasing the percentages of highly qualified teachers. However, a study by the state Education Department released Monday shows that in most core subjects, Rochester has the lowest percentage of 'highly qualified' teachers of large urban districts in the state. Overall, 89 percent of core courses in the Rochester School District in the 2005-06 school year were taught by 'highly qualified' teachers — meaning they have mastered the subjects they teach — according to the Education Department. "
Education Account Bill to Make American Workers More Competitive Introduced
Date CapturedTuesday January 09 2007, 6:19 AM
PRNewswire-USNewswire reports, "Lifelong Learning Accounts (LiLAs) are employer-matched, portable, individual savings accounts used to finance education and training - - similar to a 401(k), but used for skill building and career advancement."
Bush, Lawmakers Meet on No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Education Bill
Date CapturedTuesday January 09 2007, 6:12 AM
Washington Post reports, "The No Child Left Behind law has pushed some states to weaken their standards to avoid consequences that arise when schools miss annual targets."
New York Risks Losing Fed Bucks for Education
Date CapturedTuesday January 09 2007, 4:56 AM
NY Post David Andreatta reports, "More New York state public-school teachers than ever are "highly qualified" - but the state could lose millions in federal education aid unless all of its teachers meet the standard by July. State Education Commissioner Richard Mills acknowledged that the deadline, set by the No Child Left Behind law, would be tough to meet, in spite of significant progress over the last year."
Grades up for New York City teachers
Date CapturedTuesday January 09 2007, 4:34 AM
NY Daily News reports, "City education officials credited the jump to the lead teacher program - in which veterans train new hires - as well as the Partnership for Teaching Excellence, a training program with NYU and CUNY. Teachers union President Randi Weingarten credited salary increases, but added, 'In order to increase teacher quality even more, we must lower class size, vigilantly promote safety and create a more cooperative relationship between teachers and principals.'"
Spellings Celebrates Fifth Anniversary of No Child Left Behind Act with Speech to Education and Business Leaders
Date CapturedMonday January 08 2007, 8:02 PM
The address also reminded the audience of the administration's efforts over the past five years, why the law was so needed then, and why she and the President are pushing for renewal this year. "When President Bush first came to Washington back in 2001, the nation was ready for reform," Spellings said. "The President made No Child Left Behind his first priority, from his first day and his first week in office. And so did members of Congress from both sides of the aisle. Later today, we'll be back in the Oval Office with the President and Congressional leaders to talk about building on the progress we've already made. Renewing NCLB is one of the President's top priorities and I'm confident that Chairman Kennedy, Senator Enzi, Chairman Miller, and Representative McKeon will continue to be strong supporters.
Kennedy to promote extended school days
Date CapturedMonday January 08 2007, 7:04 PM
Boston Globe reports, "Massachusetts is the first to undertake a state-sponsored initiative to lengthen time spent in some schools beyond the traditional six-hours-a-day, 180-day school year, according to Kennedy's office. Advocates say increasing classroom time should boost student achievement, especially in urban districts where parents tend to be less involved in their children's schooling. But advocates say districts cannot simply add hours. The quality of those additional hours must be strong, and educational programs might have to be rethought, they say."
Crystal Apple: Education Insiders’ Predictions for No Child Left Behind’s Reauthorization
Date CapturedMonday January 08 2007, 3:37 PM
Thomas Fordham Foundation, Coby Loup and Michael J. Petrilli write, "January 8, 2007, is No Child Left Behind's fifth birthday. This isn't just another milestone to be celebrated (or mourned). It also marks the time that the law is due for an update from Congress. But will NCLB be reauthorized on schedule? And what changes are likely? No one knows for sure, but some might be in a better position than others to cast prognostications: the ubiquitous 'Washington insiders.' So we asked for their predictions. While not a 'representative sample' of thousands, these experts do have inside knowledge and bring a variety of perspectives. They span the ideological and political spectrum and work as lobbyists, association leaders, think tank analysts, and scholars."
America 101
Date CapturedMonday January 08 2007, 3:35 PM
NPR Lonny Shavelson reports, "Many international students studying in the United States don't know when it's appropriate to say hello by giving a kiss on the cheek or using a handshake. Or what it is to 'pig out' during dinner. Now, a University of California at Berkeley professor is offering a course to those students on how to decipher American culture."
States Paying New Attention to Children
Date CapturedMonday January 08 2007, 3:16 PM
AP ROBERT TANNER reports, "Demands for more emphasis on education, already one of the biggest chunks of state budgets, are getting louder. Courts in Arkansas, Illinois, New Jersey and many other states have ordered legislators to craft more equitable funding systems. And parents and educators are pushing for greater early education, including kindergarten and pre-kindergarten classes."
From the Desk of Jean C. Stevens, Interim Deputy Commissioner
Date CapturedMonday January 08 2007, 9:07 AM
New York State Education Department (NYSED) Public Announcement of District/School Data: During the week of January 8, the Department will release to the media and the public a list of public schools and districts in improvement status for the 2006-07 school year and the percentage of core courses taught by teachers who were highly qualified in 2005-06 in each public school district and charter school. Providers of NCLB Supplemental Educational Services: The next application period to become a New York State-approved supplemental educational services provider begins January 19, 2007. On behalf of the Board of Regents, the Department notifies districts of location, public schools, and nonpublic schools in the same geographic area of any actions that the Board of Regents has taken related to charter schools as well as the receipt of any new proposed charter applications, proposed renewal applications, or proposed revisions. The notified districts of location, public schools, and nonpublic schools are encouraged to comment on the proposed action and solicit comments from the community through a public hearing on the proposed action. (Read more announcements here)
Bassett to open health centers at three schools
Date CapturedMonday January 08 2007, 6:30 AM
The Daily Star reports, "Soon it will be possible for children in three more local school districts to see a medical provider without having to leave school. Bassett Healthcare is opening centers this month in the Cooperstown, Worcester and Middleburgh central schools. Several centers are already open in other schools."
Lift SUNY onto honor roll of American universities
Date CapturedMonday January 08 2007, 6:29 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle contributor Ed O'Shea, English professor at SUNY Oswego writes, "During his campaign, Gov. Eliot Spitzer expressed two goals for public higher education in New York: Employ more of the state's college graduates in the state. Enhance the quality and reputation of the State University of New York among other large state systems. I believe the two objectives are closely related. While some of the causes of SUNY's comparative malaise are structural and systemic and not easily addressed, others will respond to intelligent public policy initiatives. Here are my suggestions, gleaned from almost 30 years teaching in SUNY:" READ MORE
BOCES to offer college credit business course in September
Date CapturedMonday January 08 2007, 6:22 AM
Journal News reports, "The Rockland Board of Cooperative Educational Services is planning a merger. It is melding its role as the educator of nontraditional students with the desire of many traditional students to get an edge in the college selection process. Beginning in September, BOCES is planning to offer a college-credit business course in conjunction with Iona College. New Visions Business will be open to about two dozen high school seniors interested in economics, finance, marketing, management, international business and strategic planning. New Visions Business is similar to BOCES New Visions health program, a high school elective that allows 16 students interested in medicine to get a hands-on, college-credit course through BOCES."
Healthy Teens Act a priority for FPA
Date CapturedMonday January 08 2007, 5:57 AM
Legislative Gazette reports, "Clashing ideologically based opinions over how New York’s public schools should be teaching sex education have caused confusion among educators, with some teachers deciding to remain silent when it comes to human reproduction. But advocates of the proposed Healthy Teens Act say its time for state leaders to consider the consequences of remaining in that state of confusion. They say lawmakers must take into account both the impact this confusion is having on their young constituents’ health and the state’s economy when teenagers are having babies, contracting sexually transmitted diseases and getting abortions."
HVCC expands to Troy housing project
Date CapturedMonday January 08 2007, 5:34 AM
Troy Record reports, "There are 261 children under the age of 6 and 91 between the ages of 14 and 18 living in the 390-unit complex on Madison and Spring avenues. Parents and children who reside there could benefit from this kind of opportunity [child development courses], HVCC Teacher Preparation Department Chairperson Nancy Cupolo said."
Universities power city's economy
Date CapturedMonday January 08 2007, 4:24 AM
Daily News contributor Lee Bollinger, President of Columbia University writes, "One local economic sector continues to create a range of such jobs: higher education. The city has some 116 degree granting colleges and universities, including a resurgent .CUNY system and two of the most respected research universities in the world, NYU and Columbia. Collectively our local independent colleges and universities generate some $9.1 billion in direct spending and $21.2 billion in economic activity. As a result, our colleges and universities are critical not just to the city's intellectual life, but to its long-term economic vitality."
Next round begins for No Child Left Behind
Date CapturedSunday January 07 2007, 10:59 PM
Christian Science Monitor reports, "One change that seems likely to get traction is a shift toward a "growth" model of assessing schools, in which schools with students who come in far below grade level get credit for helping them make big strides, even if they still fall short of proficiency - so long as, the Department of Education emphasizes, they do get students to a proficient level eventually. The department has already approved pilot programs in five states, and wants Congress to include such a model in NCLB. Still, some critics want far more sweeping changes. A coalition called the Forum on Educational Accountability now has more than 100 groups - including the NAACP and the National Education Association - which have signed a list of 14 requested changes to the law. They include lowering the current proficiency targets, providing more assistance to failing schools, getting rid of sanctions with less record of improvement, and encouraging testing designed to measure higher thinking skills and performance throughout the year."
U.S. Teachers Endorse National Math, Science Standard
Date CapturedSunday January 07 2007, 10:45 PM
Bloomberg.com reports, "States already can abstain from compliance with the current No Child Left Behind law if they want to forego their share of more than $20 billion in federal education aid, though in practice none have."
Missouri study bolsters schools’ shift to three tiers
Date CapturedSunday January 07 2007, 2:27 PM
Columbia Daily Tribune reports, "Thompson said district officials were looking for a way to transition sixth- and seventh-grade students out of the self-contained classroom setting and introduce them to more rigorous coursework. Adding ninth grade to the existing high schools wasn’t feasible without building additions or another major high school, he said. The community at the time favored the four-tiered plan, Thompson said, which made the best use of district resources. Columbia’s decision to add middle school predated Alspaugh’s research linking transitions to academic losses. Alspaugh [emeritus professor of education] said he supports the district’s plan to return to the three-tiered system. 'Clearly, it’s a step in the right direction.'"
Grading Spitzer's new school ideas
Date CapturedSunday January 07 2007, 7:47 AM
Times Herald-Record reports, "It's time for a new start for schools and students, Gov. Eliot Spitzer said last week. The changes include: More money — but more accountability and better results come with the bucks. Proven programs — smaller class sizes, a longer school day and longer school year, more after-school programs and improved teacher quality, especially in the neediest schools. Pre-kindergarten programs for all 4-year-olds in the state. More charter schools. A Commission on Public Higher Education to recommend improvements in the higher ed system. Here is some reaction:"
‘Good Start’ For Everyone
Date CapturedSunday January 07 2007, 7:38 AM
Post-Journal (Jamestown) reports, "The state Board of Regents and the state Education Department recently approved what it calls a ‘P-16 Plan’ to bring a coherent set of goals and standards for education from pre-kindergarten through the end of a students’ college years. According to the Board of Regents, the plan includes providing every child with a ‘good start,’ preparing pupils to be able to read by the second grade and graduating individuals ready to enter the ‘workforce, higher education and citizenship.'’’
Put down the pitchforks and hear Badillo out
Date CapturedSunday January 07 2007, 7:31 AM
NY Daily News ANDREA BATISTA SCHLESINGER writes, "If we're ever going to have systemic change, we need all parents, no matter their race or background, to be involved in the school system - and not just ankle deep. It's not enough to check homework each night. So how do we do it? First of all, the school system makes it far harder than it needs to be for Hispanic parents. It took years to get the Department of Education to agree to provide translation services to parents."
Mississippi education issues lost in funding battles
Date CapturedSunday January 07 2007, 7:25 AM
Clarion-Ledger reports, "The biggest untouchable issue is school consolidation. Mississippi clearly doesn't need 151 school districts. But consolidation steps on school administrators' turf. It makes communities confront issues of community and racial groupings. It could even, oh horror, affect a basketball or football team. Lawmakers won't touch it."
Education reform law -- No Child Left Behind (NCLB) up for fixes
Date CapturedSunday January 07 2007, 7:20 AM
CONTRA COSTA TIMES reports, "Bush has invited Miller, Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., and Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings to meet in the Oval Office on Monday, the law's fifth anniversary, to talk about potential changes, said Danny Weiss, Miller's chief of staff. The meeting resembles a 2001 gathering at which members of Congress and the then-new president unveiled a draft of the education initiative Bush signed into law the following year."
NYCLU Urges Spitzer to Implement School-Based Reform, End School Segregation
Date CapturedSaturday January 06 2007, 11:04 PM
ACLU press release: "The recommendation that the state work to decrease racial inequality in the education system arises from Racial Transformation and the Changing Nature of Segregation, a recent study of racial segregation in public schools, prepared by Gary Orfield and Chungmei Lee for the Harvard Civil Rights Project, which showed that '[t]he highest levels of black segregation [are] found in New York, Illinois, California and Michigan. In these states, the average black student attended schools with less than one-quarter white students in 2003.' The NYCLU urged the governor to adopt a vigorous program to combat school segregation, including introducing effective magnet schools and adopting transfer programs that foster integration."
Expert panel to help chart course of Louisiana state's education
Date CapturedSaturday January 06 2007, 10:56 PM
The Town Talk reports, "A panel of higher education experts has begun an 18-month look at what's right and wrong with Louisiana's colleges and universities with an eye toward making them better."
SAT: Why Memorize What You Can Rock?
Date CapturedSaturday January 06 2007, 10:39 PM
NPR reports, "There's a new way to study for the SATs. Rather than a cursory glance at a vocabulary list, this study guide sets SAT words to music. To sample a few of the songs, click on titles."
Missouri school funding trial focuses on property assessments
Date CapturedSaturday January 06 2007, 3:36 PM
AP reports, "A trial on how the state funds public schools focused Thursday on suburban districts' concerns that some areas are undervaluing property, a key factor in the state method of doling out education dollars. Early witnesses and evidence narrowed in on property assessment practices around the state, a particular concern to 26 largely suburban plaintiff school districts in the Coalition to Fund Excellent Schools."
New Jersey Abbott districts plan focuses on personal attention
Date CapturedSaturday January 06 2007, 3:30 PM
The Jersey Journal reports, "State [New Jersey] and local school officials are rewriting the lesson plan for secondary education. The new plan - to be in place in middle and high schools in the state's poorest school districts by September 2008 - calls for small learning communities, more rigorous course work, and personalized mentoring during the high school years."
Admissions Form Stirs Debate at U. of Chicago
Date CapturedSaturday January 06 2007, 3:24 PM
NPR reports, "University of Chicago students are proud of the quirky questions on their school's application. Many are wary of the university's plans to also use an online form accepted by more than 300 schools."
No Child Left Behind Act flawed but likely to stay
Date CapturedSaturday January 06 2007, 2:31 PM
sbsun.com reports, "Before he was a teacher in Inglewood, Sanders was a black kid growing up in Birmingham, Ala., in the era of Jim Crow laws. His mom had a seventh-grade education, and his dad was illiterate. But his family valued education, and he worked hard in school. Sanders says No Child Left Behind unfairly blames schools and teachers for poor student performance. He says the law should do more to address societal issues affecting children in urban areas, including poverty and what he describes as a lack of parental interest in education."
Mixed reaction from educators on Spitzer’s school reforms
Date CapturedFriday January 05 2007, 11:46 PM
Legislative Gazette reports, "The plan to reform education in New York outlined by Gov. Eliot Spitzer during his State of the State address Wednesday afternoon was received by parents and educators as a step in the right direction, but many disapprove of his plans to increase the number of charter schools. "
Lottery: More than $300 million raised for New Mexico education
Date CapturedFriday January 05 2007, 11:41 PM
AP reports, "The New Mexico Lottery has raised more than 300 (M) million dollars for public education since tickets went on sale in April 1996. Most of that money went into the Lottery Success Scholarship."
OEA (Ohio Education Association): It's Time to Keep the Promise of No Child Left Behind
Date CapturedFriday January 05 2007, 8:34 PM
PR Newswire reports, "The OEA strongly supports the stated goals of NCLB: improving student achievement and closing student achievement gaps that persist among rich and poor, ethnic and minority groups and among school districts that have huge variations in resources. The OEA is a strong advocate of the National Education Association's Positive Agenda for improving the NCLB Act and addressing its flaws."
Washington state groups call for changes in school financing
Date CapturedFriday January 05 2007, 1:50 PM
AP reports, "Officials with the education groups said yesterday the state [Washington] is not living up to its constitutional obligation to fully finance basic public education. The state's expected $1.9 billion surplus and prosperous economy present a 'historic opportunity' to ease the current crisis and develop a long-term plan based on student needs, said Charles Hasse, president of the Washington Education Association. Washington is currently near the bottom in the nation in contributions made by the state government per student, Hasse said."
Chicago Mayor Daley issues challenge on school funding
Date CapturedFriday January 05 2007, 10:16 AM
"Mayor Richard Daley challenged state lawmakers Thursday to reform Illinois' education funding system to take the burden off property taxpayers and reduce inequities between rich and poor districts."
Community input can help schools
Date CapturedFriday January 05 2007, 5:26 AM
Poughkeepsie Journal opines, "Gov. Eliot Spitzer has pledged to provide greater state funding for education and deliver property tax relief. But any changes will take time to be implemented. Meanwhile, the Rhinebeck citizens group could play an important role in helping to inform the public about them, Phelan noted. But forcing residents to absorb tax increases year after year cannot continue."
The state of public education: a state-by-state comparison
Date CapturedThursday January 04 2007, 5:56 AM
The Journal News reports on survey produced by the Editorial Projects in Education Research Center and The Pew Center on the States, "New York does better than the national average in terms of elementary and middle school test scores, but has a lower percentage of students who graduate from high school. And while underperforming some states, New York does better than the average on the success index. The state scores higher than the national average on 9 of the 13 success indicators, including family income, percentage of children who have a parent with a college degree, preschool enrollment and college enrollment."
4 Keys to Real School Reform
Date CapturedThursday January 04 2007, 4:40 AM
NY Post contributor Thomas W. Carroll, president of the Foundation for Education Reform and Accountability and founder and chairman of the two Brighter Choice Charter Schools in Albany writes, "Spitzer's State of the State message underscored his commitment to 'a vibrant education system that demands accountability and rewards excellence.' He promised more funding, too, so that 'the debate will no longer be about money, but about performance.'" Excellent rhetoric, but the rubber meets the road in his first executive budget, due Feb. 1. Spitzer and his new budget director, Paul Francis, should consider some crucial reforms:"
Gov: Spitzer: Our Kids Deserve More
Date CapturedThursday January 04 2007, 4:30 AM
NY Post FREDRIC U. DICKER writes, "City Schools Chancellor Joel Klein said Spitzer's suggestions about a longer school day and year shouldn't be applied across-the-board. 'This has got to be targeted based on need,' Klein said. "Some kids need extended day, extended year. Other kids obviously are achieving well. I think you need to have differentiation," he added. City teachers union President Randi Weingarten said she wouldn't comment until she sees further details. In the city, the school year is currently 185 days and the length of the day ranges from 6 hours and 20 minutes to 6 hours and 57 minutes. The governor and state lawmakers have authority over the number of days in the school year, as well as the length of the day, the city Department of Education said."
'No Child' Law on Track, Spellings Says
Date CapturedThursday January 04 2007, 3:35 AM
The Washington Post reports, "The Forum on Educational Accountability -- a coalition that includes education, religious, civil rights and disability rights groups -- said yesterday that the law overemphasizes standardized tests and arbitrary academic targets. The coalition also criticized penalties the law imposes on schools that fail to meet standards."
Study puts New Jersey education system 4th in nation
Date CapturedWednesday January 03 2007, 2:18 PM
AP reports, "While New Jersey has extremes of wealth and poverty, it has the highest median household income. And its adults, on average, are well educated. More than half the state's children have at least one parent with a college degree and three-fourths of children have at least one parent working a full-time, year-round job. Those factors all give children a better chance of succeeding in college or the work force, the study said. Also, the state did well in the assessment because it has a number of policies to line up preschool and elementary school standards and help students pursue trade industry licenses while still in high school. New Jersey ranked only 45th, though, in a measure of statewide policies dealing with academic standards, testing policies and how schools are held accountable for their performances."
Male practice players help women's teams
Date CapturedWednesday January 03 2007, 9:21 AM
Buffalo News reports, "For the most part, male practice players serve as the scout team. They learn and run the opposing team's plays on offense and defense, so that the women's team can practice against them. This, the NCAA says, is a violation of Title IX. Using male practice players, the anonymous CWA said in a statement, takes away opportunities from female players. 'Any inclusion of male practice players results in diminished participation opportunities for female student-athletes, contrary to the association's principles of gender equity, nondiscrimination, competitive equity and student-athlete well-being,' the group said in a written statement."
6,000 in Maryland Suburbs Barred From Class
Date CapturedWednesday January 03 2007, 4:01 AM
Washington Post reports, "Students in grades 6 through 9 who had not provided a record of chickenpox and hepatitis B vaccinations -- or, in the case of chickenpox, month-and-year documentation of when they had the disease -- were told they could not return until they had the necessary paperwork in hand. The only exceptions were to be those who arrived with proof that they have appointments to get the shots by Jan. 22. Some students were held for the day in special rooms or centers in their schools. Others were sent home."
Leaders Brace for Adverse School Ruling
Date CapturedTuesday January 02 2007, 11:14 PM
NNPA reports, "Although the U. S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of affirmative action in the University of Michigan Law School case three years ago and Brown v. Board of Education in 1954, Black leaders say affirmative action and school desegregation are among the most important issues facing Black America in 2007 – both being at risk. 'The Supreme Court is likely to issue a devastating opinion in the Seattle cases [this] year and it will possibly set back the premise of Brown v. Board of Education to provide quality education for all children,' says Harvard University law professor Charles Ogletree."
Wichita, Kansas district's tutoring bill so far tops $400,000
Date CapturedTuesday January 02 2007, 8:23 AM
Wichita Eagle reports, "The Kansas State Department of Education's application for providing supplemental services requires that tutoring firms 'have a demonstrated record of effectiveness in increasing student academic achievement' and provide services that are 'high quality and researched based.'"
Test scores for Pennsylvania special education students on rise
Date CapturedTuesday January 02 2007, 8:18 AM
Herald-Standard reports, "Test scores for special education students in the state's 501 school districts are reportedly on the rise with local educators lauding the efforts of inclusion implemented in January under No Child Left Behind (NCLB). The law was revised to include a special emphasis on the achievement gap for all states that accept Title 1 federal grants that provide funding for remedial education programs for poor and disadvantaged children in public schools and in some private programs. A class action lawsuit filed against the Pennsylvania Department of Education also determined that starting last January special education students be integrated into the regular education classroom for instruction where the special education teacher and regular education teacher co-teach."
NYSED Update on Limited English Proficient/English Language Learner (LEP/ELL
Date CapturedTuesday January 02 2007, 8:09 AM
New York state education Commissioner Mills has issued a field memorandum regarding the Regents and Department's efforts to advocate for change in the federal policy that requires all English language learners (ELLs) who have been in this country for more than one year to take their state's English language arts tests. Even as the Department works to change the U.S. Department of Education's policy, we must follow the law and implement the policy during this coming year. The field memorandum identifies a number of additional steps the Department has undertaken at various levels to help our ELL students.
Report Card on American Education: A State by State Analysis: 1983-1984 to 2003-2004
Date CapturedTuesday January 02 2007, 7:33 AM
This American Legislative Exchange Council study ranks the educational performance of the school systems in the states, and the District of Columbia according to several criteria including National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), SAT, and ACT scores. Author Andrew T. LeFevre concludes, "As more and more parents see that they can—and should— have a choice in their child’s education, it causes more and more leaks in the dam that has been holding back real educational reform. And soon, the educational establishment will run out of fi ngers to plug those leaks and then the fl ood of educational reform and school choice will finally be free to flow all across this great nation—bringing liberation to many that have struggled far too long to escape from an educational system that has failed them all too often."
Plattsburgh fears for funding
Date CapturedTuesday January 02 2007, 6:24 AM
Press Republican reports, "Wachtmeister [Plattsburgh City School Board member] stressed that he is not saying New York City schoolchildren don't need more money, but "the bottom line is New York City is fabulously wealthy." Yet, he said, the people who dominate the power elite are not going to want to pay the taxes. 'Rich people in New York City send their kids to private schools, and that is one of the major reasons New York City doesn't spend as much as it ought to on its own students, because there is no interest in doing so. But they can afford to, given the income and property wealth in New York City.'"
Few solutions, plenty of ideas in Suffolk County
Date CapturedTuesday January 02 2007, 5:27 AM
Newsday reports, "The Commission to Evaluate School District Expenses and Efficiency has held four public hearings since September - and 50 speakers offered their recipes for reducing the cost of public education. Now comes the sifting. The alternatives will be considered by the 12-member panel and evaluated in a report due in March. The suggestions include: consolidating school districts so there's only one per town; increasing class sizes beyond the third grade; funding sports programs through user fees, and pooling among the districts the costs for school-bus transportation, security and building maintenance."
Money myth in education
Date CapturedTuesday January 02 2007, 3:23 AM
Washington Times contributor Matt Warner, education task director for the American Legislative Exchange Council writes, "This month, the American Legislative Exchange Council -- the largest U.S. nonpartisan group of state legislators -- released the 2006 Report Card on American Education concluding that 'despite substantial increases in resources being spent on primary and secondary education over the past two decades -- per pupil expenditures have increased by 77.4 percent (after adjusting for inflation) -- student performance has improved only slightly.' CFE argues that Americans need to shell out billions more -- on top of the nearly $500 billion they spend now -- to reduce class sizes, spend more per pupil and raise teacher salaries. If these "reforms" were the answer, no doubt most Americans would pay the price. But in fact America's classrooms have already been shrinking over the last two decades. Today's class sizes are nearly 11 percent smaller than in 1983 -- the year the Reagan administration issued its education report titled 'A Nation at Risk,' a clarion call for serious reform in education."
Conservatives Call for National Education Curriculum
Date CapturedMonday January 01 2007, 3:10 PM
NPR Larry Abramson reports, "There's a long tradition of 'local control' over U.S. public schools. In the past, Republicans have fiercely resisted any kind of national curriculum. Now some of the loudest calls for national testing are coming from the right."
Iowa school turn to parents
Date CapturedMonday January 01 2007, 9:25 AM
The Quad-City Times reports, "The Davenport district has started in the past year to use Epstein’s model of parental involvement, called “Building Successful Partnerships,” to strengthen ties with parents. That comes after parents told district officials two years ago they wanted more ways to communicate with schools and be involved in the education of their children, said Karen Farley, a spokeswoman for the district."
A New Year for School Reform
Date CapturedSunday December 31 2006, 9:46 AM
NY Times opined, "With the easy achievement gains already behind us, the next level of progress will require rigorous systemic change. The states, for example, will need to adopt rigorous examinations that track the federal test, the National Assessment of Educational Progress, more closely. They will have to crack down on state teachers colleges that turn out poor graduates, and devise ways — including differential pay — to persuade highly qualified teachers to work in failing schools that they have historically avoided. To move forward, the country must also find new ways to support and transform failing schools, beyond labeling them failures and presuming that the stigma will inspire better performance."
Narrow the achievement gap in education
Date CapturedSunday December 31 2006, 7:52 AM
Boston Globe reports, "The road to closing that gap is outlined in a report called 'Fulfilling the Promise of Education Reform, ' the union's [Massachusetts Teachers Association] action guide for the coming year. The organization will push for legislation and funding for more early childhood programs, full-day kindergarten for all, as well as reduced class sizes."
Many Nebraska lawmakers uncertain how to tackle education issues
Date CapturedSaturday December 30 2006, 9:42 AM
AP reports, "A survey of 49 state senators by The Associated Press revealed significant uncertainty about whether to reorganize elementary-only, known as Class I, school districts that were forced to merge with larger districts. Lawmakers seem uncertain about repealing a law that calls for dividing Omaha Public Schools into three districts, a move that has attracted lawsuits from some who argue it would further segregate whites and minorities in the city."
Data could help both sides in Missouri school funding case
Date CapturedSaturday December 30 2006, 8:35 AM
AP reports, "The lawsuit challenging Missouri's school funding method as inadequate and unfair was filed Jan. 6, 2004, in Cole County Circuit Court. With the litigation pending, lawmakers in 2005 revamped the way the state distributes money to public schools. The old system depended largely on the property tax base, and as property values rose, the state was unable to keep up with the higher payments districts were due. The new formula instead sets a target of what it takes to provide a sound education to each student, derived from spending levels by districts that score highest on a state report. Extra funds are provided for disproportionate numbers of 'at-risk' students. The formula determines what each district should get and provides state money for what is not raised locally."
Paterson New Jersey schools may be monitored
Date CapturedSaturday December 30 2006, 8:19 AM
NorthJersey.com reports, "Other findings in the audit include incomplete or outdated personnel and special education student files, missing receipts in student activity money and a need for enhanced computer technology security measures."
Yonkers school officials promise new testing safeguards
Date CapturedSaturday December 30 2006, 8:04 AM
THE JOURNAL NEWS reports, "School officials are promising new testing safeguards after determining that staff members in four elementary schools erased and fixed multiple-choice answers on last year's state English exams. A six-month district investigation looked at answer sheets from more than 4,500 students in 29 elementary schools. Last week the district concluded that cheating took place at the Cedar Place School and School 21, along with two schools initially cited by the state Education Department for suspicious 'erasures.'"
Title IX watch over at Portsmouth Rhode Island school
Date CapturedFriday December 29 2006, 11:28 PM
Newport Daily News reports, "Portsmouth High School's new gym and renovated locker rooms provide equal facilities for girls and boys, according to a recent letter from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights that ends a three-year dispute over gender equity at the school."
Safety personnel to work after school and Saturdays at Minnesota school
Date CapturedFriday December 29 2006, 11:24 PM
Winona Post reports, "Citing heavy use after school hours, the District 861 School Board approved the addition of safety specialists to the middle and high schools to supervise building activity on weekends and evenings. According to Community Education Director Margaret Schild, until now buildings have had no formal supervision, with most issues defaulting to the maintenance worker on duty in the building. But particularly at the high school, many students remain in the building after the end of the school day for one activity or another, or sometimes just to hang out in a safe and familiar place with friends, Schild said. At the middle school, heavy use by groups for Saturday functions or after-school activities create the need for building supervision there."
Kentucky Braces for Potential Bill for School Finance Lawsuit
Date CapturedFriday December 29 2006, 11:21 PM
AP reports, "Attorneys for a group of Kansas school districts that successfully sued the state over education funding are still looking to get paid."
Private aid for New Jersey public schools stirs controversy
Date CapturedFriday December 29 2006, 11:11 PM
NorthJersey.com reports, "With state aid remaining level at best, school districts around New Jersey are finding corporations that are willing to pitch in. In North Jersey, the practice hasn't taken hold, but some school districts are looking at the possibilities. The practice is not without controversy. While some businesses ask for nothing in return, others display their brand names for all the students to see. Here is a look at the arguments for and against private funding in education."
A CORE CURRICULUM
Date CapturedFriday December 29 2006, 9:09 AM
The Oregonian writes, "Portland Public Schools administrators are in the process of pushing through a core curriculum aimed at offering the same courses at all district secondary schools. Among the primary rationales for this experiment are concerns about student mobility and the belief that common course sequences, common textbooks and common assessment procedures will assure a comparable education wherever PPS students attend school."
School tax relief is good, but rest of record is sketchy
Date CapturedFriday December 29 2006, 4:56 AM
Poughkeepsie Journal contributor Edward McCormick, member of the Arlington school board, chairman of the New York State Educational Conference Board and a member of the Dutchess County BOCES board writes, "The enactment of the School Tax Relief (STAR) program was the governor’s most creative and largest statewide accomplishment that affects public schools. STAR now exceeds $3 billion in school tax relief. While not intended to increase school funding, STAR contributed to a period (1998-2001) of unprecedented success for school budget passage at the polls. Three years of record school aid increases, a booming economy, plummeting pension costs and initiation of the statewide voting day helped also. While advantageous to the passage of schools budgets, STAR missed an opportunity for education policy reform."
$260K grant intended to improve education technology
Date CapturedThursday December 28 2006, 9:57 PM
The Business Review (Albany) reports, "Blended learning is a combination of traditional classroom and online instruction. The award is going to Peter Shea, an assistant professor in UAlbany's Department of Educational Theory and Practice."
Culture groups, schools studied
Date CapturedThursday December 28 2006, 5:32 AM
Post-Standard reports, "Officials with Partners for Arts Education, a nonprofit that awards grants across Central New York, said this month they plan to embark on a yearlong research project to assess the relationships between local schools and cultural organizations. Among the six schools selected for the study are Hamilton and Madison Central high schools and Madison Central elementary school."
Cyber schools: High costs, low scores
Date CapturedWednesday December 27 2006, 2:09 PM
The York Dispatch reports, "Hoover [PA Distance Learning Charter School CEO] said that in addition to students who are looking to escape from violence at school, cybers offer a refuge to students who are pregnant, those who need to work full-time jobs and need flexibility, and those who are bullied or have learning problems. Hoover said the cyber school administrators are able to monitor the number of hours students are logging. Parents log the hours their child spends working in a textbook in order to make sure the child meets the state's criterion to be educated 180 days per school year. He said the Department of Education closely monitors the cyber schools. 'We are probably held to a higher standard than even the public schools,' he said."
MAEP: Law dictates divvying of funds
Date CapturedWednesday December 27 2006, 10:58 AM
Daily Journal reports, "When people refer to the Mississippi Adequate Education Program funding formula, words like complex or complicated are almost always used to describe it. But at the heart of MAEP is a simple concept: Determine the amount of money needed to provide each student an adequate education and the state's share of those funds."
Truancy can spell trouble for Colorado parents
Date CapturedWednesday December 27 2006, 10:52 AM
Cortez Journal reports, "'Parents may be surprised to hear that if they do not support their children in their education and their children account for too many unverified absences, the parents could face hefty fines and could go to jail. 'Truant' is defined by Webster's II New Riverside Dictionary as 'one who avoids doing work or fulfilling a duty, especially one who is absent from school without permission.' Under this definition and the No Child Left Behind Act signed by President Bush in 2002, which calls for every child not only to be enrolled in school but also to pass achievement tests, truant would include not only students who do not attend school, but also those who don't complete their schoolwork and receive below-average grades."
Postsecondary Institutions in the United States: Fall 2005 and Degrees and Other Awards Conferred: 2004-05
Date CapturedWednesday December 27 2006, 10:37 AM
This First Look presents findings from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) fall 2005 data collection, which included two survey components: Institutional Characteristics for the 2005-06 academic year, and Completions covering the period July 1, 2004, through June 30, 2005. These data were collected through the IPEDS web-based data collection system. Knapp, L.G., Kelly-Reid, J.E., Whitmore, R.W., and Miller, E. (2006). Postsecondary Institutions in the United States: Fall 2005 and Degrees and Other Awards Conferred: 2004-05 (NCES 2007-167). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved December 27, 2006 from http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch.
Boston school partnerships need a push
Date CapturedWednesday December 27 2006, 9:35 AM
Boston Globe opines, "On Jan. 4, the leaders of 10 struggling schools are scheduled to meet with university experts in the areas of public health, after-school programming, curriculum support, family engagement, and pedagogy. The plan, according to Deputy Superintendent Chris Coxson, is for the universities to step up in their individual fields of expertise and provide help across the board to the following schools: English High School; the Lewenberg and Curley middle schools; and the Agassiz, Winthrop, Chittick, Marshall, Russell, Elihu Greenwood, and Trotter elementary schools. The advantages of pairing private universities with individual public schools should not be overlooked in this effort to create a wide network of support services."
21 Kentucky schools take part in literacy program
Date CapturedWednesday December 27 2006, 9:05 AM
AP reports, "The program is called the Kentucky Content Literacy Consortium. It’s part of a $17 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education."
Change in the air for California schools
Date CapturedWednesday December 27 2006, 8:27 AM
AP reports, "Scott [Sen. Jack Scott, chairman of the Senate Education Committee] said the state's first priority in considering changes should be teacher quality. It should ensure that all students have access to the best teachers, rather than having them concentrated in wealthier schools that already have high achievement rates, as they are now. 'I'm working very hard on this matter because it may be the key civil rights issue of the 21st century: What are we doing to address the unequal quality of teaching?" he said. "Here we have the students in the low-performing schools, many of them are English-language learners, they come from poverty homes, and yet we haven't distributed our teachers in such a way that the best teachers are teaching in those schools.'"
Vitality after UAlbany
Date CapturedWednesday December 27 2006, 5:08 AM
Times Union reports, "Retiring professors close the door on their careers as full-time teachers, but the University at Albany has opened another door for them. The new Emeritus Center -- part lounge, computer lab and meeting room -- will allow retired professors to stay connected to the university and continue their research. The university community can tap the retirees institutional memory, and the professors will have access to office space, research grants and other like-minded scholars."
Immigrant Children Shielded From State Tests, but for Whose Protection?
Date CapturedWednesday December 27 2006, 3:37 AM
NY Times reports, "Like Mr. Noguera [professor of sociology at Steinhardt School of Education at New York University], Diane Ravitch, the education historian, says she thinks testing students after one year may not be a bad idea, but is concerned about how the scores are used. Comparing this year’s Port Chester fourth graders with last year’s based on the upcoming test will put this year’s students and the schools needlessly to shame because last year’s classes did not have many immigrant children tested. But comparing how well students do this school year with how those same students do a year later, Ms. Ravitch said, would provide a telling reflection of the school’s progress. The federal government has started a pilot program in such so-called “growth model” comparisons in Tennessee and North Carolina. What many experts seem to agree on is that No Child Left Behind testing policy lacks a fine enough filter for the nuances of immigrant education."
Colleges say ethics rules are costing them donations
Date CapturedTuesday December 26 2006, 7:09 PM
Newsday reports, "State universities say an interpretation of a new ethics law is costing them millions of dollars in corporate donations for scholarships and research. The law is designed to stop contracting abuses by preventing contractors from using gifts to buy access and influence. It prohibits state agencies, including state universities, from accepting gifts and donations from some Connecticut companies and lobbyists."
Bad Guess on U.S. Future
Date CapturedTuesday December 26 2006, 1:52 PM
Washington Post Jay Mathews writes, "If the report's authors' fears prove true, and American living standards begin to decline because of competition abroad and poor schooling, the U.S. education system will change very quickly. But we education reporters learned long ago that most national commissions are wrong. It is better to wait and let actual events, rather than well-staffed guesses, determine our next move."
Applications to Become a NYS-Approved Supplemental Educational Services Provider Will Soon be Accepted
Date CapturedTuesday December 26 2006, 1:46 PM
The next Application Period will begin January 19, 2007. After that date, applicants will be invited to submit an application and their response to a "Request for Qualifications" (RFQ) to be reviewed by NYSED. After these RFQs have been reviewed, approved applicants will be placed in NYSED's "Approved Supplemental Educational Services Provider" (ASESP) catalog. An optional Orientation Session for Provider Applicants will be held in Albany on January 19, 2007.
Problem Solving in the PISA and TIMSS 2003 Assessments
Date CapturedTuesday December 26 2006, 1:38 PM
NCES: When examining the outcomes of education at local, state, national, or international levels, one of the major concerns of educators is whether students are able to employ the knowledge and skills they have acquired in formal schooling and through daily living experiences to solve problems. Students’ capabilities to solve problems are necessary not only for the demands of everyday life—personal, social, and public decisionmaking—but also for their future careers and their ability to continue learning in formal education settings. The purpose of this report is to compare and contrast features of the problem-solving tasks found in the 2003 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and the 2003 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA)." Dossey, J.A., McCrone, S.A., and O’Sullivan, C. (2006). Problem Solving in the PISA and TIMSS 2003 Assessments (NCES 2007-049). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved December 26, 2006 from http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch.
Education: For rich towns, breaking up's the thing to do
Date CapturedTuesday December 26 2006, 11:07 AM
AP reports, "This month Barnstead asked the state Board of Education for permission to withdraw from its shared school administrative unit with Pittsfield, citing money as the reason. Because multi-town SAUs pay for education with a formula that counts the number of pupils in each town and the town's assessed property valuation, Barnstead -- with fewer students and more property wealth -- is paying a larger share of the SAU's $419,613 annual operating costs. 'There's a perceived inequity,' said Keith Couch, chairman of the Barnstead School Board. 'The perception is we've got less kids, so how could we be paying more?'"
Gender pay gap no longer narrowing
Date CapturedTuesday December 26 2006, 11:00 AM
NEW YORK TIMES NEWS SERVICE reports, "Last year, college-educated women between 36 and 45 years old, for example, earned 74.7 cents for every dollar that men in the same group did, according to Labor Department data analyzed by the Economic Policy Institute. A decade earlier, the women earned 75.7 cents."
Colleges may have something to prove
Date CapturedTuesday December 26 2006, 8:51 AM
Express-News reports, "Gov. Rick Perry [Texas] has said he wants more scrutiny of university budgets and has floated the idea of an exit test for college students, and possibly tying funding incentives to the test and other performance measures. That kind of talk has some educators fearing that a kind of No Child Left Behind, President Bush's sweeping public school overhaul that stresses standardized testing, will be imposed on colleges. It's an approach critics say could end up rewarding universities for pushing out students, many of them low-income, who don't perform as well on standardized tests as more affluent students do."
"Alternative" Charter School Authorizers: Playing a Vital Role in the Charter Movement
Date CapturedTuesday December 26 2006, 8:06 AM
This Progressive Policy Institute paper by Louann Bierlein Palmer assesses the quality of alternative charter authorizers including independent state-level charter boards, higher education institutions, municipal offices and nonprofit groups. Palmer determines that the best authorizers share three traits: 1. They desire their jobs as authorizers; 2. They are relatively insulated from politics; and 3. They have the ability to create the adequate infrastructure necessary to achieve high quality outcomes.
North Carolina Education Lottery sales fall short of predictions
Date CapturedMonday December 25 2006, 7:19 PM
Herald Sun reports, "The lottery's executive director says the lottery will generate at least $75 million less for education than projected in the current state budget because sales of scratch-and-win tickets have fallen since July."
MySpace users big targets for ID theives
Date CapturedMonday December 25 2006, 6:18 PM
AP reports, "MySpace also is preparing to launch a more aggressive education campaign, urging users to take care and use tools that restrict the viewing of their profiles to only trusted sources."
Stage set for Tennessee school funding feud
Date CapturedMonday December 25 2006, 5:38 PM
The Tennessean reports, "One of the biggest battles during the upcoming legislative session — slated to begin Jan. 9 — is shaping up to be a tussle between urban and rural school districts over funding. The Basic Education Program funding formula for K-12 schools is being challenged by urban school systems, who say that their portion of state tax dollars is falling while their costs are growing."
Cornell to develop guide for copyrighted material
Date CapturedMonday December 25 2006, 6:18 AM
Ithaca Journal reports, "AAP contends that 'fair use' applies to electronic materials in the same way it applies to printed materials. Courts have yet to rule on how 'fair use' relates to materials being made available to students electronically. Cornell's new guidelines treat electronic presentations similar to printed materials."
Combining resources
Date CapturedMonday December 25 2006, 6:14 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle writes, "The new Web site, www.biz2edu.com, will heighten the schools' [Monroe County] visibility, making it easier for prospective students and businesses to see and assess the region's wide range of high-caliber colleges and universities."
Seeking $1 Million a Day, N.Y.U. Mines Personal Data for a Fund-Raising Edge
Date CapturedMonday December 25 2006, 3:28 AM
NY Times reports, "The research process starts in N.Y.U.’s development office, a warren of cubicles where a full-time staff of 98 people and 38 interns scour for 'prospects.' The yearly budget for the fund-raising enterprise is $26 million. Each day, Lekha Menon, the director of prospect management and research at N.Y.U., and four staff members pore over more than a dozen newspapers and electronic news and data sources, looking for names of alumni, parents of alumni or parents of students. They also look for notable donations to other causes, promotions, appointments to corporate boards and records of securities transactions."
Bill defines 'cherishing' New Hampshire education
Date CapturedSunday December 24 2006, 6:23 PM
Portsmouth Herald reports, "The amendment would state, in part, that the state would 'cherish public schools by targeting education funding aid in support of an opportunity for a quality public education.'"
University of Connecticut launches a plan to build a college town from scratch
Date CapturedSunday December 24 2006, 4:56 PM
AP reports, "The University of Connecticut's main campus boasts a string of new buildings, thanks to a multibillion-dollar infusion of state cash. The student body is growing. And there are two powerhouse basketball teams that bring big-time sports to a rural corner of the state. There's one thing, however, that UConn doesn't have: a college town. So it has decided to help build one from scratch _ complete with shops, restaurants, hundreds of apartments and even a traditional New England town green. The project exemplifies the growing interest of colleges and universities in their surrounding communities."
Illinois educators worry about changes to special ed law
Date CapturedSunday December 24 2006, 10:14 AM
The Quad-City Times reports, "The Illinois State Board of Education is overhauling the way special education students are taught in an effort to boost achievement and help them transition into the regular classroom faster."
Almost famous in New York
Date CapturedSunday December 24 2006, 9:43 AM
Newsday reports, "Stern, 63, of Flushing, a retired vice president of the defunct Camera Barn retail chain, founded Friends of the New York City Hall of Fame in June 2002. Six months later, the nonprofit organization, which he heads, established a Web site, nychalloffame.org, to take nominations from the public for inductees in these categories: architecture, business development, charitable contribution, cultural contribution, communications, education, entertainment, health and science, heroism or act of bravery, humanitarianism, sports, and volunteerism."
Famous truants to be featured at Ohio reform school museum
Date CapturedSunday December 24 2006, 9:30 AM
AP reports, "The tens of thousands of boys who spent time at the Boys Industrial School were deemed incorrigible, truant, thieves or burglars by juvenile courts, but a few of them went on to fame and success."
Perils of online grading
Date CapturedSunday December 24 2006, 9:19 AM
Boston Globe contributor Ron Fletcher, English teacher at Boston College High talks about online use and education, "The school has been pushing teachers to do more online through our website such as taking attendance, posting assignments and syllabi, and issuing progress reports and report cards, which students and parents can access."
Act early
Date CapturedSunday December 24 2006, 9:06 AM
Times Union contributor Karen Schimke, President/CEO of Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy in Albany and a co-convener of the Winning Beginning NY coalition writes, "Making access to early care and education a public responsibility allows children of all economic classes to share in the well-documented developmental benefits of such care. This, in turn, helps reduce future achievement inequalities between more- and less-advantaged children. This may cost us taxpayers more today, but we'll reap handsome rewards in the future."
Big ideas for schools
Date CapturedSaturday December 23 2006, 9:53 AM
Dallas Morning News opines on "Tough Choices, Tough Times", " For instance, the suggestion to start children in school at age 3 could help big-city teachers, such as those in Dallas, get students learning at grade level by early elementary years. It's also worth discussing the proposal to create personal savings accounts modeled on the GI bill. The feds would kick in $500 when a child is born and lesser amounts until a child reaches 16. Individuals and employers alike could contribute so workers could use the accounts to get the continual training they will need to stay abreast of a fast-changing economy. The costs need fleshing out, but Congress should hear more about this proposal."
Web Site Allows Students to Rate Professors
Date CapturedSaturday December 23 2006, 8:53 AM
NPR reports, "A popular Web site allows college students to go online and praise or criticize them. And therein lies the rub: Critics say there's no way of knowing who's posting such comments."
Charter schools also closing achievement gap
Date CapturedSaturday December 23 2006, 8:39 AM
B. JASON BROOKS, Senior Research Associate , Foundation for Education Reform & Accountability, in a letter to the Times Union writes, "Unfortunately, it is the traditional education establishment that more often than not stands in the way of expanding and replicating such successful schools. Just look at the effort put forth this very week by the state teachers' union as a last-ditch attempt to prevent new, successful charter schools from opening anywhere in the state. While people make excuses for why an achievement gap persists and continue to stand in the way of expanding successful schools, the demand for high-quality charter school options -- schools that are closing that gap right now -- continues to grow."
The Best and Worst in Education, 2006
Date CapturedFriday December 22 2006, 8:12 AM
Richard D. Kahlenberg, Senior Fellow at The Century Foundation concludes, "In 2006, momentum appeared to build to take action on the fundamental economic divide that continues to riddle K-12 and higher education—the very institutions that, in America, are supposed to be the 'great equalizers.'”
Web site offers stats on impact of colleges
Date CapturedFriday December 22 2006, 6:12 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports, "A new effort among the area's colleges and local government to rev up the area's sputtering economy has its first concrete result — www.biz2edu.com. The Web site houses a farrago of information regarding the area colleges and how they can serve the business community."
School Entrepreneur Named to Be a Deputy Chancellor
Date CapturedFriday December 22 2006, 3:28 AM
NY Times reports, "Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein yesterday appointed the former president of Edison Schools Inc., the world’s largest for-profit operator of public schools, as a deputy chancellor, perhaps the boldest move yet in the Bloomberg administration’s effort to increase the role of the private sector in managing city public schools. The former Edison president, Chris Cerf, is a longtime friend of Mr. Klein and has been a consultant to the city’s Education Department since early this year, paid with private donations."
Utah State U athletes’ graduation rate above general student body’s
Date CapturedThursday December 21 2006, 10:30 AM
The Herald Journal reports, "Athletes are required to declare a major by the end of their second year at USU and have at least 80 percent of their degree requirements completed by the end of their fourth year. The NCAA requires athletes to maintain a 2.0 grade point average, a standard Utah State athletes exceed with an average GPA of 3.07."
Financial services professionals from Rochester, Albany named to state higher education board
Date CapturedThursday December 21 2006, 9:47 AM
Two New Yorkers with significant financial services experience have been confirmed as the newest additions to the board of trustees of the New York State Higher Education Services Corp. (HESC), the state agency that helps people pay for college. W. Anthony Goodwin, vice president of educational lending at M & T Bank and a resident of the Rochester area, and Thomas J. Murphy, principal of Trailhead Advisors in Albany, were recently appointed to the unpaid positions by Gov. George E. Pataki and confirmed by the state Senate.
Speaking Truth to Power on School Desegregation. Is Power Listening?
Date CapturedThursday December 21 2006, 8:24 AM
TC contributor Amy Stuart Wells, professor of sociology and education and the deputy director for research at the Campaign for Educational Equity at Teachers College, Columbia University, in New York City writes, "The Supreme Court will have until the end of June to rule in these cases. At the end of the day, these nine justices will have to decide whether the means used by these two school districts justified their goal of racially balanced schools. No one knows what role the social science research will ultimate play. If the court, especially Justice Kennedy, is bent on ending attempts by school districts or other government entities to acknowledge our country's history of racial inequality and segregation and create race-conscious programs to address that legacy, then they (and he) will do so, regardless of the evidence that this will result in far fewer educational opportunities for poor students of color."
Report Says Poor Students Shortchanged
Date CapturedThursday December 21 2006, 3:45 AM
AP reports, "'We cannot close the education achievement gap in this country without addressing the funding gap which keeps our low-income and minority children at a disadvantage,'' Kennedy [Sen. Ted Kennedy] said in a statement Wednesday. 'States must take responsibility for ensuring access to resources for all our children, but the federal government has to do its part as well.'' Like the government, states also are failing to allocate their own school dollars in a way that targets the neediest students, the report says."
Facing $3M in penalties, New Jersey schools send student data
Date CapturedWednesday December 20 2006, 5:27 PM
Independent Press reports, "The student information, which is required from all school districts, will allow the state to assign each student an identification number to track the academic performance of individual students as they progress through the public school system. In the past, the state could track only the performance of groups of children, and could compare only how different classes of children performed as they took the same standardized tests at each grade level. The data required by the state ranges from routine directory information, such as a student's name, gender, grade level and school assignment, to more sensitive information such as ethnicity, place of birth, special education requirements and any disciplinary history. Additional information requested on a voluntary basis includes each student's insurance provider and date of last medical exam."
Charter schools 'not a panacea,' report says
Date CapturedWednesday December 20 2006, 10:26 AM
Miami Herald reports, "Charter schools are filling a unique niche in the state's public school system, but their academic results don't differ much from those of traditional public schools, says a report issued Tuesday by the Florida Department of Education."
Minnesota educators renew push for longer school year
Date CapturedWednesday December 20 2006, 9:46 AM
Pioneer Press reports, "Proponents of year-round education argue students retain more of what they learn with a shortened summer vacation, allowing teachers to spend less time reteaching material in the fall. But others contend many families like longer summer vacations, while summer courses could deprive children of other life experiences such as camps, sports or summer jobs. Lobbyists for the state tourism industry and Minnesota State Fair representatives have opposed past attempts to lengthen the school year that would take away summertime student workers — and business."
Race-Based Programs May Face Final Curtain in Supreme Court
Date CapturedWednesday December 20 2006, 8:41 AM
Legal Times Tony Mauro writes, "In 1954, William Coleman Jr. sat next to Thurgood Marshall as he argued Brown v. Board of Education before the Supreme Court. In the same chamber on Dec. 4, Coleman, now 86, watched as the arc of the landmark Brown decision took a stunning turn. He heard the Brown decision being invoked as a possible reason for striking down modern-day efforts to keep public schools integrated. "I was shocked," said Coleman, now senior counselor at O'Melveny & Myers in Washington, D.C. 'It's the most ridiculous thing in the world.'"
Education Study: Remake the Public Schools
Date CapturedWednesday December 20 2006, 8:26 AM
NPR interview, "New Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce recommends a major overhaul of U.S. public schools. Commission member Harry Spence, commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Social Services, and Jack Jennings, president of the Center on Education Policy, discuss the report."
Breath tests for students becoming more common
Date CapturedWednesday December 20 2006, 5:17 AM
Newsday reports, "In New Hampshire, a school board recently approved allowing breath tests on school grounds of students suspected of drinking. Closer to home, school districts in Hewlett-Woodmere, Rockville Centre and West Islip have passed similar policies."
Mike Bloomberg is blind to promise of school choice
Date CapturedWednesday December 20 2006, 4:25 AM
Daily News contributor Andrew J. Coulson, director of the Cato Institute's Center for Educational Freedom writes, "Instead of trying to simulate market incentives, why not actually create a free education marketplace? With a simple program of need-based financial assistance - such as the education tax credits supported by both New York's outgoing governor and its governor-elect - families could all be assured access to the schools of their choice. It's time school reformers - and big-city mayors like Bloomberg - stopped ignoring the best hope of preserving America's competitiveness in the global economy."
Washington state Gov. Gregoire's $30 billion budget invests heavily in education
Date CapturedTuesday December 19 2006, 4:48 PM
AP reports, "The $29.94 billion two-year spending plan dips liberally into the state's $1.9 billion budget reserve to spend on public schools and colleges, health care, Puget Sound cleanup, economic development, prisons, parks, pensions, salary increases and other programs. Free full-day kindergarten is proposed for 10 percent of the schools and early learning proposals would be expanded, at a cost of $42 million. A dropout academy is created. "
Michigan Gov. Granholm signs pledges of students who say they'll go to college
Date CapturedTuesday December 19 2006, 4:43 PM
AP reports, "Under the Michigan Promise, students who do well on statewide standardized tests will get $1,000 at the beginning of their freshman year and another $1,000 at the beginning of their sophomore year. Once they successfully complete two years of college or training, they will get $2,000 more. Students who didn't get the money up front will be able to tap the entire $4,000 after two years. Students must maintain a 2.5 grade point average to earn the money."
Bill to aid immigrant students could pass in new Congress
Date CapturedTuesday December 19 2006, 11:42 AM
Cox News Services reports, "Legislation that would let thousands of illegal-immigrant high school students attend college or serve in the military has a good chance of passing in a Congress controlled by Democrats, immigration experts say."
OASAS Announces Winner of Underage Drinking PSA Contest
Date CapturedTuesday December 19 2006, 10:36 AM
The New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) today announced that SUNY Albany has been selected by a panel of judges as the winner of the "Underage Drinking: Not a Minor Problem - College Edition" Public Service Announcement (PSA) Contest. SUNY Albany was chosen based on submissions from 12 colleges throughout the state, each of whom were awarded up to $25,000 by OASAS to develop a PSA for both their college and surrounding community. SUNY Albany will now work with Sawchuck Brown, a professional advertising and marketing firm, to professionalize the campaign and revise it for distribution by OASAS throughout the State of New York. The professionalized PSA will be unveiled at the Statewide College Conference in Albany on March 11, 2007.
BADILLO LASHES LATINOS
Date CapturedTuesday December 19 2006, 9:30 AM
NY Post Carl CAMPANILE reports on Badillo and his new book, "'Hispanics have failed to assume responsibility for their children's welfare . . . Hispanic parents rarely get involved with their children's schools. They seldom attend parent-teacher conferences, ensure that children do their homework or inspire their children to dream of attending college,' he adds. Badillo writes that many Spanish-speaking immigrants are hard workers, but that to get their children to move up the economic ladder would require a cultural shakeup of sacrifice and 'self-improvement' by putting education first - as Asian and other U.S. immigrant groups have."
Jeb Bush leaving a tumultuous mark on Florida's schools
Date CapturedMonday December 18 2006, 6:35 PM
"AP reports, "Others now are measuring the governor's education performance as he prepares to leave Tallahassee. There's little consensus but even his critics concede Bush put a laser focus on education in Florida like never before. 'I really believe he has a sincere desire to help kids who are in schools that are not performing at the level they should be,'' said Andy Ford, president of the Florida Education Association. `'You've got to give the guy credit for that. He did something that we've neglected in this state for far too long.' The union leader, though, faulted the governor for expanding private school vouchers instead of adopting proven solutions and for fighting against class-size reduction by claiming it was too expensive while still cutting taxes. The governor also missed opportunities to improve schools because he refused to include the union in policy decisions, Ford said."
Report on the Cost of Education
Date CapturedMonday December 18 2006, 10:05 AM
The primary purpose of this report is to calculate the costs New Jersey school districts face in meeting state performance and accountability standards. Costs addressed include: 1. A per-student “base” cost (which reflects only the cost of serving students with no special needs); and 2. Adjustments to the base cost that reflect the added cost of serving special need students (including special education students, at-risk students and English language learners). To identify these costs, the report used two nationally recognized study approaches. The Department weighed the strengths and weaknesses of each approach, and then selected one – the Professional Judgment Panel (PJP) approach – whose results form the basis of the report’s findings.
Ithaca Central School District offers varied support services for students
Date CapturedMonday December 18 2006, 9:23 AM
Ithaca Journal contributors Sheila McEnery, director of Special Education and Lisa Harris, director of Academic Intervention Services for the Ithaca City School District write, "One of the elements of the action plan is targeted academic support. The goal relating to this area reads: Assure that every child has the specific academic support necessary to be successful in school. This may include a variety of academic intervention services and strategies in foundational areas (e.g., literacy, mathematics) or broader skill sets necessary for academic success (e.g., study skills, time management, computer skills, library use)."
Vermont group says too much money spent on unnecessary school jobs
Date CapturedMonday December 18 2006, 9:01 AM
Burlington Free Press reports, "In Vermont, the percentage of education funding that goes directly to classroom instruction is declining and hit about 61 percent in 2005, according to Wendy Wilton, a Republican state senator from Rutland County and co-chairwoman of First Class Education for Vermont. Vermont spends more than $1 billion a year on public schools, and school property taxes are increasing well above the rate of inflation, according to the Vermont Tax Department. More of the money should go straight to the classroom and to teachers, Wilton said. 'We want the best and brightest people teaching our children. That's why the focus should be there.'"
Autism fuels call for Texas school vouchers
Date CapturedMonday December 18 2006, 8:25 AM
Houston Chronicle reports, "School voucher plans repeatedly have died in the Texas Legislature, but the Senate Education Committee chairwoman is eying a whittled-down school-choice option that might be harder for lawmakers to resist. Sen. Florence Shapiro, R-Plano, plans to push legislation that would allow parents of autistic children to choose the best schools for their children. 'They have a very difficult time in a regular setting in a classroom,' said Shapiro, who long has supported vouchers. 'I would like to see a choice program. ... It's what I think we should do for children with autism.' The number of Texas children diagnosed with various degrees of autism has nearly doubled over the past five years, increasing from 8,972 students to 17,282 in the 2005-06 school year, according to the Texas Education Agency. Autism is a complex developmental disability"
More higher ed 'accountability' could mean more Perry vetoes
Date CapturedMonday December 18 2006, 7:32 AM
San Antonio Express reports, "Perry [Texas Gov.] spokesman Robert Black said the governor will offer a number of other higher education initiatives, maybe even 'incentive funding' for universities or an 'exit test' for some university graduates as a means of measuring the quality of their educations. Details will come later, he said. Black said Perry also will support efforts to repeal or restrict the top 10 percent law, which guarantees the highest-ranked high school graduates admission to the state university of their choice but is excluding thousands of other qualified students from the University of Texas at Austin."
Education quality as well as costs should guide Hawaii school mergers
Date CapturedMonday December 18 2006, 7:28 AM
Honolulu Star-Bulletin writes, "The board is likely contemplating how a new formula to divvy up funding based on students' educational needs will work if there are fewer schools in competition. When the Weighted Student Formula was first worked out, smaller schools were faced with devastating cuts. A revised formula resulted in larger schools losing what they felt was an unfair share. The conflict finally sent the board and the Department of Education back to the drawing board. Consolidation might be playing a role in a final resolution."
Can-do in Kalamazoo
Date CapturedMonday December 18 2006, 5:21 AM
LA Times writes, "A year ago, the Michigan town's schools were like those in many other Rust Belt cities, with declining enrollment, low test scores and a high dropout rate. Then anonymous donors announced the Kalamazoo Promise: a four-year scholarship to any of Michigan's public universities or colleges for local public school graduates. The amount of the scholarship is prorated depending on how long the student has lived in the district, but it amounts to at least 65% of tuition."
Not Enough Time for Phys Ed, Schools Plead
Date CapturedMonday December 18 2006, 4:54 AM
Post-Standard reports, "The education department's deputy commissioner also reminded all superintendents throughout the state of the physical education requirements and urged them to review their programs to ensure they are in compliance. The reminder was sent in the School Executive's Bulletin. The department sent the letters and reminders after reading an article in The Post-Standard last month that found only one of the school districts in Central New York in compliance with the physical education regulations. 'We learned of the allegation of noncompliance as a result of your reporting,' said Jonathan Burman, of the state Education Department."
Some teen dropouts fell through the cracks
Date CapturedSunday December 17 2006, 4:46 PM
Bonita Daily News reports, "The state and the district both closely track high school students, and the proportions in which they graduate. And that's just it. No one, it seems, is looking for dropouts in the middle schools. During the last academic year, four seventh-graders and 18 eighth-graders in Lee County [Florida] left school at age 16, intending never to come back and finish their education. Two more gave up on going to traditional high school and went to GED classes instead."
Despite ban, 3 Rhode Island charter schools proposed
Date CapturedSunday December 17 2006, 4:33 PM
AP reports, "Three more public charter schools, including an Internet-based elementary school, have been proposed for Rhode Island, despite a moratorium on opening any such schools for another two years, education officials said."
Resources for Florida parents
Date CapturedSunday December 17 2006, 10:20 AM
Sun-Sentinel reports, "Florida's Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services provides resources for parents of teens with particular challenges that complicate the pressures of adolescence. Go to www.firn.edu/doe/commhome/ese-home.htm or call 800-245-0475."
Discussion of New Jersey education cost report set tomorrow
Date CapturedSunday December 17 2006, 8:50 AM
The hearings will be webcast throughout the day and can be viewed online at www.njedge.net/ doelive.
On the Job, Learning Disabilities Can Often Hide in Plain Sight
Date CapturedSunday December 17 2006, 7:48 AM
NY Times reports, "When Donna Flagg was growing up in suburban New Jersey, she struggled through reading and math in school and had trouble following directions. It was not until she took a college course from an instructor who was dyslexic — and who sensed that Ms. Flagg might also have a learning disability — that she discovered she had a form of dyslexia. The disability affects her brain’s ability to process what her eyes see.'
Yonkers Raceway Casino Rises to Top Earner
Date CapturedSunday December 17 2006, 7:44 AM
NY Times reports, ""A portion of the Yonkers earnings, $19.2 million, will be allotted to state education under the conditions set forth by the State Legislature when it approved electronic gambling at racetracks in 2001. Saratoga’s education portion will be $10.2 million."
Schools deserve much more
Date CapturedSaturday December 16 2006, 10:04 AM
San Jose Mercury News writes, "No Child Left Behind's testing requirements are concentrated in elementary and middle school. With the law already under siege, it's unlikely that Congress will expand testing in high schools. U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings acknowledged that during a meeting with the San Jose Mercury News editorial board this week. However, there is more that the federal government could do to promote fundamental changes in high schools. It could create incentives for teachers willing to work in the toughest schools and fully fund extended days and Saturday schools in low-income areas. It could fund programs to entice engineers to teach math and science part time to ease the impending teacher shortage."
Georgia illegals to lose in-state tuition
Date CapturedSaturday December 16 2006, 9:32 AM
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports, "High-achieving students who grew up in Georgia but are in the country illegally soon won't qualify for in-state tuition on state campuses. Burns Newsome, an associate vice chancellor who acts as the Board of Regents' attorney, has advised the presidents of Georgia's public universities to stop granting so-called tuition "waivers" to students who may have high grades but lack legal resident status. That means such students will have to pay the much higher out-of-state tuition rate. The change is necessary, Newsome says, to comply with SB 529, considered one of the nation's most aggressive attempts to confront illegal immigration at the state level. Signed into law by Gov. Sonny Perdue in April, the measure orders state agencies and institutions to make sure they are in compliance with all federal immigration laws by July."
Lawsuit challenges LA mayor's school takeover
Date CapturedSaturday December 16 2006, 9:21 AM
AP reports, "A state law that gave Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa partial control of the nation's second-largest school district is unconstitutional, opponents argued in the first court hearing on the controversial reform measure."
Four New States Chosen for State Scholars Initiative
Date CapturedSaturday December 16 2006, 9:12 AM
Under the State Scholars Initiative, each state [Missouri, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Wyoming] will receive up to $300,000 during a two-year period to implement scholars programs in at least four school districts. Local business-education partnerships will work with students in those districts, encouraging them to take a rigorous course of study—one that will give them a boost no matter whether they go to college or straight to work.
Ulster BOCES job program trains disabled
Date CapturedSaturday December 16 2006, 8:55 AM
Poughkeepsie Journal reports, "Ulster BOCES is one of among 100 federally funded Projects With Industry programs nationwide, coordinator Anthony Mignone said. BOCES received a $734,386 grant last year from the U.S. Department of Education to finance the program for three years. The program provides an opportunity for individuals with severe disabilities, including mental, physical and emotional, to get trained and be placed in jobs with local businesses and industries, he said."
Negotiations Are Signaled on Phone Ban in City Schools
Date CapturedSaturday December 16 2006, 8:41 AM
NY Times ANEMONA HARTOCOLLIS reports, "David Cantor, a spokesman for Chancellor Joel I. Klein, said yesterday that the school system stood by the cellphone ban. But the Department of Education said earlier this week that it was considering whether to hire a private vendor to store students’ cellphones in small lockers outside schools for a fee of 25 to 50 cents a day."
Election results push AFT legislative agenda closer to passage
Date CapturedFriday December 15 2006, 8:51 AM
New York Teacher reports on "a working people’s agenda" and revamping the No Child Left Behind Act. "Other AFT legislative goals include: Securing federal assistance to help districts modernize and rebuild schools; Winning greater national investment in education, health care and job training; Reversing the National Labor Relations Board’s ruling that allows employers to deny union rights to workers by classifying them as 'supervisor'; Raising the federal minimum wage to $7.25 an hour, indexed to inflation; Protecting retirement security for all workers; Expanding access to college by halving interest rates for student loans and raising the maximum Pell grant award to at least $4,500."
From the Desk of Jean C. Stevens, Interim Deputy Commissioner
Date CapturedFriday December 15 2006, 8:46 AM
Physical Education Requirements: The Department has received allegations that certain school districts may not be providing physical education programs to students in full compliance with Section 135.4 of the Commissioner's Regulations. School districts are encouraged to review the regulations to ensure that they are in compliance with the number of days per week and total minutes per week that are required for physical education at each grade level.
Time to ante up for schools
Date CapturedFriday December 15 2006, 7:53 AM
Daily Herald reports, "[Utah] Gov. Huntsman's $10.7 billion budget proposal offers public education a generous -- and much needed -- Christmas present. The governor wants to put $3.4 billion -- nearly a third of the state budget -- into public education. He would increase the weighted pupil unit (the formula for school funding) by a record 7 percent. He would allocate $28.7 million for additional teachers to reduce class sizes in kindergarten through third grade. And he would throw in another $22 million to attract and retain qualified teachers."
Committee to monitor district's $100M plan
Date CapturedFriday December 15 2006, 4:43 AM
UticaOD.com reports the committee will be responsible for, "•Determining and prioritizing the district's needs. •Ensuring appropriate public input is sought. •Seeking other community members with backgrounds in education, finance, construction, engineering and other areas, who will contribute to the building plan and the project's execution. •Providing advice and oversight to ensure the project is executed in a timely and professional manner."
Expert Panel Proposes Far-Reaching Redesign of the American Education System
Date CapturedFriday December 15 2006, 3:30 AM
NY Times David M. HERSZENHORN reports, "The commission’s work was quickly hailed by some as a potentially groundbreaking document. 'This report has the potential to change the debate on education at the national level,' said Jack Jennings, the president of the Center on Education Policy, who is a Democrat and prominent expert on the federal education law. The national teachers’ unions were apprehensive. Antonia Cortese, executive vice president of the American Federation of Teachers, said the proposals included 'some seriously flawed ideas with faddish allure that won’t produce better academic results.' Reg Weaver, the president of the National Education Association, urged 'caution in calling for drastic changes.'”
Special-Ed Changes To Get Trial Run
Date CapturedThursday December 14 2006, 12:53 PM
Washington Post reports, "The pilot program, called hours-based staffing, is part of an urgent effort around the region to rethink special education, or risk widespread failure under the federal mandate. Poor performance by special education students is the leading reason Maryland schools have not made 'adequate yearly progress' toward proficiency levels all students are supposed to meet by 2014. Special education was the sole factor for half of the 38 Montgomery schools that missed the targets this year."
Lesson Plan for Education Reform
Date CapturedThursday December 14 2006, 12:49 PM
Business Week reports, "If implemented, the commission's recommendations—signed by 26 members from all corners of the corporate, nonprofit, education, and political worlds—would revolutionize the way children are educated in this country. Among the ideas: a set of Board Examinations allowing all 10th graders to place into college; improved compensation and incentives to attract better quality teachers; an overhaul of the American testing industry; contract-run schools instead of schools run by school boards; improved education for all three- and four-year-olds; standards for state-run funding instead of local funding; legislation for continued education for adults; a new GI Bill; and regionally focused job training."
Tough Choice, Tough Times
Date CapturedThursday December 14 2006, 12:40 PM
National Center on Education and the Economy Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce Executive Summary: READ HERE
Panel: Cut years in high school
Date CapturedThursday December 14 2006, 10:20 AM
Chicago Tribune reports, "The report from the New Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce touches on all aspects of education but some of its most unusual proposals would end America's nostalgic attachment to the four-year high school. Instead, the report calls for a rigorous 10th-grade test that would allow those who pass to leave high school after two years and go on to technical or vocational training or academic work in preparation for a four-year institution."
North Carolina will study tutoring companies
Date CapturedThursday December 14 2006, 9:33 AM
News-Record reports, "The N.C. Department of Public Instruction hopes to have some answers next year. In October, the department hired the Center for Research in Education Policy at the University of Memphis to start evaluating about 50 tutoring companies that work with schools that have repeatedly failed to meet federal testing measures. The contract, at a cost of almost $94,000, ends in fall 2007. Although the state approves tutoring providers, it has not evaluated their work as required by the 5-year-old No Child Left Behind Act."
Ideas to aid black youths
Date CapturedThursday December 14 2006, 8:33 AM
Baltimore Sun Reporter writes, "To push more black male students toward success, Maryland should turn to academic solutions such as single-sex classrooms and street-level fixes such as pairing ex-convicts with young men in the neighborhood, a panel of education experts told the state school board yesterday. A task force of 45 educators, business leaders and union officials met for two years to prepare a report intended to address a persistent problem in academic achievement for black males in the state."
Disabled students: We'll sue college
Date CapturedThursday December 14 2006, 8:04 AM
NY Daily News reports, "In their complaint, the students claim that the school denies access to disabled entrances by locking elevators and lifts; does not offer disabled rest rooms in some buildings, and fails to put up proper signage for disabled access. Brooklyn College officials disagreed with the claims."
What do you think of New York City Department of Education's school cell phone plan?
Date CapturedThursday December 14 2006, 7:54 AM
NY1 Snap Poll: What do you think of the Department of Education's school cell phone plan? VOTE HERE!
Villanova Heads Most-Wired College List
Date CapturedWednesday December 13 2006, 5:50 PM
AP reports, "At Villanova, first-year students are given laptops -- and replacements after their sophomore year. Nursing students get personal digital assistants, and engineers get tablet PCs. Over the Internet, students can register for classes, download lectures, take exams and get grades. Tech-support calls are guaranteed a response within 24 hours." MIT placed second and Indiana number three.
Pittsburgh, public schools seek to make college more affordable
Date CapturedWednesday December 13 2006, 1:48 PM
Pittsburgh Business Times reports, "The Pittsburgh Promise, as the plan is called, would make funds available to Pittsburgh Public School graduates for tuition at an accredited higher education institution in Pennsylvania."
Study: Higher Teacher Pay Would Improve the Education System
Date CapturedWednesday December 13 2006, 10:32 AM
NPR Larry Abramson reports, "A new study by education researchers concludes that the best way to improve the quality of teaching is to pay teachers more. And to pay good teachers even more. Critics aren't so sure, notably teacher's unions. They warn that merit-pay systems are notoriously subjective and unreliable."
Spitzer’s school plan will benefit all
Date CapturedWednesday December 13 2006, 10:15 AM
Poughkeepsie Journal contributor Billy Easton, executive director of Alliance for Quality Education writes, "Throughout his campaign, Spitzer consistently articulated an education plan based on proven strategies. The elements of his plan will get many more children prepared to succeed as adults. He starts with pre-kindergarten, which increases graduation rates and employment success and reduces crime. He supports smaller classes, which show long-term increases in test scores, graduation rates and college preparedness. Training and recruiting skilled teachers is another Spitzer education priority that is backed by extensive research. He supports producing strong principals to lead our schools. And he advocates helping kids who are falling through the cracks by partnering with community-based organizations (such as after-school programs), expanding literacy programs and improving vocational education. This is a refreshing vision designed to actually address the needs of every child. It is not difficult to imagine it cannot all be done on the cheap. What is the price tag Spitzer has identified to pay for all of this? $8.5 billion. This is for a multiyear statewide solution, not a New York City focused plan."
Families get tuition help
Date CapturedWednesday December 13 2006, 10:05 AM
Buffalo News opines, "College educations deserve governmental help, to keep them affordable for as wide an economic range of families and students as possible. That's not only fair for an equal-rights democracy and a boost for individual achievement, it's in the national interest in a global marketplace. Schumer deserves credit for this victory, but he and others in Congress still need to make sure this assistance doesn't come close to lapsing again."
Massachusetts education group fields concerns
Date CapturedWednesday December 13 2006, 9:43 AM
The Republican reports, "Calls for a statewide prekindergarten program, to eliminate spending caps for charter schools, increase support of private-public education collaboratives and reinstate education budget cuts were among suggestions raised at a [Massachusetts] gubernatorial transition team meeting yesterday."
Ohio State Education Board wants say in school-funding reform
Date CapturedWednesday December 13 2006, 9:25 AM
Plain Dealer reports, "The report calls for school-based budgeting to ensure that money gets to the buildings that need it most. It also says the state should align financial decisions with 'best practices' - educational initiatives that have proved effective. The report also calls for the state to more aggressively 'weight' funding so the children who are hardest to educate get the most money."
Pennsylvania school-cost study will help improve funding, group says
Date CapturedWednesday December 13 2006, 9:03 AM
AP reports, "The legislation ordering the study calls for an examination of school districts that achieve high standardized test scores with low spending, the effect of enrollment fluctuations on education costs, and whether factors such as poverty levels, population density, and the number of disabled students should warrant more money for a school district. The state's public schools are funded largely through a combination of local property-tax revenue and state subsidies, with poorer school districts receiving a larger share of state aid. But critics have long complained that poorer schools still do not receive enough to compensate for local revenue shortfalls, and that the state lacks a consistent funding formula."
Alabama student drivers to be drug tested
Date CapturedWednesday December 13 2006, 8:53 AM
Cullman Times reports, "According to the policy, any 'activity student,' which is any student of any middle school or high school who participates in school-sponsored extracurricular activities or who drives to school, may be tested for drugs."
Baltimore school board approves creation of 6 charter schools
Date CapturedWednesday December 13 2006, 8:28 AM
Baltimore Sun reports, "The new charters will be preparing to open amid an environment of uncertainty about how they will be funded. The city school board is appealing a ruling by the state Court of Appeals that school systems must give their charter schools the same funding as other schools. The city spends the equivalent of about $11,000 per child in its regular public schools. Charter schools receive $5,859 per child in cash and the rest in services that the school system provides, such as special education and food. Many of the schools want the $11,000 in cash."
Gates Beats Bush as Most Influential in Education, Survey Says
Date CapturedWednesday December 13 2006, 6:28 AM
Bloomberg.com reports, "Gates, whose $32 billion foundation has contributed more than $1.2 billion to education since its founding in 2000, outpolled second-ranked Bush, who pushed for the No Child Left Behind Act. Former President Bill Clinton took sixth place and is credited with overseeing the reauthorization of the federal law that is the predecessor to No Child Left Behind, the report said."
New York encouraging ACT to challenge SAT
Date CapturedWednesday December 13 2006, 4:26 AM
AP reports, "New York is pushing wider use of the ACT college entrance exam in the Northeast to compete with the SAT exam, which has long dominated in the region, a top state senator said Tuesday."
Adjusting a Formula Devised for Diversity
Date CapturedWednesday December 13 2006, 3:41 AM
NY Times reports, "After a federal appeals court barred Texas from explicitly counting race in admissions to its colleges, the state struggled to find another way to diversify the student body. Nine years ago, it came up with an elegantly simple formula: all students whose grades ranked them in the top 10 percent of their high school classes would automatically be admitted to any campus, including the flagship here."
Georgia bill would pay for disabled students' private school
Date CapturedTuesday December 12 2006, 1:34 PM
AP reports, "The top Republican in the [Georgia] state Senate on Monday introduced a bill that would require the state to pay for disabled students to attend any public or private school they choose."
Virginia schools superintendent asks feds for NCLB deadline extension
Date CapturedTuesday December 12 2006, 1:17 PM
AP reports, "Virginia's superintendent of public instruction made a direct appeal to federal education officials to give the state a year to implement new reading tests for children who are learning English."
Congressional Democrats outline education agenda priorities
Date CapturedTuesday December 12 2006, 12:53 PM
AP reports, "Congressional Democrats say when they take the gavel from Republicans next month, they will put money in the pockets of college students and closely examine a law reforming elementary and secondary schools."
Crime, Violence, Discipline and Safety in U.S. Public Schools: Findings from the School Survey on Crime and Safety: 2003-04
Date CapturedTuesday December 12 2006, 11:20 AM
This NCES report provides a first look at select findings from the 2003–04 SSOCS data. Focusing on the three themes emphasized in the survey, descriptive statistics are provided on: the frequency of criminal incidents at school, the use of disciplinary actions, and the efforts to prevent and reduce crime at school. Guerino, P., Hurwitz, M.D., Noonan, M.E., and Kaffenberger, S.M. (2006). Crime, Violence, Discipline, and Safety in U.S. Public Schools: Findings from the School Survey on Crime and Safety: 2003-04 (NCES 2007-302). U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
UCLA Probes Computer Security Breach
Date CapturedTuesday December 12 2006, 11:01 AM
AP reports, "The University of California, Los Angeles alerted about 800,000 current and former students, faculty and staff on Tuesday that their names and certain personal information were exposed after a hacker broke into a campus computer system. It was one of the largest such breaches involving a U.S. higher education institution."
Florida state OKs majors for high school students
Date CapturedTuesday December 12 2006, 10:15 AM
AP reports, "Florida high school students will be able to choose from 440 approved majors ranging from assistant landscape technician to global leadership under a new law designed to improve the state's dismal graduation rate, education officials announced Monday. The idea, based on college majors, is to discourage students from dropping out by making high school more interesting. The major requirement does that by engaging and challenging students and getting them to set goals, said Education Commissioner John Winn."
Advocates call for Early Learning Commission
Date CapturedTuesday December 12 2006, 10:07 AM
A coalition of early care and education advocates is calling on Governor-elect Spitzer to form an Early Learning Commission overseeing New York State’s early childhood programs and services. Winning Beginning NY, the state’s leading early care and learning advocacy coalition, cites the need for coordination and oversight of the state’s programs as a key rationale for the Commission. “The commission is needed to galvanize support for expanded and coherent investment in high quality early childhood services for New York State,” said Karen Schimke, a Winning Beginning NY Co-Convener and President/CEO of the Schuyler Center for Analysis & Advocacy. The state has made progress in recent years toward developing early learning services for New York’s youth, said Schimke, adding, “Launching an Early Learning Commission is the key next step to ensuring both that we make the most of every dollar invested."
What helps kids learn?
Date CapturedTuesday December 12 2006, 9:48 AM
The News-Sentinel columnist Kevin Leininger’s writes, "With 77 languages spoken in Fort Wayne schools alone, it’s self-defeating not to acknowledge that while diversity can be an asset, it can also complicate the educational process. Segregating students into more easily taught homogeneous groups isn’t necessarily the answer. But with $8.6 million of last year’s FWCS budget of $181 million dedicated to achieving racial balance – and with the U.S. Supreme Court reviewing race-based admission policies in Seattle and Louisville – we should at least be willing to discuss whether the quality of education has been helped or hindered by the social expectations heaped upon our schools."
New U.S. Department of Education Guide Showcases Charter High Schools Closing Achievement Gaps
Date CapturedTuesday December 12 2006, 9:29 AM
The U.S. Department of Education has released a new publication that highlights eight charter high schools that are using innovative methods to help close the achievement gap between low-income, minority, and special need students and their peers.
Charter High Schools Closing the Achievement Gap
Date CapturedTuesday December 12 2006, 9:01 AM
Prepared by WestEd for the U.S. Department of Education Office of Innovation and Improvement. Study concludes, "Closing the achievement gaps that separate the academic performance of various subgroups of students is a central goal of current education reform efforts nationwide. Hard-earned progress has been made at the elementary school level, but high school students are not progressing nearly as well. Indeed, it is at this level that performance gains in general have been most elusive and chronic student achievement disparities among significant subgroups seem most intransigent. Yet success is not beyond reach. This guide profiles eight charter secondary schools that are making headway in meeting the achievement challenge. They are introduced here so their practices can inspire and inform other school communities striving to ensure that all of their students, regardless of their race, ZIP code, learning differences, or home language, are successful learners capable of meeting high academic standards." U.S. Department of Education, Office of Innovation and Improvement, Charter High Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap, Washington, D.C., 2006.
Critics Aim to Overhaul Texas' Top 10 Percent Law
Date CapturedTuesday December 12 2006, 8:49 AM
NPR reports, "Supporters of the law say it has promoted economic and racial diversity in higher education, but critics say it's an unfair disadvantage to kids in competitive high schools."
NCES Kids Zone
Date CapturedTuesday December 12 2006, 8:39 AM
The NCES Students’ Classroom has been redesigned and renamed as the KidsZone. You'll still have the same tools to help you find schools, libraries, or colleges and the Create a Graph is still just a click away. You can find updated information on education or compare where you stack up to students from across the globe.
University of the State of New York, P-16 Education: A Plan For Action
Date CapturedMonday December 11 2006, 1:53 PM
We will confront the data, share it broadly, and use it to define as precisely as possible where resources and energy should be applied. We will recognize the achievements and also declare the problems as clearly as we can. We will engage everyone by listening to the people the education system is supposed to serve, to parents, to educators at every level, to the employers, and to the elected officials who must weigh enormous competing demands for scarce resources. In particular, we will engage students and their parents, and the wider community because educational institutions do not belong to the educators but to the people. We will create a communications plan to listen to, inform, and involve people statewide. We will define measurable objectives so that others can hold us accountable, and we can hold education leaders accountable for improving results. We will study the practices of high performing education systems, states and nations, and adapt the best to New York’s situation. We will examine what actions are most effective, and invite others to learn with us. We will take action focused on systematic change to effect sustained improvement. We know, for example, that closing the achievement gap for students requires correcting the unequal distribution of teaching talent. And we know that in demanding change in educational institutions to achieve better results, we must also build capacity in our own State Education Department to take on its part of this improvement strategy. We will continually renew the alignment of our actions to ensure coherence and effectiveness. For example, academic standards, curriculum, assessment, and instructional practice have to be aligned to be effective. When one element changes, all other elements must be examined to ensure that the system remains effective. We will strengthen USNY, because it has great potential to build more effective transitions for students from one level of the system to the next. We will advocate for State and federal financial resources and legislative actions that will help achieve better educational outcomes. And we will be accountable for the effective use of those resources.
Packed colleges concern Florida Gov. elect Crist
Date CapturedMonday December 11 2006, 9:41 AM
Miami Herald reports, "Florida's incoming governor says the state needs to build one or more new public universities to enroll an estimated 50,000 new students in the next six years, but he doesn't foresee a need to raise taxes -- or most student fees to cover costs."
Schools' new worry: filling void at the top
Date CapturedMonday December 11 2006, 9:21 AM
San Jose Mercury News reports, "School districts across California are bracing for a wave of retirements from principals, superintendents and other key players -- raising questions about who will make up the state's next generation of education leaders."
Additional data helps student tracking system
Date CapturedMonday December 11 2006, 8:58 AM
Gloucester County Times (New Jersey) reports, "The purpose of the information, [Education Commissioner] Davy stated in the letter, is to create a unique student identification number that will be used for tracking progress of students. H. Mark Stanwood, Gloucester County superintendent of schools, said the tracking of students will benefit all districts, particularly ones with high student mobility. 'The primary benefit is so we can track student performance even as they change school districts,' Stanwood said. 'Right now we don't have an effective or efficient way to do that.'" 'Some parents feel uneasy giving all that information to the school district,' Borelli said."
Property tax reformers just 'nibbling around edges'
Date CapturedMonday December 11 2006, 8:50 AM
NewJersey.com reports, "Another example is the cap on school budgets. Legislators provided an exemption to the 4 percent limit by allowing districts to ask voters for permission to spend more each year. Public education costs accounts for two-thirds of property tax bills that average $6,000 a year and grow nearly 7 percent annually. But many suburban residents are loath to cut spending on public school programs, and residents in more affluent communities are willing to spend whatever is necessary to maintain school programs. Many Bergen County families move in and pay $300,000 more for a house so they can send their children to a better school district, said Erik Endress, a trustee on the Ramsey Board of Education and a member of the Bergen County-based Dollars and Sense advocacy group."
SUNY Cobleskill gets $1M to not let waste go to waste
Date CapturedMonday December 11 2006, 7:00 AM
The Daily Star reports, "The funding is coming from the Department of Defense because the Pentagon would someday like to have mobile bio-waste to bio-energy facilities that can be used on its bases, said Holly Cargill-Cramer, SUNY Cobleskill director of public relations. But the technology will first be used to benefit the SUNY Cobleskill campus, where the plant will be located, she said."
Vermont State Board of Education will lobby for school choice
Date CapturedSunday December 10 2006, 10:17 AM
AP reports, "Education Commissioner Richard Cate says the plan will call for expanding the existing system in which the choices are available only to high school students."
Achievement gap seems to be widening even as scores rise
Date CapturedSunday December 10 2006, 10:11 AM
Louisiana Weekly contributor Marc H. Morial, President and CEO, National Urban League writes, "It is partially our responsibility as parents and members of the community to ensure that future generations acquire the skills needed to thrive in a dynamic and competitive world economy and to hold the powers that be accountable for their obligation to provide a good public education to all - regardless of color, religion or economic class."
Healthier and Wealthier: Decreasing Health Care Costs by Increasing Educational Attainment
Date CapturedSunday December 10 2006, 9:45 AM
This Alliance for Excellence Education brief argues that "higher educational attainment improves a student’s future income, occupational status, and social prestige, all of which contributes to improved individual health. The brief cites several reasons why, including the fact that Americans with higher educational attainment have more insurance coverage, individuals who lack health insurance receive less medical care and have poorer health outcomes, and lower education levels generally lead to occupations with greater health hazards."
A high school student's best kept secret
Date CapturedSunday December 10 2006, 9:37 AM
Douglas Daily Dispatch contributor Mike Rohrbach, chairman of Cochise County Learning Advisory Council [CCLAC] writes, "Most parents, and therefore most students do not realize that while they are in High School, they can take these [Career Technical Education] CTE classes at a Cochise College campus. Yes, high school students are eligible to take college CTE classes while they are still in high school. Not only that. By taking these classes through what is known as the COMPACT program, they can earn high school credits while also building college or certificate credits. As if that were not exciting enough, the College subsidizes 50% of the tuition for these vocational courses."
Swimming upstream in the mainstream
Date CapturedSunday December 10 2006, 9:12 AM
NorthJersey.com reports, "The number of special needs students in mainstream classrooms have increased statewide, due mainly to federal legislation that encourages the inclusion of such pupils in general education courses. Although training is available for teachers on the state, county and local levels, there are no minimum standards or requirements for general education teachers to receive special needs instruction. Moreover, if teachers are not properly trained, advocates say, special education students can fall behind and not receive the education to which they are entitled under the law."
Preparing too much?
Date CapturedSunday December 10 2006, 7:52 AM
Newsday reports, "Dane Scott, who heads an ethics center at the University of Montana in Missoula, doesn't quite know what to make of the college-application process. It encourages students writing essays to get help from parents, teachers and pricey independent counselors. 'What does it mean,' he asks, 'when a personal essay is written by a group of people?' That quandary increasingly preoccupies admissions offices."
Tests cast doubts on Pappas schools: Schools for homeless at center of education debate
Date CapturedSaturday December 09 2006, 9:09 AM
The Arizona Republic reports, "[Maricopa County, Arizona]County Superintendent of Schools Sandra Dowling built her reputation and a small political empire on the idea that putting homeless students together in one school would help their academic and social development.'
No Child Left Behind applied behind bars
Date CapturedSaturday December 09 2006, 8:59 AM
Baltimore Sun reports, "The Eager Street Academy is a Baltimore public school behind bars, with the most troubled student body in the city. Nonetheless, its staff has the impossible job of complying with the federal No Child Left Behind Act. Located in the Baltimore City Detention Center, the school's approximately 130 students - ages 14 to 17 - are charged as adults in some of the city's most notorious killings and other crimes. Many of them had dropped out of school before landing in prison, and about a quarter come in reading at a second-grade level."
Maine Maritime Academy Begins Community Policing
Date CapturedFriday December 08 2006, 6:42 PM
Wcsh6.com reports, "Hundreds of campuses across the country use community policing and officials say it has helped to decrease assualt, thefts and drunk driving."
Some schools taking a day off as teachers plan Trenton rally
Date CapturedFriday December 08 2006, 5:07 PM
AP reports, "Members of the New Jersey Education Association, the state's main teachers union, and other unions that represent state workers are planning to protest changes in their pension plans suggested by some lawmakers. The teachers union is trying to get 30,000 of its 196,000 members to Trenton for the day."
NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND ACT Education’s Data Improvement Efforts Could Strengthen the Basis for Distributing Title III Funds
Date CapturedFriday December 08 2006, 1:45 PM
GAO 07-140 recommends: To address issues related to Title III allocation, we recommended that Education (1) include clear instructions about how to provide correct and complete state data on the number of students with limited English proficiency assessed annually for proficiency in English; (2) develop and implement a transparent methodology for determining the relative accuracy of the two allowable sources of data—ACS or state data on the number of students with limited English proficiency assessed annually—for Title III allocations to states; and (3) seek authority to use statistical methodologies to reduce the volatility associated with the ACS data.
Arizona schools shorted millions in federal funding
Date CapturedFriday December 08 2006, 1:32 PM
Douglas Daily Dispatch reports, "Arizona schools are being shorted millions of dollars because of how federal officials parcel out funds to help students with limited English proficiency, according to a new report."
Connecticut Parochial Schools Asking For Textbooks
Date CapturedFriday December 08 2006, 8:38 AM
Hartford Courant reports, "In Connecticut, tax dollars are not used to provide tuition assistance for parochial schools, but local boards of education are required by state law to supply nurses and provide bus services to select nonpublic schools. The textbook loan program is discretionary, but John L. Cattelan, the director of the Connecticut Federation of Catholic School Parents, is among those who believe that communities would be wise to take advantage of it."
Why the Achievement Gap Persists
Date CapturedFriday December 08 2006, 3:41 AM
NY Times opined, "It’s impossible to brand No Child Left Behind as a failure, because its agenda has never been carried out. The law was supposed to remake schools that serve poor and minority students by breaking with the age-old practice of staffing those schools with poorly trained and poorly educated teachers. States were supposed to provide students with highly qualified teachers in all core courses by the beginning of the current academic year. That didn’t happen."
Dropout Rates in the United States: 2004
Date CapturedThursday December 07 2006, 10:17 AM
This report builds upon a series of National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reports on high school dropout and completion rates that began in 1988. It presents estimates of rates for 2004, and provides data about trends in dropout and completion rates over the last three decades (1972–2004), including characteristics of dropouts and completers in these years. Among other findings, the report shows that in students living in low-income families were approximately four times more likely to drop out of high school between 2003 and 2004 than were their peers from high-income families. Focusing on indicators of on-time graduation from public high schools, the averaged freshman graduation rate for the 3 most recent years for which data are available shows an increase from 72.6 percent for 2001–02 to 73.9 percent for 2002–03 to 74.3 percent for 2003–04. Laird, J., DeBell, M., and Chapman, C. (2006). Dropout Rates in the United States: 2004 (NCES 2007-024). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved December 7, 2006 from http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch.
Statement by Secretary Spellings on the Release of Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2006
Date CapturedThursday December 07 2006, 7:57 AM
The federal government supports local efforts to improve school safety by providing assistance and lending expertise, along with $535 million this year to fund programs directly related to school safety. Other funding measures include: More than $1 billion through the Safe Schools/Healthy Students grant program since the grant was first awarded in 1999. $115 million over the past four years through the Department of Education's Emergency Response & Crisis Management grant program to improve and expand upon school crisis response plans, including $26 million this year for the School Emergency Preparedness Initiative to help elementary and secondary schools plan and prepare for threats, including shootings and gang-related activity. Through a partnership with the Secret Service, funding to train 74,000 local education and law enforcement personnel in threat assessment. Under Project SERV (School Emergency Response to Violence), $24 million since 2001 for schools impacted by violence to restore their learning environment.
Nassau Community College to pay for credit monitoring
Date CapturedThursday December 07 2006, 4:59 AM
Newsday reports, "The trustees' action comes after the personal information of all of the college's 21,000-plus students, contained in a bound computer printout, was reported missing from a worker's desk Nov. 28. Nassau County police are investigating. Third Squad detectives 'have begun interviewing' college employees, said Det. Lt. Raymond Cote."
Disabled students to rally at Brooklyn College
Date CapturedThursday December 07 2006, 4:27 AM
NY Daily News reports, "At issue is access to two major halls on campus, Harris said, as well as what he described as faulty automatic door openers and a lack of sensitivity to the needs of students with disabilities."
After Council Balks, Bronx Schools Project Is Withdrawn
Date CapturedThursday December 07 2006, 3:22 AM
NY Times reports, "The small schools have been widely criticized for taking fewer special education students and children with limited English proficiency than other schools. The city’s admissions rules allow officials in the small schools to control admission to their freshman class, giving preference to students who express interest by attending open houses or information fairs. Any remaining slots are distributed to applicants randomly by a computer system. "
The Charter State Option: Charting a Course Toward Federalism in Education
Date CapturedWednesday December 06 2006, 5:40 PM
Dan Lips, Education Analyst, Evan Feinberg, Research Assistant in Domestic Policy Studies, and Jennifer A. Marshall, Director of Domestic Policy Studies at The Heritage Foundation conclude, "Beginning in 2007, policymakers should steer a course toward restoring state control of education by enacting a charter state option. Congress should allow all states to enter into an alternative contrac­tual arrangement with the federal government in which they would be freed from federal program mandates while taking responsibility for results. Such federalism would create an environment in which promising state and local education strate­gies can flourish."
State Library Agencies: Fiscal Year 2005
Date CapturedWednesday December 06 2006, 5:33 PM
This report provides a statistical profile of state library agencies in the 50 states and the District of Columbia for fiscal year 2005. The report includes information on governance, collections and services, service outlets and staff, revenue, and expenditures. The data were collected through the State Library Agencies Survey conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Holton, B., Kroe, E., O’Shea, P., Sheckells, C., Dorinski, S., and Freeman, M. (2006). State Library Agencies: Fiscal Year 2005 (NCES 2007-300). U.S. Department of Education, NCES. Retrieved December 6, 2006 from http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch.
Connecticut Report: Add new preschool seats, bolster teaching skills
Date CapturedWednesday December 06 2006, 4:42 PM
AP reports, "The report advises better outreach to poor families without access to good early childhood education programs, and to others that might not understand the value of preschool. It also calls for more equitable funding for programs that currently receive state reimbursement, more support for school readiness councils in local communities, and better tracking of how children perform during and after preschool to ensure that programs are effective."
Ohio charter schools must follow attendance rules
Date CapturedWednesday December 06 2006, 7:57 AM
Tribune Chronicle reports, "Ohio Department of Education officials have instructed administrators at 11 charter schools that they need to do a more honest job of reporting attendance. Public schools are required to do that, through a complex formula intended to ensure that the numbers they report are meaningful."
Alabama advances new way to track students
Date CapturedWednesday December 06 2006, 7:53 AM
The Birmingham News reports, "The U.S. Department of Education recently granted permission to North Carolina, Tennessee, Delaware, Arkansas and Florida to use the "growth" model - tracking each student year-to-year - as a pilot program to determine their progress toward state and federal goals."
America's indentured graduates
Date CapturedWednesday December 06 2006, 7:38 AM
Christian Science Monitor opines, "Should college, so necessary in today's economy, become as freely available as K-12?"
Colin Powell helps City College
Date CapturedWednesday December 06 2006, 5:05 AM
NY Daily News reports, "The endowment will provide permanent funding for 21 scholarships and eight paid summer internships every year for poor and underserved students to work at the Powell think tank at the Harlem campus of City College."
Bricks or Professors? A University’s Choice
Date CapturedWednesday December 06 2006, 3:55 AM
NY Times contributor Samuel G. Freedman, professor of journalism at Columbia University writes, "After T. K. Wetherell was appointed president of Florida State in early 2003, and as the building costs escalated, the university decided to drop the endowed positions and to construct a more general kind of chemistry center. So Professor Holton sued in state circuit court to get his money back. This fall, a judge ordered Florida State to return $11 million plus interest — $13.5 million in all — to the professor’s foundation, while permitting the university to keep and spend the $18.5 million from the professor’s lab account however it wishes."
Personal info disappears from Nassau Community College
Date CapturedTuesday December 05 2006, 2:18 PM
Newsday reports, "The list contained students' names, addresses, Social Security Numbers, and phone numbers, said Sgt. Anthony Repalone, a Nassau County Police spokesman. He said the college informed the police Nov. 28 about the missing computer list. The incident is being investigated by the Third Squad, Repalone said. Tuggle said the college also notified the Long Island offices of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Department of Homeland Security. Representatives of those agencies could not be immediately reached."
Online learning demand outgrowing supply at Empire State College, ACC
Date CapturedTuesday December 05 2006, 1:29 PM
Post-Star reports, "The Sloan study showed that 38 percent of chief academic officers found that online courses presented several barriers, including more time and effort to prepare the courses, students needing more self-discipline to succeed, and faculty often aren't convinced online learning is worthwhile."
Florida Gov. Bush vows national school reform
Date CapturedTuesday December 05 2006, 11:20 AM
"Miami Herald reports, "Flanked by Bloomberg, New York City schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein and Florida Education Commissioner John Winn, Bush said the 5-year-old federal law created by his big brother, President George W. Bush, needs to take after his A-Plus plan. The law is up for renewal by Congress next year."
Group to push math, science education as key to economy
Date CapturedTuesday December 05 2006, 10:08 AM
The Arizona Republic reports, "[Arizona] Gov. Janet Napolitano will today announce the formation of a national task force of education, business and government leaders aimed at readying America for the economy of the future. The 17-member task force, which includes Napolitano and Arizona State University President Michael Crow, will be unveiled as part of a two-day meeting of the National Governors Association at Pointe South Mountain Resort in Phoenix."
College offers a $pecial present
Date CapturedTuesday December 05 2006, 10:04 AM
Philadelphia Inquirer reports, "Want an idea for an unusual Christmas gift? Community College of Philadelphia has one. It's selling gift certificates that can be used to help pay tuition and fees at the school. The amount of the certificate is chosen by the purchaser."
Amendments to Commissioner's Regulations 120.4 regarding Supplemental Educational Services (SES)
Date CapturedTuesday December 05 2006, 9:56 AM
The New York State Education Department invites you to comment on proposed amendments to Commissioner’s Regulations 120.4 regarding Supplemental Educational Services which have been filed with the Department of State for publication in the State Register on December 6, 2006. The amendments, in their entirety, are available for your review here.
'Resegregation' of Metro schools cited at high court
Date CapturedTuesday December 05 2006, 8:50 AM
The Tennessean reports, "Smrekar [associate professor of public policy and education at Vanderbilt University] said Metro Nashville's schools have become drastically unbalanced since the race-based requirements were abandoned. Metro Nashville has about 72,000 students, 37.8 percent of which are white, 46.5 percent black, 12.1 Hispanic, 3.4 percent Asian and less than 1 percent Native American or Pacific Islander. 'Nashville has more single-race schools in the district because they have removed race as an element in assigning students,' she said. 'Without a race-conscious policy, you get resegregation.' Since the end of desegregation, the district is home not only to more single-race schools, but also to more schools with a high poverty rate. And with a high poverty rate comes inequality, Smrekar said."
Can calculators help Arizona’s Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS)?
Date CapturedTuesday December 05 2006, 8:45 AM
East Valley Tribune reports, "Educators and parents pleaded with the state [Arizona] Board of Education on Monday to let students use calculators on the high-stakes AIMS test. But state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne says use of the instruments could cause hundreds of Arizona schools to fail the No Child Left Behind law because federal officials won’t allow calculators to be used on state exams. Not everyone in the standingroom-only crowd agreed, however, with some East Valley educators saying Horne and the state board need to take responsibility for helping children succeed on the math test."
Systems Struggling to Address Student Health
Date CapturedTuesday December 05 2006, 8:26 AM
Washington Post reports, "Leonard Turkel couldn't believe his ears when he learned what happened to the results of eye screenings of thousands of Miami-Dade County public school students. Although the tests are mandated by the state, the businessman-turned-philanthropist discovered that nobody was actually using the scores to ensure that kids could see the blackboard in class."
School safety: ICSD security upgrades necessary
Date CapturedTuesday December 05 2006, 7:49 AM
Ithaca Journal opines, "The ICSD Board of Education is currently weighing whether to invest $500,000 in a new security system that incorporates a key card access system and cameras. The money would come in the bond referendum the BOE is deciding to bring before voters early next year. It is still too early to tell whether each component on the district's wish list is worth the money needed to pay for a new security system. But the events of Nov. 13 should give everyone in the district something to think about when deciding what should and should not be approved. Perhaps our old system of locking doors just isn't working."
Early action on early education
Date CapturedTuesday December 05 2006, 6:46 AM
Boston Globe opines, "Menino [Boston mayor] has a big vision: not just a program or two, but a citywide culture of excellence, an early-education artery that runs through maternity wards, pediatricians' offices, grocery stores, and neighborhoods. Narrowing the achievement gap that leaves many poor and minority students struggling to keep up is one goal. But Menino wants to go farther, to meet the needs of the whole family. So, for example, just as parents live in a given school district, very new parents might live in a certain early-education district, and that could mean access to any number of services, from home visits to parenting classes. Medical, dental, and mental-health care would be readily available. Prevention would be key, especially of well-known problems such as maternal isolation and depression."
Roosevelt scrutiny intensifies
Date CapturedTuesday December 05 2006, 5:45 AM
Newsday John Hildebrand writes, "In addition to outdated textbooks, state officials report that some students at Roosevelt High weren't assigned to the correct classes or lacked proper class schedules as recently as the fourth week of October. Those officials add that the problem seemed to stem from glitches in a new computer system, and that it was corrected after parents alerted them to it. Academics and finances also continue to pose problems. The district continues to show a budget deficit for the 2005-06 school year, though state monitors recently lowered estimates of the amount from $4.3 million to $3.4 million. The district's total budget this year is $61 million. And while Roosevelt's test scores are strong on the elementary level, they lag in the middle grades."
Trolling for students with prizes as the lure
Date CapturedTuesday December 05 2006, 5:34 AM
Times Union reports, "Inducements are increasingly common in the emerging tutoring industry, in which companies compete for kids and the public dollars behind them. Now, New York state officials want to know what rewards are being offered, and they want to be able to approve or deny them."
Pod-class aids learning
Date CapturedTuesday December 05 2006, 5:10 AM
NY Daily News reports, "A new program at Lehman College is making it easier to learn what faculty members have been up to by putting some of their research online in podcast form. The college describes the project, which began as a CUNY-wide initiative, as an opportunity to showcase prominent Lehman faculty, as well as their involvement in important research."
Regents poised to adopt strict rules on for-profit schools
Date CapturedTuesday December 05 2006, 4:48 AM
AP reports, "The Regents plan will require a transition period before the schools are granted final authority to award degrees. The state will make sure the programs are rigorous enough. Remedial classes will be clearly differentiated from credit-bearing courses and stronger admissions policies will make sure students have accurate information about each school, the job market and their job placement programs, according to Johanna Duncan-Poitier of the state Education Department."
Service-Learning Mentoring: One Answer to the Minority Teacher Shortage
Date CapturedMonday December 04 2006, 8:39 PM
TC Records writes "Some researchers believe minority students are more successful in the classroom when their teachers reflect their racial or ethnic group (The Collaborative, 2004; Nuby & Doebler, 2000). Others believe minority teachers are beneficial to everyone (Gordon, 2005; Gursky, 2002), and their presence can help create an awareness of and appreciation for diversity. Service-learning is one approach that can introduce prospective minority teachers to the field and prepare them to enter and succeed in teaching careers." Teachers College Record, Date Published: November 09, 2006. http://www.tcrecord.org ID Number: 12835, Date Accessed: 12/4/2006 8:38:00 PM
Court justices wrestle with desegregation arguments
Date CapturedMonday December 04 2006, 2:40 PM
USA TODAY reports, "The Supreme Court today stepped into the debate over voluntary public school integration plans, with justices questioning whether programs in two districts are an acceptable move toward student diversity or another name for illegal racial quotas. In separate arguments involving school districts in Seattle and Louisville, justices referred repeatedly to a 2003 Supreme Court ruling that permitted the limited consideration of race to attain a diverse student body on the college level."
New York State Education Department
Date CapturedMonday December 04 2006, 2:23 PM
From the Desk of Jean C. Stevens, Interim Deputy Commissioner December 1, 2006.
THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE NEW YORK
Date CapturedMonday December 04 2006, 2:18 PM
Robert G. Bentley, Executive Director of Professional Licensing and Teacher Certification, in a memo writes, "I am writing to let you know of a vacancy on the New York State Professional Standards and Practices Board for Teaching in the following category: School Administrator: A building-level or district-level school leader in a New York State school."
Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2006
Date CapturedMonday December 04 2006, 2:12 PM
A joint effort by the Bureau of Justice Statistics and National Center for Education Statistics, this annual report examines crime occurring in school as well as on the way to and from school. It provides the most current detailed statistical information to inform the Nation on the nature of crime in schools. This report presents data on crime at school from the perspectives of students, teachers, principals, and the general population from an array of sources--the National Crime Victimization Survey, the School Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey, the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, the School Survey on Crime and Safety and the School and Staffing Survey. Data on crime away from school are also presented to place school crime in the context of crime in the larger society. Dinkes, R., Cataldi, E.F., Kena, G., and Baum, K. (2006). Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2006 (NCES 2007–003/NCJ 214262). U.S. Departments of Education and Justice. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
Education New York Reader Writes....
Date CapturedMonday December 04 2006, 1:00 PM
"I truly thought that an act about the school system was a great idea. I thought it was time to change the system. However the child that I was tutoring has started to fall through the cracks. Is this not what this act was in place for! I didn't think that it was when a child couldn't pass our tests that we would send them else where...? This is a frustrating process, that I really believe is not working. There should be more done for the children who work more with their right brain."
How the No Child Left Behind Act Punishes Schools with Disadvantaged Students
Date CapturedMonday December 04 2006, 11:14 AM
This column asks whether NCLB accomplishes its objective, based on a recent study of Kansas and Missouri by William Duncombe, Anna Lukemeyer, and John Yinger, "As discussed in my previous column, a state can lower the share of its schools that are subject to federal sanctions by lowering its student performance targets. This strategy will not, however, save schools with high concentrations of disadvantaged students, which are, for reasons outside their control, the schools most likely to be sanctioned. However, a state could help to resolve the unfair treatment of schools with concentrated disadvantage by altering its own aid formulas. Existing state aid formulas do not adequately recognize the higher cost of education in these schools, but they could easily be adjusted to do so. The federal government could also encourage this type of response by revising NCLB to reward the states that do the best job of focusing their aid on the neediest school districts. Another possible reform to NCLB would be to increase both the amount of federal funds and the extent to which these funds are focused on the schools with the highest concentration of disadvantaged students."
Parents Gather To Express Concern Over DOE's Cut Backs
Date CapturedMonday December 04 2006, 9:23 AM
NY1 reports, "More than 600 people rallied together in the North Bronx Saturday to vent their frustrations with the city's plan to cut 1,500 seats at local schools. Elected officials came forward to say education is a priority to them, and they want to work with the community to fix the flawed system."
Small Schools Exclude Many Immigrants
Date CapturedMonday December 04 2006, 8:37 AM
Gotham Gazette reports, "It is the policy of the New York City Department of Education to allow a small school to exclude English-language learners (and special education students) during its first two years of operation. This is permitted, according to the department, so that the schools can build up the necessary infrastructure to provide the instructional services these students require. But, as it turns out, many of the older small schools still do not offer programs for these students, according to a new report issued by The New York Immigration Coalition (the organization for which we work), Advocates for Children, and seven immigrant community-based organizations."
Migrants learn to help their kids
Date CapturedMonday December 04 2006, 8:15 AM
Arizona Republic reports, "Parent Institute for Quality Education, or PIQE, is a nine-week course that teaches mostly Spanish-speaking immigrant parents how the state's public school system works and how to advocate for their child's education. The California-based program claims success with hundreds of thousands of parents and their children."
High Court Will Hear School-Integration Arguments
Date CapturedMonday December 04 2006, 8:07 AM
NPR reports, "The Supreme Court will hear arguments Monday that challenge voluntary school-integration programs in the Seattle and Louisville, Ky., school districts. Courts have played a pivotal role in desegregating the public schools since the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education ruling."
An Assault on Local School Control
Date CapturedMonday December 04 2006, 6:54 AM
NY Times opines, "It is startling to see the Justice Department, which was such a strong advocate for integration in the civil rights era, urging the court to strike down the plans. Its position is at odds with so much the Bush administration claims to believe. The federal government is asking federal courts to use the Constitution to overturn educational decisions made by localities. Conservative activists should be crying 'judicial activism,' but they do not seem to mind this activism with an anti-integration agenda. If these plans are struck down, many other cities’ plans will most likely also have to be dismantled. In Brown, a unanimous court declared education critical for a child to 'succeed in life' and held that equal protection does not permit it to be provided on a segregated basis. It would be tragic if the court changed directions now and began using equal protection to re-segregate the schools."
Cases retread Brown vs. Board of Education steps
Date CapturedMonday December 04 2006, 5:53 AM
LA Times reports, "With the arrival of Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr., civil rights lawyers believe there may be a five-member majority determined to strike down race-based integration programs."
Tests & Pests
Date CapturedMonday December 04 2006, 5:29 AM
NY Post DAVID ANDREATTA and HEIDI SINGER write, "Parents of a child found carrying a bedbug are notified. But the decision to issue a letter to the school community is made on a case-by-case basis by the Office of School Health."
SUNY New Paltz rates high for Hispanic graduates
Date CapturedMonday December 04 2006, 4:55 AM
Times Herald-Record reports, "The association [American Association of State Colleges and Universities] picked out the 10 most successful of those schools. New Paltz was among the five that had the most success at narrowing the gap in graduation rates between Hispanic and non-Hispanic students, according to a press release."
College Libraries Vie for Student Traffic
Date CapturedSunday December 03 2006, 2:52 PM
NPR interview: "Many college libraries are working hard to attract young scholars to facilities that no longer serve as a gathering place. In-room Internet access is a major competitor. The head of libraries for the University of Massachusetts, Jay Schaefer, tells Scott Simon about the changes at his library's W.E.B. DuBois building."
Music Soothes the Savage Math Class
Date CapturedSunday December 03 2006, 11:07 AM
NPR reports, "Music education is on the decline nationwide as schools struggle to meet the requirements of basic math and English literacy. But some teachers find using music to teach other subjects is effective. Julie Bierach of member station KUAT reports."
FREE US ALL FROM UNFAIR AND CORRUPT ED. SYSTEM
Date CapturedSunday December 03 2006, 8:57 AM
NY Post Ryan Sager writes, "When companies have to compete, consumers win. Yet when it comes to one of the most important products any of us will ever purchase - a child's education - we treat parents (at least the nonrich) as prisoners instead of as consumers. The reason? Because a corrupt education monopoly - consisting of the teachers' unions, the principals' unions, and public-school administrators - doesn't want to have to compete."
Tracking Teachers
Date CapturedSunday December 03 2006, 8:08 AM
NY Times op-ed contributor RICHARD DE LISI, dean of the graduate school of education at Rutgers University writes, "What New Jersey needs next is research to determine what aspects of teacher preparation are most important and whether one approach is more effective than another at promoting student achievement. Unfortunately, a key tool that would make this research possible is missing here: a database that tracks both student and teacher information from prekindergarten to 12th grade. Several states have developed strong database systems. But here, concerns about cost and privacy have kept us from creating one. These concerns are serious. But other states, sometimes through trial and error, have overcome them, and we can learn and benefit from their experiences."
Now Class Must Tackle Cheating at Columbia
Date CapturedSunday December 03 2006, 7:57 AM
NY Times KAREN W. ARENSON writes, "As Columbia University continues to grapple with allegations of cheating on a final exam in a journalism ethics course, students have been assigned to write an essay on an issue that parallels the one faced by their own professors. The topic: What should a newspaper’s executive editor do after receiving 'a tip from a credible source that one or more unspecified articles in recent editions of the newspaper contain fabricated material'?"
Historic case in the balance
Date CapturedSunday December 03 2006, 6:54 AM
Newsday TOM BRUNE writes, "At the heart of the battle over the school integration case being heard by the Supreme Court is the legacy of the 1954 landmark decision in Brown v. Topeka Board of Education. For the Seattle and Louisville, Ky., school districts, which are being sued, that question becomes whether their goal of racial and ethnic diversity is valid, and whether it justifies using a student's race to create integrated schools."
NEA stands against real reform to help students
Date CapturedSaturday December 02 2006, 9:04 AM
Chicago Sun-Times contributor David White, adjunct scholar at the Lexington Institute, a public policy research organization based in Arlington, Va. writes, "The number of high school dropouts is reaching crisis proportions. Today, nearly half of all blacks and Latinos fail to graduate. Dropouts earn about $260,000 less over the course of their lives. They're 72 percent more likely to be unemployed. Among prisoners, 80 percent don't have a high school degree. The National Education Association just issued a much-ballyhooed 12-point plan to eradicate this problem. But don't hold your breath. The misguided plan is more about shifting resources to the NEA's power base than doing what it takes to ensure that more students will finish school."
Colleges scramble to meet housing demand
Date CapturedSaturday December 02 2006, 8:23 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports, "Numerous colleges locally are on a housing construction spree. State University College at Brockport is building 200 beds worth of townhouse-style housing on campus; it is scheduled to be open in the fall 2007, as is a complex of 366 beds being built at Monroe Community College. Nazareth College will start construction in May on a 150-bed residence hall, the same month SUNY Geneseo plans to start construction on an 80-bed connector between two residence halls. Hobart and William Smith Colleges, having recently finished $21 million worth of residence hall renovations over five years, is already talking about other housing options."
Connecticut NAACP gets permission to join No Child suit
Date CapturedSaturday December 02 2006, 8:09 AM
AP reports, "Blumenthal [Connecticut attorney general] said Friday night that although the state and NAACP are technically on opposite sides of the case, they share the desire for better student achievement, equal access to high-quality schools and other education improvements."
The Benefits of Racial and Ethnic Diversity in Elementary and Secondary Education
Date CapturedSaturday December 02 2006, 7:50 AM
The Benefits of Racial and Ethnic Diversity in Elementary and Secondary Education: A Briefing Before The United States Commission on Civil Rights Held in Washington, D.C., July 28, 2006 Briefing Report, "Based on the record, the Commission issued a number of findings, including: • There is little evidence that racial and ethnic diversity in elementary and secondary schools results in significant improvements in academic performance; • Studies on the effect of school racial composition on academic achievement often suggest modest and inconsistent benefits; • Studies of whether racial and ethnic diversity result in significant social and noneducational benefits report varied results; • Much of the early research indicating educational benefits resulting from racial and ethnic diversity in elementary and secondary schools suffered from serious methodological weaknesses; • A preliminary review of data on the overall relationship between school racial composition and student achievement as measured by the 2003 National Assessment of Educational Progress scores does not indicate a consistent strong relationship between the two after controlling for socioeconomic status; • While there are many research studies indicating that desegregated schooling is associated with higher educational and occupational aspirations , and to a modest degree, attainment for African-American students, methodological weaknesses in these studies make it difficult to isolate school racial composition as the cause of these aspirations and attainments; • While recent studies examining the relationship between desegregation and future wages found a small positive relationship after controlling for self-selection bias, research evidence on the relationship of school racial composition and actual wages is less definitive; • More recent surveys have indicated generally positive reactions to school desegregation, such as cross-racial friendships and greater understanding of racial and cultural differences, but some of these surveys do not definitively identify a causal relationship between the two."
Schools do the math
Date CapturedFriday December 01 2006, 3:55 PM
Newsday JOHN HILDEBRAND reports, "In response to complaints, the State Education Department today is informing local school officials that they, and not students or parents, are responsible for purchasing hand-held calculators whenever those devices are required in classrooms. The ruling potentially affects more than 100,000 students on Long Island alone, officials said. The state's rationale: Calculators are considered teaching materials, like textbooks. In this sense, the state regards the devices as different from 'supplies,' such as pencils and paper, that are relatively inexpensive and that students can be required to buy."
Toss single-sex classrooms in the dustbin of history
Date CapturedFriday December 01 2006, 8:36 AM
Star-Telegram Bob Ray Sanders writes, "The relaxing of federal Title IX rules, which require equal education for boys and girls, will permit districts to develop more single-sex programs. What seems inherent in all of them is smaller schools and classes where more individual attention is given to students' needs."
Tennessee Gov. Bredesen focuses on education for legacy
Date CapturedFriday December 01 2006, 8:02 AM
The City Paper reports, "While additional funding for urban school systems has been discussed for years, Bredesen is backing two new education initiatives to help high school students graduate. The governor wants to add truancy officers in all of the state’s 400 public high schools to improve attendance and, hopefully, result in more high school students graduating." Gov. Bredesen may devote about $25 million more to continue to expand pre-K in the state’s next budget.
Manual Rivera: 'We can't give up on kids'
Date CapturedFriday December 01 2006, 7:29 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports, "Rivera, whose presence in education has spanned three decades, also discussed the trends of middle school students who are several years behind in reading, the district's high school dropouts and the rising culture of violence in schools. 'We can't give up on kids, so if teachers are telling me they're not sure if a second- or third-grader has any potential, then maybe it's the teacher that needs to go,' said Rivera, who recently became co-chair of an education task force for Gov.-elect Eliot Spitzer."
Schools consider same sex classrooms
Date CapturedFriday December 01 2006, 7:22 AM
Capital News 9 reports, "Brighter Choice Charter School is unique, in that it's one of the few public schools in Albany that offer single sex classroom settings. And now all public schools have the option to do the same. Brighter Choice Principal Melissa Jarvis-Cedno said, 'Its essential that parents have options that have not been traditionally afforded to them. If you look in the Capital Region, we have so many single sex schools, but they're for people who can afford that. So its crucial that public education allows parents to have equal opportunities for the children to enjoy single sex education.'"
"A profound national crisis in higher education"
Date CapturedThursday November 30 2006, 1:10 PM
NRO contributor George Leef, director of the John William Pope Center for Higher Education Policy writes, "The fact that employing adjunct faculty helps significantly in keeping down the cost of going to college barely appears at all in this discussion."
Yale prof honored for work in education
Date CapturedThursday November 30 2006, 1:01 PM
The Courier-Journal reports, "In the era of the federal No Child Left Behind law -- and its mandate to boost student achievement -- raising test scores has become the focus in public schools. But that is a mistake, according to leading child psychiatrist James P. Comer, who says schools need to take a more 'whole child' approach, focusing on helping children develop socially, emotionally and intellectually."
Professors Honored By CNY Education Consortium
Date CapturedThursday November 30 2006, 9:22 AM
SUNY Oswego faculty members Florence Kirk, associate professor of accounting, and Julie Pretzat, professor and chair of music, received Philip Martin Educator of Excellence Awards at the consortium's 14th annual Professional Partnerships Conference in Syracuse last month.
Secretary Spellings Delivered Remarks at Federal Student Aid Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada
Date CapturedThursday November 30 2006, 9:17 AM
U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings today delivered remarks to some 3300 participants attending the 2006 Federal Student Aid (FSA) conference in Las Vegas. Attendees included financial aid officers and other officials of more than 2000 colleges and postsecondary institutions, as well as representatives of the lending industry, guaranty agencies, non-profit organizations, higher education associations, and software developers. Spellings says, "But more must be done to simplify student access to aid, to notify students of eligibility early, to target resources to the neediest students, and to minimize the risk of tuition inflation. As policymakers and legislators begin to look at this issue, we must make sure that we're offering long-term solutions that fix the system's underlying problems... without ultimately increasing the cost of higher education."
Jordan: Fernandes Was 'Outstanding Prospect'
Date CapturedThursday November 30 2006, 9:10 AM
NPR, "In his first interview since student protests locked down the nation's only college for the deaf and hearing-impaired, the outgoing president of Gallaudet University decried the 'divisive' tone of the demonstrations, and expressed disappointment at the outcome."
Internet Access in U.S. Public Schools and Classrooms: 1994-2005
Date CapturedThursday November 30 2006, 8:55 AM
"This [NCES] report presents 11 years of data from 1994 to 2005 (no survey was conducted in 2004) on Internet access in U.S. public schools by school characteristics. It provides trend analysis on the percent of public schools and instructional rooms with Internet access and on the ratio of students to instructional computers with Internet access. The report contains data on the types of Internet connections, technologies and procedures used to prevent student access to inappropriate material on the Internet, and the availability of hand-held and laptop computers to students and teachers. It also provides information on teacher professional development on how to integrate the use of the Internet into the curriculum, and the use of the Internet to provide opportunities and information for teaching and learning." Wells, J., and Lewis, L. (2006). Internet Access in U.S. Public Schools and Classrooms: 1994–2005 (NCES 2007-020). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
A New Way on School Integration
Date CapturedThursday November 30 2006, 8:08 AM
This term, the U.S. Supreme Court is considering challenges in two school districts to the constitutionality of voluntary racial school integration plans in elementary and secondary education. In the latest issue brief from the Century Foundation, Richard D. Kahlenberg discusses the possible effects of the court's decision.
Robbing Peter to Pay Paul
Date CapturedThursday November 30 2006, 7:59 AM
Columbia Teachers College Bruce Baker, associate professor in educational leadership and policy studies at the University of Kansas and Michael A. Rebell, executive director of the Campaign for Educational Equity and a professor of law and educational practice at Teachers College, Columbia University write, "Having both worked diligently for years to rectify inequities in education finance systems, we are concerned that the particular silver bullet emphasized in the Fordham report- 'an approach known as "weighted student funding"- 'would, if enacted as proposed, be more harmful than helpful to children's interests."
High schoolers get education on new gun law with prison time
Date CapturedThursday November 30 2006, 7:54 AM
AP reports, "Officials warned an audience of [Westchester]high schoolers Wednesday to resist the temptation to carry a gun - or even hold one for a friend - because getting caught now means a minimum sentence of 3.5 years in prison."
The Weighted Student Formula Determines School Funding in Hawaii
Date CapturedThursday November 30 2006, 7:47 AM
KHNL reports, "Each student enrolled is allocated a certain amount of money. If a student has special needs such as a disability or speaks English as a second language, they are assigned more money. In theory, the formula is designed make sure each school receives enough money to provide for every student's needs. In practice, it has run into some challenges."
Phys Ed Blues
Date CapturedWednesday November 29 2006, 9:57 AM
Post-Standard writes, "The survey done by The Post-Standard is another wakeup call to officials at all levels to make physical education more of a priority. School officials say they don't have enough time or staffing to offer what the state mandates. And they do have many demands on their limited time, including what clearly appears to be the state's No. 1 priority improving test scores. As a result, some schools have not only failed to meet the physical education requirements but have reduced gym time further over the past three years."
Saugerties school voters OK added funding
Date CapturedWednesday November 29 2006, 9:39 AM
Daily Freeman reports, "EXCEL aid, which stands for Expanding Our Children's Education and Learning, will fund $1,081,000 of the proposed project; the remaining $1,674,000 will come from regular state building aid, according to district Business Administrator Joseph Dziadik."
Montana school officials defend new student ID numbers
Date CapturedWednesday November 29 2006, 9:22 AM
Bozeman Daily Chronicle reports, "Every [Montana] student will get a unique nine-digit number, so that their achievement on statewide reading and math tests can be tracked, and those results can be broken down by gender, race or ethnicity, and whether the student is low-income and qualifies for free and reduced-cost lunches. Special education, limited English and migrant status will also be recorded. That should make it easier for OPI to report on students' progress, information sought both by the Montana Legislature and by the federal government, under the No Child Left Behind Act. Quinlan said it should help schools figure out, for example, if a new reading program is working, how well low-income American Indian fourth-graders are performing, and better track graduation and dropout rates. School officials are still subject to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, which protects the privacy of student records, Quinlan said."
Education Leaders Speak on Schools
Date CapturedWednesday November 29 2006, 8:32 AM
Columbia Spectator reports, "Klein [New York City schools chancellor] focused on charter schools that have been successful in bringing students who were behind up to grade level, describing as politically driven the state-wide charter school cap that prevents New York City from opening any more charter schools. 'I'm a big fan of charter schools,' he said. "They are built on accountability." He also stressed the importance of good teachers over small class size, citing his own experience at Columbia as an example. 'There were people here at Columbia who were wasting my time,' he said. 'One of the reasons those classes were so small is because everyone else had realized that those teachers were a waste of time.'"
Birmingham coach, board of education settle discrimination case
Date CapturedWednesday November 29 2006, 8:21 AM
AP reports, "The settlement caps a long-running case that began in 2001 and gained national attention last year when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Title IX protections cover people who complain of gender discrimination on behalf of themselves or others."
A Slide Toward Segregation
Date CapturedWednesday November 29 2006, 8:14 AM
Washington Post Ruth Marcus writes, "A half-century after Brown v. Board of Education, it's come, amazingly, to this: The Supreme Court, in the name of preventing race discrimination, is being asked to stop local schools from voluntarily adopting plans to promote integration."
Catholic schools fight for survival under rising costs
Date CapturedWednesday November 29 2006, 8:00 AM
The Corning Leader reports, "It's no secret the cost of primary and secondary education is rising. Unlike public school districts, however, Catholic schools can't rely on state aid or property taxes to cover the increases."
New York City Schools hit on immigration bar
Date CapturedWednesday November 29 2006, 7:01 AM
NY Daily News Erin Einhorn reports, "The report charges the vast majority of small schools either don't have services for so-called 'English language learners' (ELLs), who comprise almost 12% of the high school population, or exclude them altogether. It also says that immigrant families have less access to information about options for their kids. The city Education Department allows new schools to exclude both ELLs and special-ed students in their first two years because the schools are too new to properly serve those kids. It's a policy being reviewed by the U.S. Education Department's Office for Civil Rights, which launched a probe after a complaint from a citywide group of high school parents. "
KIDS HIT LANGUAGE BARRIER
Date CapturedWednesday November 29 2006, 6:56 AM
NY Post David Andreatta reports, "Researchers could not say how many of the 184 new small schools created under Bloomberg exercise the two-year exclusion policy. But they found that 41 percent of 126 small schools surveyed do not offer any English-as-a-Second Language or bilingual services - apparently in violation of city, state and federal laws. 'The problem isn't just access,' said Chung-Wha Hong, director of the New York Immigration Coalition. 'Sometimes they can get in the door but they then face a long-term problem because there are no services for them.' The city Department of Education insisted that only a handful of small schools did not have a single ESL student enrolled."
Schools, teachers fight No Child Left Behind in court
Date CapturedTuesday November 28 2006, 4:24 PM
CNN reports, "School districts in three states and the nation's largest teachers union asked a federal appeals court Tuesday to revive a lawsuit challenging the way government-mandated programs are funded. The National Education Association and districts in Michigan, Vermont and Texas had sued to block the No Child Left Behind law, President Bush's signature education policy. They argued that schools should not have to comply with requirements that aren't paid for by the federal government."
Indiana's high school graduation rate plummets under new formula
Date CapturedTuesday November 28 2006, 10:12 AM
The Times (Indiana) reports, "A 2003 law allowed the state to assign a tracking number to every student that entered high school in 2002. Having tracked that class, the education department now reports that the statewide graduation rate -- estimated at 89.8 percent last year -- is actually 73.7 percent." Previously, students who dropped out over the summer simply vanished from the equation using the older state formula.
Schooling corporate giants on recruiting
Date CapturedTuesday November 28 2006, 9:17 AM
CNN reports, "Seniors who compete to be Teach for America corps members must endure hours of interviews and tests designed to assess their organizational skills, perseverance and resiliency - critical traits since recruits receive only five weeks of teacher training (albeit grueling) before they get plopped into a classroom in the South Bronx or some other impoverished locale. As the students voice their qualms about TFA 'What if I fail? Won't poor kids reject Ivy League teachers?' Kopp doesn't sugarcoat the obstacles: 'It can be really overwhelming and depressing,' she warns. 'We all have bad days, and people who teach in Teach for America probably have more bad days than most.'"
American Higher Education In Urgent Need of Reform, State Legislators Say
Date CapturedTuesday November 28 2006, 8:59 AM
National Conference of State Legislatures writes, "The report, Transforming Higher Education: National Imperative—State Responsibility, says state legislators must: be at the center of a nationwide movement to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the current system, determine a public agenda for higher education, set clear goals, and hold institutions accountable."
Grant bolsters Hawaiian education
Date CapturedTuesday November 28 2006, 8:48 AM
The Star Bulletin reports, "The University of Hawaii has won $3.8 million in federal grant money over the next five years for improving and enhancing native Hawaiian education."
SIUC Student Code under fire after incident
Date CapturedTuesday November 28 2006, 8:39 AM
The Southern (Illinois) reports, "The SIUC Student Code was based on a national model published in the 'Journal of College and University Law,' Dietz said. It was most recently reviewed top to bottom in 2003 by a committee dedicated to the purpose. Specific sections of the code are open to review when a formal request is made by an organization formally recognized by the university. The code as it stands now addresses two issues of student misbehavior - 'academic dishonesty' and 'social misconduct.' It is the latter part that seems to have attracted the most negative attention. The issue is due process. Dietz said two philosophies are at work in the student conduct code. One favors student development and uses education to change behavior. The idea is for the student to learn from the error."
4 failing Massachusetts schools may become pilots to fix themselves
Date CapturedTuesday November 28 2006, 8:27 AM
Boston Globe reports, "Dan French, executive director of the Boston-based Center for Collaborative Education, said that Boston's pilot schools generally perform better than regular schools on several measures, including daily attendance, college-going rates, and MCAS scores. But the 20 pilot schools have also been a source of contention with the teachers union, which blocked expanding the schools for months over issues such as overtime pay."
Academics Get Exemption from DVD Copyright Law
Date CapturedTuesday November 28 2006, 8:19 AM
NPR Joel Rose reports, "The Digital Millennium Copyright Act made it illegal to reproduce copyrighted material from DVDs -- even short excerpts. That proved to be an enormous obstacle to the professors of college film-studies programs, who wanted to be able to burn discs of selected scenes for their classes. Three professors from the University of Pennsylvania asked for an academic exemption to the law. And surprisingly, they say, it has been granted."
Fighting gangs from inside, out
Date CapturedTuesday November 28 2006, 8:03 AM
Newsday Mitchell Freedman reports, "Riverhead thus became the first community in New York State to team a jail-based program with a school-based one, also run by the council, a national not-for-profit group. And, the Riverhead Police Department is working to develop a companion anti-gang program with the council. The program is designed to show gang members who are inmates that there is an alternative to street violence, and that gang membership often leads to long jail time, with former gang members sharing their own experiences. It offers job training and remedial education, and it strives to give those who enroll a sense of belonging to a different kind of family."
N.Y. Schools Get Passing Grade
Date CapturedTuesday November 28 2006, 7:43 AM
The Post-Journal reports, "According to a study by the Washington-based Thomas B. Fordham Foundation, a conservative think tank, when it came to student achievement in the state’s schools, the education system received a D grade. Educational reform efforts graded slightly better, earning a C+. States nationwide received grades based on the 2005 National Assessment of Educational Progress in reading, mathematics and science for minority students, with graduation rates factored into the average. Not all states provided information for the study."
Group challenges No Child Left Behind
Date CapturedTuesday November 28 2006, 7:33 AM
The Journal News reports, "No Child Left Behind is up for reauthorization in the coming year. The collaborative's report devotes more than six pages to recommendations on how to improve the law. Chief among them is funding changes: the group is calling on the federal government to fully fund NCLB mandates, to earmark funds for after-school programs for low-performing schools, and to reimburse school districts for the costs of scoring exams. The collaborative also advocates changes to the testing regimen, recommending that tests be conducted on alternate years instead of each year, and for additional measures - such as portfolio assessments and classroom participation - to be used in measuring whether a student has met state and national standards. The report said, on the local level, government officials and residents can also play a role in improving student performance. Affordable housing, early childhood education programs, adult literacy programs and child-health programs could all contribute to the success of children in public schools, the report said."
NY Watchdog: `Serious problems' at state-run Gossett youth center
Date CapturedTuesday November 28 2006, 7:26 AM
AP reports, "'This report raises larger societal issues about why we are seeing an increase of serious mental illness among these disadvantaged and troubled teens, and what we should be doing to address this,' said state Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton, an Ithaca Democrat, who called for the investigation. Gossett is one of the state's 10 limited- or medium-security youth centers. It serves up to 150 teenagers with 130 workers. The state owned and operated center was named for the actor who has been an advocate for troubled youths."
New Project to Send Musicians Into Schools
Date CapturedTuesday November 28 2006, 7:14 AM
NY Times reports, "Two pillars of the classical musical establishment, Carnegie Hall and the Juilliard School, have joined forces to give birth to a music academy whose fellows will go forth and propagate musicianship in New York public schools. The city’s Education Department is opening its arms to the new program, seeing an inexpensive but valuable source of teaching for a system deprived of comprehensive music training. And the leaders of Carnegie and Juilliard see an opportunity to promote their conviction that a musician in 21st-century America should be more than just a person who plays the notes."
Donors and Princeton clash over donation
Date CapturedTuesday November 28 2006, 7:01 AM
AP reports, "Relatives of Charles S. and Marie Robertson said the couple wanted their gift to be spent solely to educate graduate students for careers in government, especially as diplomats for the United States. But the family now says the university has not churned out many diplomats and large portions of the gift -- now worth more than $750 million -- have been used for other purposes. The family wants to take the money back so it can give it to a school that will carry out its mission."
Community college is less engaging for part-timers
Date CapturedMonday November 27 2006, 3:23 PM
USA TODAY reports, "There is a 'significant difference' in the experiences of part-time and full-time students at community colleges, a new report finds. And a key reason, it suggests, is that part-time students — who represent about two-thirds of those at all community colleges — are more likely to be taught by part-time faculty."
New York State Education Department (NYSED) Application Portal
Date CapturedMonday November 27 2006, 9:33 AM
‘Value added’ assesses Pennsylvania students, schools
Date CapturedMonday November 27 2006, 7:46 AM
Times Leader reports, "Under the federal 'No Child Left Behind,' law, all schools must have 100 percent of their tested students scoring proficient or better by 2014. Under this system, whether or not a school makes 'progress' is measured by how all students are doing collectively on the test. Value added assessment opts, instead, to look at how much each student improves, regardless of whether he is 'proficient.”'
No Child Left Behind law deemed a burden on schools
Date CapturedMonday November 27 2006, 6:19 AM
The Journal News reports, "Although Cornell and her report praise the good intentions of NCLB - which seeks to give all children a quality education on a level playing field - Cornell said she saw no evidence that the law had actually done any good in that direction since its enactment in 2002. Instead, she recorded evidence that the law seems to broaden the differences between rich and poor, creates barriers to schools trying to educate children with diverse needs, and costs taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars as schools put programs in place to help struggling students with almost no reimbursement from the federal government that requires them."
Balancing views on campus
Date CapturedMonday November 27 2006, 5:19 AM
Boston Globe contributor Cathy Young writes, "DIVERSITY in higher education was a major topic of discussion at a recent conference in Cambridge . The focus, however, was not on the familiar concept of diversity as a desirable mix of races, genders, and ethnic groups. Rather, participants deplored the lack of intellectual and political diversity on college campuses."
Elementary school report card: Too many teachers, too few jobs
Date CapturedMonday November 27 2006, 5:14 AM
Post-Standard reports, "A report done this year by the state Education Department shows there is a surplus of elementary and early childhood teachers in the state outside of New York City. The report shows severe shortages in career and technical education, math and physical education teachers in New York City, and in reading and literacy teachers elsewhere in the state. There are so many elementary teachers that local school districts are overflowing with applications for few open jobs."
School aid may ease taxpayer burden
Date CapturedMonday November 27 2006, 4:33 AM
Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin reports, "EXCEL, which stands for Expanding our Children's Education and Learning, is a one-time state allocation to help districts fund building projects. Some $400 million is being allocated to 209 so-called high-need districts, including Binghamton and Johnson City."
Taxes key to state schools' decline
Date CapturedSunday November 26 2006, 1:56 PM
Contra Costa Times reports, "California spent $7,860 on each student in its public education system while states across the nation spent an average $8,807 per pupil in the 2003-2004 academic year, according to Ed-Data, published by the state Department of Education. By comparison, New York spent $12,408 per pupil that year. The consequences of this spending shortfall are crowded classrooms with high student-to-teacher ratios, older textbooks and facilities. California's student-to-teacher ratio is 20.6-to-1, while the U.S. average is 15.8-to-1, according to Ed-Data."
Eight Parts to Coordinated Health
Date CapturedSunday November 26 2006, 1:36 PM
The Tennessean outlines components of coordinated health: Health Education, Physical Education/Physical Activity, Health Services, Nutrition Services and Health Promotion for Staff.
New Jersey school funding reform panel to discuss proposals
Date CapturedSunday November 26 2006, 1:18 PM
AP TOM HESTER Jr. reports, "While the school funding formula hasn't been announced, education department officials presented a plan under which experts determine how much it costs to educate New Jersey children. That cost - about $8,500 for K-12 schools - would be used as the basis for state aid allocations to schools. Funding for special education, children with language problems and transportation would be added as needed. - The number of senior citizens in a community would be considered when state aid for schools is decided."
Pima Community College creates "traffic school" for plagiarists
Date CapturedSunday November 26 2006, 1:03 PM
KVOA.com reports, "The five-step program requires students to read articles about plagiarism and write a paper explaining why they stole someone else's work. They must then meet with a writing tutor to learn about proper citation, and sit down with a faculty committee to talk about the process."
Rockland to weigh scary scenario: school terrorism
Date CapturedSunday November 26 2006, 9:37 AM
THE JOURNAL NEWS reports, "More than 400 education and law enforcement professionals from Rockland, Orange and Sullivan counties are scheduled to attend a two-day terrorism seminar this week at Rockland Community College. The seminar is based on the 2004 siege of a school in Beslan, Russia."
State to monitor school districts
Date CapturedSunday November 26 2006, 9:33 AM
The Post-Standard reports, "This year, the department developed a 'physical education profile' for schools to use to assess student achievement in meeting the state's physical education standards, Dunn said. The profile intends to provide an outline to use in teaching physical education."
Renew college tax break: As tuition costs climb, middle-class families need relief
Date CapturedSunday November 26 2006, 9:03 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle opined, "Sen. Charles Schumer, who sponsored this tax deduction for college students' families, is right to say that legislators shouldn't stop there. He is calling on the federal government to increase the amount of tuition that parents can deduct from their taxes and to allow recent college graduates to deduct the interest paid on student loans for the first five years of repayment. This would help students who are starting their working lives with record debt."
Colleges in N.Y. to link computer resources
Date CapturedSunday November 26 2006, 8:52 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports, "Colleges across the state, including some in the Rochester region, are establishing a computerized network that allows them to act collectively like a statewide supercomputer ready to tackle elaborate computational problems. University of Rochester, Rochester Institute of Technology, State University College at Geneseo and Alfred University are among nearly two dozen higher education institutions behind NYSGrid."
Binghamton program to blend vocational, academic education: Only 2 other high schools in the world use baccalaureate group's model
Date CapturedSunday November 26 2006, 8:29 AM
Press & Sun-Bulletin reports, "Binghamton High School plans to start a career-related certificate program that would blend vocational education with the school's academically oriented International Baccalaureate program. In doing so, Binghamton would become the third high school in the world to pilot the model under the oversight of the International Baccalaureate Organization, which offers academic courses tied to international standards. The other two pilot schools are in Oulu, Finland, and Quebec, Canada. Unlike the traditional IB program, the certificate program would be geared toward students not planning to attend a four-year college, Superin- tendent Peggy J. Wozniak said. It would be designed to prepare students for careers in a global society, she said."
Los Angeles Schools Not Meeting Consent Decree Special Education Goals
Date CapturedSunday November 26 2006, 8:17 AM
ABC7.com reports, "The LAUSD has not sufficiently improved graduation rates, raised test scores or provided timely translations of student access plans in Spanish and other languages."
Day one, item one
Date CapturedSunday November 26 2006, 8:08 AM
Newsday opined, "First, Spitzer must propose a dollar amount for helping not just the city but also poor suburban and upstate districts - without cutting existing funds for any community. Then he has to craft a new formula, based on need and not political clout, for distributing all school aid. Then there's the issue of accountability. Although the court said the state doesn't need a new system of oversight, Spitzer must make sure both the education department and school districts have the resources to ensure that aid money is well spent. How much more should be spent? Based on authoritative studies, public and private, it's clear the court's $1.9-billion minimum for the city is too little. A more reasonable sum is $6 billion - with most going to the city - on top of the $15 billion-plus the state now spends annually. Who should come up with the money? Primarily the state, which has failed to give the city a fair share. But it would be fair if city taxpayers - who also have a history of shortchanging schools - ponied up as much as one-third of the new funds. How should aid be distributed? Most should go to the districts with the neediest students, who tend to be the most expensive to teach."
No Child Left Behind law may be flawed, but it should not be abolished
Date CapturedSaturday November 25 2006, 8:44 AM
The Mountain Press opined, "Schools that can't teach children to read at grade level are failures. They are failing the students entrusted to them to teach. Setting reasonable standards and making teachers and administrators work hard to meet those standards is neither unrealistic nor unfair. However there are flaws in the No Child Left Behind law, to be sure. It makes little distinction between regular and special-education children. It does not allow flexibility for children with established reading and learning difficulties and disabilities. And it sets the guidelines for what degrees and experience teachers must have to teach certain subjects. It's not always easy to find good math and science teachers these days. Those legitimate concerns should lead to reforms of the law, not the killing of it."
Distance learning programs can close ethnic gap
Date CapturedSaturday November 25 2006, 8:07 AM
Times Union contributor WILLIAM M. STEWART, Interim Vice President for Enrollment Management, Excelsior College, Albany writes, "Going forward, community organizations, government agencies, churches and other groups working with minorities can significantly impact these numbers by encouraging black and Hispanic adults to consider accredited distance learning programs as a means to completing their college education."
No Choice for You
Date CapturedSaturday November 25 2006, 7:55 AM
CATO Institute Adam B. Schaeffer writes, "This is the first time that the education establishment has dared to turn its fire on school choice programs that help disabled and foster-care children. That they have chosen to unleash the hounds on the most sympathetic beneficiaries of school choice is a sign of panic. School choice opponents have kept their hands off similar programs in the past, fearing backlash for throwing disabled children out of their schools. But although the sympathy factor seems to have made the difference in some past battles, such as the Ohio Supreme court decision upholding vouchers in 1999, both lawsuits will turn on the same few fine points of law."
List for Schools Seems to Grow More Wishful
Date CapturedSaturday November 25 2006, 7:44 AM
NY Times DAVID M. HERSZENHORN reports, "The sum at issue is substantial: $2 billion a year translates to roughly $1,887 per student, or about $943,500 annually in a school with 500 students. While the amount ordered by the court is still huge, a leading critic of school financing lawsuits that have been filed across the country said the focus on the money had distracted from the work of actually fixing the city schools. 'For five years, people have looked to the courts and argued about the money without thinking seriously about what to do,' said the critic, Eric A. Hanushek, a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution."
Count truants or lose Ohio state aid, 11 charters told
Date CapturedFriday November 24 2006, 9:16 AM
Columbus Dispatch reports, "The department [Ohio Department of Education] is requiring 11 charter schools in that situation to change the way they take attendance. Nine of the 11 are Internet schools, including the state’s largest, the Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow."
U.S. Eases Visa Process to Encourage Chinese Students
Date CapturedFriday November 24 2006, 9:10 AM
NPR reports, "The U.S. government and American universities are working to bring foreign students back, and the efforts appear to be working."
Educating boys, girls separately can benefit them, whole society
Date CapturedFriday November 24 2006, 6:14 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle contributor Sister Ann Collins, president, Nazareth Schools — The Hall and The Academy writes, "Title IX regulations have always permitted school districts that receive public funds to provide public single-sex elementary and secondary schools under certain circumstances. The new regulations make it easier to offer single-sex classes, activities or schools while ensuring that students of both sexes are treated in a manner that will satisfy Title IX's nondiscrimination requirements. As an educator, I believe single-gender education has its place among the learning options we must offer all families in our community. Although the Title IX changes go into effect today, local public schools reportedly have no plans to make this option available any time soon. For now, students in the Rochester area who wish to choose single-gender education must continue to look to private schools."
New York City Schools Figure 'Wrong'
Date CapturedFriday November 24 2006, 4:00 AM
NY Post David Andreatta reports, "In a recent letter to the schools chancellor, Comptroller William Thompson Jr. noted that the steady climb began following a change in the way the city Department of Education defined discharged students in its annual reports beginning in 2002. The change involved omitting a disclaimer that said a student could be considered discharged only after the student was confirmed to have been admitted to a new school outside the city public school system."
Do Board-Certified Teachers Lift Test Scores?
Date CapturedThursday November 23 2006, 4:00 PM
NPR Larry Abramson reports, "Many teachers say that board certification has reawakened their commitment to teaching, even kept them from leaving the profession. But some districts remain skeptical, because they're not sure they'll get the only benefit that matters in education today: improved test scores. That finding is back up by recent research from William Sanders, who works for the computer software company SAS. 'There's very little difference in effectiveness based upon the National Board Certification Status,' Sanders says."
Students are benefiting from single-sex classes
Date CapturedThursday November 23 2006, 3:49 PM
Buffalo News contributor B. Jason Brooks , Foundation for Education Reform & Accountability writes, "Thanks to the revised federal regulations, districts now have the green light to embrace this innovative public school reform, which holds great promise."
Arizona charter school's big gift puts focus on teacher quality
Date CapturedThursday November 23 2006, 10:54 AM
The Arizona Republic reports, "A charter school in Scottsdale will soon benefit from a nearly half-million dollar windfall, one that aims to boost the schools' teacher salaries to $100,000 to help retain highly skilled teachers. The private donation for the BASIS Scottsdale school is raising eyebrows among educators in the Valley, where starting teacher salaries hover at about $31,000 and administrators bemoan the ongoing struggle of attracting and holding on to top-notch teachers to bolster student achievement. Such donations are especially critical in a state that consistently ranks near the bottom in education funding when compared to other states, education advocates say."
Landmark NYC school aid ruling comes up about $3 billion short of lower courts' recommendations
Date CapturedThursday November 23 2006, 8:47 AM
Inside Albany reports, "Surprisingly, the decision’s author was Eugene Pigott, Pataki’s final appointee to the court. Pigott was sworn in a couple of hours before the CFE arguments. Pigott wrote that the trial court had erred in having the panel of retired judges conduct a new review of how much a sound basic education cost. His opinion focused on the separation of the branches of government. 'The role of the courts is not, as Supreme Court assumed, to determine the best way to calculate the cost of a sound basic education in New York City schools, but to determine whether the state’s proposed calculation of that cost is rational.'”
NYC Students Can Get Cellphone Waiver
Date CapturedThursday November 23 2006, 6:39 AM
The Queens Gazette reports, "A prior medical exemption provision allowed students to bring cell phones to school, but prohibited them from using or carrying the phones from class to class. Under the revised provision, students must have a doctor fill out a form describing their condition and explaining why they need to carry a cellphone during school hours. It is then up to the school principal to approve the student's request to carry the cellphone."
Queens Feels Squeeze Of Overcrowded Classes
Date CapturedThursday November 23 2006, 6:35 AM
Queens Chronicle reports, "Education reform advocates were quick to capitalize on the findings as evidence that the mayor’s plan to alleviate school crowding and reduce class size was falling behind. 'If we want our kids to succeed at every level, there is simply no way we can continue having classes this large,' said Leonie Haimson, of Class Size Matters, a Manhattan based advocacy group dedicated to lowering class sizes. 'It’s not good for kids, and it’s not saving money.' But education officials countered that the figures showed steady progress in the mayor’s plan to reduce class sizes, pointing to marginal declines in class enrollment from year to year at each grade level. Agency officials also noted that the recent class size averages are well below the limits established under the city’s teachers union contract, which recommends a threshold of 25 kids in kindergarten and 32 students in grades one through six."
The vital role of community colleges
Date CapturedThursday November 23 2006, 4:51 AM
Boston Globe contributor William D. Green, chairman and CEO of Accenture writes, "In addition to teaching people new skills, junior and community colleges often help students learn how to learn -- to gain the kind of solid footing it takes to continue their education. Research shows that students who transfer from a two-year institution to a four-year college or university are often more successful than those who start at a four-year institution. As a society we need to applaud the accomplishments of two-year college graduates and encourage baccalaureate institutions to accept transfer students who have proved they can be successful students. In the long run, junior and community colleges not only help students gain confidence in their ability to learn, but they also provide them a foundation for achieving better jobs. The potential ripple effect on the economy is obvious."
Public Colleges as ‘Engines of Inequality’
Date CapturedThursday November 23 2006, 3:22 AM
NY Times opined, "The obvious first step would be to boost the value of the federal Pell Grant program — a critical tool in keeping college affordable that the federal government has shamefully ceased to fund at a level that meets the national need. But larger Pell Grants can’t solve this crisis alone. Policy changes will also be required in the states, where public universities have been choking off college access and upward mobility for the poor by shifting away from the traditional need-based aid formula to a so-called merit formula that heavily favors affluent students. The resulting drop in the fortunes of even high-performing low-income students — many of whom no longer attend college at all — is documented in an eye-opening report released recently by the Education Trust, a nonpartisan foundation devoted to education reform."
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute President Shirley Ann Jackson Joins U.S. University and College Presidents Delegation to Asia To Promote U.S. Higher Education
Date CapturedWednesday November 22 2006, 12:03 PM
In addition to President Jackson, the higher education leaders in the delegation included: John B. Simpson, President, University at Buffalo, SUNY; Henry T. Yang, Chancellor, University of California, Santa Barbara; Bernard Machen, President, University of Florida; Adam W. Herbert, President, Indiana University; William Brody, President, Johns Hopkins University; Karen A. Holbrook, President, Ohio State University; Stephen M. Curtis, President, Community College of Philadelphia; H. James Owen, President, Piedmont Community College; David W. Leebron, President, Rice University; Philip W. Eaton, President, Seattle Pacific University; and Steadman Upham, President, University of Tulsa
In their court
Date CapturedWednesday November 22 2006, 10:00 AM
Times Union opined, "An epic court battle is over, then, but with a workable solution for neglect of school children, of all people, not yet in sight. Mr. Spitzer and the Legislature must provide them with the resources they've long been denied. While they're at it, they might fix the formulas for education funding statewide. Otherwise, they might find themselves right back in court, bracing for a ruling that's even more damning."
New Jersey Senate panel pushes gang prevention education
Date CapturedWednesday November 22 2006, 8:16 AM
Bridgeton News reports, "Proposed laws designed to crack down on criminal gangs that have spread throughout New Jersey and prevent them from enlisting youngsters were released by a Senate committee on Monday. Under one bill, all schools would be required to educate elementary students on preventing gang violence."
'School Squeeze' Protest
Date CapturedWednesday November 22 2006, 6:06 AM
NY Post David Andreatta reports, "At a meeting with Department of Education officials following the protest, parents voiced concerns about safety, overcrowding and the agency's refusal to commit to its own projected timetable to move the Columbia school to a new location in two to three years. "
SUNY submits $5.9B budget
Date CapturedWednesday November 22 2006, 4:59 AM
Times Union reports, "It includes money for 133 new faculty and new initiatives, such as an online program that tracks student progress, redesigning introductory courses to make them more engaging for students and a salary boost for graduate students."
Critics Question the Effectiveness of New Jersey’s High School Drug Tests
Date CapturedWednesday November 22 2006, 3:40 AM
NY Times reports, "The program, adopted in June by the state’s Interscholastic Athletic Association, made New Jersey the first state to require such tests. Only public and private school athletes competing in state playoffs, including players in this fall’s football playoffs, are subject to the tests. During this school year, about 500, or .002 percent, of the state’s 240,000 high school athletes are expected to be tested. Critics say that is too small a number to create a deterrent, and some suggest that the money spent on the program could be better used to educate more students about drugs and their risks."
Erasing Divide, College Leaders Take to Blogging
Date CapturedWednesday November 22 2006, 3:28 AM
NY Times reports, "Leah Martin, president of the student government at Trinity, said the column fed into an ongoing debate over Web pages, free speech and the honor code, adding the president’s voice to the mix. 'People wanted to know what she thought,' Ms. Martin said. Bob Johnson, a consultant to many universities on marketing, said he was mystified that university officials had not generally embraced blogs. Mr. Johnson said student blogs, for example, could be a “hugely effective” recruitment tool, even if they carried the implicit promise — or threat — of uncensored truth, however unflattering. Mr. Johnson encourages presidents to be bold. 'Just because you can’t beat them,' he said, 'doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it yourself.'”
Overview of Public Elementary and Secondary Students, Staff, Schools, School Districts, Revenues, and Expenditures: School Year 2004-05 and Fiscal Year 2004
Date CapturedTuesday November 21 2006, 2:21 PM
This NCES report contains information from the 5 Common Core of Data (CCD) surveys: the 2004-05 state, local education agency, and school nonfiscal surveys for 2004-05 and the state and local education agency school finance surveys for fiscal year 2004. The report presents data about the students enrolled in public education, including the number of students by grade and the number receiving special education, migrant, or English language learner services. Some tables disaggregate the student data by racial/ethnic group or community characteristics such as rural - urban. The numbers and types of teachers, other education staff, schools, and local education agencies are also reported. Finance data include revenues by source (local, state, and federal) and total and per-pupil expenditures by function. Sable, J., and Hill, J. (2006). Overview of Public Elementary and Secondary Students, Staff, Schools, School Districts, Revenues, and Expenditures: School Year 2004–05 and Fiscal Year 2004 (NCES 2007-309). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
Virginia Gov. Warner aids in education testing
Date CapturedTuesday November 21 2006, 9:59 AM
Dailypress.com reports, "Sen. John W. Warner, R-Va., sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings asking her to give Virginia more time to develop a new test to meet the demands of the federal No Child Left Behind Act. Warner's letter comes a month after the state board of education approved changes to the state's testing program to comply with the law."
Preschool Is School, Sometimes: Making early childhood education matter
Date CapturedTuesday November 21 2006, 9:45 AM
Education Next contributor Robert C. Pianta, professor of education at the Curry School of Education and director of the Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning, the University of Virginia writes, "Recent work suggests that direct training methods, such as mentoring and coaching and constructive feedback based on observation of teachers, can improve early education practice and children’s performance."
SCHOOL SANITY: COURT OPTS FOR RESTRAINT
Date CapturedTuesday November 21 2006, 6:44 AM
NY Post contributor E.J. McMahon, director of the Manhattan Institute's Empire Center for New York State Policy writes, "It will take a determined governor to prevent legislators and the usual special-interest groups from using CFE as an excuse to promote Albany's traditional education 'solution' - lots more money, no reform. But thanks to the Court of Appeals, these issues at least will be contested in the right forum. In one of his more beneficial legacies, Pataki stocked New York's highest court with judges who were unwilling to micromanage policy. They've now kicked the ball back to the Legislature, once and for all. CFE and its allies must turn their attention to direct lobbying of the people's elected representatives - which is just the way it should be."
Indiana University groups recommend new test for special-education students
Date CapturedTuesday November 21 2006, 6:20 AM
AP reports, "The recommendation by the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community and the Center for Evaluation and Education Policy focuses on a federal law's requirement that special-education students pass annual achievement tests at the same rate as other students."
NYSUT blasts court decision on CFE; looks to Spitzer to do the 'right thing'
Date CapturedTuesday November 21 2006, 6:13 AM
NYSUT PRESS RELEASE: "For more than a decade, the court has repeatedly supported the premise of the CFE case: Every child must receive a sound basic education," Iannuzzi [New York State United Teachers President ]said. "Now, in addition to stripping away accountability measures, the court has basically said to every student in New York, 'Let them eat cake.'"
Extra school money is cut in CFE school funding court case
Date CapturedTuesday November 21 2006, 5:10 AM
Times Union Rick Karlin reports, "The court's majority also found that Pataki's method of calculating education costs -- which led to the $1.93 billion figure -- was valid. CFE had used a different method that resulted in a higher price tag. The governor's method included a "filter" that excluded some of the highest-spending districts for comparison purposes."
New York Court Cuts Aid Sought by City Schools
Date CapturedTuesday November 21 2006, 3:17 AM
NY Times DAVID M. HERSZENHORN reports, "New York State’s highest court ended a landmark legal fight over education financing yesterday, ruling that at least $1.93 billion more must be spent each year on New York City’s public schools — far less than the $4.7 billion that a lower court called the minimum needed to give city children the chance for a sound basic education."
Courtroom Alchemy: Adequacy advocates turn guesstimates into gold
Date CapturedMonday November 20 2006, 8:07 PM
James W. Guthrie, professor of public policy and education, Peabody College of Vanderbilt University and Matthew G. Springer, research assistant professor of public policy and education, Peabody College of Vanderbilt University write In Education Next, "The principled cause of adequacy is legitimate. America’s public schools surely would be enhanced if assured the optimal mix of resources, incentives, practices, and structures. Consequently, we set forth three recommendations by which adequacy-driven reform and cost modeling strategies can become more effective." Authors recommendations include investing in research, raising the standards and changing the venue from the courthouse to the statehouse.
"Photo Finish: Which Teachers Are Better? Certification Status Isn't Going to Tell Us
Date CapturedMonday November 20 2006, 7:47 PM
Economists Thomas J. Kane of Harvard University, Jonah E. Rockoff of Columbia Business School, and Douglas O. Staiger of Dartmouth College, in Education Next, 2007 No. 1 answer the question of whether certification ensures highly effective teachers in the classroom. Researchers write, "The results of our study of New York City public school teachers confirm a simple truth: some teachers are considerably better than others at helping students learn. For example, elementary-school students who have a teacher who performs in the top quartile of all elementary-school teachers learn 33 percent of a standard deviation more (substantially more) in math in a year than students who have a teacher who performs in the bottom quartile. Yet as we embrace this piece of conventional wisdom, we must discard another: the widespread sentiment that there are large differences in effectiveness between traditionally certified teachers and uncertified or alternatively certified teachers. The greatest potential for school districts to improve student achievement seems to rest not in regulating minimum qualifications for new teachers but in selectively retaining those teachers who are most effective during their first years of teaching. "
The No Child Left Behind Act: Have Federal Funds Been Left Behind?
Date CapturedMonday November 20 2006, 1:57 PM
"The federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) imposes new requirements on state education systems and provides additional education funding. This paper estimates education cost functions, predicts the spending required to support NCLB standards, and compares this spending with the funding available through NCLB. This analysis is conducted for Kansas and Missouri, which have similar education environments but very different standards. We find that new federal funding is sufficient to support very low standards for student performance, but cannot come close to funding high standards without implausibly large increases in schooldistrict efficiency. Because of the limited federal funding and the severe penalties in NCLB when a school does not meet its state’s standards, states have a strong incentive to keep their standards low. NCLB needs to be reformed so that it will encourage high standards." *The authors are Professor of Public Administration, The Maxwell School, Syracuse University; Associate Professor of Public Administration, University of Nevada at Los Vegas; and Professor of Public Administration and Economics, The Maxwell School, Syracuse University, respectively. We are grateful to David Sjoquist for helpful comments. 1 1. Introduction The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) both imposes mandates on states and gives them more federal education funding. The authors are William Duncombe, Anna Lukemeyer and John Yinger, Professor of Public Administration, The Maxwell School, Syracuse University; Associate Professor of Public Administration, University of Nevada at Los Vegas; and Professor of Public Administration and Economics, The Maxwell School, Syracuse University, respectively.
How the No Child Left Behind Act Undermines Education Standards
Date CapturedMonday November 20 2006, 1:36 PM
EFAP Director John Yinger, in a monthly column writes, "The federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) has brought unprecedented federal involvement in elementary and secondary education. More specifically, NCLB imposes strict new requirements on state education systems and provides additional education funding."
Democrats Seek to Boost Aid for College Students
Date CapturedMonday November 20 2006, 1:25 PM
NPR Larry Abramson reports, "House Democrats have signaled that reducing interest rates on student loans is on the top of their domestic to-do list. And it's also likely that they'll push hard for increases in the Pell Grant program that aids college students from poor families. The proposals come as the amount of debt college students carry continues to grow."
COLUMBIA'S STONEWALL
Date CapturedMonday November 20 2006, 8:03 AM
NY Post opined on Columbia University, "If Columbia no longer holds freedom of speech in the highest regard, its neighbors surely can be forgiven for wondering if the university can be trusted on more mundane matters."
Beacon board set to take back old school
Date CapturedMonday November 20 2006, 6:49 AM
The Poughkeepsie Journal reports, "Beacon's Board of Education on Monday is expected to act upon a resolution that expresses support for transferring the title of the former Beacon High School from a nonprofit organization back to the Beacon City School District. The Beacon Cultural Foundation, which develops and promotes artistic and cultural community programs and activities, purchased the 121,000-square-foot Fishkill Avenue property from the district in 2003 for $4.25 million."
Plattsburgh State to increase dorm security
Date CapturedMonday November 20 2006, 6:20 AM
The Press Republican reports, "Replacing the Cardinal Cards students now use for identification, meal plans and debit purposes, the new ones will include proximity-card readers, which allow touchless entry to buildings. The project will also include the installation of security cameras at all doors with electronic access, as well as in elevators and laundry rooms. The cameras will record but will not be constantly monitored. University Police Chief Arlene Sabo said all the security measures are things students have requested."
New York toughens road to teaching
Date CapturedMonday November 20 2006, 5:48 AM
Star-Gazette reports, "People will no longer be able to receive initial certification in childhood education after Feb. 1, 2007, or in other areas -- including middle childhood education, adolescent education, special subjects and students with disabilities -- through individual evaluation after Feb. 1, 2009. An option is still available to adults -- the more traditional path, a four-year degree leading to certification. State education officials, trying to toughen the requirements for all teachers, said they have had a notice posted on the state education Web site regarding this decision since 2004. Elmira College officials said they were first made aware of this deadline by Board of Cooperative Educational Services officials on Sept. 7, and immediately began to counsel all of the students affected."
View from school bus: Be patient
Date CapturedMonday November 20 2006, 5:36 AM
The Post-Standard JIM McKEEVER writes, "Last week's item in this space about [Syracuse] school buses forcing drivers to wait up to five minutes for a child to come out to the bus generated some confusion. And some bad feelings."
Diversity urged for top University at Albany post
Date CapturedMonday November 20 2006, 5:18 AM
Times Union Rick Karlin reports, "Emboldened by the victory of Gov.-elect Eliot Spitzer and upset at what it terms a 'casual comfort with insider decision making,' the Legislature's Conference of Black Senators is urging the University at Albany to consider minorities for the school's next president."
Annual survey reports college presidents' pay
Date CapturedMonday November 20 2006, 5:15 AM
Times Union reports, "Two local [Albany area] college presidents -- including one that recently earned more than $1 million annually -- are among the highest paid heads of U.S. educational institutions, according to an annual survey. And the level of compensation for top administrators of post-secondary schools is going up."
New York schools' building bonanza
Date CapturedMonday November 20 2006, 5:00 AM
Times Herald-Record reports, "A one-time dose of state money injected into local school districts has fueled a frenzy of expansion and construction proposals. Eight districts have either gone to voters recently or plan to do so next month. The state Department of Education expects to see an increase in proposals as well. The state sweetened the pot this year with aid dubbed "Excel," or Expand Our Childrens' Education and Learning aid. Every district in the state can get the money if they have a project that fits: expansion or renovations, technology, health and safety, or access for the disabled. The money is a one-time shot. Districts can wait, but no one knows how much money future Legislatures and governors will set aside for the program."
An Education Gov?
Date CapturedMonday November 20 2006, 4:45 AM
NY Post contributor Thomas W. Carroll, president of the Foundation for Education Reform and Accountability and chairman of the Brighter Choice Charter School for Girls and the Brighter Choice Charter School for Boys, the top elementary public schools in Albany writes, "To start with, we need to get over the artificial distinction between public and private schools. As Rev. Floyd Flake is fond of saying, we should focus on educating the public, not public education. With literally hundreds of thousands of students now attending schools that the state Education Department designates as failing, the territorial and exclusive focus of some on public district schools is misguided. Our focus should be creating more good schools and fewer bad schools, regardless of whether these happen to be organized as private, religious, public charter or standard district schools."
In West Harlem Land Dispute, It’s Columbia vs. Residents
Date CapturedMonday November 20 2006, 4:00 AM
NY Times reports, "When Columbia University announced plans three years ago to expand by building on 17 acres in West Harlem, the university stressed that it would work with its neighbors rather than risk stirring up long-held animosities. Jordi Reyes-Montblanc, chairman of the local community board, says Columbia University has done little to gain residents’ trust. But before the release of an environmental report for the $7 billion project, opponents say Columbia has antagonized Harlem residents by insisting that it has the right to seek eminent domain to force property owners out. 'On a scale of 1 to 10, Columbia is a minus 5 in terms of trust,' said Jordi Reyes-Montblanc, chairman of the local community board. 'I honestly believe that Columbia has made a tremendous effort to overcome its history, but in the process, they’ve made so many snafus that it hasn’t really helped them.'”
Tax credits for private school tuition? Yes
Date CapturedSunday November 19 2006, 7:04 PM
NY Daily News contributor CATHERINE HICKEY, superintendent of Catholic schools of the Catholic Archdiocese of New York writes, "For hundreds of thousands of poor and working-class parents, public school is the only economic option. A real tax credit is a reasonable way to ensure that each and every child can obtain a good education in the school of his or her parents' choice."
Certifying readiness for entry-level jobs
Date CapturedSunday November 19 2006, 6:55 PM
Buffalo News reports, "Some 70 companies across the state were consulted in the past four years in developing the test of reading, math, verbal comprehension and judgment. 'The impetus for this whole project came from business. This isn't one of those government things that government cooked up,' said Doug Reamer, principal statistician at the state Department of Labor. The price of a single premature departure, which happens often in entry-level trades, ranges from $2,000 to $5,000 and more in training and recruiting costs, depending on a company's size. Entry-level is defined as jobs that don't require a college degree or involve managing. The category accounts for 51 percent of annual new openings in New York: from hospitality to retail, health care, manufacturing, temp agencies and government."
Long Island high schools thanked for caring acts
Date CapturedSunday November 19 2006, 6:47 PM
Newsday reports, "'Collaborating with community schools through our Partners in Education endeavor is a win-win for both parties,' said Diane Berger, principal of the Children's Learning Center. 'CLC students benefit from the generosity, talent and organizational skills of wonderful teenagers. And those teens gain great understanding and respect for the abilities and can-do attitudes of the amazing CLC students.'"
New Jersey property tax reform, anti-gang ideas top agenda
Date CapturedSunday November 19 2006, 6:43 PM
AP TOM HESTER Jr. reports, "The Senate Law and Public Safety Committee will consider several bills aimed at combating gangs and youth violence. The bills passed the Assembly last spring, but haven't received the required Senate consideration. They would: _Require school boards to offer elementary school students instruction in gang violence prevention. _Require the state attorney general to provide annual gang education seminars for school administrators. _Upgrades recruiting a minor to be in a criminal street gang to a second degree crime."
Puberty education programs can empower girls
Date CapturedSunday November 19 2006, 3:45 AM
Times Union contributor TERI BORDENAVE President/CEO Girls Inc. of the Greater Capital District writes, "Our programs empower through education and motivation and are proven to reduce unsafe sexual behavior, sexually transmitted infections and unwanted teen pregnancies. We encourage all concerned parents to talk with their daughters sooner, rather than after it is too late."
Funding is key to education reform
Date CapturedSunday November 19 2006, 3:35 AM
The Seattle Times reports, "Here is what lies in the future for our schools and our children if we enact even a portion of the panel's ideas: • State funding for all-day kindergarten, thus eliminating tuition-based classes and the piecemeal offerings that vary from school to school. • Expanded professional development and a pay scale based on merit. • More-rigorous high-school course requirements targeting the gaping weaknesses in math and science curricula. • A 10-year plan for expected increases in enrollment at colleges and universities. And those very things are what our schools and children won't receive if a long-term, stable source of funding isn't developed."
Wilmington officers bond with kids over literacy and lunch
Date CapturedSaturday November 18 2006, 4:25 PM
The News Journal reports, "In a duel effort to promote literacy and improve the perception of law enforcement among Wilmington youth, members of the Wilmington Police Department and area youngsters are spending the afternoon reading and feasting together. This is the fourth year for the event dubbed Cops and Kids Day, which is held during National Literacy Week to promote parental involvement in children's education."
Angry UCLA students demand probe of Taser incident
Date CapturedSaturday November 18 2006, 3:47 PM
AP reports, "UCLA will meet student demands for an independent probe of a campus police officer's use of a Taser gun on an Iranian-American student, the acting chancellor said Friday."
SUNY chief cites plans to improve
Date CapturedSaturday November 18 2006, 3:37 PM
Poughkeepsie Journal reports, "Ryan plans to hire more full-time faculty, instead of relying so heavily on part-time and adjunct instructors. In the 2005-06 school year, 62.2 percent of SUNY faculty were full time. Keeping schools affordable and accessible is key, he said. Ryan wants to establish a 'rational tuition' policy, something where tuition prices could be increased gradually, but rates locked in over students' four years of college."
SUNY leader urges 'K-16' education path
Date CapturedSaturday November 18 2006, 3:30 PM
Kingston Freeman reports on Chancellor Ryan, K-16 education and workforce preparation, "The Center for Excellence program supports major upgrades of research facilities and other high technology and biotechnology capital projects, allowing colleges, universities and research institutions to secure research funding that could lead to new job creation. Four of the six current Centers for Excellence are located on the SUNY campuses in Buffalo, Albany Binghamton, and Stony Brook."
After 4 Years of Roosevelt School Takeover, Debate on Its Effect Still Rages
Date CapturedSaturday November 18 2006, 6:49 AM
NY Times reports, "The state’s [New York] ultimate success or failure in turning around the district will have implications far beyond this small suburb on Long Island, since troubled districts throughout New York State and beyond face the prospect of takeovers prescribed by the federal No Child Left Behind Act."
Court Orders Education Dept. Not to Cut 250 Bus Routes Yet
Date CapturedSaturday November 18 2006, 6:44 AM
NY Times DAVID M. HERSZENHORN reports, " State Supreme Court justice yesterday blocked the New York City Education Department from eliminating 250 school bus routes to help save up to $20 million a year. The court order came at the request of school bus companies, which argued that the city’s plan violated their contract. Skip to next paragraph Blogs The Empire Zone Coverage of politics in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. The justice, Shirley Werner Kornreich, said she would hear arguments in the case on Dec. 1."
Use of Technology in Education
Date CapturedFriday November 17 2006, 5:46 PM
The Board of Regents created a statewide Technology Policy and Practices Council to study the use of technology in education. As part of this effort, the Metiri Group will be conducting random surveys of school districts and other members of the University of the State of New York. Commissioner Mills urges all selected to participate in the survey process; a letter from him with additional information is available at http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/metirisurvey.htm.
Is there too much testing?
Date CapturedFriday November 17 2006, 3:51 PM
NorthJersey.com reports, "Forum/Survey: Are standardized tests a fair gauge of student achievement? Standardized tests have been a necessary evil in public education for decades. But since the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, students are being asked to sit for more exams than ever. Nevertheless, educators remain divided about the tests' value."
Statement by Secretary Spellings on the 2005 NAEP Trial Urban District Assessment on Science
Date CapturedFriday November 17 2006, 3:19 PM
Excerpt: While urban school districts are making good progress, much work remains before all students perform at grade level. The results point to the need for states to add science assessments into accountability for NCLB for the 2007-08 school year.
GAO eyes abstinence programs
Date CapturedFriday November 17 2006, 8:22 AM
AP reports, "Most no-sex-before-marriage programs escape the type of scientific scrutiny required to show whether they work, a government watchdog said yesterday in a report on the federally funded abstinence education efforts. Also, the materials used by the programs face limited review for scientific accuracy, the Government Accountability Office said. The abstinence programs receive about $158 million a year in public money from the Health and Human Services Department."
New York State Assembly looks to improve education
Date CapturedFriday November 17 2006, 6:59 AM
Capital News 9 reports, "Mills [Commissioner] said the most recent data shows achievement in public schools is improving, but there's still work to be done, especially because one third of students don't graduate high school on time. He also said learning at the middle school level is lagging, which indicates why half of 8th graders don't meet reading and writing standards."
Students prepare for working world
Date CapturedFriday November 17 2006, 5:49 AM
Times Union reports, "The Career Center at Steinmetz aims to prepare its students for entry into the workplace by providing them with life skills and career-building opportunities. About 200 students in ninth through 12th grades attend the center on Oakwood Avenue. The students pursue a major in one of four career and technical education programs: office management, culinary arts, media arts or property management and maintenance."
Firms sue to put brakes on New York City school bus cuts
Date CapturedFriday November 17 2006, 5:11 AM
NY Daily News reports, "A coalition of school bus companies sued the city Education Department yesterday in a last-ditch bid to stop the planned elimination of 250 routes. The 10 bus companies claim in the suit that the Education Department's Dec. 4 reorganization will cause chaos among students. The companies also argued that the cuts violate their contract with City Hall."
Syracuse coaches top salary list, make more than $1 million
Date CapturedFriday November 17 2006, 4:47 AM
AP reports, "Syracuse University basketball coach Jim Boeheim and his gridiron counterpart Greg Robinson each made more than $1 million last year in total compensation, according to university tax records. Both men earned more than Syracuse Chancellor Nancy Cantor - who actually was the school's fourth-highest paid official."
New Focus on Affirmative Action
Date CapturedFriday November 17 2006, 3:49 AM
The Washington Post reports, "The number of minorities -- particularly black Americans -- winning government contracts and being admitted to public colleges and universities in California has dwindled since a ballot measure was passed 10 years ago outlawing preferential treatment for minorities in those areas, according to a study released yesterday. The report comes as the longtime controversy over affirmative action is gaining new attention. Michigan voters last week adopted a constitutional amendment essentially taking the same action as California, and the American Bar Association is facing criticism from some groups for strengthening its diversity requirements for accreditation of law schools."
Bush Official Rules Out National Standard for School Testing
Date CapturedThursday November 16 2006, 5:59 PM
Bloomberg News reports, "The Bush administration has no intention of backing a single nationwide testing standard when it works with Congress to rewrite the No Child Left Behind law, a top Education Department official said today. David Dunn, the department's chief of staff and acting undersecretary, ruled out the idea one day after it was endorsed by the Council of the Great City Schools, representing 66 of the nation's largest urban school districts."
NYSED REVISED PROPOSED REGULATIONS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT THROUGH DECEMBER 15, 2006
Date CapturedThursday November 16 2006, 5:31 PM
Revised proposed regulations relating to Behavioral Interventions, including Aversive Interventions have been published in the State Register and are available for public comment. A two-page summary of the major revisions to the regulations that were adopted through emergency action in June 2006 is available to assist the public in its review of the revised proposed rules. A full text of the revised proposed rule can be accessed at http://www.vesid.nysed.gov/specialed/behavioral/proposedterms1106.htm
Placing College Graduation Rates in Context: How 4-Year College Graduation Rates Vary With Selectivity and the Size of Low-Income Enrollment
Date CapturedThursday November 16 2006, 5:23 PM
This NCES report shows that graduation rates dropped systematically as the proportion of low-income students increased, even within the same Carnegie classification and selectivity levels. Variations by gender and race/ethnicity also were evident. Women graduated at higher rates than men, and in general, as the proportion of low-income students increased, so did the gap between female and male graduation rates. The gap in graduation rates between White and Black students and between White and Hispanic students, on the other hand, typically narrowed as the as the proportion of low-income students increased. Horn, L. (2006). Placing College Graduation Rates in Context: How 4-Year College Graduation Rates Vary With Selectivity and the Size of Low-Income Enrollment (NCES 2007-161). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
Hyde Park school district vows state will pay
Date CapturedThursday November 16 2006, 6:55 AM
Poughkeepsie Journal reports, "Hyde Park schools have qualified for $1,479,243 in state funding for building improvements through the Expanding our Children's Education and Learning program. These funds can also be used to secure another $1.79 million in state aid. This will provide the district with $3,265,000 for its various building upgrades and repairs. The district, however, must receive voter approval to receive any of the funds because the money is initially borrowed by the district and later reimbursed by the state. The district plans to borrow the money over a 16-year period. Board members say the state takes into account the interest costs for borrowing."
Hands off our school!
Date CapturedThursday November 16 2006, 4:55 AM
NY Daily News reports on plans to tear down an upper East Side [New York City], "Supporters say the building, once known as Julia Rikers for its dangerous reputation, has reinvented itself as a home for six notable schools, including a performing arts high school, a school for autistic children and a school created to serve children of people who work in the area. Their objections were highlighted yesterday by Daily News columnist Juan Gonzalez.."
Big classroom squeeze in New York City
Date CapturedThursday November 16 2006, 4:23 AM
NY Daily News Erin Einhorn reports, "The average class-size details for kindergarten to eighth grade were released for the first time yesterday under City Council legislation requiring the Department of Education to turn over the data twice a year. High school classroom sizes will be released at a later date, officials said."
Foreign students returning to U.S.
Date CapturedThursday November 16 2006, 4:14 AM
The Washington Times reports, "Among other findings: • The most favorable fields of study for international students in the United States are engineering, business and management, which account for 34 percent of coursework for all international students. • The leading host institutions for international students are the University of Southern California, with 6,881 international students, and Columbia University in New York, with 5,575. They are followed by Indiana's Purdue University, New York University in New York and the University of Texas at Austin."
Program aims to reduce dropouts
Date CapturedThursday November 16 2006, 4:08 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports, "Starting next fall, close to four dozen Rochester School District dropouts will enter Monroe Community College as college students. The college and school district will spend nearly $4 million over the next three years replicating a program started in Portland, Ore., to get dropouts back into the educational system and earning their high school diplomas, as well as college credits."
Open Campuses
Date CapturedThursday November 16 2006, 3:54 AM
Washington Post opined, "Any doubt about the benefits of attracting foreign students should be erased when weighed against the fact that other countries have started their own programs to aggressively recruit these same smart students. This week a delegation of college presidents, led by education and State Department officials, is in Asia on a mission to recruit foreign scholars. America can't afford not to put out the welcome mat."
$3 million drive targets truancy: Philadelphia schools would add 400 parent officers to tackle 18% absenteeism.
Date CapturedThursday November 16 2006, 3:52 AM
Philadelphia Inquirer reports, "Among the other efforts in the truancy blitz: more sweeps to round up students, an expansion of after-school programs to serve 27,000 additional children, the tripling of the number of children and families served by counselors, and the tripling of parent-education classes for parents of truants. District officials estimate that 32,000, or 18 percent, of the city's 180,000 public schoolchildren, are illegally absent on any given day. Last school year, 80,000 missed eight or more days."
Most Students in Big Cities Lag Badly in Basic Science
Date CapturedThursday November 16 2006, 3:33 AM
NY Times DIANA JEAN SCHEMO reports, "At least half of eighth graders tested in science failed to demonstrate even a basic understanding of the subject in 9 of 10 major cities, and fourth graders, the only other group tested, fared little better, according to results released here Wednesday. The outcome of those tests, part of the National Assessment of Educational Progress, often called the nation’s report card, showed that student performance in urban public schools was not only poor but also far short of science scores in the nation as a whole."
NYC schools chancellor urges 'radical change'
Date CapturedWednesday November 15 2006, 2:29 PM
Daily Princetonian reports, "This 'culture of performance,' Klein said, depends in large part on school officials' willingness to be innovative and depart from existing systems of public educations. 'Talent matters," he said. A central topic in the discussion was the "Autonomy Zone" that Klein and other education officials implemented in 2004 to allow schools to develop independently. Twenty-six NYC public schools comprised the initial Autonomy Zone population, with the principals of each school signing what Nadelstern called 'performance agreements.' These agreements allowed principals to commit voluntarily to high levels of accomplishment within their schools."
University of Vermont ROTC official describes plans for Plattsburgh State
Date CapturedWednesday November 15 2006, 7:33 AM
The Press Republican reports, "The debate over whether to start an ROTC program at Plattsburgh State was at times contentious but ended with the Student Association, Faculty Senate and college president supporting the idea. Koebrich has 65 cadets in his program, spread over seven universities. 'It is a very small program,' he said, pointing out that this year about 2,400 officers nationwide will graduate into the regular Army from ROTC, which is organized around a series of host schools and affiliate programs."
Enriching Education Throughout Childhood Pays Big Dividends
Date CapturedWednesday November 15 2006, 5:31 AM
Newswise reports, "Researchers have previously noted that many of the advantages children receive from preschool experiences begin to wane as they continue through school. A study by James Heckman, a Nobel-Prize winning economist shows for the first time that systematic interventions throughout childhood and adolescence could sustain the early gains and build on them."
New York City parents angry over nixed school meeting
Date CapturedWednesday November 15 2006, 4:55 AM
NY Daily News reports, "They [parents] are concerned the addition of middle-school students will disrupt the character of PS 36, which enrolls children in prekindergarten through second grade, and decried a lack of parent input in the Education Department's decision."
Campaign for Fiscal Equity (CFE) school funds case Mike's No. 1 goal
Date CapturedWednesday November 15 2006, 4:52 AM
NY Daily News Joe Mahoney reports, "But Sanders [former Assembly Education Chairman, now a lobbyist] and Senate Education Committee Chairman Steve Saland (R-Poughkeepsie) said the key to making progress will be whether the city becomes more generous with its own classrooms. 'The city has been folding its arms and maintained consistently they don't want to provide a dime,' Saland said."
NCLB Achieves Its Top Goal—Accountability
Date CapturedWednesday November 15 2006, 4:52 AM
This op-ed excerpt by Secretary Spellings appeared in the Wisconsin State Journal on November 14, 2006, "Accountability is NCLB's first pillar of reform. The law represents the latest renewal of the 1965 Elementary and Secondary Education Act, which was intended to ensure a quality education for all in exchange for increased federal funding. For 40 years, however, few paid much attention. There was no accountability for student achievement and virtually no consequences for not following the law. Today, thanks to NCLB, Wisconsin and 49 other states have accountability plans in place, holding schools responsible for improved student achievement. Every state measures student performance annually in grades 3-8 and once more in high school. And every state separates student information by student group so parents and teachers can learn who is falling behind and needs extra help. This is especially critical when it comes to reading. Reading is the key that unlocks every other subject."
Academic Libraries: 2004
Date CapturedTuesday November 14 2006, 5:53 PM
The selected findings and tables in this NCES report, based on the 2004 Academic Libraries Survey, summarize services, staff, collections, and expenditures of academic libraries in degree-granting postsecondary institutions in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The report includes a number of key findings: During fiscal year (FY) 2004, there were 155.1 million circulation transactions from academic libraries’ general collection. During a typical week in the fall of 2004, 1.4 million academic library reference transactions were conducted, including computer searches. The nation’s 3,700 academic libraries held 982.6 million books; serial backfiles; and other paper materials, including government documents at the end of FY 2004. Academic libraries spent $2.2 billion on information resources during FY 2004. Holton, B., Vaden, K., and O’Shea P. (2006). Academic Libraries: 2004. (NCES 2007-301). U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved November 14, 2006 from http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch.
Separation anxiety: Segregating schools by gender is unwise
Date CapturedTuesday November 14 2006, 9:27 AM
The Battalion Online Amanda Kaiser opined, "Proposing use of the education system to experiment with any arrangement not solidly supported by research is a sick and expensive joke, considering the abundance of problems with clear answers that remain unsolved. Changes to Title IX fail to address the real problems in education, and by deepening the divisions by which groups are segregated, these changes open the door for inequality. Lawmakers and educators should be striving for a system with fewer arbitrary divisions where students have equal opportunity to learn together."
'Guinea Pig' Kids Uproar
Date CapturedTuesday November 14 2006, 5:35 AM
NY Post CARL CAMPANILE and STEPHANIE GASKELL report on students as subjects in university studies, "More than 50 of those studies focused on health, psychology, race, ethnicity and religion - mostly on kids in the poorest neighborhoods. All were conducted with parental consent, but as an incentive, parents and kids often were compensated. 'This is outrageous,' Brooklyn Councilman Charles Barron said. 'I'm concerned about any form of therapy going on in our schools.' But Mayor Bloomberg defended the research. 'We've been doing this for a number of years and we will continue to do it,' he said.
Maritime school's Gov. Island getaway
Date CapturedTuesday November 14 2006, 4:52 AM
NY Daily News reports, "The Department of Education {New York City] and the Governors Island Preservation and Education Corp. are in talks to move the 400-student school from Brooklyn to the 172-acre island off Manhattan's southern tip, officials said."
Education stats show New York City of wise guys, gals
Date CapturedTuesday November 14 2006, 4:39 AM
NY Daily News reports, "The city Education Department attributed rising graduation and lower dropout rates to an increase in programs devoted to keeping kids in school longer, including the Young Adult Borough Centers, targeting high school students who might be considering dropping out."
Just Whose Idea Was All This Testing?
Date CapturedTuesday November 14 2006, 3:36 AM
The Washington Post reports, "In 1988, Congress created the National Assessment Governing Board. It established new standards for the National Assessment of Educational Progress, a test that has been given to a sampling of students since 1970. In 2002, President Bush signed the No Child Left Behind law. For the first time, it required annual testing of all public school children in certain grades and required states to use results to help rate schools. The National Education Association and other teacher organizations argue that it is unfair to rate schools through such tests when teachers lack adequate training and pay. In a 2004 essay for the Hoover Digest, Ravitch wrote that the advocates of inputs and the champions of outputs 'are in constant tension, with first one and then the other gaining brief advantage.' 'How this conflict is resolved,' she wrote, 'will determine the future of American education.'"
As Math Scores Lag, a New Push for the Basics
Date CapturedTuesday November 14 2006, 3:32 AM
NY Times TAMAR LEWIN reports, "For the second time in a generation, education officials are rethinking the teaching of math in American schools. The changes are being driven by students’ lagging performance on international tests and mathematicians’ warnings that more than a decade of so-called reform math — critics call it fuzzy math — has crippled students with its de-emphasizing of basic drills and memorization in favor of allowing children to find their own ways to solve problems. At the same time, parental unease has prompted ever more families to pay for tutoring, even for young children."
U.S. collegians picking fewer English-speaking lands for foreign study
Date CapturedMonday November 13 2006, 11:35 AM
AP Justin Pope reports, "American college students are becoming more adventuresome as they study abroad, showing less interest in English-speaking destinations such as Great Britain and Australia and more in such alternatives as China, India, Argentina and Brazil. Britain remained the most popular study destination last year, according to annual figures due for release today by the Institute of International Education, followed by Italy, Spain and France."
Buffalo schools weather test of new, speedy phone system
Date CapturedMonday November 13 2006, 11:29 AM
Buffalo News reports, "In Buffalo, school officials can specify who will receive the calls - for example, all parents and staff, students at one particular school or in a single class, all sixth-graders in the district, or a handful of students scheduled to be honored at a Board of Education meeting."
Plan separates boys and girls
Date CapturedMonday November 13 2006, 9:20 AM
Herald Tribune reports, "Until recently, federal Title IX regulations were unclear on whether public schools could legally separate the sexes. In 1995, just three U.S. public schools had single-sex classrooms, according to the National Association for Single Sex Public Education. But in the past few years, the federal government has been moving to clarify the rules and is actually now calling for schools to research the effects of single-sex classrooms. Today, there are about 250 public schools with single-sex classrooms -- including seven in Florida."
California law makes community college more affordable
Date CapturedMonday November 13 2006, 8:12 AM
The Lompoc Record reports, "A recent law has reduced enrollment fees at California community college campuses from $26 a unit to $20, beginning Jan. 1. The nearly 25 percent drop in tuition fees will affect 11,000 students at Hancock College and more than 2 million students statewide, said Rebecca Alarcio, Hancock spokeswoman."
To boost students and teachers, steer clear of merit pay on the road to reform
Date CapturedMonday November 13 2006, 5:25 AM
Christian Science Monitor contributor Reg Weaver, president of the National Education Association writes, "The key question for any teacher compensation system is whether it is designed to improve student learning or to advance short-term political goals. These efforts linking teacher pay to test scores are not part of any integrated strategy to raise student achievement. Instead they represent an oversimplified approach masquerading as school improvement."
Class Drug Swabs
Date CapturedMonday November 13 2006, 4:51 AM
NY Post HEIDI SINGER and DAVID ANDREATTA report, "In a matter of minutes, officials can determine what kind of illegal narcotics are in their school, where drug dealers might be lurking and how young the users are. Newark school officials want to use the information to fine-tune their anti-drug message, adjusting it to the reality of what drugs kids are actually using, said Willie Freeman, security director for the Newark School District. But officials won't be using the test to bust individual kids, he said."
'Guinea Pig' Kids Stir Furor
Date CapturedMonday November 13 2006, 4:49 AM
NY Post CARL CAMPANILE reports, "City [New York City] education officials last year quietly approved more than 50 research projects related to health, psychology, race, ethnicity, gender and religion - mostly on kids in the poorest neighborhoods, a Post investigation has found. Nearly 200 studies - some of them financed by multimillion-dollar grants - were OK'd. All of the studies were conducted with parental consent. But as an incentive, parents and kids often were compensated. The city allows 'modest cash payments' to parents and teachers and gift certificates for kids, education officials said."
New York City Ed Dept. tells school bigs: Clear all talks first
Date CapturedMonday November 13 2006, 4:37 AM
NY Daily News ERIN EINHORN reports, "The Department of Education has ordered school bigwigs to powwow with a new external-communications team before accepting or declining invitations to speak with community groups or public officials. The new public-appearance protocol is pitched as a way to ensure that DOE reps are fully prepared, according to a memo obtained by the Daily News. 'And it will help them think strategically about how the DOE is publicly presenting itself,' the memo states."
Growing a City, From the Roots Up
Date CapturedMonday November 13 2006, 3:37 AM
NY Times reports, "Nowhere else in Michigan, and perhaps in the rest of the country, has that goal materialized as fast as it has in this postindustrial city, where a group of anonymous donors established a fund that pays up to 100 percent of tuition and fees at any state college or university for graduates of Kalamazoo’s three public high schools. It is called the Kalamazoo Promise, and came into fruition just a year ago. In the graduating class of 2006, the first to qualify for the program, 400 students were eligible. About 90 percent of those took the offer."
Big Givers Turn to Poorly Financed Community Colleges
Date CapturedMonday November 13 2006, 3:36 AM
NY Times reports on financial grants to community colleges, "That interest is reflected in the decision a few years ago by a group of foundations — including Ford, the James Irvine Foundation, Lumina and the Heinz Endowments — to start meeting to learn more about community colleges."
A Decline in Foreign Students Is Reversed
Date CapturedMonday November 13 2006, 3:23 AM
NY Times KAREN W. ARENSON reports, "The number of new foreign students coming to the United States grew this school year, after several years of weakness that followed the terrorist attacks of 2001, according to a survey to be released today by the Institute of International Education."
Next stop, privatization?
Date CapturedSunday November 12 2006, 4:37 PM
Great Falls Tribune reports, "Some fear that a pro-business Bush administration is intent on privatizing public education. One way of doing that is through vouchers that allow parents to send their kids to private schools on the taxpayers' dime."
POLL FINDS SUPPORT FOR DRUG TESTS
Date CapturedSunday November 12 2006, 4:31 PM
Courier News reports, "In the weeks ahead, Central Jersey's high-school athletes will face a new challenge that has nothing to do with X's and O's or executing plays. They'll be subject to new, random testing for performance-enhancing drugs. An exclusive Courier News poll of 100 playoff-bound athletes shows widespread belief that the testing will level the playing field and create more of a dialogue about performance- enhancing drugs, but also some concerns about the program's fairness."
Detours on the Road to Greater College Graduation Rates
Date CapturedSunday November 12 2006, 4:24 PM
The Louisiana Weekly contributor Marc H. Morial, President and CEO of the National Urban League writes, "According to the American Council study, African-Americans are the most likely to drop out of college than any other minority group. Of students who entered college in the 1995-1996 academic year, only 36.4 percent of Blacks received a degree, compared to 42 percent of Hispanics, 58 percent of Whites and 62.3 percent of Asian Americans."
New Jersey tax relief: Who gets what? When?
Date CapturedSunday November 12 2006, 4:04 PM
NorthJersey.com reports, "Paying for public education now accounts for about one third of the total state [New Jersey] budget and two-thirds of every property tax bill. Legislators have promised a new method for distributing those tax dollars to public schools. The current formula centers on factors such as enrollment and socioeconomic makeup of the community; legislators promise a new method that tailors the aid to students' needs and other factors."
ELECTION AFTERMATH AMERICA: WHAT’S AT STAKE
Date CapturedSunday November 12 2006, 11:05 AM
San Francisco Chronicle reports, "Bottom line: The Democrats say the Republican Congress underfunded No Child Left Behind by $15 billion this year, and that the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act calls for the federal government to pay for 40 percent of states' special education costs. Currently, federal funding is at less than 20 percent."
Massachusetts high school experimenting with lures to boost attendance
Date CapturedSunday November 12 2006, 9:38 AM
Boston Globe reports, "Students and parents unfamiliar with the nuances of the school calendar year is just one of the many challenges facing urban school districts like Chelsea as they try to improve their attendance rates -- as mandated by federal education laws, Orlov [high school principal] said."
Study to analyze Utah charter schools
Date CapturedSunday November 12 2006, 9:25 AM
The Salt Lake Tribune reports, "The Utah Education Policy Center plans to pursue a study on the effectiveness of the state's charter schools, examining whom they benefit and what their impact is on traditional public school districts. The work will follow the policy center's report released Thursday on the state's charter schools. That report, gathered for the Legislature's Executive Appropriations Committee, did not examine school quality so much as the schools' purpose and governance."
Report spells tighter controls for public colleges
Date CapturedSunday November 12 2006, 8:03 AM
New York Teacher reports, "Another sorely received agenda item in the Spellings report is a 'No Child Left Behind' approach to higher education that could lead to standardized testing similar to that already mandated by NCLB in elementary and middle grades."
A TEST OF LEADERSHIP: Charting the Future of U.S. Higher Education, A Report of the Commission Appointed by Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings
Date CapturedSunday November 12 2006, 7:52 AM
Pre-Publication Copy September 2006. CONCLUSION: In short, the commission believes it  is imperative that the nation give urgent attention to improving its system of higher education.   The  future of  our country’s colleges and universities is threatened by global competitive pressures, powerful technological developments, restraints  on public finance and serious structural limitations that cry out for reform. Thid report has recommended strategic actions designed to  make higher education more accessible, more affordable, and more accountable, while maintaining world-class quality. Our colleges and universities must become more transparent, faster to respond to rapidly  changing circumstances and increasingly productive in order to deal effectively  with  the powerful forces of change they now face. But reaching these goals will also require difficult decisions and major changes from many others beyond the higher education community. The commission calls on policymakers to address the needs of higher education in order to maintain social mobility and a high standard of living. We call on the business community  to become directly and fully engaged with government and higher education leaders in developing innovative structures for delivering 21st-century  educational services—and in  providing  the necessary financial and human resources for that purpose. Finally, we call on the American public to join in our commitment to improving the postsecondary institutions on which so much of our future—as individuals and as a nation—relies.Working together, we can build on the past successes of U.S. higher education to create an improved and revitalized postsecondary system that is better tailored to the demands, as well as the opportunities, of a new century. U.S. Department of Education, A Test of Leadership: Charting the Future of U.S. Higher Education. Washington, D.C., 2006.
Session seeks parent involvement in North Carolina education
Date CapturedSunday November 12 2006, 7:42 AM
Myrltle Beach Online reports "New Carolina [state economic development group] officials and its partners plan to create a 'tool kit' of best practices for fostering parent involvement for education organizations and businesses. They also hope to push for full funding and implementation of a 2000 law, approved by state lawmakers, called Parental Involvement in Their Children's Education Act. The act requires schools to implement parent involvement programs, requires training in those programs and delineates expectations for parents. The law was not fully funded, conference leaders said."
Bilingual education reforms urged
Date CapturedSaturday November 11 2006, 6:13 PM
Buffalo News reports, "The director of multilingual education would oversee programs to serve children whose predominant language is something other than English. While Buffalo students speak more than 40 languages, most bilingual students are Spanish-speakers."
Alternative education: Northern Arizona University (NAU) program's flexibility lets many get degree
Date CapturedSaturday November 11 2006, 2:15 PM
The Republic reports, "This year, 7,100 students are enrolled in NAU's Distance Learning Program, a 12 percent increase from last year, Hurst said. More than 3,100 are taking classes in the Phoenix area. The program offers 63 degree and certificate programs including teacher certification, school and professional counseling programs and business programs."
Title IX Reform Takes Center Court
Date CapturedSaturday November 11 2006, 9:11 AM
U.S.News & World Report reports, "If the department rewrites Title IX rules on athletics, it will be only the latest concern for women's groups, which cried foul last month when Spellings announced new rules that open up the possibility of single-sex education in public schools. To Jocelyn Samuels of the National Women's Law Center, the new regulations add up to an 'under-the-radar attempt to gut Title IX standards.' She has vowed to bring legal challenges against public schools that enact single-sex reform. If athletic regulations came next, she said, 'all options would be on the table.'"
Pre-K funding under fire by some analysts
Date CapturedSaturday November 11 2006, 8:20 AM
Mexia Daily News (Texas) reports, "As Darcy Olsen of the Goldwater Institute writes, 'The lack of any apparent relationship between increased enrollment in early education programs and later student achievement suggests more formal early education is unlikely to improve student achievement.' Yet Texas currently spends more than half a billion dollars on public pre-K, in addition to federal and private dollars spent on early childhood education. So what would universal pre-K do? It would further government’s creep into the lives of families and children. It would provide taxpayer-subsidized daycare for parents, many of whom already choose and can afford to send their children to center-based care. It would fail to increase overall student achievement, and it would do all of this at a cost to taxpayers of at least $2.3 billion each year."
As Older Students Return to Classrooms an Industry Develops
Date CapturedSaturday November 11 2006, 8:17 AM
NY Times reports, "Continuing education — that is, noncredit courses or classes taken after formal education — is a $6 billion business, according to William A. Draves, president of Learning Resources Network, a national consulting organization in River Falls, Wis."
Massachusetts preschool initiative smart business move
Date CapturedSaturday November 11 2006, 8:09 AM
The Republican opined, "Nobel laureate James J. Heckman argues that early intervention for disadvantaged children promotes staying in school, raises the quality of the workforce, enhances the productivity of schools and has the effect of reducing crime, teen pregnancy and dependence on welfare. And a Chicago study concluded that every dollar spent on early childhood education yields a return of $7 in higher taxes on earnings and lower expenditures on welfare, prisons, crime and special education."
Elmira College offers new master's program
Date CapturedSaturday November 11 2006, 7:56 AM
Star-Gazette reports, "Elmira College will offer a new master's degree program in January that school officials hope will prepare the local work force for the future. Four areas of concentration -- in general management, information technology management, health services management and emergency-disaster preparedness management -- will be offered during the winter term that starts Jan. 8."
Children Enrolled by Their Parents in Private Schools
Date CapturedFriday November 10 2006, 8:34 AM
The reauthorized Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was signed into law on Dec. 3, 2004, by President George W. Bush. The provisions of the Act became effective on July 1, 2005, with the exception of some of the elements pertaining to the definition of a “highly qualified teacher” that took effect upon the signing of the Act. The final regulations were published on August 14, 2006. This is one in a series of documents, prepared by the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) in the U.S. Department of Education that covers a variety of high-interest topics and brings together the regulatory requirements related to those topics to support constituents in preparing to implement the new regulations. This document addresses significant changes from preexisting regulations to the final regulatory requirements regarding children enrolled by their parents in private schools.
Provision of Special Education Services to Parentally Placed Nonpublic Elementary and Secondary School Students with Disabilities
Date CapturedFriday November 10 2006, 8:28 AM
Provision of Special Education Services for the 2007-08 school year: The public school district where the nonpublic school is located must begin to develop procedures for the evaluation and provision of special education services to students with disabilities enrolled in nonpublic schools located in their district for the 2007-08 school year in accordance with the new federal regulations. In this process, the school district must consult with nonpublic school representatives and representatives of parents of parentally placed private school students with disabilities for nonpublic schools located within the boundaries of the school district. Additional guidance will be issued upon further changes to State law.
2006 Essential Elements: Schools-To-Watch
Date CapturedFriday November 10 2006, 8:23 AM
Models of Academic Excellence, Social Equity, Developmental Responsiveness, Organization and Structure. For more information about NY State's Schools to Watch program please visit the New York State Middle School Association Website at http://www.nysmsa.org/.
Asbestos in Schools
Date CapturedFriday November 10 2006, 8:20 AM
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Reminder of Annual AHERA Notifications to Employees and Parents
Date CapturedFriday November 10 2006, 8:16 AM
Public and nonpublic schools must also provide a written notification to all parent, teacher, and employee organizations of the availability of the school’s asbestos management plan for public inspection. A description of the steps to notify these organizations, as well as a dated copy of the notification, is to be maintained in the asbestos plan. The asbestos management plans are to be made available for inspection to representatives of the federal Environmental Protection Agency and the State, the public, including parents, teachers, and other school personnel within five working days after receiving a request for its inspection.
From the Desk of Jean C. Stevens, Interim Deputy Commissioner, New York State Education Department
Date CapturedFriday November 10 2006, 8:08 AM
ELA and Mathematics Results on the New York State Testing and Accountability Reporting Tool (nySTART): Beginning November 14, authorized users in schools and districts will be able to access parent reports for the grades 3-8 State assessments in mathematics using nySTART. Beginning November 13, files containing the mathematics parent reports will be distributed to Regional Information Centers and the Big 5 school districts. If your district has contracted with a Regional Information Center or BOCES to print the reports, please contact them for information about the printing and distribution schedule. Information about interpreting student scores, particularly the standard performance indices, is available at http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/irts/nystart/2006/InterpretingStudentScores_files/frame.htm. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Accountability Verification: On November 14, school districts and charter schools will have access to two sets of reports allowing them to verify student data that will be used to determine each district’s and school’s accountability status at the elementary and middle levels for the 2006-07 school year. Each school superintendent, school principal, and staff member with account administrator privileges can access these reports through nySTART, using their personal UserIDs and passwords. The deadline for submitting data changes to your district’s Regional Information Center or Level 1 Repository operator is November 20. More information about the verification process is available at http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/irts/nystart/. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Essential Elements Schools to Watch: New York State is one of 14 states that has joined Schools to Watch, a national recognition program developed by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform. In New York, seven schools were selected for the 2006 group of Schools to Watch by distinguishing themselves in academic excellence, developmental responsiveness, social equity and organization and structure. A list of the schools is available at http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/mle/news/schools2watch.htm. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Reminder of Annual AHERA Notifications to Employees and Parents: The federal Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) requires all schools to provide public notification regarding inspections and other activities related to asbestos. Schools must also make its asbestos management plan available for public inspection. For more information, go to http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/facplan/AHERA/aheranotifyreminder.htm. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VESID Update: National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS) and National Instructional Materials Access Center (NIMAC): Guidance regarding NIMAS and NIMAC, as required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, is now available at http://www.vesid.nysed.gov/specialed/publications/persprep/nimas.htm. NIMAC is designed to streamline access to instructional materials that meet the NIMAS standard for students who are blind or have other print disabilities. Please review and share as appropriate; a response is needed no later than November 30, 2006. Provision of Special Education Services to Parentally Placed Nonpublic Elementary and Secondary School Students with Disabilities: This memorandum, available at http://www.vesid.nysed.gov/specialed/publications/policy/ nonpublic.htm, informs school districts of their responsibilities to provide special education services to parentally placed nonpublic school students with disabilities for the 2006-07 school year. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Previous News and Notes: 10/27/06 10/20/06 10/6/06 11/09/2006
OSHA Investigating Dispute Over Asbestos Removal at New York City School
Date CapturedFriday November 10 2006, 3:16 AM
NY Times reports, "Last week, the New York State Labor Department, contacted by a lawyer for the custodian, cited the city Department of Education for violating laws on the safe removal of asbestos. It said the Education Department’s asbestos-handling license had expired before some of the tiles were replaced and that the supervisor was not certified to perform the work."
Making the Grade: Online Education in the United States, 2006
Date CapturedThursday November 09 2006, 8:46 AM
Study concludes: "Problem areas identified in previous years are still seen as areas of concern among academic leaders. • Only 4.6 percent of Chief Academic Officers agreed that there are no significant barriers to widespread adoption of online learning. • Nearly two-thirds of the academic leaders cite the need for more discipline on the part of online students as a critical barrier. • Faculty issues, both acceptance of online and the need for greater time and effort to teach online, are also important barriers. • Neither a perceived lack of demand on the part of potential students nor the acceptance of an online degree by potential employers was seen as a critical barrier." I. Elaine Allen, Ph.D., and Jeff Seaman, Ph.D., November 2006
First We Take Your Money, Then We Take Your Schools
Date CapturedThursday November 09 2006, 8:31 AM
Neal McCluskey, policy analyst at the Cato Institute's Center for Educational Freedom writes, "Regrettably, the reality is that George Bush has not been a good Federalist. When it comes to education, he has repeatedly flouted the Constitution and expanded the scope of federal power. If he continues to do so for the next two years, his legacy will not be what he had hoped."
Education Secretary Margaret Spellings, Assistant Secretary of State Dina Powell to Lead Delegation of U.S. University Presidents to Asia
Date CapturedThursday November 09 2006, 8:16 AM
This historic pairing of the U.S. government and higher education leaders follows from a commitment made at the U.S. University Presidents Summit on International Education co-hosted by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings in January 2006. The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs is organizing high level delegations of college and university presidents, each led by a senior U.S. Government official, to key world regions to promote the value of U.S. higher education overseas and engage in discussions on the future and importance of international education.
School sports equality: Ed. Dept. ruling shows progress
Date CapturedThursday November 09 2006, 8:08 AM
The Ithaca Journal opined, "While we can debate at length about what subjects should be taught in our schools, one thing is clear: Teaching our students at an early age about equality is an important lesson that will only help them accomplish great things in life. Ensuring that lesson is communicated on our athletic fields is a solid step for everyone."
LIVE VIDEO WEBCAST --SCHOOL SAFETY
Date CapturedThursday November 09 2006, 8:07 AM
LIVE VIDEO WEBCAST: Wednesday, November 15, 2006. Live broadcast from 1:00-2:00pm EASTERN TIME.School Safety In the wake of recent school shootings and the subsequent White House Conference on School Safety, the U.S. Department of Education will present a one-hour Web cast to provide parents, educators, school administrators and local safety personnel with an opportunity to review their emergency management plans. The Department's Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools will share successful strategies so that all who share the responsibility of protecting our children can learn more about how schools can help mitigate, prevent, prepare for, respond to and recover from a crisis. Join the broadcast to learn how to take positive steps to prevent school violence and respond quickly and effectively if an incident does occur. The Web cast will offer many opportunities for viewers to ask questions via email and get answers from the presenters.
State's top officials talk tax reform as deadline looms
Date CapturedThursday November 09 2006, 6:50 AM
AP Tom Hester Jr. reports, "The pleas came during a Statehouse news conference about a week after advocates for suburban schools beseeched lawmakers to implement a new funding plan that would likely take money from city schools and redistribute it. The state is required under Supreme Court order to provide heavy financial help to 31 city schools. Those districts get 55 percent of all state school aid, while most of the other 585 districts haven't seen any increase in financial aid in five years, forcing them to rely more on property taxes that are twice the national average in New Jersey. Lesley Hirsch, of the Education Law Center, which has advocated for poor children, said the state funding for poor schools has improved education for young children. 'Any new school funding law must strengthen, not diminish, this effort while giving disadvantaged students across the state the same educational opportunities,' Hirsch said."
Affirmative action is essential to education; end its erosion
Date CapturedThursday November 09 2006, 6:25 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle contributor Daan Braveman, president, Nazareth College writes, "Affirmative action is again under attack, this time in Michigan. Voters there approved a proposal banning affirmative action programs that give preferential treatment based on race, gender, color, ethnicity or national origin for public employment, education or contracting purposes. Michigan joins Washington and California in banning the use of affirmative action programs. Such success in Michigan is likely to spark similar efforts in other areas of the country."
Academics unite to protect New York state
Date CapturedThursday November 09 2006, 5:28 AM
Times Union reports, "Protect New York will sponsor panel topics such as the ethics of surveillance and the psychiatric aspects of disaster and organize reviews of current research priorities and educational offerings related to homeland security and disaster planning. The group will host a conference on lessons learned and future directions in the fight against terrorism and natural disasters in New York City in 2007."
SCHENECTADY schools look for repairs
Date CapturedThursday November 09 2006, 5:27 AM
Times Union reports, "Funding for the project would come partially from the 'EXpanding our Children's Education and Learning,' or EXCEL, program, which addresses school facility needs in New York. School officials say they have been earmarked for $7.6 million in EXCEL money. Additionally, the district also enjoys a generous reimbursement rate from the state for facility upgrades, Janiszewski said."
New York City student cell ban adds med waiver
Date CapturedThursday November 09 2006, 4:40 AM
NY Daily News reports, "Although a medical exemption to the controversial cell phone ban was already on the books, the Department of Education yesterday set up a formal process to apply for the waiver."
New York City school construction plan loses 7 buildings, 3,000 seats
Date CapturedThursday November 09 2006, 4:39 AM
NY Daily News reports, "'We looked at the demographics and don't need the extra 3,000 seats to alleviate overcrowding,' said Jeff Shear, Klein's chief of staff for finance and administration. Instead, Shear said, the Education Department will build permanent homes for some schools now located in rental buildings. With that construction, the total number of seats built will still be 66,000 - but only 63,000 will be new capacity."
More students turn to the Web for college classes
Date CapturedThursday November 09 2006, 3:55 AM
The Washington Times reports on a survey to be released today, "The Sloan survey results also suggest academic officials are becoming more comfortable with online learning. About 62 percent of chief academic officers said they felt students learned as well or better from online courses as they did in face-to-face ones. However, that left about 38 percent who found online courses degraded the educational experience. And almost all said they aren't certain online learning will be more widely adopted. Among the obstacles are that online courses take more time and effort to prepare, students need more self-discipline and faculty often aren't convinced online learning is worthwhile."
Educators Want to Turn Former All-White School Into Charter
Date CapturedWednesday November 08 2006, 1:06 PM
AP reports, "Two educators want to locate charter schools in the former all-white school in Topeka that led to the Brown versus Board of Education case."
NCLB education law punishes honesty
Date CapturedWednesday November 08 2006, 10:26 AM
The Bulletin (Idaho) reports, "Thus, if a school expels more than one student per 100 student body members for violent crimes and the like, it earns the 'dangerous' list. Jefferson County expelled a dozen kids out of 675 in the last school year, including three for possession of weapons other than guns. Like school districts across the state, the district headquartered in Madras has a zero-tolerance policy where violence and weapons are concerned. It's a good policy, too, if what you care about is student safety. It's less helpful when being used as a measure of educational quality under NCLB, for it's not the policy being used across the nation."
Kozol calls for education reform
Date CapturedWednesday November 08 2006, 9:02 AM
The Northern Light (Alaska) reports, "Kozol frequently urged teachers to teach students in ways that celebrated learning, life and love, and not to be 'drill instructors for the state.' He said that NCLB misses the point of what teaching is really about. 'You won’t find the words love, joy, spontaneity or compassion in NCLB – I’ve looked,' he said."
Forum seeks input on resolving conflicts between Pittsburgh charter, public schools
Date CapturedWednesday November 08 2006, 8:07 AM
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports, "School board members have said they're frustrated with charter schools, which they believe are held to lower standards than district schools. Charter schools say school districts don't like competition. Mr. Papale [A+ Schools' executive director] said the forum, one in a series the group has held about local education issues, will explore how charter schools are created and funded and whether there's a better system for regulating them."
Is big brother watching you?
Date CapturedWednesday November 08 2006, 8:01 AM
The Cavelier Daily reports, "You use your ID card to swipe into the dining hall or gym, and to unlock your dorm or office. You sign on to University computers and log into Webmail, ISIS or Toolkit. You use your Social Security number to check out library books and obtain financial aid. With the sheer volume of data a student produces in a single day, it begs the question: Can the University track your every move?"
LIU opens high-tech model classroom in Rockland
Date CapturedWednesday November 08 2006, 6:30 AM
The Journal News reports, "But Melody Hockley, an English as a second language teacher at Eldorado Elementary School in Chestnut Ridge, was more skeptical. She predicted a continuing disparity between what was available to teachers in their classrooms and what was available at LIU. The amenities and equipment in the room, she said, 'is more for the manufacturers to show off what they can do.' 'It looks nice and pretty," she said, 'but if there are budget problems, it's not getting into the classroom.'"
Gallaudet Trustees Chair Resigns
Date CapturedWednesday November 08 2006, 4:18 AM
The Washington Post reports, "The chair of the Gallaudet University board of trustees resigned last night, the day after Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) stepped down from the board because he disagreed with the decision to end the appointment of incoming president Jane K. Fernandes."
Institutional Policies and Practices Regarding Postsecondary Faculty: Fall 2003
Date CapturedTuesday November 07 2006, 12:32 PM
This NCES report describes recent hiring and retirement patterns as well as tenure-related changes and actions taken by public and private not-for-profit postsecondary institutions that offered an associate’s or higher degree in fall 2003 and participated in federal Title IV student aid programs. Nevill, S.C., and Bradburn, E.M. (2006). Institutional Policies and Practices Regarding Postsecondary Faculty: Fall 2003 (NCES 2007-157). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved November 7, 2006 from http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch.
Boost for migrant education
Date CapturedTuesday November 07 2006, 8:32 AM
Monterey Herald reports, "There are both home-based and school-based programs. The home program is structured to have teachers and aides work in the family's home. The school program has parents and children attending class together at one of 12 school districts in the county."
Forced cheer
Date CapturedTuesday November 07 2006, 8:13 AM
Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin opined, "Tier schools in past decades have addressed this issue [Title IX] by allowing groups of students to form sport-specific cheering squads instead of just one representing the school. The benefit of this approach is that it opens the door to allow even more students to be involved with cheerleading. Doesn't that capture the spirit of Title IX and make much more sense than this mandate from the Department of Education?"
Maryland court program brings truancy improvements
Date CapturedTuesday November 07 2006, 7:48 AM
The Daily Times reports, "In its third and possibly final year, the truancy reduction pilot program seeks to understand and intervene in the underlying issues that keep children from school, said Christen Niskey, program coordinator for the truancy court effort in Dorchester, Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester county public schools. The intervention strategies range from counseling to medical support services, she said."
Paterson Schools chief has plan to succeed and he's sticking to it
Date CapturedMonday November 06 2006, 11:04 AM
NorthJersey.com reports, "Since being appointed schools superintendent by the state Board of Education in July 2005, Glascoe has unveiled an aggressive vision that includes academic and administrative change: to enhance student achievement; to improve inadequate, and in some cases, crumbling school infrastructure; and to better engage the school district with the entire community."
Phys Ed Class More Effective When There's More Talking
Date CapturedMonday November 06 2006, 9:07 AM
Science Daily reports, "Researchers at Ohio State and Denison universities developed and tested the new program in which students at a rural Ohio high school learned how create a personalized exercise program. The students spent one gym class each week learning the skills necessary for planning a lifelong exercise program. Nearly half of the students said that they spent no time exercising outside of school prior to beginning the program. That number dropped to less than one in 10 students once the program ended."
New Jersey struggles to define an adequate education
Date CapturedMonday November 06 2006, 7:08 AM
Press of Atlantic City reports, "The state Department of Education last month estimated the base cost of educating a child at about $8,000 for K-8 students and $8,500 for those in high school. Keep in mind the base cost is like buying the base model of car. It will run, but it won't be as powerful or enjoyable as the higher-priced model. Advocates on all sides were appalled, saying districts already spend more than that and are struggling to maintain programs. The Education Law Center, which represents children in poor districts, came out with its own report last week showing that district base spending in 2004-05 was between $9,300 and $10,900."
Teachers aim for inclusion in school events
Date CapturedMonday November 06 2006, 5:25 AM
Poughkeepsie Journal reports, "Teachers shared their ideas about how to celebrate diversity during the Multicultural Education Conference on Friday at the State University of New York at New Paltz. The 12th annual conference was sponsored by the New Paltz college and a number of state and local educational organizations. A total of 275 teachers, administrators, students and community members from the mid-Hudson Valley attended the event, themed 'Opening Minds, Closing the Gap: Fostering Achievement and Equity for All.'"
Poor scores test parents' patience
Date CapturedMonday November 06 2006, 4:15 AM
NY Daily News reports, "Angered by the dismal state test scores of the city's eighth-graders, a coalition of 100 parents of middle school kids took its demands for action to elite Stuyvesant High School. The New York City chapter of Coalition for Educational Justice asked the city Education Department to create a task force and take other measures to address poor performance in middle schools."
College Sports Get a Warning
Date CapturedMonday November 06 2006, 3:28 AM
NY Times opined, "Only a handful of high-end college sports programs earn more than they spend. Among the rest, many struggle to balance their budgets and can do so only through subsidies from their universities. Sports budgets are growing two to three times faster than higher education as a whole. The N.C.A.A. report calls on college presidents and administrators to rein in the campus sports machines and dial back spending. But the facts suggest that many college administrations have been outflanked by athletic departments that are deeply invested in the bad old ways. If that doesn’t change, the N.C.A.A. can expect more scrutiny from Congress."
The Progress of Black Student Enrollments at the Nation’s Highest-Ranked Colleges and Universities
Date CapturedSunday November 05 2006, 1:33 PM
The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education writes, "For the fourteenth consecutive year, JBHE publishes its survey of the percentages of black first-year students at the nation’s highest-ranked universities and liberal arts colleges. This year, for the sixth time in the last eight years, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill leads the other universities in the percentage of black students in its first-year class. The Ivy League schools did well with Columbia leading the group. Among the nation’s highest-ranked liberal arts institutions, there is a new leader. This year, Swarthmore College in suburban Philadelphia has the largest percentage of black students in its entering class."
The Writing Section? Relax
Date CapturedSunday November 05 2006, 8:02 AM
NY Times contributor Nancy Hass, contributing editor at Conde Nast Portfolio writes on SAT exams, "Despite its perceived shortcomings, some administrators, even those not willing to embrace it fully, believe it has long-term value. 'We are supportive of the College Board creating it, because we think it sends a good message,' says Mr. Furstenberg [dean of admissions at Dartmouth] . 'It communicates to high school teachers and students that writing is important and is looked at carefully.' Even if, it seems, it’s not."
No Joke, the Troops Did Their Homework
Date CapturedSunday November 05 2006, 7:55 AM
NY Times reports, "About 97 percent of the 1.4 million Americans serving in the active duty Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines have graduated from high school or the equivalent, according to Pentagon figures. That compares with 85 percent of all adults 25 years or older who reported they had completed at least high school, according to a 2005 survey by the Census Bureau. Roughly 17 percent of the active duty members of the military have a bachelor’s or graduate degree, the Pentagon figures show, while in the nation as a whole, 28 percent of adults reported they had at least a bachelor’s degree."
California Schools to Fingerprint Students
Date CapturedSunday November 05 2006, 7:45 AM
AP reports, "The scan will call up the student's name and student ID, teacher's name and how much the student owes, since some receive government assistance for food. It is meant to speed up cafeteria lines."
New York City kids deserve more same-sex schools
Date CapturedSunday November 05 2006, 7:05 AM
NY Daily News contributors Joel Klein (NYC schools chancellor) and Dennis Walcott (deputy mayor for Education and Community Development) write, "Creating good educational choices is another powerful reason for supporting single-sex schools. We believe New Yorkers should be able to select from a wide array of high-quality public schools: large high schools and small high schools, schools focused on the performing arts and schools focused on business, charter schools and traditional public schools. Single-sex schools ought to be part of that mix."
Private schools wary of vouchers
Date CapturedSaturday November 04 2006, 1:43 PM
The Greenville news reports, "McCreary [director of research, evaluation, accountability and testing for Greenville County school district] says the simple fact that parents have chosen to pay for private school education is a statistically significant indicator of academic achievement. 'If you have the means to afford a private education, then normally things at home are different than they are with some public school students,' he said. 'When parents choose, they're usually more involved in their children's education,' he said. 'There's more reading, more books, more opportunities for learning at home.' There's no reason why people of disadvantaged backgrounds shouldn't be able to avail themselves of the opportunity to choose, however, said Thomas Simuel, president and CEO of the South Carolina Center for Grassroots and Community Alternatives, a school-choice group focusing on low-income black communities. 'I totally disagree with the assessment that vouchers would rob public schools,' Simuel said. 'I think public schools are already robbing from too many children who aren't cutting it in the public education system.' His group is holding 'town meetings' across the state to encourage parents in black communities to seek school choices, whether with publicly funded magnet or charter schools, or in home schools or virtual schools, or religious and secular private schools."
Feds say New York misdirected $118 million in reading grants
Date CapturedSaturday November 04 2006, 8:05 AM
AP Michael Gormley reports, "The state Education Department was wrong to direct $118 million in federal grants to New York's neediest schools because the money for reading programs was supposed to be broadly applied, according a federal audit issued Friday. The state Education Department 'inappropriately awarded approximately $118 million in Reading First subgrants, of which the nine (school districts) had drawn down approximately $70 million,' according to the audit by the federal Inspector General's Office. Those nine school districts received money intended for other school districts, according to the audit."
Neediest schools to get helping hand
Date CapturedSaturday November 04 2006, 7:49 AM
Philapdelphia Inquirer reports, "Some Philadelphia teachers may be able to earn extra money for helping boost student achievement at schools in low-income neighborhoods under a $20.5 million federal grant announced yesterday. Part of the grant would be used to set up an experimental merit-pay program, which the Bush administration favors but unions generally oppose. The school district and its teachers' and principals' unions have now agreed to develop a pilot plan that will use the funds to reward educators at 20 struggling elementary schools who help students succeed."
Chancellor Cites Favoritism at a New York School
Date CapturedSaturday November 04 2006, 7:31 AM
NY Times ELISSA GOOTMAN reports, "Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein said the school’s practices were a 'stark and different' example of the kind of favoritism that he has been trying to eliminate from the city’s array of coveted schools and gifted programs. Officials say an examination of the school’s most recent kindergarten admissions documents shows that school officials were looking not only at students’ performance, but also at how involved their parents were likely to be."
Athletes Get New Pitch: Check Out Tutoring Center
Date CapturedSaturday November 04 2006, 7:22 AM
NY Times reports, "All of the nation’s more than 100 major college athletic departments employ some type of academic support program. So do some Ivy League colleges and other smaller institutions. The National Collegiate Athletic Association said Division I athletic departments spend at least $150 million annually on such programs."
Hudson Valley Community College will host conference on renewable energy work force education in Troy, N.Y., Nov. 8-9
Date CapturedFriday November 03 2006, 8:44 PM
The Business Review (Albany) reports, "The event is designed to give faculty at technical high schools, community colleges and training programs a chance to learn the best practices and effective approaches to teaching people working in the renewable energy industry."
Secretary Spellings Delivered Remarks at National Postsecondary Education Cooperative Symposium on Student Success in Washington, D.C.
Date CapturedFriday November 03 2006, 12:36 PM
PRESS RELEASE: You can find plenty of rankings and college guides, but you're out of luck if you want to find an answer to the question that matters most: How much are students learning? A recent report showed that instead of gauging student success, the most popular college rankings are "almost entirely a function of three factors: fame, wealth, and exclusivity." That's certainly of little or no help to the 2 million lower income students who will not be able to attend college this year because they can't afford it... or to millions more who are discouraged by skyrocketing sticker prices that often don't reflect the actual cost of attendance. The lack of data also hurts institutions.
Discussion of Innovative Approaches to Teaching English Opens Urban Education Series Sponsored by Warner School
Date CapturedFriday November 03 2006, 10:03 AM
Miriam Ehtesham and Henry Padron, two bilingual teachers in the Rochester City School District (RCSD), will describe original approaches to teaching students who are immigrants and refugees at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 8, in the Gowen Room of Wilson Commons on the University of Rochester's River Campus.
Help Negotiating Needs For Special-Ed Students
Date CapturedFriday November 03 2006, 9:16 AM
Washington Post reports, "Five school systems are testing a new state program designed to help parents and educators avoid the conflict that sometimes makes it difficult to develop education plans for students with special needs. The process of drafting an individual education program, or IEP -- a blueprint for what services and support a special education student needs to be successful -- often is contentious. Parents and educators sometimes disagree about what services a student needs."
Group protests Title IX
Date CapturedFriday November 03 2006, 8:03 AM
Washington Times reports, "About 100 student-athletes rallied in front of the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Education yesterday to demand reforms to Title IX, the oft-debated law that calls for gender-equity in college sports."
Author of No Child Left Behind defends its impact
Date CapturedFriday November 03 2006, 7:46 AM
The Brownsville Herald reports, "Kress, the author of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, points to 13 years of progress since the accountability system was built into the education system and a handful of other statistics to prove his point."
ROTC debate heats up at Plattsburgh State
Date CapturedFriday November 03 2006, 7:43 AM
Press-Republican reports, "Those who support establishing a Reserve Officer's Training Corps program at the college largely argued that students should be afforded such a choice, no matter the personal feelings of various faculty members and students. Those against ROTC are largely opposed to forming a partnership with the military that could be construed as supporting America's current foreign policy, especially when it is with an organization they perceive as prejudiced against certain groups and one that trains people to kill."
A School-Bus Stop for 40,000 City Kids
Date CapturedFriday November 03 2006, 5:24 AM
NY Post David Andreatta writes, "'We want to spend money on schools rather than on buses that kids aren't taking, while also ensuring that every child who wants and is eligible for busing gets it,' said DOE spokesman David Cantor. 'This plan will achieve that.' Cantor noted that the department has made 16 attempts since June to notify parents of the new bus-registration requirement through letters sent home with kids, reminder e-mails to principals and press releases. The plan affects only general-education students, not special-ed kids."
Test scores under investigation at New York City high school
Date CapturedFriday November 03 2006, 3:45 AM
AP reports, "City and state education officials are investigating claims that a high school tampered with students' scores on key state tests. Teachers at Susan E. Wagner High School in Staten Island say administrators pushed to raise some students' scores on Regents science, English and history exams last June, teachers' union spokesman Stuart Marques said Thursday."
Teachers' special-ed input sought
Date CapturedThursday November 02 2006, 9:42 AM
Buffalo News reports, "The effort to reform Buffalo's special-education system will involve input from teachers, School Superintendent James A. Williams said at Wednesday evening's Board of Education meeting. 'We will call on you to work with us,' Williams said of district staff members. 'It will not work unless we have input from the teachers.'"
Improving our schools calls for collaboration
Date CapturedThursday November 02 2006, 9:03 AM
Times Union contributor LINDA HILLMAN, President, Rensselaer County Regional Chamber of Commerce in a letter to the editor writes, "Good decision-making does not happen in a vacuum. The community, including the business community, must join the dialogue on how to support the best possible education for our children, a critical factor in successful economic development initiatives."
I-A: Move would fix Title IX compliance
Date CapturedThursday November 02 2006, 8:58 AM
College Heights Herald reports, "An Office for Civil Rights audit revealed that Western is spending too much athletic aid on female athletes. Administrators said the problem stems from having more male athletes than female athletes who don't receive financial aid."
Youth center cited again
Date CapturedThursday November 02 2006, 7:53 AM
Times Union reports, "Berkshire Farm residential center, the target of a 2005 investigation into staff beatings, sex abuse and drug dealing, is back under a microscope after an inspection found youngsters were allowed to fight each other and that their adult supervisors sometimes didn't show up for work. Among other things, the August review by the state Office of Children and Family Services found a 'five minute rule' in effect -- under which young boys were allowed five minutes to beat each other up before an adult intervened."
Ithaca City Schools enlists NYU in quest for equity
Date CapturedThursday November 02 2006, 7:51 AM
Ithaca Journal reports, "The Ithaca City School District is receiving help from a New York University program to help the district better serve all of its students. The Equity Assistance Center at New York University's Metro Center is a program aimed at reducing disparities in education."
Web conference to address state of Internet laws
Date CapturedThursday November 02 2006, 7:45 AM
The Daily Orange reports, "The Syracuse University community will have the opportunity to witness a global discussion of Internet governance, which concerns creating internationally-accepted laws for the Internet, today from 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m. in Eggers Hall. The event is a live broadcast of a Web conference in the Maxwell Global Collaboratory. Participating in the conference are representatives from two larger conferences in progress, one in Greece and the other in Grenada, and from the Internet Corporation for Assigning Names and Numbers. The broadcast, which is hosted by the School of Information Studies' Collaboratory on Technology Enhanced Learning Communities, is open to the public."
U.S. President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll Includes SUNY Cortland
Date CapturedThursday November 02 2006, 7:12 AM
SUNY Cortland News reports, "The honor roll responds to President George W. Bush’s call to service by building on and supporting the civic engagement mission of the nation’s colleges and universities. 'Institutions of higher education have a long tradition of service to their communities,' said David Eisner, chief executive officer of the Corporation for National and Community Service. 'When colleges organize effective community service programs, they do so not only to meet the needs of the communities that surround them, but to improve the academic and civic lives of their students, faculty and staff.'"
Scores of Men and Women Athletes from Eliminated Teams Join Together for Largest Title IX Reform Rally
Date CapturedThursday November 02 2006, 7:06 AM
National Review Online reports, "Scores of student-athletes that have recently lost their teams because of Title IX enforcement will be holding a rally and press conference in front of the Department of Education on Thursday, November 2 to demand immediate reforms to save college sports. In what will be the largest protest ever for Title IX reform, athletes from dozens of sports and a host of schools will be speaking out, supported by coaches, parents and advocacy groups."
Air Force grants Binghamton U professor $300K
Date CapturedThursday November 02 2006, 6:21 AM
Press & Sun-Bulletin reports, "Craver [professor] plans to use the Air Force funding to develop an automated process to break digital watermarks, in which information is secretly embedded in a file. Watermarks can be used to provide proof of ownership or as copy protection devices. Craver's research will be relevant to any security system that relies on a detection algorithm, including face-recognition and thumbprint recognition systems, university officials said."
Hudson Valley Community College dental hygiene program gets funds
Date CapturedThursday November 02 2006, 5:06 AM
Times Union reports, "The only program of its kind within a 100-mile radius and one of only nine programs in the state, Hudson Valley's dental hygiene program is the college's most expensive offering: it costs $44,100 to educate one dental hygiene student during the course of the two-year program, while the college receives $15,900 in tuition and government revenue."
Group of University Researchers to Make Web Science a Field of Study
Date CapturedThursday November 02 2006, 3:31 AM
NY Times reports, "Web science is related to another emerging interdisciplinary field called services science. This is the study of how to use computing, collaborative networks and knowledge in disciplines ranging from economics to anthropology to lift productivity and develop new products in the services sector, which represents about three-fourths of the United States economy."
Differentiated Curriculum Enhancement in Inclusive Middle School Science: Effects on Classroom and High-Stakes Tests
Date CapturedWednesday November 01 2006, 3:16 PM
By Mastropieri, Margo A; Scruggs, Thomas E; Norland, Jennifer J; Berkeley, Sheri; Et al. Researchers find, "The present investigation supports the effectiveness of using differentiated learning activities with peer partners in middle school inclusive science classes, not only on content posttests, but also on high-stakes end-of-year tests. When using peermediation combined with differentiated science activities, students appear to learn more content than when taught more traditionally, without peer- mediated learning activities."
School Administrators Fight Spending Initiatives
Date CapturedWednesday November 01 2006, 3:10 PM
NPR Larry Abramson reports, "Supporters of a voter initiative on the ballot in several states say they know how to boost education funding without borrowing money or raising taxes. They say the answer is to mandate that at least 65 percent of all education funding goes to the classroom."
Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2003 Nonresponse Bias Analysis
Date CapturedWednesday November 01 2006, 11:47 AM
This NCES technical report explores the extent of potential bias introduced into the U.S. TIMSS study through nonresponse on the part of schools. Data from the third cycle of TIMSS, conducted in April-June, 2003, are the basis for the analyses.The investigation into nonresponse bias at the school level for U.S. TIMSS 2003 samples for grades 4 and 8 shows that there was no statistically significant relationship detected between participation status and the majority of school characteristics that are available for analysis. Ferraro, D., and Van de Kerckhove, W. (2006). Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2003 Nonresponse Bias Analysis (NCES 2007-044). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved November 1, 2006 from http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch.
422 would repeal Nebraska Class I schools consolidation
Date CapturedWednesday November 01 2006, 9:40 AM
Daily Nebraskan reports, "Referendum 422 supporters say forced consolidation renders small communities incapable of having accessible schools that are sensitive to a rural community's needs. But perhaps the opposition's biggest concern is focused on the idea that LB126 has eliminated the ability of rural communities to dictate how its community education should operate."
Panel to discuss equality in sports
Date CapturedWednesday November 01 2006, 7:42 AM
Ithaca Journal reports, "Experts from across the country will gather Thursday [Nov. 2] at Ithaca College to discuss gender and sexual orientation discrimination in sports."
Speaker: Autism not epidemic
Date CapturedWednesday November 01 2006, 7:14 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports, "Classification of autism spectrum disorders became more specific in 1992, 1994 and 2000. Also, the federal government made autism a developmental disability eligible for special-education services in the early 1990s. Nevertheless, Yeargin-Allsopp [specialist in pediatric neurodevelopmental disabilities] said, 'we cannot say this represents an epidemic.'"
New York State Education Department PARENT and FAMILY PARTNERSHIPS
Date CapturedTuesday October 31 2006, 5:12 PM
NYSED: Please share your perspective on these Key Questions. Thank you for your thoughtful contribution to informing the Board of Regents and the State Education Department and to improving family partnerships throughout the state of New York.
Where Are They Now? A Description of 1992-93 Bachelor's Degree Recipients 10 Years Later
Date CapturedTuesday October 31 2006, 1:18 PM
This NCES overview addresses the following questions: • How much education beyond a bachelor’s degree had 1992–93 graduates completed by 2003? • What were graduates’ patterns of labor force participation in 2003? • How satisfied were they with their college education, and how did they evaluate it 10 years later? • What percentage of cohort members in 2003 were married or had children? • What was their level of civic participation 10 years after college? Bradburn, E.M., Nevill, S., and Cataldi, E.F. (2006). Where Are They Now? A Description of 1992–93 Bachelor’s Degree Recipients 10 Years Later (NCES 2007–159). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
Abstinence education may expand to 20-year-olds
Date CapturedTuesday October 31 2006, 8:59 AM
AP reports, "The guidelines for this year’s $50 million program, known as Title V, include new wording about the populations that are the focus of the abstinence education. The age range cited is 12 through 29 years old."
Professors' association says female faculty continue to face inequality
Date CapturedTuesday October 31 2006, 8:15 AM
The Daily Texan reports, "The American Association of University Professors released a report Thursday condemning the gender inequality faced by women in higher education institutions, especially in doctoral universities. According to the report, female faculty are underrepresented and underpaid compared to their male colleagues."
Arizona Statue University campus could house nonstudents
Date CapturedTuesday October 31 2006, 7:29 AM
ASU Web Devil reports, "While the American Campus Communities private development is expected to house mostly upperclassmen and graduate students, ACC may open the residence to nonstudents if the building is not fully occupied."
Washington state special-ed financing goes before court
Date CapturedTuesday October 31 2006, 7:25 AM
Seattle Times reports, "The lawsuit was filed two years ago and is just now coming to trial. Twelve districts formed the School Districts' Alliance and headed to the courthouse after talks with the Legislature failed to produce adequate progress, said Spokane School District Superintendent Brian Benzel. The challenge has been supported by 72 other districts, collectively serving 62 percent of the state's children in special education."
Supporters of Rochester students honored
Date CapturedTuesday October 31 2006, 6:24 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports, "The Rochester Education Foundation plans to honor partners of city school students at its first annual Partnerships Award dinner. Walter Cooper, Judge Michael Telesca, Lawyers for Learning and Xerox Corp. will be honored for their support of city school students Wednesday at the Riverside Convention Center."
New York City Education Bigs Eye 'Rebel' Parents
Date CapturedTuesday October 31 2006, 5:42 AM
NY Post David Andreatta reports, "A department spokeswoman said auditors had been trying to review the group's books for weeks, since the principal complained the organization had not filed paperwork with her detailing its fund-raising."
Presidential Task Force Calls for Moderation of Budget Growth Rate, Integrating Athletics Within Academics
Date CapturedMonday October 30 2006, 6:12 PM
NCAA PRESS RELEASE: Karen Holbrook, president at Ohio State University and chair of the Task Force’s subcommittee on student-athlete well-being, stressed that athletics is an integral part of higher education. “No university can afford to maintain an athletics program that is not fully integrated into the academic life of the institution,” Holbrook said. “While most of the sports do not have a high profile or big budget and do not attract large crowds, they all provide an opportunity for students to demonstrate skills and learn discipline that help them succeed both in the classroom and in life.”
The Second-Century Imperatives — Presidential Leadership and Institutional Accountability,”
Date CapturedMonday October 30 2006, 5:55 PM
NCAA REPORT FROM THE PRESIDENTIAL TASK FORCE ON THE FUTURE OF DIVISION I INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS: "The Task Force has developed a series of 'dashboard indicators' that can be customized for each campus and that will allow comparisons with specific peer groups. The indicators will show where each program is compared to the norm.The goal is to moderate the growth of athletics budgets. How this is done will vary from campus to campus, but that it must be done on most campuses is the consensus analysis of the Task Force. The reality for effective reform of spending and revenue-generating behaviors for college sports is this: Each college and university must hold itself accountable for exercising its independent will as an institution of higher education. And it will do that best through well-informed, value-driven presidential leadership."
NCAA calls on schools to control sports spending
Date CapturedMonday October 30 2006, 5:50 PM
Indystar.com reports, " More than 50 school presidents worked 18 months on the report. The report reiterates a concern NCAA president Myles Brand has sounded since last year -- that a financial crisis looms because the rate of growth in spending on sports has been higher than that of the university as a whole." (READ FULL REPORT ON EDUCATION NEW YORK ONLINE)
Idaho education initiative causes confusion, debate in Idaho (KTVB Boise)
Date CapturedMonday October 30 2006, 5:12 PM
KTVC.com reports, "Organizers of the Invest in our Kids' Education campaign say they're leaving the decision of where to find the additional $219 million annually for the Idaho Legislature to decide."
Nevada Poll: Question 1; Education First Amendment
Date CapturedMonday October 30 2006, 4:15 PM
KRNV.com reports, "Question 1, known as the Education First Amendment, would require the Nevada Legislature to fund the public education system of the state before any other spending bills are passed."
Students In Vocational Education Classes With Enhanced Math Perform Better On Tests
Date CapturedMonday October 30 2006, 8:31 AM
Science Daily reports, "In the researchers' model for improving math skills, they simply emphasized the math already within the curriculum. Teachers worked to make math more explicit in a meaningful context. That means that the math usually found in textbooks is applied in real-life situations in their CTE classes. For example, in a building trades class, they will use the Pythagorean theorem as they construct a building. A key to the enhanced math success involved teacher professional development workshops and the partnering of CTE teachers and math teachers to create their own enhanced lessons."
Symbol of hope
Date CapturedMonday October 30 2006, 7:56 AM
Philadelphia Inquirer reports, "To upgrade instruction, she [Adderly, a hands-on principal] tapped two of the school's best teachers to be math and literacy leaders and to coach other teachers. Every day, the coaches and Adderly work with teachers from a different grade and brainstorm how to help struggling students. Because many students also come to school with family, emotional and behavioral problems, Adderly set up three meetings a week to deal with them. For those meetings, Adderly introduced videotaping to capture students' classroom behavior. The tapes are shown when counselors, parents and teachers meet to devise plans to help."
At Gallaudet, Trustees Relent on Leadership
Date CapturedSunday October 29 2006, 11:52 PM
NY Times DIANA JEAN SCHEMO writes, "Surrendering to months of widening and unrelenting protests by students, faculty, alumni and advocates, the board of trustees of Gallaudet University, the nation’s premier university for the deaf, abandoned its choice of the institution’s next president."
Income tax is Ohio local schools' new funding solution
Date CapturedSunday October 29 2006, 9:30 PM
Dayton Daily News reports, "Districts are trading in one tax base for a better one," said Howard Fleeter, a former Ohio State University professor who has studied the state's funding of education for nearly 20 years. Four times, the state Supreme Court has ruled unconstitutional the state's reliance on property taxes to fund public education. The legislature has given districts some funding options."
Parents bear heightened fears for safety at schools
Date CapturedSunday October 29 2006, 9:25 PM
NorthJersey.com reports, "Based on Gallup data from 2003 to 2006, parents with the least education were the most likely to say they were worried about their children's safety at school: 41 percent of parents with a high-school education or less said they were fearful; 20 percent of parents with some college and just 12 percent of college graduates said the same. Parental worry didn't vary significantly between mothers and fathers, nor did community -- urban, suburban or rural -- appear to affect it."
Minority enrollment in college still lagging
Date CapturedSunday October 29 2006, 9:05 PM
USA TODAY reports, "Minority enrollments rose by 50.7% to 4.7 million between 1993 and 2003, while the number of white students increased 3.4%, to 10.5 million, the report says. White high school graduates are more likely than black or Hispanic peers to enroll in college. The report says 47.3% of white high school graduates ages 18 to 24 attend college, vs. 41.1% of black and 35.2% of Hispanic high school graduates. Among students who entered college in 1995-96, 36.4% of blacks and 42% of Hispanics earned a bachelor's degree within six years, vs. 58% of whites and 62.3% of Asian-Americans."
Parental involvement key to a child's school success
Date CapturedSunday October 29 2006, 8:49 PM
Bay News 9 reports, "School district [Polk County, Florida] officials said classroom teaching is not enough. Parents are an integral part of the education process. So, the school board just approved nearly $250,000 in funding to hire outreach facilitators. Their job will be to talk to parents about homework, testing and truancy."
Are Single-Sex Classrooms Legal?
Date CapturedSunday October 29 2006, 7:46 AM
U.S.News & World Report writes, "But on October 24, the Department of Education announced new Title IX regulations based on the guidelines of a No Child Left Behind amendment. Old regulations allowed for same-gender classes only in rare cases like physical education and human sexuality classes. But lawmakers in 2001 wanted to make those rules more flexible, and so the new ones expand that option to any class or school that can prove gender separation leads to improved student achievement. The change could lead to a wave of single-sex classrooms and even schools in public systems across the country. But it will also likely lead to legal challenges."
Yonkers parents split on school uniform policy
Date CapturedSunday October 29 2006, 7:35 AM
The Journal News reports, "Close to 5,400 parents responded, representing more than 25 percent of the district's student households. 'We want to look at the data, and we wanted a broad look,' Martinez [Board of Education Vice President] said. 'We didn't want to just listen to a few parents who were able to come to a meeting. We wanted to give parents an opportunity to respond to the question.'"
Proposal 5: Investing in future, or bankrupting Michigan?
Date CapturedSunday October 29 2006, 7:31 AM
AP reports, "Supporters of a ballot measure that would establish mandatory school funding levels say it would force the state to adequately fund education, which would create a better-educated work force and provide a boost to Michigan's ailing economy. Opponents of Proposal 5 say it would mostly benefit retiring teachers by shoring up pensions while softening incentives to improve pupil performance and siphoning off funding for other state services."
Title IX enforcement hits James Madison hard
Date CapturedSunday October 29 2006, 7:25 AM
The Washington Times reports, "There is no dispute Title IX has closed large gender gaps for women in academics. According to one study, 9 percent of medical degrees in 1972 were earned by women and 38 percent in 1994. With law degrees, the numbers went from 7 percent to 43 percent. It also can be said that Title IX has caused the most turmoil in athletics -- college, high school, secondary and elementary education. Title IX requires proportional participation opportunities. The percentage of female athletes in the athletic program needs to match the percentage of women in a school's student body. The only defense to failing to have the mandated number of participants is for a school to demonstrate it is gradually adding women's sports over time to try to expand participation or that it already has accommodated the interest and ability of all women. While enforcement has been getting stricter in the past decade, the fallout from Title IX has become bigger and bigger."
U.S. colleges must start dialogues on reason, faith
Date CapturedSunday October 29 2006, 7:14 AM
Rev. John I. Jenkins, president of the University of Notre Dame and Thomas Burish, university's provost wrote this article for the Los Angeles Times and printed in the Times Union, "It's time for universities to explore the reasoning that is possible within a tradition of faith, and to help their students appreciate this possibility and the rich resources in great religious traditions. Such efforts would enhance the ability of those with faith to engage in thoughtful, reasoned and self-critical spiritual reflection."
Funding Arts In Education Workshop: November 15th, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Date CapturedSunday October 29 2006, 6:06 AM
Westchester.com reports, "On November 15th, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., classroom teachers, school representatives and administrators will have the opportunity to come together to brainstorm creative ways to keep the funds flowing for enhanced arts education in their schools. The Funding Initiative will feature pointers on how to secure funding for arts in education programs, and offer participants a chance to meet representatives from key funding sources such as the New York State Council on the Arts and the Empire State Partnership. This funding info-fest, hosted by the Westchester Arts Council, takes place at the Arts Exchange, 31 Mamaroneck Avenue in downtown White Plains. For more information, please contact Katie Guilbeau at (914) 428-4220 x333."
Regents Propose State Aid Hike
Date CapturedSunday October 29 2006, 5:55 AM
Post-Journal reports, "Historically, four aids in particular have experienced significant increases as schools report their expenditures: building, transportation, public excess cost for special education and BOCES aids. As a result, the Regents eventual recommendation may vary by as much as $200 million. An update will be available in December. 'Student achievement has been improving, but we have far to go,’' said Robert M. Bennett, regents chancellor. 'To accelerate this progress, we must invest the funds our neediest children deserve so they can all get a good education. The Regents are urging full access to pre-kindergarten for all 4-year-olds. Our total state aid proposal offers a fair and sustainable solution to one of New York’s most critical issues.'’’
COLUMBIA: A DUBIOUS NEIGHBOR
Date CapturedSaturday October 28 2006, 8:24 AM
NY Post opined, "More than three weeks have passed since Columbia University hosted one of the most brazen attacks on free speech and academic freedom in recent memory. Since then, not a word of apology has been offered to those whose rights were trampled, nor an ounce of punishment meted out to the offenders. The only thing, in fact, that Columbia's administrators have done is to assure students, alumni, faculty and others who care deeply about the university that an 'investigation' is under way. But with weeks gone by and a public relations office deflecting calls on the matter, it's starting to look like the term 'investigation' may be a euphemism for 'cover-up.'"
NYSUT calls for federal relief for new English learners
Date CapturedSaturday October 28 2006, 8:07 AM
New York Teacher reports, "The union [NYSUT] believes the new testing would be a violation of the 1974 landmark civil rights Supreme Court decision Lau v. Nichols. 'It is our opinion that using the same ELA tests designed for, validated and normed on English-proficient students to measure the ELA performance of their ELL peers is to blatantly deny them the civil rights protected under this decision,' Neira [NYSUT Vice President and UFT representative] said. 'It is our opinion that in the United States using the same test is not equal treatment for our ELL students.'"
Columbia Teachers College Alumnus is Project Director For New Columbia High School
Date CapturedSaturday October 28 2006, 8:02 AM
Columbia Teachers College writes, "Maldonado-Rivera's appointment was jointly announced today by Columbia University President Lee C. Bollinger and New York City Department of Education Chancellor Joel Klein The new school, which will be operated by the New York City Department of Education in close collaboration with Columbia University, will be initially located in a transitional space and will accept students in the sixth grade, eventually serving approximately 650 students from grades six through 12 in a new building in Manhattanville."
Teen-drinking epidemic definitely crosses line
Date CapturedSaturday October 28 2006, 7:56 AM
Troy Record opined on teen drinking and school imposed consequences and plans to deal with the problem, "We are glad that teens who engage in such activity will have to face these tougher consequences. More school districts should take a cue from Averill Park. At the same time, parents everywhere need to be more vigilant and must hold their children accountable for their actions. Teachers and schools are not substitutes for a solid foundation of values taught at home. Children - even today's 'worldly' teenagers - want to know where the line is drawn. It is up to parents to make their children understand what will happen should they cross that line."
Obstacles likely too great for lofty education plan
Date CapturedSaturday October 28 2006, 7:41 AM
Rocky Mountain News contributor Linda Seebach, former teacher and long-time editor and columnist writes on "cliched" report, "Is it 'unconscionable' that only one in 10 African-American or Hispanic students earns a postgraduate degree? Maybe; it depends on why. It's not unconscionable that women earn only a small minority of degrees in math or engineering if it is their free choice to enter law or medicine instead. I wish these earnest people all the luck in the world with their ambitious goals. I just don't think they have much chance of achieving them."
Atlanta, Georgia schools move to gender divide
Date CapturedFriday October 27 2006, 4:53 PM
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports, "Atlanta forged ahead before the rules came down from the federal government because officials were confident their schools would pass legal muster, Barnes [Atlanta schools administrator overseeing single-gender schools] said. 'We're being careful in the planning process to make sure both schools provide an equitable education," he said. "We were never concerned that we would face a legal challenge.' Parents who oppose the idea will be offered transfers to other schools. But so far, officials say parents have been overwhelmingly supportive, saying they think their kids will have fewer distractions. The plan has other supporters as well. More than 160 educators have applied for each of the principal positions."
Rhinebeck school trustee wants accounting of field trips
Date CapturedFriday October 27 2006, 9:03 AM
Daily Freeman reports, "Trustees are concerned that under new state Education Department requirements, there is no way to account for use of the funds. New controls over fiscal paper trails and use of equipment have been developed in response to the state Comptroller's Office's 2004 audit of the Roslyn Union Free School District in Nassau County, which found $11.2 million in district funds were used by school employees, their friends and families for personal benefit. 'I think the primary problem ... is transparency,' Burns [trustee] said. 'It's not how much is raised, but where it goes, precisely, hasn't been made quite clear.'"
Campus to discuss ROTC chapter at Plattsburgh State
Date CapturedFriday October 27 2006, 8:58 AM
Press Republican reports, "The campus community will gather Nov. 2 to discuss the future of a proposed Reserve Officers Training Corps at Plattsburgh State. The meeting is open only to students and college employees, which has some faculty and community members upset. The media will be allowed to attend the meeting, however, and faculty members concerned about the openness of the matter are hopeful a future meeting will be held that the public can attend. 'Not allowing any outside guests will ensure the most open conversation,' Presiding Faculty Officer Dr. Douglas Skopp said in explaining his decision."
The Promise of Single-Sex Schools
Date CapturedFriday October 27 2006, 8:53 AM
WSJ Opinion Journal writes, "Inspired by evidence that some children learn better in sex-specific classrooms, more than 240 public and charter schools around the country have begun offering single-sex education (although not all provide it for every course). Most significantly, the typical student is from a low-income, minority family. Parents compete fiercely, often by lottery, for the chance to give their kids the kind of learning environment that wealthier parents regularly pay for at all those single-sex private schools."
FIRST 5 CALIFORNIA
Date CapturedThursday October 26 2006, 8:03 PM
Research shows that a child’s brain develops most dramatically in the first five years and what parents and caregivers do during these years to support their child’s growth will have a meaningful impact throughout life. Based on this research, First 5 California, also known as the California Children and Families Commission, was established after voters passed Proposition 10 in November 1998, adding a 50 cents-per-pack tax on cigarettes to fund education, health, child care and other programs for expectant parents and children up to age 5.
SUNY chancellor promotes alcohol awareness
Date CapturedThursday October 26 2006, 12:30 PM
John R. Ryan, Chancellor, State University of New York writes about alcohol awareness programs at SUNY, "In each program, students answer questions about their individual drinking habits and general background, allowing the courses to be developed around each student’s personal risk profile. This interactive approach engages student interest more than other prevention strategies that are designed to treat larger, more generic groups."
School system problems
Date CapturedThursday October 26 2006, 11:19 AM
Burlington Free Press contributor ROBERT MAYNARD, a member of Freedom Works Vermont opined on universal pre-k, "If a decentralized and flexible approach puts our children at an advantage in early education, why not apply that approach to our current K-12 system? Perhaps we should put parents back in control of their own children’s education and put an end to the government monopoly over education."
Ohio Supreme Court again does disservice to public education
Date CapturedThursday October 26 2006, 10:32 AM
The Morning Journal opined, "The Supreme Court's first disservice came when the court failed to enforce its DeRolph ruling that ordered state officials to replace Ohio's system of funding public education. The current system, the court ruled, was unconstitutional because its over-reliance on local property taxes put less-wealthy school districts at a disadvantage. Now, the charter school ruling preserves a fast-growing drain of taxpayer dollars away from public school systems."
Ithaca Central Schools consider security upgrades: Key card access, cameras may be part of project
Date CapturedThursday October 26 2006, 7:29 AM
Ithaca Journal reports, "Security upgrades costing an estimated $500,000, including a combination of cameras and a key card access system, could be part of an Ithaca City School District facilities bond project. The proposed key card access system, as outlined for the Board of Education on Tuesday, would allow the district to lock or unlock doors and windows through its data network. Facilities Director Paul Alexander said a new access system that would use key cards would save the district time and money."
The coed classroom
Date CapturedThursday October 26 2006, 6:25 AM
Boston Globe contributors Rosalind C. Barnett, senior scientist at the Women's Studies Research Center at Brandeis University and Caryl Rivers, journalism professor at Boston University write, "If some boys in Massachusetts are having trouble with vocabulary, or see literature and learning as 'uncool,' schools need to tackle such problems. Will all-boy classrooms eliminate such attitudes? Not if they operate on the assumption that boys inherently have inferior verbal skills and have to be 'yelled at' to learn. Such classrooms could, in fact, further alienate bright kids from education."
An education gap: Arizona scores higher
Date CapturedWednesday October 25 2006, 6:33 PM
East Valley Tribune reports, "Arizona Learns does not factor certain groups of students into its equations. The performance of some special education students doesn’t count, and neither does the performance of English learners who have been in the country for less than than three years."
New Jersey rejects federal sex ed money over abstinence rules
Date CapturedWednesday October 25 2006, 4:12 PM
AP reports, "The Corzine administration has rejected federal abstinence education money because new rules won't let teachers discuss contraception and requires them to describe sex outside marriage as potentially mentally and physically damaging. State health and education officials sent a letter Tuesday to the federal government saying such requirements contradict the state's sex education and AIDS education programs. The state had accepted the $800,000 each year since 1997, but said new rules give them little flexibility."
Ohio Court OKs Charter Schools
Date CapturedWednesday October 25 2006, 4:08 PM
AP reports, "The Ohio Supreme Court ruled Wednesday in a narrowly divided opinion that publicly funded, privately operated charters schools are constitutional. The 4-3 decision was a blow to a coalition of citizen groups, teachers' unions, education associations and school boards led by the Ohio PTA. The court upheld the state Legislature's ability to create and to give money to common institutions of learning, even if they are not all the same."
New York education group merges with Annenberg Institute
Date CapturedWednesday October 25 2006, 9:30 AM
The Brown Daily Herald reports, "The Community Involvement Program, an education policy program previously housed under the Steinhardt School of Education at New York University, merged with Brown's Annenberg Institute for School Reform this September. According to Michael Grady, the deputy director of the Annenberg Institute, the CIP split from NYU because of 'serious policy disagreements,' and officials decided that Brown was the right home for the organization."
California's single-sex experiment short lived
Date CapturedWednesday October 25 2006, 8:18 AM
San Francisco Chronicle reports, "A Ford Foundation study in 2001 concluded that the experiment [$5 million pilot program] had been a failure -- not because single-sex education as a concept was bad, but because the programs were often badly carried out, with teachers poorly trained in gender issues and little state funding. The researchers from Berkeley, San Diego and Toronto concluded that the schools had closed too soon for them to know if girls and boys benefited from the separate classrooms. They did, however, interview more than 300 participants and found that gender stereotypes were often reinforced under California's program."
The No Family Left Behind Amendment
Date CapturedWednesday October 25 2006, 7:59 AM
Seattle Times contributor Richard Slettvet, a special-education teacher working in the Edmonds School District opined, "Acknowledging the role that families play in the educational success of their children, Congress today enacted the No Family Left Behind (NFLB) Amendment to the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001. The NFLB will increase standards of accountability for Congress and the president to ensure that all families achieve high socioeconomic status (SES). Congressional districts that fail to achieve adequate yearly progress (AYP) will be subject to corrective action."
College aid is up, but tuitions are, too
Date CapturedWednesday October 25 2006, 7:14 AM
USA TODAY reports, "Published tuition and fee increases continued to slow, the report [College Board] says: •Public four-year university prices for in-state students rose 6.3%, to $5,836, vs. 7.1% last year, after two years of double-digit increases. •Private four-year university prices were up 5.9%, the same rate of increase as last year, to $22,218. •Public two-year college prices rose 4.1%, to $2,272, down from the 5.4% increase last year."
How to Earn a Degree Without Going Broke
Date CapturedWednesday October 25 2006, 7:04 AM
NPR Marc Silver reports, "A college degree could cost almost ten times as much as it did 30 years ago."
New rule on gender, education not a big deal in Monroe County
Date CapturedWednesday October 25 2006, 6:37 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports, "The National Organization of Women says the segregation creates the risk of breeding second-class citizens. The American Association of University Women has said it would 'throw out the most basic legal standards prohibiting sex discrimination in education.' Since 1975, same-sex classes have been allowed in public schools nationwide in limited cases, such as sex-education or gym classes."
Program linking dads, kids gets boost
Date CapturedWednesday October 25 2006, 6:01 AM
Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin reports, "The national initiative calls for the Parents as Teachers National Center to work with the National Fatherhood Initiative to develop strategies and a curriculum to target and include more fathers in their child's education, Johnson said. Officials from programs at the four pilot sites will go to St. Louis early in 2007 to be trained in these strategies. They will then return to their communities to develop their own plans to reach out to fathers. The sites will then compile data to gauge their plan's effectiveness."
SU chancellor to host summit on Upstate issues
Date CapturedWednesday October 25 2006, 5:43 AM
Post-Standard reports, "Syracuse University Chancellor Nancy Cantor today will lead a summit of elected officials, educators and economic development and business leaders in a discussion of the role of higher education, community and government in the Upstate region."
School board stiffens penalties for drinking
Date CapturedWednesday October 25 2006, 5:09 AM
Times Union reports, "The code now calls for the following consequences for students who violate the district's drug and alcohol policy: a minimum five-day suspension (a combination of in school and out of school); a parent conference with the superintendent; four-week exclusion from extra-curricular activities; a referral to a student-assistance counselor; and attendance of a seven-week, county-run alcohol and drug program."
College Cheer for N.Y.: LOWER TUITION HIKES THAN U.S. AVERAGE
Date CapturedWednesday October 25 2006, 4:59 AM
NY Post David Andreatta writes, "College students and their parents can take one consolation in rising tuition costs - they're going up at a slower pace at New York public colleges than they are nationally."
Federal Rules Back Single-Sex Public Education
Date CapturedWednesday October 25 2006, 3:16 AM
NY Times DIANA JEAN SCHEMO writes, "To open schools exclusively for boys or girls, a district has until now had to show a 'compelling reason,' for example, that it was acting to remedy past discrimination. But a new attitude began to take hold with the passage of the No Child Left Behind law in 2002 when women senators from both parties came out in support of same-sex education and asked the Education Department to draft guidelines to permit their growth. The new rules, first proposed by the Education Department in 2004, are designed to bring Title IX into conformity with a section of the No Child Left Behind law that called on the department to promote single-sex schools."
BOARD OF REGENTS PROPOSES MAJOR REFORM IN STATE AID TO NEW YORK STATE SCHOOLS
Date CapturedTuesday October 24 2006, 5:47 PM
The Board of Regents today recommended a $1.48 billion increase in State Aid to schools for 2007-2008. Most of this funding would go to school districts educating the State’s neediest children. The Regents propose an increase in State Aid to schools that is designed to link funding to the cost of a successful education. Like last year’s proposal, the proposal this year features a simple Foundation Formula that would replace 31 separate aid categories: District's State Aid = [Foundation Cost X Pupil Need X Regional Cost Index] – Expected Local Share
2003–04 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:04): Undergraduate Financial Aid Estimates for 12 States: 2003–04
Date CapturedTuesday October 24 2006, 2:28 PM
In addition to providing national estimates, the NPSAS:04 survey was designed to provide representative samples of undergraduates in public 2-year, public 4-year, and private not-for-profit 4-year institutions in 12 states: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, New York, Oregon, Texas, and Tennessee. Prior NPSAS studies have not been representative at the state level. For the in-state undergraduates in each of these 12 selected states, the tables in this E.D. TAB show the average tuition and fees and total price of attendance, the percentages of undergraduates receiving various types of financial aid and the average amounts received, the average net price of attendance after financial aid, average financial need and remaining need after financial aid, cumulative student loan amounts, earnings from work while enrolled, and other aspects of financing an undergraduate education. Berkner, L., and Wei, C.C. (2006). 2003–04 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:04): Undergraduate Financial Aid Estimates for 12 States: 2003–04 (NCES 2006-158). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved October 24, 2006 from http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch.
Maintenance Required: Charter Schooling in Michigan
Date CapturedTuesday October 24 2006, 12:22 PM
By Sara Mead. Education Sector Reports: Charter School Series. "This report examines both the achievements and shortfalls of Michigan's experiment in charter schooling. It reviews Michigan's charter school legislation and the evolution of charter schools in the state. It describes the state's charter school sector today and evaluates the performance of the state's 230 schools. It explores the problems of quality and other challenges facing Michigan's charter schools, and it offers recommendations for improvement." Education Sector, 1201 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 850, Washington, DC 20036.
Tips for dealing with No Child Left Behind
Date CapturedTuesday October 24 2006, 10:52 AM
Macon Telegraph prints Washington Post story, "A recent study by the public interest law network Appleseed, based in Washington, found many flaws in how schools deal with parents under the No Child Left Behind law. The report, 'It Takes a Parent,' reached five conclusions." Most of the conclusions were related to communication with parents. READ REPORT ON EDUCATION NEW YORK ONLINE, EDUCATION POLICY PAGE, NCLB FOLDER.
Secretary Spellings Announces More Choices in Single Sex Education Amended Regulations Give Communities
Date CapturedTuesday October 24 2006, 10:35 AM
US Department of Education: U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings today announced the release of final Title IX single-sex regulations that give communities more flexibility in offering additional choices to parents in the education of their children. Recognizing that some students learn better in a single sex class or school, the regulations give educators more flexibility, under Title IX, to offer single-sex classes, extracurricular activities and schools at the elementary and secondary education levels.
The Fordham Report 2006: How Well Are States Educating Our Neediest Children?
Date CapturedTuesday October 24 2006, 7:51 AM
The Thomas B. Fordham writes, "The Fordham Report 2006: How Well Are States Educating Our Neediest Children? appraises each state according to thirty indicators across three major categories: student achievement for low-income, African-American, and Hispanic students; achievement trends for these same groups over the last 10-15 years; and the state's track record in implementing bold education reforms. In this, the inaugural edition, just six states can claim even moderate success over the past 15 years at boosting the percentage of their poor or minority students who are proficient in reading, math or science. The study also finds that California, Delaware, Florida, Louisiana, New York, and Texas are national leaders in education reform--leading the nation with a dedication to solid standards, tough accountability, and greater school choice can yield better classroom results." READ THE REPORT BY CLICKING ON THIS LINK.
The Children Left Behind
Date CapturedTuesday October 24 2006, 7:44 AM
The Cornell Daily Sun contributor Laura Taylor, a senior in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University writes, "The achievement gap between whites and Latinos and blacks is staggering. At the end of high school, black and Latino students have reading and mathematics skills that are roughly the same as white students in eighth grade. Beyond that, black students are half as likely as white students to have a college degree by age 29, and Latinos are only one third as likely."
Public vs. Private: What's Better?
Date CapturedTuesday October 24 2006, 7:39 AM
Post-Standard reports, "'Education is the only realm where choices are pretty much tied to where one lives, but schools both public and private are very individual and there are wide variations,' said Margarita Mayo, an education policy specialist for the Business Council of New York State. 'The reasons for their choices are numerous and complicated.'"
Delaware County, Indiana schools teaching flu pandemic prevention
Date CapturedTuesday October 24 2006, 7:32 AM
Star Press reports, "With so much media attention given to the possibility of a flu pandemic, school officials are often asked if they are aware and how they will respond if a major outbreak occurs, Muncie Community Schools Supt. Marlin Creasy said. The letter alerts parents 'preliminary steps' schools are taking now, Creasy said. Education and communication about potential hazards and prevention is key, said Bill Gosnell, Delaware County Emergency Director."
University at Arizona gets $3.5M to boost math education
Date CapturedTuesday October 24 2006, 7:27 AM
Tucson Citizen reports, "The National Science Foundation awarded UA [University of Arizona] a five-year, $3.5 million grant to improve the skills of would-be mathematics educators."
Encampment at Rochester Institute of Technology's National Technical Institute backs Gallaudet protest
Date CapturedTuesday October 24 2006, 6:23 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports, "A smattering of students, in a show of solidarity with their peers at Gallaudet University, braved bitter winds and threatening skies Monday to set up a 'tent city' on the front lawn of Rochester Institute of Technology's National Technical Institute for the Deaf, where they camped out in protest of the hiring of Gallaudet's incoming president."
Therapy dogs help with reading lessons
Date CapturedTuesday October 24 2006, 5:09 AM
Times Union reports, "Research has shown that the non-threatening and nonjudgmental time with therapy dogs leads to increased reading scores and improved self-confidence. And Van Corlaer students who have had two therapy dog sessions are already showing improvement."
Museum of Natural History Soon to Grant Degrees, Too
Date CapturedTuesday October 24 2006, 3:13 AM
NY Times reports, "The American Museum of Natural History, which plays host to about 400,000 schoolchildren each year, is about to become a graduate school. The New York State Board of Regents yesterday authorized the museum, on the West Side of Manhattan, to grant master’s degrees and Ph.D.’s in comparative biology, making it the first American museum with its own doctoral degree."
Company led by Bush's brother getting No Child money
Date CapturedMonday October 23 2006, 7:53 PM
AP reports, "At least 13 school districts are using money from President Bush's signature education law, No Child Left Behind, to buy products from a company run by his brother and partly owned by their parents, a newspaper reported."
Charter Schools against the Odds: An Assessment of the Koret Task Force on K–12 Education
Date CapturedMonday October 23 2006, 4:44 PM
By Paul Hill, research professor in the Daniel J. Evans School of Public Affairs and director of the Center on Reinventing Public Education, both at the University of Washington.Contrib tors: John E. Chubb, Chester E. Finn Jr., Paul T. Hill, Caroline M. Hoxby, Eric Osberg, Paul E. Peterson, Brad Smith, Nat Torinus The Hoover Institution writes, "The expert contributors to this volume tell how state laws and policies have stacked the deck against charter schools by limiting the number of charter schools allowed in a state, forbidding for-profit firms from holding charters, forcing them to pay rent out of operating funds, and other ways. They explain how these policies can be amended to level the playing field and give charter schools—and the children they serve—a fairer chance to succeed." Full-text PDF versions of each chapter can be accessed by clicking on the desired chapter title.
Sign-up for multicultural education conference ends Tuesday
Date CapturedMonday October 23 2006, 7:25 AM
Poughkeepsie Journal reports, "The 12th annual Multicultural Education Conference will be held from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 3 in the Student Union Building Multi-Purpose Room at the State University of New York at New Paltz, 75 S. Manheim Blvd."
A+ for Mike, Joel
Date CapturedMonday October 23 2006, 4:08 AM
NY Daily News reports, "The Bloomberg-Klein tandem was lauded for improving public schools by stamping out 'cronyism and entrenched interests' and putting the focus back on students since the mayoral takeover of the education system."
New welfare requirement hard on single-parent college students
Date CapturedSunday October 22 2006, 6:04 PM
AP reports, "A new federal rule that limits welfare payments to single parents in college could hurt their efforts to get out of poverty, advocates say. The change requires them to work 20 to 30 hours a week in addition to their studies to qualify for payments. Previously, parents in college had been allowed to count 10 hours a week of classes toward the work requirement and also had to work at least 10 hours a week at a job. College officials and advocates said the result is that some students might be forced to drop out or be discouraged from enrolling."
Massachusetts education resource center receives $3.5 million from US
Date CapturedSunday October 22 2006, 2:28 PM
Boston Globe reports, "The center's resources are not limited to four-year colleges; it also provides information about two-year technical schools, certificate programs, and other career development opportunities, according to Eisenstadt. Anyone can use the center free of charge."
Teacher Incentive Fund
Date CapturedSunday October 22 2006, 9:37 AM
US Department of Education -- The goals of this program include: improving student achievement by increasing teacher and principal effectiveness; reforming teacher and principal compensation systems so that teachers and principals are rewarded for increases in student achievement; increasing the number of effective teachers teaching poor, minority, and disadvantaged students in hard-to-staff subjects; and creating sustainable performance-based compensation systems.
Press #1 for a Bad Idea
Date CapturedSunday October 22 2006, 8:44 AM
NY Times op-ed contributor Rebecca Jacobsen, former teacher and doctoral candidate in the politics and education program at Teachers College, Columbia University writes, "THE Yonkers Public Schools just started an automated polling program, called Connect-ED, that asks parents to enter their opinions on school policies by pressing the number keys on their phones. The president of the Yonkers Board of Education, Bernadette Dunne, says the system will help close the information “backpack gap” — so called because school notices requesting parent responses typically get buried in children’s backpacks, never to emerge."
A Columbia Expert on Free Speech Is Accused of Speaking Too Softly
Date CapturedSunday October 22 2006, 8:35 AM
NY Times KAREN W. ARENSON and TAMAR LEWIN write, "These days, debate over what constitutes legitimate speech and legitimate protest rages anew. Students recently faced off at a debate sponsored by the Columbia chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union on whether demonstrators had the right to rush the stage at the Gilchrist speech."
Study Takes a Sharp Look at the City’s Failing Students
Date CapturedSunday October 22 2006, 8:22 AM
NY Times ELISSA GOOTMAN reports, "The study found that students who fall behind in the number of credits they are expected to accumulate have a difficult time getting back on track at traditional high schools. Of the class of 2003’s dropouts, the study found that 93 percent fell behind in their credits at some point, indicating that their chief problem may not be the state requirement that all graduates pass a series of Regents exams. By contrast, only 19 percent of those who graduated had fallen significantly behind in their credits at any point. There are 68,000 students ages 16 to 21 who have dropped out of school, the study found, but there are 70,000 who are still enrolled even though they are behind in their credits. Effectively serving that group, the bulk of whom are 16, 17 and 18, is critical to improving the city’s graduation rate, Ms. Cahill [senior counselor for education policy to Joel I. Klein, the schools chancellor] said."
CLASS CONSCIOUSNESS: Students' diversity outweighs teachers'
Date CapturedSunday October 22 2006, 8:11 AM
Times Herald-Record reports, "The National Education Association reports that 40 percent of the nation's public school children are minorities, but only 11 percent of the teachers are. It also says that 38 percent of America's public schools do not have a single teacher of color on staff. The report contends that students of color tend to perform better — academically, personally and socially — when taught by teachers from their own ethnic group."
Sullivan West, where the buck stops nowhere
Date CapturedSunday October 22 2006, 8:07 AM
Times Herald-Record reports, "A new high school for your district. Renovations to make your old schools seem new. Better education for your kids. At virtually no cost to you, since the state picks up 95 percent of the tab. That's what folks in western Sullivan County were promised when they voted to merge three school districts. Back then, in 1999, the future seemed as bright as the summer sun glistening on the Delaware."
Mid-level districts short on funding, New Jersey school study finds
Date CapturedSaturday October 21 2006, 8:57 AM
The Star-Ledger reports, "Hundreds of New Jersey school districts, too well-off to receive large amounts of state aid but not wealthy enough to count on local taxpayers for more support, don't have enough funding to provide their students an "adequate" education, a state report indicates."
Children with, without special needs grow at the Stepping Stones Learning Center
Date CapturedSaturday October 21 2006, 8:05 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle guess essayist Mariellen Cupini, CEO, Stepping Stones Learning Center writes, "Each class is staffed by a core team of three: state-certified special education and regular education teachers and a classroom assistant. In addition, during the class, other teachers/therapists assist. These include speech, occupational, physical and music therapists, as well as social workers. While these professionals target the children who receive these services, the entire class benefits.."
Turmoil at Gallaudet Reflects Broader Debate
Date CapturedSaturday October 21 2006, 7:36 AM
NY Times DIANA JEAN SCHEMO writes, "Should Gallaudet be the standard bearer for the view that sees deafness not as a disability, but as an identity, and that looks warily on technology like cochlear implants, questioning how well they work and arguing that they undermine a strong deaf identity and pride? Or should Gallaudet embrace the possibilities of connecting with the hearing world that technology can offer?"
Relax, It’s Just Preschool
Date CapturedSaturday October 21 2006, 7:23 AM
NY Times contributor HILLARY CHURA writes, "Sources like the Department of Education nces.ed.gov, schooldigger .com, psk12.com and schoolsk-12.com allow you to examine school size, some demographics and occasionally test scores in public or private — but rarely both — schools. The material, however, can be dated. Apple-to-apple meters are hard to pinpoint since students at independent schools rarely take the mandatory tests as do their counterparts at public schools, said Myra McGovern, spokeswoman for the National Association of Independent Schools."
Title IX has impact on schools
Date CapturedSaturday October 21 2006, 12:08 AM
HERALD NEWS reports, "In recent years, the federal act has come under fire from critics who claim that creating gender equity comes at the cost of male sports. Last year, groups promoting Title IX were angered when a Title IX commission clarified that schools choosing to demonstrate compliance by proving they were fulfilling the needs and interests of female students could use an e-mail survey to gauge interest."
For preschool programs, does more costly mean better?
Date CapturedFriday October 20 2006, 10:15 PM
NorthJersey.com reports, "'I don't believe there is a 100 percent correlation between cost and quality,' she [Linda Kriegel, executive director of Bergen County's Office for Children] says. 'Parents need to look at a lot of things, and cost is just one of those things.' Other factors include the tenure of the teachers and whether the school has a good reputation. One starting place for parents is the National Association for the Education of Young Children, which accredits preschools based on certain criteria."
Utah Last in Nation in Per Student Spending
Date CapturedFriday October 20 2006, 9:45 PM
BYU reports, "Income tax revenue is reserved for educational funding. Income tax makes up 47.8 percent of the entire state revenue, and yet the state spends 57.3 percent of its total revenue on education, Spendlove said. The extra 10 percent of funding comes from the general state revenue fund, such as sales tax that is not technically specifically designated to education."
New York City Office Will Focus On Continuing Education
Date CapturedFriday October 20 2006, 9:37 PM
NY1 reports, "Losing a career in mid-life can be devastating and this program acts as a bridge back to decent wage jobs for experienced workers with families."
The American Competitiveness Initiative: The Education Revolution Begins
Date CapturedFriday October 20 2006, 4:05 PM
Baltimore Times reports, "With the announcement of American Competitiveness Initiative (ACI), low-income and minority students have an excellent opportunity to prepare themselves for well-paid careers in science and technology. However, this federal assistance program will best benefit students of color, only if their parents are aware of the initiative's goals, areas of focus and the criteria to qualify for financial aid to support secondary education."
NAEP State Comparisons
Date CapturedFriday October 20 2006, 2:44 PM
You can create tables that compare states and jurisdictions based on the average scale scores for selected groups of public school students within a single assessment year, or compare the change in performance between two assessment years. For example: See how the average reading score for male students in a particular state compares to the average reading score for male students in other states in 2005, or See how the change (from 2002 to the focal year) in reading scores for male students in a particular state compares to the change in reading scores for male students in other states.
Experts say bilingual students do better
Date CapturedFriday October 20 2006, 9:44 AM
NorthJersey.com reports, "Garcia [associate professor of American Civilization at Brown University] said surveys have found a majority of first- and second-generation Latino parents want their children educated in both English and Spanish. But bilingual education would benefit everyone, he said, because over time students educated in two languages do better on standardized tests than those who speak and study only one language."
Cleveland: Sex ed in kindergarten
Date CapturedFriday October 20 2006, 9:37 AM
AP reports, "[Cleveland] City schools will expand sex education curriculum to include age-appropriate lessons that begin as early as kindergarten, officials said."
Steroid testing of Texas high school athletes
Date CapturedFriday October 20 2006, 9:00 AM
The Olympian reports, "In 2005, state lawmakers considered a testing program but instead directed the UIL [University Interscholastic League, the state's governing body for public high school sports] to develop an education plan about the dangers of steroid use. The UIL is surveying school districts to gauge how well that program is work-ing. The results are due in December."
Education-study data released after suit by advocates for poor
Date CapturedFriday October 20 2006, 8:53 AM
NorthJersey.com reports, "The New Jersey Education Department released documents Thursday, including some cost projections for public education, after advocates for poor chil- dren sued to gain access to the data."
Alliance using the workplace to encourage greater Iowa parent involvement in education
Date CapturedFriday October 20 2006, 8:39 AM
The Courier reports, "The Alliance for People Promoting Learning & Education --- or Apple --- launched an effort Tuesday encouraging businesses to promote the idea that parents and other employees should be involved at schools. A parent's involvement in their child's education has been identified as an important factor in how well the child does in school."
Students need support if expected to succeed
Date CapturedFriday October 20 2006, 7:51 AM
Ithaca Journal contributors Steve Cariddi (Family Advocacy Project) & Kandea Mosley (Village at Ithaca's Youth Services Committee) write, "Ensuring that public education is an engine of social mobility for all Americans — regardless of race or class — requires a concerted effort from every person who has direct or indirect contact with a struggling student, including parents, teachers, administrators, and community members. The obstacles facing children today — poverty, discrimination, racism, inappropriate role models, hopelessness — are not of their doing, and it is unreasonable to expect a 7-year-old child (or even a 17-year-old student) to overcome them without additional support."
To curb dropout rate, develop new paths for learning and careers
Date CapturedFriday October 20 2006, 6:46 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle opined, "At least 27 of the nation's 100 top liberal arts schools that scrapped their SAT or ACT requirements have decided that students' high school performances should weigh as heavily as test scores. With this growing realization, educators also need to provide more alternatives to students who may be interested in vocational and technical education."
California School Site of Meditation Flap
Date CapturedThursday October 19 2006, 3:51 PM
AP reports, "A federal appeals court in 1979 called TM [Transcendental Meditation] a form of religious teaching and ruled the practice could not be taught in New Jersey public schools. The decision is often cited as a precedent in religion-in-public-schools cases. Whether TM is religious or not, state education officials said that religion clubs are allowed in California public schools under certain conditions."
NFL Joins Fight Against Child Obesity
Date CapturedThursday October 19 2006, 3:35 PM
AP KAREN MATTHEWS reports, "Some 25,000 middle schools that are participating in the nationwide effort will get lesson plans intended to broaden physical activity in schools. A language arts lesson has students create and perform a rap that demonstrates action verbs. A science lesson has kids play scooter tag, with one group of students representing cholesterol and another representing healthy hearts."
Video-gaming American schools
Date CapturedThursday October 19 2006, 9:18 AM
The Enquirer reports, "One of the nation's most prestigious scientific groups on Tuesday put video games into play in an ambitious new bid to transform American education. The Federation of American Scientists called for major investment in digital educational games that could reshape how students learn and workers are trained for 21st century jobs."
Feds need to keep hands off student records
Date CapturedThursday October 19 2006, 8:28 AM
The majority of the Herald's 10-member board of student editors opined, "There has not been any indication that the information would be used for homeland security purposes - a move that would raise its own ethic al questions. But among the reasons Spellings listed for the database were better ways of notifying students of their eligibility for academic aid and better preparing high school graduates for college. These raise nanny state, not police state, concerns. Students already should be aware of such opportunities. It is the faculty's duty to remind students, and it is the students' duty to take advantage of what they have."
Upgrade could save Rochester district $1 million annually in costs
Date CapturedThursday October 19 2006, 6:13 AM
The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports, "Each school will be equipped with a communications platform with embedded voice mail capabilities, making it adjustable to increased user demand, and increasing the chance that district computer needs won't outgrow the computer system's capabilities." The phones have can send text messages in case of emergencies.
Taxpayers, teachers call for school funding reform
Date CapturedThursday October 19 2006, 6:04 AM
Poughkeepsie Journal reports, "Trudi Renwick, senior economist from the nonpartisan Fiscal Policy Institute, a research and education organization, said a proper balance needs to be found in funding schools with both state and local money. Rising taxes are not due to district overspending or increasing teacher salaries, but insufficient state aid and the increasing costs of maintaining services, she said."
New York City Mayor Bloomberg Says City Won’t Pay in School Financing Case
Date CapturedThursday October 19 2006, 3:20 AM
NY Times reports, "According to The News, Mr. Spitzer also suggested that the linchpin of the mayor’s education agenda — the Legislature’s decision in 2002 to give the mayor control over the school system — could be a tool used to pressure the city. 'In the background, you have the issue of mayoral control and other factors that will weigh in the balance in terms of how the negotiation plays out,' he said."
Bleak College Graduation Rate Is Found
Date CapturedThursday October 19 2006, 1:03 AM
The Washington Post reports, "The report, commissioned by D.C. city and school officials, asserts that nine out of 10 of the freshmen will be confined to low-paying jobs because they never began college or gave up before obtaining a degree. It blames the problem largely on the school system for failing to prepare students but also on colleges for being unable to accommodate students' deficiencies."
SAT, ACT See Number of Test-Takers Rise
Date CapturedWednesday October 18 2006, 8:24 PM
JUSTIN POPE, AP Education Writer reports, "The SAT and ACT college entrance exams each report the number of students taking their test this month is up sharply from a year ago, a likely sign more students are trying both exams to boost their admission chances. About 520,000 students have registered for the Oct. 28 sitting of the ACT, a 17 percent increase from last year, according to the latest figures. The number of students who took last Saturday's SAT was about 660,000, compared to 570,000 last October."
NEW JERSEY OPINIONS ON SCHOOL FUNDING
Date CapturedWednesday October 18 2006, 8:52 AM
Conducted for: Association for Children of New Jersey by Monmouth University Polling Institute. Data Collection: September/October 2006.
State education officials looking for more leeway in 'No Child Left Behind' law
Date CapturedWednesday October 18 2006, 8:36 AM
WCF Courier reports, "Focused strictly on education policy, the task force [Under the auspices of the Council of Chief State School Officers],did not address what many critics see as the most urgent problem facing No Child Left Behind: the lack of federal funding for it. In 2006, Iowa received only 59 percent of the $171 million it was authorized to obtain under the act, according to the National Education Association."
Let the New Jersey school merger fight begin
Date CapturedWednesday October 18 2006, 8:30 AM
Star-Ledger reports, "[New Jersey] State lawmakers will begin discussing a series of proposals today to establish 21 countywide school offices that would oversee virtually every function of public education, a change proponents say will save taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars a year. The offices, each controlled by a single superintendent and four- member county board, would replace hundreds of local superintendents and central office staff."
Imagine the best schools in the world ... no exceptions, no excuses
Date CapturedWednesday October 18 2006, 7:39 AM
Delawareonline contributors Marvin N. Schoenhals, Vision 2015 and Chairman/President of WSFS Financial Corporation and Valerie A. Woodruff, Delaware's Secretary of Education write, "Over the past 11 months, our 28-member Steering Committee has worked very hard. We have come to grips with the strengths and challenges of Delaware's public school system. We have searched the world for the best practices of school systems that are succeeding. Our plan, Vision 2015, results from an unprecedented level of research, analysis, discussion, debate, and decision-making. To support the Steering Committee, we engaged nearly 80 individuals in work groups, and involved another 400 citizens in more than 50 meetings throughout Delaware. And we engaged two top-flight firms -- The Boston Consulting Group and Cambridge Leadership Associates -- to keep us focused and moving forward. We really did our homework. And we did a lot of it."
Standardized tests can send students who fail into tailspin
Date CapturedWednesday October 18 2006, 6:36 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle guest essayist Dan Drmacich, prinicipal School Without Walls, Rochester School District writes, "Students who are poor, who are from English-as-a-second-language families, who have special education needs, who desire to have a vocational education or who have unique interests or learning styles, have suffered under the one-size-fits-all Regents education process. Even those students who do well on Regents tests suffer because they are often denied the opportunities to focus their studies on areas of personal interest, citizenship and other lifelong-learning skills. Each person who agrees should voice his or her concerns to school district officials, state and federal representatives. Only through active citizenship can we create an education system that truly meets the needs of our students and our society."
Binghamton schools get $4.85 million windfall
Date CapturedWednesday October 18 2006, 6:03 AM
Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin reports, "The state money is coming from EXCEL -- Expanding our Children's Education and Learning -- an allocation that the state Legislature approved in April to help school districts with building projects. The amount is substantial -- $2.6 billion statewide, with $400 million going to high-need districts outside New York City, including Binghamton."
Union College makes SAT history
Date CapturedWednesday October 18 2006, 5:11 AM
Times Union reports, "After years of debate, Union administrators decided such standardized tests were "a prestigious but flawed instruments" with demonstrated biases based on racial, gender, socioeconomic and cultural factors, according to Dan Lundquist, Union's dean of admissions and financial aid. The tipping point for Union's decision to drop the standardized test requirement for admission came amid widely reported SAT scoring errors in the past year and a continued refrain from the anti-test movement."
Put N.Y.C.'s lice policies on ice
Date CapturedWednesday October 18 2006, 4:32 AM
NY Daily News contributor Amy Ellen Schwartz:, Professor of Public Policy, New York University writes on NYC schools head lice policy, "Second, schools are now paying for lice removal companies to screen kids for lice and sell the services they offer. It's wrong to open school doors to people hawking remedies for profit. What's next, cold medicine for sale when kids come to class with runny noses?"
Leaving Prison Doors Behind, Some Find New Doors Open
Date CapturedWednesday October 18 2006, 3:33 AM
NY Times reports, "Post-prison programs like the College Initiative — and like College and Community Fellowship, a similar effort that is part of CUNY’s Graduate Center — were developed in response to a drastic reduction a decade ago in college programs in the nation’s federal and state prisons, specialists in prisoner rehabilitation say. At that time, with crime rates having climbed, many elected officials worked to make sentences and prison conditions tougher."
A Late Start, but Not a Bad Start if the Student Is Finally Ready
Date CapturedWednesday October 18 2006, 3:26 AM
NY Times reports, "There are 200 Ada Comstock students — one of every 13 Smith students — ranging in age from their early 20’s into their 60’s. They have all kinds of reasons for having stumbled off the well-trod paths of life. Some, like Rita McCoubrey, 23, of Santa Ana, Calif., had babies in high school; others, like Ellie Crews, 53, of Seattle, married husbands who insisted that their careers came first, and so they raised children into adulthood."
Florida Board of Education approves first merit pay plan
Date CapturedTuesday October 17 2006, 9:09 PM
AP reports, "Under the Special Teachers Are Rewarded, or STAR, program, a school district must develop a performance-pay plan that includes an evaluation component focused on the improvement of student learning."
Buffalo schools running short of snow days
Date CapturedTuesday October 17 2006, 8:27 PM
Buffalo News reports, "Under state law, districts must have at least 180 days of instruction in order to receive their full share of state aid. Four of those days can be superintendent conference days. Sources said local districts probably will ask State Education Commissioner Richard P. Mills to lower that requirement to 175 days due to last week's crippling storm."
New York State comptroller’s audit alleges school district wasted $12 million in taxpayer money
Date CapturedTuesday October 17 2006, 8:19 PM
Mid-Hudson News reports, "The audit charged the district wasted $12.5 million in taxpayer money because the district did not property address building occupancy levels and declining enrollment, which led to the closure of the Delaware Valley and Narrowsburg school buildings. The audit also said the district did not realize $2.1 million in savings due to economies of scale in staffing levels because it did not have a comprehensive strategic plan in place."
Oklahoma Lottery Transfers $17.4 Million For Education
Date CapturedTuesday October 17 2006, 9:20 AM
AP reports, "A total of 45 percent of lottery revenue goes to common education, including teacher pay and benefits. Another 45 percent goes to scholarships and loans to help Oklahoma residents attend state colleges and universities."
Alabama school catches up with attendance 'glitch'
Date CapturedTuesday October 17 2006, 8:04 AM
The Huntsville Times reports, "In late August, the state Department of Education [Alabama] cited the school on Carter's Gin Road for failing to maintain at least 95 percent daily attendance last year. Assistant Principal Melanie Barkley attributed the problem to a bookkeeping error: Students who arrived late for class were being marked absent when they should have been counted as tardy. Employees combed through attendance logs and found late-arriving students were mistakenly marked absent 403 times last school year, Barkley said. Giving those kids credit for coming to class late bumped Sparkman Middle's daily attendance from 94.42 percent to about 96 percent - comfortably above the state's goal."
Don't invade student privacy
Date CapturedTuesday October 17 2006, 7:29 AM
USA TODAY contributor David Shi, president of Furman University and chairman of National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities opined, "We oppose a new individual tracking system because we fear a larger, more intrusive government bureaucracy. Greater transparency and accountability in higher education can be achieved without threatening privacy. To their credit, some proponents of a student unit-record system are willing to try to address our concerns. Yet more needs to be done. My colleagues and I are eager to work with the department to find ways for colleges to provide more useful and accessible data for applicants while protecting parents' and students' fundamental privacy rights."
Time to grade colleges
Date CapturedTuesday October 17 2006, 7:14 AM
USA TODAY opined, "While fears of compromised privacy are hypothetical, the need for a new system is real. The current state systems are incompatible, so comparison among schools in different states is impossible. Federal statistics miss students who start part-time, enter later or transfer from other institutions. Better data, through either a comprehensive database or scientifically valid sampling, could answer many pressing questions. Consumers who now see only a school's sticker price might learn what students actually pay, after financial aid is calculated. Researchers might learn why students drop out and where they go. Or what impact college has on their future success."
BARBER TELLS STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO ''STOP THE FUNERAL'', WEEK OF OCTOBER 5-11, 2006
Date CapturedMonday October 16 2006, 10:23 PM
The Wilmington Journal prints the testimony of Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, President of NC NAACP To the North Carolina State Board of Education, in Goldsboro, September 7, 2006.
Report highlights shortage of dentists in Massachusetts
Date CapturedMonday October 16 2006, 7:47 PM
AP reports, "The group [Oral Health Collaborative of Massachusetts, representatives of local dental schools, state lawmakers and health care activists} recommends the state expand access to dental care, in part by increasing funding to so-called 'safety-net providers' like community health centers."
College Volunteering Rises Sharply
Date CapturedMonday October 16 2006, 5:09 PM
AP reporter JUSTIN POPE writes, "Utah, Idaho and Oklahoma had the highest percentage of college students volunteering, while Georgia, New York and Nevada had the lowest."
'No Child Left Behind" law gets review
Date CapturedMonday October 16 2006, 3:30 PM
Sacramento Bee reports, "The law is scheduled to be reauthorized by Congress next year, and educators are starting to strategize on how to lobby lawmakers to change it. 'As we begin the conversation about reauthorization, one thing we thought really important was that, to the extent possible, California speak with one voice,' said Rick Miller, a spokesman for the state Department of Education, which organized the meetings this week for teachers, administrators and parents to weigh in."
Merit system won't pay off
Date CapturedMonday October 16 2006, 2:29 PM
Statesman Journal contributor and mother of eight children, Karen Utley writes, "Public education is expensive. The rate of student failure is deeply depressing. Policy makers and budget-keepers search for simple solutions, but complicated problems require incremental adjustment and no progress will be made until they stop hoping they can fix the schools by blaming the teachers."
Colleges using sobering tactics to curb partying
Date CapturedMonday October 16 2006, 7:26 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports, "Area colleges are taking several steps to try to dissuade or clamp down on underage and excessive student drinking. While Sunday marked the start of National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week, dealing with alcohol is a year-round endeavor at schools. It also is an uphill battle. Underage alcohol consumption is by far the most common crime committed on college campuses, according to federal statistics. Various studies show that a sizable minority of students nationwide drink frequently and heavily, and many end up in academic trouble, in scrapes with the law, and running health and safety risks."
$5B Headache
Date CapturedMonday October 16 2006, 7:14 AM
NY Post contributor Sol Stern writes on the Campaign for Fiscal Equity (CFE) lawsuit, "The high court heard arguments on the case Tuesday; its past rulings suggest it will hold that New York City is entitled to almost $5 billion a year in extra state funding for its schools - close to the amount that the trial court ordered last year. That means a huge political migraine for Spitzer. On the one hand, the forces that backed the lawsuit - the teachers' union, the education-industry interests, New York City Democrats - represent the heart of Spitzer's liberal political base, and eagerly anticipate a big payoff. On the other hand, the billions in higher taxes needed to pay for the increased funding for the city's schools will make it impossible for Spitzer to fulfill his campaign promise to rescue the state from its looming fiscal crisis."
Columbia Students Tutor City Principals
Date CapturedMonday October 16 2006, 7:09 AM
NY Post David Andreatta writes, "As the city has granted principals more authority over budgets and curriculum, principals from 30 schools have turned to Columbia's Education Leadership Consulting Lab for help tackling issues like pooling resources with other schools in shared buildings to measuring students' progress."
School Gruel in Gross Cafeterias
Date CapturedMonday October 16 2006, 7:01 AM
NY Post reports, "A staggering 360 school cafeterias - nearly one out of every three - is infested with mice, according to shocking new health-inspection reports obtained by The Post. In all, 111 schools - nearly one in 10 - were slapped with so many flagrant food violations that they flunked their inspections. That's more than triple the prior year's 3 percent failure rate. And the total number of rodent violations in school food areas jumped 10 percent during the 2005-2006 academic year - to 413 from 370 the prior year."
Why the left fears free speech on campus
Date CapturedMonday October 16 2006, 4:44 AM
NY Daily News guest essayist David French, director of the Alliance Defense Fund's Center for Academic Freedom opined, "In the '60s, the excesses of campus radicals eventually led to a cultural backlash that ushered in the Reagan era. These same excesses committed in an era of blogs, YouTube downloads and talk radio lead to a much more immediate response. So, rather than reveling in last week's momentary triumph, Columbia's leftist radicals find themselves on the defensive, blaming others for the violence and begging the administration not to search the Internet for clues about the protesters' identities."
'Ghetto' party, photos stir controversy at Texas law school
Date CapturedSunday October 15 2006, 10:15 AM
The Western Star (AUSTIN, Texas) reports, "The dean of the School of Law at the University of Texas has urged students to 'think twice' and 'think twice again' about their future conduct after the Internet posting of photographs taken at an off-campus party organized around a 'ghetto' theme."
Arizona college leaders' trips scrutinized
Date CapturedSunday October 15 2006, 9:24 AM
Arizona Republic reports, "Critics contend international programs are a waste of money and distort the traditional mission of a community college. That mission was to serve as a transition for high school students to four-year universities and provide continuing education. Sixty-five percent of Mesa's students are part-timers."
Learning curve: Most Florida high school grads not ready for college classes
Date CapturedSunday October 15 2006, 9:21 AM
Sun-Sentinel reports, "Most students entering South Florida's community colleges lack the basic skills they need to take college-level classes, forcing schools to spend millions for remedial work, statistics show."
Early-college program set for California students
Date CapturedSunday October 15 2006, 9:11 AM
LA Daily News reports, "The Santa Clarita campus is set to open for the 2007-08 school year and will be on the college's new Canyon Country campus. The concept of the school is to take students who are underrepresented on college campuses - minorities, low-income students, English-language learners and first-generation college students - and put them into a college setting. This addresses a statewide trend - a decrease in minority enrollment in universities."
Behind the Barriers at Gallaudet
Date CapturedSaturday October 14 2006, 3:16 PM
NPR reports, "What are the underlying reasons for the turbulent protests at Gallaudet University? At least two dozen people were arrested after three days of student demonstrations at the liberal arts college for the deaf in Washington, D.C." AUDIO LINK
Teacher, management collaboration a key lesson
Date CapturedSaturday October 14 2006, 9:57 AM
The Providence Journal reports, "Urbanski [director of the Teacher Union Reform Network] argued that you can't accomplish true reform unless you change what happens to children's lives before and after school. That means doing more in the areas of early childhhod education, after-school programs, health care and housing."
Kids need balance in school, expert says
Date CapturedSaturday October 14 2006, 9:18 AM
News Journal (Delaware) reports, "Comer [renowned child psychiatrist] said he had to tell his own story first so the audience of education and health professionals could see where he was coming from. He grew up poor in Chicago as one of five children, with a mother who was the daughter of a sharecropper and a father who was a laborer. Yet they provided their children with warmth and attention, taught them social skills, made them feel good about themselves and exposed them to museums and anything else they thought was educational."
Plattsburgh State is considering an ROTC program on campus
Date CapturedSaturday October 14 2006, 8:36 AM
Press Republican reports, "The Student Association has already weighed in on the matter, passing a resolution that states it understands the ROTC program comes with its share of controversy, namely for not allowing homosexuals to openly serve in the military. But the resolution ultimately supported the partnership as an 'opportunity to infuse social change by requiring enlisted students to participate in campus diversity programs.'"
Parents for Inclusive Education
Date CapturedFriday October 13 2006, 9:48 AM
Integrate University at Buffalo, downtown
Date CapturedFriday October 13 2006, 9:34 AM
Buffalo News opined, "UB students of architecture and urban planning could benefit from a downtown school that would put them near the terra cotta-clad Guaranty Building, art deco City Hall, glimmering Hauptman-Woodward Research Institute and other structural gems. Law students at a downtown school would have easy access to the courts and the area's major law firms. The university could perform a role in helping boost the city's economic development, urban education and neighborhood stabilization. And downtown would benefit from the students' vitality and the attendant economic benefits, from housing to restaurants, that their presence inevitably would bring."
Who Profits From College Sports?
Date CapturedFriday October 13 2006, 7:31 AM
Wall Street Journal writes, "Writing on Oct. 2 to NCAA President Myles Brand, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Bill Thomas (R., Calif.) asked enough probing questions to keep Mr. Brand and his university associates busy for ages. They must now scramble to prove that their underlying mission is educational in nature--the basis on which college-sports revenue traditionally has been sheltered from the taxman. For the average reader, however, the letter contains some bombshells that could make it difficult to have much sympathy for the NCAA and its member schools during their current ordeal under the congressional microscope."
Court should not determine school funding
Date CapturedFriday October 13 2006, 5:04 AM
UticaOD.com writes, "Whatever the court decides in this case [Campaign for Fiscal Equity], our children's education is really in our hands. It's up to us to pressure the legislature to take the appropriate steps to reform the school aid formula."
Giving Gallaudet a Bad Name
Date CapturedFriday October 13 2006, 3:59 AM
Washington Post opined, "UNHAPPY WITH Gallaudet University's choice of a new president, students continued their blockade of the campus yesterday. Hundreds of students were being denied their college education. Elementary and high school students also were locked out of their Kendall Green schools, which share the campus. Every lost day of school for them is significant."
Education panelists: Lobby for No Child Left Behind changes
Date CapturedFriday October 13 2006, 12:29 AM
The Desert Sun reports, "'We need a growth model,' said Barbara Kerr, president of the California Teachers Association. 'It’s the only measure that makes sense.' A growth model, which North Carolina and Tennessee are piloting this year, measures student performance based on how much each individual improved from the beginning of the school year. No Child Left Behind, on the other hand, measures student performance based on prescribed goals that all students are required to meet each year."
Texas Police Offer Gang Education in Spanish
Date CapturedThursday October 12 2006, 8:39 PM
Kfoxtv.com reports, "Through labeled pictures of gang members and their common dress codes, parents learned all they need to know, and how to keep their children away from gangs."
Former U.S. education secretaries file brief supporting Jefferson County Public Schools desegregation policy
Date CapturedThursday October 12 2006, 7:53 PM
Business First of Louisville reports, "The Supreme Court will decide whether school districts can consider race when assigning students to schools in an effort to maintain diversity."
No Undergrad Left Behind
Date CapturedThursday October 12 2006, 8:27 AM
Heritage Foundation fellow and former deputy secretary of education during President Bush’s first term, Eugene Hickok writes, "One of No Child Left Behind’s hallmarks is transparency. Today parents know more about the performance of their children’s schools than ever before. This same principle needs to be applied to higher education. Colleges and universities need to be able to explain why they charge the tuition they charge, what their graduation rates are, what they feel constitutes an educated person and how they propose to get first year students from here to there. The various college rating systems and publications are entertaining and interesting to read, but they don’t provide the sort of objective data tuition payers need to make informed decisions."
James Madison University draws criticism
Date CapturedThursday October 12 2006, 8:02 AM
TIMES-DISPATCH reports, "An official with the U.S. Olympic Committee criticized James Madison University leaders this week for their plan to eliminate 10 varsity sports programs. James E. Scherr, the committee's CEO, deemed "troubling" the university's decision two weeks ago to drop the intercollegiate teams to bring the school into compliance with federal Title IX regulations governing the proportions of men's and women's sports. Scherr said he believes the action will have a negative impact on Olympic sports in the United States."
Police to step up enforcement of school-bus laws
Date CapturedThursday October 12 2006, 6:49 AM
The Journal News reports, "The one-day crackdown is part of the statewide 'Operation Safe Stop' - a precursor to 'National School Bus Safety Week,' which is Oct. 15 to 21. Operation Safe Stop is geared toward promoting school bus safety through education and enforcement."
New York City Puts Brakes on Planned School Bus Cuts
Date CapturedThursday October 12 2006, 5:19 AM
NY Post David Andreatta reports, "Education officials said that just 63 percent of the 110,000 students eligible to take yellow school buses responded to a request to register for the service, indicating that thousands of those unregistered could still need service."
Charters Charting Course to Success
Date CapturedThursday October 12 2006, 5:19 AM
NY Post David Andreatta reports, "While charter students in each of the grades outperformed their counterparts in public schools, they did not always outpace them in terms of gains over the previous year. State education officials warned against drawing comparisons to previous years, noting that the tests were new and claiming they were more difficult."
Conference on School Safety
Date CapturedThursday October 12 2006, 12:24 AM
The White House: Welcome to "Ask the White House" -- an online interactive forum where you can submit questions to Administration officials and friends of the White House. Visit the "Ask the White House" archives to read other discussions with White House officials.
Grade 3-8 Math Tests For First Time Show Year-by-Year Trends in New York Schools Performance
Date CapturedThursday October 12 2006, 12:18 AM
New York State Education Department Press Release: For the first time, students this year took State tests in Grade 3-8 math. Those results, released today, showed a steady and relatively higher level of achievement in the elementary grades and lower achievement starting in Grade 5 and continuing through Grade 8. They also showed that student achievement overall in Grade 3-8 ranged from about 35 percent meeting all the standards in the Big 4 Cities to about 74 percent in Average Need Districts to 86 percent in Low Need Districts.
MIXED REVIEWS FOR BLENDING GENERAL AND SPECIAL-ED STUDENTS
Date CapturedThursday October 12 2006, 12:11 AM
Staten Island Advance reports, "While 75 school districts in New York were warned by the state last week that their work with special education students was deficient, the city Department of Education was singled out for having taken some positive steps. One of the most significant of those has been its determination in recent years to increase the number of classes that mix general and special education students -- known as Collaborative Team Teaching (CTT)."
Michigan plan on hold for special ed room policy
Date CapturedThursday October 12 2006, 12:06 AM
The Detroit News reports, "Seclusion -- or timeout -- rooms have been a hot button issue in the county [Livingston County, Michigan]since the agency's parent advisory committee discovered a 5-by-5- foot padded room during a tour of the new $5 million special education school, Pathway, last month. They said they were not told of the room during the planning sessions for the school."
Lawmakers seek less education spending:State looks to lower education spending
Date CapturedWednesday October 11 2006, 8:16 AM
The Journal News Yancey Roy reports, "Instead of a range of $4.7 billion to $5.6 billion in additional aid, as ordered by a mid-level court, state lawyers want the minimum set at $1.93 billion. State lawyers also want the court to issue its decision in a legally softer way - a "declaratory judgment," rather than a "directive." A directive would provide less wiggle room. But that was met with skepticism by a judge who has seen the case bounce around the legal system for 13 years."
Too Controversial for Columbia
Date CapturedWednesday October 11 2006, 7:30 AM
Wall Street Journal op-ed contributor Ross Kaminsky opined, "It is a remarkable thing about liberals (or, at Columbia, outright leftists) in free societies: They are far more intolerant than conservatives. The protesters hate people who oppose illegal immigration. They accept the use of intimidation and violence to keep such people from speaking, then blame the victim for having been controversial."
Education must evolve to keep America competitive
Date CapturedWednesday October 11 2006, 7:00 AM
The Press Republican reports, "Curriculums must emphasize innovation, problem solving and critical analysis, Rogers [executive director of the New York State Council of School Superintendents] said. Changing the structure entails increasing the school system's efficiency and productivity, developing new curriculums, having more centralized control in education and creating a social agenda to combat poverty."
School Financing Case Argued Before New York State’s Highest Court
Date CapturedTuesday October 10 2006, 11:29 PM
NY Times reports, "Lawyers on opposing sides of a lawsuit that challenges the fairness of the state’s education financing system argued before the Court of Appeals on Tuesday over how much more money it would cost to give New York City’s schoolchildren a decent education — at least $4.7 billion or only $1.93 billion."
Florida's Gov. Bush joins New York City mayor to push education changes
Date CapturedTuesday October 10 2006, 10:44 PM
AP reports, "Bush and Bloomberg are also campaigning for measures that connect teacher pay with performance, with rewards for progress. Bush noted that Florida will begin rewarding its teachers next year with merit bonuses, and Bloomberg said New York City is considering the idea."
Appeals court: School boards not immune from federal lawsuits
Date CapturedTuesday October 10 2006, 10:33 PM
AP reports, "A federal appeals court [2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan], ruling in a case of a 75-year-old teacher who claims he was fired because of his age and his exercise of free speech, said Tuesday that local boards of education cannot claim they are arms of the state immune from lawsuits."
Bush Holding Summit on School Violence
Date CapturedTuesday October 10 2006, 9:05 AM
AP Ben Feller reports, "Compelled to respond to a spike in school violence, the Bush administration is hoping that a high-profile summit will get the word out about safety. President Bush called for Tuesday's conference after three shooting rampages in two weeks unnerved the nation. Communities in Colorado, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania are still grieving."
Remedial classes not leading many to college degrees
Date CapturedTuesday October 10 2006, 8:57 AM
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH reports, "An Ohio Board of Regents study of students who were freshmen in 1998 found that, by 2004, students who needed remedial classes were only one-third as likely to have a bachelor’s degree as those who didn’t need such classes. Fifteen percent of remedial students had bachelor’s degrees, compared with 47 percent of nonremedial students."
District Charter Schools May Become Majority in 8 Years
Date CapturedTuesday October 10 2006, 8:21 AM
Epoch Times reports, "DC's charter schools and DCPS are serving similar and comparable populations of students. The students in charter schools in the District are 98% students of color (DCPS: 95%) and nearly three-fourths (74%) are low-income (DCPS: 61%). 90% of the students in charter schools are black compared to 84% in the DCPS."
America's Nobel minds
Date CapturedTuesday October 10 2006, 7:08 AM
USA Today opined, "These overachievers [Nobel winners] say something about education reform. It's imperative that we improve the quality of education so more Americans can get a decent crack at earning a living wage and making the American workforce more competitive. But it is also important because among the great many kids in the USA who are not getting a good education are some potential geniuses — and maybe even more Nobel Prize winners."
CFE Supporters Rally for Aid Formula
Date CapturedTuesday October 10 2006, 6:16 AM
WXXI reports, "People demanding a new state school aid formula cheered as members of two pro-education groups pulled into Rochester Monday on board a school bus. Members of the Campaign for Fiscal Equity and the Alliance for Quality Education are touring the state on their way to Albany."
Improving minority education means knowing law, New Jersey parents told
Date CapturedMonday October 09 2006, 1:38 PM
The Record (New Jersey) reports, "The statute [Title 18A], for instance, lists classes that must be taught in all districts. It outlines professional qualifications for teachers and lists the powers of the state and local school boards. In short, it's a blueprint for public education in New Jersey."
Courting Failure: Education Experts Expose the Politics behind the Nation's School Finance Lawsuits
Date CapturedMonday October 09 2006, 10:08 AM
The Hoover Institute writes, "One of the most devastating elements in these [school funding equity] trials is the high-profile 'costing out' studies used to calculate the price tag of an adequate education. None of the studies effectively deals with any of the inefficiencies that currently exist in public schools, presuming that what is needed to get the desired student outcomes is simply more of the same -- and more money to support it. Indeed, some of the studies explicitly choose the most expensive way of running an educational program rather than the least expensive, inflating the costs and completely ignoring any possible change in the incentives or operations of public schools. Unfortunately, the courts have frequently sided with these recommendations."
SUNY at Buffalo (UB) plans major expansion project
Date CapturedMonday October 09 2006, 8:31 AM
The Legislative Gazette writes, "Page [spokesman for SUNY at Buffalo] said UB is ranked 11th out of 3,000 U.S. universities in the number of foreign students attending. Half of the foreign students at UB are from Asian countries; 500 of those are Chinese students. Page said Chinese students are important to UB because it was the first U.S. university to establish an exchange relationship with China after the normalization of relations between the two countries. They have had a strong working relationship for 25 years."
Hudson Valley schools face crowding
Date CapturedMonday October 09 2006, 7:33 AM
The Times Herald-Record reports, "Of 136 school buildings, nine had their space adequacy rated as 'poor' — the lowest ranking — while 48 were rated 'fair' by professional engineers and architects who conducted the surveys last year. The rest earned the top ranking of 'good.' The classroom crunch might surprise taxpayers who, through borrowing, have funded a construction boom for nearly the past two decades. From 1987 to 2005, school districts in Orange, Ulster and Sullivan counties have spent more than $1.2 billion for new buildings, renovations, alterations and additions. Those projects added about 14.5 million square feet of space, according to state Education Department figures. That's roughly the equivalent of 70 super Wal-Mart stores."
Recreate New York high schools
Date CapturedMonday October 09 2006, 7:31 AM
The Journal News writes, "Today's students can't wait decades for high school to become meaningful schooling — it has to be aggressively restructured now. With tougher standards, expanding curriculum and new technology demands in their faces, that means high-schoolers should be supported in taking five, even six years to earn high school diplomas — including those who aren't classified 'special-ed' or pegged as English-learners. And bright or otherwise gifted students should be allowed opportunities to graduate in less than four years."
Making the grades
Date CapturedMonday October 09 2006, 4:58 AM
NY Daily News reports, "Teachers and principals have publicly worried that the department [New York City Department of Education] will oversimplify their efforts, dismissing the many subtleties of creating a safe and successful school."
Nashville Tennessee Chamber chair: Key to work force is education
Date CapturedSunday October 08 2006, 9:56 PM
The Tennessean reports, "This year, we're going to hire a high-profile education leader who will coordinate efforts in Nashville (among) the different nonprofits that help the school system. We want education to be on the minds of everyday citizens — how important education is. So we want to bring in a person with a strong personality that has the ability to sell that."
Stress, trauma a reality for some kids in school
Date CapturedSunday October 08 2006, 9:28 AM
Enterprise reports, "School psychologists across the region agree. From day-to-day anxiety over high-stakes testing and problems at home, to tragic deaths from accident or illness, to increased bullying and fights in school yards, to fear of violence erupting in their classroom — students today face a multitude of challenges not often seen by their parents or grandparents."
Punish parents when kids are tardy? No
Date CapturedSunday October 08 2006, 8:51 AM
NY Daily News op-ed contributors John Beam, Executive Director of the National Center for Schools and Communities at Fordham University and Cecelia Blewer, co-founder of the Independent Commission on Public Education in New York City write, "Of course students should get to school on time and show up every day they can. Our experience as researchers and parents - and plain common sense - suggests that strong attendance goes hand in hand with other positive results in schools, from fewer discipline issues to higher academic achievement. But humiliating parents for their children's attendance and tardiness problems is a big mistake - one that puts shortsighted punitive instincts before the good of parents, children and schools."
Up to court to end sellout of New York City schools
Date CapturedSunday October 08 2006, 8:46 AM
NY Daily News op-ed contributor Robert Jackson, plaintiff in CFE vs. State of New York and chairman of the Education Committee of the New York City Council writes, "It is to the enduring shame of this nation that millions of schoolchildren still struggle to learn in overcrowded classrooms with uncertified teachers, using outdated textbooks, and emerge bereft of a chance in life. These are conditions that demoralize, insult and crush young spirits, that breed despair, ignorance and civic alienation. The enduring social cost is enormous."
Manhattanville College student teachers get more time in the classroom
Date CapturedSunday October 08 2006, 8:38 AM
JOURNAL NEWS reports, "If there's one thing a new school teacher has to learn, it's how to improvise in the classroom. That's one reason why Manhattanville College's School of Education is sending more of its teaching students every year into classrooms at the Thomas A. Edison Community School in Port Chester, a short drive away."
New agenda for Texas education
Date CapturedSunday October 08 2006, 8:19 AM
Chron.com contributor Jim Windham, Texas Institute for Education Reform writes, "During the 1990s, Texas became a national leader in education reform when a bipartisan group of Texans joined together to establish academic standards and accountability as the framework for transforming public schools. The reforms began in 1993 when the state adopted a new accountability system that linked school accreditation with success in meeting academic standards."
Regulations put resolve to the test: Home-schooled New Yorkers need GED
Date CapturedSunday October 08 2006, 8:14 AM
Times Union reports, "All athletes must be declared eligible by the NCAA Clearinghouse. Living in New York doesn't make it any easier for home-schoolers. New York is the only state that does not accept a home-school diploma as proof of graduation. Because there is no other way to certify a substantial equivalent of a four-year high school diploma, home-schoolers are required to take and pass the General Education Development test in order to meet the NCAA's graduation requirement."
SUNY Brockport opens college door
Date CapturedSunday October 08 2006, 8:06 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle guest essayist Christine E. Murray, dean, School of Professions, State University College at Brockport writes, "The college [SUNY Brockport] is moving forward to collaborate with the CSD's effort to create small secondary schools focusing on college preparation. For three years, the college's Computational Math, Science and Technology Institute has offered professional development to teachers, introducing new ways to teach these vital subjects."
Wheels in motion for Rochester district to keep advancing to success
Date CapturedSunday October 08 2006, 7:59 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle guest essayist Manuel Rivera, superintendent, Rochester School District writes, "The gains of our students and the progress of our district is a direct result of people working together toward a common goal, and that includes the Board of Education, our union leaders, staff, parents, the higher education, faith and business communities and many involved citizens."
Indianapolis, Indiana Charter schools show fast progress
Date CapturedSunday October 08 2006, 7:54 AM
Indianapolis Star reports, "At least one critic was skeptical of the importance of such figures. Gains on testing aren't likely to be caused by better curriculum or teaching, said Marilyn Haring, an education professor at Purdue University. She said charter school results usually result from smaller classes.":
New Jersey schools, business joining forces
Date CapturedSaturday October 07 2006, 6:22 PM
HERALD NEWS reports, "The state's economic growth chief says forming education-business partnerships will provide the private sector with the skilled labor force it needs to help New Jersey be more competitive in a global market."
Alternative Buffalo school called 'explosive'
Date CapturedSaturday October 07 2006, 2:55 PM
Buffalo News reports, "Shortages in staffing, security, supplies and instruction have created an "explosive situation" at Buffalo's new alternative school for troubled students, the president of the Buffalo Teachers Federation has charged."
President Bush's Radio Address
Date CapturedSaturday October 07 2006, 12:57 PM
Office of the Press Secretary, October 7, 2006: "As we work to keep our classrooms safe, we must also ensure that the children studying there get a good education. I believe every child can learn. So when I came to Washington, I worked with Republicans and Democrats to pass the No Child Left Behind Act, and I was proud to sign it into law. The theory behind this law is straightforward: We expect every school in America to teach every student to read, write, add, and subtract."
Colleges making SAT, ACT optional
Date CapturedSaturday October 07 2006, 12:46 PM
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports, "Fair Test, a Cambridge, Mass., group critical of standardized testing, says about 730 campuses make exams optional for all or a substantial share of their students, up from 280 schools about a decade ago."
The Protest
Date CapturedSaturday October 07 2006, 8:52 AM
Video of Columbia University Minuteman Project protest.
Camden, New Jersey schools get monitor
Date CapturedSaturday October 07 2006, 8:29 AM
Philadelphia Inquirer reports, "Citing a magnitude of problems, the state Department of Education yesterday appointed a fiscal monitor to oversee the Camden school system."
COLUMBIA PREZ TALKS TOUGH
Date CapturedSaturday October 07 2006, 7:47 AM
NY Post opined on Columbia University event, "During the fracas, hooligans didn't merely shout down a speaker who happened to oppose illegal immigration; they physically attacked him, forced him to flee and sparked an outright brawl."
Five Buffalo area districts draw warnings on special ed
Date CapturedFriday October 06 2006, 10:28 AM
Buffalo News reports, "Lake Shore also has begun hand-delivering invitations to high school students to attend the annual special education committee meeting that evaluates their situation. That likely will help students in their transition out of high school, because they will be involved in the process leading up to it, Capell [director of special education] said."
Five Buffalo area districts draw warnings on special ed
Date CapturedFriday October 06 2006, 10:28 AM
Buffalo News reports, "Lake Shore also has begun hand-delivering invitations to high school students to attend the annual special education committee meeting that evaluates their situation. That likely will help students in their transition out of high school, because they will be involved in the process leading up to it, Capell [director of special education] said."
U.S. grant will fund 3 Buffalo centers
Date CapturedFriday October 06 2006, 10:23 AM
Buffalo News reports, "A Buffalo nonprofit group that trains parents to help their children succeed in school has received a $4.5 million, five-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education to open new centers in Rochester, Syracuse and Yonkers. EPIC (Every Person Influences Children) estimates that the grant will allow it to work directly with more than 325,000 families in the next five years, most of them low-income and minority."
Infringement and Sales of Student Admissions Data
Date CapturedFriday October 06 2006, 9:52 AM
PR Newswire reports, "The evidence revealed that XAP sold certain information such as social security numbers, names, addresses, and dates of birth for at least 600,000 students. CollegeNET's claim was also based upon the false or misleading statements made by XAP to colleges and universities that student data would not be sold."
’The Plight of Black Students in South Carolilna.’
Date CapturedFriday October 06 2006, 9:40 AM
The Times and Democrat report, "Proponents of school choice and vouchers as well as supporters of the public schools agreed at a recent South Carolina State University forum that strengthening the black family, getting more parental involvement in the education of children and more early childhood education programs are essential to producing successful students."
Columbia University Investigation to Look at Facebook
Date CapturedFriday October 06 2006, 9:11 AM
Columbia Spectator reports, "The investigation comes after a violent protest broke out in Roone Arledge Auditorium during a speech by Jim Gilchrist, founder of the Minuteman Project, an organization that patrols the U.S.-Mexican border for illegal immigrants. Shortly after the speaker took the stage, several audience members rushed onto the stage with banners, sparking a physical conflict and prompting the early cancellation of the speech."
CSRQ Center Report on Middle and High School Comprehensive School Reform Models
Date CapturedFriday October 06 2006, 8:31 AM
This Comprehensive School Reform Quality Center report "serves as a consumer guide that will help decision makers sort through claims about which school reform approaches could truly meet the needs of students. The report is the first comprehensive review of middle and high school whole-school reform models ever issued. To prepare this report, the CSRQ Center screened nearly 1,500 documents and reviewed 197 studies on 18 widely implemented middle and high school models. We used rigorous standards that are aligned with the requirements for scientifically based research established by NCLB. Each model is rated on a number of dimensions, including evidence of raising student achievement. The reviews of the individual models provide education decision makers with profiles of each model and the evidence needed to make decisions to meet locally defined needs."
President Bush Says He'll Strengthen Education Policy
Date CapturedFriday October 06 2006, 7:22 AM
LA Times reports, "The president said that parents are not necessarily getting information about students' progress quickly enough to switch a child's enrollment to another school if they think a change is necessary." Bush suggested school districts were not appropriate in their use of federal funds provided for tutoring.
Ithaca Central School District on state special education-improvement list
Date CapturedFriday October 06 2006, 7:16 AM
The Ithaca Journal reports, "McEnery [director of special education] said the state's graduation numbers also may not give the whole picture. 'They're talking about students who achieved a local or Regents diploma,' she said. 'It does not include students that graduated in five years, it does not include students who exited with a special education diploma and it does not include students who completed the requirements for a GED.'”
Plattsburgh City School students with disabilities not meeting standards, report says
Date CapturedFriday October 06 2006, 6:55 AM
The Press-Republican reports, "Plattsburgh City School officials were not surprised by Thursday's report. 'The report is based on 2004-05 data of which the district not only was aware of but had already begun taking measures to address issues a year ago,' Short [Plattsburgh City School Superintendent] said. 'Throughout this past summer a team of teachers have further worked on a Gap Closing Committee specifically created to address district needs.'"
Not good enough for special needs kids
Date CapturedFriday October 06 2006, 6:46 AM
The Journal News reports, on East Ramapo's designation, "East Ramapo has long been identified as a struggling school district with student scores among the lowest in Rockland. It is Rockland's only district considered an urban/suburban school district because of its high percentage of children eligible to receive free- or reduced-price lunch and with limited English proficiency, both hallmarks of poverty. The newly released list contains a large proportion of schools with poor scores for all students and many large urban districts that long have struggled with poverty-related problems."
Report: Special education lags in 4 districts
Date CapturedFriday October 06 2006, 6:29 AM
The Poughkeepsie Journal reports, "Students with disabilities aren't doing as well as they should be in four Dutchess County school districts, so state education officials said they'll be stepping in to help." Poughkeepsie students with disabilities had the second lowest reported graduation rate in the state.
8 mid-Hudson schools on notice
Date CapturedFriday October 06 2006, 6:19 AM
The Times Herald-Record reports, "The state [New York] has promised to provide special-education experts to help local districts. School districts stand to lose federal funds if they fail to make progress."
Spota backs Sen. LaValle on schools czar
Date CapturedFriday October 06 2006, 5:09 AM
Newsday reports, "LaValle said he was especially aggrieved that his bill is opposed by the state School Boards Association. 'The very people we want oversight over are the ones blocking the legislation,' he said."
Columbia University's Speech Thugs
Date CapturedFriday October 06 2006, 4:57 AM
NY Post opined, "Can it be true that free speech at Columbia applies only to those who are deemed 'legitimate' by a self-proclaimed group of political purists? So it would seem. And, sad to say, Wednesday night's fracas was no isolated incident."
CUNY hiring bias alleged
Date CapturedFriday October 06 2006, 4:37 AM
NY Daily News reports, "As Columbus Day approaches, a number of prominent Italian-Americans are expressing concern that the City University of New York has a vendetta against them. Nearly 30 years after that ethnic group was included in CUNY's affirmative action program, Italian-Americans still face discrimination there, according to a university-commissioned report."
'Need No Education'? New Classes Counter
Date CapturedThursday October 05 2006, 6:39 PM
The Harvard Crimson reports, "'The more Harvard kids that we can get involved in education, the better this country will be,' said Lagemann."
Fact Sheet: The No Child Left Behind Act: Challenging Students Through High Expectations
Date CapturedThursday October 05 2006, 6:03 PM
The No Child Left Behind Act Is A Historic Law - It Is Working, And It Is Here To Stay. When he came to Washington, President Bush worked with Republicans and Democrats to pass the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), and he was proud to sign it into law. Today, President Bush discussed the progress made under NCLB and areas where we can look to improve.
President Bush Discusses NCLB Reauthorization at the Education Department
Date CapturedThursday October 05 2006, 6:00 PM
We strongly believe in setting high standards for all students and we strongly believe that in order to make sure those standards are met we must measure to determine whether or not the schools are functioning the way we expect them to function, and the way the parents expect them to function, and the way the taxpayers expect them to function.
$11.6 Million in Grants Awarded for Highly Qualified Special Education Teachers, Early Intervention Personnel
Date CapturedThursday October 05 2006, 5:52 PM
The money will also be used to train specialists in early intervention and other aspects of services for students with disabilities, recognizing that the earlier children can be identified as being in need of services, the greater the likelihood they can reach their education potential.
75 New York School Districts Identified for Low Performance Among Students with Disabilities
Date CapturedThursday October 05 2006, 5:46 PM
New York State Education Department Press Release: The State Education Department has identified 75 school districts as “In Need of Assistance or Intervention” because of low performance among students with disabilities, Commissioner Richard Mills announced today.
Feel-good flags proposed for Nevada public schools
Date CapturedThursday October 05 2006, 12:39 PM
Las Vegas Sun reports, "The flag proposal corresponds with a request by Nevada officials - backed by no less than the state's congressional delegation - to measure the Silver State's schools differently. Rather than having to achieve hard targets, schools would be assessed by the percentage of improvement demonstrated over the prior year's test scores. The federal Education Department must approve the request."
Early Admissions Aren't the Problem
Date CapturedThursday October 05 2006, 7:07 AM
Washington Post Op-Ed contributor Amy Gutmann, president of U of Pennsylvania writes, "To end or not to end early admissions: That is the question that colleges and universities are debating once again. The passion is great, but the stakes are small and the debate is a distraction from a far more important matter: the urgent need of all but a handful of colleges and universities to improve financial aid for students from low-income and middle-income families."
New SUNY campus
Date CapturedThursday October 05 2006, 6:46 AM
Newsday editorial opined, "It took a coalition of public officials, private citizens and academic leaders to turn gloom into triumph, and turn Southampton College into Stony Brook Southampton, the newest SUNY campus. It all came together gloriously yesterday, with a joyful ceremony marking the transfer of ownership. Now the real work begins."
Nonprofit builds new school playground
Date CapturedThursday October 05 2006, 6:35 AM
The Daily News reports, "It's the first project completed by Out2Play, dedicated to building and refurbishing city public school playgrounds. 'A lot of schools don't have gymnasiums or that kind of thing," she said. "We want to give them an outdoor space where they're encouraged to be physically active'"
Hawaii High School Audit Prompts Background Checks: Audit Found Coach Had Murder Conviction
Date CapturedWednesday October 04 2006, 7:19 PM
TheHawaiichannel.com reports, "The state [Hawaii] auditor's report found that the school dismissed a head coach three months into the job when it was discovered he had a murder conviction. An assistant coach was also let go because of a previous assault and abuse conviction. The audit also found that last school year three new coaches were hired and had finished the season before the background checks were completed."
Study Shows Abstinence Education Reduces Teenage Sexual Behavior
Date CapturedWednesday October 04 2006, 7:05 PM
Lifenews.com reports, "The nation's largest teacher's group is attacking abstinence education programs in a new report it co-sponsored. The attack is designed to persuade Congressional lawmakers to cut funding for abstinence education, which studies have shown is achieving its intended results in reducing sex and teen pregnancies."
Group wants e-mail records:Mason schools says destroying them OK
Date CapturedWednesday October 04 2006, 6:37 PM
Cincinnati.com reports, "In the latest dispute between a tax-accountability group and Mason's [Ohio] school district, Mason Citizens for Accountability and Results in Education says the Mason City School District is trying to destroy e-mail records before the group can obtain copies. But district officials say according to their records retention policy e-mails can be destroyed as they are read and that the group's latest lengthy records request is too general to fulfill."
Education gains start with widespread literacy
Date CapturedWednesday October 04 2006, 9:53 AM
Buffalo News contributor Sherry L. Byrnes, family literacy coordinator at Literacy Volunteers of Buffalo & Erie County writes, "Literacy is essential to that task, but it cannot develop meaningfully in a "school vacuum." For this reason, I encourage everyone - our civic leaders and businesses, grass-roots block clubs and churches, and every person who just wants to live in a decent community - to get involved. Our children and our city are at serious risk. In January, the Buffalo Reads Coalition will launch a citywide strategic initiative for literacy that will require every person to ask how he or she can take part in solving our city's literacy challenge - and to act."
Conservatism’s Big Test
Date CapturedWednesday October 04 2006, 8:32 AM
National Review Michael J. Petrilli writes, "Parents need the information yielded by standards and tests for the education marketplace to function efficiently. But most states have proven unable to develop these tools and current federal policy is pushing them in the wrong direction."
New Jersey property tax committee plans to tackle special ed
Date CapturedWednesday October 04 2006, 8:13 AM
The Daily Journal reports, "Proposals from the state panel on school-funding reform will focus on reducing the number of special-education students sent to expensive private schools, said committee co-chairman Sen. John Adler. But containing special-education costs is so complex that Pennsylvania and several other states have decided there is no suitable way to figure it out, noted Thomas Parrish of the Washington, D.C.-based American Institutes for Research. They instead rely on other factors such as a district's size and poverty."
Proposed Legislation To Get Lead Out of Child Care Facilities
Date CapturedWednesday October 04 2006, 1:02 AM
WIFR reports, "The Lead Poisoning Reduction Act of 2006 requires all non-home-based child care facilities to be certified lead-safe in five years. It establishes a five-year, $42.6 million grant program to help communities reduce lead exposure in day care centers, Head Start programs and kindergartens. It also establishes best practices for communities to test for and reduce lead hazards."
NYSUT partners with baseball museum for education program
Date CapturedTuesday October 03 2006, 9:57 PM
New York Teacher reports, "NYSUT is a partner in the Hall of Fame's 'America Grows Inning by Inning' education program. Besides providing financial support — the program gets most of its funding from the U.S. Department of Education and the Institute of Museum and Library Services — NYSUT members and staff also help develop the standards-based curriculum and market the program to their colleagues."
U of California Davis rise in reported sex offenses reviewed
Date CapturedTuesday October 03 2006, 9:50 AM
The Sacramento Bee reports, "Jennifer Beeman, head of the UC Davis Campus Violence Prevention Program, said she believes the increase in the number of reported sex offenses on UC Davis campuses in 2005 could reflect the success of campus programs that seek to educate students about sex assaults and to encourage them -- and others aware of such crimes -- to report them."
Louisiana students to rebuild as they learn trades
Date CapturedTuesday October 03 2006, 9:05 AM
The Times-Picayune reports, "Participants can obtain their GED while receiving construction training. Those completing the six-month program will receive carpentry certification from the National Center for Construction Education and Research as well as job placement assistance, Magee [executive director] said." During training, they can earn a stipend of up to $5,000 and open a YouthBuild USA Individual Development Account, said Magee."
Teaching preschoolers is good for everybody
Date CapturedTuesday October 03 2006, 7:41 AM
The Denver Post reports, "Researchers have solidly documented what happens to children who do not get mental, physical and environmental stimulation during those crucial early years: Their cognitive skills are woefully inadequate, and they wind up behind in first grade. That is where the education gap first appears between poor and wealthy children. As taxpayers, we pay for a public school education system that starts too late."
National school violence conference set
Date CapturedTuesday October 03 2006, 12:58 AM
AP reports, "The Bush administration will host a conference next week to discuss the recent string of school violence across the country, the White House said Monday. Presidential spokeswoman Dana Perino said the conference will bring together education and law enforcement officials to talk about the nature of the problem and federal action that can help communities prevent violence and deal with its aftermath."
Boy trouble
Date CapturedMonday October 02 2006, 5:00 PM
The Boston Globe opined, "Gender-specific academic initiatives can be difficult to square with antidiscrimination laws. Yet public school systems in other states have managed to establish separate courses for boys and girls within a school, provided they do not set up entirely separate institutions. An enterprising school district or charter school could make history here by taking on the boys."
Strides being made to meet NCLB Act
Date CapturedMonday October 02 2006, 4:52 PM
Connecticut Post opined, "Still, the overriding problem for Connecticut to fully comply with meeting NCLB standards for high schools largely resides in schools located in cash-poor urban areas where there is a diverse student population that is heavily minority and where large pockets of poverty exist."
Ohio National Board Certified Teachers to Meet for First-Ever Education Policy Summit
Date CapturedMonday October 02 2006, 3:42 PM
PRNewswire reports, "For the first time ever, hundreds of the state's top teachers will join Ohio policymakers and educational leaders for a daylong policy summit to discuss the most critical issues facing educators today--closing achievement gaps and staffing high-needs schools. 'We're looking for concrete, workable recommendations that will foster the conditions for high-quality teaching and learning for all students,' said OEA President Gary Allen."
Experts argue North Carolina tests need elevated standards
Date CapturedMonday October 02 2006, 1:46 PM
The Sun News reports on raising standards, "Raising standards creates a political dilemma, however. Fewer students are likely to pass, and more schools could face sanctions under the federal No Child Left Behind law. 'It will be a shock to the system,' state board Chairman Howard Lee says. 'But I think the citizens and parents have a right to know the truth.' National comparisons In many quarters, North Carolina's tests are viewed as too easy. In July, editors of the education journal Education Next gave North Carolina an 'F' for the rigor of its testing program.
When a positive is a negative
Date CapturedMonday October 02 2006, 1:40 PM
St. Petersburg Times (Florida) reports, "Although a growing number of school districts nationwide are requiring athletes to pass drug screenings as a condition to participate in sports and extracurricular activities, the idea has come under heavy criticism by researchers and civil liberties groups that say its ineffective and intrusive. A federally funded 2003 study by the University of Michigan found that student drug use did not decrease in schools where students were being randomly tested."
Belts and Suspenders
Date CapturedSunday October 01 2006, 11:39 PM
NY Times opined on accountability in schools, "The lapses in accountability have taken a harsh toll in public confidence, increasing taxpayers’ hostility to otherwise worthy school budgets and fostering an unhealthy mix of anger and apathy. For the sake of robustness and transparency in public education, the State Legislature should look closely at the recommendations coming out of Suffolk County."
Anti-Violence Funds for Schools Drops
Date CapturedSunday October 01 2006, 10:19 PM
AP reports, "Since 2001, federal funding for a grant program that helps U.S. schools pay for programs to prevent substance abuse and violence has declined significantly. Funding was $439.2 million in 2001 but has fallen to $346.5 million this year, with $310 million recommended for 2007."
Letter grades may take on more weight in Elmira schools
Date CapturedSunday October 01 2006, 10:10 AM
The Star-Gazette reports, "The state [New York] Education Department does not keep track of the number of New York schools that weigh grades. However, nationally about half of America's school systems weight student grades, according to a paper on the subject written in 2000 by Gail C. Downs of the Center for Research and Evaluation."
How state figures out who gets what when allocating funds for education
Date CapturedSunday October 01 2006, 8:23 AM
Anchorage Daily News reports, "A lawsuit set for trial Monday charges that the state's school-funding method doesn't provide enough money to fulfill the Alaska Constitution's promise of an education for all children. How exactly does the current system work? The formula, adopted in 1998, first considers a school's average daily enrollment during a 20-day period in October. This is called the ADM."
No favorable statistic left behind in federal law
Date CapturedSunday October 01 2006, 7:33 AM
Columnist George Will writes, "No Child Left Behind supposedly promotes education accountability by mandating reliable data to measure progress. But Washington looks like an untrustworthy manipulator of data when it uses the phrase 'instruction-related activity' to draw a bull's-eye around the status quo."
EDUCATION ISSUE
Date CapturedSaturday September 30 2006, 10:16 AM
The Washington Post Michael Grunwald reports on Reading First, "The centerpiece of the new research-based approach [NCLB goal] was Reading First, a $1 billion-a-year effort to help low-income schools adopt strategies 'that have been proven to prevent or remediate reading failure' through rigorous peer-reviewed studies. 'Quite simply, Reading First focuses on what works, and will support proven methods of early reading instruction,' the Education Department promised. Five years later, an accumulating mound of evidence from reports, interviews and program documents suggests that Reading First has had little to do with science or rigor."
THE BIG PLAY
Date CapturedSaturday September 30 2006, 7:56 AM
NY Post reports on new "Playworks" installation at the Children's Museum of Manhattan, "'Playing with your child is the best foundation for learning,' says Leslie Bushara, CMOM's deputy director of education."
October 18, 2006 is School Bus Driver Appreciation Day in New York State
Date CapturedSaturday September 30 2006, 2:38 AM
New York State Education Department Press Release: "WHEREAS, The position of a school bus driver requires tremendous responsibility; they have to maneuver through traffic regardless of road conditions while maintaining the conduct of the children on the bus and are looked upon for leadership and life-saving decision-making in the event of an emergency; and WHEREAS, School bus drivers delicately direct these children while they are exiting the bus at their destination; when an adult is normally at a bus stop to meet a child and is not present, they will keep that child in their safe care until adult supervision is located or the child can be returned to school; and WHEREAS, Furthermore, school bus drivers may also be an important aid in the fight against terrorism; they are able to observe any suspicious activity or people along their bus route and communicate that information to the proper authorities;"
Educators criticize potential federal cuts to education
Date CapturedFriday September 29 2006, 9:47 AM
Mid-Hudson News reports, "Dutchess and Orange County educators Thursday called on area members of Congress to resist funding cuts to education."
Let's Really Throw Open Doors to Higher Education
Date CapturedFriday September 29 2006, 8:39 AM
The Houston Chronicle Op-Ed contributor Margaret Spellings, a former Houstonian and U.S. secretary of education writes, "Higher education is a public as well as a private good. Parents, students and taxpayers pick up the vast majority of the tab for higher education. Over the years, we've invested tens of billions of dollars and just hoped for the best. It's time to ask what we are getting for our money."
Is Your Child’s School Effective? Don’t rely on NCLB to tell you
Date CapturedFriday September 29 2006, 8:10 AM
Hoover Institute Education Next writes, "It must also be admitted that most states could not have used growth scores when NCLB was enacted, simply because most states had not constructed the tracking system Florida has put together. Congress may have done all that it could in 2002. But since other states are now beginning to build their own warehouses of data that follow the progress of individual students, the time has arrived when a legislative fix should be feasible." Paul E. Peterson, professor of government at Harvard University and a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution and Martin R.West, assistant professor at Brown University both serve as editors of Education Next.
Dayton schools hope for perfect attendance
Date CapturedFriday September 29 2006, 7:58 AM
Dayton Daily News reports, "Taking no chances, Dayton Public Schools is airing television commercials featuring its teacher of the year, Julie Berro, surrounded by her kindergarten class, telling viewers, 'an empty chair means a loss of thousands of dollars in state aid for your child's education. Please don't let that happen.'"
Academic reforms needed to help athletes graduate
Date CapturedFriday September 29 2006, 7:06 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle opined, "A newly released study of 93,000 Division I athletes showed 77 percent of them graduated within six years, up from 76 percent last year. That kind of progress among mostly scholarship athletes who entered college from 1996 to 1999 speaks to the merit of academic reforms adopted by the NCAA in recent years. It's also a solid model for local school districts such as Rochester's to improve the graduation rates of high school athletes. The sooner student athletes understand that they're students first, the better their chances of succeeding on the college level. Fortunately, there is already talk in Rochester about finding new ways to improve the graduation rate among student athletes."
It's time for testing in schools
Date CapturedFriday September 29 2006, 5:34 AM
Times Union Brian Ettkin opined, "New York legislation that would allow each school district to decide if it chooses to test for steroids -- and provide for a $5 million school grant program -- passed the Senate and is in the Assembly Codes Committee."
Tackle Utah education disparity
Date CapturedFriday September 29 2006, 1:12 AM
Deseret Morning News editorial writes, "The report ["Closing Educational Achievement Gaps for Latina/o Students in Utah,"] points out the inadequacy of Utah's school funding in terms of per pupil expenditures, Utah's large school and class sizes as well as data that show that Utah funds districts with the highest percentage of minorities at lower rates. The researchers contend that while the methodology of the latter point could be disputed, 'the fact remains that districts with higher percentages of students of color, in fact, need more funding than (other) districts in order to move from 'equality' to 'equity.'"
Is the Feds' Lesson Plan Working? YES: Expectations + Rigor = Promising Results
Date CapturedFriday September 29 2006, 12:19 AM
Op-ed by Secretary Margaret Spellings, in the San Francisco Chronicle on September 26, 2006, "Going forward, we are working closely with states to help them comply with NCLB. States that follow the 'bright lines' of the law—assessing students regularly, disaggregating data, hiring highly qualified teachers and informing parents about their options—may qualify for flexibility in measuring and reporting their results. We prefer collaboration to confrontation. Many states, including California, clearly have room to improve. But the bottom line remains the same. No Child Left Behind has added a fourth 'R' to reading, writing and 'rithmetic—results. We are beginning to see those results. And soon the world will, too."
September 28, 2006 Press Release - Closure of Taylor Business Institute
Date CapturedFriday September 29 2006, 12:01 AM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, SEPTEMBER 28, 2006: “We identified several areas of consistent non-compliance at Taylor. These areas include inadequate rigor, level and content of coursework that could impact a student’s ability to transfer credits to other degree-granting institutions; inadequate investments in critical educational services, such as faculty, library resources, equipment and support services; rapid turnover of staff and faculty; understaffed student support services; and hiring of staff and faculty who lack requisite skills and experience. In short, the students at Taylor are not receiving the college-level education that they are paying for,” said Johanna Duncan-Poitier, Deputy Commissioner for Higher Education and the Professions. "The State Education Department will directly contact all Taylor students to inform them about the school’s closure and detail all options for continuing their education at other institutions. The Department has arranged a College Transfer Fair for the Taylor students on October 18th from 2-7 p.m. at the CUNY Graduate Center. Representatives of other educational institutions will be there to discuss transfer opportunities. Information and guidance about State and Federal student financial aid will also be provided. “We want the transition to go smoothly so that students will choose to continue their education and graduate,” said Duncan-Poitier. "The Department has also created a page on its Web site for Taylor students."
Buffalo alternative school off to a rough start
Date CapturedThursday September 28 2006, 12:33 PM
Buffalo News reports, "'These are youngsters who have not had success, period,' he [Superintendent] said. 'These are 17, 16 years old and they have some serious problems embedded in their personalities. They don't know right from wrong.' Teachers at the school are devoted and hard-working, but have not yet received proper training, Collier [associate superintendent for student support services] said."
New Orleans suit targets school busing: Parent says service must be provided
Date CapturedThursday September 28 2006, 8:23 AM
The Times-Picayune reports, "Calling into question the responsibilities of charter schools that now dominate New Orleans' public education landscape, a Lusher Elementary parent has filed a lawsuit challenging the school's decision not to provide bus service to its students."
Rochester area colleges light the way to economic vitality for region
Date CapturedThursday September 28 2006, 6:34 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle guest essayists Joel Seligman, president of University of Rochester and Braveman, president of Nazareth College write, "Area colleges contribute to the quality of the community's social, educational and cultural life. Recent studies have shown that knowledge workers are drawn to a climate in which the arts are thriving. The myriad arts offerings from the Eastman School of Music, the Nazareth College Arts Center and other local colleges provide affordable access to some of the world's most renowned performers and artists, bring thousands of visitors to the area and create an atmosphere that can help attract and retain talent. As local leaders discuss economic development, it is important that they recognize the tremendous opportunities and potential offered by Rochester area colleges. By taking full advantage of university research, university-generated human capital, local business creativity and the full support of all local entities, we can create the kind of environment in which the Rochester economy can flourish and our talented young people will want to build their lives."
State orders commercial school in NYC closed, citing poor quality
Date CapturedThursday September 28 2006, 4:08 AM
Newsday reports, "Their [group of educators] report stated that 'the institute operates more as a high school equivalency preparation enterprise than as a college.' The report also questioned whether the public investment in the school is worth it."
Connecticut Lawsuit Is Cut Back
Date CapturedThursday September 28 2006, 1:23 AM
NY Times reports, "A federal judge yesterday dismissed much of Connecticut’s closely watched legal challenge to President Bush’s education law, No Child Left Behind, but allowed the state to go forward with its claim that Washington treated the state unfairly in negotiations over how to carry out the law."
It Takes a Parent: Transforming Education in the Wake of the No Child Left Behind Act
Date CapturedThursday September 28 2006, 1:07 AM
"With the goal of demonstrating the importance of parental involvement as a key strategy for improving student success, this report provides recommendations for education leaders and policymakers. It focuses on three major strands that are crucial to effective parental involvement: 1. Information: The opportunities and challenges of parental awareness about student and school performance; 2. Engagement: The importance of meaningful parental engagement with school officials and teachers; and 3. Advocacy: The critical role that effective parent advocacy, based on good information and informed engagement, plays in student and school performance." The report was produced by Appleseed, in coordination with several other key law firms and groups. Law firm, Holland & Knight, coordinated and carried out much of the research and drafted the final report, with assistance in two states from volunteers from DLA Piper. The National Center for Children and Families at Teachers College, Columbia University and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP played key roles in gathering and assessing information.
Autism and Special Education Law
Date CapturedWednesday September 27 2006, 10:29 PM
Marshfield Mariner reports, "The Marshfield School District has noted increased numbers of children diagnosed with ASD, and it is important that parents of children with ASD learn as much as they can about ASD and how to help the schools help their children."
Congress Hears of Internet Piracy, But Hesitates on Action
Date CapturedWednesday September 27 2006, 4:21 PM
Fox News reports, "University initiatives to stop illegal downloading of music, movies and more among college students will be critical to success because the federal government is unlikely to crack down on campuses, said witnesses at a House hearing Tuesday on Internet piracy."
Small cities sue New York state over school funding
Date CapturedWednesday September 27 2006, 3:57 PM
WNYT reports, "A total of 19 small city districts are challenging the way state aid for education is handed out. Those districts include Albany, Schenectady, Glens Falls and Cohoes." (news video)
School and Parent Interaction by Household Language and Poverty Status: 2002-03
Date CapturedWednesday September 27 2006, 3:35 PM
NCES: Language minority parents may face a number of challenges when trying to communicate or become involved with their child’s school. This Issue Brief describes school-to-home communication practices and opportunities for parent involvement at school as reported by parents of U.S. school-age students from primarily English- and primarily Spanish-speaking households during the 2002–03 school year. Among the findings: A greater percentage of students in English-speaking households than in Spanish-speaking households had parents who reported receiving personal notes or e-mails about the student; receiving newsletters, memos, or notices addressed to all parents; opportunities to attend general meetings; opportunities to attend school events; and chances to volunteer. Differences were still apparent after taking poverty status into account. This Issue Brief was prepared by Christine Enyeart, Juliet Diehl, Gillian Hampden-Thompson, and Marion Scotchmer of the American Institutes for Research.
New York City Teachers Union Files Grievance Over Overcrowded Classrooms
Date CapturedWednesday September 27 2006, 3:20 PM
NY1 reports, "The [New York] City Education Department calls the union's data "unreliable" and said the majority of oversized classes are addressed during the first two weeks of school."
Higher Ed Panel Calls for College Database
Date CapturedWednesday September 27 2006, 8:49 AM
NPR reports, "The panel says students and parents would benefit from a common database that explains what different schools offer."
Data Proposals Threaten Education and Civil Rights Accountability
Date CapturedWednesday September 27 2006, 8:14 AM
The Civil Rights Project at Harvard University concludes, "Data tracing trends over time is, of course, a central requirement of the No Child Left Behind Act, essential for judging compliance with various civil rights court orders, and required by the special education law. In some states, the change will make it appear that individual racial groups suddenly are performing substantially better or worse on some achievement tests even when nothing has changed about actual test results. One must not confuse the increases and losses in proficiency levels with actual achievement. In fact, policymakers would do well to be wary that the proposed guidelines do not result in unfair and arbitrary sanctions on schools and districts since the changes do not reflect actual improvements or losses in achievement levels."Lee, C. and Orfield, G. (2006). Data Proposals Threaten Education and Civil Rights Accountability. Cambridge, MA: The Civil Rights Project at Harvard University.
College overhaul called ‘overdue'
Date CapturedWednesday September 27 2006, 7:07 AM
USA TODAY Mary Beth Marklein reports, "Proponents of a database that tracks students, including the State Higher Education Executive Officers, say federal data on graduation rates gives an inaccurate picture because it doesn't account for transfers to other schools. And though many schools keep their own records, they don't necessarily make the data public. About 35 states have systems in place, but they operate as 'islands unto themselves,' Spellings said. Spellings said her plan would make information available to parents, policymakers and others in an easy-to-understand format. Data could include students' majors, costs after student aid and how quickly they graduate. To protect privacy, the commission recommended that the database use anonymous identification numbers, not Social Security numbers."
Cayuga Community College boss to head state's community colleges
Date CapturedWednesday September 27 2006, 5:35 AM
"'Dennis Golladay's successful leadership of Cayuga Community College, combined with more than 26 years as an educator and administrator in public higher education makes him the ideal choice for this important position,' said Thomas F. Egan, chairman of the SUNY board."
SUNY to pay new provost $300,000 plus $5,000 monthly for expenses
Date CapturedWednesday September 27 2006, 1:47 AM
AP MICHAEL GORMLEY reports, "The board hired Risa Palm of Louisiana State University as provost and chief academic officer of the public university system, said SUNY spokesman David Henahan. She will also get a car and be paid $83,000 a year more than her predecessor. Palm has been the provost at Louisiana and before that worked at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She was chosen after a nationwide search and interviews of 39 candidates by board members, Henahan said."
Secretary Spellings Announces Plans for More Affordable, Accessible, Accountable and Consumer-Friendly U.S. Higher Education System
Date CapturedWednesday September 27 2006, 1:13 AM
Secretary Spellings has called for a privacy-protected student-level data system—similar to what currently exists for K-12 students—that would create a higher education information system and provide transparency and ease when students and families shop for colleges. Armed with this information, the Department's existing college search website can be redesigned and made more useful to answer such basic questions as how much a school is really going to cost and how long it will take to get a degree. In recent years, the number of non-traditional students has increased as more Americans of all ages seek additional degrees mid-career or attend college for the first time. Secretary Spelling's plan would facilitate their access to information on colleges, financial aid and provide data on affordability.
Characteristics of the 100 Largest Public Elementary and Secondary School Districts in the United States: 2003-04
Date CapturedWednesday September 27 2006, 12:53 AM
NCES: The data include such characteristics as the numbers of students and teachers, number of high school completers and the averaged freshman graduation rate, and revenues and expenditures. Several findings were: These 100 largest districts enrolled 23 percent of all public school students, and employed 22 percent of all public school teachers, in 2003-04. The 100 largest districts produced 20 percent of all high school completers (both diploma and other completion credential recipients) in 2002-03. Across these districts, the averaged freshman graduation rate was 68.8 percent. In 19 of the 100 largest districts the rate was 80 percent or higher. The rate was less than 50 percent in 8 of the 100 largest districts. Three states – California, Florida, and Texas – accounted for 41 of the 100 largest public school districts. Current per-pupil expenditures in fiscal year 2003 ranged from a low of $4,413 in Alpine School District, Utah to a high of $17,652 in Newark City, New Jersey. Dalton, B., Sable, J., and Hoffman, L. (2006). Characteristics of the 100 Largest Public Elementary and Secondary School Districts in the United States: 2003–04 (NCES 2006-329). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
Experts: Education plan likely won't fly
Date CapturedTuesday September 26 2006, 8:18 AM
The Houston Chronicle reports on the Commission of the Future of Higher Education's 62 page report, "The commission did not recommend mandatory testing, but encouraged institutions to measure learning and make the results available to students and tuition-paying parents."
They’re All Federal Educators Now
Date CapturedTuesday September 26 2006, 8:11 AM
Neal McCluskey, policy analyst at the Cato Institute's Center for Educational Freedom writes, "As Congress moves inexorably closer to next year's scheduled reauthorization of NCLB, conservatives must reject calls for federal standards and tests, and remember the principles that they once held dear. Politically compromised, big-government policies will simply never provide the education our children need and deserve. Only pulling government out of education, and empowering parents and families with school choice, will do that."
When the teacher brings the apple
Date CapturedTuesday September 26 2006, 7:12 AM
The Christian Science Monitor opined, "The danger of using private money for such a public purpose [school funding] is that it further erodes taxpayer support for government-run schools. Teachers or donors who pay for supplies are to be commended. But is this any way to run a railroad? States and local governments need to meet basic standards for education, and fund them. Public education should not be a charity, but an obligation - a social contract between generations."
Pilot program will screen Plattsburgh High School sophomores for depression
Date CapturedTuesday September 26 2006, 6:49 AM
Press Republican reports, "The licensed clinical social worker [Mary Anne Cox], whose mental-health experience includes crisis intervention and intensive-case management, is coordinating a pilot program about to take wing at Plattsburgh High School called Columbia Teen Screen that will give mental-health checkups this fall to 10th-graders and, next spring, to eighth-graders."
Hornell City School District to offer Mandarin Chinese
Date CapturedTuesday September 26 2006, 6:45 AM
The Star-Gazette reports, "The Foreign Language Assistance Program-Local Education Agency Grant provides federal funding for foreign language instruction in less commonly taught languages, including Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Russian and some Indic, Iranian and Turkic languages, the release said."
NCLB's flaws cast Binghamton High in bad light
Date CapturedTuesday September 26 2006, 6:33 AM
Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin contributors Donald Loewen, assistant professor of Russian and Dale Tomich, professor of sociology at Binghamton University write, "Students who move out of the area are still considered Binghamton's responsibility if they don't officially register at another school. And students who move into Binghamton are considered the school's responsibility immediately, even if they show up a week before a mandatory test and the school has no chance to prepare them."
Yes to collaboration between City Hall, Rochester city schools
Date CapturedTuesday September 26 2006, 6:25 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle contributors Malik Evans, vice president, Rochester Board of Education and board member Tom Brennan write, "The school board has encouraged and will continue to support a strong working relationship with our friends in city government. The CSD and City Hall are mutually dependent in their efforts to build stronger communities."
Suffolk County Court Special Grand Jury
Date CapturedTuesday September 26 2006, 5:52 AM
September 19, 2005; Term 1E. Grand Jury Report, CPL 190.85(1)(c). READ REPORT ON EDUCATION NEW YORK ONLINE.
Calling for a watchdog: Suffolk County grand jury urges New York state to create monitor of schools' spending
Date CapturedTuesday September 26 2006, 4:57 AM
Newsday reports on Suffolk County's grand jury's recommendation to create a new state office of Inspector General for Education and a "New state law requiring school boards to post on their Web sites, or provide copies in libraries and district offices, all employment contracts and any amendments at least one month before any board vote."
New York City Schools Even Odds for Gifted Kids
Date CapturedTuesday September 26 2006, 4:49 AM
NY Post David Andreatta reports on a uniform application procedure for gifted children, "Citing an unreliable hodgepodge of selection criteria that varied from school to school and district to district, Schools Chancellor Joel Klein said that a standardized system would ensure equity."
Blacks take education into their own hands: Once dominated by whites, homeschooling appeals to more African Americans
Date CapturedMonday September 25 2006, 1:06 PM
San Francisco Chronicle reports, "The Marshalls, who had both worked as teachers' aides, feared public school would contradict their Christian beliefs, and they wanted to avoid having their sons labeled as violent or hyperactive or seeing them pressured by peers to drink, do drugs and have sex. A desire for more rigorous academics and greater emphasis on black history also has led black families into homeschooling, educators say."
Giving Kids the Chaff: How to Find and Keep the Teachers We Need
Date CapturedMonday September 25 2006, 9:08 AM
Marie Gryphon, director of educational programs at the Institute for Humane Studies and an adjunct scholar at the Cato Institute concludes, "Teacher quality can be improved dramatically when hiring managers understand the attributes that make for good teachers and are given the right incentives to make good hiring decisions. Many of the current public policy proposals to improve educational quality in American public schools, such as merit pay and hiring bonuses for teachers with subjectspecific expertise, attempt to create the same economic stimuli that are naturally present in competitive markets. Allowing families to choose their schools, and giving schools the freedom and market incentives to make wise personnel decisions, will reward good schools and good teachers, providing more students with the high-quality education they deserve."
National Science Foundation (NSF) awards $3.3 million grant to Cornell to bolster the percentage of women faculty members
Date CapturedMonday September 25 2006, 8:50 AM
EurekAlert announces, "Cornell is committed to diversity, gender equality and promoting an environment in which all faculty can achieve their potential in research, education and service. The representation of women faculty in the university's science and engineering departments falls too far below the level of female doctorates produced nationally, according to Cornell administrators."
Students, residents at odds
Date CapturedMonday September 25 2006, 6:57 AM
The Daily Star reports on collegetown neighborhoods, "Both schools [State University College at Oneonta and Hartwick College] collaborated last semester on OH-Fest, a free festival and concert in Neahwa Park, designed to bring the two campuses and the year-round Oneonta community together, and the schools regularly participate in community-service activities."
The US doesn't need more college grads
Date CapturedMonday September 25 2006, 6:41 AM
Christian Science Monitor contributor George C. Leef, executive director of the John William Pope Center for Higher Education Policy in Raleigh, N.C. writes, "Above all, the US should stop worrying about the percentage of its younger citizens who have college degrees vs. the percentage in other countries. The truth is, most of what people need to know in order to be successful in life is not learned in formal educational settings. The job skills that help workers advance in their careers are usually learned on the job."
MySpace, Seventeen launch parents education plan
Date CapturedMonday September 25 2006, 6:17 AM
Reuters reports, "To download the parents guide, surfers can click on 'Safety Tip" at MySpace.com. Brochures will also be distributed to about 55,000 schools representing grades 7 through 12 in the United States in October."
'No Child Left Behind' commission
Date CapturedMonday September 25 2006, 6:10 AM
Herald Tribune reports, "States have widely different standards for how they are measuring school progress under the law, and testing can be skewed by students with disabilities and those whose first language isn't English. 'Most groups felt they were not fully involved with writing the initial legislation, so now they want to have their say,' said Jack Jennings, director of the Center for Education Policy."
Education goal is unrealistic
Date CapturedMonday September 25 2006, 6:02 AM
Kim Littel, director of pupil services for Viroqua Area School, Wisconsin, writes, "Two questions need to be considered when dealing with NCLB re-authorization: Will improving test scores reduce our prison population? Will improving test scores make people more successful in life?"
Now read this
Date CapturedMonday September 25 2006, 5:56 AM
Journal News opined on New York State Education Department results of English Language Arts test, "State Education Commissioner Richard Mills worried Thursday about the slacking off in literacy instruction. It apparently begins in fifth grade — not the abrupt nosedive New Yorkers had come to expect in eighth. Said Mills: 'Adult literacy scores are too low, but this is where it begins.' So must the response, starting with unplugging students from electronics, and plugging them into reading books, writing clearly and speaking their minds, coherently."
Publishers seek recourse after audit slams federal reading program
Date CapturedMonday September 25 2006, 5:45 AM
USA TODAY Greg Toppo writes, "Their [publishers] requests come in the wake of an Education Department internal review that found federal officials mismanaged the Reading First program, forcing schools to buy materials the administration favored, including a few to which federal advisers had financial ties."
Taking a look at longer classes
Date CapturedMonday September 25 2006, 5:19 AM
Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin "A main roadblock to extending the year is financial concerns. Any move to add days to the school year, or hours to the school day, would have to be negotiated with labor unions, including teachers' associations, officials said. And this would mean higher labor costs. 'If you extend the school year, I would assume people would expect addition compensation,' Busch said."
Albany High security tighter after incident
Date CapturedMonday September 25 2006, 4:58 AM
Times Union writes, "Melissa Mackey said it was hypocritical of school officials to call for more parent involvement and ban parents from Sunday's meeting. Mackey, who is involved with the group Community United for Quality Education and has a daughter at Albany High, said school officials should engage students and parents in an effort to stop the violence."
Late for schools: It took state four years after takeover to appoint monitor for Roosevelt district, now $4M in the red
Date CapturedMonday September 25 2006, 4:38 AM
Newsday JOHN HILDEBRAND writes, "A review of Roosevelt's records reveals numerous early warning signs. During the summer, for example, the district laid off teachers and cut services including full-day kindergarten, after local voters twice rejected its budget. The second 'no' vote followed a state audit's revelation of irregular spending, sloppy bookkeeping and loose financial controls. At the time, the district's business office was in turmoil. It had undergone three changes of leadership in four months."
Grim Minority Report Card on New York City Teachers
Date CapturedMonday September 25 2006, 4:28 AM
NY Post David Andreatta reports, "Christopher Brown, an executive with the American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education, said the federal No Child Left Behind law has hampered recruitment of minorities because teaching licenses are now not as easily transferable from state to state. 'The majority of blacks in this nation attend traditionally black colleges, most of which are in the South,' Brown said. 'We're seeing an increasing number of teacher candidates remaining in the states where they earned their degrees, because that's where they get certified.'"
Maine-Endwell Central School District Board of Education decision reflects the district's needs
Date CapturedSunday September 24 2006, 9:56 AM
Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin contributor Waneta Griffin, president of the Maine-Endwell Board of Education writes, "The board developed the proposed capital improvement plan after receiving input from a volunteer group of residents called the Capital Project Facilities Committee. The project contains work identified by that group. The district also held two public meetings where comments were encouraged and recorded. Further, district administrators, board members and project professionals requested and received community feedback through surveys and other communications. The project team worked diligently to create a plan that addresses the district's education and infrastructure needs, and maintains fiscal responsibility."
Range of symptoms define ADHD
Date CapturedSunday September 24 2006, 9:46 AM
Poughkeepsie Journal reports, "It is estimated between 3 percent and 5 percent of children have ADHD. Unfortunately, when overlooked, children can go on to have difficulties with academics and peer relationships. Additionally, a minority of individuals with ADHD are at higher risk for oppositional behaviors, low self-esteem, mood or anxiety disorders and substance abuse. It becomes important to assess for ADHD early on."
Missouri State, ACLU settle lawsuit over women's tennis
Date CapturedSunday September 24 2006, 9:13 AM
News Tribune reports, "Most schools meet Title IX requirements by demonstrating that the percentages of male and female athletes are substantially proportionate with the percentages of male and female students enrolled. Schools can also demonstrate a history of expanding athletic opportunities for the underrepresented sex or show that athletic programs accommodate the interests and abilities of the underrepresented sex."
Beacon Club advocates for disabled students at University of Louisiana
Date CapturedSunday September 24 2006, 9:05 AM
"'I didn't know about these services until the end of my freshmen year,' he [student] said. 'It makes a difference to take a test in a distraction-free environment. Before I was taking a test in an environment with 30 to 100 students. It adds a different level of stress when you have a condition like ADHD.' Through the Services for Students with Disabilities office, he's able to have extra time to take his tests in a quiet environment."
SUNY Cobbleskill lab tech degree in trouble
Date CapturedSunday September 24 2006, 8:01 AM
Times Union reports, "While the nursing shortage has been well-documented, the chronic lack of behind-the-scenes laboratory help has received less attention. Histotechnologists process blood and tissue samples on which doctors base their diagnoses."
Schools get space-d out
Date CapturedSunday September 24 2006, 7:39 AM
NY Daily News reports, "Plans to build schools in the Rockaways are far behind the number of new homes already built, Hooks and others on the education council said. As part of Mayor Bloomberg's multibillion-dollar school construction plan to relieve overcrowding in city schools, 2,597 new seats are planned for District 27, which includes the Rockaways, by 2009. Exactly where those seats will be, and what form they will take, has not been determined, said Kelly Devers, an Education Department spokeswoman. At least one new charter school, which is expected to serve up to 800 kindergarten- grade 8 students, has been planned in conjunction with the construction of Arverne by the Sea, a multimillion-dollar, 2,300-unit condo development on the eastern end of the peninsula."
Providing Highly Mobile Students with an Effective Education
Date CapturedSaturday September 23 2006, 10:48 PM
"Various military branches have devised strategies to address these [highly mobile children] challenges and to promote academic and social success, which in some case may be useful for other subpopulations. They include: the establishment of family and educational support networks during deployments; the encouragement of parental involvement associated with high academic achievement; the use of school counselors to meet the needs of military adolescents and to advocate and implement strategies for smoother school transitions; and a "corporate culture" that supports families and encourages strong school-family-military partnerships." Walls, Charles A. ERIC Identifier: ED482918 Publication Date: 2003-11-00. ERIC Clearinghouse on Urban Education.
Philadelphia Catholic schools receive city money for afterschool programs
Date CapturedSaturday September 23 2006, 6:41 PM
AP reports, "Five [Philadelphia] Roman Catholic schools will receive city funds to open centers that provide academic and recreational activities for children and their families after school and during evenings, weekends and summer in an effort to reduce violence and crime."
Ohio probing absence rates
Date CapturedSaturday September 23 2006, 6:29 PM
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH reports, "The attendance numbers for many Internet charter schools look good. In fact, the number with perfect scores are a little too good, prompting the Ohio Department of Education to give them a second look later this month, said Todd Hanes, executive director of the department’s Office of Community Schools."
NAACP urged to help Tennessee schools aim high
Date CapturedSaturday September 23 2006, 6:04 PM
The Tennessean reports, "School accountability and community involvement are key to ensuring that all children, regardless of their race, economic background or physical condition, are getting a fair shot at a good education, a panel of educators told NAACP members Friday."
Roosevelt charter school nears probation
Date CapturedSaturday September 23 2006, 8:28 AM
Newsday reports, "Chiding the Roosevelt charter school for holding classes in a building that has no fire sprinklers, a committee of the SUNY Board of Trustees recommended Friday that the school be placed on probation."
That's Edu-tainment
Date CapturedSaturday September 23 2006, 8:16 AM
NY Daily News reports on a New York City children's museum, "The museum has just launched a first-of-its-kind interactive Playworks exhibit that focuses on ­early childhood learning. Designed for children from infancy to age 4 and catering also to blind and hearing-impaired children, the focus is on 'earning through play.'" The Children's Museum of Manhattan is at the Tisch Building, 212 W. 83rd St., (212) 721-1223.
North Dakota college board approves gay-inclusive antiharassment policy
Date CapturedFriday September 22 2006, 11:57 PM
Advocate.com reports, "North Dakota's board of higher education has ordered the system's colleges to review their antiharassment policies, which must include a ban on harassing someone because of his or her sexual orientation. The sexual orientation provision is not required by federal or state law, said Pat Seaworth, the university system's lawyer."
President Bush Reading Program Gets Failing Grade
Date CapturedFriday September 22 2006, 11:51 PM
AP Ben Feller writes, "The new report from the Office of Inspector General - an independent arm of the Education Department - calls into question the program's credibility."
Privacy? What privacy?
Date CapturedFriday September 22 2006, 11:35 PM
Minnesota Daily Kate Nelson opined on higher education online security breaches, "These threats to privacy and their effects are very real and are much more deserving of attention than the supposed dangers of Facebook. The notion that our "private" information is available to virtually anyone seeking it is not a possibility - it's reality.
News and Notes
Date CapturedFriday September 22 2006, 11:22 PM
From the Desk of Jean C. Stevens, Interim Deputy Commissioner, New York State Education Department.
Debates abound at New Jersey board meeting
Date CapturedFriday September 22 2006, 11:30 AM
HERALD NEWS reports, "A policy being considered by the Board of Education will require students involved in extracurricular activities to maintain a minimum 2.0 grade-point average for sixth-, seventh, eighth- and ninth-graders and 2.5 for grades 10 through 12."
Vallas receives Urban Innovator Award
Date CapturedFriday September 22 2006, 9:33 AM
Philadelphia Inquirer reports, "'He [Vallas] has been responsible for sweeping reforms in Philadelphia which have led to higher test scores, better-trained teachers, safer schools, a unified curriculum and improved financial stability,' the institute [Manhattan Institute] said in a statement."
The No Child Left Behind Act: Are We Saving or Ruining Our Public Schools
Date CapturedFriday September 22 2006, 9:25 AM
Law.com contributor Danielle Holley-Walker, assistant professor of law at the University of South Carolina School of Law writes, "With NCLB the federal government took on the daunting task of increasing student achievement. While the law has wrought change, the ongoing question is whether this or other federal government initiatives are effective in assisting schools in the day-to-day struggle to improve a child's reading level, math skills and scientific knowledge. Thus far, NCLB has provided more questions than answers, and it is up to Congress to take the next step."
Major Changes Needed to Boost K-8 Science Achievement
Date CapturedFriday September 22 2006, 8:57 AM
Kansas City InfoZine reports, "The commonly held view that young children are simplistic thinkers is outmoded, the report [by the National Research Council] adds. Studies show that children think in surprisingly sophisticated ways. Yet much science education is based on old assumptions, and it focuses on what children cannot do instead of what they can. All children have basic reasoning skills, personal knowledge of the natural world, and curiosity that teachers can build on to achieve proficiency in science."
New York Reading Skills Drop After 5th Grade
Date CapturedThursday September 21 2006, 3:30 PM
NY Times DAVID M. HERSZENHORN reports, "The pattern of success in elementary school but failure in the middle grades, while hardly new, offered the most pessimistic assessment yet of New York State’s chances of meeting the goal of the No Child Left Behind law, which seeks 100 percent proficiency in reading and math among all categories of students by the 2013-14 school year, or even of a more realistic target of 80 percent proficiency for students without special needs."
New York State Department of Education: Grade 3-8 Tests For First Time Show
Date CapturedThursday September 21 2006, 2:57 PM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, September 21, 2006: For the first time, students this year took State tests in Grade 3-8. Those results, released today, showed a steady and relatively higher level of achievement in the elementary grades and lower achievement starting in Grade 6 and continuing through Grade 8. They also showed that student achievement overall in Grade 3-8 ranged from about 50 percent meeting all the standards in Urban High Need Districts to about 69 percent in Average Need Districts to 83 percent in Low Need Districts. There are substantial differences in performance among the Big 5 Cities. New York City was highest in Grade 3, with 62 percent meeting al the standards, and at Grade 8, with 37 percent meeting all the standards. Yonkers was not far behind in those grades. New York City and Yonkers both had about 51 percent of all students throughout Grade 3-8 meeting all the standards.
Results show English scores dropping as New York children get older
Date CapturedThursday September 21 2006, 1:36 PM
Newsday JOHN HILDEBRAND AND STACEY ALTHERR report, "State education officials declared at a morning news conference the latest results underline an essential point: that public middle schools need to do more to challenge students academically. Research studies have shown that scores in parochial and private schools don't take the same dip in the later grades as the public sector's."
‘We're always going to have to fight'
Date CapturedThursday September 21 2006, 9:58 AM
The Citizen reports on Title IX panel (Peter Liddell, Athletic Director of Cayuga Community College, Joan Sitterly, Athletic Director of SUNY Cortland, Shelly Connors, a physical education teacher and coach and Dr. Chris Mack, a professor at SUNY Oswego and panel mediator) discussion, "The panel discussed the effects of title IX on local schools across Central New York. Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 banned sex discrimination in schools, whether is [it] be in academics or athletics."
Should Philadelphia schools leave Pennsylvania control?
Date CapturedThursday September 21 2006, 8:42 AM
Philadelphia Inquirer reports, "Mayor Street's office is creating a task force and hiring a consultant to look at the state of education in the city - including whether it's time for the school district to leave state control."
Data is driving education now
Date CapturedThursday September 21 2006, 8:25 AM
South Idaho Press contributor Mike Chesley, superintendent of the Cassia Joint School District (Idaho) writes, "Across America, educators, parents and students are swimming in data. Over the past decade, education based on academic standards has become the norm. This has fueled the push for data to show how students are doing and to guide efforts to improve. The trend has only grown since the early 2002 signing of the federal No Child Left Behind Act, mandating all students in public schools (Cassia School District #151 included) be proficient in math and reading by 2014. Guess what? It is a good thing."
Curry praised as model for teacher education
Date CapturedThursday September 21 2006, 7:07 AM
Cavalier Daily reports, 'Students [in the Education School] are taught to praise research and to be able to discern what is relevant in research and to use instructional methods that have been proven effective,' Education Prof. Sandy Cohen said. 'We really strive for our students to see themselves as researchers in their own classrooms ... emphasizing the things that work and that don't work'."
'Dangerous' special ed controversy
Date CapturedThursday September 21 2006, 4:57 AM
NY Daily News reports, "Parent leaders and educators are steamed about a state list that labels three special education schools in Queens 'persistently dangerous.' They charge the report is inaccurate and has needlessly upset parents."
Why We Need a National School Test
Date CapturedThursday September 21 2006, 3:55 AM
Washington Post Op-Ed contributors William J. Bennett, education secretary under President Ronald Reagan and Rod Paige, education secretary under President George W. Bush write, "As both of us have long argued, Washington should set sound national academic standards and administer a high-quality national test. Publicize everybody's results, right down to the school level. Then Washington should butt out."
Unfair Advancement
Date CapturedThursday September 21 2006, 3:52 AM
NY Times Op-Ed contributor Rodney Labrecque, head of Wilbraham & Monson Academy, a college preparatory school opined on Advanced Placement (AP) tests, "Even if Advanced Placement were an effective high school education tool, there is little evidence to think it would be a useful yardstick for admissions. A 2004 study of the University of California system found that 'the number of Advanced Placement and honors courses taken in high school bears little or no relationship to student’s later performance in college.' (Not surprisingly, the College Board, which administers the tests, rebutted this conclusion.)"
A transformation for special ed: Need to account for language and cultural differences
Date CapturedWednesday September 20 2006, 11:00 PM
The Arizona Republic reports, "The push for accountability in public schools, coupled with increasing numbers of English-language learners, has put a squeeze on those who work in one of the most demanding, stressful career fields."
Oregon reapplies to pilot way of assessing students
Date CapturedWednesday September 20 2006, 10:53 PM
AP reports, "Oregon has some key selling points in pitching itself as a candidate for the pilot program, including the development of a statewide database that allows for the tracking of a student's academic progress, even if they switch school districts."
College notifying applicants of "misplaced" data
Date CapturedWednesday September 20 2006, 5:16 PM
AP reports, "Officials at Berry College say personal information on more than 2,000 students who applied for financial aid was 'misplaced' by a consultant, creating a possible security breach. In a statement posted Wednesday on Berry's Web site, President Stephen R. Briggs said college officials were notified late Monday afternoon that information from federal student aid forms collected during the 2005-06 academic year had been misplaced by a financial aid consultant. The data included names, Social Security numbers and reported incomes related to 2,093 people who submitted a federal aid application to Berry, a private college in northwest Georgia. Of those, 1,322 are currently enrolled at Berry, Brigg said."
Mayor Bloomberg In California For Education Announcement
Date CapturedWednesday September 20 2006, 11:31 AM
NY1 reports on mayoral control of schools, "The jury is still out on whether putting the mayor in charge of schools was a total success."
CHARTERS BY NUMBERS
Date CapturedWednesday September 20 2006, 11:25 AM
Center for Education Reform reports, "Charter schools again experienced double-digit growth this year. Despite caps deflating the number that can open in states from North Carolina to New York, the number of charters in 40 states and the District of Columbia rose 11 percent from 3,600 to 3,977 nationwide. There are now approximately 1.15 million students attending charter schools across the country."
Impact of steroids felt across high school sports
Date CapturedWednesday September 20 2006, 9:20 AM
San Francisco Chronicle columnist C.W. Nevius writes, "Every high school [California] athlete must sign a pledge that he or she will not use anabolic steroids. Every coach and volunteer must complete the American Sport Education Program course on steroids. And finally, in many schools, such as Archbishop Riordan in San Francisco, parents are required to attend a meeting to discuss the use and abuse of steroids."
Single-sex schools more common
Date CapturedWednesday September 20 2006, 9:13 AM
UPI reports, "The U.S. Department of Education is expected to release guidelines soon which could cause those numbers to exploded, Stateline.org reported. Administrators are caught between conflicting laws, the No Child Left Behind Act, which allows single-sex classrooms, and the 1972 law [Title IX] that bans gender discrimination."
New York community college tuition up statewide
Date CapturedWednesday September 20 2006, 9:02 AM
The Poughkeepsie Journal reports, "Tuition at 27 of 30 community colleges in the state went up an average of 2.3 percent this year, despite a 7.5 percent increase in state operating aid and 6.9 percent hike in local funding, according to an analysis released Tuesday by the State University of New York. At the same time, the percentage of the total education cost students pay decreased from an average of 39.2 percent last year to 38.1 percent, the report said. The state raised its contribution $175 this year to $2,525 per student."
Community needs to analyze bond requests
Date CapturedWednesday September 20 2006, 7:50 AM
Ithaca Journal guest columnist Allen Lambert, former member of the Ithaca City School District Board of Education writes, "Of what use is a public hearing when citizens do not have details to comment on, or when it is too late to influence a decision? No information was available to the public until the evening of Sept. 7. And little detail has been published in newspapers so citizens can begin to examine particulars. Yet, the board of education is expected to make a huge decision without adequate time for itself or the community."
SUNY to offer 'disaster degree'
Date CapturedWednesday September 20 2006, 6:44 AM
Times Herald-Record reports, "The program — officially called the Hudson Valley Domestic Preparedness Community College Consortium — will offer students from the four colleges degrees in emergency management, fire protection services, paramedic and cybersecurity, as well as classes on basic police training."
Area New York BOCES play key role in ensuring no child is left behind
Date CapturedWednesday September 20 2006, 6:18 AM
The Journal News reports on changes at BOCES, "The biggest changes began about five years ago, when the federal education law dubbed 'No Child Left Behind' took effect. The law, among other things, required that schools provide highly qualified teachers, demanded that states create English and math accountability tests for all children from third through eighth grades and insisted that special-needs students be given the same academic tests as other students."
Mayor Bloomberg Re-emphasizes School Control
Date CapturedWednesday September 20 2006, 3:16 AM
NY Times reports, "In addition, education advocates and elected officials say, Mr. Bloomberg has alienated many parents — precisely the public needed to bring pressure on legislators — who feel excluded from influencing decisions about the system."
'Lite' Choice in School Reform
Date CapturedWednesday September 20 2006, 12:07 AM
The Washington Post reports, "Under-performing schools in Prince George's, Baltimore and elsewhere across the nation have seized on the turnaround specialist as a quick fix that satisfies the federal No Child Left Behind directive, which requires chronically low-performing schools to choose some form of alternative governance, such as a new staff or management by a private company. The report by the Center on Education Policy cites the Prince George's system as emblematic of a national trend: When school systems are forced to take corrective action, they tend to chose the least radical -- and least corrective, it says -- option."
Wyoming Schools Are Flush With Money
Date CapturedTuesday September 19 2006, 11:47 PM
AP reports, "Rising production and soaring prices for natural gas have helped Wyoming produce huge budget surpluses over the past few years - $1.8 billion in 2006 alone and $900 million the year before that. And much of it has been pumped back into education."
Florida class-size limits again prod large cash request
Date CapturedTuesday September 19 2006, 11:40 PM
The News-Press reports, "The State Board of Education is seeking $5.7 billion from lawmakers next year for operating and construction costs, a year after the Legislature approved its largest spending boost to shrink classes since voters approved the 2002 amendment. That amount includes $714 million in new money for teachers, supplies, transportation and other operational costs, and nearly $2.9 billion to build new, permanent classrooms in overcrowded school districts."
Boston schools win top education award; Jersey City a finalist
Date CapturedTuesday September 19 2006, 8:48 PM
AP reports, "The Boston public school system won the nation's largest prize in public education Tuesday, earning $500,000 in college scholarships for making steady gains in the classroom. Jersey City's school system was a finalist for the award and will receive $125,000."The other four finalists will each receive $125,00. They are Bridgeport Public Schools in Connecticut, Jersey City School District in New Jersey, Miami Dade County Public Schools and the New York City Department of Education.
CUNY, NYU And DOE Team Up To Train Teachers For City Schools
Date CapturedTuesday September 19 2006, 7:22 PM
NY1 Mike Meenan reports, " A joint effort by the Department of Education, CUNY and NYU, the Teacher Academy recruits college freshmen who want to become math and science teachers and trains them to serve city schools."
Columbia Alters Financial Aid for Low-Income Students
Date CapturedTuesday September 19 2006, 7:16 PM
NY Times KAREN W. ARENSON reports, "Columbia officials said that even though the campus already has the most socio-economically diverse student body in the Ivy League, the move to replace loans with grants for low-income students will enhance that diversity further."
Texas school district receives superior achievement rating
Date CapturedTuesday September 19 2006, 6:59 PM
The Brownsville Herald reports on the Texas Education Agency (TEA) financial accountability system, “'We are very pleased with BISD’s Schools FIRST rating,' said Hector Gonzales, BISD interim superintendent. 'This rating shows that Brownsville’s schools are accountable not only for student learning, but also for achieving these results cost-effectively and efficiently.'”
Highlights of the Final Report of the Secretary of Education's Commission on the Future of Higher Education: A Test of Leadership-Charting the Future of U.S. Higher Education
Date CapturedTuesday September 19 2006, 5:24 PM
U.S. Department of Education press release: "Secretary Spellings formed the Commission on the Future of Higher Education to launch a national dialogue on the need to strengthen higher education so that our students and our nation will remain competitive in the 21st century. As a college diploma becomes more critical, higher education must be accessible to all Americans and meet the needs of America's diverse and changing student population. The Commission found that: College access, particularly for low-income and minority students, is limited by inadequate academic preparation, a lack of information and persistent financial barriers; The current financial aid system is confusing, complex and inefficient, and is therefore frequently unable to direct aid to the students who need it most; and There is a shortage of clear, comprehensive, and accessible information about the colleges and universities themselves, including comparative data about cost and performance."
High School sports is more than wins and losses
Date CapturedTuesday September 19 2006, 1:03 PM
Gloucester Daily Times Steve Maniaci writes, "High school sports is a vehicle that gives student athletes the opportunity to enhance their academic careers. It is an after-school activity that takes place in a safe environment. It is also a place where kids can get some exercise, and relieve some stress from a busy school day. High school sports also provides the student athletes a chance to spend time with friends and make new friends. It is also a place where the student athlete can learn to work in a group and deal with pressure situations. Wins and losses also provide life lessons. A student athlete has the opportunity to learn why they won or lost each game, and can make adjustments to maintain or achieve a positive result."
The schoolyard bully
Date CapturedTuesday September 19 2006, 12:16 PM
Dick Iannuzzi, President, New York State United Teachers writes, "President Bush and his supporters in Congress have used NCLB as a weapon to punish schools instead of as a tool to improve them. Now they've turned that weapon on children with disabilities and children trying to learn English and adapt to a new culture." Iannuzzi additionally criticizes New York State Education Department (SED).
Teacher colleges get low marks
Date CapturedTuesday September 19 2006, 11:56 AM
The Honolulu Advertiser writes, "Don Young, interim dean of UH's College of Education [University of Hawaii] that produces most of Hawai'i's new teachers each year, called the report [Educating School Teachers] 'broad-brush charges' not particularly applicable to Hawai'i where student teachers have been receiving standards-based education for the past five or six years, as well as extensive hands-on classroom experience." The university has launched new courses that address challenges such as No Child Left Behind requirements. UH was not pinpointed in the Levine study.
Drive urges reworking school aid
Date CapturedTuesday September 19 2006, 5:32 AM
Times Union reports, "Stratton [Schenectady mayor] said the resolution of the Campaign for Fiscal Equity lawsuit could add $60 million in state aid to Schenectady City Schools over the next four years. That is the figure included in a proposed settlement of the lawsuit, according to the Alliance for Quality Education, a statewide group that advocates for more school funding."
Classes at West Side School End with Bang
Date CapturedTuesday September 19 2006, 4:56 AM
NY Post DAVID ANDREATTA and C.J. SULLIVAN report on use of dynamite near a New York City school, "A Department of Education spokeswoman said the school - at West End Avenue and West 70th Street - and its students were safe. But parents insisted the blasting caught them off guard, saying they learned of it from the school's principal only yesterday."
University of Virginia Curry School of Education Recognized as National Model
Date CapturedMonday September 18 2006, 11:15 PM
Newswise reports, "The Curry School's five-year B.A./M.T. program, the high quality of its students, the balance between theory and practical experience and the reputation of the faculty are among the elements given high marks in the study, which was done by Arthur Levine, former president of Teachers College at Columbia University and now president of the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation."
Secretary Spellings Delivered Remarks at the White House Conference on Global Literacy
Date CapturedMonday September 18 2006, 8:02 PM
U.S. Department of Education press release: U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings today joined First Lady Laura Bush at the first-ever White House Conference on Global Literacy in New York City. Secretary Spellings hosted a panel on Mother-Child Literacy and Intergenerational Learning.
Educating School Teachers
Date CapturedMonday September 18 2006, 6:47 PM
Study author Arthur Levine, who recently left the presidency of Teachers College, Columbia University to become president of the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation concludes "that a majority of teacher education graduates are prepared in university-based programs that suffer from low admission and graduation standards. Their faculties, curriculums and research are disconnected from school practice and practitioners. There are wide variations in program quality, with the majority of teachers prepared in lower quality programs. Both state and accreditation standards for maintaining quality are ineffective."
School Choice: 2006 Progress Report
Date CapturedMonday September 18 2006, 5:46 PM
Dan Lips, Education Analyst and Evan Feinberg, Research Assistant in the Domestic Policy Studies Department at The Heritage Foundation write, "One likely reason for the growing bipartisan sup­port for school choice is the mounting empirical evidence that school choice programs work. Over the past 15 years, the growth of school choice pro­grams has enabled researchers to study the impact of school choice on students, families, and school systems. Students participating in school choice programs have made academic gains when com­pared to their peers in public school. Importantly, public schools that face competition from choice programs have shown improvement."
Special ed poses a challenge
Date CapturedMonday September 18 2006, 12:18 PM
Buffalo News opined on special education, "The problem is this: While virtually all students in special ed need help, not all of them need this help. Some may merely need remedial instruction, for example - help that should certainly be provided, but not in the expensive, bureaucratic context of special education."
Urban growth changes agricultural education
Date CapturedMonday September 18 2006, 11:57 AM
Idaho Press-Tribune reports, "Because of the shift toward more urban topics, many agriculture teachers who grew up on farms and wanted to focus on production agriculture education found themselves having to take on unfamiliar subjects they had never considered learning or teaching before."
Missouri teachers’ credentials checked
Date CapturedMonday September 18 2006, 11:35 AM
The Kansas City Star reports, "Last month, the department essentially flunked Missouri and several other states over the mandate, putting them at risk of having school aid withheld. Kansas earned high marks for satisfying all six criteria. The big challenge in Missouri is proving compliance among veteran educators who earned their certification before a 1988 state requirement that teaching candidates pass a subject-matter test before earning a license."
NEA Launches NCLB Reform Effort
Date CapturedMonday September 18 2006, 10:17 AM
Education World reports, "Reg Weaver, president of the NEA, talked with Education World about the union's proposals for reforming NCLB, and why he thinks changes are urgently needed."
Maine education head to challenge ruling on SATs
Date CapturedMonday September 18 2006, 9:26 AM
Statehouse Reporter reports, "The federal government wanted more proof that the SAT was aligned with the curriculum, in general, and found it didn’t adequately measure progress in math. A second test will be added at the high school level measuring science and math next year."
Battling Alaska youth gangs at the source
Date CapturedMonday September 18 2006, 9:02 AM
Anchorage Daily News reports, "Anchorage is furious about escalating youth violence and gang crimes and wants something done about it."
Panel wants to lure youth to politics: CIVICS EDUCATION CENTER IS AMONG RECOMMENDATIONS
Date CapturedMonday September 18 2006, 8:42 AM
HERALD-LEADER reports, "Seeking an antidote to voter apathy among Kentucky's youth, a panel of officials is calling for a new civics education institution to help boost young peoples' interest in government and politics."
Women athletes finally get their due
Date CapturedMonday September 18 2006, 7:43 AM
Kansas City Star reports, "The university [Central Missouri State] is inviting women who played sports before the early 1970s to attend the homecoming football game Oct. 14 to get letters that only male athletes could earn at the time. So far, about 100 women have indicated they will attend, organizers said."
Who supports Ohio private schools?
Date CapturedMonday September 18 2006, 7:38 AM
THE ENQUIRER reports, "Across the region and state, private and religious schools get tens of millions of dollars in taxpayer support each year from the Ohio Department of Education. Ohio is among the most generous states toward private and religious schools, national experts say."
Success in Philly Could Spread Here
Date CapturedMonday September 18 2006, 3:51 AM
NY Post reports, "The New York STD school-testing program is modeled after that of Philadelphia, which in 2003 found more than 17,000 cases of chlamydia - more than double the number reported a decade earlier."
Early Admissions
Date CapturedMonday September 18 2006, 3:31 AM
The Washington Post opined on Harvard's changed admissions policy, "As other schools ponder whether they can afford to follow the example of Harvard and Delaware, they would do well to note the widespread reaction of parents, teachers and guidance counselors who see the decision as a step toward easing the anxiety, tension and premature pressure that has come to permeate the process for too many students."
Skip the Test, Betray the Cause
Date CapturedMonday September 18 2006, 3:29 AM
NY Times Op-Ed contributor Colin S. Diver, president of Reed College opined, "An institution that, commendably, seeks to enroll more minority and lower-income students can do so by giving less weight to SAT or ACT scores, either across the board or in selective cases. But concealing the applicants’ test scores is just willful blindness."
Teaching Math, Singapore Style
Date CapturedMonday September 18 2006, 3:26 AM
NY Times opined, "The countries that outperform the United States in math and science education have some things in common. They set national priorities for what public school children should learn and when. They also spend a lot of energy ensuring that every school has a high-quality curriculum that is harnessed to clearly articulated national goals. This country, by contrast, has a wildly uneven system of standards and tests that varies from place to place. We are also notoriously susceptible to educational fads."
In New Jersey, a Community Divided
Date CapturedSunday September 17 2006, 9:35 PM
NY Times reports, "The state’s findings made no mention of religion, but the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey, which made the initial complaint to the state, did. It said that the school catered to the Orthodox, who rarely send their children to school with those who are not Orthodox. This summer, when the State Department of Education ordered the district to correct the special-education disparity and the district appealed the order to the education commissioner, a big rift in Lakewood grew bigger. It is a rift that has deepened in recent years as a group that once had little to do with public institutions began to join them, electing its members to a majority of school board seats and two of the five township committee seats."
Social Studies Goes to the Back of the Class
Date CapturedSunday September 17 2006, 8:53 PM
NPR Liane Hansen discusses the importance of math and reading with Fred Risinger, former coordinator of Social Studies Education at the School of Education at Indiana University.
Student leads revolution
Date CapturedSunday September 17 2006, 8:42 PM
Iowa City Press-Citizen reports, "Called Student's Against Facebook News Feed (Official Petition to Facebook), the group challenged a feature that displayed details about friends, calling it an invasion of privacy."
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF LA RAZA [NCLR] APPLAUDS U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION’S POLICY ON ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS
Date CapturedSunday September 17 2006, 7:16 PM
“Getting the No Child Left Behind law (NCLB) right is critical for Latino students, nearly half of whom are ELLs,” stated Janet Murguía, NCLR President and CEO. “The Department’s regulations strike a balance which ensures that ELLs get the attention they deserve but have often not received, while at the same time giving states time to help ELLs learn English and improve in other important subjects.”
Mississippi Education: Dropouts Bounds' (State Superintendent of Education) next target
Date CapturedSunday September 17 2006, 12:02 PM
The Clarion Ledger opined, "Bounds is embarking on a fund-raising drive to implement ways to keep kids in school. It's a daunting task, Bounds says, because a key to keeping kids in school is having them ready to enter school. By third grade, he says, teachers can predict which kids will ultimately drop out. 'Some states base the number of prison beds on that figure,' he said. The children started school behind and can never catch up - exacerbated here because Mississippi is one of the few states without a prekindergarten program."
Regional office of Illinois education says its has a right to check on homeschool students
Date CapturedSunday September 17 2006, 11:57 AM
The Southern reports, "'According to the Regional Office of Education, they do have the right to check on home-schooling parents,' Garnati [Williamson County State's Attorney] said. A Marion resident was recently sentenced to 48 hours in the Williamson County Jail after she was convicted of allowing her child to remain truant from school. She claimed she was home-schooling her child, but Williamson County Judge Ron Eckiss ruled that she was not home-schooling and was rather allowing her child to remain truant from school."
South Carolina school district considers background checks
Date CapturedSunday September 17 2006, 11:47 AM
Island Packet reporter Dan Williamson and reporter Devon Morrow of The (Columbia) State write, "'That's [background checks] something we need to do as soon as possible,' she [Connie Long, the district's assistant superintendent for human resources] said. 'We want to make sure that the people who are working closest with our children are people of integrity and people with nothing to hide and who are genuinely interested in the education of our students and don't have an ulterior motive.'"
Massachusetts, Pittsfield District has high hopes for grant
Date CapturedSunday September 17 2006, 11:38 AM
Berkshire Eagle reports, "Schools officials believe that a rare federal grant recently awarded to the Pittsfield Public School District will help increase school attendance, decrease disruptive behavior and improve graduation rates. The $2.8 million Safe Schools/Healthy Students Grant is part of a joint effort by the U.S. departments of Education, Health and Human services. Only 19 districts across the nation were awarded the three-year grant, and Pittsfield secured the second-largest sum."
Laura Bush to Hold Global Literacy Conference
Date CapturedSunday September 17 2006, 11:26 AM
VOICE OF AMERICA reports, "The educators say the conference will focus on three initiatives for combating global illiteracy, including teaching mothers to read and to pass that skill on to their children. The other two initiatives are aimed at improving reading skills, so adults can make informed decisions about health issues, and ways to use literacy to build basic business skills."
New Hampshire given final chance to step up to education plate
Date CapturedSunday September 17 2006, 10:52 AM
Portsmouth Herald opined, "What the courts, school officials, parents and students really want and need is a specific list of what courses and levels of proficiency constitute an adequate education in today's world. The plans put forth by legislatures and governors since the first Claremont education funding suit in 1993 define adequacy based on how much the state can afford to pay toward the education of its children, not what the children actually need to be educated adequately."
Urban education program promises focus
Date CapturedSunday September 17 2006, 10:29 AM
Republican-American reports on proposed curriculum in Connecticut school, "The Comer program is not focused specifically on academic achievement, though supporters say fostering a warmer attitude toward school leads to higher test scores. 'Academic achievement is an outcome of good development,' Joyner [education professor who helped develop the program] said. 'It's just as important for a kid to be good as it is to be smart.'" Joyner said a particular focus for Walsh [Connecticut school] would be developing a schoolwide focus on learning proper English, and recognizing when to use it instead of street slang."
D.C. Parents Oppose Special-Ed 'Inclusion': Disabled Would Suffer, Critics Say
Date CapturedSunday September 17 2006, 10:21 AM
The Washington Post reports on Washington, D.C. schools and special education inclusion, "D.C. School Superintendent Clifford B. Janey plans to return about 2,000 disabled students in private schools to the public system and close four special-education centers, moves aimed at saving money by integrating the children into the general education population. His proposal, released last week and already drawing fire, is included in a $2.3 billion, 15-year master facilities plan to upgrade the system. The master plan calls for renovating 121 schools and closing 19."
Killing Off the American Future
Date CapturedSunday September 17 2006, 9:52 AM
NY Times opined, "Unless America renews its commitment to the higher education policies that made the country great, we could soon find ourselves at the mercy of an increasingly competitive global economy. And if we let ourselves hit bottom, it could take generations for us to dig ourselves out."
Johnson City schools seek input on funds
Date CapturedSunday September 17 2006, 9:42 AM
Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin reports on EXCEL, a one-time allocation to help school districts fund new building projects, "The Johnson City Central School District received an unexpected gift in April when state lawmakers approved $2 million more in building aid for the district. Now, school board members are asking the public to help determine how to spend the money. They are asking district residents to participate in focus group sessions in October to get feedback on the best use of the $2,030,375 coming to Johnson City under EXCEL, or Expanding our Children's Education and Learning."
Parents must show an interest in their children's education
Date CapturedSunday September 17 2006, 9:34 AM
Pensacola News Journal contributor Ralph Hendel, retired from the Philadelphia Police Department opined, "If you wonder why your child is not doing well in school, I can assure you it is not a result of poor teachers or a lack of books or equipment in the classroom -- or the way subjects are taught. In almost all cases, it is a result of parents and guardians who have failed to take enough interest in raising that child."
Harvard Ends Early Admissions, and Guess Who Wins
Date CapturedSaturday September 16 2006, 1:06 PM
NY Times reports, "Harvard officials argue that the program gives yet another leg up to well-off students, who don’t need to compare financial-aid offers from numerous colleges and who often attend high schools where counselors help put together applications. After the announcement, many people within education urged other colleges to take a similar step."
Wide Variety of Factors Involved in Achievement Gap
Date CapturedSaturday September 16 2006, 10:32 AM
Norwalk Citizen News reports, "The panelists [at a forum last week at Norwalk Community College] offered a wide range of observations dealing with the prospect of success in closing the achievement gap, including the following: *Educators have to think beyond the community. *Communities can't put blind faith in a charismatic leader. *Communities need to have courageous conversations about class and race and not be afraid to bring up the issues. *Communities have to be open to data that may fly in the face of beliefs. *Educators must look at the best practices that achieve success in other countries. *Thinking that low achievement in a school system is acceptable is offensive. *Investment in professional development should relate to what teachers are doing in the classrooms. *Opportunities for teachers to get together should be built within the school day. *Principals need to realize that their primary purpose is to know what's going on in the classrooms. *The way education is funded is a huge barrier to closing the gap. Therefore schools systems can't wait for more money to change a system. *The focus needs to be on the teachers and the students in the classrooms. *Four-to-six-week teacher-generated pupil assessment is important to determine if teaching goals are being met."
New steroid policy in Santa Cruz, California schools
Date CapturedSaturday September 16 2006, 10:18 AM
Santa Cruz Sentinel reports, "Students in the Santa Cruz City Schools district will be taught the dangers of steroids beginning in the sixth grade, and athletes and coaches caught with steroids will be subject to stiff new penalties under a policy adopted this week by district trustees."
Feds reverse ruling on Nebraska's assessment program
Date CapturedSaturday September 16 2006, 9:46 AM
AP reports, "Two months after rejecting Nebraska’s assessment system under the No Child Left Behind law, the U.S. Department of Education has reversed itself. Federal officials told Nebraska Friday that its system for testing students met standards."
Parental consent form one of many special education changes
Date CapturedFriday September 15 2006, 10:54 PM
The Wilton Villager reports on 2004 reauthorization of the national Individuals with Disabilities Education Act [IDEA] changes, "The teacher is required to change his or her teaching style, slow down, work in small groups and work one on one with the child before having the student evaluated for special education services."
IDEA 2004 Regulations -- Schedule of Community Meetings -- Sept. 26, 2006 -- Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2006.
Date CapturedFriday September 15 2006, 8:00 PM
To provide the public with an overview of the regulations, OSERS [Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services] will be hosting a series of community-based public meetings. These public meetings will serve two major purposes. First, the meetings will provide the public with an opportunity to learn about the major concepts and principle changes in the new regulations. Second, the meetings will serve as a mechanism for the public to learn about and obtain some of the many resources and supports available from OSERS to assist in the implementation of these regulations. A list of the meetings sites, and available information on the locations and times that have been finalized can be accessed through link. Please check regularly for updates on meeting locations and times as they become available. The reception will be followed by a presentation about the regulations, which will include a taped welcome from Education Secretary Margaret Spellings, information about the regulations and the Web site, as well as an opportunity to ask questions about the regulations and OSERS' implementation plans. Meeting are scheduled between Sept. 26, 2006 and Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2006.
Volunteers sought to research school configuration
Date CapturedFriday September 15 2006, 6:48 PM
Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin reports, "The Susquehanna Valley Board of Education is still looking for volunteers to research a possible reconfiguration of the school district's two elementary schools. The volunteers will study having one of the schools house kindergarten through second grade students, and the other school house third through fifth grade students, district officials said."
New York State Education Department News and Notes
Date CapturedFriday September 15 2006, 8:50 AM
Education news from the Desk of Jean C. Stevens, Interim Deputy Commissioner.
No Worm for the Early Bird
Date CapturedFriday September 15 2006, 8:26 AM
Wall Street Journal opined on early admissions, "This week, Harvard University announced a plan to drop its "early admission" program in order to encourage more economic and racial diversity in its applicant pool. That the Crimson gatekeepers are trying yet another strategy to promote campus diversity will surprise no one."
Kansas to explore abandoning No Child Left Behind law
Date CapturedFriday September 15 2006, 8:23 AM
Lawrence Journal-World reports, "The education board [Kansas] has been sharply divided between moderates and conservatives on numerous issues, but it has agreed within the next couple of months to take a look at what the impact would be if the state disengaged from NCLB and refused the federal funding associated with it. The board also will explore trying to get Congress to change the law."
Charter schools help improve public education
Date CapturedFriday September 15 2006, 7:34 AM
Times Union Op-Ed contributor Peter Murphy, NY Charter Schools Association policy director writes, "The fact is that most charter schools in the state now outperform district-run schools as measured by results on state exams, yet the Times Union continues to cloud this fact with its incessant campaign against New Covenant Charter School. The reality is that struggling charter schools will have one of two outcomes: improve or be closed. Such has been the record of charter school accountability in New York state."
Sullivan pledges $7.5M for a greener Sullivan County Community College
Date CapturedFriday September 15 2006, 6:57 AM
Times Herald-Record reports, "The high-performance building would house new programs for students in environmental technology, energy services technology, wind power and environmental science."
Some see early South Carolina childhood program opening voucher door
Date CapturedFriday September 15 2006, 1:04 AM
AP reports, "Under the new law, children have to live in the suing school districts and meet age and income limits to get into the privately operated programs. But they can 'attend schools outside that geography,' DeVenny [director of statewide early childhood education program] said."
Issue of school reform tackled at recent Kentucky retreat
Date CapturedFriday September 15 2006, 12:35 AM
The Kentucky Standard reports, "Haycock [Director of The Education Trust] said there are certain things in common among high achieving schools and school districts. Among these are: setting clear, high goals for students; putting all children in a demanding high school core curriculum; use of a common curriculum that does not leave teachers to develop their own; benchmark testing that tracks performance; and providing extra help for students that arrive behind at a certain grade level."
Secretary Spellings' Prepared Remarks to the National Conference of Editorial Writers Convention in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Date CapturedThursday September 14 2006, 11:04 PM
"When I [US Department of Education Secretary Spellings] hear people say things like some children just can't learn, I say, 'Whose child are they talking about?' Not mine, I hope, because as a mom, I don't think it's too much to ask that my child leave the third grade reading and doing math at the third grade level. And I'm pretty sure almost all parents feel that same way—regardless of where they live or how much money they make."
Service-learning program gives children a ‘jump start’ into school
Date CapturedThursday September 14 2006, 1:36 PM
"The School of Human Ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has launched a new outreach and service-learning program aimed at helping economically disadvantaged preschoolers get a "jump start" on kindergarten, while giving college students experience in the classroom."
Iowa education group violated meeting law, judge rules
Date CapturedThursday September 14 2006, 1:25 PM
The Des Moines Register reports, "The lawsuit was filed on behalf of the information council, The Des Moines Register, the Iowa Newspaper Association, the Waterloo/Cedar Falls Courier, the Cedar Rapids Gazette and the Associated Press." The education group must now pay more than $9,000 in attorney fees and court costs.
Education Policy Should Not Be Based on Programs that Cannot be Replicated
Date CapturedThursday September 14 2006, 12:06 PM
Education Finance and Accountability Program at the Maxwell School, Syracuse University (EFAP) Director John Yinger writes, "The use of additional funds does not, of course, guarantee success. Many schools undoubtedly use policies and practices that cost more than equally effective alternatives. But one cannot identify these alternatives simply by looking at a few successful schools. Instead, we need to continue evaluating a wide range of programs to determine which ones can raise student performance under what circumstances and at what cost."
Projections of Education Statistics to 2015
Date CapturedThursday September 14 2006, 11:31 AM
This NCES publication provides projections for key education statistics on enrollment, graduates, teachers, and expenditures in elementary and secondary schools, and enrollment, earned degrees conferred, and current-fund expenditures of degree-granting institutions. For the Nation, the tables, figures, and text contain data on enrollment, teachers, graduates, and expenditures for the past 14 years and projections to the year 2015. For the 50 States and the District of Columbia, the tables, figures, and text contain data on projections of public elementary and secondary enrollment and public high school graduates to the year 2015. In addition, the report includes a methodology section describing models and assumptions used to develop national and state-level projections. Hussar. W.J., and Bailey, T.M. (2006). Projections of Education Statistics to 2015 (NCES 2006-084). U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
Buffalo special education program a "major problem'
Date CapturedThursday September 14 2006, 11:04 AM
Buffalo News reports, "Williams [superintendent] said his staff is preparing to seek bids from outside consultants to assess the system and make recommendations for reform. He did not set a timetable, but called special education his "No. 1 priority" now that a three-year academic improvement plan is taking hold. About 20 percent of Buffalo's students have special education designation, far more than other local school districts and one of the highest rates in the state."
289 Philadelphia children take taxi to school - to tune of $15,000 a year each
Date CapturedThursday September 14 2006, 9:22 AM
Philadelphia Daily News reports, "Of the 289 students who receive taxicab service, 259 of them get special-education services for medical, emotional or other reasons."
Trailblazer Tour brings education goals to Mississippi
Date CapturedThursday September 14 2006, 9:08 AM
The Sun Herald reports, "Middle- and high-school curriculums must change so students will be better prepared whether they choose to go directly to work or attend community college or a university first, officials said."
Shortage of Bronx school nurses critical
Date CapturedThursday September 14 2006, 9:01 AM
NY Daily News reports, "Maysoun Freij, an advocate for the New York Immigration Coalition, said, 'New York has the fortune of having a large pool of bilingual and bicultural students who could go on to become nurses and doctors if given the chance.'"
States give tax breaks to college savers
Date CapturedThursday September 14 2006, 8:50 AM
USA TODAY reports, "The 529 plans — named for a section of the federal tax code — have gained popularity by allowing parents and grandparents to put away money for college and pay no federal tax on withdrawals if the money goes for tuition and books. In many cases, the money can be used for any college or university, not just a school in the state that sponsors the 529."
Educate us about violence, New York City Chancellor Klein tells schools
Date CapturedThursday September 14 2006, 7:51 AM
NY Daily News reports, "The directive came more than a week after the teachers union accused the Education Department of inaccurately recording school crime and began testing an online system that will allow teachers to report violence. The union's criticism was prompted by a state report that classified only 14 of the city's 1,400 schools as 'persistently dangerous.'"
Clinton County hit with huge state ed bill
Date CapturedThursday September 14 2006, 7:34 AM
Press Republican reports, "The county must come up with more than $300,000 immediately to satisfy a bill from the State Department of Education for pre-school special education services. Some of the charges go back to 2004."
It's way past time for school funding reform
Date CapturedThursday September 14 2006, 5:56 AM
Times Herald-Record contributor Sue Books, professor in the Department of Secondary Education at SUNY New Paltz opined, "In 2003, the funding gap between the 25 percent of school districts in New York with the most and the least poverty was $2,280 per pupil. Between two high schools with 1,500 students each, this amounts to $3.4 million a year. Funding gaps on this scale mean children in some schools receive much more than others of almost everything money can buy for schools: buildings in good repair; well-qualified and adequately compensated teachers; challenging programs; opportunities to participate in art, music and sports; and enough guidance counselors to help students through the increasingly complex college-application maze."
History-making Syracuse meeting goes virtual
Date CapturedThursday September 14 2006, 5:50 AM
The Post-Standard reports, "Not many people would chortle about getting a chance to participate in a Syracuse school board meeting, but Education Commissioner Nancy McCarty did."
228 New York High Schools Are Identified As Needing Improvement
Date CapturedWednesday September 13 2006, 9:25 PM
A total of 228 high schools have been identified by the State Education Department as needing improvement under federal and state rules. Of these, 18 high schools were newly identified this school year. In addition, 29 schools have been removed from the list because they have made Adequate Yearly Progress for two consecutive years in all areas for which they were identified. An additional 75 high schools made AYP last year and will be removed from the list if they make AYP in 2006-2007.
Desegregation, Test Score Mandates Leave Schools In Lurch
Date CapturedWednesday September 13 2006, 8:31 PM
WRAL.com. reports on local North Carolina schools and NCLB, "Nationwide, 293 school systems are under desegregation orders. The U.S. Department of Education said Wednesday that nothing in the No Child Left Behind Act provides a school district with the authority to violate an applicable desegregation plan. On the other hand, they said the regulation clear clearly states that the existence of such a plan doesn't permit a district to avoid providing public school choice."
Rochester area schools shorted $44M by fed
Date CapturedWednesday September 13 2006, 5:16 PM
The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports, "The Rochester area is being shorted $44 million in federal school aid promised under the No Child Left Behind Act, Senator Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said today while announcing a report detailing statewide school funding shortfalls."
Secretary Spellings Announces Final Limited English Proficiency Regulations
Date CapturedWednesday September 13 2006, 5:11 PM
The new Title I Regulation is intended to help recently arrived Limited English Proficiency (LEP) students learn English and other subjects while giving states and local school districts greater flexibility on assessment while continuing to hold them accountable under No Child Left Behind.
A plan to inspire achievement
Date CapturedWednesday September 13 2006, 3:35 PM
Daily Herald reports on Utah Scholars program, "The goal is to encourage students to take more rigorous academic courses in high school. Students who succeed in the program will be designated Utah Scholars at graduation -- a title that will be noted on transcripts and which will help them qualify for higher levels of college financial aid."
Binghamton leaders support new funding plan for education
Date CapturedWednesday September 13 2006, 3:30 PM
Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin reports, "The officials who spoke at a press conference at Binghamton City Hall said lawmakers should come up with a statewide solution that would funnel more state school aid money to less affluent school districts statewide, including those in the Southern Tier."
Texas Extension Program Helps Prepare Special-Needs Students for Life After High School
Date CapturedWednesday September 13 2006, 1:21 PM
Texas A&M University AgNews reports, "The program, funded through the Texas Education Agency, is designed to assist career and technology teachers – formerly known as vocational teachers – who are working with students with special needs, primarily in high school, he [Dr. Rick Peterson, Extension parenting specialist and project director] said."
New York State Education Department Dropout Prevention Resources
Date CapturedWednesday September 13 2006, 11:50 AM
University of Hawai'i athletics to review privacy policy
Date CapturedWednesday September 13 2006, 10:55 AM
The Honolulu Advertiser reports, "Manin [sports information director] said the department, faced with some athletes who requested privacy and some who agreed to waivers, wanted to adopt a uniform approach. She said the policy was 'implemented to protect the privacy of student-athletes in accordance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).'"
Los Angeles Unified Plan Aims for Fewer Dropouts
Date CapturedWednesday September 13 2006, 9:55 AM
LA Times reports, "The idea, district officials said, is to ensure that students are informed about the options available to them, and to eventually place those options in a series of comprehensive 'education and career centers' that would allow one-stop shopping for wayward students, with a strong focus on vocational education."
Derby [Connecticut] to ease cell phone ban
Date CapturedWednesday September 13 2006, 9:05 AM
Connecticut Post reports, "Cell phones are banned classrooms, but Board of Education members are trying to balance that policy with parents' desire for their children to have access to them during emergencies."
Binghamtom High School still needs improvement
Date CapturedWednesday September 13 2006, 7:20 AM
Press & Sun-Bulletin reports, "While most subgroups made adequate progress for the 2005-06 year, students with disabilities did not, Cahill [assistant superintendent of instruction] said. Cahill outlined several strategies to raise scores, including giving teachers more training to help students with disabilities, providing programs for students not reading at grade level and helping educators teach reading in various subjects."
Nine local Mid-Hudson school still get failing marks
Date CapturedWednesday September 13 2006, 7:00 AM
Times-Herald Record reports, "The list is more than name-calling. Districts have to pour resources into the problem areas — resources that local taxpayers often have to pay for. In the long run, teachers and principals might be fired if the failures continue. The federal No Child Left Behind Law sets the rules. It covers not only scores but the performance of various racial, ethnic, and other special groups."
The Not-So-Public Part of the Public Schools: Lack of Accountability
Date CapturedWednesday September 13 2006, 3:22 AM
NY Times reports, "Their [Mayor Bloomberg and Chancellor Klein] reinvented school system has many more private components than ever before, which come under very little outside scrutiny. This not-so-public part of the public school system has received more than $330 million in grants and donations from private sources over the past three years, according to Education Department statistics."
Eleven More New York City schools Fail to Meet State Criteria
Date CapturedWednesday September 13 2006, 1:42 AM
NY Times reports, "The designations mean that students in the schools, including a Manhattan charter school, two schools for recent immigrants, in Manhattan and Queens, which are open only to students with limited English skills, and a Brooklyn school that has won wide acclaim for its work with students at serious risk of dropping out, now have the right to ask for a transfer to a better school."
Why don't we really make education a top priority?
Date CapturedTuesday September 12 2006, 11:33 PM
Editorial Board of the Union-Bulletin opined, "Poll after poll has told us that the people of Washington state (and, frankly, every other state) put quality education atop their priority list for government. If so, why has higher education - a key segment of a quality education - become so expensive that a great many working, middle-class parents can no longer afford to send their kids to college."
Illinois state's plan to raise special ed limit questioned
Date CapturedTuesday September 12 2006, 11:06 PM
Chicago Sun Times KATE N. GROSSMAN Education Reporter writes, "A proposal to raise the limit on special needs students in general education classrooms from 30 to 40 percent under certain circumstances and to do away with special education labels is raising red flags for some advocates and the state's [Illinois] largest teachers union."
Reforming Education in Florida: A Study Prepared by the Koret Task Force on K-12 Education, Hoover Institution 2006
Date CapturedTuesday September 12 2006, 2:04 PM
By Paul Peterson. This assessment by the Koret Task Force identifies reforms that have been undertaken and Florida's education policies related to accountability, curriculum reform, effective teaching, school choice, and organizational change, including voluntary preschool education, class-size reduction, and more effective resource management. Contributors include John E. Chubb, Williamson M. Evers, Chester E. Finn Jr., Eric A. Hanushek, Paul T. Hill, E. D. Hirsch, Caroline M. Hoxby, Terry M. Moe, Paul E. Peterson, Diane Ravitch, and Herbert J. Walberg. Additional contributors include Paul Clopton, Elena Llaudet, Sonali Murarka, and Marguerite Roza. (Chapters of the book can be viewed.)
States Direct New State Money into Education
Date CapturedTuesday September 12 2006, 10:36 AM
NPR reports, "After years of lean budgets, money is flowing into many state treasuries."
U.S. Spends More on Education, Gets Worse Results, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Finds
Date CapturedTuesday September 12 2006, 7:32 AM
Bloomberg reports, "The U.S. spent about $12,000 per student, second only to Switzerland among the 30 OECD countries based on 2003 figures, the OECD said today in its annual report on education. The U.S. outperformed only five of the 30 countries on an OECD test given to 15-year-olds, ranked 12th in high school completion rates and averaged 23 students per class, higher than the average of 21."
Segregated schools: New debate, old problem
Date CapturedTuesday September 12 2006, 7:12 AM
USA TODAY DeWayne Wickham opined, "In essence, this 1974 ruling gave whites who flee to the suburbs the cover they needed to perpetuate the school segregation that the high court outlawed 20 years earlier, many of the panelists argued. In 1935, W.E.B. DuBois, the black sociologist and civil rights activist, wrote that 'the Negro needs neither segregated schools nor mixed schools. What he needs is (a good) Education.' Chambers thinks DuBois is right — and so do I."
Harvard Ends Early Admission, Citing Barrier to Disadvantaged
Date CapturedTuesday September 12 2006, 2:58 AM
NY Times ALAN FINDER and KAREN W. ARENSON report, "Harvard will be the first of the nation’s prestigious universities to do away completely with early admissions, in which high school seniors try to bolster their chances at competitive schools by applying in the fall and learning whether they have been admitted in December, months before other students."
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA SCHOOL DISTRICT SEEKS SURROGATE PARENTS
Date CapturedMonday September 11 2006, 11:11 PM
SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) reports, "Special education students are in need of San Franciscans who are willing to volunteer their time to be 'surrogate parents,' according to the San Francisco Unified School District."
War leaves 43 million children without education, study finds
Date CapturedMonday September 11 2006, 10:56 PM
AP reports, "The report is part of Save the Children's five-year "Rewrite the Future" education initiative that will be launched Tuesday by more than 40 countries. The campaign will try to help millions of children in conflict-affected areas gain access to education."
New York Children’s Action Network [CAN] wants state government to make children’s issues a priority
Date CapturedMonday September 11 2006, 1:54 PM
Legislative Gazette reports, " The network’s first step is to create a 'children’s budget,' which will strengthen programs and services that affect children and their families."
Is local Ohio school performance linked to poverty?
Date CapturedMonday September 11 2006, 1:48 PM
Athens News reports, "Several factors contribute to the discrepancy in test results between students living in poverty and those who don't, but the size of the gap is still surprising."
Growing Up In New York: Charting the Next Generation of Workers, Citizens and Leaders
Date CapturedMonday September 11 2006, 10:02 AM
A report produced by SCAA, reviews the status of children and youth in New York State through charts and critical data. Authors write, "While many individual students have succeeded in New York’s public education system, students as a group show declining aptitude as they age. The implications for college readiness are obvious and alarming."
Nursery-school students get head start on computers
Date CapturedMonday September 11 2006, 9:32 AM
The Columbus Dispatch reports, "About two-thirds of children in nursery school use computers and 23 percent of them use the Internet, according to a national study." (read study on Education New York Online --- see Education Policy page, Information Policy link)
Oregon disabled students' tests jettisoned
Date CapturedMonday September 11 2006, 8:17 AM
The Oregonian reports, "Oregon is being forced to scrap tests given to some disabled students because the tests do not meet the requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Act."
Educators say they like new way of reporting test results
Date CapturedMonday September 11 2006, 6:59 AM
The Daily Star reports, "One of the features in the system is a unique 10-digit number being assigned to every child in pre-K through grade 12, according to the release. Previously, test results did not always accurately account for students who might have moved from a district, Gilbertsville-Mount Upton Superintendent Douglas Exley said. But under the new system, the identification numbers will move with the students. This feature is expected to produce better."
Gay guide lists Vassar in top 100
Date CapturedMonday September 11 2006, 6:20 AM
Poughkeepsie Journal reports, "The college offers a variety of courses that focus on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues, including 'Queer Theory,' 'Lesbian Sex and Politics in the United States' and 'Queer Alphabets' — a freshman course focusing on gay and lesbian literature."
Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) training developers of video games
Date CapturedMonday September 11 2006, 6:11 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports, "With the video game industry anticipating notable employment growth over the next couple of years, Rochester Institute of Technology this fall has launched a new master's degree in game design and development. It also is pursuing plans to create a bachelor's degree program, said Andrew Phelps, an associate professor and director of the game design and development program."
White Plains to discuss school bond proposal and property taxes
Date CapturedMonday September 11 2006, 6:05 AM
THE JOURNAL NEWS reports, "'I understand things need to be fixed, but I don't believe that it's a hazardous building, and I don't believe that what they're adding is what the school system needs,' said Charles Lederman, a resident who served on a district budget committee when the plan was under consideration last year. Lederman said the Post Road School plan merely 'spends close to $40 million to make a beautiful, modern schoolhouse that will look very nice in real estate brochures.'"
U.S. education chief backs panel's call for college reforms (
Date CapturedSunday September 10 2006, 11:32 PM
Center on Education Policy
Date CapturedSunday September 10 2006, 11:26 PM
Race, Poverty and Special Education
Date CapturedSunday September 10 2006, 10:58 PM
Connect for Kids reprints National Academies editorial by Christopher Cross, senior fellow at the Center on Education Policy, "To make sure that minority students who are poorly prepared for school are not assigned to special education solely for that reason, teachers should be required to first provide them with effective instruction and social support in mainstream classrooms before considering special ed."
Curriculum Keeps College Students Sober
Date CapturedSunday September 10 2006, 12:48 PM
Newswise reports, "Texas Tech’s recovery community is the largest and one of the oldest of its kind in the nation. Now celebrating its 20th anniversary, the program provides support and services to prevent the relapse of nearly 100 students recovering from alcohol and other chemical addictions; it also has expanded its scope to incorporate issues such as eating disorders and gambling."
Massachusetts principal wary of changing military recruitment policy
Date CapturedSunday September 10 2006, 11:49 AM
The Boston Globe reports, "The federal No Child Left Behind law requires schools to provide the military the same access to students that is available to other potential employers and higher-education institutions. The law also gives military recruiters access to students' names, addresses, and telephone numbers, although parents and students can request that such information not be released."
Using Data To Drive Policy
Date CapturedSunday September 10 2006, 11:24 AM
The School Administrator, Terri Duggan Schwartzbeck writes, "Until more states have the data systems that can truly track student growth and all the factors involved, including courses taken and graduation/dropout information, policymakers in Washington will remain hampered by gaps in the data. How do we ever truly know what students know? That’s the million-dollar question."
New York City's No-Bid Deal for Schools
Date CapturedSunday September 10 2006, 10:59 AM
NY Times opined, "As they’ve tackled a myriad of education problems, Mr. Bloomberg and Mr. Klein — who both lack previous education management experience — have frequently shown a lack of respect for the education department’s own experts. While both men clearly have the schools’ best interests at heart, it’s sometimes hard to tell whether their eagerness to reach outside for help is based on real need or a simple impatience with people who don’t fit the corporate model. And in the past they have not always been right."
Fordham Graduate School of Education Nets $4.5 Million in Grants
Date CapturedSunday September 10 2006, 10:47 AM
The New York State Education Department has awarded Fordham University’s Graduate School of Education $4.5 million in contracts for two Bilingual Education Technical Assistance Centers (BETACs) to serve more than 51,300 students in grades K-12 in the Bronx and Lower Hudson Valley. The highly competitive awards each total $2.25 million over a five-year period. BETACs were established by the New York State Education Department to assist districts and schools in developing high quality educational programs to help English Language Learners (ELL) or Limited English Proficiency (LEP) students meet New York state’s learning standards.
SAT becoming less important
Date CapturedSunday September 10 2006, 10:27 AM
Buffalo News former editor Murray Light opined, "No matter what admissions option college officials claim, a student submitting a record of very good SAT scores is bound to have an edge over those who have passed on taking the exam or who have not scored too well on the exam. The competition for acceptance in colleges is greater than ever and every bit of positive fodder certainly helps admissions officers make their decision."
Proposed federal cuts hurt Illinois special education
Date CapturedSunday September 10 2006, 3:13 AM
The Southern Illinois reports, "'Without these funds, school districts will not be able to financially provide the mandated services such as nursing services, social work and speech therapy to low-income students in special education,' said Glenn [coordinates federally funded administrative outreach program]. 'The loss of these funds will cause special education students as well as regular education students to suffer.'"
Michigan’s Big Property Tax Cut, and the Lessons It Has for New Jersey
Date CapturedSunday September 10 2006, 2:01 AM
NY Times RICHARD G. JONES writes, "Some elements resembling parts of Michigan’s solution have already been suggested in Trenton. For instance, at the start of the special legislative session, Gov. Jon S. Corzine proposed a cap of 4 percent on the annual increase in property tax rates. In many towns, the rate has climbed nearly twice that in one year. And while legislators have also discussed reducing the state’s reliance on property taxes to pay for public schools — last year, $10.8 billion, or 55 percent, of the state’s $19.6 billion property tax levy was used for education — no legislator has at this point suggested a change as drastic as the one in Michigan."
Where Should Utah State Spend Education Money?
Date CapturedSaturday September 09 2006, 9:46 AM
Red Orbit reports, "Utah spends the least per student in the country, and has the nation's biggest classes. While past studies showed the state's multitude of children -- Utah has the nation's highest birthrate -- made boosting school funding tough. Utah in 1995 was fifth in the country in terms of funding effort, according to the foundation's 'Paradox Lost' report."
No Child Left Behind not 'pure'
Date CapturedSaturday September 09 2006, 9:20 AM
Poughkeepise Journal opined, "Neither Congress nor the Bush administration should gloss over the concerns raised about No Child Left Behind — and the way it has been implemented. Overall, the act gets passing marks, but it is not close to an 'A' or the 99.9 percent mark Spellings wants to give it."
Upstate schools want aid if N.Y.C. gets more funds: September is "Act For Education Month."
Date CapturedSaturday September 09 2006, 8:24 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports, "In anticipation of next month's hearing in the state Court of Appeals, the groups rallied education and political leaders in Rochester, Syracuse, Buffalo and other cities to push for the passage of legislation to increase school funding if the Court of Appeals upholds a ruling to send more school aid to New York City."
CUNY ROLLS ON
Date CapturedSaturday September 09 2006, 8:16 AM
NY Post David Andreatta writes, "The 226,213 students registered at CUNY campuses represent a 2.5 percent increase over last year."
New Hampshire State Supreme Court invalidates school funding system
Date CapturedFriday September 08 2006, 11:03 PM
AP reports, "In a strongly worded ruling, the state Supreme Court agreed Friday that legislators have failed to define a constitutionally adequate education, as about two dozen school districts claim."
Highly Qualified, Highly Confusing
Date CapturedFriday September 08 2006, 10:41 PM
Gilroy Dispatch (California) reports on NCLB and high qualified teachers, "Here's the sticky part: an intern teacher who has yet to spend a day in the classroom but has passed the CSET is considered qualified under the law, while a woman who spent the past 20 years teaching middle school English, but has a single subject credential in history is not."
$17 Million in Grants Awarded Under the Advanced Placement Incentive Grant
Date CapturedFriday September 08 2006, 10:37 PM
Today, U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings announced the award of 33 grants totaling $17 million to boost participation of low-income students in advanced placement courses and tests. The grant is being provided to states, school districts, and national education nonprofits to help increase advanced placement access rates for economically disadvantaged students.
Secretary Spellings Announces Partnership with 100 Black Men of America, Inc.
Date CapturedFriday September 08 2006, 10:33 PM
According to the agreement, the U.S. Department of Education will seek "to fully engage the African American community and its leaders in the successful implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act as it relates to school choice, charter schools, supplemental services, parent report cards, and all of the benefits and options provided to parents with students in schools in need of improvement."
Part 100 of the Commissioner's Regulations - Basic Regulations Regarding Public and Non-Public Schools in New York State
Date CapturedFriday September 08 2006, 8:56 PM
These documents do not include text for the entire Part 100 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education. Copies of other sections and the Official Compilation of Codes, Rules and Regulations of the State of New York (Volumes A, A1 and B, Title 8, Education) may be obtained from school or public libraries.
The Future of SUNY
Date CapturedFriday September 08 2006, 9:28 AM
Chancellor John Ryan writes, "After the fall elections, I will urge our state leaders to establish a Blue Ribbon commission that would be made up of a cross-section of stakeholders: business leaders, experienced educators and administrative leaders from New York and comparable states, as well as both a student representative and an international higher education official. The commission would take a comprehensive look at what works best in higher education, not just in New York State, but throughout the country and internationally. After it conducts broad research on SUNY and best practices throughout higher education, the commission would make a series of recommendations regarding SUNY to the governor, the legislature, and SUNY Trustees. These recommendations could then serve as a blueprint for the future of the State University."
Time to reform the New York state school aid formula
Date CapturedFriday September 08 2006, 8:17 AM
Ithaca Journal Op-Ed contributor Ronald Mac Lean writes, "During our [citizens advisory group] initial year, an initiative was created to educate taxpayers of the political aspects of education. This initiative emerged as Political Action Concerning Education or PACE. This fall, PACE will concentrate on promoting school aid reform with our New York state political representatives. Beginning Sept. 9, copies of petitions calling for New York state school aid formula reform will be circulating through out the Trumansburg Central School District by PACE volunteers."
New York Education Department unveils new student database
Date CapturedFriday September 08 2006, 6:58 AM
Times Record reports, "Teachers are all for the new system if it is used to help students learn, said Ron Simon, president of the New Paltz Teachers union. But he has concerns. 'Are we using it to hold students accountable for their learning, or are we using it to pinpoint teachers?' Simon asked. 'We would hate to see this one day being used to promote things like merit pay'."
New York schools test scores made easy for parents
Date CapturedFriday September 08 2006, 5:22 AM
Times Union Rick Karlin wites, "'These reports are designed to be parent-friendly,' Martha Musser, coordinator of information and reporting systems for the Education Department, said Thursday as the agency unveiled the new reports. They also will allow parents to track how their children are doing on standardized tests over time, said Acting Deputy Commissioner Jean Stevens."
Making School Choice Work
Date CapturedFriday September 08 2006, 12:46 AM
scoop.co.nz reports, "Schools should be given more management autonomy and greater freedom to open, expand and close, according to a newly released report by Harvard University Professor Caroline Hoxby. The report, School Choice: The Three Essential Elements and Several Policy Options, released tomorrow by the Education Forum and the New Zealand Association of Economists (NZAE), outlines a number of key design requirements if policies aimed at giving parents greater choice over their children’s education are to be successful."
Albany Common Council backs call for education funding reform
Date CapturedFriday September 08 2006, 12:34 AM
Capital News 9 reports, "The Campaign for Fiscal Equity wants New York State to close the gap in education funding. And the Albany Common Council is backing the cause in declaring September 'Act for Education Month.'"
NAACP, school leaders meet in Wayne County, North Carolina
Date CapturedThursday September 07 2006, 10:25 PM
News 14 Carolina reports, "The topic of segregation came up at a state Board of Education meeting Thursday. The board was in Wayne County touring some of the lowest-performing schools in the state that a judge threatened to shut down. It was a chance for North Carolina’s NCAAP leader to tell members that issues of segregation can no longer be ignored."
Reform of California's high school steroids rules has its skeptics
Date CapturedThursday September 07 2006, 7:07 PM
Mercury News reports, "The organization that oversees high school sports in California is poised to adopt a series of measures intended to educate coaches about the dangers of steroids and supplements among the state's 700,000-plus teenage athletes. But despite pressure for reform, many area athletic directors and coaches -- the ones closest to those teenagers -- expressed skepticism that the new policies are needed."
NEW YORK STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT UNVEILS NEW SYSTEM TO TRACK AND REPORT STUDENT DATA, SYSTEM WILL PROVIDE NEW TOOLS TO IMPROVE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
Date CapturedThursday September 07 2006, 6:10 PM
Beginning this fall, test results will be delivered directly to schools in an electronic format, giving authorized school administrators and teachers instant access to data regarding individual student performance, performance by groups of students (including breakdowns by race, ethnicity, disability status, gender, English proficiency, economic status, and migrant status), and overall performance by school and school district. This electronic system will give schools interactive reports on all this information. Parents will receive more detailed printed reports explaining their children’s performance on the tests. The reports will not only give the overall score but will also give a more detailed breakdown of a student’s performance on several indicators of achievement. All individual student information will be protected during every phase of data collection and reporting.
New York State School Boards Association (NYSSBA) on charter schools
Date CapturedThursday September 07 2006, 2:25 PM
Letter from NYSSBA executive director Timothy Kremer to New York State Board of Regents Chancellor Robert Bennett on charter schools accountability, "Article 56 off the Education Law compels the Board of Regents to review 'the educational effectiveness of the charter school approach and the effect of charter schools on public and nonpublic schools systems.' Regrettably, the State Education Department’s recently released annual report on the status of charter schools fails to illuminate whether this strategy is working."
Certification and Private School Teachers' Transfers to Public Schools
Date CapturedThursday September 07 2006, 10:25 AM
This Issue Brief was authored by Emily W. Holt, Mary McLaughlin, and Daniel J. McGrath of the Education Statistics Services Institute (ESSI). "In three out of four time periods, higher percentages of movers who held state certification in year two of the time period only switched to public schools than did those without regular state certifications in their main assignment in either year of the time period. In all four time periods for which data were collected, higher percentages of movers with regular state certifications in both years of the time period moved to public schools than did their peers without the certification. However, regardless of certification status, 11 percent or fewer of private school teachers changed schools during any 2-year period."
Local New Jersey NAACP reacts to racial school probe
Date CapturedThursday September 07 2006, 8:59 AM
Asbury Park Press reports, "The ACLU contends there was a pattern of segregation in how Lakewood refers special-education preschoolers to out-of-district schools."
Arizona State School Superintendent Tom Horne gives local educators his views on state of schools
Date CapturedThursday September 07 2006, 8:40 AM
Sierra Vista Herald reports on NCLB, "Horne said the feds changed the rules in the middle of the game, setting more schools up for “failure” — a word he eschews — in three ways: by giving English language learners only one year to pass the AIMS tests in English, instead of the original three years; by dismissing adaptive assistance to testing of special education students, essentially throwing them out of the count; and by adding more grade levels in computation of total scores."
Backers push Arizona tax, say kids in need
Date CapturedThursday September 07 2006, 8:16 AM
The Arizona Republic reports, "The $150 million tax would pay for voluntary early-childhood education programs and health screenings for children up to 5 years old. advertisement That's the plan by the First Things First campaign, which pushed Proposition 203 on to the Nov. 7 ballot. Foes argue the measure creates a new layer of government and minimizes the role of parents." The proposal is modeled after a North Carolina program.
Plattsburgh State Upward Bound's success rate: 92-percent college attendance with a 60-percent graduation rate
Date CapturedThursday September 07 2006, 7:34 AM
Press Republican opined, "Upward Bound projects provide academic instruction in mathematics, laboratory sciences, composition, literature and foreign languages. The local students experience living in the university's dormitories and move to their classes in real-life collegiate settings. While attending lectures and getting homework in subjects like public speaking, creative writing and foreign languages, the students also participate in a variety of out-of-classroom activites, like attending leadership conferences, hiking and field trips."
Four Million Children Left Behind
Date CapturedThursday September 07 2006, 7:26 AM
WSJ Opinion Journal Op-Ed contributor Clint Bolick, president and general counsel of the Alliance for School Choice opined on NCLB, "The Polling Company surveyed Los Angeles and Compton parents whose children are eligible to transfer their children out of failing schools. Only 11% knew their school was rated as failing, and fewer than one-fifth of those parents (just nine out of 409 surveyed) recalled receiving notice to that effect from the districts--a key NCLB requirement. Once informed of their schools' status and their transfer rights, 82% expressed a desire to move their children to better schools."
Two Catholic schools open Newburgh
Date CapturedThursday September 07 2006, 6:36 AM
Times Herald reports, "Both schools are organized around the San Miguel Academy model — a type of Catholic school introduced to American inner cities in the 1970s. As Catholic schools around the country have become more expensive, the San Miguel academies are a return to the church's tradition of educating America's immigrants and the poor."
Curfew education
Date CapturedThursday September 07 2006, 6:29 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle opined on curfew, " Teachers should make sure that kids understand the curfew, and also why city leaders feel it is necessary. Eight people under the age of 18 died violently in Rochester last year and more were injured. In July, there were at least 38 shootings and at one point this summer eight people were killed over as many days. As school starts up again, young people ought to be discussing what they can do to end this plague of violence."
New York state schools told to reach out to at-risk kids
Date CapturedThursday September 07 2006, 6:26 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports, "Johnson, [assistant secretary for the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education in the Bush administration], before serving as keynote speaker for a United Way fundraiser at Rochester Country Club on Wednesday, said improving education in urban districts can happen with a rigorous curriculum that applies to all students, excellent teaching, and comprehensive and diagnostic student assessments."
Cost of college too high?
Date CapturedThursday September 07 2006, 5:13 AM
Times Union reports, "Tuition at community colleges is particularly high, noted Finney. Last year, community college tuition averaged $2,800 in New York, compared with $300 in California and just over $1,000 in Washington state."
Taking a byte at teaching
Date CapturedThursday September 07 2006, 4:44 AM
NY Daily News reports, "Martin, 35, is one of 1,700 new recruits in the city's Teaching Fellow program - a joint effort of the Department of Education, the United Federation of Teachers and local universities and schools. The program, which started in 2000, trains professionals and recent graduates to teach subjects with a shortage of teachers, such as math, science and special education. There are now 7,000 teaching fellows."
City’s Lawyers Say Mayor Can’t Control Class Sizes
Date CapturedThursday September 07 2006, 3:46 AM
NY Times ANEMONA HARTOCOLLIS reports, "The claim came during a hearing in a case in which parents and teachers are trying to put a referendum on the ballot to force the mayor to hire more teachers and reduce the class sizes in city schools. They argue that smaller classes, in line with those in much of the rest of the state, are the best way to improve education for city students."
Report Finds U.S. Students Lagging in Finishing College
Date CapturedThursday September 07 2006, 3:35 AM
NY Times reports, "The report 'badly miscalculates New York’s TAP program and inaccurately portrays higher education in New York as unaffordable,’' said John R. Ryan, the SUNY chancellor. 'Nothing could be further from the truth.'”
School officials tell New Jersey state panel funding has led to efficiency
Date CapturedWednesday September 06 2006, 9:36 PM
Press of Atlantic City DIANE D'AMICO writes, "Special education costs are such a large concern the committee plans a special hearing just on that topic."
Feds decrease education grants to Connecticut
Date CapturedWednesday September 06 2006, 7:07 PM
AP reports, "Federal grants for programs and services required under the No Child law are based on U.S. Census poverty figures, so many New England states have seen their grants drop because of their relative affluence compared with other parts of the country, state education officials said."
Arizona educators see NCLB as good but cumbersome
Date CapturedWednesday September 06 2006, 1:17 PM
Eastern Arizona Courier reports, "As a group, the school administrators also conveyed the message that there needs to be better communication between federal and state education agencies and between those agencies and the public schools."
South Carolina high school considers single-gender studies
Date CapturedWednesday September 06 2006, 7:57 AM
The Sun reports, "Offering a high school single-gender program is a fair option for students, he [Chadwell, Lead teacher] said. He said it relieves boys and girls of the added pressures that advocates of single-gender education have said come with integrated classrooms. 'Regardless of the grade level [freedom of expression] is a nice feature of being in a single-gender program,' he said."
Oneida teachers are taught how to reach all pupils
Date CapturedWednesday September 06 2006, 6:14 AM
Post-Standard reports on school orientation and in-service program, "Weber [classroom teacher and an education consultant ] said people who live in poverty are focused primarily on basic survival, so those children come to school with nonverbal, sensory and reactive skills. Schools, however, value verbal, abstract and proactive skills."
Regents urged to stop shocks
Date CapturedWednesday September 06 2006, 5:55 AM
Times Union Rick Karlin reports, "In addition to shock treatment, the regulations would govern the use of noxious sprays, withholding food, physical restraints and isolation rooms as ways to control mentally ill or disturbed youngsters. Such practices are unregulated by the Education Department, but the agency spends millions of dollars a year to send children to special schools, many of which are out of state, that have used some of these techniques."
Inequality and the Right to Learn: Access to Qualified Teachers in California's Public Schools
Date CapturedTuesday September 05 2006, 6:46 PM
By Linda Darling-Hammond, Charles E. Ducommun Professor of Education at Stanford University. "The article outlines the legal rationale for insisting on access to qualified teachers for all students, analyzes the reasons for the current shortfalls in California, and proposes a set of remedies based on research and policy outcomes elsewhere." Teachers College Record Volume 106 Number 10, 2004, p. 1936-1966. http://www.tcrecord.org ID Number: 11677, Date Accessed: 9/5/2006 5:46:06 PM
Education system needs reform, not a billion dollars
Date CapturedTuesday September 05 2006, 3:56 PM
Las Vegas Business Press contributor Chuck Muth, president of Citizen Outreach, a non-profit public policy advocacy organization in Washington, D.C. writes, "A BILLION (!) dollars more for education? That's a lot of dough. But if it comes with spending offsets and serious education reforms that break the government-school monopoly on education, it might be worth considering. The only thing apparently standing in the way is: the teachers unions."
Computer and Internet Use by Students in 2003
Date CapturedTuesday September 05 2006, 11:00 AM
This report examines the use of computers and the Internet by American children enrolled in nursery school and students in kindergarten through grade 12. One of the more important findings presented in the report is that schools appear to help narrow the disparities between different types of students in terms of computer use. Differences in the rates of computer use are smaller at school than they are at home when considering such characteristics as race/ethnicity, family income, and parental education. DeBell, M., and Chapman, C. (2006). Computer and Internet Use by Students in 2003 (NCES 2006– 065). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
Get involved in education: Parents and residents all have a role to play in teaching our young people
Date CapturedTuesday September 05 2006, 10:21 AM
The Timberjay opined, "Along similar lines, researchers have found that students benefit when parents attend parent-teacher conferences, support school activities, or help out in classrooms or on field trips. And the earlier this occurs in a child’s educational process, the research says, the more powerful the effects will be."
Unprepared for asthma
Date CapturedTuesday September 05 2006, 9:47 AM
AP reports, "Schools in Pennsylvania are not meeting the needs of students with asthma, nor are they fully prepared to deal with student asthma attacks, a newly released study suggests."
Louisiana leading in improving teacher quality
Date CapturedTuesday September 05 2006, 8:43 AM
The Shreveport Times reports, "A recent U.S. Department of Education study singled out nine states for having assembled complete plans to accomplish the goals of the federal No Child Left Behind law. A team of 31 education experts hired by the department reviewed every state's plan and found that Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, South Carolina and South Dakota met all standards"
Ithaca High School Link Crew: Smart idea, perfect time
Date CapturedTuesday September 05 2006, 7:19 AM
The Ithaca Journal opined on a new high school program, "Repeated studies by the Education Department and private academic researchers have demonstrated the stress of entering high school has a direct impact on a student's ultimate success. Kids who are less frightened, less confused and more connected with their older peers are less likely to fail and in general perform better academically. Fostering a sense of community and mutual support among teens, well that's just a bonus."
Editorial: The nation's learning curve
Date CapturedTuesday September 05 2006, 6:16 AM
The Journal News opined on special education, "Among the high-profile changes in Congress' 2004 reforms now taking effect: States can no longer use the discrepancy formula as the sole reason for rejecting a child as learning disabled. Actually, New York's regulations have said for years that the formula's use was not required; in fact, if it was used, it couldn't be the sole determinant of learning difficulties. However, hundreds of appeals by parents to the state's education commissioners reveal widespread use of the practice by districts. No more. Under the new regulations, no state or district can rely solely on the discrepancy canard. Parents fighting for services for their children should know that."
School Bus Sign-Ups
Date CapturedTuesday September 05 2006, 6:15 AM
NY Post David Andreatta reports, "Looking to trim fat from its budget, the city Education Department will require some 110,000 general education students eligible for busing to register for the service this year, The Post has learned."
Special ed is honcho's priority
Date CapturedTuesday September 05 2006, 4:30 AM
NY Daily News reports on NYC schools chancellor for teaching and learning, "'I'd like to see a sharp increase in the number of kids in inclusive settings,' he [Andres Alonso] said. 'We know that the kids that we see in inclusive settings are outperforming kids in more restrictive environments.' He also hopes to improve achievement for bilingual students, particularly those who come to city schools as teens. But he, added, increasing the graduation rate is 'our greatest challenge.'"
Back to School in a System Being Remade
Date CapturedTuesday September 05 2006, 3:23 AM
NY Times reports on NYC schools reform, "Chancellor Klein said last week that he was intent on moving the school system 'from a culture of excuse to a culture of accountability.' 'Our parents will come to see that the information they’re getting, the quality education their kids are getting, the sense of what it’s like at the school, is going to change,' he added. 'And I think our parents will insist on sustainability.'”
NCLB Title III Institute Part I: Ensuring Academic Success for English Learners
Date CapturedMonday September 04 2006, 4:58 PM
December 4-6, 2006, Sacramento, CA. Robert Linquanti, Project Director for WestEd's English Learner Evaluation and Accountability Support (ELEAS) services, Linda Carstens, Senior Research Associate for WestEd's ELEAS services, and Ivannia Soto-Hinman, Assistant Professor at Biola University, will lead a three-day institute on ensuring success for English learners. They will be joined by California Department of Education Consultants Cathy George, Judy Lambert, and Marcela Rodriguez.
NCLB Title III Institute Part I: Ensuring Academic Success for English Learners
Date CapturedMonday September 04 2006, 4:55 PM
November 27-29, 2006. Fresno, CA. Robert Linquanti, Project Director for WestEd's English Learner Evaluation and Accountability Support (ELEAS) services, Linda Carstens, Senior Research Associate for WestEd's ELEAS services, and Ivannia Soto-Hinman, Assistant Professor at Biola University, will lead a three-day institute on ensuring success for English learners. They will be joined by California Department of Education Consultants Cathy George, Judy Lambert, and Marcela Rodriguez.
NCLB Title III Institute Part I: Ensuring Academic Success for English Learners
Date CapturedMonday September 04 2006, 4:51 PM
November 13-15, 2006. The Mission Inn , Riverside, CA. Robert Linquanti, Project Director for WestEd's English Learner Evaluation and Accountability Support (ELEAS) services, Linda Carstens, Senior Research Associate for WestEd's ELEAS services, and Ivannia Soto-Hinman, Assistant Professor at Biola University, will lead a three-day institute on ensuring success for English learners. They will be joined by California Department of Education Consultants Cathy George, Judy Lambert, and Marcela Rodriguez.
Arizona State University builds key educational bridge with China
Date CapturedMonday September 04 2006, 11:59 AM
East Valley Tribune reports, "Other universities helping to establish the institute are the University of California system, the State University of New York at Albany, the University of Utah and Louisiana State University as well as several other Chinese universities, she [Mariko Silver, director of strategic projects for ASU] said."
2 majors in crime new to college: Roberts Wesleyan College introduces degrees in white-collar issues, forensic science
Date CapturedMonday September 04 2006, 11:28 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports on Roberts program and courses at State University College at Buffalo, Genesee Community College and Hilbert College, "The economic-crime investigation program has courses in criminal justice, accounting and computer science, and students will specialize either in accounting or computers. And for the major, the college is creating courses on white-collar crime, computer forensics and computer network security."
New Hampshire begins recruiting future special ed teachers
Date CapturedMonday September 04 2006, 11:02 AM
AP reports, "The program is aimed at middle, high school and college students and others who may be interested in a career change. The state is looking for specialists to work with students with disabilities."
Bus driving more than sitting behind wheel: Special training, annual tests help keep kids safe
Date CapturedMonday September 04 2006, 10:43 AM
The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports, "Each year, a driver must undergo a physical examination and defensive driving performance review. Also, three bus safety drills must be conducted on each route. Every two years, a driver is required to do a behind-the-wheel road test and a written or oral test, both required by the DMV, and a physical performance test mandated by the state Education Department that involves dragging a 125-pound weight 30 feet. And there are optional advanced courses a driver may take, some of which could lead to a driver becoming a certified driver instructor, for example."
'Twas the night before school and hope sprang eternal
Date CapturedMonday September 04 2006, 10:31 AM
Times Herald contributor Laura Giner Bair , Newburgh Schools teacher, writes "We hope that our children are safe and that they make academic progress. We hope that children are respectful and grow in moral conduct. We hope that teachers are wise and kind and mindful that our children are young and sometimes fragile. We hope that parents are supportive and join us as partners in the education of all our children. We hope that whatever there is that might need to change will change."
The U.S. Edge In Education
Date CapturedMonday September 04 2006, 9:18 AM
Washington Post Op-Ed contributor Richard H. Brodhead, Duke University president writes, "At an even more basic level, we must build on a system whose founding values are very different from respect for authority. When we touch off real debate on serious, open questions and encourage students to have worthwhile thoughts of their own, we are developing an asset of the highest strategic as well as personal value: the habits of active, independent thought."
COLLEGE PHONE PLAN AN EASY 'CELL'
Date CapturedMonday September 04 2006, 9:13 AM
NY Post David Andreatta reports, "Baruch College students searching for an open computer on campus, assignments for a missed class, and even their best friends this fall semester now need only check their mobile phone for the info."
Labor Day lesson: Unions still hurt schoolkids
Date CapturedMonday September 04 2006, 9:01 AM
NY Daily News columnist Stanley Crouch writes on unions, "At this point, we can see that the grand monster and enemy of public education in our fair city has struck again. That monster is the principals union, which almost always seems more concerned with feather beds for its members than quality performance. As we found out last week from Schools Chancellor Joel Klein, a union contract requires the city to keep 44 inept assistant principals to the tune of millions of dollars when what is actually needed amounts to more high quality teachers."
Texas education the elephant in the room
Date CapturedSunday September 03 2006, 2:45 PM
The Houston Chronicle reports, "The new school finance law adopted by the Legislature this spring after five sessions over the past three years will make it harder for school districts to generate revenue because voter approval, not school board action, will generally dictate future school tax increases. And those voters with the most discretionary income will be older whites without children in schools."
More face drug tests for Kansas school district
Date CapturedSunday September 03 2006, 2:38 PM
The Wichita Eagle reports, "The district cites two U.S. Supreme Court cases that it said allow it to do the testing. One case allowed mandatory drug testing among student athletes. The second, an Oklahoma case, allowed for random testing among middle and high school students participating in extracurricular activities."
“Slow migration” towards more ACT test takers, Princeton Review says
Date CapturedSunday September 03 2006, 8:54 AM
Boca Raton News reports, "But why are so many students taking the ACT? Deutsch [Vice President of the Princeton Review] stated many reasons. One in particular affected students nationwide when The College Board mis-graded hundreds of SAT test scores. Another is the largest decline in SAT scores in more than 30 years. 'Students are looking for alternatives,' he said."
National School Testing Urged: Gaps Between State, Federal Assessments Fuel Call for Change
Date CapturedSaturday September 02 2006, 10:23 PM
Washington Post Jay Mathews reports, "The growing talk of national testing and standards comes in the fifth year of the No Child Left Behind era. That federal law sought to hold public schools accountable for academic performance but left it up to states to design their own assessments. So the definition of proficiency -- what it means for a student to perform at grade level -- varies from coast to coast."
Residents upset by surveillance cameras used by Pennsylvania college
Date CapturedSaturday September 02 2006, 7:29 PM
AP reports, "The recent installation of closed-circuit cameras meant to protect students at Franklin & Marshall College has raised the ire of nearby residents concerned about their privacy."
At 2-Year Colleges, Students Eager but Unready
Date CapturedSaturday September 02 2006, 9:17 AM
NY Times reports, "Aside from New York City’s higher education system, at least 12 states explicitly bar state universities from providing remedial courses or take other steps like deferred admissions to steer students needing helping toward technical or community colleges. Some students who need to catch up attend two- and four-year institutions simultaneously. The efforts, educators say, have not cut back on the thousands of students who lack basic skills. Instead, the colleges have clustered those students in community colleges, where their chances of succeeding are low and where taxpayers pay a second time to bring them up to college level. The phenomenon has educators struggling with fundamental questions about access to education, standards and equal opportunity."
Where's the courage in education reform?
Date CapturedSaturday September 02 2006, 9:07 AM
Scrippsnews contributor Star Parker writes, "According to NCLB, students in failing schools must be notified and permitted to transfer to another school. We have found that 250,000, about 30 percent, of the students in the LA system are eligible for such transfers, yet notification is not being given and there have only been only slightly more than 500 transfers."
Massachusetts charter school facts in
Date CapturedFriday September 01 2006, 10:49 PM
The Boston Herald reports, "In 2001, 19 percent of the [Massachusetts] charter schools performed significantly better than their district schools in English and 26 percent did so in math. From 2002 to 2005, some 30 percent outperformed district schools in both subjects (60 percent performed at the same level)."
$101.6 Million in Early Reading First Grants Awarded to 25 States
Date CapturedFriday September 01 2006, 10:29 PM
U.S. Department of Education: Early Reading First programs focus on language, cognition and early reading so that young children enter kindergarten with the oral language, phonological awareness, print awareness and knowledge of the alphabet necessary to begin to learn how to read.
Plan to end Medicaid reimbursements for special education services criticized
Date CapturedFriday September 01 2006, 11:17 AM
Healthcare News reports, "According to Durbin [Sen.] and Davis [Rep.], the plan, part of the fiscal year 2007 budget proposals announced earlier this year by President Bush, would reduce Medicaid reimbursements to schools nationwide by a combined $650 million. In addition, the plan would require school districts to obtain permission from parents to receive Medicaid reimbursements each time they provide medical services to disabled students."
State Education Commissioner Richard Mills to settle flap over charter school funding
Date CapturedFriday September 01 2006, 10:54 AM
Buffalo News reports, "District officials agree they must pay the charter school about $2.4 million - more than $9,000 per pupil. But they also contend state law only requires them to cover 155 of those pupils with about $1.4 million during the 2006-07 school year because that's how many pupils charter school officials projected the new school would draw from the city's public schools in the charter plan they submitted to the state in 2005. The remaining $1 million would be paid in 2007-08."
Promise Abandoned: How Policy Choices and Institutional Practices Restrict College Opportunities
Date CapturedFriday September 01 2006, 9:25 AM
Kati Haycock, Director of the Education Trust and author of the report writes, "Though college leaders may not have intended this, higher education — especially the four-year college sector — has become a mechanism for reinforcing social class, rather than a vehicle for fostering social mobility. That’s bad for low-income and minority families. And it is bad for America."
Idaho cuts property tax from school equation
Date CapturedFriday September 01 2006, 9:12 AM
The Oregonian reports, "The bill eliminates the public school maintenance and operations levy. It replaces the money by boosting the state sales tax from 5 percent to 6 percent on Oct. 1, to generate more than $210 million. It also uses about $50 million from the state's $203 million budget surplus and sets aside another $100 million in a rainy-day education fund."
Charters boost Philadelphia's schools' showing
Date CapturedFriday September 01 2006, 9:04 AM
The Philadelphia Inquirer reports on charter schools, "Five of the 22 schools run by Edison made the goal, down from seven last year. One Victory school qualified, down from three. Overall, 11 of the 43 schools run by Edison, Victory, Foundations Inc., Temple University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Universal Companies met goals, down from 15. Only Foundations added a school. Vallas said the district would consider the test results as part of an internal evaluation of the outside managers."
Education Secretary Spellings spotlights early literacy
Date CapturedFriday September 01 2006, 8:50 AM
The Providence Journal reports on funds granted, "The $3.6-million Reading First grant will be used to train childcare workers at four Providence daycare centers: Federal Hill House, West End Community Center, Genesis Center and John Hope Settlement House. The grants will also help the centers buy books and other materials to prepare children for kindergarten and first grade. The $3.3-million professional-development grant will pay for 250 hours of training in early childhood literacy for 200 childcare workers."
New York Teachers union opposes new mandate for English language learners
Date CapturedFriday September 01 2006, 8:30 AM
New York Teacher reports, "Until now, students who have attended school in the United States for less than three years were not required to take the ELA exam. The recent ruling by the U.S. Depart-ment of Education contradicts the state's policy and NYSUT is investigating possible actions."
NO TAKERS FOR 44 ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS
Date CapturedFriday September 01 2006, 8:13 AM
NY Post reports, "'There is one thing perfectly clear: This is not a performance issue,' Gibbons [spokesman for the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators] said. 'Some of the [assistants] were not even informed they [lost their jobs] until this week, and the Department of Education has not yet posted vacancies or tried to place these people.'"
Principals slammed by Klein won 'satisfactory' rankings, union sez
Date CapturedFriday September 01 2006, 8:00 AM
NY Daily News ERIN EINHORN reports, "Klein's letter was his latest effort to undermine and divide the principals' union as it enters its fourth school year without a contract. Some principals were angered by his tactics."
Study D.C. education with kids in mind
Date CapturedThursday August 31 2006, 10:48 PM
USA TODAY contributor Jeanne Allen, Center for Education Reform, Washington writes, "The reason that the Washington scholarship program exists, and the reason that public charter schools are serving nearly 25% of all public school students in the District of Columbia, is because the traditional system has failed so many families for countless years."
Back to better NCLB schools in Arizona
Date CapturedThursday August 31 2006, 10:12 PM
Eloy News, JON KYL, United States Senator, Arizona writes, "I recently had the privilege of honoring one of Arizona's most talented teachers with the Department of Education's American Stars of Teaching award. In its third year, the American Stars of Teaching program is a component of the Teacher-to-Teacher initiative, which seeks to honor excellence in the classroom. This year, Mr. Brian Fuller, of Peoria High School, was chosen to receive this award. Mr. Fuller exemplifies the kind of teachers Arizona schools must attract and retain."
CALIFORNIA API AND AYP SCORES RELEASED TODAY HIGHLIGHT API’S FLAWS AS A SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY MEASUREMENT
Date CapturedThursday August 31 2006, 7:36 PM
California Business for Education Excellence (CBEE) again denounced the state’s Academic Performance Index (API) today as failing to accurately report student academic achievement and hold schools accountable. “The API growth targets are minimal, the scoring is confusing, and worst of all there is no accountability linkage to subgroup API scores making it much more likely that ethnic minority students, disadvantaged students and English Language Learners will continue to fall through the cracks,” said Jim Lanich, Ph.D., president, CBEE.
Financial aid records of college students examined in terrorist search
Date CapturedThursday August 31 2006, 6:52 PM
USA Today Greg Toppo writes, "Project Strike Back is virtually unknown within the higher education community, even among top financial aid and admissions officials. The program was mentioned in a September 2002 Education Department report to Congress, noting that it had been initiated. And a May 2004 Government Accountability Office report on data mining noted that the program compares Department of Education and FBI data 'for anomalies. Also verifies personal identifiers.'"
No cure-all seen in bonus for principals
Date CapturedThursday August 31 2006, 12:26 PM
The Baltimore Sun reports, "In education, principals' positions are becoming harder to fill, particularly in low-performing schools. As hundreds of principals in Maryland approach retirement, the federal No Child Left Behind Act is requiring states to impose penalties on schools that don't make adequate progress on standardized tests. That means principals could be putting their jobs at risk for taking on the toughest assignments."
Class-Action Suit in New Jersey Filed Over Education
Date CapturedThursday August 31 2006, 12:16 PM
School Reform News, The Heartland Institute, Aaron Atwood writes, "A strong partnership between national and state-level school reform activists has already formed in support of the lawsuit. Several national groups--including the Black Ministers' Council, Latino Leadership Alliance, and Alliance for School Choice--have joined forces with a state group, Excellent Education for Everyone (E3), to support the plaintiffs."
On exam, Massachusetts charter schools get edge
Date CapturedThursday August 31 2006, 11:59 AM
Boston Globe reports, "Jeff Wulfson, associate commissioner of the state Department of Education, said the findings show that charter schools outperform regular public schools, even when demographics are taken into account. For example, the study found that students in Boston's charter schools, including black and Hispanics who have scored lower in the past, performed significantly better than students in regular public schools."
Exercise Helps Students in the Classroom
Date CapturedThursday August 31 2006, 10:04 AM
NPR reports, "Increasingly, researchers are finding that brain activity and brain development are enhanced by physical exercise. It now appears that exercise can help kids learn at school."
Reminder: School chief serves board
Date CapturedThursday August 31 2006, 9:45 AM
The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle Op-Ed contributor Cynthia Elliott, member of the Rochester Board of Education writes, "All the district goals should be developed by the board in conjunction with the superintendent, and any assurances that our long-term and strategic goals are achieved should emanate from those elected representatives."
SAT blues: Standardized test scores don't show the whole picture
Date CapturedThursday August 31 2006, 9:38 AM
The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle opined, "There are many ways to judge a student's abilities, from letters of recommendation and grades to personal essays and extra-curricular activities. Students, parents and college admissions officers shouldn't get hung up on SATs. Passing tests shouldn't be an end-all."
MIXED RECORD ON SCHOOL TAKEOVERS
Date CapturedThursday August 31 2006, 9:21 AM
AP reports, "As [Los Angeles] Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa prepares to assume some control over the nation's second-largest school district, education experts in Chicago and New York said Wednesday that greater city involvement there has achieved mixed grades."
Tweaking of 'No Child' Seen
Date CapturedThursday August 31 2006, 8:57 AM
The Washington Post reports on NCLB, charter schools, and a national student "unit" tracking system, "Saying that the federal government has 'done about as much' as it can in many ways, Spellings [US Department of Education Secretary] noted that states need to do much of the remaining work on NCLB in order to meet the goal of reading proficiency by 2014."
Hawaii DOE floats new funding idea
Date CapturedThursday August 31 2006, 8:47 AM
Honolulu Advertiser reports on student-weighted funding, "Creation of a funding formula based on student need is a legislative mandate that's part of the Reinventing Education Act of 2004. The new funding mechanism has become one of the primary education issues in Hawai'i. The goal of the formula is to assure more equitable distribution of money among the state's public schools and, ultimately, improve student performance. And it would affect every regular public school in the state."
Students’ Paths to Small Colleges Can Bypass SAT
Date CapturedThursday August 31 2006, 8:28 AM
NY Times TAMAR LEWIN reports, "Half a century ago, the SAT was a tool for opening college access to students who did not come from elite schools, a steppingstone to academic meritocracy. But many admissions officers now see the test as a barrier to low-income students and those who do not speak English at home. Test scores, college officials say, present a skewed picture both of poor students who have had little formal preparation, and wealthy ones who spend thousands of dollars — not to mention evenings, weekends and summers — on tutoring."
Late exam results test city parents' patience
Date CapturedThursday August 31 2006, 8:22 AM
NY Daily News ERIN EINHORN and CARRIE MELAGO report, "'When the data are finally released, schools will get the information electronically, which Dunn [state Education Department spokesman] argued would make it 'more useful to them in helping children.' Parents also will be given user-friendly reports that explain how their child fared, he said."
New York City Chancellor Klein: We gotta keep the rejects
Date CapturedThursday August 31 2006, 8:12 AM
NY Daily News reports, "Although the city's 1,400 schools still need to hire 22 assistant principals, none of the 44 administrators will be sent to schools where they aren't wanted. At a cost of $5.2 million, they will get paper-pushing jobs, Education Department officials said. The union contract prohibits administrators from taking teaching positions. The contract and state law also allow administrators to bump less-senior colleagues from their jobs."
Two Monroe County schools land physical education grants
Date CapturedWednesday August 30 2006, 9:43 PM
Rochester Business Journal reports, "The funds are administered by the U.S. Department of Education through the Carol M. White Physical Education Program. The program funds a variety of education agencies and community organizations to start, expand or improve physical education programs for students in grades kindergarten through 12."
Vanderbilt University to study link between teacher incentives, student performance
Date CapturedWednesday August 30 2006, 7:31 PM
The Tennessean reports, "A national research and development center designed to answer questions such as­ 'do financial incentives for teachers, administrators and schools affect student achievement?' will make its home at Vanderbilt University."
Education Secretary Spellings: No Child act needs no changes
Date CapturedWednesday August 30 2006, 6:16 PM
AP reports, "Spellings said her job is to present Congress with good data to help lawmakers do their job. She said she is open-minded about ways to improve the law. But when asked if she meant the law is truly '99.9 percent' close to working properly, she said, 'I think it is that close.'"
$23 Million in Emergency Response Grants Awarded to 26 States
Date CapturedWednesday August 30 2006, 6:04 PM
As part of the No Child Left Behind education reforms, local school districts must provide assurances that they have plans that outline how they are working to keep their schools safe and drug free.
Buffalo Superintendent Williams pushes for longer school year: Plan, which includes longer school day, is supported by Board of Regents chancellor
Date CapturedWednesday August 30 2006, 12:02 PM
Buffalo News reports, "Bennett (chancellor) said he expects similar efforts across the state. Williams said the longer year and extended day are needed to: Give students more time to tackle increasingly demanding course work and state graduation requirements; Allow more classroom periods for vocational education, art and music, which are getting crowded out by the expansion of instruction in English, math and other 'core subjects'; Provide more time for teacher training and preparation. This school year, teachers report to school on Tuesday, then begin instruction on Wednesday; Allow time during the school day for Advanced Placement and honors courses that are being phased back into Buffalo high schools."
Citizens must join call for education aid change
Date CapturedWednesday August 30 2006, 11:53 AM
The Ithaca Journal guest columnist Cosimo Tangorra Jr. writes, "As superintendent of the Trumansburg Central School District, I join the Statewide School Finance Consortium in calling on the State to: * Provide an equitable school aid formula that addresses the disparities between wealthy and poor school districts. * Make the new formula easy to understand and manage. * Bring real fairness to school taxes. * Find a new method for funding education that relies less on property tax. * Make school funding more predictable, so school districts can plan long term."
Fitness can be a stretch in Rhode Island
Date CapturedWednesday August 30 2006, 7:57 AM
The Providence Journal reports, "'It only takes a couple of minutes, but it can really refocus the student and get them ready to learn,' Ranaldi [teacher] said. 'Everyone keeps looking at the core content areas of NCLB, like reading and math, but if you really want your child to be successful, they also need to keep their mind and body stimulated.'"
Girls top boys nationwide on SAT writing exam
Date CapturedWednesday August 30 2006, 7:27 AM
AP reports, "Girls nationwide surpassed boys' scores on the new writing portion of the SAT exam. The Class of 2006 results, released yesterday, show girls across the country did 11 points better than males in writing. But males can take some solace in the remaining two categories on the SAT. In critical reading and math, boys still performed better than girls — again on a nationwide basis."
California education bills spell change for Pasadena schools
Date CapturedTuesday August 29 2006, 10:45 PM
Pasadena Star reports, "Among a number of education bills headed to the governor's desk is one that could change how public schools sell property, which could have significance in Pasadena."
SAT scores fall by largest margin in 31 years: Changeover to lengthier exam cited as national average drops 7 points
Date CapturedTuesday August 29 2006, 8:45 PM
AP reports, "The new exam has been expanded from three hours to three hours, 45 minutes, and can take more than a full morning counting prep time and breaks. Some parents and fair-testing advocates predicted the longer exam would cause scores to decline, but the College Board said its research showed no drop-off in student performance as the test goes on. Still, the results will spark debate over whether the College Board -- also facing criticism over 4,000 incorrectly scored exams last year --was able to deliver a new test that is comparable to the old one."
NY grads low on SAT, but here more take test
Date CapturedTuesday August 29 2006, 8:36 PM
The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports, "New Yorkers' scores (SAT) were below the national average. But close to 90 percent of New York's high school graduates take the SAT, the highest percentage of any state, while in many other states only the top kids academically take the college entrance exam."
New California law blocks censorship of college journalists
Date CapturedTuesday August 29 2006, 8:24 PM
Contra Costa Times reports, "Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a bill Monday that protects college journalists from censorship, giving them the same freedom of speech as high school journalists."
Paying Double: Inadequate High Schools and Community College Remediation
Date CapturedTuesday August 29 2006, 7:22 PM
Alliance for Excellent Education Issue Brief, August, 2006, "The nation would realize an additional $3.7 billion annually in combined reduced expenditures and increased earnings if: • more students who graduate from high school were prepared for college, and thus did not require remediation; and • the students who drop out of college because they were not prepared for college-level reading demands were to continue and earn a Bachelor’s degree at the same rate as nonremedial students."
Policing as Education Policy: A briefing on the initial impact of the Impact Schools program
Date CapturedTuesday August 29 2006, 12:50 PM
Prepared by Sharon Balmer with Travis Dale, Bethany Aaronson, and John M. Beam. Brief on Impact Schools reports, "In addition to having significantly higher rates of suspension and police incidents and significantly lower attendance rates than most non-Impact schools, Impact Schools were significantly different from other city high schools in a number of ways." National Center for Schools and Communities, Fordham University, August 2006.
Age 2: Findings From the 2-Year-Old Follow-up of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort
Date CapturedTuesday August 29 2006, 10:52 AM
This report presents information on selected child and family characteristics, on children’s mental and physical skills, on children's attachment relationships with their primary caregivers, on their first experiences in child care, and on their fathers. Mulligan, G.M. and Flanagan, K.D. (2006). Age 2: Findings From the 2-Year-Old Follow-up of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort (ECLS-B) (NCES 2006-043). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
Back to School: Performance data driving education now
Date CapturedTuesday August 29 2006, 10:17 AM
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports on data-driven education, "While the use of data can help to improve instruction, an ongoing problem is getting data quickly enough that it can be used effectively. State test results, for example, aren't available until well after the school year ends."
Bush's Education Reforms Falter
Date CapturedTuesday August 29 2006, 8:54 AM
Forbes.com writes on NCLB, "Some public policy fields exhibit high rates of technical success and political prestige. However, most public policy innovations enjoy lower success rates because: -- the technical knowledge required for the successful delivery of particular policy outcomes is not available; -- politicians, interested parties and voters typically contest a policy's principles, objectives, instruments, costs, or effectiveness; and -- adoption of all public policies implicitly or explicitly defines some winners and losers. U.S. education policy exhibits all three of these characteristics and is, accordingly, politicized."
Rev. Al weighs protests: Upset over no-bid Ed deal
Date CapturedTuesday August 29 2006, 8:32 AM
The NY Daily News reports, "'They're privatizing public education in New York without even telling anybody,' Sharpton said. 'If you're going to award something like this to people that have had controversy in the past, you at least want some kind of public discussion.'"
Hyde Park district appeals special ed ruling
Date CapturedTuesday August 29 2006, 8:18 AM
Poughkeepsie Journal reports, "The parents, identified under confidentiality rules as Frank G. and Dianne G., disagreed in 2001 with the district's special education committee that the special needs of their son, Anthony, could be met in a regular classroom setting at Ralph R. Smith Elementary School — with the assistance of a full-time aide and other additional services. After writing the district to dispute his placement, the parents in August 2001 placed their son in Upton Lake Christian School in Clinton Corners. The Hyde Park district later refused to reimburse the parents $3,660 in Upton Lake tuition."
More Arizona schools miss performance measure
Date CapturedMonday August 28 2006, 9:56 PM
AP reports, "However, state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne said the increase is due to new rule changes by the Bush administration, not diminished performance by Arizona students. Horne cited changes in federal rules dealing with English-learning students, accommodations for special education students and the counting of more grades' test results."
A helping hand, Brand: Time has come for NCAA to help prep athletes
Date CapturedMonday August 28 2006, 8:52 PM
AP reports, "At a time when the NCAA is stepping up accountability for poor academic performance with colleges and universities using data tied to academic progress and graduation rates, Brand said it's unfair to schools and student-athletes when the students arrive at college without the academic background to take college-level courses."
Mississippi education drives economy
Date CapturedMonday August 28 2006, 8:36 PM
Delta Democrat Times reports, "Jobs and education are inextricably intertwined. There is no hope for a good economy without strong schools. There will be nowhere for students in Mississippi to work if the state's educational system fails to prepare them to compete in the global economy. All of that takes money. It also takes a commitment from the business community to support public education and a willingness from parents to think differently about what their children will be learning in school."
Audit finds sensitive data vulnerable at Arizona education agency
Date CapturedMonday August 28 2006, 8:20 PM
AP reports on the vulnerable systems, "The systems are used for a variety of purposes, ranging from teacher certification to tracking student attendance that is used to allocate state funding to school districts and charter schools. Confidential information kept on the department's computer systems include teachers' names, birth dates and Social Security numbers and students' names and birth dates, the audit report noted. Many of the security flaws have been noted previously but the audit found that only some of them had been fixed, the department said."
School test aid could cost Hawaii millions more
Date CapturedMonday August 28 2006, 10:14 AM
Honolulu Advertiser reports, "The Department of Education spent $7.9 million in contracts with three educational assistance providers last year and that amount could rise to an estimated $15 million this year as twice as many schools face the most severe sanctions of the No Child Left Behind Act."
Statewide preschool pushed in Idaho
Date CapturedMonday August 28 2006, 9:21 AM
AP reports, "Advocates for early childhood education have told a legislative task force that eager-to-learn 3-year-old kids in the state are falling behind their counterparts elsewhere because Idaho doesn't give them a chance to attend publicly funded preschool."
Louisiana leads in quality efforts: Plan ready for No Child Left Behind.
Date CapturedMonday August 28 2006, 8:50 AM
The Daily Advertiser reports, "A recent U.S. Department of Education study singled out nine states for having assembled complete plans to accomplish the goals of the federal No Child Left Behind law. A team of 31 education experts hired by the department reviewed every state's plan and found that nine states met all standards, Louisiana being one of them."
Plattsburgh State president discusses the state of the college
Date CapturedMonday August 28 2006, 8:36 AM
Press Republican reports, "If Plattsburgh State doesn't earn accreditation for its teacher-education program the second time around, the result will be catastrophic, college President Dr. John Ettling says. At the very least, enrollment in that area will experience a quick downward spiral, he said, and, ultimately, the State Education Department could pull the program."
SUNY Orange proposal to teach the business side of art
Date CapturedMonday August 28 2006, 8:30 AM
Times-Herald reports, "The program could begin as early as the spring semester, with plans to expand in the following semesters, said proposal author Richard Heppner, associate vice president for liberal arts. But Heppner stressed that nothing is definite and plans to retool it after speaking with Sugar Loaf artists as well as students."
N.Y. school janitors going green: Districts must buy 'environmentally friendly' cleaning supplies
Date CapturedMonday August 28 2006, 8:18 AM
Star-Gazette reports, "The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates human exposure to air pollutants indoors can be two to five times higher than outdoor levels. Some of the culprits are cleaners, waxes and deodorizers. Reducing or eliminating potentially harmful ingredients helps protect the environment and water supply, according to the legislation's sponsors."
Private 'whys' in school consults
Date CapturedMonday August 28 2006, 7:55 AM
NY Daily News reports, "The city's decision to dish out millions of school dollars for financial consultants without public scrutiny is the latest reason mayoral control of the education system must be reexamined, the teachers union boss charged yesterday."
A tally to avoid?
Date CapturedSunday August 27 2006, 9:31 AM
The Journal News opined, "The violence-reporting process is more than five years old in New York, and wrought with problems — challenges complicated by the added federal performance requirements of No Child Left Behind, instituted three years ago. Still, New York remains only in a 'training' phase, with its Education Department continuing to clarify criteria and teach local administrators how properly to report violent incidents. Even the state Comptroller's Office is involved now, looking anew over shoulders because random audits of schools earlier this year found reporting compliance abysmal."
Back to School / 7 trends to watch: From reading to algebra, everything in school is starting earlier
Date CapturedSunday August 27 2006, 9:25 AM
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports, "Everything is starting earlier and earlier in education. The trend is being driven by a combination of factors: parental anxiety that children will fall behind if not pushed almost from birth; frustration with schools that have failed to boost achievement for disadvantaged students or challenge the middle and top tiers sufficiently; cut-throat competition for college entrance; a growing reliance on high-stakes testing; a sense that America is losing ground in the global marketplace."
For rural schools, hurdles are huge: Kentucky options to improve test results are limited
Date CapturedSunday August 27 2006, 9:13 AM
HERALD-LEADER reports, "In reality, some NCLB sanctions don't hold a lot of weight in rural, lower-income districts. 'The law can sound tough, fire the teachers, fire the principals, take over the schools,' said Jack Jennings, president of the Center on Education Policy. 'But the practicality of the situation is that more likely than not, you are left with just improving the curriculum and retraining the teachers you have already. That's the practical side of all this.' Jennings said a community's attitudes also have a direct effect on student achievement."
Special Mount Saint Mary program helps college freshmen succeed
Date CapturedSunday August 27 2006, 8:49 AM
Times-Herald reports, "Over the summer, the private college in Newburgh took 13 incoming freshmen, all financially or academically disadvantaged, and put them through an intensive prep course. Classes and study time ran from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. There were tests and counseling, designed to help them learn to succeed in the fall semester and beyond."
Exploding the Charter School Myth
Date CapturedSunday August 27 2006, 8:23 AM
NY Times opined on charter schools, NCLB and teacher quality, "One advantage of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2002 was the wave of education studies it started. They offer hope that Congress will look at the record when it considers reauthorizing the law next year. If it does, lawmakers will back away from the part of the act that offers charter schools as a cure-all. They should instead home in on the all-important but largely neglected issue of teacher training and preparation — which trumps everything when it comes to improving student achievement."
Good news in public education
Date CapturedSunday August 27 2006, 8:16 AM
The PressRepublican opined on school choice, "Private schools have long argued that New Yorkers should have a choice in the schools they attend. They do have a choice, but the law provides a free education in a public school. It doesn't provide subsidies for schools that could drain money from the public system. Nor should it. School choice is a luxury, not a necessity."
Shed light on exams: New York should be more parent-friendly in explaining tests
Date CapturedSunday August 27 2006, 8:02 AM
The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle opined, "A lot of this information is now available on the Education (New York) Department's Web site. But getting to it requires weeding through a lot of dense education-speak. The site, which should be regarded as a prime information source for literally millions of New Yorkers, lacks clarity and readability — two standards, by the way, of writing that the state purports to measure."
Arizona Maricopa County faces canceling 84 school races
Date CapturedSaturday August 26 2006, 9:58 AM
The Arizona Republic reports, "In all, 84 races could be canceled: 65 races have only one person running, and 19 have no candidates."
Don't confuse learning with research skirmish
Date CapturedSaturday August 26 2006, 9:35 AM
Times Union Op-Ed contributor JEANNE ALLEN, Center for Education Reform, Washington, D.C. responds to "It's wrong to declare the charter school movement as revolutionary," Aug. 14 Op-Ed, "Mr. Morse closes his letter saying: 'If our government intends to seriously address the root causes of poor performing schools, our elected leaders must look to the origins of poverty, illiteracy and school failure, and not continue to exploit urban school children and their struggles for their own political gain.' We couldn't agree more. And to that we might add that research war skirmishes have nothing to do with parents wanting to send their children to a school that works."
New group backs push for Ohio early childhood initiatives
Date CapturedSaturday August 26 2006, 8:45 AM
Times-Reporter publishes AP report, "A growing number of states – among them Florida, Oklahoma and Georgia – have already extended publicly funded education to include preschool for 4-year-olds. But the Ohio plan takes the concept further than other states have so far, calling for Ohio to create a new preschool teaching license; to convene a legislative task force; to establish a Board of Early Education and Care; and to make its extensive resources more readily available to families. The recommendations also include combining all services for the youngest children under one state agency. That would include behavioral and physical health resources, services for the disabled, educational offerings and programs for needy families."
Students get a homework 'Buddy'
Date CapturedSaturday August 26 2006, 8:36 AM
NY Daily News reports, "June Herold, vice president and general manager of AOL education and consumer services, says the company spent two years with teachers, students and parents and found that many complained there was no one place to get the homework help and info needed for every subject. StudyBuddy.com is an education site with a search engine, math and science review and a writing wizard."
Idaho House approves Gov. Risch property tax cut
Date CapturedFriday August 25 2006, 9:53 PM
AP reports, "If his proposal passes, Risch would pay for the tax break by increasing the sales tax to 6 cents from 5 cents, raising some $210 million, and taking another $50 million from Idaho's budget surplus. His plan also creates a $100 million rainy day education fund. The Republican-dominated House blocked efforts for an alternative pushed by Democrats that would have cut $105 million in taxes on primary residential homeowners, but left the school maintenance and operations levy in place for others. It wouldn't have raised property taxes."
2007 VESID State Plan Virtual Public Meeting
Date CapturedFriday August 25 2006, 6:31 PM
As part of the Vocational Rehabilitation State Plan development, VESID is seeking public comment on achieving high quality employment outcomes. Discussion will focus on transition, postsecondary education, and individual plan for employment (IEP) development.
Administration backs white school parents in integration appeal
Date CapturedFriday August 25 2006, 2:40 PM
San Francisco Chronicle publishes LA Times report, "For decades afterward [Brown vs. Board of Education], school districts across the nation adopted policies to bring about racial integration in their classrooms: Some set enrollment guidelines that prevented schools from becoming nearly all black or all white, while others have used magnet programs that consider a student's race. Many of those policies remain in effect. Clement, the Bush administration's chief lawyer before the high court, said such programs should be struck down whenever they involve the use of a 'racial classification' to decide who may enroll."
Hurricane Help for Schools: Providing Assistance for Schools Serving Students Displaced by Hurricane Katrina
Date CapturedFriday August 25 2006, 2:13 PM
US Department of Education website: Many schools are accepting students who cannot attend their own schools because of Hurricane Katrina. If your school is serving students displaced by the hurricane and if you need books, clothes, or other supplies, please state what you need.
Two new schools enhance Binghamton University links to community
Date CapturedFriday August 25 2006, 9:19 AM
Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin Op-Ed contributor Binghamton University president Lois B. DeFleur writes, "The School of Education also addresses community needs by preparing outstanding teachers and administrative leaders; by conducting educational research; and by developing new partnerships with school districts."
Most parents are not in conflict with special education in school districts
Date CapturedFriday August 25 2006, 8:45 AM
Times Union Op-Ed TIMOTHY G. KREMER, Executive Director, NYS School Boards Association responds to Marc Brandt's commentary, "Let's not forget that the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act requires that parents be integrally involved in program decisions regarding their children from the outset. They bring their perspectives and insights to a meeting of the professionals who make up the rest of the district committee on special education. Together they decide on an appropriate education program for the child. IDEA forbids considerations of cost from entering into the decisions despite the fact that special education costs are rising faster than other education costs."
College tax credit aids rich most, feds say
Date CapturedFriday August 25 2006, 8:14 AM
AP reports, "College tuition tax credits are benefiting wealthier U.S. taxpayers more than the poorest, according to a federal study of the nine-year-old program." Read report on Education New York Online, Education Policy page, Higher Education link on right sidebar.
Dutchess Community College secures federal funding for aviation curriculum
Date CapturedFriday August 25 2006, 8:05 AM
Mid-Hudson News reports, "Sweeney [Congressman] said that he understands the impact community colleges have on the region, the state, and the nation, and that their contribution to education cannot go unnoticed."
Education by gender
Date CapturedFriday August 25 2006, 8:00 AM
Palladium-Item reports on upcoming release of gender regulations, "Washington deserves some belated credit for getting with it and recognizing that maybe gender-specific education does have a role -- albeit a controlled and monitored role -- in the public schools. Countless parochial schools, including notably Catholic schools, have demonstrated the merit to this approach. Some differences in learning especially at some earlier ages, research shows, can be attributed to gender."
Single-gender classes prove popular in California
Date CapturedThursday August 24 2006, 8:06 PM
The Californian reports, "Critics say there is no clear evidence and that single-gender learning doesn't get students ready for an integrated world. But while eight years ago only four public schools in the United States offered single-gender classes, as of April at least 223 public schools in the country offered some sort of single-gender classes, according to the Maryland-based National Association for Single Sex Public Education."
Connecticut Prevention Efforts No Longer Measured In Ounces
Date CapturedThursday August 24 2006, 7:57 PM
The Newtown Bee reports, "She [Zimmerman, executive director of the Connecticut Council on Children] pointed out that every dollar invested in prenatal care saves $3.38 in the cost of caring for low-birth-weight infants; that every dollar invested in preschool in Connecticut produces a return on investment of $18.39; and every dollar spent on quality after-school programs produces a return on investment ranging from $2.19 to $3.22 - not including the significant savings realized from lower crime."
Inside Albany (IA)
Date CapturedThursday August 24 2006, 5:03 PM
This week on Inside Albany: Education Commissioner Richard Mills' list of dangerous schools. (check schedule)
American Library Association Warns Buffalo on LIS Program
Date CapturedThursday August 24 2006, 3:31 PM
The Library Journal reports, "The dissolution of the University at Buffalo's (UB) School of Informatics, which means that the Department of Library and Information Studies (DLIS) will become part of the Graduate School of Education beginning this fall, has drawn attention of the American Library Association (ALA)."
University at Buffalo's impact on Western New York communities
Date CapturedThursday August 24 2006, 2:55 PM
UB Reporter writes, "In terms of education, Henderson [vice president for external affairs] explains UB encourages the establishment of a "pre-K through 16 education continuum"—an educational pipeline that sets students on a seamless track from grade school to graduate studies."
Assistance to States for the Education of Children With Disabilities and Preschool Grants for Children With Disabilities
Date CapturedThursday August 24 2006, 11:20 AM
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Department of Education: The Secretary issues final regulations governing the Assistance to States for Education of Children with Disabilities Program and the Preschool Grants for Children with Disabilities Program. These regulations are needed to implement changes made to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, as amended by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (Act or IDEA). DATES: These regulations take effect on October 13, 2006.
Recent Philadelphia high school grads tutor student teachers
Date CapturedThursday August 24 2006, 10:01 AM
Philadelphia Daily News reports, "Fresh and four other recent Philadelphia public-school graduates talked yesterday with prospective teachers about what it takes to connect with city-toughened teens. Their talk was part of a three-day 'Pipeline to the Future' professional-development series intended to prepare rookie teachers for the harsh realities of urban schools."
High school education in New Jersey
Date CapturedThursday August 24 2006, 9:45 AM
El Diario La Prensa editorial writes, "Other than testing to measure failures, the state has yet to demonstrate that it understands or knows how to fix what is wrong in those schools where students consistently fail to meet the current curriculum standards — the standards that were supposed to raise the academic bar. The Education Department will need to better educate itself if it expects to demand more of others."
Federal grant to fund arts education research
Date CapturedThursday August 24 2006, 9:20 AM
The Star Bulletin reports, "The grant will be given to Arts First Hawaii, a consortium of organizations including the Hawaii Arts Alliance, DOE, University of Hawaii College of Education, UH College of Arts and Humanities, Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, and Hawaii Association of Independent Schools."
Children's pre-K education is crucial to their future success
Date CapturedThursday August 24 2006, 9:06 AM
Idaho Statesman Op-Ed contributor Eldon Wallace, retired associate commissioner of finance with the Missouri Department of Higher Education opined on early learning, "We are being confronted with overwhelming evidence that the great potential for early learning and for social-skill development during the first five years of life has not been met for many of our children. As a result, there is a major gap in kindergarten readiness in Idaho between the children who are educationally neglected and the children of parents who can afford preschool and/or have time, knowledge and motivation to work with their child."
Manhattan: Teacher Exam Suit Back to Lower Court
Date CapturedThursday August 24 2006, 8:54 AM
NY Times reports, "In 2003, Federal District Court in Manhattan ruled in favor of the state and the New York City Board of Education, rejecting the class-action suit brought on behalf of hundreds of black and Latino city teachers who were dismissed after failing the tests."
Where's school voucher 'success' in Washington, D.C.?
Date CapturedThursday August 24 2006, 8:28 AM
USA TODAY Op-Ed contributor Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, U. S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. writes, "Education Secretary Margaret Spellings claimed an administration 'success' with publicly funded private school vouchers in Washington, D.C. There is no factual basis for her claim."
New York City public schools splitting at the seams
Date CapturedThursday August 24 2006, 8:18 AM
NY Daily News reports, "Education Department spokesman Keith Kalb said six schools under construction in Queens will provide about 4,000 more student seats over the next two years."
City slapped in special ed lawsuit
Date CapturedThursday August 24 2006, 7:52 AM
NY Daily News reports on class-action lawsuit charging special education children are cheated out of services when disputes erupt, "A lawyer who has represented parents of special education students but is uninvolved with the lawsuit agreed that the hearings are an obstacle, particularly for those who can't afford lawyers."
LOWBALLING SCHOOL VIOLENCE...
Date CapturedThursday August 24 2006, 7:16 AM
NY Post editorial opined on school violence, "Regardless of the actual number of dangerous schools - 14, 140, or otherwise - zero tolerance on violent behavior must be the policy."
Education Department working to fix web site glitch after data breach
Date CapturedWednesday August 23 2006, 9:54 PM
AP reports, "The Web site program includes names, birthdates, Social Security numbers, addresses, phone numbers and in some cases account information for holders of federal direct student loans. It does not involve those who have loans managed through private companies."
Early, higher education among ethnic-minority parents' top concerns
Date CapturedWednesday August 23 2006, 4:03 PM
Whittier Daily News reports on multi-language poll, "Findings show that all African American, Asian and Latino parents interviewed strongly support preschool programs, as well as the state-mandated high school exit exam."
Student Financing of Undergraduate Education: 2003–04 With a Special Analysis of the Net Price of Attendance and Federal Education Tax Benefits Statistical Analysis Report
Date CapturedWednesday August 23 2006, 3:35 PM
This NCES report provides detailed information about undergraduate tuition and total price of attendance at various types of institutions, the percentage of students receiving various types of financial aid, and the average amounts that they received. Berkner, L., and Wei, C.C. (2006). Student Financing of Undergraduate Education: 2003–04, With a Special Analysis of the Net Price of Attendance and Federal Education Tax Benefits (NCES 2006-186). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
Mandated tutoring leaves some New Jersey special ed students behind
Date CapturedWednesday August 23 2006, 2:38 PM
Daily Record reports, "In suburban districts, including several in Morris County, schools are facing sanctions under No Child Left Behind because of students with disabilities scoring poorly on standardized tests. Yet these students are not necessarily economically disadvantaged and can't tap into the help offered under the federal Title I law."
Statement by Secretary Margaret Spellings on Release of NCES Study on Charter Schools
Date CapturedWednesday August 23 2006, 9:37 AM
Secretary Spellings, "Charter schools are empowering low-income parents with new educational options and providing an important lifeline for families in areas where traditional public schools have fallen short of their responsibilities."
Arizona Gov. Napolitano: Raise school attendance age
Date CapturedWednesday August 23 2006, 9:20 AM
Arizona Daily Star reports, "State Schools Superintendent Tom Horne said altering the dropout age is not the answer. 'My solution to the dropout problem is to persuade kids that they should be in school with things like outside mentoring, peer counseling, flexible hours and career technical education,' Horne said. 'But if you force kids who don't want to be there to be there, they can be disruptive.'"
3 local Syracuse schools still on state list
Date CapturedWednesday August 23 2006, 9:11 AM
The Post-Standard reports, "No local schools landed on the state's new list of 'persistently dangerous schools,' but 17 schools elsewhere in the state did, Education Commissioner Richard Mills announced Tuesday. But three Syracuse schools that went on the list a year ago - Fowler High and Shea and Grant middle - remain there, the state said."
EXCEL building aid may help taxpayers, school officials say
Date CapturedWednesday August 23 2006, 9:02 AM
The Daily Star reports, "All districts are eligible for Expanding Our Children’s Education and Learning [EXCEL] funds, with some restrictions, according to the website. The amount is determined by enrollment and is funded through the Dormitory Authority of the state of New York. New York City will receive $1.8 billion, with other districts receiving $800 million, according to the site."
Glitch reveals too much on Education Dept. website
Date CapturedWednesday August 23 2006, 8:39 AM
Boston Globe reports, "A federal Department of Education official said yesterday that a routine software upgrade made Sunday night introduced a bug into the system that mixed up the data of different borrowers."
State's list of dangerous schools grows: Berkshire Farm, Philip Livingston Magnet among 23 targeted after comptroller's critical audit
Date CapturedWednesday August 23 2006, 8:25 AM
Times Union reports, "Under the federal No Child Left Behind law, parents are supposed to be able to transfer their children out of a dangerous school if another school in their district has room to enroll them. Mills said that releasing the data Tuesday, about two weeks before the new school year starts, should give parents time to seek alternatives. For many parents and students, though, alternative schools are filled up. Students attending Berkshire's school are doing so under court order."
CLASS-KICKERS: 'DANGEROUS' SCHOOLS SOAR - AND N.Y. MAY BE LOWBALLING COUNT
Date CapturedWednesday August 23 2006, 8:00 AM
NY Post DAVID ANDREATTA and LEONARD GREENE report, "'Since the school system no longer shares incident data, no one really knows the true state of safety in our schools,' said United Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten. 'But we do know that having only 14 [city] schools on the 'persistently dangerous' list doesn't make sense.'"
A Summary of the Current Research on California's Effectiveness at Improving Student Achievement
Date CapturedTuesday August 22 2006, 7:07 PM
Key Findings: "The available research, presented chronologically below, shows that by introducing high-quality and innovative approaches into public education, California’s charter public schools are having a positive impact on the state’s public school system."
Scrap voucher plan, fully fund No Child law
Date CapturedTuesday August 22 2006, 5:01 PM
USA TODAY Op-Ed contributor E. Jane Gallucci, President, National School Boards Association writes, "And contrary to Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings' assertion that vouchers 'complement' the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law, they actually would render the law obsolete because private schools receiving tax dollars at the expense of public schools would not face the rigid public accountability standards to which public schools must adhere."
Majority Of State's Most Dangerous Schools Are In New York City
Date CapturedTuesday August 22 2006, 4:35 PM
NY1 reports, "Eleven of them (persistently dangerous) are schools for special education students and city sources say those schools are usually exempt from list."
Rome Free Academy joins state's 'watch list' for potentially dangerous schools
Date CapturedTuesday August 22 2006, 4:24 PM
Observer-Dispatch CARA MATTHEWS reports, "Another 17 schools, including two in Rochester, have been added to the Education Department's list of 'persistently dangerous' institutions after recording a large number of serious incidents for two consecutive years, Commissioner Richard Mills announced."
Seventeen New York Schools Named As "Persistently Dangerous" Under NCLB,
Date CapturedTuesday August 22 2006, 3:57 PM
As required by NCLB: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, AUGUST 22, 2006. Persistently dangerous list includes NYC schools, Rochester, Buffalo charter school, and Berkshire Junior-Senior High School. New York State Education Department press release, "An additional 10 schools have been placed on a 'watch list.'" NYC, Buffalo, Rome, Wyandanch, Greenburg-Graham on "watch list."
A Closer Look at Charter Schools Using Hierarchical Linear Modeling
Date CapturedTuesday August 22 2006, 10:34 AM
NCES, "The school sample comprised 150 charter schools and 6,764 traditional public schools. The report uses hierarchical linear models (HLMs) to examine differences between the two types of schools when multiple student and/or school characteristics are taken into account. After adjusting for student demographic characteristics, charter school mean scores in reading and mathematics were lower, on average, than those for traditional public schools. The size of these differences was smaller in reading than in mathematics. Results from the second analysis showed that in reading and mathematics, average performance differences between traditional public schools and charter schools affiliated with a public school district were not statistically significant, while charter schools not affiliated with a public school district scored significantly lower on average than traditional public schools." Braun, H., Jenkins, F., and Grigg, W. (2006). A Closer Look at Charter Schools Using Hierarchical Linear Modeling (NCES 2006-460). U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
Therapy ban's repeal sought: Controversial treatment is best hope for some severely disturbed children, lawsuit says
Date CapturedTuesday August 22 2006, 9:12 AM
Times Union reports, "The litigants claim the panel of experts assembled by the state Education Department to explore the matter was biased and inexperienced. The state's decision not only hamstrings what some believe is an often miraculous therapy, but also violates the students' rights to an appropriate public education and equal protection under the law."
The Future of D.C. Public Schools: Traditional or Charter Education?
Date CapturedTuesday August 22 2006, 8:58 AM
The Washington Post reports on charter schools in DC Public Schools, "As charters have proliferated, the number of students attending traditional schools has plummeted from 80,000 a decade ago to 58,000 last school year. Because tax dollars follow the student, charters now claim at least $140 million a year that might otherwise flow to neighborhood schools. That has led traditional schools to cut programs, lay off teachers and, for the first time in nearly a decade, close."
Idaho plan may not be perfect, but its permanent
Date CapturedTuesday August 22 2006, 8:48 AM
Coeur d'Alene Press reports on Idaho school funding, "The only plan that will definitely have a hearing is the Republican plan that would shift the cost of about $260 million for public school maintenance and operations to a one-cent sales tax increase. The sales tax increase would bring in about $210 million annually to the state, with a net $50 million overall reduction in taxes. With the state showing a $203 million surplus, the plan also transfers $100 million to an education stabilization fund. The education stabilization fund is a 'rainy day' account -- which currently has about $13 million in it -- designed to protect education funding from any future economic downturn."
Free college-prep exams for New Yok City students
Date CapturedTuesday August 22 2006, 8:08 AM
Daily News Erin Einhorn reports, "In addition to helping kids get into college, Klein said, the test and its results will also serve to help teachers and parents to know the areas where each student is struggling and extra attention is needed. The College Board says that similar arrangements in other cities dramatically increased the number of students taking the test and better prepared them for college."
No child left out of the dodgeball game?
Date CapturedMonday August 21 2006, 10:02 PM
CNN reports on the The 2006 Shape of the Nation and NCLB legislation, "Critics contend that the very legislation meant to bolster national academic standards -- the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 -- may be a culprit in the diminishing P.E. curriculum, unintentionally sapping schools of time and resources for exercise as educators focus more and more on test scores and rigorous academic coursework."
U.S. Education Department Grants Provide Over $11.6 Million for 23 Native Hawaiian Education Programs: Improving Innovative Education Emphasized Under No Child Left Behind
Date CapturedMonday August 21 2006, 9:55 PM
US Dept of Education announces, "Nearly two dozen Native Hawaiian Education (NHE) programs on Oahu, Maui and the island of Hawaii have been selected to receive $11,609,750 to develop, assist and expand innovative programs that provide supplemental services and address the educational needs of Native Hawaiian children and adults, U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings announced today."
Single-Sex Versus Coeducation Schooling: A Systematic Review
Date CapturedMonday August 21 2006, 5:07 PM
"This report deals primarily with single-sex education at the elementary and secondary levels. Research in the United States on the question of whether public single-sex education might be beneficial to males, females or a subset of either group (particularly disadvantaged youths) has been limited. However, because there has been a resurgence of single-sex schools in the public sector, it was deemed appropriate to conduct a systematic review of single-sex education research."U.S. Department of Education, Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development, Policy and Program Studies Service, Single-Sex Versus Secondary Schooling: A Systematic Review, Washington, D.C., 2005.
The problems with gender separation
Date CapturedMonday August 21 2006, 5:00 PM
Reporter Times reports, "Korth [associate professor at the Indiana University School of Education] said while there is evidence suggesting girls’ brains mature faster than boys’, most of those differences have evened out by the fifth grade. "My personal view is that we still need to figure out, as educators, how to do a good job of teaching boys and girls in the same classroom. ... My ideal image of education does not include separating kids by gender,' she said."
Alabama Child Find program searching for children with special needs
Date CapturedMonday August 21 2006, 4:40 PM
The Brewton Standard reports, "The Child Find program is a direct result of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Part B of 2004. Brewton City Schools as well as Escambia County Schools participate in this program."
Plattsburgh State requests teacher-education program extension
Date CapturedMonday August 21 2006, 8:30 AM
The Press Republican writes, "Under the Regents amended guidelines, after a college has been reviewed for accreditation and deficiencies have been found, it can apply for an extension by submitting an action plan to the state Education Department, which determines how much longer the school gets."
Binghamton U rates a salute
Date CapturedMonday August 21 2006, 8:26 AM
Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin congratulations, "Congratulations to Binghamton University for making the Top 50 list in U.S. News & World Report's 2007 edition of America's Best Colleges. This is the 10th year in a row that BU has earned a spot on the list."
College costs rise in region
Date CapturedMonday August 21 2006, 8:10 AM
The Daily Freeman reports on higher education in the Hudson Valley, "From fuel to food, prices are rising and the cost of a higher education in the Hudson Valley is no exception."
CUNY'S CLASSY TACT-IC TO TEACH GRACES
Date CapturedMonday August 21 2006, 7:41 AM
NY Post education writer David Andreatta reports, "Believing that the curriculum at the esteemed City University of New York business school is second to none, college officials said the new program focuses on refining students in the social graces inborn to country-club kids attending pricey universities. Workshops on dining etiquette, accent reduction, global affairs and presentation skills are on the agenda. There is also talk of offering students golf lessons to prep them for the inevitable day when they will entertain fat cats on the links."
Free preschool will help Latinos and US
Date CapturedMonday August 21 2006, 7:29 AM
Christian Science Monitor contributor Alexandra Starr, journalism fellow in child and family policy in 2005 opined, "To give all kids a chance to be successful in school, we have to intervene early. Kindergarten is too late. But creating more early education programs isn't enough; states need to proactively reach out to Latinos. If they don't, expanding pre-K could ironically increase the disparities in educational achievement, as more whites and African-American kids enroll in these programs, and Latinos continue to be left out."
OL' COLLEGE PRY: POL PROBES SCHOOL PORK
Date CapturedMonday August 21 2006, 7:19 AM
NY Post correspondent GEOFF EARLE reports, "A powerful U.S. senator is demanding five New York colleges justify millions in federal pork-barrel funds sent to their campuses and reveal whether they've hired political muscle to get more taxpayer money. Among the schools getting a letter from Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) are New York University, the State University of New York and Columbia University." Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Sen. Charles Schumer boasted last year about getting funds for Cornell University's Center for Grape Genetics.
A no-bid bonanza: City schools awarded $120M in noncompetitive
Date CapturedMonday August 21 2006, 6:50 AM
Daily News Erin Einhorn exclusive, "City rules created to prevent graft and save taxpayer money make it difficult for local agencies to buy products or services without an open process that requires competition. When city agencies award lucrative noncompetitive contracts, public hearings are normally held. But Bloomberg and Schools Chancellor Joel Klein argue that because public schools are regulated by the state - not the city - the Education Department can follow different rules."
New Hampshire outside school plan too outside the box
Date CapturedSunday August 20 2006, 6:46 PM
The Herald opined on non-traditional for credit courses, "The program would allow students to substitute outside-the-school learning for classroom work to gain high school credit. For example, a student could get high school science credit for taking an Internet course on astronomy or get physical education credit for running in a road race."
Metro Nashville grad rates rise by technicality: Schools count summer finishes for first time
Date CapturedSunday August 20 2006, 6:34 PM
The Tennessean reports, "Metro Schools Director Pedro Garcia said the district has ramped up efforts to reduce dropouts. Some initiatives include help transitioning from middle to high school, support for struggling freshmen and classes that allow students to recover failed classes or pick up basic skills. 'Our grad rate is our number one goal,' Garcia said. Tennessee, along with many other states, was able to get special permission from the U.S. Department of Education to insert a one-year lag in the graduation rates."
Independent Colleges and State University System Forge First-Ever Partnership to Create Higher Education Internet Portal Promoting Economic Development in NY
Date CapturedSunday August 20 2006, 3:59 PM
The Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities (CICU) and the State University of New York (SUNY) announced, "their first-ever partnership to develop an online 'portal,' which will function as an easy-to-use Internet gateway to approximately 175 higher education institutions. The portal will have significant benefits for New York's businesses and the state economy."
The Condition of Education in Brief 2006
Date CapturedSunday August 20 2006, 3:46 PM
Report topics covered "include: public and private enrollment in elementary/secondary education; projections of undergraduate enrollment; racial/ethnic distribution of public school students; student achievement from the National Assessment of Educational Progress in reading, mathematics, and science; adult literacy; status dropout rates; immediate transition to college; school violence and safety; educational attainment; parental choice of schools; expenditures for elementary and secondary education, and federal grants and loans to undergraduate students." Livingston, A. (2006). The Condition of Education 2006 in Brief (NCES 2006-072). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
Performance-Based Funding in Adult Education: Literature Review and Theoretical Framework
Date CapturedSunday August 20 2006, 3:33 PM
By Steven G. Klein, MPR Associates. "...this review draws on the higher education literature to explore the rationale for introducing these systems, processes used to design and implement allocation formulas, and lessons learned over time. It also summarizes how performance-based funding systems are applied in adult education and, where appropriate, provides examples of state systems to illustrate the mechanics of formula operation."
Kansas excels at adult education and literacy classes
Date CapturedSunday August 20 2006, 3:21 PM
AP reports, "No other state adult education program in the country distributes, as Kansas does, as much as 88 percent of its state and federal dollars based on performance, said Steven Klein, a consultant with MPR Associates, a firm commissioned last year by the U.S. Department of Education to review performance-based funding models across the country."
Tennessee scores point to problems in grad rates, special ed
Date CapturedSunday August 20 2006, 2:47 PM
The Tennessean reports, "Recently released test scores show that school systems here and across the state [Tennessee] must focus on getting more students to graduate on time with a regular diploma and boosting the skills of students diagnosed with learning and other disabilities."
Suburban Ohio schools also home to test gap: Affluent districts now face disparities that some urban districts have overcome
Date CapturedSunday August 20 2006, 2:36 PM
The Columbus Dispatch reports, "The disparity in achievement was hidden until recent years, Hall [senior policy analyst at Washington-based Education Trust] said, when the federal No Child Left Behind law began making all schools report how their minority, special-education and immigrant students are faring."
Family life key to success in school
Date CapturedSunday August 20 2006, 2:16 PM
The Buffalo News former editor Murray B. Light opined on factors that impact learning, "None of the education studies I've reviewed has factored in one of the most dominant elements in American life - television viewing. It most certainly is a factor in the education and intellectual promise of school-age children. Almost every element of American life is now the subject of polls. I have never been satisfied that poll results are meaningful because the respondents may or may not be responding truthfully. Be that as it may, one cannot overlook the enormous influence television is today."
Funding windfall will go to salaries, programs: North Dakota legislature to consider equity formula; state funds will help some districts
Date CapturedSunday August 20 2006, 1:32 PM
Grand Forks Herald reports, "Devils Lake Superintendent Steve Swiontek has no trouble finding potential uses for his school's expected windfall in state funding for education. 'No. 1, we'll look at teachers' salaries,' he said. 'Our base salary is $23,200, compared to about $30,000 at Grand Forks and Fargo.'"
No child left unshuffled
Date CapturedSunday August 20 2006, 1:21 PM
The Courier-Journal (Kentucky) editorial opined on NCLB, "It's become ever clearer that education improvement depends on looking as hard and clearly at the children who are not succeeding as at the schools that aren't -- and looking at them not as members of sociological groups but as the individual packages of cognitive, emotional, biologic and familial traits that they are."
New SUNY provost nominated
Date CapturedSunday August 20 2006, 9:22 AM
AP reports, "State University of New York's chancellor on Saturday said he would nominate Risa Palm as provost and vice chancellor of academic affairs."
U.S. warns Hawai'i on qualified teachers
Date CapturedSunday August 20 2006, 9:06 AM
Honolulu Advertiser reports, "A critical federal review labels the state as "high risk" for failing to provide adequate data to show whether poor and minority children are getting equal access to highly qualified teachers as required by federal law. Hawai'i was one of four states nationally to submit such a poor report under the latest No Child Left Behind requirements that the U.S. Department of Education said it's impossible to know whether the state's highly qualified teachers have been deployed equally."
Rochester city school board TV
Date CapturedSunday August 20 2006, 8:52 AM
The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle opined, "From now on, busy parents and others who care about public education in the city can tune in to RCTV (Channel 15) and watch the Rochester school board's monthly business meetings. That's a step toward greater public accessibility that ought to be emulated."
Connie Williams Coulianos gets A+ for work with children
Date CapturedSunday August 20 2006, 8:40 AM
NY Daily News reports, "Connie Williams Coulianos, who teaches at Columbia University's Hollingworth Preschool, will be honored in the September issue of Nick Jr. Family magazine. The 53-year-old teacher was selected from among more than 570 instructors, who were nominated by their colleagues, parents and education experts."
History makes it hard to see education's problems
Date CapturedSunday August 20 2006, 8:29 AM
Herald Net James McCusker, economist, educator and consultant, and columnist opined on the role of federal government in higher education, "The most encouraging thing about the commission's work is that at last somebody in the federal government is willing to take on this issue. The decay and enervation in our higher education system were the inevitable Newtonian resultant of the three forces that have been bearing down on it: the deterioration of the K-12 educational system that feeds it; the dysfunctional financial structure that supports it; and the asynchronous organizational structure that runs it."
Texans gambling on Lotto to fund education take note
Date CapturedSunday August 20 2006, 8:20 AM
Chron.com chief of Austin Bureau, Clay Robison, opined on the Texas education lottery, "Most of the lottery money, 60 percent, is spent on prizes. Five percent is set aside for commissions for the retailers who sell the tickets, and another 5 percent is spent to administer the games. Some 2 percent represents unclaimed prize money and is available for general state spending. The remainder, 28 percent, goes to public education, and that now is about $1 billion a year, down from a high point of about $1.2 billion in 1997."
Illinois Students’ 1st task: Prep for March testing -- mounting pressure has area school districts implementing a yearlong focus on standardized exams
Date CapturedSunday August 20 2006, 8:11 AM
Rockford Register Star , “'No Child Left Behind has brought a form of accountability to public education it never had before,' Rockford Superintendent Dennis Thompson said. 'It has forced educators to look closely at what and how I am doing it, teaching it and assessing it. There are many positive points to NCLB, but it does need some tweaking.' For instance, it’s forced more-focused teaching — educational jargon for what can amount to fewer electives. In Belvidere, there’s been a de-emphasis for some students on such courses as art and music as they focus more on the tests’ cores of reading, writing and math."
California higher education migrant program gets first grad
Date CapturedSaturday August 19 2006, 7:50 PM
The Ukiah Daily Journal reports, "The College Assistant Migrant Program, or CAMP, is a college grant program funded by tax dollars that helps enable students who come from a migrant or seasonal farm-working background, to successfully complete their first year of college and then continue to enroll and complete each academic year after that. This program helps to provide students with financial assistance and support services, with the goal in mind of preparing them to continue their education at a four-year college or university."
New College of Florida shares title for top public liberal arts college with Virginia Military Institute
Date CapturedSaturday August 19 2006, 7:35 PM
Herald Tribune reports ,"Among other things, the ranking reflects New College's small class sizes, a high graduation rate and an average SAT score of 1331 for incoming freshmen."
Buffalo State, Historical Society form two-year co-op
Date CapturedSaturday August 19 2006, 2:51 PM
Buffalo News reports, "The collaboration is patterned after similar agreements between Northwestern University and the Chicago History Museum and Rutgers University and the New Jersey Historical Society."
Mainstreaming For-Profit Education? Interesting
Date CapturedSaturday August 19 2006, 8:44 AM
PHI BETA CONS contributor Candace de Russy opined on for-profit/online higher education, "It will also be interesting to watch what UI spends on this program, which by its nature can forgo the usual array of costly non-instructional amenities (climbing walls, etc.) and can exploit the relatively low cost of online instruction. Thus this program can utilize the very finest, but fewer, faculty – a prospect heretofore threatening to the professoriate and the cause of its resistance to this innovation."
Charter Schools and a Good Education
Date CapturedSaturday August 19 2006, 8:31 AM
Washington Post letter to the editor by NELSON SMITH, President, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools responding to DC schools superintendent on charter schools, "Mr. Janey [superintendent] was right when he said that we should focus on quality public schools. That's why charter schools are subject to greater scrutiny than other public schools and why competent overseers act on the results, even closing a school that does not reach its goals. Someday all D.C. public schools will be subject to those stringent standards. In the meantime, interrupting the supply of promising new charter schools is hardly the right move."
Looking beyond textbook learning: Upstate educators urged to embrace innovation at Saint Rose institute
Date CapturedSaturday August 19 2006, 8:21 AM
Times Union reports on seminar, "He [Noguera] is considered by many to be one of the nation's most important voices on education reform and diversity. The institute, formed last year with a $1.6 million federal grant, trains educators to better deal with modern issues affecting schools. Much of Noguera's address focused on creating a solid environment for teaching in urban areas, especially when dealing with low-income and special education students, as well as those who do not speak English. Teachers and administrators, especially in urban school districts, must work hard to create strong relationships with students to interest them in learning, he said."
Arizona State Education computer system is exposed for attacks
Date CapturedFriday August 18 2006, 8:58 PM
The Daily Dispatch reports on Arizona Auditor General's Office findings, "The report, being released today, noted that the agency makes many of its applications accessible via the Internet so that schools can report information and access data. Auditor General Debbie Davenport said her staffers found that private information, like teacher names, birth dates and social security numbers 'could be viewed by individuals who have no right or need to access it.'''
New Hampshire charter school for disabled pupils proposed
Date CapturedFriday August 18 2006, 8:53 PM
AP reports, "Bevill hopes money earmarked for special education services could be pooled to pay for the public school."
New Jersey to look at revising high school standards
Date CapturedFriday August 18 2006, 8:46 PM
AP reports, "New Jersey high school students need more science, mathematics and technology education, even if they plan to go right to work instead of college, state officials said Thursday as they unveiled plans to rework high school requirements."
The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania to offer seminar for gambling industry execs
Date CapturedFriday August 18 2006, 12:17 PM
Philadelphia AP reports, "The program will apply business concepts to the challenges of the gaming industry. It will offer perspectives in leadership, strategy, marketing, operations, finance and other areas that can be used to manage casinos and other gaming enterprises more effectively and profitably."
Rising college fees will cost us in time
Date CapturedFriday August 18 2006, 12:07 PM
USA Today commentary by Julianne Malveaux, economist and author, "Education is supposed to be an equalizer. But with costs rising, students are trading down dreams of an Ivy League education for one at a state university, and from a state university to one at a community college. While all education will bear fruit, we are creating a bifurcated system in which the best education will go to those who can pay for it. Students of color and those of modest means will most likely be the ones left behind."
Idaho must consider key issues for community college system
Date CapturedFriday August 18 2006, 10:15 AM
Idaho Stateman Op-Ed contributors Gary Michael and Kevin Learned, co-chairs of the Higher Education Committee of the Idaho Business Coalition for Educational Excellence, an organization of nearly 70 top business leaders from across Idaho opined, "The Idaho Legislature has appointed an Interim Committee on Community Colleges "to analyze postsecondary education in Idaho and to make recommendations to the next Legislature." The Idaho Business Coalition for Education Excellence (IBCEE), an organization of current and retired CEO's from throughout Idaho, applauds this effort and looks forward to the committee's recommendations. In our view, a community college network will greatly benefit many post high school students and, ultimately, Idaho employers who depend on a sustained, diverse and well-trained work force."
New Jersey looking to improve education
Date CapturedFriday August 18 2006, 9:20 AM
Courier Post reports, "Truncated summers are an idea that is accepted in a number of overseas capitols but one that in New Jersey would be sure to enrage the teachers' union, the New Jersey Education Association. Teachers here, like students, get summers off."
Utah's reading tests, goals don't always match
Date CapturedFriday August 18 2006, 8:51 AM
The Salt Lake Tribune reports, "The findings are part of 'Smart Testing: Let's Get It Right - How Assessment-Savvy Have States Become Since NCLB?' which looked at each state's tests and how they align with content standards. Utah State Office of Education officials defend both."
Girls' sports hit hard by bias - study
Date CapturedFriday August 18 2006, 8:35 AM
NY Daily News reports on gender inequity in sports, fewer college scholarship scouting opportunities for women, and study findings, "According to Gotbaum (public advocate), girls involved in team sports 'are less likely to develop osteoporosis, breast cancer and diabetes as adults, and more likely to adopt long-term exercise programs.' And they're less likely to use drugs, smoke, have unwanted pregnancies or commit suicide, she added."
Does extra layer of smart people in education help, hurt communication?
Date CapturedThursday August 17 2006, 6:52 PM
Benton Courier city editor Mike Dougherty opined on the education communications divide, "How can the state talk with the locals successfully to achieve what is best for educating our children when they seem to be talking a different language?"
Kentucky school health centers seek funding
Date CapturedThursday August 17 2006, 6:38 PM
Community Press and Recorder reports, "For parents of low-income families in Northern Kentucky, having a sick child used to mean struggling to get time off work, pulling a child out of school, and finding transportation to a doctor's office. Now, families have an alternative and schools are seeing improved attendance, says Nancy Penick-Woolum, community development specialist for the Northern Kentucky school-based health centers."
Montana one of many states failing NCLB teacher equity requirements
Date CapturedThursday August 17 2006, 6:23 PM
AP reports, "The Education Department is asking the Montana Office of Public Instruction to do one of two things: either provide data showing that poor and minority children are taught by teachers with similar qualifications and experience as those who instruct other children, or submit a revised plan. McCulloch said Wednesday that the state would provide the department with more information, but that her office doesn't have the technology to collect information on teacher experience levels, which the department is requiring."
After Katrina, School Reforms Make New Orleans Most Chartered City in U.S.
Date CapturedThursday August 17 2006, 10:50 AM
BUSINESS WIRE announces, "One year after Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans has become one of the most chartered cities in America, with nearly 70 percent of its public school students in schools of choice, according to a new report in the forthcoming issue of Education Next, on newsstands September 1." [Education New York Online will link to the report when available.]
Special education students tax New Jersey districts
Date CapturedThursday August 17 2006, 10:41 AM
North Jersey.com reports, "School districts in North Jersey are increasingly finding creative solutions to reduce the cost of sending special education students out-of-district, mostly to private schools, as the number of special education students grows -- especially those who are autistic."
New Millbrook group to get tutorial on school funding on AUGUST 22, 7 PM in Millbrook
Date CapturedThursday August 17 2006, 10:33 AM
Poughkeepsie Journal reports on scheduled meeting, "State Sen. Steve Saland, R-Poughkeepsie, and Peter Applebee will speak on school financing and spending in the state [on Tuesday, August 22 in Millbrook]. Saland is chairman of the Senate Education Committee. Applebee is assistant director of the Senate Finance Committee."
Feds to audit Utah teacher data
Date CapturedThursday August 17 2006, 9:38 AM
The Salt Lake Tribune reports, "Utah is experiencing unpleasant fallout after missing a July deadline for submitting a teacher quality plan to the federal Office of Education, as required under No Child Left Behind laws."
U.S. Department of Education Releases Results of State Plans for Highly Qualified Teachers in Every Classroom
Date CapturedThursday August 17 2006, 9:31 AM
US Department of Education announces, "Nine states developed plans that were recognized by the experts as satisfying all six criteria outlined in the guidance provided by the Department. These are New Jersey, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Louisiana, New Mexico, Kansas, Maryland and Nevada. Thirty-nine states submitted plans that partially satisfy the six components and will be required to improve these plans and address the peer concerns by Sept. 29, 2006."
Single-sex classes go public
Date CapturedThursday August 17 2006, 8:54 AM
USA Today editorial opined on gender in education, "Successful single-sex schools have everything to do with adjusting to different learning styles — and nothing to do with predators and prey. That's a lesson for educators and the ACLU."
Tax break on school expenses
Date CapturedThursday August 17 2006, 8:37 AM
The NY Daily News reports, "Unlike the similar 529 college savings account, the money in your Coverdell is not limited to spending on higher education; you can use it for tuition to any K-12 private school. Other educational expenses such as books, supplies, transportation, tutoring and even computers and Internet service also qualify."
Veto harms state's special education students
Date CapturedThursday August 17 2006, 8:01 AM
Times Union Op-Ed contributor Marc Brandt, executive director of NYSARC Inc. opined "Gov. George Pataki's veto of legislation to return the burden of proof in special education hearings to school districts strikes a heavy blow against New York state's most vulnerable families and their children."
State High School Exit Exams: A Challenging Year
Date CapturedThursday August 17 2006, 7:48 AM
Authors: Nancy Kober, Dalia Zabala, Naomi Chudowsky, Victor Chudowsky, Keith Gayler, and Jennifer McMurrer. Center on Education Policy report finds, "... no state legislature adopted a new exit exam requirement in 2006 although Maryland, Washington, and Oklahoma are following through on plans set earlier to phase in exit exams. Of the four states scheduled to begin withholding diplomas based on exam performance this year, Arizona and California did so only after facing significant legal challenges, while Utah backed down from its earlier plans to do so. Idaho began withholding diplomas in 2006 with less conflict and controversy than other states experienced. Meanwhile, most of the 25 states that currently require or are phasing in exit exams have moved to create greater flexibility and support to help struggling students meet the exam requirements."
Binghamton graduation rates show big gains: Rates up for blacks, impoverished students
Date CapturedWednesday August 16 2006, 5:53 PM
Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin reports, "But the performance of students with disabilities remains a concern, said Mary Cahill, assistant superintendent for instruction. Not only did their graduation rate remain below 50 percent, they failed to meet state targets on the English and math Regents exams. Right now, special education is the group where the district has the most problems, Cahill said."
New York State’s Revised Plan to Enhance Teacher Quality
Date CapturedWednesday August 16 2006, 5:20 PM
THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, The New York State Education Department. Albany, 12234, July 2006.
Funding public education tops legislative discussion
Date CapturedWednesday August 16 2006, 5:10 PM
Mid-Hudson News reports, "Perhaps the hottest issue right now is how the state and local officials plan to address the funding for public school districts."
Census, Rochester has more youth: Experts say city should focus on creating jobs to keep them here
Date CapturedWednesday August 16 2006, 10:08 AM
Democrat and Chronicle reports, "Mildred Vazquez, executive director for Puerto Rican Youth Development, said the numbers alone don't reveal a lot. 'My first question is, are these college graduates. Do they have diplomas?' she said. 'You have a city with a significant number of people with no education and no way of getting an education, who don't have the means to even get a job that pays minimum wage.'"
Critics bash Hawaii weighted student school funding plan
Date CapturedWednesday August 16 2006, 9:01 AM
Star Bulletin reports on weighted student school funding, "A pair of education finance experts who analyzed Hawaii's formula earlier told members there is no evidence weighted funding has boosted student performance on the mainland. Despite that, Superintendent Pat Hamamoto said she believes strongly that weighted funding can give schools much-needed extra capabilities. 'Having been in a classroom, I can guarantee you that an ESL (English as a Second Language) student takes a lot more out of you,' said Hamamoto, a former teacher and principal."
POL PITCH FOR 'TEEN' BOOZE LAW
Date CapturedWednesday August 16 2006, 7:19 AM
NY Post Kenneth Lovett reports, "A Westchester state senator yesterday said he is drafting two bills designed to curb underage drinking, just days after personally checking out the rowdy Chelsea bar scene last weekend with The Post."
Legislative Investigations Committee to Probe New York’s Liquor Laws and Regulations
Date CapturedWednesday August 16 2006, 7:10 AM
The Committee [NY Senate] will explore a number of issues aimed at determining whether the recent series of problems involving problem premises and underage drinking can be combated through stronger laws, regulation, and enforcement.
New York Area Is a Magnet for Graduates
Date CapturedWednesday August 16 2006, 6:51 AM
NY Times reports, "Almost 5 million people over the age of 25 in the New York metropolitan area — more than a third of the region’s population — had at least a bachelor’s degree in 2005, according to the latest data from the Census Bureau. In Manhattan, nearly three out of five residents were college graduates and one out of four had advanced degrees, forming one of the highest concentrations of highly educated people in any American city."
Massachusetts leaders join forces to improve education from pre-K to college
Date CapturedTuesday August 15 2006, 7:42 PM
AP reports, "Members of the Massachusetts Advisory Committee on Education Policy say they hope the meeting will begin a historic cooperation between the Department of Early Education and Care, the Department of Education and the Board of Higher Education. The committee is made up of high-level officials from the three state agencies. 'Education policy now crosses every sector of education,' said Stephen Tocco, the chairman of the Board of Higher Education. 'We really have to talk collectively.'"
Illinois State achievement tests delayed, board of education says
Date CapturedTuesday August 15 2006, 7:34 PM
AP reports, "The test results help schools develop or change curriculum. Schools have preliminary data, enabling them to do some analysis, but they don't have the details many rely on to fully assess their performance, Minton said. A state board of education official sent an e-mail to school administrators Friday saying 'it is very unlikely' they would receive complete results by the start of the school year, Minton said."
The State Education Department and the State Health Department memo and information pamphlet to underscore the potential magnitude of a pandemic on the education community and emphasize the need for preparedness
Date CapturedTuesday August 15 2006, 7:21 PM
In a severe pandemic, all employers—including schools —will experience a dramatic reduction in their workforce, as one-in-four employees becomes ill and others remain home to care for sick family members. Many schools may close because of excessive student and staff absenteeism. Available evidence indicates that school closure (perhaps as long as 12 weeks in duration) early in a pandemic may significantly reduce influenza transmission. Health officials will notify school authorities when conditions warrant school closure. In certain instances, school facilities may be asked to function as Points of Dispensing (PODs) for essential medications. We strongly encourage you to work closely with your county/city health department and emergency management officials to increase your district’s pandemic preparedness in the upcoming school year. To assist you in your planning process, we have prepared a pandemic information packet specifically designed for the education community.
Highlights of the NCLB’s and IDEA’s Requirements for Teachers and Title I Paraprofessionals in New York State August 2006
Date CapturedTuesday August 15 2006, 6:37 PM
This Fact Sheet contains highlights of the New York State Education Department's (SED's) implementation of requirements related to teachers and paraprofessionals in the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) as reauthorized in December 2004. It is based on laws, regulations, guidance and technical assistance available at the time of its publication and is subject to change in response to additional information. For more detailed information about the NCLB's requirements in New York State, please refer to the series of field memos available online at http://www.highered.nysed.gov/nclbhome.htm
Green Cleaning in Schools
Date CapturedTuesday August 15 2006, 5:45 PM
Effective September 1, 2006, State Education Law and State Finance Law require school districts to reduce exposure of children and school staff to potentially harmful chemicals and substances used in the cleaning and maintenance of schools by utilizing guidelines to procure environmentally friendly cleaning products. The State Office of General Services, in consultation with other State agencies, has developed final guidelines as well as a list of approved green cleaning products.
GUIDELINES AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE PROCUREMENT AND USE OF ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE PRODUCTS FOR ALL PUBLIC AND NONPUBLIC ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN NEW YORK STATE
Date CapturedTuesday August 15 2006, 5:37 PM
New York State Office of General Services, August 4, 2006. These Guidelines and Specifications were developed in consultation with representatives of the Department of Environmental Conservation, Department of Health, Department of Labor and State Education Department, as directed by Chapter 584 of the Laws of New York, 2005.
ACRL seeks nominations for 2007 awards recognizing outstanding achievements in academic librarianship
Date CapturedTuesday August 15 2006, 11:11 AM
The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) "urges members to nominate colleagues whose work has influenced their thinking and growth as an academic librarian and whose contributions merit recognition by the profession. Member nominations will ensure that the pool of candidates for each award remains both competitive and distinguished. Nominations and supporting materials for most awards must be submitted by December 1, 2006."
Left behind: NCLB needs better accountability
Date CapturedTuesday August 15 2006, 10:27 AM
Tallahassee Democrat opined on Washington Post Op-Ed written by NYC Mayor Bloomberg and Florida Gov. Bush, and Harvard University's Civil Rights Project study, "With growing concern about America's academic competitiveness, it's crucial that No Child Left Behind become more than a political tool for Washington and an inconvenient headache for states and educators. When even its supporters acknowledge the need for reform, it's time for Congress to act."
RIT President Al Simone keeps region on its economic toes
Date CapturedTuesday August 15 2006, 9:17 AM
Guest essayists O'Neil and Lehr, College of Business, RIT opined on President Al Simone, "President Simone inspires RIT to continuously improve, evolve and expand to meet the changing business landscape, whether around the corner or around the world. Likewise, he develops and inspires fellow community and business leaders to step up to the plate and implement new programs within their respective spheres of influence, and he serves as an inspirational and positive force within the flattened and ever-changing business world in which we all live today."
Kermit L. Hall
Date CapturedTuesday August 15 2006, 9:14 AM
RPI and Skidmore among 'New Ivies'
Date CapturedTuesday August 15 2006, 8:20 AM
The Record reports, "The guide uses criteria based on admissions statistics and interviews with administrators, faculty and alumni. The categorization signifies the respective schools competitive status as rivaling Ivy League colleges."
Orange County Community College asks for private donations
Date CapturedTuesday August 15 2006, 7:47 AM
Times-Herald reports, "The community college wants to raise between $8 million and $12 million from private donors during the next two years. By doing so, administrators hope to close the deal on its planned expansion in Newburgh and spur a sweeping overhaul to its facilities in Middletown."
Kansas school districts spent millions to sue state
Date CapturedMonday August 14 2006, 11:57 AM
AP reports, "Kansas school districts have given more than $3 million to a nonprofit organization that funded a lawsuit against the state for more education funding, but it is unclear how the money was spent. Since 1998, 19 Kansas school districts reported contributing $3.2 million to Schools for Fair Funding, a nonprofit that sued the state after the Legislature approved only small funding increases to the education budget."
Key to Arizona downtown campus will be keeping students happy
Date CapturedMonday August 14 2006, 11:32 AM
The Arizona Republic reports, "State officials project that more students will want to attend college than there are available slots, and ASU is counting on the downtown campus to help it expand. In addition, the new urban university, which officials hope will eventually serve about 15,000 students, is expected to create spin-off development, drawing scores of new jobs and businesses to the area." Retention of students and campus safety are discussed.
Opportunity for all children
Date CapturedMonday August 14 2006, 10:07 AM
USA Today op-ed contributor US secretary of Education Margaret Spellings opined, "President Bush's proposed America's Opportunity Scholarships for Kids would help low-income families whose schools have failed to meet state academic standards for five or more years. Parents could use the scholarship money to transfer their children to a higher-performing public, charter, or private school or enroll them in an intensive tutoring program. For those cities and districts committed to meeting No Child Left Behind's goal of every child reading and doing math at grade level by 2014, this is an additional tool to help get them there."
All Fridays off
Date CapturedMonday August 14 2006, 9:35 AM
Journal News reports on four-day school week, "No one locally has suggested such a thing. In fact, a four-day school week, if it runs between September and June, is illegal, the way New York education law is written." But nearly a dozen states now allow school districts the option to cut their weeks by a day. Those districts that have done so originally did it to save money, and have kept it in place because they like it."
Professors ban in-class Web surfing
Date CapturedMonday August 14 2006, 9:20 AM
The Buffalo News reprints a Chicago Tribune information policy news story, "With universities rapidly installing wireless networks, Internet surfing has taken the place of the crossword puzzle as the most popular classroom distraction. Some professors are so fed up, however, that they're banning laptops or finding ways to shut off the wireless capabilities in their classrooms." University of Chicago law school, professor Randy Picker has no intention of banning laptops or Internet access.
SUNY Albany loses a beloved leader -- Kermit L. Hall, President
Date CapturedMonday August 14 2006, 9:01 AM
Times Union reflects on the death of Kermit Hall, "'Kermit Hall was a distinguished scholar and mentor to students and faculty alike who, as president for far too short a time, made enormous contributions to the academic advances of the University at Albany,' SUNY Chancellor John Ryan said in a statement."
CUNY IN THE CROSSHAIRS
Date CapturedMonday August 14 2006, 8:45 AM
NY Post opined on academic standards at CUNY, "As CUNY's own records confirm, the percentage of black students at City College slipped from 40 percent in 1999 to 30 percent last year. At Hunter College, the decline was from 20 percent to 15 percent. At Baruch, black students made up 24 percent of the undergraduate population in 1999; last year, the number was down to 14 percent. But, notably, no one is charging that the results are in any way the result of intentional discrimination. Indeed, overall black enrollment at CUNY has increased 1.3 percent."
Stanford opens high school for gifted students
Date CapturedMonday August 14 2006, 8:29 AM
San Francisco Chronicle reports on US first online program for ultra-smart, "The new online high school comes as advocates of gifted education say the federal No Child Left Behind Act has unintentionally hurt gifted students in the public schools. They say that because teachers face pressure to make all students proficient, they don't challenge the successful ones who could do more."
Oklahoma senator asks University of Rochester: Retrace funding
Date CapturedMonday August 14 2006, 8:15 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports, "A U.S. senator [Tom Coburn] is demanding that University of Rochester and dozens of other top research universities across the country explain where federal funds earmarked for research went."
Security Through Education
Date CapturedMonday August 14 2006, 7:55 AM
Washington Post contributor William E. Kirwan, chancellor of the University System of Maryland opined on school reform, "The best way to achieve such transformational changes is through so-called statewide K-16 councils, which bring educational leaders from all levels -- superintendents, principals, university presidents, deans -- together with business and community leaders on a regular basis to develop reform agendas. Such an approach is working in Maryland and a few other states. As a second means of plugging the holes, state governments and higher education need to rethink the way they distribute financial aid."
Mike joins 1st Bro Jeb to propose school fixes
Date CapturedMonday August 14 2006, 7:44 AM
NY Daily News reports on co-authored Washington Post opinion piece, "Florida and New York City are leaders when it comes to accountability in education," they [Bush and Bloomberg] wrote. The two listed several ways Congress should change the act as it faces reauthorization: Make standards meaningful, encourage student gains, recognize degrees of progress and reward and retain high-quality teachers."
Implementing Graduation Counts: State Progress to Date
Date CapturedSunday August 13 2006, 9:52 PM
NGA Issue Brief written by Bridget Curran, Education Division, National Governors Association. (08/07/2006). "In 2005 governors of all 50 states signed the Graduation Counts Compact and made an unprecedented commitment to a common method for calculating each state's high school graduation rate. In addition to agreeing to a common formula for calculating the graduation rate, the governors committed to leading efforts to improve state data collection, reporting, and analysis; reporting additional indicators of outcomes for students; and reporting annually on their progress toward improved high school graduation, completion, and dropout data."
Pennsylvania education costs to be studied
Date CapturedSunday August 13 2006, 12:42 PM
Bucks County Courier Times BEN FINLEY reports on Pennsylvania (and Maryland) school funding, costing-out studies, constitutionality, and property taxes, "This school year, Pennsylvania will work out a math problem that many other states already solved: How much money does it take to make sure every student meets the standards of the No Child Left Behind Act?"
For Lack of Teachers, Students Are Turned Away From Nursing
Date CapturedSunday August 13 2006, 11:44 AM
NY Times reports on the nursing profession, "The National League for Nursing reported a 16 percent increase in applicants to bachelor’s degree nursing programs and a 28 percent increase in applicants to associate degree programs last year, compared with the year before. Yet nursing schools turned away almost 150,000 qualified applicants in 2005 — up 18 percent over the previous year. The reason? They don’t have enough teachers."
Residents around Plattsburgh campus tired of their quality of life: Citizen group suggests legislation
Date CapturedSunday August 13 2006, 10:28 AM
Press Republican reports, "Plattsburgh residents are asking the city to adopt specific proposals they hope will end the deterioration of their homes and neighborhoods, largely caused by students in off-campus housing." Albany, Binghamton and Oneonta already have plans in place to deal with this problem.
Business group rips schools, says taxpayers don't get good return on investments
Date CapturedSunday August 13 2006, 10:17 AM
Star-Gazette, Jay Gallagher reports, "The state's test scores are improving but more needs to be done to shift money to poorer districts, said a spokesman [Dunn] for the state Education Department. '... Too few dollars still go to the students and the schools with the greatest need, and class sizes are bigger there. The Board of Regents is urging a major reform of the state aid system. This will help tremendously to close the achievement gap,' said spokesman Tom Dunn."
CLASS $TRUGGLE: LITTLE RETURN ON 13G PER STUDENT
Date CapturedSunday August 13 2006, 9:52 AM
NY Post reports on education return on investment, "But despite the dollars being doled out, student achievement per buck was astonishingly low in New York state - which ranked in the bottom five in the U.S., along with New Jersey, Alaska, Connecticut and the District of Columbia, according to a 2004 report by the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research."
New sour note for Harlem choir
Date CapturedSunday August 13 2006, 9:33 AM
NY Daily News ERIN EINHORN reports on NYC schools Promise Academy II charter school facility. "'The [Department] of Education is doing this behind parents' backs,' steamed Diana Boyd, a former member of the Choir Academy parent's association. 'This is being done without our consent.' Parents learned that the charter was coming after a city educrat was seen at the building last week checking out the space."
Keeping kids on a (technological) leash
Date CapturedSunday August 13 2006, 9:21 AM
Jerry McGovern, the Press-Republican's coordinator of Newspapers-in-Education opined on school information policy and safety regarding cell phones, "Whatever childhood is, it's not as loose and free as it used to be. And there is no turning back. Parents want to keep their children on shorter leashes, even if they are technological leashes."
Appeals court upholds California state high school exit exam
Date CapturedSaturday August 12 2006, 2:14 PM
AP reports, "A state appeals court on Friday upheld the state's [California] high school exit exam, rejecting claims by a group of students who argued the test discriminates against poor students and those who are learning English. The three-judge panel said that although all California students don't have access to equal education, eliminating the test as a graduation requirement would harm disadvantaged students more than it would help them."
Graduation rates must be a focus
Date CapturedSaturday August 12 2006, 7:51 AM
Poughkeepsie Journal opined on graduation, "Statewide testing has shown where the achievement gap exists. While the drop-out rate is significant, especially in some minority communities, lowering expectations is not the answer. Far from a hindrance, these test results are giving the state the opportunity to fix the problems."
Excelsior College launches teaching program in nursing
Date CapturedFriday August 11 2006, 3:35 PM
The Business Review (Albany) announces, "The program, a Master of Science in nursing with a specialization in Nursing Education, is intended to help address the nationwide shortage of nursing faculty, a factor often cited by nursing schools for their inability to accept students into nursing programs."
Illinois education group rips state, teacher plans
Date CapturedFriday August 11 2006, 1:55 PM
Chicago Sun Times reports, "Illinois has plans to help direct qualified teachers to the neediest students, but a national education group [Education Trust] Thursday said the plans fall short and ranked Illinois among the worst states in identifying schools that are shortchanging kids."[Illinois has a "Grow Your Own Teacher" program, a mentoring program for principals and looking at "performance pay" for teachers.]
SUNY may open a new campus in China: No cost to New York taxpayers
Date CapturedFriday August 11 2006, 9:27 AM
Press Republican reports, "The SUNY facility at Nanjing is expected to offer undergraduate degrees in areas, such as accounting, engineering, and environmental and atmospheric studies, Hall said." Graduate degrees would be offered in international trade, molecular biology and nanotechnology. Students would split their studies between the campus in Nanjing and one of the SUNY campuses in New York."
Advocates of education for the gifted slam state's policy
Date CapturedFriday August 11 2006, 8:54 AM
Journal News reports, "With so much emphasis placed on global competition, advocates of gifted education say, children who show intuition, aptitudes and brilliance should be nurtured, not ignored. Others say that gifted children will do fine without anything special."
Education Dept. puts night high schools to bed
Date CapturedFriday August 11 2006, 8:15 AM
NY Daily News reports, "About $4 million was spent last year to pay the salaries of night school teachers. That money will be made available to individual principals so they can create evening, weekend and tutoring programs tailored to the needs of their students."
Commission on the Future of Higher Education Report Urges Higher Education Shake-Up
Date CapturedFriday August 11 2006, 12:29 AM
NY Times reports on concerns of some commission members, "Another council member, the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, which represents 900 private institutions including liberal arts colleges, major research universities and church- and other faith-related colleges, attacked the recommendation to develop a national database to follow individual students’ progress as a way of holding colleges accountable for students’ success. The association called the proposal a dangerous intrusion on privacy, saying, 'Our members find this idea chilling.'”
California educators, lawmakers push for textbooks aimed at non-English speakers
Date CapturedFriday August 11 2006, 12:18 AM
Bee Capitol Bureau reports on California bill, "Senate Bill 1769 would require the state Board of Education to develop an approach to teaching reading and writing that incorporates English instruction for non-native speakers."
Creating Equitable Public Education in the U.S
Date CapturedThursday August 10 2006, 11:50 PM
Washington Post contributor Elena Rocha, Center for American Progress writes on weighted student funding, "The most dramatic impact of the weighted student formula is its capacity to serve to change the way we think about student populations, and consequently how we serve them; it will create powerful incentives to serve disadvantaged children. Establishing equity in funding will support greater equity in learning."
325 Arkansas schools not meeting NCLB standards
Date CapturedThursday August 10 2006, 11:03 PM
Arkansas News Bureau reports on NCLB, parent involvement and accountability, "James [state Education Commissioner Ken James] urged parents whose children attend a school on the list to ask why the school failed to meet guidelines. 'Parents should always look at what has triggered a school to be in school improvement,' James said. 'While the level should raise some level of concern, there's a difference when the school has failed to sufficiently raise test scores for the entire population in both literacy and math as opposed to one subgroup of students missing AYP in one subject by a narrow margin.'"
Statement by Secretary Spellings on the Commission on the Future of Higher Education
Date CapturedThursday August 10 2006, 10:41 PM
US Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings thanks the Commission on the Future of Higher Education, "I thank the Commission members, who hail from diverse backgrounds, for their single-minded dedication to this mission, and I look forward to receiving their final report in September. I also look forward to working with the higher education community as we move forward. I will review the findings, determine appropriate actions and continue this national dialogue on how to become more responsive to the needs of students, parents, educators and the business community."
Commission on the Future of Higher Education report gets OK
Date CapturedThursday August 10 2006, 7:21 PM
AP education writer Justin Pope reports on recommendations of the 19-member higher education commission created by Secretary Spelling, "The report, which will be delivered to Education Secretary Margaret Spellings in final form next month, recommends that the federal government consolidate its more than 20 financial aid programs and ensure that Pell Grants - the main aid program for low-income students - cover at least 70 percent of in-state tuition costs. In 2004-2005, the grants covered less than half."
APA: ZERO TOLERANCE POLICIES ARE NOT AS EFFECTIVE AS THOUGHT IN REDUCING VIOLENCE AND PROMOTING LEARNING IN SCHOOL (READ REPORT)
Date CapturedThursday August 10 2006, 1:10 PM
APA Task Force on Zero Tolerance reports, "By changing the relationship of education and juvenile justice, zero tolerance may shift the locus of discipline from relatively inexpensive actions in the school setting to the highly costly processes of arrest and incarceration. In so doing, zero tolerance policies have created unintended consequences for students, families, and communities." Task Force on Zero Tolerance: Chair: Cecil R. Reynolds, PhD, Texas A&M University; Jane Conoley, EdD, University of California at Santa Barbara; Enedina Garcia-Vazquez, PhD, New Mexico State University; Sandra Graham, PhD, University of California at Los Angeles; Peter Sheras, PhD, University of Virginia; and Russell Skiba, PhD, Indiana University.
Panel seeks more aid: North Dakota Commission recommends education budget overhaul
Date CapturedThursday August 10 2006, 11:16 AM
AP reports on proposal abolishing North Dakota's method of redistributing property tax resources among schools, "It includes spending adjustments that would give more money to schools for students in special and vocational education classes, those who need intensive English instruction, and for dropouts who have returned to school to get their degrees."
Connecticut school updating off-school policy
Date CapturedThursday August 10 2006, 11:10 AM
The Connecticut Post reports, "Under the policy, students who get in trouble off school grounds will face punishment from education officials if it is determined that their actions affect the school environment."
Hawaii BOE should not lose sight of funding strategy's goal
Date CapturedThursday August 10 2006, 10:56 AM
Honolulu Star-Bulletin opined on Hawaii student-weighted funding, "The revamped formula increases the weight for geographically isolated schools, adds a new one for at-risk students and introduces three funding levels based on language fluency, all reasonable designations. Another recommendation is to create a full-time office to develop, coordinate and assess the formula."
US Department of Education representative defends ‘No Child’ program
Date CapturedThursday August 10 2006, 10:35 AM
The Times-Tribune reports, "The United States is in the midst of an international economic competition with countries such as China and India that demands the education reforms advocated by No Child Left Behind, a federal official said Wednesday."
Breakfast being offered to all students at Lockport High School
Date CapturedThursday August 10 2006, 9:53 AM
The Buffalo News reports, "'We wanted to make sure all kids can have a nutritious breakfast, so we decided to do it. It's an important program because some kids may not get a good breakfast otherwise,' Board member David Nemi said. He added that it will not affect local property taxes because the state reimburses the district with a lot more aid than what it costs to operate the program."
An education in costs: With project half done, Buffalo schools' overhaul is in jeopardy
Date CapturedThursday August 10 2006, 9:33 AM
The Buffalo news reports, "If the project can't be sustained, some students will benefit while others remain in outdated schools that are ill-equipped to meet the demands of 21st century education. That would raise issues of equity that school officials are determined to avoid."
Manhattan: School's Discipline Code Criticized
Date CapturedThursday August 10 2006, 9:23 AM
NY Times ELISSA GOOTMAN reports on New York City schools Internet use related information policy, "Civil rights advocates criticized proposed changes to the city Education Department’s discipline code yesterday, saying that a proposal to punish students who post 'libelous or defamatory material' on the Internet was unconstitutional."
BLACK SETBACK AT KEY CUNY SCHOOLS
Date CapturedThursday August 10 2006, 8:08 AM
NY Post David Andreatta reports, "Dr. Selma Botman, CUNY's chief academic officer, said freshman enrollment among blacks was up 11 percent across the senior colleges and suggested the overall decline at Hunter, Baruch and City was a reflection of a shift in career interests among young blacks."
Special-needs preschool to get more county cash
Date CapturedThursday August 10 2006, 7:46 AM
The Journal News reports on $5 million agreement with Saint Francis Hospital, "'These specialized services not only help our children develop into happy and confident adolescents and young adults, but also greatly enhance the lives of our families dealing with these developmental issues,' he [Dutchess County Executive William Steinhaus] said."
University Tries to Make Texas a Science Force
Date CapturedThursday August 10 2006, 2:14 AM
The NY Times reports, "In an effort to make Texas a magnet for scientific and medical research, the University of Texas is planning a $2.5 billion program to expand research and teaching in the sciences, including medicine and technology."
CUNY Seeing Fewer Blacks at Top Schools
Date CapturedThursday August 10 2006, 2:03 AM
NY Times KAREN W. ARENSON reports on equitable access to CUNY, "Laura M. Schachter, the dean for diversity and compliance at Hunter, said that many qualified black and Hispanic students did not know much about Hunter and did not apply. 'It is our job to make them aware,' she said."
Debate school vouchers without injecting race
Date CapturedWednesday August 09 2006, 11:10 PM
USA op-ed contributor Kevin Chavous, Distinguished fellow, Center for Education Reform opined on school vouchers, "Let's also make sure we know the truth, which is that children who have choices do better than those who do not. The research is abundant, as are stories of triumph when America's impoverished families are given the opportunity to choose the schools their children attend."
UCSC shows its growth as a research university
Date CapturedWednesday August 09 2006, 9:31 PM
Santa Cruz Sentinel reports, "The $128.5 million in grants the school [University of California Santa Cruz] received during the last academic year continues a trend of research funding and signifies the university's steady evolution as a research institution, university officials said."
Online peer bullying
Date CapturedWednesday August 09 2006, 2:58 PM
USA Today reports, "Allen [National Center for Missing & Exploited Children] advocates a 'three-pronged solution': education, enforcing existing laws and improving tools such as filters."
Study: California facing child-care crisis
Date CapturedWednesday August 09 2006, 11:16 AM
Pasadena Star News reports, "The study, commissioned by First 5 California, UC Berkeley and the California Child Care Resource and Referral Network, found that one-quarter of California preschool teachers with bachelor's degrees or higher are 50 years or older and approaching retirement. It also found the turnover rate for early childhood education teachers was twice that of California public school K-12 teachers."
UF study: Location key for success in educating mentally retarded children
Date CapturedWednesday August 09 2006, 11:11 AM
The Gainesville Sun reports, "While some states showed little or no progress in educating mentally retarded students, others - including Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota and Vermont - showed major gains. Florida came in as a middle-of-the-road state, showing no major steps forward or backward."
Transfers Threaten Florida Class-Size Balance: State, federal laws collide
Date CapturedWednesday August 09 2006, 9:56 AM
The Ledger reports, "Title 1 schools have a majority of poor students and receive federal funding aimed at helping these students catch up in their school work. Title 1 schools face more severe consequences for failing to make AYP because of the additional funding."
NOT A JOB FOR THE SCHOOLS
Date CapturedWednesday August 09 2006, 8:33 AM
NY Post opined on schools' plan to restrict Internet use from home, "It's certainly good to see education brass concerned about the need to assure an unintimidating environment for learning. But don't they have their hands full monitoring activity at school, without trying to police behavior at home, too?"
Some students with limited English skills face new hurdle: State-ordered exam stirs Binghamton concerns
Date CapturedWednesday August 09 2006, 8:18 AM
Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin reports, "Until now, students with less than three years of U.S. schooling were exempt from the state ELA test, which is used to gauge whether schools are making adequate yearly progress for their students under No Child Left Behind. Instead, they could take a different test, the New York State English as a Second Language Achievement Test. But the federal government ruled this procedure fails to comply with No Child Left Behind rules, Stevens [Deputy Education Commissioner ] said."
Proposal Adds Options for Students to Specify Race
Date CapturedWednesday August 09 2006, 7:55 AM
NY Times reports, “'We basically have a continuous way of defining these categories that’s gone on for close to 40 years, and this is going to be a big change,' said Gary Orfield, the director of the Civil Rights Project at Harvard, who said the proposal would harm the ability of researchers and civil rights groups to track race on campus."
SUNY expands library access to 60 campuses: SUNYConnect brings most new benefits to community colleges and smaller SUNY schools
Date CapturedWednesday August 09 2006, 7:44 AM
The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports, "The 18 million volumes are housed in SUNY libraries, and thousands of electronic resources and images also are available. Users can get information ranging from articles in the latest medical, nursing and science journals to images of paintings and sculpture from the cave shrines in Dunhuang, China."
Governors Island developing....
Date CapturedWednesday August 09 2006, 7:27 AM
NY Daily News reports, "Before ownership of Governors Island was transferred during a Jan. 31, 2003, White House ceremony - after 203 years of federal ownership - the state agreed to a series of deed restrictions. They required that of the 150 acres controlled by GIPEC, 40 acres remain parkland, 20 acres be used for education and 30 acres be used for public benefit. The island's other 22 acres are still administered by the National Park Service."
School nurses cut: Targeted 45 schools with special-needs kids, 40% of them on Staten Island
Date CapturedWednesday August 09 2006, 7:17 AM
NY Daily News reports, "The moves are the result of concessions the city gained from two unions that represent school nurses, the United Federation of Teachers and District Council 37. The concessions, which went into effect July 31, freed the city from stipulations that forced it to put a second nurse in schools with even one special-education student."
The Missed Education of African Girls
Date CapturedTuesday August 08 2006, 10:36 PM
NPR reports, "Girls remain woefully outnumbered in African schools."
Popular single-gender classes at Iowa school being scrutinized by state
Date CapturedTuesday August 08 2006, 9:56 PM
The Courier, "A recent report issued by the Iowa Department of Education stated that the single-gender classrooms at the Walter Cunningham School for Excellence are in violation of federal and state civil rights laws that require school boards to take steps to integrate students on the basis of gender."
Many Louisiana children pass LEAP, thanks to exemptions
Date CapturedTuesday August 08 2006, 9:43 PM
The Times reports, "'This year has been different than any other we've faced in Louisiana because of the hurricanes that devastated many districts and drastically increased the student population of so many others,' said state Superintendent of Education Cecil Picard. 'Many of our schools lost weeks, even months of schooling.'"
READER WRITES...
Date CapturedTuesday August 08 2006, 3:21 PM
"I feel it is the responsibility of all Americans to fund public education of our children, not just homeowners and businesses." (CLICK on blue link for letter)
Mississippi parents group will tackle education
Date CapturedTuesday August 08 2006, 11:52 AM
AP reports, "A new nonprofit group is trying to mobilize parents to lobby for full education funding, but a key lawmaker says public school supporters need to be careful not to slam lawmakers who might be their friends."
NCLB produces more failure
Date CapturedTuesday August 08 2006, 9:57 AM
Telegraph Forum opined on NCLB, "The great majority of states, including Kentucky, have failed to meet another set of deadlines of the federal No Child Left Behind Act, and so have evoked from Education Secretary Margaret Spellings yet more ominous threats, including the punishment of slashing their federal funding."
Binghamtom Community College puts focus on professionals: Revamped program to use downtown site
Date CapturedTuesday August 08 2006, 9:19 AM
Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin reports, "With the new focus will come an emphasis on bringing professionals from outside the area to downtown for conferences and seminars hosted at the center, David [BCC spokesman] said. That kind of use, he said, will boost the region's economic base as professionals spend money here eating, shopping and lodging."
SUNY language institute turning 25 this year: Classes for kids, teens are in works
Date CapturedTuesday August 08 2006, 9:11 AM
Poughkeepsie Journal reports, "Though its programs serve only adults, Gallin [director] said she hopes to begin offering programs for children in the future. Her goal is to begin a summer language immersion camp for seventh- to 12th-graders next year."
Special education a top priority for new Groton principal
Date CapturedTuesday August 08 2006, 8:51 AM
The Ithaca Journal reports, "Under the new system there will be a special education coordinator at every grade level, and no student will spend the entire day in an isolated classroom. This will translate to more aides in the classroom and an increase in collaborative teaching."
Hawaii DOE suggests restoring cuts: Recommendations would alter a system of weighted funding
Date CapturedTuesday August 08 2006, 8:46 AM
Honolulu Star-Bulletin reports, "The recommendations would restore much, and in some cases all, of the budget cuts some schools would have faced under the weighted student formula, which shifts funds to schools with more poor, non-English-speaking students or others with learning challenges."
School spending called ineffective: New York top in spending, bottom in graduation
Date CapturedTuesday August 08 2006, 7:46 AM
The Journal News reports, "The head of the state's largest teacher union said the findings did not surprise him. 'We do spend a lot on education because we offer a lot,' said Richard Ianuzzi, president of New York State United Teachers. 'In New York state, the cost of living and the quality of curriculum and the toughness of the standards demand a lot.' And he said high standards mean that not everyone will graduate on time."
Schools struggle to combat foreign student drop: Educators encourage active recruitment, hope numbers will climb back up
Date CapturedTuesday August 08 2006, 1:06 AM
MSNBC reports, "As educational opportunities improve in less-developed countries, they become more attractive to international students, especially given the far lower costs of tuition, room and board."
More Alabama schools get good grades under No Child Left Behind
Date CapturedTuesday August 08 2006, 12:52 AM
Dothan Eagle reports, "The Alabama Department of Education released information Monday showing that more than 87 percent of Alabama’s schools met the act’s goals for adequate yearly progress, up from 53 percent last year. Also, the number of schools making AYP for two years in a row has doubled."
The Non-Working Man’s Burden
Date CapturedTuesday August 08 2006, 12:27 AM
The NY Times opined on education and employment, "Higher levels of learning and skill don’t magically create jobs. Public policy for a globalized age must grapple with twin challenges: how to create full employment in the face of international competition, and how to create a safety net for jobless Americans in a globalized economy. "
College Paper Joins Gannett
Date CapturedTuesday August 08 2006, 12:19 AM
NY Times reports, "College journalists have always had to grapple with a variety of concerns, from soothing the ruffled feathers of administrators to keeping beer out of the newsroom. Now seems to be the time to add a new one: dealing with corporate owners."
A victory for education
Date CapturedMonday August 07 2006, 11:53 PM
Boston Globe columnist Adrian Walker writes on high-stakes testing and freedom of speech, "Superior Court Judge Hiller B. Zobel ruled last week that the DOE [Massachusetts] violated Kohn's civil rights by blocking him from speaking at an education conference in 2001. Kohn had been booked to speak on standardized testing. The department, which had funded the conference, threatened to withdraw its money if Kohn was allowed to speak. Kohn's offense was that he is an outspoken opponent of high-stakes testing generally, and of the MCAS specifically."
Official Response from the Board of Education to the Comptroller's Audit (including Appendices)
Date CapturedMonday August 07 2006, 11:35 PM
William Floyd UFSD response to State of New York, Office of the State Comptroller draft Audit Report of Examination dated May 16, 2006, "Given the extraordinary time and money that was invested in improving its practices, the Board, the administration and the taxpayers of the District looked forward to your office conducting a neutral, objective, impartial and constructive audit of our current practices. Specifically, we looked forward to knowing - - in accordance with your stated purpose - - what current practices should be corrected or improved. We hoped to rely on your considerable expertise in following your recommendations as they pertained to 'current and emerging fiscally related problems.'"
Florida judges, special education advocates team up for foster children
Date CapturedMonday August 07 2006, 9:51 PM
Daily Record reports, "Cole [Judge] said foster children often switch caregivers and homes frequently. Those changes can pose both emotional and academic problems, Cole said – and cause learning disabilities to go unnoticed and untreated. 'If their residence changes multiple times in a calendar year, you don’t want these children to switch schools multiple times,' said Cole. 'Teachers tell me a mid-year school move is tantamount to losing three months of academic progress.'"
Crain’s 2005 Higher Education Directory
Date CapturedMonday August 07 2006, 8:42 PM
Crain’s 2005 Higher Education Directory includes metro New York area four-year accredited colleges and universities offering graduate and continuing education courses in New York City, Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Rockland, Orange and Dutchess Counties in New York State, Fairfield and New Haven Counties in Connecticut and counties in New Jersey.
Diocese awards 23 education grants
Date CapturedMonday August 07 2006, 8:37 PM
Business First of Buffalo reports, "Western New York schools and church programs have received nearly $80,000 in grants from the Foundation of the Roman Catholic Diocese. The grants come through the Catholic Education Funding program, funded through endowments and from the proceeds of the annual Celebrate Catholic Education dinner."
NEW YORK EDUCATION STATISTICS SHOW HIGH SPENDING FOR AVERAGE RESULTS
Date CapturedMonday August 07 2006, 11:34 AM
The Public Policy Institute of NYS "Just the Facts" series shows, "New York's per-pupil spending is the second highest in the nation while the state's graduation rate is near the bottom." Additional data on pupil/teacher ratios, class sizes, teacher salary, student performance on math and reading exams and SATs, and other higher education statistics are included.
Black colleges recruit Hispanics
Date CapturedMonday August 07 2006, 8:18 AM
AP reports, "Still, educators say the nation's two largest minority groups are a natural fit on a college campus.'They are both underserved communities when it comes to higher education,' said Michael Lomax, president and CEO of the United Negro College Fund. 'We have got to educate them so that we can have a competitive workforce in the 21st century.'"
New York changing test requirements for immigrant kids
Date CapturedMonday August 07 2006, 7:25 AM
The Journal News reports, "Education Commissioner Richard Mills outlined the changes in a letter last week to Assistant Secretary Henry L. Johnson of the U.S. Department of Education. Immigrant students who have been enrolled in U.S. schools for at least a year, as of January 2007, will begin taking the standard English language arts test in grades three to eight."
School districts get more power in suspensions
Date CapturedMonday August 07 2006, 7:20 AM
The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports, "Previously, local school officials couldn't allow suspended students to return to classes until they served the full penalty, Alesi noted 'This new law corrects that oversight, allowing school districts, the ones who know individual students' needs best, more control in the length of punishment and allowing a student who has voluntarily tried to make amends, to return to school early and continue pursuing their education,' Alesi [Sen.]said in a news release last week."
Gates Foundation expands scholars program
Date CapturedMonday August 07 2006, 7:14 AM
AP reports, "The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation says it will add $58 million to expand its $1 billion Millennium Scholars program to target low-income and minority students seeking a graduate degree in public health."
Niagara County Community College launches high-tech upgrade
Date CapturedSunday August 06 2006, 4:28 PM
Buffalo News reports, "College technicians will be able to upgrade software in any of the school's 1,000 desktop computers, and discover a software problem on any one of them and fix it without leaving their laboratory. They also will be able to plug security holes in the school's Windows computer operating system to prevent hackers from accessing it."
Mahopac group confident it will raise enough money for sports
Date CapturedSunday August 06 2006, 9:54 AM
The Journal News reports, "The 'pay-to-play' system was put together by the MSA, parents, teachers and the Board of Education after this year's second budget defeat, which required that the school board adopt a $95.8 million contingency budget. The board voted to eliminate all extracurricular activities for a savings of $1,037,000."
Choice of a coach should be based on qualifications, not union membership
Date CapturedSunday August 06 2006, 9:44 AM
The Press Republican reports, "The choice of a coach should belong to the board of education and not be dictated by a union contract. Let the board hire the most qualified applicant with the best chance to do the best job for the students."
'Bickering' over state aid crucial to Albany city schools
Date CapturedSunday August 06 2006, 8:50 AM
Times Union contributor and Albany City PTA co-chair MARK S. MISHLER opined, "Albany, in particular, has been made into the laboratory for right-wing opponents of public education who have oversaturated the city with charter schools. Close to 10 percent of the charter schools in New York are here, even though Albany has never been determined by the state Education Department to be a 'district in need of improvement.' Why are the charter schools not all in the 50 districts that have been deemed 'in need of improvement'?"
Research Finds Vigorous Exercise Equals Better Academics
Date CapturedSaturday August 05 2006, 11:09 PM
Medical News reported on increased academic achievment observed in students participating in sports, "This is noteworthy because in this day of 'No Child Left Behind' and standardized testing, many public school boards think physical education is a luxury they just can't afford."
National Fresh School Snack program gets boost in New York
Date CapturedSaturday August 05 2006, 9:46 PM
EmpireStateNews reports, "Senator Hillary Clinton and Congressman Brian Higgins Wednesday announced that they had convened a bipartisan coalition of New York's Congressional Delegation calling for New York State to be included in a national healthy school food program. The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Snack Program provides federal funding to schools to allow them to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables from local farmers and to provide them as healthy snacks for kids during the school day. Currently there are 14 states participating in the program."
NCLB (US Department of Education)
Date CapturedSaturday August 05 2006, 5:12 PM
Illinois community college, state spar in court
Date CapturedSaturday August 05 2006, 1:20 PM
Pentagraph.com reports, "In November, the executive inspector general began investigating the community college. By March, the office issued subpoenas to the college's auditing firm, Kerber, Eck and Braeckel LLP, as well as the institution's board of trustees to produce audio and/or video recordings of most executive sessions held since May 2004. A recording of a November 2004 closed session was destroyed."
Arizona private college tuition aid on tap
Date CapturedSaturday August 05 2006, 11:55 AM
East Valley Tribune reports, "The wrinkle is going to mean a slow start for a controversial program to offer what essentially amount to vouchers for Arizona residents to attend private colleges and universities."
No Child Left Behind Act: Education Actions Needed to Improve Local Implementation and State Evaluation of Supplemental Educational Services (full study)
Date CapturedSaturday August 05 2006, 10:36 AM
GAO-06-758 August 4, 2006. "GAO examined (1) how SES [supplemental educational services] participation changed between school years 2003-2004 and 2004-2005; (2) how SES providers are working with districts to deliver SES; (3) how states are monitoring and evaluating SES; and (4) how the Department of Education (Education) monitors and supports state implementation of SES."
Worker evaluations aid schools, taxpayers
Date CapturedSaturday August 05 2006, 10:12 AM
Poughkeepsie Journal op-ed contributors Doug Hieter and Stephen Hughes, trustees of the Hyde Park Central School District opined, "School boards generally recognize the public's frustration with ever-increasing budgets and struggle to balance the cost of education with the community's ability to pay. Not all decisions are popular or readily understood with a casual knowledge of the system. In the long run, individual steps a district takes are important in the context of the direction a district is heading and progress toward its goals. Tying pay to performance is fiscally responsible. Evaluating performance is academically responsible. This is the direction Hyde Park is headed."
Hyde Park schools lose special ed suit: Courts say parents should be repaid
Date CapturedSaturday August 05 2006, 10:04 AM
Poughkeepsie Journal reports, "At a meeting before an Impartial Hearing Officer, the district conceded Smith School was not an appropriate placement for [name omitted], according to the decision. While the hearing officer and a state review officer concluded the district didn't have to reimburse the family for tuition, the district court reversed the decision."
Romney vetoes universal prekindergarten in state
Date CapturedSaturday August 05 2006, 9:35 AM
AP reports, "Some education specialists believe such early classroom programs pave the way for future academic success. But Romney said he wanted to wait until the results from an ongoing $4.6 million prekindergarten pilot program in Massachusetts, which concludes in February of 2007."
LEP/ELL Student Statewide Assessment Policy/Title I Requirements
Date CapturedSaturday August 05 2006, 1:34 AM
New York State Education Department press release from Jean C. Stevens reads, "New York has been notified by the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE), based upon USDOE’s NCLB standards and assessment peer review process, that NYSESLAT can no longer be used for Title I accountability purposes, except as described below for students newly arrived in the United States. USDOE determined that New York’s use of NYSESLAT for ELA accountability was not consistent with the requirements of NCLB and directed New York to come into compliance with NCLB by the end of the 2006-07 school year. As a result, New York must administer its ELA assessment to LEP/ELL students who, as of January 3, 2007, have been enrolled in school in the United States (excluding Puerto Rico) for one year or more."
More Students in New York Will Take Regular English Test
Date CapturedSaturday August 05 2006, 12:58 AM
NY Times DAVID M. HERSZENHORN reports, "Ordered by the federal government to improve its testing of students who speak limited English, New York State said yesterday that all children enrolled in school in the United States for at least a year would be required to take the state’s regular English Language Arts exam. The test is given annually in the third through eighth grades.
Hispanic centers lose key funding: A request for $3.4 million in federal money is rejected, the centers assist students
Date CapturedFriday August 04 2006, 10:54 AM
Press-Enterprise reports, "Centers around the country that counsel low-income Hispanic students on getting into college have lost their federal funding, jeopardizing future operations."
Adequate education? New Hampshire charter school does it for less
Date CapturedFriday August 04 2006, 10:21 AM
UnionLeader.com reports, "Seacoast Charter provided its highly sought product for an average cost of $6,500 per pupil this past academic year. The average per pupil cost for a New Hampshire public school is $11,200."
A new high-tech take on school group project
Date CapturedFriday August 04 2006, 9:34 AM
Boston Globe reports, "The technology is most commonly associated with Wikipedia, an online encyclopedia written and edited by the public with nearly 2 million registered users . But it has broader uses, and educators are experimenting with wiki textbooks, wiki lesson plans that teachers share, and projects in which students develop wikis as they would write papers."
61 Vermont schools fail to meet No Child Left Behind standards
Date CapturedFriday August 04 2006, 9:19 AM
AP reports, "Of the schools that did not meet the standard, 75 percent were identified because of students who are poor or who have disabilities, Cate said."
Sullivan County Community College says cuts imminent without $1M from county
Date CapturedFriday August 04 2006, 9:10 AM
Times Herald-Record reports, "Some of the possible impacts: closing the Monticello Center, closing the Elderhostel program, cutting work-force education and training, slashing sports programs, leaving an admissions position vacant, not filling positions in nursing and culinary arts and not going ahead with planned health-care programs."
Louisiana school board drops single sex plan
Date CapturedFriday August 04 2006, 8:41 AM
AP reports, "The movement for single-sex classrooms has grown from four public schools in 1998 to at least 223 this year, according to the National Association for Single Sex Public Education. Single-sex classroom supporters argue that boys and girls learn differently, and separating them can help both do better. Critics compare it to 'separate but equal' segregation-era classrooms."
Maryland Gov. consolidates early learning with education
Date CapturedFriday August 04 2006, 8:14 AM
Baltimore Sun op-ed contributor Sandra J. Skolnik, executive director of the Maryland Committee for Children writes, " Consolidating early care and education with K-to-12 education is a move supported by research, logic, and economics, creating a continuum of development from birth through grade 12. And yet, it breaks with decades of thinking that held 'education' in the K-12 silo while state involvement in early care has been largely the purview of social service departments. It required vision from Maryland's governor, legislative leaders, and state school superintendent to make a break with past thinking and with entrenched bureaucratic interests. It remains to be seen whether other states will muster the political will to do so."
The Determinants of Student Achievement in Ohio’s Public Schools
Date CapturedFriday August 04 2006, 1:08 AM
By Matthew Carr, Education Policy Director, Buckeye Institute for Public Policy Solutions. Carr writes, "To capture the changing dynamics of both different academic subjects and students at different ages, this analysis evaluates student performance in five subjects (math, reading, writing, science and citizenship) across grades 3 to 12. This combination gives us 21 separate analyses, or mathematical models. Controls were also included for geography, student socio-economic status, race, and learning disability. This study breaks new ground by also analyzing the factors that influence student performance in charter schools."
U.S. Issues New Rules on Schools and Disability
Date CapturedFriday August 04 2006, 12:20 AM
NY Times Diana Jean Schemo reports, "In regulations issued today after changes to the law, the federal Education Department said states could not require school districts to rely on that method, allowing districts to find other ways to determine which children are eligible for extra help."
One Million Fathers March Back to School
Date CapturedThursday August 03 2006, 8:51 PM
BET.com reports, "Believing that fathers should take a more active role in their child's education and overall development, a community-based group is hoping to get 1 million fathers to escort their children on the first day of school."
Secretary Spellings Announces New Special Education Regulations: New regulations will help children with disabilities receive the services they need
Date CapturedThursday August 03 2006, 7:49 PM
"U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings today announced the new regulations for Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The final regulations further the president's goal that no child—including each and every one of America's many students with disabilities—is left behind. By aligning the regulations with the No Child Left Behind Act, there is a new focus on ensuring that students with disabilities are held to high expectations."
Federal Grants Promote Character Education in U.S. Schools
Date CapturedThursday August 03 2006, 7:25 PM
AgapePress reports, "For example, McKay[US Dept of Ed) says a growing number of school districts are using character education in their sports programs to teach young athletes perseverance, respect, and cooperation. And, she adds, some of the grants the program has coming out include partnering relationships with faith-based groups or institutions, which cooperate with the schools to design and implement character education programs"
School health centers seek funding
Date CapturedThursday August 03 2006, 10:12 AM
Community Press & Recorder reports, "For parents of low-income families in Northern Kentucky, having a sick child used to mean struggling to get time off work, pulling a child out of school, and finding transportation to a doctor's office. Now, families have an alternative and schools are seeing improved attendance, says Nancy Penick-Woolum, community development specialist for the Northern Kentucky school-based health centers."
New study identifies significant private school advantages
Date CapturedThursday August 03 2006, 9:26 AM
Bloomberg News reports, "'We don't interpret our findings as proving that private schools are better,' Peterson [Harvard researcher] said. 'What we do show is that how your results are incredibly sensitive to the exact way you do the analysis.'" READ REFERENCED STUDIES ON EDUCATION NEW YORK ONLINE, EDUCATION POLICY PAGE, SCHOOL CHOICE LINK (http://www.educationnewyork.com/EducationPolicy#CATID55).
Plattsburgh city residents still fuming over rude, noisy college students
Date CapturedThursday August 03 2006, 9:19 AM
The PressRepublican reports, "Residents are calling for stricter enforcement of city ordinances and increased accountability by landlords, some of whom seem more than willing to rent slums to students who, in turn, treat them as such."
Study disputes public school advantage
Date CapturedThursday August 03 2006, 9:00 AM
UPI reports, "'When you use participation in federal programs as a measure of a student's family background, you undercount the number of disadvantaged students in the private sector,' said Paul Peterson, a professor of government and one of the study's authors. By contrast, Harvard's study gave a more accurate picture of student performance in both public and private schools, Peterson said." READ REFERENCED STUDIES ON EDUCATION NEW YORK ONLINE, EDUCATION POLICY PAGE, SCHOOL CHOICE LINK (http://www.educationnewyork.com/EducationPolicy#CATID55).
Changes in Staff Distribution and Salaries of Full-time Employees in Postsecondary Institutions:
Date CapturedThursday August 03 2006, 8:26 AM
This NCES study examines the changes that occurred between fall 1993 and fall 2003 in the distribution of staff and average salaries of all full-time staff— faculty, administrators, and support personnel—at postsecondary institutions. Li, X. (2006). Changes in Staff Distribution and Salaries of Full-time Employees in Postsecondary Institutions: 1993–2003 (NCES 2006-152). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
Clinton Community College library expands databases
Date CapturedThursday August 03 2006, 8:19 AM
PressRepublican.com reports, "SUNYConnect is a joint initiative of the SUNY Provost's Office of Library & Information Services and the libraries of the 64 SUNY campuses to share collections and services across the system, according to the program Web site. The databases are searchable by keywords, subject terms, author name, journal title and other information. Searchers may limit their results by date, language, source material, document type and other criteria."
CUNY programs for immigrants
Date CapturedThursday August 03 2006, 7:13 AM
NY Daily News weekly contributor Allan Wernick writes, "CUNY, like most publicly funded educational institutions, charges a low rate for residents and a higher rate for out-of-state and international students."
Don't abolish minimum attendance rule, school board is urged
Date CapturedThursday August 03 2006, 6:57 AM
Daily Freeman reports, "Parents, teachers, former Board of Education members and several school district residents spoke out Wednesday night against a proposal to eliminate the district's minimum-attendance requirement. The requirement that the Board of Education is considering abolishing mandates that students attend class at least 90 percent of the time to be eligible to pass."
Yonkers schools meet federal standard for teacher quality
Date CapturedThursday August 03 2006, 6:48 AM
The Journal News reports, "The state Education Department has removed Yonkers from a list of schools that missed a federal standard for highly qualified teachers."
Michigan's Teachers union can't challenge community college's charter schools
Date CapturedThursday August 03 2006, 12:38 AM
Free Press reports, "A three-judge panel of the Court of Appeals found the Michigan Education Association could not pursue its claim of potential damage from the operation of schools chartered by Bay Mills Community College because it could not provide evidence that public school teachers salaries would be adversely affected by the opening of charter schools."
Honoring Colleges that Care: President’s Honor Roll Will Spotlight Universities’ Community Service Efforts
Date CapturedWednesday August 02 2006, 11:29 PM
The Corporation for National and Community Service today announced a new federal program designed to recognize colleges and universities for their commitment to student service and to increase public awareness of the impact that college students have on their local communities. Called the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, the new program is co-sponsored by the Corporation, the Department of Education, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation. It is presented in cooperation with Campus Compact, a national coalition of nearly 1,000 college and university presidents.
States, Feds Partner on English Testing
Date CapturedWednesday August 02 2006, 7:45 PM
Infozine reports, "Twenty-four states [including New York] are being invited to work with the U.S. Department of Education to develop acceptable math and reading tests for students with limited English proficiency (LEP). Eighteen were chosen because a review last month found their testing systems, particularly those for LEP students, did not meet standards of the No Child Left Behind law. Six states with approved systems were invited to lend their expertise."
On the Public-Private School Achievement Debate
Date CapturedWednesday August 02 2006, 6:28 PM
Paul E. Peterson and Elena Llaudet discuss methodological problems with NCES's study requested by the Educational Testing Service (ETS), "The results from the Alternative Models should not be understood as showing that private schools outperform public schools. Without information on prior student achievement, one cannot answer questions about schools’ efficacy in raising student test scores. The NCES analysis is at serious risk of having produced biased estimates, because its adjustment for student characteristics suffered from two sorts of problems: a) inconsistent classification of student characteristics across sectors and b) inclusion of student characteristics open to school influence. To avoid bias, classification decisions must be consistent for both groups under study. This rule was violated repeatedly in the NCES study." PEPG 06-02. Program on Education Policy and Governance Department of Government, FAS Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.
Tennessee immigrant influx tests shot policy: Law lets those kids start class without proof
Date CapturedWednesday August 02 2006, 11:59 AM
Tennessean.com reports, "State law requires that students receive all required vaccinations 'prior' to enrolling in public schools, but districts can't keep certain groups of students, including homeless kids — some of them new immigrants who have temporary housing — from registering and going to class even if they have missing or incomplete health records. And, while about 97 percent of all children statewide are immunized, the population of children who are less likely to have all their shots keeps going up."
Buses won’t roll for 1,384 Ohio students, board determines
Date CapturedWednesday August 02 2006, 11:36 AM
The Columbus Dispatch reports, "The Columbus Board of Education yesterday declared 1,384 students 'impractical' to transport to school this fall, prompting charter-school advocates to accuse the district of violating state law."
Flag law will be costly for community colleges
Date CapturedWednesday August 02 2006, 11:30 AM
The Arizona Republic reports, "'While we appreciate the Arizona Legislature's obvious good intention in passing the bill, we think there is a better way to improve Arizona students' educational experience: making sure they study American history,' Mitchell said. In 2001, 57 percent of U.S. high school seniors did not have a basic command of American history, according to a study from the National Center for Education Stastistics."
Foundation for Education Reform & Accountability
Date CapturedWednesday August 02 2006, 9:43 AM
Why break in? The reasons vary
Date CapturedWednesday August 02 2006, 8:41 AM
USA Today reports, "A USA TODAY review of 109 computer-related security breaches reported by 76 college campuses since January 2005 found that about 70% involved hacking — breaking into or gaining unauthorized access to a computer system."
Colleges right to ban smoking
Date CapturedWednesday August 02 2006, 8:26 AM
The Poughkeepsie Journal opined, "SUNY officials still are determining the specifics of how it will implement the new smoking policy. It is important they ease their students into the changes. Penalties for first violations should focus on education rather than punishment, and should not antagonize students."
Arizona requiring U.S. history weighed for colleges
Date CapturedWednesday August 02 2006, 8:09 AM
The Arizona Republic reports, "The debate comes as Arizona school districts and colleges prepare for a new state law that requires the presentation of the U.S. flag in every public classroom, as well as display of the Constitution and Bill of Rights in classrooms for Grades 7 through 12 and college. The measure, approved this session by the Legislature and signed by the governor, takes effect July 1."
Why school budgets here are inflated
Date CapturedWednesday August 02 2006, 7:20 AM
The Journal News letter to the editor writes, "Massachusetts law states that public school districts are allowed only one vote, and if it fails they get a flat 2.5 percent increase. Teacher's unions in New York will try to argue that you get a better education here, as opposed to Massachusetts, but we all know that's not true. We're paying twice as much. Are New York's kids twice as smart? I don't think so."
Cutback on counselors
Date CapturedWednesday August 02 2006, 6:34 AM
NY Daily News reports, "Klein has pledged to fund the budget increase in the so-called empowerment schools by cutting $80 million this year from the system's central and regional bureaucracy. An added $200million is scheduled to be trimmed by next year."
School Choice Lawsuit in New Jersey Raises Much Needed Public Awareness about the Crisis in Education
Date CapturedTuesday August 01 2006, 6:52 PM
Hispanic Business reports, “'It is clear that students are not receiving the education the state constitution demands. No student – Hispanic, White, Black or Asian – should be forced to attend a school that violates their constitutional right because of where they live. These students deserve equal protection under the law and must be granted an immediate remedy.' said Martin Perez, Board Member of Hispanic CREO and President of the Latino Leadership Alliance of New Jersey."
Maine counters No Child left Behind failure
Date CapturedTuesday August 01 2006, 6:20 PM
AP reports, "State officials believe a proposed withholding of federal funds is due primarily to the state's use of the S-A-T as a high school-level assessment tool, and that federal dissatisfaction reflects a lack of appreciation for Maine's effort to promote student advancement."
Nazareth Appoints First Dean of School of Education
Date CapturedTuesday August 01 2006, 1:26 PM
Nazareth College announces, "Nazareth College is pleased to announce that Timothy Glander has been appointed to the new position of Dean of the School of Education. Glander returns to Nazareth College after having been a faculty member from 1990-1999."
Marist College Named a Technology Innovator by Tech Magazine
Date CapturedTuesday August 01 2006, 12:10 PM
PR Newswire reports, "Marist achieved this national distinction in the area of podcasting. Magazine editors noted that Marist stood out from other institutions because Marist is the only college or university to have student-driven course content."
Current Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary Education: School Year 2003-04
Date CapturedTuesday August 01 2006, 11:47 AM
This NCES brief publication contains data on current expenditures, by state, for public elementary and secondary education for school year 2003-04. It also contains data by state, on median current expenditure per student by school districts, and current expenditures per student by districts at the 5th and 95th percentile. State average current expenditures per student are also included in this report. Johnson, Frank (2006). Current Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary Education: School Year 2003-04 (NCES 2006-352). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved August 1, 2006 from http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2006352.
Don't Write Off Other People's Children
Date CapturedTuesday August 01 2006, 11:30 AM
This letter to the editor by Secretary Margaret Spellings appeared in The Wall Street Journal on July 31, 2006.
Girls, women need more PC confidence
Date CapturedTuesday August 01 2006, 10:06 AM
Buffalo News reprints LA Times story on technology and gender, "Hargittai, who studies the social demographics of computer use, discerned a few expected patterns: that younger subjects and more-educated subjects had better online computer skills, and rated themselves as more proficient Internet users, than older ones or those with more limited education. But as she continued to sift her data, Hargittai noticed something she had not set out to find: that although the online skills of men and women were roughly equal, women, as a group, rated their proficiency significantly lower than did men. Men, who as a group were no better at plying the Internet than women, rated their skills, on average, a couple notches above."
Need a crib sheet to explain New Jersey school aid?
Date CapturedTuesday August 01 2006, 9:55 AM
AP reports, "Most of New Jerseyans' property taxes go to pay for local schools. The state also helps pay, sending more than 30 cents of every $1 it spends to public schools. The system has led to the highest property taxes in the nation - an average of about $6,000 a year, twice the national average - and to increasing scrutiny of how the state pays for education as city schools continue to receive more aid than those in other districts."
New York Law School Launches $190 Million Expansion and Renovation of TriBeCa Campus
Date CapturedTuesday August 01 2006, 9:48 AM
PRNewswire reports, "Financing for the new academic building came from the sale of $135 million in insured bonds issued through the New York City Industrial Development Agency, which was successfully completed on June 30, 2006. The school's securities were given an A3 credit rating by Moody's and an A-minus rating by S&P, both reflective of the school's stable market position and solid financial condition."
Texas Pre-K is open to more students
Date CapturedTuesday August 01 2006, 9:41 AM
Star-Telegram reports, "Children in military families are being accepted for the first time this year, after a change in state law. The Texas Education Agency estimates that 5,395 3- and 4-year-old military children live in the state and that about half of them already qualified for pre-kindergarten because of income or language limitations. School officials say it's too soon to tell how many more active-duty families will take advantage of the pre-kindergarten programs, but some parents have already shown interest."
Single-sex classes attacked; ACLU challenges Louisiana school’s gender-division plan
Date CapturedTuesday August 01 2006, 9:06 AM
The Advocate reports, "The U.S. Department of Education released guidelines on single-gender education in public schools that outline how to implement such a program. The department is tasked with overseeing the federal education law, which prohibits denying a student access to a program based on gender."
Indiana U to help prep students for a college curriculum
Date CapturedTuesday August 01 2006, 8:47 AM
Journal Gazette reports, "The center will use 'best practices' to help teachers who instruct preschoolers through 12th-grade students. At Decatur Middle School in Indianapolis, teachers and administrators have spent five years working with IU faculty to improve the township’s high school dropout rate."
North Country Community College budget headed for approval
Date CapturedTuesday August 01 2006, 8:35 AM
The Press-Republican reports, "'Since that college has been there, we've seen an increase in the number of people who've been downtown,' Supervisor Robert C. Dedrick (R-Ticonderoga) said. 'It's an absolutely gorgeous building. I'm sure they're able to fill their courses.' The college will help revitalize Ticonderoga's downtown, he said."
NO FREE SPEECH FOR SUNY PROFS?
Date CapturedTuesday August 01 2006, 8:02 AM
NY Post op-ed contributors Greg Lukianoff and Robert L. Shibley of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) write, "As the Supreme Court wrote in the landmark opinion of Sweezy v. New Hampshire (1957), 'The essentiality of freedom in the community of American universities is almost self-evident. No one should underestimate the vital role in a democracy that is played by those who guide and train our youth. To impose any straitjacket upon the intellectual leaders in our colleges and universities would imperil the future of our nation.'"
Cornell, Colgate designated gay-friendly; Ithaca, SU also among the 100 best campuses listed in new college guidebook
Date CapturedTuesday August 01 2006, 7:43 AM
Post-Standard reports, "Queer studies, as it is often called, is not yet a staple on campus. Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva are among the relatively few schools to offer a major in Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Studies, although the schools didn't make the new guide."
New York City Independent Budget Office Fiscal Brief, July 2006
Date CapturedTuesday August 01 2006, 7:27 AM
By Paul Lopatto. Study finds, "THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK, commonly known as CUNY, is the largest urban public university system in the country, with approximately 450,000 students. Until the city’s fiscal crisis in the 1970s, CUNY charged no tuition. But even with the addition of tuition revenue, CUNY has faced ongoing challenges to its operating budget. CUNY officials say these challenges have hampered their ability to expand and improve the university’s educational programs.IBO’s review of CUNY funding since 1989 finds that the university system has become increasingly reliant on tuition revenue even as it faces year-to-year uncertainty in the sources of its funding and costs to its students."
STATE $TILL FAILING CUNY
Date CapturedTuesday August 01 2006, 7:22 AM
NY Post David Andreatta writes, "The study, released yesterday by the city's Independent Budget Office, confirms what CUNY officials have said for years - that a decline in state support has hampered the university's ability to expand." READ REFERENCED STUDY ON EDUCATION NEW YORK ONLINE, EDUCATION POLICY PAGE, HIGHER EDUCATION LINK.
On-campus community college housing to grow; Monroe Community College, other area community colleges to build more residence halls
Date CapturedTuesday August 01 2006, 7:17 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports, "About a third of the members of the American Association of Community Colleges offer some kind of housing, said Norma Kent, spokeswoman for the organization in Washington, D.C. The amount of community-college housing has increased notably in the past five years, pushed in large part by growing international student enrollment at the schools, Kent said. "
Pataki veto maintains special ed process
Date CapturedTuesday August 01 2006, 7:13 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports, "Gov. George Pataki has shot down an effort to give families of students with disabilities more power in dealing with schools."
$1.75 Million Grant to Support College Students With Scholarships, Internships and Mentors
Date CapturedMonday July 31 2006, 11:22 PM
SpaceRef reports, "A consortium led by the Hispanic College Fund (HCF) with the support of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) and the United Negro College Fund Special Programs Corporation (UNCFSP) was awarded a $1.75 million grant to administer NASA's Motivating Undergraduates in Science and Technology Program (MUST) and award scholarships and internships to undergraduate students pursuing degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, more widely known as STEM fields."
School's in for Cooper
Date CapturedMonday July 31 2006, 10:49 PM
USA Today reports, "Since 1995, [Alice]Cooper has operated the Solid Rock Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides money to children's causes and college scholarships to Christian students."
Scholarship idea is not a big opportunity for blacks
Date CapturedMonday July 31 2006, 10:18 PM
USA Today DeWayne Wickham opined, "This latest voucher scheme, if implemented, would likely give a small percentage of students in underperforming schools an escape hatch. The rest would serve as guinea pigs for conservatives' argument that such a program will pressure public schools into doing a better job of educating those who are left behind."
Community Colleges Challenge Department of Education Move to Limit Availability of New Academic Competitiveness Grants
Date CapturedMonday July 31 2006, 7:25 PM
US Newswire reports, "The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) has called upon the Department of Education (ED) to modify its regulations for the new Academic Competitiveness Grants (ACG) program and extend eligibility to students enrolled in certificate programs such as biotechnology, aerospace manufacturing technology, electronics engineering and renewable energies. AACC maintains that the law creating the ACGs clearly includes these and other certificate programs."
Different genes may cause autism in boys and girls
Date CapturedMonday July 31 2006, 7:16 PM
EurekAlert reports, "In addition, the researchers also have discovered that other genes may play a role in the early onset form of the developmental disorder and in the recently verified regression, or late onset, type of autism, according to a new study published today in the online edition of the journal Molecular Genetics."
Bill Gates, the Nation's Superintendent of Schools
Date CapturedMonday July 31 2006, 11:55 AM
LA Times contributor Diane Ravitch, senior fellow at the Hoover Institution and a professor of education at New York University opined, "In light of the size of the foundation's endowment, Bill Gates is now the nation's superintendent of schools. He can support whatever he wants, based on any theory or philosophy that appeals to him. We must all watch for signs and portents to decipher what lies in store for American education."
Niagara County Community College gets a $6 million summer makeover
Date CapturedMonday July 31 2006, 11:48 AM
Buffalo News reports, "He [Rob Waters] said the State University of New York and the Niagara County Legislature, each contributing half, granted the college $10 million to pay for the improvements."
Buffalo schools' influx of state aid may give taxpayers a break
Date CapturedMonday July 31 2006, 11:43 AM
Buffalo News reports, "Some of that cash is now available, thanks to EXCEL aid, a onetime revenue funded by state taxpayers. Many local districts are considering using the EXCEL money - which stands for Expanding our Children's Education and Learning - to trim local taxpayers' share of renovations, additions or even new buildings."
Education Matters: College to Opt for Girls-Only Education
Date CapturedMonday July 31 2006, 9:35 AM
RedOrbit reports, "The new centre is expected to appeal primarily to Asian women who want to broaden their educational horizons but feel uncomfortable learning alongside men."
College 'bubble' is about to burst: Schools are strategizing now
Date CapturedMonday July 31 2006, 8:49 AM
Philadelphia Inquirer reports, "The drop is expected to be about 4 percent nationwide, but far sharper in the Northeast, according to the U.S. Department of Education. In Pennsylvania, a 10 percent decline is predicted. New Jersey's larger, and growing, Latino and Asian student populations mean that state probably will fare better than most, with an anticipated drop of just 2 percent."
Student data vault exceeds intent
Date CapturedMonday July 31 2006, 8:05 AM
Times Union includes article by op-ed contributor Haley Will, president of Gettysburg College and chair-elect of the Annapolis Group, "The commission calls our nation's colleges and universities unaccountable, inefficient and inaccessible. In response, it seeks to institute collection of personal information designed to quantify our students' performance in college and in the work force."
Educators, unions question vetoes
Date CapturedMonday July 31 2006, 7:55 AM
Star-Gazette reports, "Robert Lowry of the New York State Council of School Superintendents said there is a lot of concern about school property taxes, and the pro-labor bills would not have helped. 'If they want school districts to restrain costs, this is not the direction they ought to be headed in,' he said."
Pataki vetoes special-ed measures; Burden-of-proof legislation was meant to empower parents
Date CapturedMonday July 31 2006, 7:44 AM
Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin reports, "Gov. George E. Pataki shot down an effort last week to give families of students with disabilities more power in dealing with schools and vetoed a measure to give special- education school districts more financial flexibility."
FIGHTING POVERTY; WHAT N.Y.C. NEEDS TO DO
Date CapturedMonday July 31 2006, 7:35 AM
NY Post contributor Richard D. Parsons, chairman & CEO of Time Warner Inc. and co-chair of Mayor Bloomberg's Commission on Economic Opportunity writes, "We know that poverty rates decrease when education rates increase. That is why the mayor and city schools Chancellor Joel Klein have worked so hard to bring accountability to our public schools and improve high-school graduation rates. While much progress has been made, much more needs to be, and can be, done at all levels. We need to give particular focus to preschoolers, and we need to make it easier for more of our young people to go to college."
U at Buffalo to add online engineering degree
Date CapturedMonday July 31 2006, 7:19 AM
Business First of Buffalo reports, "The program is designed for working professionals and others who have completed the first two years of their education in technical disciplines."
Children's Policy Council makes a difference in Selma, Dallas County
Date CapturedSunday July 30 2006, 8:31 PM
The Selma Times-Journal reports, "According to District Judge Bob Armstrong, the Dallas County Children's Policy Council is Selma's 'best kept secret.' The council is comprised of representatives from city and county resource centers and agencies and volunteers. Their duty by state law is to assess the needs of the county's children, then find avenues to meet them."
Utah public schools language courses to expand to include Chinese and Arabic
Date CapturedSunday July 30 2006, 7:59 PM
AP reports, "Gregg Roberts, state Office of Education world-language specialist, said the United States is in desperate need of people who speak critical languages, including Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi and Turkish. He said these languages are becoming increasingly important for national defense and global trade occupations."
Broome Community College's Educational Opportunity director plays role of mentor to students
Date CapturedSunday July 30 2006, 3:35 PM
Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin reports, "As director of Broome Community College's Educational Opportunity Program, Claudia Clarke helps high-risk students navigate the challenges in their lives to achieve a college education."
Empire State College (SUNY)
Date CapturedSunday July 30 2006, 3:25 PM
How to apply to Empire State College
Date CapturedSunday July 30 2006, 3:20 PM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle writes, "Empire State College has everything from undergraduate degrees in 11 areas of study from the arts to science, mathematics and technology; to six master’s degree programs, including three Master of Arts in policy studies programs, a Master of Arts in liberal studies, a Master of Business Administration degree and Master of Arts in Teaching program for career changers."
Public needs say in library's future
Date CapturedSunday July 30 2006, 12:24 PM
The Journal News writes, "At the heart of the governance of all public libraries in New York state are the people of the communities who pay their taxes to support them and the library boards of trustees that oversee the library operations with the assistance of their library directors. Using the funds collected by either the municipality or the local board of education, the library boards carry out their numerous responsibilities."
Bard aims to boost math teaching
Date CapturedSunday July 30 2006, 12:11 PM
Poughkeepsie Journal reports, "The one-year program, which has doubled in size since last year, is targeted at students who have recently earned bachelor's degrees and other college graduates who may be seeking career changes to education."
One year brings two views of Buffalo schools superintendent Williams
Date CapturedSunday July 30 2006, 11:46 AM
Buffalo News reports, "After 13 months on the job, Buffalo School Superintendent James A. Williams gets broad credit - from critics and supporters alike - for pinpointing the massive problems facing city schools and launching efforts to tackle them. At the same time, many people charge that he's damaging his chances of boosting student achievement by moving too fast, failing to include key players in the decision-making process and alienating teachers, parents and even some Board of Education members with a blunt, in-your-face style."
Parents’ Rights (and Wrongs)
Date CapturedSunday July 30 2006, 11:15 AM
NY Times contributors Kate Stone Lombardi and Sandra Salmans write, "Colleges fear that parental interference prevents students from developing into independent and resilient adults. So they hold special orientation sessions to help parents understand what role they should play in their child’s next four years."
Grant to support diversity education
Date CapturedSunday July 30 2006, 10:07 AM
Post-Standard reports, "Among the highlights are a youth mural project; a trip to the Onondaga Nation; a diversity education session for youth workers - followed by practical application; and a Unity Day Fair, with homegrown examples of diversity, including food, crafts and dance."
Where the wild things are, Natural History Museum of the Adirondacks stocked with fun and education
Date CapturedSunday July 30 2006, 9:37 AM
Times Union reports, "Spread out over 31 acres of integrated indoor and outdoor exhibit spaces, with trails, a pond and a boardwalk along the Raquette River, the mission statement of The Wild Center is 'to inspire a broad public understanding of the natural systems that shape and sustain life in the Adirondacks.'"
Aversive therapy ban pushed
Date CapturedSunday July 30 2006, 9:03 AM
The Patriot Ledger reports, "The electronic decelerator used at Judge Rotenburg Education Center delivers an electric current of 3 to 45 milliamps. (A milliamp is 1/1000th of an amp.) This is how that compares with other electrical shock devices. - Electric dog collar 0.2 milliamp - Brain electroshock therapy 900 milliamps - Nerve stimulation therapy 1 milliamp - Taser pistol 1 amp - Heart defibrillator 1 amp."
Redrawing the College Map
Date CapturedSunday July 30 2006, 8:55 AM
NY Times LA bureau chief Jennifer Steinhauer writes, "In sheer numbers, New York’s array of coveted universities attracts the most students from other states, followed by California and Pennsylvania, according to a March report from the Education Department showing the comings and goings of first-time degree- and certificate-seeking students for fall 2004."
Nip problem in bud with early education initiatives
Date CapturedSunday July 30 2006, 8:44 AM
Indianapolis Star op-ed writes, "We need a comprehensive strategy similar to the P-16 Plan for Improving Student Achievement, adopted three years ago by business and education leaders on the Education Roundtable, but since shelved. The P-16 Plan wisely addressed a continuum of educational policies that ranged from the developmental needs of children in prekindergarten programs (the 'P' in P-16), to the skills needed by high school graduates, and the need for collaboration between secondary and postsecondary education."
Phasing out ASL course was difficult but needed
Date CapturedSunday July 30 2006, 8:33 AM
Star-Gazette guest contributor Raymond Bryant, superintendent of the Elmira school district writes, "The primary factor in the elimination of [American Sign Language] ASL is the district's difficulty in finding teachers certified to teach it. No Child Left Behind requires a qualified teacher in every classroom, yet of the three teachers teaching ASL in the district this past school year, only one was certified to teach it."
The Importance of Policies in E-Learning Instruction
Date CapturedSaturday July 29 2006, 10:11 PM
By Shirley Waterhouse and Rodney O. Rogers. EDUCAUSE Quarterly, Volume 27 Number 3 2004. Authors discuss E-learning policies inlcuding policies in the syllabus, student privacy, e-mail policies, software standards policies, assignment policies, technical help policies, student code of conduct and intellectual property rights policies. Adapted from a chapter in The Power of Elearning: The Essential Guide to Teaching in the Digital Age by Shirley Waterhouse Boston, Mass.: Allyn & Bacon, October 2004.
All work & less pay for school nurses
Date CapturedSaturday July 29 2006, 6:33 AM
NY Daily News reports, "Due to a summer payroll glitch, the Department of Education says that 30 occupational and physical therapists at Public School 37 in Staten Island and 65 nurses working at schools around the city were not paid for hours worked in July."
Study: College students find own ways to drink safely
Date CapturedFriday July 28 2006, 9:51 PM
AP reports, "The study, developed with data from more than 28,000 students at 44 colleges and universities, noted that about 73 percent of student drinkers protect themselves by using designated drivers, setting spending limits at bars, counting their drinks, going out in groups and trusting friends to speak up when someone is drinking too much."
Teachers explore Hudson Valley's challenges
Date CapturedFriday July 28 2006, 7:56 PM
Poughkeepsie Journal reports, "'School teachers can contribute by helping to build 'a new civic culture, one of engagement,' Nolon said. Teaching the Hudson Valley awarded eight grants to schools from Albany to Westchester county this summer in an effort to give more students more opportunities for field trips to Hudson River parks and historic sites."
Professor claims criticizing policies cost him a promotion
Date CapturedFriday July 28 2006, 7:46 PM
Buffalo News reports, "A Fredonia State College instructor said he is being denied a promotion for speaking out against campus policies in the media."
EDUCAUSE
Date CapturedFriday July 28 2006, 11:04 AM
EDUCAUSE is a nonprofit association whose mission is to advance higher education by promoting the intelligent use of information technology.
U of New Hampshire study finds drug testing in schools slow to take off
Date CapturedFriday July 28 2006, 8:53 AM
Union Leader reports, "Small and rural school districts nationwide are embracing random drug testing far faster than their larger urban peers, according to a University of New Hampshire study."
REPORT-CARD REVOLUTION
Date CapturedFriday July 28 2006, 8:07 AM
NY Post columnist Ryan Sager writes, "The broad, squishy ideas of 'standards' and 'accountability' have been all the rage in education reform for some time. They were the basis for President Bush's No Child Left Behind law, which theoretically requires all public schools in America to make all students 'proficient' in English and math."
Government requiring New York immigrant kids to take regular English test
Date CapturedFriday July 28 2006, 7:47 AM
The Journal News reports, "New York was faulted over its testing of English learners and disabled students, two groups given special attention under NCLB. The state must submit a plan by Aug. 2 on how it will fix the problems. At stake is $1.2 million in federal school aid."
23 local schools miss federal standard for teacher quality
Date CapturedFriday July 28 2006, 7:38 AM
The Journal News reports, "The schools — from urban districts such as Yonkers and Mount Vernon to the suburban communities of Pleasantville and Clarkstown — had less than 90 percent of their core classes taught by highly qualified teachers, or faculty who are experts in their subject areas, in 2004-05, the latest year for which data is available. The No Child Left Behind law requires that all children be taught by highly qualified teachers — someone who holds at least a bachelor's degree, is certified by the state and demonstrates competence in the areas taught."
All teachers hit top at 5 Mid-Hudson school districts
Date CapturedFriday July 28 2006, 7:26 AM
Times-Herald reports, "Only five of 35 districts in Sullivan, Ulster and Orange counties had all teachers designated as highly qualified. The districts that hit the mark are Minisink Valley, Warwick, Greenwood Lake, Marlboro and Ellenville. With one exception, the rest of the school districts have 90 percent or more of their teachers at the highly qualified level. The other district is Tri-Valley, which had 89 percent of its teachers make the grade."
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
Date CapturedThursday July 27 2006, 9:36 PM
"The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education. FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children's education records. These rights transfer to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level. Students to whom the rights have transferred are 'eligible students.'" parent or eligible student in order to release any information from a student's education record. However, FERPA allows schools to disclose those records, without consent, to the following parties or under the following conditions (34 CFR § 99.31): School officials with legitimate educational interest; Other schools to which a student is transferring; Specified officials for audit or evaluation purposes; Appropriate parties in connection with financial aid to a student; Organizations conducting certain studies for or on behalf of the school; Accrediting organizations; To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena; Appropriate officials in cases of health and safety emergencies; and State and local authorities, within a juvenile justice system, pursuant to specific State law. Schools may disclose, without consent, "directory" information such as a student's name, address, telephone number, date and place of birth, honors and awards, and dates of attendance. However, schools must tell parents and eligible students about directory information and allow parents and eligible students a reasonable amount of time to request that the school not disclose directory information about them. Schools must notify parents and eligible students annually of their rights under FERPA. The actual means of notification (special letter, inclusion in a PTA bulletin, student handbook, or newspaper article) is left to the discretion of each school.
EDUCAUSE/Cornell Institute for Computer Policy and Law
Date CapturedThursday July 27 2006, 8:44 PM
Secretary Spellings Announces Partnership with States to Improve Accountability for Limited English Proficient Students
Date CapturedThursday July 27 2006, 5:10 PM
Washington, D.C. — "U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings today announced a partnership with states to improve and develop fair and accurate testing designed for limited English proficient (LEP) students."
Maine revised eligibility guidelines for special ed raise concerns
Date CapturedThursday July 27 2006, 10:50 AM
AP reports, "The changes were sought in response to U.S. District Judge D. Brock Hornby's ruling that a western York County school district must provide special services to a girl who had been diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome and depressive disorder."
New Jersey parents' lawsuit: Failing schools violate our kids' rights
Date CapturedThursday July 27 2006, 10:44 AM
The Jersey Journal, "The parents, backed by the Black Ministers Council, the Latino Leadership Alliance and Excellent Education for Everyone - a pro-school voucher group - say they're acting on behalf of more than 60,000 students attending schools in which 50 percent failed two of the state's tests, or at least 75 percent failed one test."
NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND ACT: Assistance from Education Could Help States Better Measure Progress of Students with Limited English Proficiency
Date CapturedThursday July 27 2006, 9:57 AM
GAO July 2006 study, "The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLBA) focused attention on the academic achievement of more than 5 million students with limited English proficiency. Obtaining valid test results for these students is challenging, given their language barriers. This report describes (1) the extent to which these students are meeting annual academic progress goals, (2) what states have done to ensure the validity of their academic assessments, (3) what states are doing to ensure the validity of their English language proficiency assessments, and (4) how the U.S. Department of Education (Education) is supporting states’ efforts to meet NCLBA’s assessment requirements for these students."
Women's world? Try colleges; Area schools mirror U.S. trend of males as the student minority.
Date CapturedThursday July 27 2006, 9:17 AM
The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports, "At MCC, women made up 55 percent of the student body in 2004, the most recent year for which federal statistics are available. At the State University College at Geneseo, women accounted for 61 percent. And at Nazareth College and Keuka College, more than 70 percent of the students were women."
26,000 applicants set record for Binghamton U
Date CapturedThursday July 27 2006, 8:59 AM
Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin reports, "'Increased applications speak to the fact that Binghamton's reputation is growing, and more and more students are considering us as an institution,' said Brian Hazlett, BU's associate director of admissions."
Montessori board now weighs legal options in bus dispute
Date CapturedThursday July 27 2006, 8:53 AM
The Ithaca Journal reports, "The dispute originated with the ICSD Board of Education's decision to change public school hours in September, which creates a need for new bus routes. Elementary schools' hours will be 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., and middle and high schools approximately 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., generally reversing the previous schedule. Consequently, the district is able to provide transportation for nonpublic school students — a requirement in New York state — only by sending them with secondary students to a transfer point at Ithaca High School, Superintendent Judith Pastel has said."
Tech learning is hands-on
Date CapturedThursday July 27 2006, 8:45 AM
Times Union reports, "It's all part of the college's Science and Technology Entry Program -- or STEP -- which introduces minority and disadvantaged middle and high school youth to areas of science, math and technology."
Public, private schools are not so comparable after all
Date CapturedThursday July 27 2006, 8:28 AM
Times Herald-Record contributor Gary Heotzler, principal of Leptondale Christian Academy in Newburgh, NY responds to NY Times, "The news article makes it sound as if there is no difference in the quality of education between private and public schools when, in actuality, there is a world of difference."
Guggenheim Study Suggests Arts Education Benefits Literacy Skills
Date CapturedWednesday July 26 2006, 11:11 PM
NY Times reports, "The results of the study, which are to be presented today and tomorrow at a conference at the Guggenheim, are likely to stimulate debate at a time when the federal education law known as No Child Left Behind has led schools to increase class time spent on math and reading significantly, often at the expense of other subjects, including art."
Public Education: Meeting the Needs of Students With Limited English Proficiency
Date CapturedWednesday July 26 2006, 7:47 PM
This GAO report finds, "No clear consensus exists on the length of time children with limited English proficiency need to become proficient in English. Several factors make it difficult to generalize about how much time is needed." GAO-01-226 February 23, 2001.
Deputy Secretary Simon Announces Benefit to Students with Extension and Expansion of Pilot Programs
Date CapturedWednesday July 26 2006, 7:33 PM
US Department of Education announces, "Through these pilots, the Department of Education hopes to gain valuable information that can be shared with other states and districts to improve the quality and delivery of this free tutoring. These pilots will ensure that more eligible students receive SES and that better information is provided on the program's effectiveness in improving academic achievement."
Public vs. Private School Report Spurs Controversy
Date CapturedWednesday July 26 2006, 7:26 PM
NPR reports, "The findings counter a popularly held notion, that private schools outperform public schools. But the report has generated controversy due to what some call its overly low-key release, on a Friday evening."
Fulton-Montgomery Community College moves to address concerns of accreditation group
Date CapturedWednesday July 26 2006, 5:42 PM
The Business Review (Albany) reports, "One is in 'outcomes assessment,' which is the college's process of determining how well students meet the standards F-MCC has set for those earning degrees in various programs. The other is in how well the college is doing at meeting its overriding goals in areas such as student success and economic development."
U.S. Department of Education Awards $15.5 Million to Help Students Develop Strong Character and Good Citizenship
Date CapturedWednesday July 26 2006, 4:03 PM
NEW YORK STATE RECIPIENTS: Niagara Falls Niagara Falls City School District ($356,660) Buffalo Buffalo City School District ($533,913) Brooklyn Region 6/District 17 ($352,576) Utica City School District ($494,554)
NYS Education Dept. Office of Professions & Teacher Certification accepting applications for immediate vacancies on the New York State Professional Standards and Practices Board for Teaching
Date CapturedWednesday July 26 2006, 3:42 PM
NYS Education Department: Apply for appointment to the Board if you have an interest in helping to shape teaching policy in New York State and if you qualify for appointment in one of the following categories: Higher Education (President or chief academic officer of a NYS college or university that prepares teachers), Teacher (Either a classroom teacher or pupil personnel service professional in a New York State school) Public (Representative of business, parent group, community organization, etc.) Teacher Education Student (Student matriculated in a teacher preparation program at a NYS institution, full-or part-time). Application information here.
Testing teachers
Date CapturedWednesday July 26 2006, 11:02 AM
JWC contributor Linda Chavez on NCLB and teacher quality, "No doubt the states that receive poor grades from the U.S. Department of Education will cry foul, but insisting that all teachers meet high standards is critical to true education reform. We're putting the cart before the horse when we insist on higher test scores for students but accept mediocrity from teachers."
Colorado migrant students urged to harvest college degrees
Date CapturedWednesday July 26 2006, 10:49 AM
The Pueblo Chieftan reports, ".... students who do not have legal resident documentation may apply and attend college as an international student. International students, however, pay nonresident tuition, which is considerably higher than what a resident student pays."
New pro football league to start up on college campuses
Date CapturedWednesday July 26 2006, 10:27 AM
USA Today reports, "A group of former college officials headed by former NCAA President Cedric Dempsey will unveil plans Wednesday in New York for a new spring minor league with a twist — the eight teams will use colleges as their bases, and feature players from those schools and their affiliated conferences and surrounding regions."
Providence College to no longer require SATs for admission
Date CapturedWednesday July 26 2006, 10:15 AM
Providence Journal reports, "Providence College's president, the Rev. Brian J. Shanley, said three factors convinced him to make the policy change: evidence that test scores were not as good an indicator of student performance as grades and the rigor of classes in high school; a desire to increase access to minority and first-generation college students; and a perceived inequity in the current college application process."
Secretary Spellings Announces $19 Million in Library Grants, Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program aims to improve students' reading skills
Date CapturedWednesday July 26 2006, 9:58 AM
NY Pine Valley Central School District $300,000, NY Rochester City School District $299,502, NY Yonkers Public Schools $299,473, NY East Ramapo Central School District $290,350, NY Mount Morris Central School District $186,969. NY Jamestown City School District $296,715 NY Board of Education, Buffalo N.Y. $300,000
Fight crime; restart 'War on Poverty'
Date CapturedWednesday July 26 2006, 8:59 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle guest essayist Dr. Peter Mott writes, "Early studies showed clearly that children did better in school because of Head Start and nutrition programs, and that expensive visits to hospital emergency rooms fell dramatically when primary health care was accessible in neighborhoods."
Advocates for Children
Date CapturedWednesday July 26 2006, 8:44 AM
An Unfailing Belief in the Power of Teaching
Date CapturedWednesday July 26 2006, 8:25 AM
NY Times DAVID M. HERSZENHORN writes, in a story about NYC schools' head of instruction, Dr. Alonso, "He hates it when students are referred to as 'at risk,' icily noting that they are at risk only when educators fail. He denounces failed teaching techniques the way a preacher condemns sin. His speeches are dense with jargon."
CUNY FACES BIAS PROBE
Date CapturedWednesday July 26 2006, 7:58 AM
NY Post reports, "Programs aimed at helping black male students at the City University of New York are the focus of a federal bias probe after a civil rights group charged the programs discriminate against women and non-black students."
SCHOOLS 'NET RIGHTS JAB
Date CapturedWednesday July 26 2006, 7:55 AM
NY Post reports, "The head of the New York Civil Liberties Union said yesterday that the group would challenge a city Department of Education proposal to discipline students who post defamatory comments related to their schools online."
Colorado schools teaching immigrant parents how to be more involved
Date CapturedTuesday July 25 2006, 10:54 PM
KUSA reports, "Often, immigrant families don't get involved with school. Some blame the language barrier. Other say they don't trust the education system."
Arizona state dollars jump-start autism research
Date CapturedTuesday July 25 2006, 2:55 PM
The Arizona Republic reports, "The appropriation, included with the fiscal 2007 state budget, is especially important because it will allow researchers to jump-start their work, said Dr. Dietrich Stephan, TGen's director of neurogenomics and head of the autism research program."
Education studies show: $$ wasted on them
Date CapturedTuesday July 25 2006, 10:42 AM
Boston Herald op-ed contributor Star Parker, president of Coalition on Urban Renewal and Education (CURE) writes, "Choice, competition and freedom are core values that define what we are about as a nation. The Bush administration proposal to appropriate $100 million in opportunity scholarships for poor kids in failing schools is a needed program. Let’s use our limited taxpayer dollars to enhance education freedom and not on superfluous research."
Judge: Pennsylvania school can't cut women's sports
Date CapturedTuesday July 25 2006, 10:19 AM
AP reports, "Slippery Rock University must reinstate two women's sports it cut for budget reasons because the school is not complying with a federal law requiring equal opportunities for female athletes, a federal judge ruled."
Texas schools help migrant students adjust
Date CapturedTuesday July 25 2006, 10:07 AM
The TELEGRAPH reports, "'Our goal is to put children in the schools and keep them there,' Warren said. 'We make the families aware of school requirements, attendance policies, bus routes and the graduation requirements if the children are high school-aged.'"
Special Report: ‘Deal’ inflates Arizona’s Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS) scores
Date CapturedTuesday July 25 2006, 9:40 AM
East Valley Tribune reports, "Arizona took advantage of an off-the-books deal Horne says he struck with the U.S. Education Department in 2003 to exclude most English learners — students who are not proficient in English — from the official record of exam scores."
Book Costs Shock College Students, Families
Date CapturedTuesday July 25 2006, 9:34 AM
NPR (audio) reports, "More than a dozen states are considering laws that would restrict price increases for college textbooks."
2 schools secure high marks from education commissioner
Date CapturedTuesday July 25 2006, 9:18 AM
Buffalo News reports, "There may be nothing better school principals can experience than the state education commissioner telling them how great their students and staff are doing. Lockport High School Principal Frank Movalli and Emmet Belknap Middle School Principal Gary Wilson are no exception."
Oswego to have Universal Pre-K
Date CapturedTuesday July 25 2006, 9:07 AM
The Post-Standard reports, "The short-term benefits are readiness for kindergarten, a smoother transition to school and exposure to literacy and numeration. Research shows pre-kindergarten participants are less likely to (fail a grade) or be placed in special education. As adults, they are more likely to get better jobs and earn more money."
Ramapo Community College, other colleges join forces to offer emergency preparedness programs
Date CapturedTuesday July 25 2006, 8:56 AM
The Journal News reports, "RCC is joining with Orange, Sullivan and Ulster community colleges in the Emergency Medical Services/First Responder Education Program, an initiative that would allow students at the participating colleges access to different emergency preparedness programs based at the individual schools."
The "American Dream Initiative"
Date CapturedTuesday July 25 2006, 8:34 AM
USA Today reports, "The 'American Dream Initiative' plan calls for:• Higher education block grants — $150 billion over 10 years — to states, based in part on the number of students who attend and graduate from college. States would have to promise not to raise tuition higher than inflation. • $3,000 college tuition tax credits to help families pay for college."
Diplomas don't mean dollars, Workers with bachelor's degrees suffer first prolonged slump in wages in 30 years
Date CapturedTuesday July 25 2006, 8:22 AM
Times Union reports LA Times story, "Offshoring, which has shifted manufacturing and call-center jobs to Mexico and India, is increasingly affecting the white-collar sectors of engineering and software design. Companies have continued their long effort to replace salaried positions with low-paid, nonsalaried jobs, including part-time and freelance positions without benefits."
HOPES ON HOLD, ALBANY HAMSTRINGS SCHOOL REFORM
Date CapturedTuesday July 25 2006, 8:02 AM
NY Post guest op-ed contributor Joel Klein, chancellor of the New York City schools writes, "Charter schools provide high-quality education to some of the poorest communities in our city, giving amazing opportunities to children who are more than 90 percent African-American and Latino."
MYSPACE INVADERS FOR CITY STUDENTS, SCHOOLS TAKE AIM AT NASTY BLOGGERS
Date CapturedTuesday July 25 2006, 7:51 AM
NY Post reports, "The proposed changes to the code have yet to be adopted by the city's Panel for Educational Policy, but civil-rights lawyers are already sounding the alarm over the Internet provision. 'What happens on the Internet at a student's home is not the Department of Education's business," said veteran civil-rights lawyer Elizabeth Fink. 'Any person who believes in the Constitution would have a vast problem with this.'"
Most States Fail Demands Set Out in Education Law
Date CapturedMonday July 24 2006, 11:13 PM
NY Times reports, "Most states failed to meet federal requirements that all teachers be 'highly qualified' in core teaching fields and that state programs for testing students be up to standards by the end of the past school year, according to the federal government."
New Report Shows Progress in Reading First Implementation and Changes in Reading Instruction
Date CapturedMonday July 24 2006, 10:01 PM
The report shows "Reading First schools appear to be implementing the major elements of the program as intended by the No Child Left Behind legislation. Reading First respondents reported that they made substantial changes to their reading materials and that the instruction is more likely to be aligned with scientifically based reading research; they are more likely to have scheduled reading blocks and spend more time teaching reading; they are more likely to apply assessment results for instructional purposes, and they receive professional development focused on helping struggling readers more often than non-Reading First Title I schools in the evaluation."
Education Policy Studies Laboratory
Date CapturedMonday July 24 2006, 9:00 PM
The best education may be single-sexed
Date CapturedMonday July 24 2006, 3:13 PM
The News & Advance reports, "A study released just last week from the Indiana University Center for Postsecondary Research (IUCPR) suggests that students at women’s colleges 'are better served in their educational pursuits than their peers at coeducational institutions.'"
Education race
Date CapturedMonday July 24 2006, 2:19 PM
The Boston Globe reports, "The achievement gap between Latino and non-Latino students 'begins before children even enter kindergarten and persists throughout the K-12 years,' according to a new report from Pre-K Now, a nonprofit organization in Washington. These children face a lifelong achievement gap, making it tempting to target preschool to children who are 'at-risk.'" READ REFERENCED REPORT ON EDUCATION NEW YORK ONLINE -- see EARLY LEARNING, IMMIGRATION.
Change in education: As Latino students near a majority in public schools, questions arise on how California will address shift
Date CapturedMonday July 24 2006, 2:05 PM
Contra Costa Times reports, "Within three years, California will become the nation's second state, after New Mexico, in which a majority of public school students are Latino, according to state projections."
Mergers proposed for schools for blind and deaf
Date CapturedMonday July 24 2006, 11:23 AM
CNN reports, "A handful of states have already merged their schools, including Arizona, South Carolina and West Virginia. In Washington state, Governor Chris Gregoire has asked a team to review all of the state's residential schools before the 2007 legislative session, to look for cost efficiencies."
Black Student Enrollment at UCLA Plunges
Date CapturedMonday July 24 2006, 10:46 AM
NPR reports, "The number of black students at UCLA has been falling for years, partly due to a ballot measure that ended racial preferences in admissions. School leaders now say something has to change."
Pennsylvania Digital Schools a blessing and a challenge
Date CapturedMonday July 24 2006, 9:46 AM
phillyBurbs.com reports, "In a 2004 final summary, the Pennsylvania Department of Education said the program spawned new instructional styles, more cooperative learning, more student engagement and better communication between students, teachers and parents. But enthusiasm was dampened in several cases by technical problems."
California Gov. Schwarzenegger to Propose More School Health Clinics
Date CapturedMonday July 24 2006, 9:26 AM
LA Times reports, "The new clinics would be built on school grounds and offer basic services such as immunizations. Some could also provide mental health or dental services. Bigger clinics could include labs and pharmacies and offer treatment for adults as well as children."
New Jersey school voucher fight tilts to the right
Date CapturedMonday July 24 2006, 9:17 AM
The Record reports, "A lawsuit to apply New Jersey's public-education funding toward private-school tuition has key support from some of the country's most conservative charitable foundations, including those run by heirs to the Wal-Mart and Amway fortunes, public records show."
Investors Say Flaws at School Are Deeper
Date CapturedMonday July 24 2006, 7:50 AM
NY Times reports, "The problems at Interboro Institute, one of the largest, fastest-growing profit-making colleges in New York State in recent years, were deeper even than those outlined by the State Education Department last year, according to papers filed late on Friday in a class-action securities fraud complaint against Interboro’s parent, EVCI Career Colleges Holding Corporation."
Texas groups sue, say state comes up short in bilingual education
Date CapturedMonday July 24 2006, 7:20 AM
El Paso Times reports, "The groups want a judge to order the Texas Education Agency to more closely observe and evaluate bilingual programs to make sure students with limited English skills get the same quality education and opportunities as students who speak the language fluently."
Child care’s impact is wide; The industry has $787 million impact on South Carolina economy, according to study
Date CapturedMonday July 24 2006, 7:14 AM
The State reports, "Early childhood education officials hope the study will prompt lawmakers to invest in the industry, fueling both the state’s economic development and improvements in public K-12 education."
NBA star to Choir rescue?
Date CapturedMonday July 24 2006, 7:08 AM
NY Daily News reports, "[Kevin]Johnson and the Education Department are expected to announce in the next few weeks their partnership in a rigorous, college preparatory school for middle- and high-school students that will focus on music and community service."
How the Schools Shortchange Boys
Date CapturedSunday July 23 2006, 9:12 PM
City Journal, Gerry Garibaldi writes, "A female teacher, especially if she has no male children of her own, I’ve noticed, will tend to view boys’ penchant for challenging classroom assignments as disruptive, disrespectful—rude."
Education Alliance (Brown University)
Date CapturedSunday July 23 2006, 8:59 PM
Center for Education Reform (CER)
Date CapturedSunday July 23 2006, 8:34 PM
Education Law Association
Date CapturedSunday July 23 2006, 8:11 PM
Duke professor plans for-profit college with classic curriculum
Date CapturedSunday July 23 2006, 8:05 PM
AP reports, "Hull, who teaches at Duke University, plans to start a liberal-arts college in the fall of 2007. His plan is to operate it as a for-profit business, with investors, a copyrighted curriculum and a bottom line."
Northwest Regional Education Laboratory
Date CapturedSunday July 23 2006, 3:18 PM
Binghamton U students studying in Mideast
Date CapturedSunday July 23 2006, 12:22 PM
Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin reports, "BU operates more than 30 study-abroad programs in 13 countries, including Australia, France and Morocco. As many as 20 percent of BU students participate in a study-abroad program before graduating and as many as 550 students study abroad each year, Krebs said."
Funds would follow child
Date CapturedSunday July 23 2006, 10:26 AM
Columbia Daily Tribune reports, "The 'Fund the Child' plan, proposed by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, got support last month from a bipartisan group of national education leaders, including Rod Paige and two other former U.S. secretaries of education." Under the proposal, federal and state funding would follow a child to his or her public school. More money would be given for poor, special education and gifted students as well as students whose first language isn’t English."
Community colleges suit adult learners
Date CapturedSunday July 23 2006, 10:18 AM
Milford Daily News reports, "Community colleges offer several advantages over traditional four-year colleges and universities. Aside from presenting an affordable education and convenient locales for its students, the adult programs are becoming more flexible with class schedules, and increasingly adapting to job market trends."
Ohio local school district agreement stresses all be drug-free campus
Date CapturedSunday July 23 2006, 10:09 AM
The Marion Star reports, "The Pleasant Education Association, which represents 83 teachers, has agreed to drug testing as part of its new three-year contract. Pleasant Board of Education President Gary Sims and Superintendent John Bruno said the board also plans to pass a policy that would require administrators to be tested."
Group trying to open school
Date CapturedSunday July 23 2006, 9:53 AM
The Post-Standard reports, "'It's a huge undertaking to grow a nonpublic school,' said Tom Hogan, of the state Education Department. 'You can have a lot of very dedicated, well-intentioned people, but many of these attempts don't make it.'"
Dropping a Few Sports at Rutgers, and Putting Pressure on Trenton
Date CapturedSunday July 23 2006, 9:14 AM
NY Times reports, "The cuts could deal a blow to the university’s ambition to be ranked in the upper echelon of the nation’s public colleges and universities."
CUNY'S BRAIN STORM, MORE TOP ENROLLEES
Date CapturedSunday July 23 2006, 8:56 AM
NY Post reports, "The number of 'A' students considering CUNY colleges is a whopping 59.7 percent higher than in 2000, when the university tightened its admission policy by phasing out open enrollment and eliminating remedial courses at its four-year institutions."
Public School Finance Programs of the United States and Canada: 1998–99 (NEW YORK STATE)
Date CapturedSaturday July 22 2006, 10:14 PM
NEW YORK: Funding for public education in New York comes from three sources: approximately 4% from federal sources, 40% from state formula aids and grants, and 56% from local revenues. The descriptive information in this publication is designed to be useful to the education finance research community and fiscal policy analysts whose backgrounds and training are very diverse. Brian O. Brent, Warner Graduate School, University of Rochester. U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. Public School Finance Programs of the United States and Canada: 1998–99. NCES 2001–309; Compilers Catherine C. Sielke, John Dayton, C. Thomas Holmes, of The University of Georgia and Anne L. Jefferson of the University of Ottawa. William J. Fowler, Jr., Project Officer. Washington, DC: 2001.
NAACP Education Summit
Date CapturedSaturday July 22 2006, 8:45 PM
August 4, 2006. The New Jersey statewide Education Committee of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Education Summit at Trayes Hall Student Center of Douglass College at Rutgers University in New Brunswick. The summit addresses topics in the NAACP's Call for Action in Education.
Preparing Principals for High-Need Rural Schools: A Central Office Perspective about Collaborative Efforts to Transform School Leadership
Date CapturedSaturday July 22 2006, 8:30 PM
This article presents district administrators’ reflections about (a) the contextual challenges they face in leading a high-need rural school system in Central Appalachia and (b) the change initiatives they implemented to transform the principalship from school management to instructional leadership. The article presents perspectives by the district administrators and leadership educators involved in the district-initiated activities to change the culture of administrative practice. Browne-Ferrigno, T., & Allen, L. W. (2006, February 10). Preparing principal for high-need rural schools: A central office perspective about collaborative efforts to transform school leadership. Journal of Research in Rural Education, 21(1). Retrieved 7/22/2006 from http://www.umaine.edu/jrre/21-1.htm
Federal school grant for Yonkers
Date CapturedSaturday July 22 2006, 12:37 PM
Mid-Hudson News reports, "Numerous studies show there is a clear link between the quality of library media programs in schools staffed an experienced school library media specialists and student academic achievement."
Feeling Strains, Baptist Colleges Cut Church Ties
Date CapturedSaturday July 22 2006, 8:27 AM
NY Times reports, "The issues vary from state to state. But many Southern Baptist colleges and their state conventions have been battling over money, control of boards of trustees, whether the Bible must be interpreted literally, how evolution is taught, the propriety of some books for college courses and of some plays for campus performances and whether cultural and religious diversity should be encouraged."
Education Center Focuses on High-Quality Teaching Using Video and Latest Technology
Date CapturedFriday July 21 2006, 7:14 PM
Newswise reports, "The University of Virginia Curry School of Education has been awarded $10 million from the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences to determine if a new method for training preschool teachers results in their students, especially disadvantaged children, learning language and literacy skills better."
2004-05 Annual Report on the Status of Charter Schools in New York State
Date CapturedFriday July 21 2006, 10:49 AM
"This report provides data required by §2857(3) of the Education Law and covers the 2004-05 school year, during which a total of 61 charter schools were open for instruction. Of these 61 schools, 16 were chartered by the Board of Regents, 32 were chartered by the Board of Trustees of the State University of New York ('SUNY'), 11 were chartered by the Chancellor of the New York City Public Schools, and two were chartered by the Board of Education of the Buffalo City School District. Twenty-one had management companies as partners."
SMARTER CHARTER KIDS
Date CapturedFriday July 21 2006, 10:42 AM
NY Post CARL CAMPANILE reports, "The just-released study by state Education Department found students in 11 of 16 city charter schools outscored kids in nearby public schools on the state's fourth-grade English and math exams in 2005."
Young Latinas and a Cry for Help
Date CapturedFriday July 21 2006, 10:00 AM
NY Times editorial writes, "About one-quarter of Latina teens drop out, a figure surpassed only by Hispanic young men, one-third of whom do not complete high school."
TC3 grants support variety of school programs; Digital photography, broadcasting and techie ‘real world' applications shared
Date CapturedFriday July 21 2006, 9:48 AM
The Ithaca Journal reports, "The Tech Prep program at TC3 has awarded grants to local education efforts in eight high schools."
Clinton Community College asks Clinton County for nearly $500,000 more in funding
Date CapturedFriday July 21 2006, 9:40 AM
The Press Republican reports, "College officials stressed they trimmed the budget as much as possible and any more would negatively impact the programs and services they currently offer."
You don't always need a classroom
Date CapturedFriday July 21 2006, 9:09 AM
Poughkeepsie Journal columnist and director of Field Work at Vassar College, Peter Leonard, Ph.D., writes, "Now the students won't remember what I said that afternoon, but I bet they won't forget this passionate, unscripted community discussion. Proving, once again, that cities, especially Poughkeepsie, are good for education."
Study shows benefits of kids' playtime
Date CapturedFriday July 21 2006, 8:59 AM
Times Union reports, "'Urban planners need to put more focus on things like road safety and the design of a neighborhood, so that children will be safe when they're playing outside,' said Roar Blom, a physical activity expert with the World Health Organization."
Legislators agree to fund North Country Community College
Date CapturedFriday July 21 2006, 8:53 AM
The Press Republican reports, "The allocation is about $40,900 more than the county appropriated this year and includes a $200 tuition increase for students at the school's three campuses, bringing the total annual NCCC tuition to $3,250."
CHARTER CHOOSER
Date CapturedFriday July 21 2006, 7:38 AM
NY Post DICKER and CAMPANILE report on Spitzer's comments in response to a state Education Department report , "'The study results confirm that these schools can play an important role in demonstrating the effectiveness of educational innovations that can be applied to other parts of the school system,' Spitzer said."
When activism masquerades as education
Date CapturedFriday July 21 2006, 7:15 AM
NY Daily News guest contributor, Manhattan Institute's senior fellow Sol Stern writes, "Far too many New York City public schools - including some of the new small schools created by Chancellor Joel Klein and funded with money from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation - distort education by imbuing social justice into everything they do."
Parents Dismissed: An Analysis of Manhattan"s Community Education Councils and the New York City Department of Education's Role in Engaging Parent Leaders
Date CapturedFriday July 21 2006, 12:08 AM
"This report on Manhattan’s Community Education Councils (CEC) finds significant failures by the City’s Department of Education (DOE) and violations of state law as it pertains to their obligations to adequately provide support and training for the parent councils."
“Parents Dismissed" gives NYC schools failing grade on education councils
Date CapturedThursday July 20 2006, 11:49 PM
The Villager reports, "Borough President Scott Stringer is calling for action from the Department of Education to address what he calls the failing performance of Manhattan’s Community Education Councils."
SAT Group Can Do Better, Says Report It Commissioned
Date CapturedThursday July 20 2006, 11:40 PM
NY Times KAREN W. ARENSON reports, "The College Board should acquire better scanning software, increase training for test center personnel and make other improvements in its procedures to help prevent errors in scoring SAT exams, according to a report released yesterday."
U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee approves Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies spending bill for fiscal year 2007.
Date CapturedThursday July 20 2006, 11:31 PM
U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee July 20, 2006 press release.
The Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA) and Libraries
Date CapturedThursday July 20 2006, 8:56 PM
American Library Association -- Office for Information Technology Policy (OITP) policy brief explains, " the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act or “CALEA” and how it relates to our Nation’s libraries. This is an important issue because it may impact library budgets in the very near future, require certain technology expenditures and impose administrative burdens on library personnel to administer certain security requirements under the law."
National Cued Speech Association
Date CapturedThursday July 20 2006, 7:08 PM
College Board Releases SAT Answer Sheet Processing Report
Date CapturedThursday July 20 2006, 1:57 PM
Read the College Board SAT Report. (Requires Microsoft PowerPoint Viewer)
Support mounts for new school funding model
Date CapturedThursday July 20 2006, 11:20 AM
Thomas B. Fordham Institute reports, "Weighted student funding, a bold new model for public-school finance, is winning remarkable support from a broad spectrum of policymakers, education organizations, parents and school leaders."
The Postsecondary Educational Experiences of High School Career and Technical Education Concentrators: Selected Results From the NELS:88/2000 Postsecondary Education Transcript Study
Date CapturedThursday July 20 2006, 10:19 AM
This NCES report presents information on the postsecondary educational experiences of students from the high school class of 1992 who concentrated in career and technical education (CTE) while in high school, including their postsecondary enrollment, coursetaking, and degree attainment patterns. The report also describes the extent to which high school CTE concentrators pursued the same field at the postsecondary level.
Massachusetts educators wary of cost of state assessment plan
Date CapturedThursday July 20 2006, 8:52 AM
The Boston Globe reports, "The state Department of Education wants local school districts to create a system to monitor student performance on state standardized tests that could force districts, already strapped for cash, to spend more money on staffing."
New approach on deaf literacy heartening
Date CapturedThursday July 20 2006, 7:39 AM
Times Union AP reports, "The system is gaining popularity with new research, a grass-roots movement and new funding aimed at improving reading scores under the federal No Child Left Behind Law."
Amherst College Gets $13M For Public Service Program; Donation Will Establish Center For Community Engagement
Date CapturedWednesday July 19 2006, 10:47 PM
ABC (Boston) reports, "The center will link students with local and national organizations active in areas including poverty, public education, human rights, the environment and public health."
New Autism Study Shows Discrepancy in Brains
Date CapturedWednesday July 19 2006, 10:38 PM
NPR, All Things Considered reports, "One place they found a difference was in the amygdalae, two almond-shaped clumps of cells deep in the brain, one on each side. They're critical to processing certain emotional reactions, particularly fear."
DC public schools auditors fault special-ed data
Date CapturedWednesday July 19 2006, 9:17 PM
THE WASHINGTON TIMES reports, "Auditors had sought to determine whether foster children were getting the required amount of special education during the 2004-05 school year. They concluded that shoddy record keeping by the CFSA and the school system made the task nearly impossible."
Texas AG: Laptop Computers Not Equivalent To Textbooks ; Money set aside for books can't be used to buy hardware or other equipment, the state attorney general ruled
Date CapturedWednesday July 19 2006, 8:17 PM
Information Week reports, "The opinion was published on Tuesday by Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott in response to a request by Geraldine Miller, chair of the state's board of education. Miller had raised the issue after a bill was introduced in the Texas legislature that would have changed the word "textbook" in state law to 'instructional material,' and would have potentially allowed for the purchase of laptop computers to meet textbook requirements in schools."
Education Law Center sues NJ over access to information
Date CapturedWednesday July 19 2006, 6:54 PM
AP reports, "An education advocacy group is suing New Jersey, claiming the state is illegally withholding information about how much it costs to adequately educate a child in the state's public schools."
To take the yawn out of math equations, teach the teachers
Date CapturedWednesday July 19 2006, 6:45 PM
Christian Science Monitor reports, "In an effort to boost K-12 student achievement, the US Department of Education sends star teachers on tour to share their ideas."
Senate Includes Education Technology Funding as Critical Component of U.S. Competitiveness Agenda
Date CapturedWednesday July 19 2006, 3:44 PM
Newswire PR reports, "As part of their Mission Critical Campaign (MCC), education and business leaders have urged Congress to restore funding for the EETT program to a minimum of $496 million as provided in FY2005 as a key component for student success, meeting the goals of the No Child Left Behind Act and ensuring the nation's competitiveness."
Why Is Academic Testing Leaving Children Behind?
Date CapturedWednesday July 19 2006, 3:04 PM
Newswise reports, "Low-income children tend to do poorly on high-stakes academic achievement tests. A pilot study led by Deborah Waber, PhD in Children's Hospital Boston's Department of Psychiatry suggests their low scores may arise from developmental issues – particularly in 'executive' functions like organization, planning and control over thoughts and actions."
Council for Exceptional Children
Date CapturedWednesday July 19 2006, 1:37 PM
New York City Department of Education
Date CapturedWednesday July 19 2006, 12:48 PM
Fathers of U.S. Children Born in 2001: Findings from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort
Date CapturedWednesday July 19 2006, 10:33 AM
This NCES publication presents information on specific demographic characteristics of resident and nonresident biological fathers’ involvement in pregnancy and birth, fathers’ attitudes about fathering, and father involvement. By Kirsten Ellingsen, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Christine Winquist Nord, Westat; Frank Avenilla, Education Statistics Services Institute; Emily Rosenthal, Teachers College, Columbia University; Jerry West, Mathematica Policy Research, Inc.
Bush-suppressed study dispels voucher myth
Date CapturedWednesday July 19 2006, 9:33 AM
Palm Beach Post editorial writes, "The U.S. Department of Education, meaning the Bush administration, last week turned an important study comparing public and private schools into a case study on how to bury bad news."
U Albany courts connections to Chinese counterparts
Date CapturedWednesday July 19 2006, 9:16 AM
Albany Times Union reports, "U Albany is in the final stages of developing a "full-scale academic and entrepreneurial agreement" with East China Normal, Nanjing, Fudan and Sichuan universities, according to Hall. East China Normal signed an agreement with Albany on May 11 for an exchange program for students, faculty and research ideas."
Broome Community College has new scholarship program
Date CapturedWednesday July 19 2006, 9:01 AM
Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin reports, "A new scholarship program at Broome Community College could attract as many as 25 additional Broome County students each year and keep them in the area after graduation, college officials say."
Republicans Propose National School Voucher Program
Date CapturedWednesday July 19 2006, 8:07 AM
NY Times (registration) Diana Jean Schemo reports, "The legislation, modeled on a pilot program here, would pay for tuition and private tutoring for some 28,000 students seeking a way out of public schools that fail to raise test scores sufficiently for at least five years."
Colleges Make Way for Internships
Date CapturedWednesday July 19 2006, 8:03 AM
NY Times (registration) reports, "Internships have displaced casual hourly jobs as the more typical summer experience for college students — one that may provide valuable professional contacts or even lead to full-time employment after graduation."
Real estate vs. real education
Date CapturedWednesday July 19 2006, 7:54 AM
USA Today reports, "Currently, many parents believe that their only option for pursuing better schools for their children is to move to a pricier neighborhood. But the schools in that neighborhood might be only average, or worse."
Mainland universities urged to reform amid fears of student brain drain
Date CapturedTuesday July 18 2006, 9:21 PM
People's Daily reports, "China's universities are seeking effective reforms to boost their level of education amid concerns that the most talented high school students are choosing to study outside the Chinese mainland."
Choices for Parents: America's Opportunity Scholarships for Kids
Date CapturedTuesday July 18 2006, 7:54 PM
"Parents know what is best for their children. Expanding educational options for parents is one of the hallmarks of the No Child Left Behind Act and it remains one of the President's highest priorities." — Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings
A National Voucher Program?
Date CapturedTuesday July 18 2006, 5:51 PM
People for the American Way reports, "Every child deserves a quality education. Publicly funded vouchers for private schools will not provide that. Instead they’ll drain precious funding from our school systems and widen the achievement gap."
Arts Instruction of Public School Students in the First and Third Grades
Date CapturedTuesday July 18 2006, 10:46 AM
This Issue Brief examines the changes over time from first to third grade in how often young children are exposed to arts education in the general classroom. The Brief also looks at differences in these characteristics by level of poverty and/or urbanicity of the school.
Smoking has no place in dormitories
Date CapturedTuesday July 18 2006, 8:11 AM
SUNY Chancellor John Ryan writes, "Our job as leaders of colleges and universities extends beyond the education we provide in class. We also have an obligation to keep our students safe, by helping them continue or embark on a path toward a healthy lifestyle."
N.C.A.A. and SEC Await Auburn’s Inquiry on Suspect Courses
Date CapturedTuesday July 18 2006, 7:48 AM
NY Times (registration) reports, "In some cases, the courses in sociology and criminology involved no class time and little work."
End busing and improve education in Tennessee
Date CapturedTuesday July 18 2006, 7:28 AM
Jackson Sun op-ed, "These kiddy pawns will be shuffled from thither to yon into strange neighborhood schools, not to get an education, but because of the amount of melanin in their skins."
Secretary Spellings Delivers Notre Dame Alliance for Catholic Education Commencement Address
Date CapturedMonday July 17 2006, 9:34 PM
Secretary Spellings said, "To keep the system diverse, Catholic schools reach out to low-income, minority, and immigrant communities. To keep academic quality high, they often work longer days and stretch the school year into the summertime. And to keep tuition affordable, they often set tuition rates lower than the actual cost of educating each child."
Lottery Raises Over $600 Million For Education
Date CapturedMonday July 17 2006, 7:08 PM
Eyewitness News reports, "More than $636 million has been generated for education programs in the state since the Tennessee Lottery began selling tickets nearly two and a half years ago."
No Child Left Behind’ well-intentioned by misguided
Date CapturedMonday July 17 2006, 10:56 AM
The Free Press reports, "If we really want to improve education in this country, the first thing we need to do is get serious about education at home. Parents, not teachers, are ultimately responsible for pressuring students to work hard in school."
Ulster County Community College will offer fast-track associate's degree
Date CapturedMonday July 17 2006, 10:14 AM
Poughkeepsie Journal reports, "In this program, students will attend classes Thursday evening each week, supplemented by online and independent work."
Upgraded status lets Cayuga Community College Fulton offer more
Date CapturedMonday July 17 2006, 9:34 AM
The Post-Standard reports, "Branch-campus status permits the Fulton campus to offer entire degree programs, rather than requiring students to complete some of their course work at the college's Auburn campus."
Off-campus U at Buffalo housing plans draw criticism
Date CapturedMonday July 17 2006, 9:22 AM
Buffalo News reports on student apartments, "Since University Village opened last spring across from Sweet Home High School, Amherst police were called to the apartments 183 times for a variety of incidents, ranging from parking violations and nuisance complaints to sexual assaults and larcenies, police said."
Downsizing and the Catholic Church
Date CapturedMonday July 17 2006, 9:03 AM
Richard W. Garnett, Lilly Endowment Associate Professor of Law at the University of Notre Dame writes in USA Today, "In and around our nation's big cities, hundreds of Catholic parishes, schools and hospitals are consolidating and closing. Many of these institutions have long provided the foundation — as well as provided for the faith — of urban neighborhoods and immigrant communities."
Push becomes shove
Date CapturedMonday July 17 2006, 8:48 AM
The Journal News editorial, "A state senator rightly flexed an underused muscle last week, prevailing upon the College Board to release a report on scoring errors in the SAT college-entrance exam."
Teachers use data to tailor education
Date CapturedMonday July 17 2006, 8:00 AM
The Arizona Republic reports, "The Arizona Department of Education is not allowed to collect student data beyond what state and federal law requires. Student grades, discipline records and the names of teachers who taught them are among the things that cannot be legally tracked."
SCHOOL TO BECOME HOUSING
Date CapturedMonday July 17 2006, 7:52 AM
NY Post (registration) reports, "As the city Department of Education awaits a multibillion-dollar court-ordered windfall to ease overcrowding in schools, it has rejected revamping a storied East Harlem school building - claiming the neighborhood doesn't need the seats. "
Brown Vs. Board of Education
Date CapturedMonday July 17 2006, 7:45 AM
Times Union reprints 1954 editorial, "The decision of the United States Supreme Court banning racial segregation in public schools is one of the great historical moments in the growth of this nation. The 9-0 unanimity of opinion among the justices, and the profound and quiet reasoning behind it, provides the decision with its proper frame of dignity and constitutional wisdom."
California’s Newest State University Is Short of Students
Date CapturedMonday July 17 2006, 7:24 AM
NY Times (registration) reports, "To a large extent, university officials say, they have fulfilled their mandate, drawing 29 percent of the 2005-6 students from the Central Valley and anticipating an even bigger number this coming school year."
KIPP charter school maintains strict regimen, makes college the end game
Date CapturedSunday July 16 2006, 11:13 AM
Post-Tribune reports, "A charter education network with a reputation for improving achievement in urban youth and gearing them for college debuted its charter school in Gary this week."
Old Man on Campus
Date CapturedSunday July 16 2006, 8:14 AM
NY Times (registration) op-ed contributor and SUNY Purchase president Schwartz writes about adult student housing, "This project is at the heart of the college’s mission: lifelong learning, student engagement for all ages, building audiences for the performing and visual arts and studies of the aging process. Moreover, it offers desperately needed housing for people 55 and older, who make up a significant portion of Westchester County."
Middletown school district awarded federal grant
Date CapturedSunday July 16 2006, 7:59 AM
Mid-Hudson News reports, "The Enlarged Middletown City School District has been awarded a $1.9 million federal grant for a program that will create a safer learning environment, promote healthy childhood development, and prevent youth violence and drug abuse."
A stronger net
Date CapturedSunday July 16 2006, 7:53 AM
The Journal News editorial , "State education officials got formal word recently from the U.S. Department of Education that the testing many New York schools have been doing of students learning English — usually recent immigrants — and special-education students is not on a par with that offered general-education students."
League of Women Voters hosts school tax forum in Somers
Date CapturedSaturday July 15 2006, 4:57 PM
The Patent Trader reports, "The 52 branches of the state's League of Women Voters reached consensus on some methods to finance public education, while splitting on others, according to preliminary results of a study discussed at a July 10 Somers forum."
College dorm lacked carbon monoxide detectors
Date CapturedSaturday July 15 2006, 4:01 PM
USA Today reports, "There was no carbon monoxide detector in the Roanoke College dormitory where one person died and dozens of teenagers and adults were sickened after a leak of the odorless gas, but the school is considering installing them, a spokeswoman said Saturday."
Charter School Gets Home at Education Headquarters
Date CapturedSaturday July 15 2006, 9:46 AM
NY Times DAVID M. HERSZENHORN reports, "City education officials had wanted the Ross school to share a building on the Lower East Side with the New Explorations Into Science, Technology and Math school. But parents at that school, known as NEST, waged months of protests and filed a lawsuit to block the Ross school from moving in. Their most prominent supporter was Sheldon Silver, the State Assembly speaker, who considers NEST a jewel of his Manhattan district." (registration)
N.J. DAD WANTS TO TEACH FAILING PUBLIC SCHOOLS A HARSH LE$$ON
Date CapturedSaturday July 15 2006, 9:38 AM
NY Post columnist Peyser writes, "Though lawsuits have been filed in Illinois and California, parents have so far been unable to wrest education money from the system's cold, dead hands. In New York, courts have ruled that billions must be pumped into schools, in the mistaken notion that more money equals better education. That notion, too, has failed." (registration required)
Charter school gets cozy with educrats
Date CapturedSaturday July 15 2006, 9:28 AM
NY Daily News reports, "Bloomberg and Klein have been strong supporters of charters and have made space for many of them in public schools, but their decision to put one in the Education Department's headquarters has raised some eyebrows."
Public Schools Perform Near Private Ones in Study
Date CapturedFriday July 14 2006, 11:59 PM
NY Times (registration) reports, "The Education Department reported on Friday that children in public schools generally performed as well or better in reading and mathematics than comparable children in private schools. The exception was in eighth-grade reading, where the private school counterparts fared better."
College Campuses Latest Battleground in Online Privacy Debates
Date CapturedFriday July 14 2006, 7:37 PM
AP reports, "The Federal Communications Commission wants to expand the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act, first passed in 1994, to encompass Internet phone calls and broadband wireless providers. A federal appeals court in Washington sided with the federal agency last month in a series of protests filed by Dempsey's group and the American Council on Education."
Siena College to gain nearby property
Date CapturedFriday July 14 2006, 6:47 PM
The Business Review (Albany) reports, "Siena College has signed a purchase agreement with the state to buy the 13 acres across from its Loudonville, N.Y., campus that now houses the New York State Police's Troop G headquarters."
Columbia Teachers College Shares in $10 million Award for National Federal Research Center on Postsecondary Education
Date CapturedFriday July 14 2006, 6:30 PM
Columbia University reports, "The center will focus its work on the efforts of two- and four-year institutions to improve access to higher education and the rates at which students earn a degree. Studies will investigate the effectiveness of dual enrollment programs and learning communities in preparing low-skill students for success in college."
Pentagon Pays for Students to Learn Foreign Languages
Date CapturedFriday July 14 2006, 6:02 PM
NPR reports, "It's part of a government effort to prepare the U.S. for global security challenges."
America’s Children in Brief: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2006
Date CapturedFriday July 14 2006, 5:57 PM
"The first section, Population and Family Characteristics, describes the context in which children live (including aspects such as changes in children’s family settings and living arrangements). The sections that follow highlight indicators of child well-being in four key areas: Economic Security, Health, Behavior and Social Environment, and Education."
National Education Association of New York
Date CapturedFriday July 14 2006, 1:59 PM
North Carolina State University adds groundbreaking Data Analytics Education
Date CapturedFriday July 14 2006, 9:26 AM
CRM Today reports, "The tools, concepts and practices of analytics hold the key to understanding massive amounts of data and then using this knowledge to make sound decisions. Whether it is uncovering fraud in banking transactions, improving the quality of healthcare received by patients or predicting which customers will respond to a marketing campaign, the applications of data analytics cross all industries. As such, the ability to strategically apply analytics transcends industry, making experts in the field in high demand."
Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius to Chair Education Commission of the States
Date CapturedFriday July 14 2006, 9:06 AM
Infozine reports, "ECS is a national nonprofit organization that helps governors, legislators, state education officials and other leaders develop and carry out public policies that improve student learning from preschool through college."
Houston Community College considers adding honors school
Date CapturedFriday July 14 2006, 8:57 AM
The Daily Texan reports, "Texas' largest community college is considering adding a free honors college as soon as fall 2007 for high-achieving high school students with plans of transferring to a four-year college."
RIT drive exceeds target at $309M; Eight-year campaign funds major growth, scholarships
Date CapturedFriday July 14 2006, 8:06 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports, "The campaign also is responsible for seven endowed professorships, two building additions to the Gleason College of Engineering, and construction of the Center for Bioscience Education and Technology. RIT will break ground later this year on a building for some College of Applied Science and Technology engineering programs, Simone said."
Solutions for New York: The Economic Significance of Independent Colleges and Universities in New York State
Date CapturedFriday July 14 2006, 7:40 AM
Prepared for the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities. Kent Gardner, Ph.D. Gardner concludes, "With spillover benefits included, the aggregate economic impact of New York’s independent higher education sector is estimated at $41.4 billion. The largest contribution is made by academic institutions located in New York City—$21.9 billion, 53% of the total."
Independent colleges and universities a boon to Hudson Valley economy, study finds
Date CapturedFriday July 14 2006, 7:22 AM
Mid-Hudson News reports, "In the Hudson Valley, independent colleges and universities contribute an annual $3.4 billion to the economy, including annual construction. Collectively, 17 campuses are directly and indirectly responsible for an estimated 24,000 jobs."
For Freshmen Headed Out of State, New York Is Top Choice
Date CapturedFriday July 14 2006, 7:12 AM
NY Times registration, Sam Roberts reports, "...New York State has emerged as the top destination for freshmen leaving their home states to attend college."
America's Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being 2005 (EDUCATION)
Date CapturedThursday July 13 2006, 11:18 PM
This section presents key indicators of how well children are learning and progressing from early childhood through postsecondary school.
America’s Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2005
Date CapturedThursday July 13 2006, 10:50 PM
America’s Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2005 is a biennial report to the Nation on the condition of children in America. Nine contextual measures describe the changing population, family, and environmental context in which children are living, and 25 indicators depict the well-being of children in the areas of economic security, health, behavior and social environment, and education. Racial categories were expanded from four racial groups (American Indian or Alaskan Native, Asian, Black, and White) to five racial groups (American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and White). Expansion of the racial categories and the introduction of multiple race categories—have a direct impact on many of the indicators presented in this report, particularly with respect to trend analyses. Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics Highlights. DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
Kentucky contests federal findings that testing system is flawed
Date CapturedThursday July 13 2006, 3:26 PM
The Courier-Journal reports, "Federal officials say the state’s testing system sets different standards for disabled students, and they also question whether the tests adequately and validly measure all students reading and math achievement."
Academic Competitiveness Grants in New York State
Date CapturedThursday July 13 2006, 3:18 PM
The U.S. Department of Education (USED) has released information on the Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG) Program as included in the Higher Education Reconciliation Act of 2005 (HERA). These grants are available to certain Pell-eligible college students starting with the 2006-07 academic year.
More money available for UAlbany anti-drinking efforts
Date CapturedThursday July 13 2006, 2:32 PM
Albany Business Journal reports, "The money, in part, is being used to offset UAlbany's reputation as a 'party' school -- a reputation that President Kermit Hall has said diminishes the college's standing among parents, students, potential employers and in the world of academia in general."
Virtual school may open in Illinois
Date CapturedThursday July 13 2006, 9:34 AM
Chicago Tribune reports, "The Chicago Virtual Charter School plans to serve a variety of children, including the gifted, those with learning disabilities and those who find it difficult to settle down in a more structured teaching environment."
Female Advantage Mumbo Jumbo
Date CapturedThursday July 13 2006, 8:52 AM
The Huffington Post. Dr. Kathleen Reardon writes, "College is where the playing field is largely leveled. Success is more predictable than it is in most aspects of life. If you study you can get reasonably good grades."
Commission proposes federal tracking of students to improve colleges' accountability
Date CapturedThursday July 13 2006, 8:42 AM
Gainesville Sun reports, "A plan to track college students throughout their academic careers, and perhaps well into their time in the workforce, has some fearing that private student records will be exposed in a Big Brother-style program."
ALBANIA: Project Under Way to Strengthen Education in Albania
Date CapturedWednesday July 12 2006, 3:02 PM
Seeurope.net reports, "Efforts to reorganise Albania's education were first launched in 1990, with a proposal to extend compulsory schooling from eight to ten years. The following year, however, a major economic and political crisis in Albania, and the ensuing breakdown of public order, plunged the school system into chaos. Extreme shortages of textbooks and supplies had a devastating effect on school operations, prompting Italy and other countries to provide material assistance."
Bipartisan Congressional Delegation Receives Petition with 7,000 Signatures Equating School Technology with National Competitiveness
Date CapturedWednesday July 12 2006, 12:55 PM
PRNewswire reports, "Funding for the EETT is currently proposed for elimination in the pending U.S. House Labor-HHS- Education Appropriations bill, while the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee is scheduled to vote July 18."
Researchers Gain Insight Into Why Brain Areas Fail To Work Together in Autism; Basis For Why People With Autism Think In Pictures
Date CapturedWednesday July 12 2006, 10:00 AM
NIH news reports, "The researchers found that communications between these higher-order centers in the brains of people with autism appear to be directly related to the thickness of the anatomical connections between them."
Katherine McLane Named Press Secretary at the U.S. Department of Education
Date CapturedWednesday July 12 2006, 9:53 AM
McLane joins the Department after serving two and a half years in Governor Schwarzenegger's administration, most recently as spokesperson for the governor on education, military, federal, homeland security and emergency response issues.
$31 Million Awarded to 19 School Districts to Promote Safe Schools, Healthy Students
Date CapturedWednesday July 12 2006, 9:37 AM
More than $31 million in grants have been awarded to 19 school districts in 14 states as part of a joint effort by the U.S. departments of Education, Health and Human Services and Justice to support schools in creating safe learning environments that promote healthy childhood development and prevent youth violence and drug use.
Action taken by the Board of Regents
Date CapturedWednesday July 12 2006, 8:46 AM
The Board of Regents must provide appropriate notification of the chartering process at significant stages to the school district in which the charter school is located and to all public and nonpublic schools in the same geographic area.
Kansas state education board considers restraints for special ed students
Date CapturedWednesday July 12 2006, 8:31 AM
Lawrence Journal-World reports, "If a child gets out of control and must be separated from other students, they can be placed in what’s called a seclusion room. The proposal recommends the room be at least 36 square feet."
Fewer men on campus
Date CapturedWednesday July 12 2006, 8:28 AM
USA Today editorial, "The blue-collar jobs that once supported families are drying up, affecting males more than females. So if a focused effort isn't made to address boys' needs, as was done successfully a generation ago for girls, many boys' futures will be grim, and the nation's ability to compete will slide."
Gender gap isn't biggest woe
Date CapturedWednesday July 12 2006, 8:23 AM
USA Today op-ed Sara Mead (see study on Education New York Online), "Instead of focusing on differences between male and female college enrollment, California's educational energies would be better spent making sure students of all genders and races have the education and opportunities they need to realize their potential and contribute to California's economy."
Finish the Test
Date CapturedWednesday July 12 2006, 7:47 AM
Post-Standard on Campaign for Fiscal Equity (CFE) lawsuit, "The CFE filed a brief last month asking the court to force the state to obey the ruling or face sanctions. The state responded this week with a counterbrief arguing, among other things, that the court has no business telling the state how to fund education. The ball is back in the Court of Appeals."
Good news for U Albany in new major
Date CapturedWednesday July 12 2006, 7:29 AM
Times Union Campus Notebook writes about new journalism major and student loans.
Teachers, and a Law That Distrusts Them
Date CapturedWednesday July 12 2006, 7:11 AM
NY Times registration, Michael Winerip writes on NCLB and school reforms, "The question is: How successful can an education law be that makes teachers the enemy?"
American Council on Education
Date CapturedWednesday July 12 2006, 7:01 AM
A More Nuanced Look at Men, Women and College
Date CapturedWednesday July 12 2006, 6:55 AM
NY Times registration. Tamar Lewis reports, "The study’s author, Jacqueline King, said the dynamics of college attendance became clearer when she broke students down by age group."
Special report: Are professors too liberal?
Date CapturedTuesday July 11 2006, 9:36 PM
Statepress.com (Arizona) special report, "In recent years, professors in places like Colorado, Ohio, Virginia, Pennsylvania and South Dakota have been accused of spouting leftist agendas in their classrooms and more and more, state legislatures are taking note."
$5 Million Grant to Teach For America to Improve Math and Science Education in Low-Income Communities
Date CapturedTuesday July 11 2006, 4:37 PM
PRnewswire reports, "The Amgen Foundation pledged $5 million to support a program aimed at doubling the number of college math and science graduates who join Teach For America by 2010."
Massachusetts global education bill arouses concern
Date CapturedTuesday July 11 2006, 3:44 PM
The Jewish Advocate quotes bill sponsor, "'Places like China, Japan and the Middle East are our new neighbors. This is the direction we’re heading, in terms of business and other opportunities. It seems to me it would be important for our students to be learning more about the world around us,' she said."
Echo Chamber: The National Education Associations's Campaign Against NCLB
Date CapturedTuesday July 11 2006, 1:59 PM
By Joe Williams. "This Education Sector report examines the financial relationships between the NEA and a number of organizations that have been sharply critical of NCLB."
Calitornia venture capitalist seeks education revolution; Investment focus is charter schools
Date CapturedTuesday July 11 2006, 8:24 AM
Union Tribune reports, "Federal tax credits, often used to attract investments for housing and retail projects in blighted areas, can be used to attract capital for the construction of new charter schools. Investors receive tax breaks in exchange for providing capital."
Podcast craze hits classrooms; Some say digital lectures can let students catch up
Date CapturedTuesday July 11 2006, 8:06 AM
Boston Globe reports, "Students, some professors say, might be tempted to skip class and the discussion that can flow after a lecture."
U.S. Says Language Exam Does Not Comply With Law
Date CapturedTuesday July 11 2006, 7:21 AM
NY Times registration. NY Times reports, "The federal Department of Education has found that New York State’s methods for testing the annual progress of disabled students and students with limited English proficiency do not comply with the No Child Left Behind law and that the state must correct the problems within a year or risk losing $1.2 million in federal school aid."
Standard tests set for special ed kids
Date CapturedTuesday July 11 2006, 7:16 AM
NY Daily News reports, "The U.S. Education Department rejected New York's longstanding practice of giving below-grade-level tests to some special ed students - triggering changes that could lead to lower test scores at some schools."
Report: NEA pays opponents of No Child Left Behind law
Date CapturedMonday July 10 2006, 10:39 PM
By Greg Toppo, USA TODAY reports, "The nation's largest teachers union has spent more than $8 million in a stealth campaign against President Bush's education reform law, paying for research and political opposition in an effort to derail it, according to a Washington think tank that supports the law."
Sleep Strengthens Memory
Date CapturedMonday July 10 2006, 8:59 PM
Health Day Reporter writes, "A number of studies suggest that sleep plays an important role in effective memory acquisition, Vorona said. 'This study suggests that parents of students would do well to recommend that their children both study hard and obtain sufficient sleep in order to maximize their academic performance,' he added."
Generous gift, new name for RIT business college
Date CapturedMonday July 10 2006, 8:45 PM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports, "Rochester Institute of Technology is renaming its College of Business after the donor of a multi-million-dollar gift to the school."
Community college special education initiative kicks off in Maryland
Date CapturedMonday July 10 2006, 8:41 PM
The Gazette reports, "The Governor’s Community College Initiative for Students with Learning Disabilities will award $500,000 to approximately 200 students. Students chosen for the project are eligible for up to $2,500 per year for three years to earn their degree or career certification at a state community college."
Pre-K and Latinos: The Foundation of America's Future
Date CapturedMonday July 10 2006, 8:15 PM
Eugene E. Garcia, Ph.D., Arizona State University, College of Education, Tempe, AZ; Danielle M. Gonzales, M.Ed., Pre-K Now Washington, DC, July 2006. Providing Hispanics with much greater access to high-quality pre-k is critical to helping states meet the standards and mandates of NCLB. To maximize the benefits of increased Latino participation in pre-k, programs should be structured to build upon the existing strengths within Latino communities, including strong family bonds, a high value on educational achievement, and widespread support for public education and social systems.
School choice offers way to improve Arizona schools
Date CapturedMonday July 10 2006, 7:57 PM
Arizona Daily Star guest editorial by Matthew Ladner, Goldwater Institute, "The crisis facing Arizona public schools is not one of resources. Rather, it is a collapse in the productivity of education spending. Arizona public schools have come to resemble a broken-down jalopy. You can pump in all the gas that money can buy, but they still won't run."
Plan would put flexibility in school funding
Date CapturedMonday July 10 2006, 7:52 PM
Columbus Dispatch op-ed, "Any number of ideas are circulating for reforming public-schoolfinance systems, from requiring schools to spend 65 percent of their dollars "in the classroom," to mandating that states provide "adequate" (i.e., vast) sums of money to schools. Some of these schemes may have merit, many do not, but none does what is needed: fundamentally and thoroughly overhaul the basic mechanisms by which public education dollars are disbursed to schools on behalf of their children. Weighted student funding does that."
The Averaged Freshman Graduation Rate for Public High Schools From the Common Core of Data: School Years 2002–03 and 2003-04
Date CapturedMonday July 10 2006, 9:57 AM
Comparing the averaged freshman graduation rate among public school students in the class of 2002-03 to that of 2003-04 in each of the 48 reporting states and the District of Columbia, 32 states and the District of Columbia experienced increases in the rate, 1 state experienced no change, and 15 states experienced declines in the rate over this 2-year period. Note, a previous version of this report included unstable estimates for Department of Defense schools, which have been removed.
Arizona state gives K-12 schools $5.5M for e-learning
Date CapturedMonday July 10 2006, 9:05 AM
Business Journal of Phoenix reports, "A bill recently signed into law will create a task force of technology, business and education leaders to oversee implementation of e-learning measures across Arizona."
Pennsylvania study to try to pin down education costs
Date CapturedMonday July 10 2006, 8:16 AM
The Daily Item reports, "It will determine just how much it costs to educate a student to meet Pennsylvania's academic standards."
Minnesota View: Free college — but some restrictions apply
Date CapturedMonday July 10 2006, 8:10 AM
Winona Daily News editorial writes, "Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s new proposal to give free college to Minnesota students who perform well academically is a pretty good idea, if the purpose is to keep some of the brightest students from leaving Minnesota for good."
Texas school reform in state's hands, education chief setting rules for local districts on spending, test scores
Date CapturedMonday July 10 2006, 8:04 AM
Dallas Morning News reports, "Control over public schools is swinging back toward the state as Texas' education chief and her staff write a series of new rules regulating everything from how districts spend their tax dollars to how much student test scores must improve each year."
Small Colleges, Short of Men, Embrace Football
Date CapturedMonday July 10 2006, 7:18 AM
NY Times registration. NY Times reports, "Some small American colleges, eager to attract men to increasingly female campuses, have taken notice of how many students like Mr. Bosworth can be lured to attend by adding football teams. Officials at these colleges say football can bring in more tuition-paying students than any other course or activity — and not just players themselves."
REGENTS RACKET
Date CapturedMonday July 10 2006, 7:07 AM
NY Post registration required. NY Post editorial writes, "New York state school officials had a problem: Not enough kids were meeting the standard to graduate with a Regents diploma. So what'd they do? They lowered the standard, of course."
Museum to offer high-tech programs, partners with schools, colleges, businesses to fill education gap
Date CapturedMonday July 10 2006, 6:36 AM
Star Gazette reports, "The project will focus on getting students interested in high-tech fields starting in middle school, and will build on the Flying Start summer youth camp launched last year by Wings of Eagles Discovery Center. The effort is designed to fill what organizers see as a gap in local education programs."
Pennsylvania education funding should go with child
Date CapturedSunday July 09 2006, 5:33 PM
The Patriot News reports, "It is difficult to catalog in full the deep inequities rooted in Pennsylvania's current finance system."
Survey: Majority opposes student database
Date CapturedSunday July 09 2006, 2:27 PM
Herald Sun reports, "A recent survey shows that nearly two-thirds of Americans oppose creating a national database to collect personal information from every college student -- a move a federal commission has suggested as a way for Congress to track federal funding and make more informed policy decisions."
Autism Reveals Social Roots of Language
Date CapturedSunday July 09 2006, 2:17 PM
NPR reports, "People with autism often struggle to learn language, and they also struggle with personal relationships."
Maryland community college to start honors program
Date CapturedSunday July 09 2006, 11:20 AM
Baltimore Sun reports, "The Hill Scholars Program will provide an opportunity for groups of 20 to 24 full-time students to progress through their first two years of college together in classes offered specifically for them."
Rhode Island educators want more high school students to take college classes
Date CapturedSunday July 09 2006, 11:15 AM
Boston Globe reports AP story, "State educators hope to increase the number of minority and low-income students attending college by having them take some classes while still in high school."
United Cerebral Palsy of Central Florida charter school taking registration for 2006-07
Date CapturedSunday July 09 2006, 10:58 AM
Orlando Sentinel reports, "Children without disabilities can also attend the preschool. This gives children with and without disabilities an opportunity to learn and play together."
Just 1 Staten Island school opting for incentive plan
Date CapturedSunday July 09 2006, 10:29 AM
Staten Island Advance registration required. Advance reports, "A Department of Education source said the lack of participation among Staten Island principals makes it look like borough administrators are resistant to the initiative. 'I am sure the Chancellor is not happy with that.'"
Get adults into college too, Nation, and New York, need a major improvement in university graduates
Date CapturedSunday July 09 2006, 10:24 AM
Buffalo News reports, "Global competition is rapidly increasing and the best way for America to keep up is to educate all citizens, old and young, well beyond high school. But that will take a different perspective on the outlay, and it will take a different funding schematic that better adheres to this nation's changing demographics."
Hazing disregards gender lines
Date CapturedSunday July 09 2006, 10:14 AM
Times Union reports, "Though experts say conclusive data about hazing remains scarce, a number of national surveys have offered some insight into how widespread hazing has become."
OFFICE OF THE NEW YORK STATE COMPTROLLER DIVISION OF STATE SERVICES STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT REPORTING OF VIOLENT AND DISRUPTIVE INCIDENTS BY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Date CapturedSunday July 09 2006, 9:39 AM
Report 2005-S-38, "We visited a representative sample of high schools and found that, at a majority of the schools, at least one-third of the violent and disruptive incidents documented in the schools’ records were not reported to SED. At several schools, more than 80 percent of the documented incidents were not reported to SED, and in a number of instances, the most serious types of incidents were unreported, such as sexual offenses and incidents involving the use of a weapon."
At Colleges, Women Are Leaving Men in the Dust
Date CapturedSunday July 09 2006, 9:31 AM
NY Times registration required. NY Times reports, "Department of Education statistics show that men, whatever their race or socioeconomic group, are less likely than women to get bachelor's degrees — and among those who do, fewer complete their degrees in four or five years."
HOU$EWARMING WOOS TEACHERS, CITY PAYS OUT TO HELP RECRUITS MOVE IN
Date CapturedSunday July 09 2006, 9:09 AM
NY Post registration required, "NY Post reports, "Each teacher accepted gets $5,000 up front for moving or down-payment costs, plus $400 per month for two years. They must teach for three years at a city middle or high school."
BONUS-$$ OUTRAGE AT FAILING SCHOOLS
Date CapturedSunday July 09 2006, 9:03 AM
NY Post registration required. NY Post reports on NYC schools, "Principals of 100 city schools that failed to meet state standards last year - including two so bad that they were ordered closed - are being awarded $887,500 in performance bonuses, city and state education records show."
Vermont education chief to hold meetings on school district consolidation
Date CapturedSaturday July 08 2006, 11:08 AM
Boston Globe reports, "Richard Cate plans to hold 38 meetings around the state starting in the fall to determine if there is support for his proposed plan to reduce the number of school districts from 284 to 63."
Singapore: America's next college town
Date CapturedSaturday July 08 2006, 8:54 AM
CNETnews.com reports, "The Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the National Research Foundation of Singapore on Friday announced plans to establish a major, new research center in Singapore in 2007."
Buffalo Dissolves Informatics School, Returns LIS to Education
Date CapturedSaturday July 08 2006, 8:34 AM
ALA reports, "The State University of New York’s University at Buffalo announced June 16 that it was dissolving its School of Informatics, with its two components—the Department of Library and Information Studies and the Department of Communication—moving back to their former homes in the Graduate School of Education and the College of Arts and Sciences, respectively."
College costs hit 'scary' heights
Date CapturedSaturday July 08 2006, 8:12 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports, "Nationally, the cost of a year at a private four-year school was more than $29,000 in 2005-06, according to the nonprofit College Board, while at a public four-year school, it exceeded $12,000. Those figures don't include textbooks and incidental expenses, which can easily add $2,000 a year."
Autism Conference: Thousands Find Connection And Inspiration
Date CapturedSaturday July 08 2006, 12:06 AM
This summer, from July 31 through August 4, the 2006 National Autism Conference is expected to draw more than 2,400 people to Penn State's University Park campus.
Education Finance and Accountability Program (EFAP)
Date CapturedFriday July 07 2006, 4:06 PM
This program is part of the well-known, multi-disciplinary Center for Policy Research.
Top 100 Degree Producers 2006 - All Disciplines - Total Minority Associate
Date CapturedFriday July 07 2006, 3:20 PM
Diversity Online reports all Top 100 Degree Producers 2006 - All Disciplines - Total Minority Associate (see links at site)
Top 100 Degree Producers 2006 Education - Total Minority Baccalaureates
Date CapturedFriday July 07 2006, 3:15 PM
Diverseonline reports top 100 Education Baccalaureates for minorities.
College pennants needed
Date CapturedFriday July 07 2006, 2:44 PM
Nashoba Publishing reports, "The idea is to immerse the students in an environment filled with pennants from the different colleges and universities from around the nation and to encourage the students to look outside McNairy County, Tennessee, to see other possibilities for their lives."
Drug Use Down Among College Athletes
Date CapturedFriday July 07 2006, 9:04 AM
WLKY reports, "The NCAA said the number of U.S. college athletes testing positive for steroids dropped 47 percent from 2000 to 2005."
Yonkers defiant over critical state audit
Date CapturedFriday July 07 2006, 8:39 AM
The Journal News reports, "State Comptroller Alan Hevesi, a Democrat, yesterday released a 20-page final audit that said city, school and economic development officials illegally shuffled money between accounts to help pay for the construction of a new library and Board of Education headquarters."
Protect your passwords; University-level ID theft raises concerns at Arizona State U.
Date CapturedFriday July 07 2006, 12:25 AM
statepress.com reports, "A recent increase in computer security breaches at universities nationwide has led to concerns that computer hackers may be attempting to obtain personal information, such as social security numbers of students, faculty and alumni to be used for identity theft."
Most states fall short on student testing, government says
Date CapturedFriday July 07 2006, 12:20 AM
USA Today reports AP story, "The Education Department says 34 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have major problems with the tests that were supposed to be in place in the just-ended school year. They will get federal approval only if they correct the problems in the coming year."
College Student Tracking Assailed
Date CapturedFriday July 07 2006, 12:01 AM
Washington Post registration required. Washington Post reports, "The controversial concept of a national student 'unit' tracking system has been floating around for about two years. It was given a boost last month when Education Secretary Margaret Spellings's Commission on the Future of Higher Education released a draft report endorsing such a plan."
California Schools Could Lose Aid over 'No Child' Law
Date CapturedThursday July 06 2006, 6:31 PM
NPR reports, "This week, the U.S. Department of Education threatened to withhold millions of dollars in federal school aid from California because the state has failed to help students transfer out of low-performing schools."
The Disability Gap
Date CapturedThursday July 06 2006, 2:41 PM
HuffingtonPost.com reports, "Nationwide, under 2% of students have learning disabilities severe enough to qualify for extra time on the SAT. In private school Manhattan, the percentage is substantially greater. And that means dramatically higher scores."
Pennsylvania Governor Rendell Signs $25 Million Tax Cut for Pennsylvanians Saving for Higher Education
Date CapturedThursday July 06 2006, 2:35 PM
bizyahoo.com reports, "The new law gives Pennsylvanians a state tax deduction for contributions to a qualified tuition account program - such as the TAP 529 program offered by the Pennsylvania Treasury Department."
AZ suing feds over scoring for schools
Date CapturedThursday July 06 2006, 2:25 PM
KVOA reports AP story, "Arizona is suing the U-S Department of Education over the federal agency's refusal to give schools three years before they have to count English-language learning students' test scores in a key accountability measure used by the 'No Child Left Behind' program."
District 26 Seeks Repeal Of Schools Cellphone Ban
Date CapturedThursday July 06 2006, 1:50 PM
Queens Chronicle reports, "Saying that cellphones improve students’ safety, members of Community District Education Council 26 in Bayside voted last week to have the chancellor repeal the ban in public schools."
Rejecting the 65-Percent Solution
Date CapturedThursday July 06 2006, 10:34 AM
A Monthly Column by EFAP Director John Yinger, July 2006. Yinger writes, "The real problem is that children in high-poverty schools cannot receive an adequate education unless their district spends far more than other districts on many items, such as counseling, health, nutrition, safety, and parental involvement."
U at Buffalo Graduate School of Education workshop to examine changes in school leadership
Date CapturedThursday July 06 2006, 10:08 AM
UB Reporter, "In New York State, 'There is a real concern about an impending shortage of school superintendents,' according to Stephen L. Jacobson, professor of educational leadership and policy, and workshop organizer."
Tufts gets creative on admissions
Date CapturedThursday July 06 2006, 9:46 AM
Boston.com reports Boston Globe story, "The university will ask applicants to show original thinking and imagine, for example, an alternative version of history: What if civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks had given up her seat on the bus? Or, they could be asked to write an off-the-wall ministory with the title, 'My roommate is a space alien.'"
Now lower school teachers demand OBE be abandoned
Date CapturedThursday July 06 2006, 9:22 AM
The West Australian reports, "Teachers who have been forced to implement outcomes-based education in lower school say the system is flawed for the same reasons Years 11 and 12 OBE courses were considered flawed and should be scrapped."
Newburgh school plan stalled instate office
Date CapturedThursday July 06 2006, 7:53 AM
Times Herald-Record reports, "The goal was to create smaller, more manageable learning environments. The timetable seemed feasible - until the satellite building plans landed in the state Education Department's facilities planning division."
Tax dollars to fund study on restricting public data
Date CapturedWednesday July 05 2006, 11:05 PM
USA Today reports, "The federal government will pay a Texas law school $1 million to do research aimed at rolling back the amount of sensitive data available to the press and public through freedom-of-information requests."
NCAA releases second list of diploma mills
Date CapturedWednesday July 05 2006, 10:46 PM
USA Today reports AP story, "The NCAA on Wednesday added 16 non-traditional high schools, seven of them in Santa Ana, Calif., to a list of those whose transcripts will no longer be accepted because of questionable academic credentials."
'Bridging the Academic-Social Gap' subject of Union College symposium
Date CapturedWednesday July 05 2006, 4:25 PM
The symposium will be titled "Bridging the Academic-Social Gap." The keynote address will be given by Richard Light, director of the Harvard Seminar on Assessment at Harvard University, for the Friday, Sept. 15 event.
Few Rules Protect Young Foreign Students in U.S.
Date CapturedWednesday July 05 2006, 4:20 PM
NPR reports, "Every year, tens of thousands of teenagers from around the globe come to the United States to live and learn." "Most foreign students who study in the United States enter through one of two visa programs: the J-1 or the F-1."
Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC)
Date CapturedWednesday July 05 2006, 11:22 AM
HESC is the state agency that helps people pay for college.
Dealing With Debt: 1992-93 Bachelor’s Degree Recipients 10 Years Later
Date CapturedWednesday July 05 2006, 10:51 AM
Using data from the 1993–2003 Baccalaureate and Beyond Study (B&B:93/03), this NCES report describes the borrowing patterns of 1992–93 bachelor’s degree recipients and examines the repayment of undergraduate Stafford loans for those who had no additional degree enrollment.
Black failure in school – who's to blame?
Date CapturedWednesday July 05 2006, 10:28 AM
WorldNetDaily.com reports, "There's enough blame for this sorry state of affairs for all participants to have their share: students who are hostile and alien to the education process, parents who don't care, teachers who are incompetent or have been beaten down by the system, and administrators who sanction unwarranted promotions and issuance of fraudulent diplomas that attest that a student has mastered 12th-grade material when in fact he hasn't mastered sixth- or seventh-grade material."
As Federal Funding Disappears, So Do Computers From Classrooms
Date CapturedWednesday July 05 2006, 10:18 AM
MTV reports, "Among the most controversial of the education budget cuts is the phasing out of funding for the Enhancing Education Through Technology program. The plan was introduced to equip students with the technological know-how to succeed in our computer-dependent society, as well as to ensure that every student is technologically literate by the end of eighth grade, as dictated by No Child Left Behind."
Access to information is key to independence
Date CapturedWednesday July 05 2006, 10:04 AM
Special to The Washington Post by US 39th President Jimmy Carter on FOIA, "It is a critical tool in fighting corruption, and people can use it to improve their own lives in the areas of health care, education, housing and other public services. Perhaps most important, access to information advances citizens’ trust in their government, allowing people to understand policy decisions and monitor their implementation."
Minnesota Governor’s ACHIEVE plan is shortsighted
Date CapturedWednesday July 05 2006, 9:54 AM
The Minnesota Daily editorial reports, "It’s apparent that the program discriminates based on field of study, an absurd notion of favoritism that assumes math and sciences students are more 'worthy' of financial support than students in other disciplines."
How English is taught in Texas likely to change; Education board may take conservative turn on reading, writing standard
Date CapturedWednesday July 05 2006, 9:42 AM
Houston Chronicle reports, "Because Texas is such a large market for publishers, textbook adoptions here have national repercussions."
Colorado charter agency in jeopardy; Local school boards file suits to maintain authority in districts
Date CapturedWednesday July 05 2006, 9:15 AM
Rocky Mountain News reports, "Local boards of education see the institute as an end-run around a portion of the Colorado Constitution they interpret as giving them authority over all publicly funded schools in their districts."
Committing to better education; Nevada now asking for a pledge to be signed by parents
Date CapturedWednesday July 05 2006, 9:11 AM
The Nevada Appeal reports, "In the upcoming school year, students, parents and teachers in the Carson City School District will be asked to sign an agreement pledging to improve education."
AUGUST 2006 REGENTS EXAMINATION SCHEDULE
Date CapturedWednesday July 05 2006, 8:50 AM
The University of the State of New York
SUNY is correct to call for a smoking ban in dormitories
Date CapturedWednesday July 05 2006, 8:34 AM
Press Republican reports, "Chancellor John Ryan has ordered an end to smoking in dorms next year. SUNY will come up with a plan to enact the ban."
New York's teachers are public workers looking to be treated fairly
Date CapturedWednesday July 05 2006, 8:24 AM
Times Union includes letter to editor from NYSUT president, "The New York State School Boards Association gets an A in creative fiction for arguing that adding equity to the Taylor Law would increase property taxes ("An education in soaring property taxes," June 29). The specter of higher property taxes is a red herring from an organization that has enjoyed the upper hand in contract negotiations for nearly 40 years and opposes a level playing field for teachers and other school employees."
Boro's quality-of-life boost
Date CapturedWednesday July 05 2006, 7:26 AM
NY Daily News reports, "EDUCATION: Almost $3.9 million to schools for new computers, new science labs and a partnership with the Out2Schools Foundation, which will reconstruct several schoolyards across the borough."
Disabled girl wins round on ed funds
Date CapturedWednesday July 05 2006, 7:21 AM
NY Daily News reports, "Somoza has cerebral palsy and is unable to speak or control her hands. She has received three years of a program designed to help her communicate. But the city says it no longer has to pay because Somoza is too old for a free education."
NATIONAL CENTER FOR POLICY ANALYSIS
Date CapturedTuesday July 04 2006, 7:54 PM
Bipartisan Coalition Backs New School Funding Model; Solution Boosts Spending for Needy Children and Promotes Education Choice
Date CapturedTuesday July 04 2006, 7:47 PM
US Newswire reports, "The proposal, Fund the Child: Tackling Inequity and Antiquity in School Finance (visit http://www.100percentsolution.org ), is a 'manifesto' that offers a comprehensive solution to the most pressing problems in American education, including funding disparities on many levels."
Miami Dade College to offer classes on base
Date CapturedTuesday July 04 2006, 6:24 PM
Miami Herald.com reports, "Miami Dade College will be opening a new student outreach center at Homestead Air Reserve Base this fall. The center will offer courses in accounting, introduction to business, English composition, Spanish, pre-Algebra and speech."
New Mexico to increase number of charter schools
Date CapturedTuesday July 04 2006, 6:13 PM
KOBTV.com reports, "New Mexico has received more than $12 million from the US Education Department to increase the number of charter schools in the state."
'Penguins' pack punch for education reform
Date CapturedTuesday July 04 2006, 1:26 PM
CNN.com reports AP story, "They call themselves the "penguins" for their white-on-dark school uniforms, but what 700,000 Chilean high school kids have pulled off in recent days signals the emergence of a new generation in a nation transformed from dictatorship to democracy."
Sex-ed bill fails in state Senate
Date CapturedTuesday July 04 2006, 8:16 AM
The Journal News reports, "In New York, schools have to teach students about AIDS and HIV, but sex education is not required. Sex-education programs vary greatly among school districts."
Smaller classes, bigger budgets
Date CapturedTuesday July 04 2006, 8:11 AM
The Citizen reports, "Whatever the causes, falling student populations are changing the face of education in rural areas. Though student numbers are down, costs continue to rise, which presents a major challenge for districts with a disintegrating tax base. In addition, fewer students translates into less state aid to help keep tax levies in check."
Morahan meets with school officials to discuss funding issues
Date CapturedTuesday July 04 2006, 7:36 AM
The Journal News reports, "Other groups — government, students, teachers, taxpayers — will have their chance to talk about the issues at a later date. For this first summit, Morahan just wanted to hear from school decision-makers."
Federal authorities investigate Yale University's accounting practices
Date CapturedMonday July 03 2006, 9:43 PM
Yale Daily News reports, "Yale, a perennial recipient of lucrative federal funding and an influential advocate in Washington, D.C. for higher education, is now under a sweeping federal investigation for how it manages the millions of dollars it receives in research grants each year, University officials said Friday."
Program Aims to Foster Adult Successes
Date CapturedMonday July 03 2006, 9:09 PM
NPR reports, "Foster kids who are 'emancipated' from foster care at the age of 18 are often ill-equipped to make basic decisions about work, education and housing. One program in Southern California has had some success in helping these young adults get into and through college."
Pennsylvania universities gear up for new program
Date CapturedMonday July 03 2006, 9:11 AM
A partnership between universities and Philadelphia schools has culminated in Project EFFORT, a summer urban academy for students participating in Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP).
How to Educate Young Scientists
Date CapturedMonday July 03 2006, 8:02 AM
NY Times registration required. NY Times reports, "The United States could easily fall from its privileged perch in the global economy unless it does something about the horrendous state of science education at both the public school and university levels."
School funding solution is in a backpack
Date CapturedMonday July 03 2006, 7:32 AM
NY Daily News reports, "In 1945, U.S. public schools received $1,214 per student, in 2002 dollars; by 2002, they received $8,745 per student, and the number keeps growing."..."Rather than simply pumping more gas into this broken down car, it's time to design a much smarter and more effective way to get from Point A to Point B. A reform idea called 'weighted student funding' does just that, making intelligent use of the resources we already devote to education."
Hearing focuses on health, education needs of disabled
Date CapturedSunday July 02 2006, 7:59 PM
Women Underestimate Their Web Savvy
Date CapturedSunday July 02 2006, 7:03 PM
Read referenced study on Education New York Online EDUCATION POLICY page, GENDER folder.
Special-needs Gersh College Experience moves ahead
Date CapturedSunday July 02 2006, 10:41 AM
Buffalo News
LaFayette: Longer day enhances education
Date CapturedSunday July 02 2006, 7:51 AM
Post-Standard
School boards gear up for fall
Date CapturedSunday July 02 2006, 7:43 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
BELOW-GRADE ED. DEPT.
Date CapturedSunday July 02 2006, 7:09 AM
NY Post registration required
Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE)
Date CapturedSaturday July 01 2006, 8:43 PM
The School Testing Dodge
Date CapturedSaturday July 01 2006, 8:33 PM
NY Times registration required. Read referenced PACE study on Education New York Online EDUCATION POLICY page, NCLB folder.
Politics of Charter Schools: Competing National Advocacy Coalitions Meet Local Politics
Date CapturedSaturday July 01 2006, 7:48 PM
2006. Author: Michael W. Kirst. This paper identifies supporters and opponents of charter schools at all levels of government and describes their motivations and behaviors. The author explains that state and local support for charter schools is most often determined by educational needs and material incentives. Different political contexts produce different charter school policies. For example, charter school legislation in Michigan was designed to increase competition among public schools. Legislation in Georgia served to deregulate public education after a period of increased state centralization. The paper concludes that there is no cohesive state or local charter political pattern, given the variations in charter schools and their contexts.
Closing U at Buffalo School of Informatics is a terrible mistake
Date CapturedSaturday July 01 2006, 7:05 PM
Arizona State U West teacher program hailed
Date CapturedSaturday July 01 2006, 9:39 AM
Utah wheels of education reform start to turn today
Date CapturedSaturday July 01 2006, 9:36 AM
No school bus strike yet
Date CapturedSaturday July 01 2006, 7:31 AM
NY Daily News
Sex education advocates regroup
Date CapturedSaturday July 01 2006, 7:28 AM
Times Union
State invests in future teachers
Date CapturedSaturday July 01 2006, 7:23 AM
Times Union
New Illinois law expands coverage for children with autism
Date CapturedFriday June 30 2006, 11:13 AM
Nation’s "Best Schools" Fail Minorities
Date CapturedFriday June 30 2006, 10:27 AM
Diverse: Issues In Higher Education
Community College Transfers Shut Out of Elite Colleges
Date CapturedFriday June 30 2006, 10:20 AM
Read executive summary of referenced report on Education New York Online EDUCATION POLICY page, COMMUNITY COLLEGES folder.
States distort school test scores, researchers say
Date CapturedFriday June 30 2006, 10:04 AM
Read referenced report on Education New York Online EDUCATION POLICY page, NCLB folder.
Is the No Child Left Behind Act Working? The Reliability of How States Track Achievement
Date CapturedFriday June 30 2006, 10:00 AM
This new PACE working paper traces how 12 diverse states have reported on student achievement trends, 1992-2005. Trend lines often follow jagged, saw-tooth patterns over time -- as state education officials change testing companies, shift the bar defining "proficient" performance, and teachers spend more time on test preparation activities. The PACE research team also confirmed earlier findings that many states report much higher shares of fourth-graders "proficient" in reading and math, compared with the percentage of students found to be proficient under the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Following the January 2002 passage of the No Child Left Behind Act, states have continued to report annual gains in reading proficiency, while the federal assessment indicates that fourth-graders' performance has flatten-out. Together, these factors lead to state test score patterns that are difficult for parents and local educators to interpret. Recommendations are advanced for bringing state and federal testing systems into closer alignment.
Connecticut Ethics Law May Hinder State Schools
Date CapturedFriday June 30 2006, 9:47 AM
Sen. Morahan holds Rockland-Orange education spending summit
Date CapturedFriday June 30 2006, 8:56 AM
The Journal News (Education New York Online editor correction to Journal News story: Peter Applebee, New York state Senate Finance Committee)
University of Rochester zaps personal data on Web site
Date CapturedFriday June 30 2006, 8:40 AM
New York states legislature helps part-time students get an education
Date CapturedFriday June 30 2006, 8:17 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
Getting schooled
Date CapturedFriday June 30 2006, 8:12 AM
USA Today
The Lure of the Sea, and Science, for Minority Students
Date CapturedFriday June 30 2006, 8:03 AM
NY Times registration
North Carolina Education Lottery Unveils New Scratch-Off Games
Date CapturedThursday June 29 2006, 8:01 PM
$790 Million in New Grants for College Students Available July 1
Date CapturedThursday June 29 2006, 7:54 PM
Secretary Spellings Delivers Remarks to the OECD Ministerial
Date CapturedThursday June 29 2006, 11:11 AM
Summers Looks Back at Harvard Presidency
Date CapturedThursday June 29 2006, 11:08 AM
NPR
Forum Guide to Elementary/Secondary Virtual Education
Date CapturedThursday June 29 2006, 10:59 AM
This NCES guide provides recommendations for collecting accurate, comparable, and useful data about virtual education in an elementary/secondary education setting.
Forum Guide to the Privacy of Student Information: A Resource for Schools
Date CapturedThursday June 29 2006, 10:50 AM
This NCES guide was written to help school and local education agency staff to better understand and apply FERPA, a federal law that protects privacy interests of parents and students in student education records.
Protecting Public Education from Tax Giveaways to Corporations
Date CapturedThursday June 29 2006, 10:23 AM
A study commissioned by the National Education Association (NEA) reveals that local policymakers nationwide are doling out tax breaks and other subsidies to corporations with little or no accountability. Moreover, these tax handouts often come at the direct expense of public schools, with school boards lacking any input in the decision.
Pre-kindergarten programs can trim education costs
Date CapturedThursday June 29 2006, 9:59 AM
An education in soaring property taxes
Date CapturedThursday June 29 2006, 8:33 AM
Times Union
Deadline Approaches for Low-Rate Student Loans
Date CapturedWednesday June 28 2006, 10:26 PM
NPR
NASA launches education initiative
Date CapturedWednesday June 28 2006, 9:54 PM
New CED Report Shows the “Economic Promise” of Prekindergarten Programs
Date CapturedWednesday June 28 2006, 12:18 PM
read full report on Education New York Online EDUCATION POLICY page, EARLY LEARNING folder.
SUNY to ban smoking in dorms
Date CapturedWednesday June 28 2006, 8:13 AM
Times Union
Less-costly alternatives to Prop. 82 could yield better results
Date CapturedWednesday June 28 2006, 8:07 AM
RUSSELL W. RUMBERGER is professor of education and director of the University of California Linguistic Minority Research Institute at UC-Santa Barbara. He wrote this article for the Mercury News.
General ed. teachers face special ed. realities
Date CapturedTuesday June 27 2006, 11:42 PM
North Carolina lottery to make $50 million transfer to education
Date CapturedTuesday June 27 2006, 10:14 PM
Supreme Court: Expert fees not recoverable in Dutchess County case
Date CapturedTuesday June 27 2006, 12:27 PM
Poughkeepsie Journal
Florida universities using standardized tests to gauge progress
Date CapturedTuesday June 27 2006, 11:54 AM
Fund the Child, Tackling Inequity & Antiquity in School Finance
Date CapturedTuesday June 27 2006, 10:18 AM
New school funding proposal by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute offers a comprehensive solution to the most pressing problems in American education, including funding disparities on many levels.
Debunking the fictions that block school reform
Date CapturedTuesday June 27 2006, 9:48 AM
Read "The Shape of the Starting Line" on Education New York Online, EDUCATION POLICY link, POVERTY folder.
The Shape Of The Starting Line
Date CapturedTuesday June 27 2006, 9:39 AM
Produced By: Tom Sgouros. This report contains a review of some important research findings about the links between poverty and academic success, and research relevant to several popular school reform proposals. It also covers matters relating to professional practice, school conditions, literacy and early childhood education.
College grads face huge debts, Average student will owe $19,000, some up to $100K
Date CapturedTuesday June 27 2006, 7:55 AM
Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin
Schenectady County Community College presents annual awards to faculty members
Date CapturedTuesday June 27 2006, 7:38 AM
Times Union
Panel's Draft Report Calls for an Overhaul of Higher Education Nationwide
Date CapturedTuesday June 27 2006, 7:23 AM
NY Times registration
Arkansas Education Challenged by Rising Poverty
Date CapturedMonday June 26 2006, 3:40 PM
Title IX and single-sex education
Date CapturedMonday June 26 2006, 3:18 PM
U.S.News & World Report
Schools will end black and white policy on race
Date CapturedMonday June 26 2006, 11:31 AM
Staten Island Advance
Colleges abloom in buildings
Date CapturedMonday June 26 2006, 10:30 AM
Buffalo News
Washington state Principal backs Outcomes Based Education (OBE)
Date CapturedMonday June 26 2006, 9:40 AM
Merredin Wheatbelt Mercury
Measured Progress: A Report on the High School Reform Movement
Date CapturedMonday June 26 2006, 8:53 AM
Studies on the impact of the wide-ranging efforts over the past half-decade to reform the nation's public high schools have produced important—and encouraging—findings, researcher Craig Jerald reveals in a new Education Sector report titled "Measured Progress: A Report on the High School Reform Movement."
Education Sector
Date CapturedMonday June 26 2006, 8:46 AM
The Truth About Boys and Girls
Date CapturedMonday June 26 2006, 8:40 AM
By Sara Mead, Education Sector. On many measures American boys are achieving more than ever, but girls have improved their performance even faster. A careful look at the evidence shows the boy crisis hype is overblown and benefits neither boys nor girls.
Education for entrepreneurs
Date CapturedMonday June 26 2006, 8:37 AM
USA Today
What role schools?
Date CapturedMonday June 26 2006, 8:27 AM
The Journal News
Education debate: Middle school or K-8
Date CapturedMonday June 26 2006, 8:15 AM
The Record
Parents delivering quality education
Date CapturedMonday June 26 2006, 4:15 AM
Empire Center for New York State Policy
Date CapturedSunday June 25 2006, 10:47 AM
Helping Kids, Saving Money: How to Reform New York's Special Education System
Date CapturedSunday June 25 2006, 10:31 AM
By Jay P. Greene and Marcus A. Winters with Greg Forster, Empire Center Special Report 02-05. This report shows that New York can reduce special ed costs and enrollment--and improve parental satisfaction with the program as part of the bargain--by adopting two simple reforms: changing the formula funding special education from a "bounty" system to a "lump-sum" system; and implementing a voucher program for children in special education.
Cato Institute
Date CapturedSunday June 25 2006, 10:27 AM
Boys will be boys: A case for single-gender education
Date CapturedSunday June 25 2006, 9:29 AM
Colleges enter testing debate
Date CapturedSunday June 25 2006, 9:25 AM
Why single-sex education is not the route to better results
Date CapturedSaturday June 24 2006, 10:25 PM
observer.guardian.co.uk/uk
College loan rates rising
Date CapturedSaturday June 24 2006, 9:55 PM
pressrepublican.com
Merit raises common for Louisiana higher education
Date CapturedSaturday June 24 2006, 9:26 AM
Illinois law adds coverage for autism speech therapy
Date CapturedSaturday June 24 2006, 9:14 AM
Deborah Rhea Named Director of International Programs at Cortland
Date CapturedSaturday June 24 2006, 8:30 AM
SUNY Cortland
FITNESS REPORT: SCHOOLS 'LEAN' ON BIG APPLE STUDENTS
Date CapturedFriday June 23 2006, 7:02 AM
NY Post registration required
Healthy addition to report cards
Date CapturedFriday June 23 2006, 6:52 AM
NY Daily News
City Students To Receive Fitness Report Cards
Date CapturedThursday June 22 2006, 11:47 PM
NY1
South Dakota Sued Over Education Funding
Date CapturedThursday June 22 2006, 11:38 PM
Failing System
Date CapturedThursday June 22 2006, 8:26 PM
LI Press (see Education New York Online, EDUCATION POLICY link, SCHOOL FUNDING folder for referenced study)
New Hampshire Chief justice: What education is 'adequate'?
Date CapturedThursday June 22 2006, 8:03 PM
Judge plans fall trial in Alabama's college desegregation case
Date CapturedThursday June 22 2006, 7:59 PM
Niagara U gets state OK for RN program
Date CapturedThursday June 22 2006, 10:30 AM
Business First of Buffalo
Campus riot highlights China's education sector woes
Date CapturedThursday June 22 2006, 9:13 AM
The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System -- United States 2005
Date CapturedThursday June 22 2006, 8:43 AM
This Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study monitors six categories of priority health-risk behaviors among youth and young adults, including behaviors that contribute to unintentional injuries and violence; tobacco use; alcohol and other drug use; sexual behaviors that contribute to unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections; unhealthy dietary behaviors; and physical inactivity. In addition, the YRBSS monitors general health status and the prevalence of overweight and asthma. YRBSS includes a national school-based survey conducted by CDC and state and local school-based surveys conducted by state and local education and health agencies.
Planning a new preschool
Date CapturedThursday June 22 2006, 7:33 AM
The Journal News
Students face choice of SAT or ACT
Date CapturedWednesday June 21 2006, 4:56 PM
Profile of Undergraduates in U.S. Postsecondary Education Institutions: 2003-04, With a Special Analysis of Community College Students
Date CapturedWednesday June 21 2006, 10:24 AM
This report includes an analysis of community college students, examining the relationship between a measure of students’ degree commitment and their likelihood of maintaining their enrollment over the 1-year period under study. Overall, some 49 percent of community college students were classified as “more committed,” 39 percent as “less committed” and 12 percent as “not committed.” The results indicate that students who demonstrate a relatively strong commitment to completing a program of study (i.e., they explicitly report that either transfer or degree completion are reasons for attending and they attend classes at least half time) are very likely to maintain their enrollment for one year. Some 83 percent of the “more committed” students did so, compared with 70 percent of “less committed” and 58 percent of those designated as “not committed.”
Juvenile Center Restrictions Draw Fire
Date CapturedWednesday June 21 2006, 6:38 AM
Times Union
Student loan lessons
Date CapturedWednesday June 21 2006, 6:24 AM
NY Daily News
"Resilient and Reaching for More: The Challenges and Benefits of Higher Education for Welfare Participants and their Children"
Date CapturedTuesday June 20 2006, 9:44 PM
This Institute for Women's Policy Research report examines both the challenges and pay-offs associated with acquiring higher education under the tight constraints of welfare reform.
Reading First Grant Awards
Date CapturedTuesday June 20 2006, 4:16 PM
New York State Department of Education
Law schools may have to show diversity for accreditation
Date CapturedTuesday June 20 2006, 8:58 AM
Regents to limit aversive therapy
Date CapturedTuesday June 20 2006, 7:47 AM
Columbia, gem of West Harlem
Date CapturedTuesday June 20 2006, 7:15 AM
Some Kansas students to undergo random drug testing
Date CapturedMonday June 19 2006, 1:42 PM
New Jersey school wins award for character education
Date CapturedMonday June 19 2006, 1:31 PM
Biotech education planting strong roots in Arizona
Date CapturedMonday June 19 2006, 8:47 AM
U of Rochester aims to help at-risk kids
Date CapturedMonday June 19 2006, 8:14 AM
Area's top students seek greener quads
Date CapturedMonday June 19 2006, 7:57 AM
REPLACING PARENTS (NY Post registration)
Date CapturedMonday June 19 2006, 7:42 AM
Race is still part of equation for equal education
Date CapturedSunday June 18 2006, 9:29 PM
NYC Accused of Neglecting Students with Disabilities
Date CapturedSunday June 18 2006, 9:10 PM
Disruptive elephant in the room
Date CapturedSunday June 18 2006, 8:37 AM
Special Ed pupils in limbo
Date CapturedSunday June 18 2006, 8:29 AM
DOES WHOLE-SCHOOL REFORM BOOST STUDENT PERFORMANCE? THE CASE OF NEW YORK CITY
Date CapturedSaturday June 17 2006, 11:52 AM
Robert Bifulco, William Duncombe, John Yinger. Education Finance and Accountability Program (EFAP). Thousands of schools around the country have implemented whole-school reform programs to boost student performance. This paper uses quasi-experimental methods to estimate the impact of whole-school reform on students’ reading performance in New York City, where various reform programs were adopted in dozens of troubled elementary schools in the mid- 1990s. Two popular reform programs—the School Development Program and Success for All—do not significantly increase reading scores but might have if they had been fully implemented. The More Effective Schools program does boost reading scores, particularly for the poorest students, but only when program “trainers” remain in the school and the students are native English speakers.
Kids’ Well-being Indicators Clearinghouse (KWIC)
Date CapturedSaturday June 17 2006, 11:33 AM
Remedial education in higher education
Date CapturedSaturday June 17 2006, 12:04 AM
The Cost of Remedial Education: How Much Alabama Pays
Date CapturedFriday June 16 2006, 11:57 PM
by ChristopherW. Hammons, Ph.D. and Editing by Greg Heyman and Rob Sutherland. Alabama Policy Institute. This study, using data from state and national sources, calculates the financial impact on Alabama’s institutes of higher education and employers when students leave high school without basic skills.
Children's Health Series: Children's Nutrition
Date CapturedFriday June 16 2006, 11:22 PM
A four-page white paper, the second in a series on children's health produced by SCAA through its Children's Policy Agenda, to explore programs and policy interventions that support the development of healthy children in New York State.
Grandparents Poll
Date CapturedFriday June 16 2006, 5:57 PM
The survey found that 55% contribute in some way to their grandchildren’s education, with 21% setting up a fund for college tuition, 5% paying all or part of the tuition expenses, 12% paying for all or part of pre-school through high school expenses, and 24% contributing in other ways. Grandfathers were more likely than grandmothers to set up funds for college tuition (23.8% vs. 19.6%). Younger grandparents (under the age of 70), were more likely than those over 70 to set up funds for college tuition.
Delaware state board to rule on special needs
Date CapturedFriday June 16 2006, 12:41 PM
Opposition to Buffalo college's move to suburb
Date CapturedFriday June 16 2006, 9:58 AM
CDC confirms high-end rate of U.S. autism
Date CapturedFriday June 16 2006, 9:54 AM
Prep for terrorism
Date CapturedFriday June 16 2006, 9:24 AM
Researcher collaboration is key
Date CapturedFriday June 16 2006, 9:08 AM
BOCES: Hot Rod
Date CapturedFriday June 16 2006, 8:39 AM
SUNY chief praises university presidents
Date CapturedFriday June 16 2006, 8:28 AM
Hazing issues not solved by ousting frats
Date CapturedFriday June 16 2006, 8:26 AM
North Dakota to sue NCAA over Fighting Sioux name
Date CapturedFriday June 16 2006, 6:47 AM
Spellings goes overseas to tout education
Date CapturedThursday June 15 2006, 6:24 PM
Two grants available to college students
Date CapturedThursday June 15 2006, 6:21 PM
Students Design New Playground
Date CapturedThursday June 15 2006, 4:18 PM
Parents Still Feel Powerless in Community Education Councils
Date CapturedThursday June 15 2006, 4:14 PM
Learning English is top migrant issue
Date CapturedThursday June 15 2006, 9:32 AM
University of Texas has new tactics to boost grad rates
Date CapturedThursday June 15 2006, 9:24 AM
More than their share of special education?
Date CapturedThursday June 15 2006, 7:37 AM
Bridging the special education gap
Date CapturedThursday June 15 2006, 7:28 AM
Lock in low student-loan rates
Date CapturedThursday June 15 2006, 7:12 AM
Kids hurt in shock therapy school
Date CapturedWednesday June 14 2006, 7:41 PM
$21.6 Million in Charter Schools Facilities Grants Announced
Date CapturedWednesday June 14 2006, 10:21 AM
The Local Initiatives Support Corporation in New York, N.Y., has been awarded a $8.2 million grant.
Tracking Achievement Gaps and Assessing the Impact of NCLB on the Gaps: An In-depth Look into National and State Reading and Math Outcome Trends
Date CapturedWednesday June 14 2006, 9:48 AM
By Jaekyung Lee Graduate School of Education, State University of New York at Buffalo. Foreword by Gary Orfield, June 2006. This report compares the findings from the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) to state assessment results and concludes that that high stakes testing and sanctions required by NCLB are not working as planned under the NCLB. The findings contradict claims of the Bush Administration and some previous studies that showed positive results under NCLB.
Defining violence
Date CapturedWednesday June 14 2006, 8:33 AM
Missouri childhood education program signed
Date CapturedWednesday June 14 2006, 8:00 AM
NCLB education policy to miss goals: Harvard study
Date CapturedWednesday June 14 2006, 7:44 AM
Michigan education schools to be graded
Date CapturedWednesday June 14 2006, 7:33 AM
School options always good for education
Date CapturedTuesday June 13 2006, 7:53 AM
Test teens for steroids? Not yet
Date CapturedTuesday June 13 2006, 7:30 AM
Missouri Governor Signs Education Bills Into Law
Date CapturedTuesday June 13 2006, 7:27 AM
Equity In Education Funding: A Tale Of Two Cities
Date CapturedMonday June 12 2006, 7:52 PM
New Education Program Puts Onus On NYC Principals
Date CapturedMonday June 12 2006, 7:50 PM
SCHOOL VIOLENT AND DISRUPTIVE INCIDENT DATA MADE AVAILABLE
Date CapturedMonday June 12 2006, 11:33 AM
No diploma? No problem; college doors open
Date CapturedMonday June 12 2006, 10:47 AM
Tier schools cool toward testing teens for steroids
Date CapturedMonday June 12 2006, 10:37 AM
Colleges open to IT security lapses
Date CapturedMonday June 12 2006, 9:34 AM
In debt before you start
Date CapturedMonday June 12 2006, 9:02 AM
A lifeline to high school dropouts
Date CapturedMonday June 12 2006, 8:56 AM
Education Myths
Date CapturedMonday June 12 2006, 7:52 AM
Bill calls for anti-gambling education
Date CapturedMonday June 12 2006, 7:48 AM
Early education still an option in California district
Date CapturedMonday June 12 2006, 7:46 AM
When poor kids get poor teachers
Date CapturedMonday June 12 2006, 7:18 AM
see "TEACHING INEQUALITY: HOW POOR AND MINORITY STUDENTS ARE SHORTCHANGED ON TEACHER QUALITY" on education new york online EDUCATION POLICY link, TEACHER QUALITY folder.
Pay now, attend college later
Date CapturedSunday June 11 2006, 9:13 AM
Schools could get state money for steroid tests
Date CapturedSunday June 11 2006, 8:48 AM
Small schools changing shape of education in Big Apple
Date CapturedSunday June 11 2006, 7:50 AM
New focus on wellness for students
Date CapturedSunday June 11 2006, 7:27 AM
The Toolbox Revisited; Paths to Degree Completion from High School Through College
Date CapturedSaturday June 10 2006, 8:03 PM
U.S. Department of Education. The Toolbox Revisited is a data essay that follows a nationally representative cohort of students from high school into postsecondary education, and asks what aspects of their formal schooling contribute to completing a bachelor's degree by their mid-20s. The universe of students is confined to those who attended a four-year college at any time, thus including students who started out in other types of institutions, particularly community colleges
Few graduating college in four years
Date CapturedSaturday June 10 2006, 8:00 PM
read "The Toolbox Revisited; Paths to Degree Completion from High School Through College" on education new york online EDUCATION POLICY link, HIGHER EDUCATION/COMMUNITY COLLEGES folders.
Holding Colleges and Universities Accountable for Meeting State Needs
Date CapturedSaturday June 10 2006, 9:57 AM
By Alicia A. Diaz, Joan Lord and Joseph L. Marks. This report, a part of the Challenge to Lead education goals series, looks at states' annual reports for higher education accountability and recommends that states develop public agendas for higher education. It also describes states' progress on key indicators: higher education graduation rates, faculty salaries, and science and research funding. SREB states have improved, but work remains to be done.
Far from fountain, UAlbany makes splash
Date CapturedSaturday June 10 2006, 9:51 AM
Northern Cheyenne Reservation school gets $687K from feds
Date CapturedSaturday June 10 2006, 9:37 AM
Vocational education back in vogue at California schools
Date CapturedSaturday June 10 2006, 9:17 AM
Education without representation
Date CapturedSaturday June 10 2006, 9:11 AM
Monroe Community College students learn by helping city
Date CapturedSaturday June 10 2006, 8:25 AM
U.S. in education race with China, India, journalist says
Date CapturedSaturday June 10 2006, 7:32 AM
B’lore to host meet on value education
Date CapturedFriday June 09 2006, 6:41 PM
$27 Million in Grants Awarded for Emergency School Repairs
Date CapturedFriday June 09 2006, 11:32 AM
Inside Albany
Date CapturedFriday June 09 2006, 9:58 AM
Engineering education: Can India overtake China?
Date CapturedFriday June 09 2006, 8:51 AM
Urban School Superintendents: Characteristics, Tenure, and Salary
Date CapturedFriday June 09 2006, 8:39 AM
The Council of the Great City prepared this report to improve public understanding of employment patterns and demographic trends among the nation’s urban superintendents.
Learning on move Colorado migrant literacy program to begin
Date CapturedThursday June 08 2006, 9:54 PM
Math and Science Education in a Global Age: What the U.S. Can Learn from China
Date CapturedThursday June 08 2006, 7:06 PM
This paper outlines key ways in which China, and East Asia more broadly, have been successful in producing higher student achievement in math and science.
Statement by Senator Barack Obama on NCLB and teacher inequality
Date CapturedThursday June 08 2006, 6:49 PM
Read the report on education new york online EDUCATION POLICY page, TEACHER QUALITY folder.
TEACHING INEQUALITY: HOW POOR AND MINORITY STUDENTS ARE SHORTCHANGED ON TEACHER QUALITY
Date CapturedThursday June 08 2006, 6:44 PM
A Report and Recommendations by the Education Trust By Heather G. Peske and Kati Haycock.
Cutting New Jersey college budgets is shortsighted
Date CapturedThursday June 08 2006, 1:42 PM
College presidents address Rensselaer chamber breakfast
Date CapturedThursday June 08 2006, 1:35 PM
At Center of Excellence, students glimpse their future
Date CapturedThursday June 08 2006, 1:07 PM
Idaho group wants lower tuition for illegal immigrants
Date CapturedThursday June 08 2006, 7:37 AM
Evaluations to stay private for now
Date CapturedThursday June 08 2006, 7:29 AM
A higher civic calling for higher education
Date CapturedThursday June 08 2006, 7:18 AM
"Taking Preschool Education Seriously as an Economic Development Program: Effects on Jobs and Earnings of State Residents Compared to Traditional Economic Development Programs"
Date CapturedThursday June 08 2006, 7:12 AM
Timothy Bartik, Senior Economist, The Upjohn Institute for Employment Research.
"The Effects of Investing in Early Education on Economic Growth"
Date CapturedThursday June 08 2006, 7:08 AM
By William T. Dickens, Isabel Sawhill, and Jeffrey Tebbs
Ohio ballot push may help pay college costs
Date CapturedWednesday June 07 2006, 9:32 AM
Hackers honing in on college systems
Date CapturedWednesday June 07 2006, 9:19 AM
Sit down, SAT
Date CapturedWednesday June 07 2006, 9:03 AM
State cuts newsletter for disabled
Date CapturedWednesday June 07 2006, 9:00 AM
Academic journals' futures up in air
Date CapturedWednesday June 07 2006, 8:55 AM
Race And Class
Date CapturedWednesday June 07 2006, 8:26 AM
Hard Choices as Loan Interest Rates Rise (NY Times registration)
Date CapturedWednesday June 07 2006, 8:23 AM
The high court, race and education
Date CapturedWednesday June 07 2006, 8:21 AM
Race's enduring impact on public education
Date CapturedWednesday June 07 2006, 8:07 AM
New law funds `character education' in Minnesota schools
Date CapturedWednesday June 07 2006, 8:04 AM
Education blooms in school gardens
Date CapturedWednesday June 07 2006, 8:02 AM
50% more NYC schools win state kudos
Date CapturedWednesday June 07 2006, 7:20 AM
A Helping Hand for Higher Education
Date CapturedTuesday June 06 2006, 8:06 PM
New Jersey close to high school steroid testing
Date CapturedTuesday June 06 2006, 7:49 PM
An education from Russia, with tough love
Date CapturedTuesday June 06 2006, 7:46 PM
Higher Performing Schools and Districts
Date CapturedTuesday June 06 2006, 3:55 PM
Education council fails to agree on special education program
Date CapturedTuesday June 06 2006, 12:39 PM
Testing special students is tricky
Date CapturedTuesday June 06 2006, 9:22 AM
Yonkers school district secures federal grant
Date CapturedTuesday June 06 2006, 9:20 AM
Colleges drop SATs
Date CapturedTuesday June 06 2006, 9:14 AM
Cybercrime spurs college courses in digital forensics
Date CapturedTuesday June 06 2006, 9:07 AM
Compromising Our Future
Date CapturedTuesday June 06 2006, 9:02 AM
Academic review could sideline some athletes
Date CapturedTuesday June 06 2006, 8:42 AM
Don't let Lotto kids lose, sez pol
Date CapturedTuesday June 06 2006, 8:10 AM
Teaching While Educating
Date CapturedTuesday June 06 2006, 7:55 AM
Study suggests Ivy League college entrance strategies
Date CapturedMonday June 05 2006, 11:47 AM
Minnesota finds too many students in learning center special ed
Date CapturedMonday June 05 2006, 11:20 AM
Survey: South needs more research and education
Date CapturedMonday June 05 2006, 9:22 AM
St. Petersburg College pioneers cyber security curriculum
Date CapturedMonday June 05 2006, 9:15 AM
Paying ahead for college
Date CapturedMonday June 05 2006, 8:56 AM
Students lose out on 280G
Date CapturedMonday June 05 2006, 7:58 AM
School's out! It's payback time
Date CapturedSunday June 04 2006, 10:05 AM
Harvard profs lay down Law: No laptops in class
Date CapturedSunday June 04 2006, 9:16 AM
Illinois lottery plan puts education to the forefront
Date CapturedSunday June 04 2006, 8:41 AM
Wrong Answer for Dropouts (NY Times registration)
Date CapturedSunday June 04 2006, 8:05 AM
Illinois Gov.'s Education Plan
Date CapturedSaturday June 03 2006, 9:31 PM
Education bill is hostage to budget
Date CapturedSaturday June 03 2006, 9:58 AM
‘Diploma mills’ get held back
Date CapturedSaturday June 03 2006, 9:50 AM
Education Report Compares U.S. Progress to Other Countries'
Date CapturedSaturday June 03 2006, 9:15 AM
Podcasting: Newest trend in education?
Date CapturedFriday June 02 2006, 6:13 PM
NCES State Education Reforms
Date CapturedFriday June 02 2006, 3:05 PM
Students dash to save cash on school loans
Date CapturedFriday June 02 2006, 7:43 AM
Career Education Gets Detention, Again!
Date CapturedThursday June 01 2006, 7:52 PM
Many will benefit from Iowa education bills
Date CapturedThursday June 01 2006, 7:25 PM
Kentucky receives education award
Date CapturedThursday June 01 2006, 1:33 PM
College Faculty Testify on Academic Freedom Legislation
Date CapturedThursday June 01 2006, 10:29 AM
The Condition of Education 2006
Date CapturedThursday June 01 2006, 10:16 AM
The Condition of Education 2006 summarizes important developments and trends in education using the latest available data. The report presents 50 indicators on the status and condition of education and a special analysis on international assessments. The indicators represent a consensus of professional judgment on the most significant national measures of the condition and progress of education for which accurate data are available. The 2006 print edition includes 50 indicators in five main areas: (1) participation in education; (2) learner outcomes; (3) student effort and educational progress; (4) the contexts of elementary and secondary education; and (5) the contexts of postsecondary education.
Iowa Gov. Vilsack to sign education bills
Date CapturedThursday June 01 2006, 9:57 AM
Study: Low-income college grads on par with peers
Date CapturedThursday June 01 2006, 9:29 AM
CLASS-SIZE ADVOCATES MAKE WAVES (NY Post registration)
Date CapturedThursday June 01 2006, 8:34 AM
see education new york online EDUCATION POLICY page, CLASS SIZE folder for class size studies.
Colleges learning a tough lesson
Date CapturedThursday June 01 2006, 8:20 AM
Alliance unites Arizona university and community colleges
Date CapturedWednesday May 31 2006, 10:14 PM
After-School Programs and Activities: 2005
Date CapturedWednesday May 31 2006, 4:03 PM
By Carver, P.R., Iruka, I.U.. This report presents data on participation in after-school activities and programs in the United States. The data are from the After-School Programs and Activities Survey (ASPA) of the 2005 National Household Education Surveys Program (NHES:2005). The data presented in the report are based on a nationally representative sample of students in kindergarten through grade 8. In 2005, 40 percent of students in kindergarten through eighth grade participated in after-school care arrangements that occurred at least once each week.
Thesis contradicts previous research on classroom sexism
Date CapturedWednesday May 31 2006, 8:51 AM
Top of the class: Virginia a model for science education
Date CapturedWednesday May 31 2006, 8:47 AM
Paying a relative's tuition as a tax strategy
Date CapturedWednesday May 31 2006, 8:17 AM
Welfare Rights Group Rallies For Access To Higher Education
Date CapturedTuesday May 30 2006, 6:10 PM
Florida Charter Schools: Hot and Humid with Passing Storms
Date CapturedTuesday May 30 2006, 5:46 PM
read full report on education new york online, EDUCATION POLICY link, SCHOOL CHOICE folder.
College Door Ajar for Online Criminals
Date CapturedTuesday May 30 2006, 9:56 AM
Illinois lottery plan not the way to fund education
Date CapturedTuesday May 30 2006, 8:54 AM
More dropouts are giving college a try
Date CapturedTuesday May 30 2006, 8:05 AM
Working students
Date CapturedTuesday May 30 2006, 7:49 AM
Cyber school begets an education empire
Date CapturedTuesday May 30 2006, 7:31 AM
Take This Internship and Shove It (NY Times registration)
Date CapturedTuesday May 30 2006, 7:10 AM
More women graduate. Why?
Date CapturedTuesday May 30 2006, 12:10 AM
Endowments: Closed books?
Date CapturedMonday May 29 2006, 11:22 PM
Student loan rates on the rise
Date CapturedMonday May 29 2006, 8:39 AM
Prop. 82 an asset for California education
Date CapturedSunday May 28 2006, 7:58 PM
Business Council of New York State, Inc.
Date CapturedSunday May 28 2006, 11:08 AM
EDUCATION / JOB TRAINING COMMITTEE
New York State Education Agencies
Date CapturedSunday May 28 2006, 10:52 AM
Vocational education back in vogue
Date CapturedSunday May 28 2006, 8:24 AM
Le Moyne plans new science building
Date CapturedSunday May 28 2006, 8:03 AM
University of the State of New York, State Education Department
Date CapturedSaturday May 27 2006, 1:23 PM
The University of the State of New York (USNY) is the most complete, interconnected system of educational services in the United States.
Education Leadership Institute (ELI)
Date CapturedSaturday May 27 2006, 1:17 PM
Graduating college gets fast-tracked
Date CapturedSaturday May 27 2006, 8:48 AM
Commissioner Mills Report to the Regents - May 2006
Date CapturedFriday May 26 2006, 10:36 PM
Is lottery money really going to education?
Date CapturedFriday May 26 2006, 9:41 PM
SUNY $2.26B budget best in years
Date CapturedFriday May 26 2006, 7:51 AM
The New School Commencement Protest: A Faculty Member's View
Date CapturedThursday May 25 2006, 4:02 PM
Site connects users to education research
Date CapturedThursday May 25 2006, 12:15 PM
Statement Regarding "Certificate of Completion" Hoax EMail
Date CapturedThursday May 25 2006, 10:18 AM
What Research Says About Small Classes and Their Effects.
Date CapturedThursday May 25 2006, 9:46 AM
Bruce J. Biddle and David C. Berliner, Education Policy Reports Project (EPRP), Arizona State University.
Profiles of For-Profit Education Management
Date CapturedThursday May 25 2006, 9:34 AM
Eighth Annual Report 2005-2006 by Alex Molnar, David R. Garcia, Margaret Bartlett, Adrienne O’Neill. Released by the Education Policy Studies Laboratory at Arizona State University, this report, in its eighth edition, found that Education Management Organizations (EMOs) are consolidating and shifting business models to meet the demand for supplemental education services. Large EMOs continue to focus on managing charter primary schools and enrolling relatively large numbers of students in those schools. Fifty-one EMOs operate in 28 states and the District of Columbia, enrolling some 237,179 students. The report is the most comprehensive resource on the for-profit education management industry.
Ohio U. adopts stiffer alcohol policy
Date CapturedThursday May 25 2006, 8:15 AM
Some Allowed to Sit Out the SAT (Washington Post registration)
Date CapturedThursday May 25 2006, 8:03 AM
SUNY casts Web on student drinking plight
Date CapturedThursday May 25 2006, 7:42 AM
Monitoring Profit-Making Colleges (NY Times registration)
Date CapturedThursday May 25 2006, 6:57 AM
US Sen. Alexander (TN) Cites Need To Improve Science Education
Date CapturedWednesday May 24 2006, 11:29 PM
View the StatChat transcript on The Nation's Report Card: Results from the 2005 NAEP Science Assessment on-line discussion.
Date CapturedWednesday May 24 2006, 4:55 PM
Associate Commissioner Peggy Carr answered questions on-line & live pertaining to the results of the 2005 national and state science assessment. The report and results were released at 10:00 a.m. and the on-line discussion took place from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday May, 24th, 2006
Wealthy District's Special Ed Students More Likely to Graduate
Date CapturedWednesday May 24 2006, 11:02 AM
Illegal Immigrant Graduates Blocked from College Move
Date CapturedWednesday May 24 2006, 10:30 AM
UAlbany president selects adviser on China
Date CapturedWednesday May 24 2006, 8:08 AM
New two-year minority law student push
Date CapturedWednesday May 24 2006, 7:32 AM
Education Finance Reform and Property Tax Relief
Date CapturedTuesday May 23 2006, 2:19 PM
College No Guarantee of Top-Dollar Pay
Date CapturedTuesday May 23 2006, 10:55 AM
Dropout Data Raise Questions on 2 Fronts (Washington Post registration)
Date CapturedTuesday May 23 2006, 10:22 AM
see education new york online EDUCATION POLICY link, GRADUATION folder for referenced studies.
Regents need rigorous requirements
Date CapturedTuesday May 23 2006, 7:07 AM
Education reform is on right path in state
Date CapturedTuesday May 23 2006, 7:04 AM
OFFICE OF THE NEW YORK STATE COMPTROLLER DIVISION OF STATE SERVICES STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT REPORTING OF VIOLENT AND DISRUPTIVE INCIDENTS BY PUBLIC SCHOOLS Report 2005-S-38
Date CapturedTuesday May 23 2006, 6:44 AM
Violent incidents in New York State high schools have not been accurately reported to the State Education Department (SED) and SED has not done enough to address misreporting problems or to effectively identify schools with serious violence problems, according to an audit released by Comptroller Alan G. Hevesi.
Newburgh deserves and needs a branch campus
Date CapturedTuesday May 23 2006, 6:21 AM
State will monitor school safety data
Date CapturedTuesday May 23 2006, 6:09 AM
Colleges Offering More "Merit-Based" Finanical Aid
Date CapturedMonday May 22 2006, 7:56 PM
SCHOOL SAFETY
Date CapturedMonday May 22 2006, 3:42 PM
To address issues of school safety and violence prevention, the Safe Schools Against Violence in Education Act (SAVE) was passed by the New York State Legislature and signed into law by Governor George E. Pataki on July 24, 2000. Project SAVE culminates the work of the Task Force on School Violence chaired by Lieutenant Governor Mary Donohue. The New York State Board of Regents approved Regulations of the Commissioner of Education to ensure compliance with the new legislation. This site provides resources to assist schools in the development and maintenance of safe school environments.
Schools Faulted For Failing To Report Violence
Date CapturedMonday May 22 2006, 3:38 PM
Demonstrations expected as Rice speaks at Boston College
Date CapturedMonday May 22 2006, 10:49 AM
GLOSSARY OF TERMS USED IN REPORTING VIOLENT AND DISRUPTIVE INCIDENTS
Date CapturedMonday May 22 2006, 8:46 AM
New York State Education Department school safety glossary of terms.
On the Cutting Edge to Improve Urban Education
Date CapturedSunday May 21 2006, 11:38 AM
A weekly guide to higher education
Date CapturedSunday May 21 2006, 10:55 AM
The state of education in Boston
Date CapturedSunday May 21 2006, 10:48 AM
Schools closing gap for disabled pupils
Date CapturedSunday May 21 2006, 10:32 AM
Arizona budget fight will center on education
Date CapturedSunday May 21 2006, 10:28 AM
Testing methods must be flexible
Date CapturedSunday May 21 2006, 10:06 AM
Colleges' economic diversity differs
Date CapturedSunday May 21 2006, 9:53 AM
Colleges shouldn't leech dollars from students
Date CapturedSunday May 21 2006, 8:51 AM
Charter school data flunk clarity test
Date CapturedSunday May 21 2006, 8:39 AM
NEW-SCHOOL LOSERS (NY Post registration)
Date CapturedSunday May 21 2006, 8:30 AM
Mo. Lottery generates $22M in April for education
Date CapturedFriday May 19 2006, 8:21 PM
Preparing the Health Workforce
Date CapturedFriday May 19 2006, 5:36 PM
By Eleanor Schiff. A healthy nation depends on an adequate supply of well-educated and well-trained health professionals. As the demographics of the U.S. change with the baby-boom generation beginning to retire and the increasing cultural diversification of our society, the need for a stable or growing number of health professionals and a diverse workforce reflective of our population is increasingly important
Improving College Readiness and Success for All Students: A Joint Responsibility Between K-12 and Postsecondary Education
Date CapturedFriday May 19 2006, 5:26 PM
Improving College Readiness and Success for All Students: A Joint Responsibility Between K-12 and Postsecondary Education—Michael W. Kirst and Andrea Venezia
Mississippi education chief proposes revamping schools
Date CapturedFriday May 19 2006, 5:17 PM
Five ways to get SUNY on Broadway
Date CapturedFriday May 19 2006, 5:06 PM
U.S. must commit to education
Date CapturedFriday May 19 2006, 9:32 AM
New York State's Dual Crises: Low Graduation Rates and Rising School Taxes
Date CapturedFriday May 19 2006, 9:10 AM
Inadequate state aid to public schools is jeapordizing the future of New York State's two million public school children and driving up local property taxes, according to a new report released today by AQE and the Public Policy and Education Fund.
Schumer seeks to combat rising student debt
Date CapturedFriday May 19 2006, 8:01 AM
Education must be a priority
Date CapturedFriday May 19 2006, 7:56 AM
Don't ditch education reform, fix it
Date CapturedFriday May 19 2006, 7:51 AM
Outsourcing test preparation
Date CapturedTuesday May 16 2006, 6:37 PM
U.S. Will Study Rules on Foreign Students' Research
Date CapturedTuesday May 16 2006, 5:55 PM
James Williams is on a mission
Date CapturedTuesday May 16 2006, 3:02 PM
Regents ask state to probe race bias
Date CapturedTuesday May 16 2006, 7:38 AM
Advocates say New Jersey Gov. Corzine abandoning urban kids
Date CapturedMonday May 15 2006, 10:38 AM
Inside Education: Bullying's not everything you think
Date CapturedMonday May 15 2006, 7:53 AM
Testing boundaries
Date CapturedMonday May 15 2006, 7:08 AM
Tulane Grads Hear from Two Former Presidents
Date CapturedSunday May 14 2006, 5:31 AM
Study faults N.J. for not investing more in colleges
Date CapturedSaturday May 13 2006, 12:12 PM
UAlbany is named top U.S. nanotech college
Date CapturedSaturday May 13 2006, 8:46 AM
Tribe missed education opportunity
Date CapturedSaturday May 13 2006, 8:21 AM
Utah might ignore federal education guide and follow its own
Date CapturedSaturday May 13 2006, 8:05 AM
IMPROVE STUDENT PERFORMANCE: Teachers Ask the Secretary
Date CapturedFriday May 12 2006, 6:52 PM
E-mails spark a campus outcry
Date CapturedFriday May 12 2006, 9:22 AM
UAlbany expands its global reach
Date CapturedFriday May 12 2006, 9:08 AM
Student Info Accessed In 3rd Data Breach At Ohio University
Date CapturedThursday May 11 2006, 12:28 PM
California teacher named best in U.S. for bilingual education
Date CapturedThursday May 11 2006, 11:03 AM
New technology center at Binghamton University
Date CapturedThursday May 11 2006, 10:54 AM
Welch is U at Buffalo’s "consummate citizen"
Date CapturedThursday May 11 2006, 10:39 AM
Politics block higher education equity
Date CapturedThursday May 11 2006, 7:55 AM
Technical college receives aviation education grant
Date CapturedWednesday May 10 2006, 9:09 PM
Missouri poised for online education
Date CapturedWednesday May 10 2006, 9:00 PM
Religious groups discuss sex education
Date CapturedWednesday May 10 2006, 5:31 PM
Pepperdine Business School Welcomes Mothers
Date CapturedWednesday May 10 2006, 2:47 PM
Schools await wire-tap ruling
Date CapturedWednesday May 10 2006, 12:32 PM
Drop in scores for new SAT has educators puzzled
Date CapturedWednesday May 10 2006, 12:01 AM
Education, HHS unveil program to ID loan defaulters
Date CapturedTuesday May 09 2006, 5:40 PM
Manhattan: Battle Over Charter School (NY Times registration)
Date CapturedTuesday May 09 2006, 6:14 AM
Recalling vo-ag education in the 1950s
Date CapturedMonday May 08 2006, 11:58 AM
NSF: Redesign science curriculum
Date CapturedMonday May 08 2006, 11:47 AM
Gallaudet Protesters Meet with New President
Date CapturedMonday May 08 2006, 11:36 AM
Internet safety fears spark education effort
Date CapturedMonday May 08 2006, 8:34 AM
Special-needs kids in cell rules hangup
Date CapturedMonday May 08 2006, 7:52 AM
Poverty, education and the state of our children
Date CapturedSunday May 07 2006, 10:15 PM
Program for Head Start teachers under way
Date CapturedSunday May 07 2006, 9:59 PM
SO, GRAMA AND GRANDPA ONLY HAD AN 8TH GRADE EDUCATION!
Date CapturedSunday May 07 2006, 1:29 PM
COLLEGE BOUND; A weekly guide to higher education
Date CapturedSunday May 07 2006, 9:00 AM
The Lost Boys of Public Education Schools
Date CapturedSunday May 07 2006, 8:17 AM
Education chief talks of AIS role
Date CapturedSunday May 07 2006, 7:58 AM
Older students among community college grads
Date CapturedSunday May 07 2006, 12:16 AM
New President Faces Opposition at Gallaudet
Date CapturedSaturday May 06 2006, 10:28 PM
Bush Advises Graduates on Technology
Date CapturedSaturday May 06 2006, 12:55 PM
Bonds would funnel billions to California education
Date CapturedSaturday May 06 2006, 10:04 AM
U of Wisconsin revises discipline policy
Date CapturedSaturday May 06 2006, 9:17 AM
Gov. Sebelius Signs Bills to Improve Kansas Schools
Date CapturedSaturday May 06 2006, 9:02 AM
3 seek $1.43 million in Yonkers schools suit
Date CapturedSaturday May 06 2006, 8:50 AM
Texas education improvement initiatives approved Friday
Date CapturedFriday May 05 2006, 8:39 PM
Yonkers department of education debated
Date CapturedFriday May 05 2006, 8:17 PM
Haze Surrounds Aid for Drug Users
Date CapturedFriday May 05 2006, 9:03 AM
Jewish medical school wins New Jersey state approval
Date CapturedThursday May 04 2006, 10:45 PM
Montana 2-year colleges key to success
Date CapturedWednesday May 03 2006, 11:00 PM
School of the American dream
Date CapturedWednesday May 03 2006, 7:41 PM
Should the federal government be involved in school accountability?
Date CapturedWednesday May 03 2006, 6:43 PM
This debate between EPI research associate Richard Rothstein and Hoover Institution economist Eric Hanushek, on the role of the federal government in education, was featured in the Winter 2005 issue of the Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, the journal of the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management.
Rethinking High School Graduation Rates and Trends
Date CapturedWednesday May 03 2006, 6:36 PM
Listen to debate between Economic Policy Institute President Lawrence Mishel (co-author of Rethinking High School Graduation Rates and Trends) and Manhattan Institute senior fellow Jay P. Greene, on their differing analyses of graduation rates nationwide. The Center on Education Policy (CEP) hosted the debate on Thursday, April 27, 2006, at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.
The New York State School Report Card For School Year 2004-2005
Date CapturedWednesday May 03 2006, 4:10 PM
South Carolina bill could enable online education
Date CapturedWednesday May 03 2006, 8:58 AM
Hispanic lawmakers honor Saint Rose president
Date CapturedWednesday May 03 2006, 8:22 AM
Cornell Looks to Gain Prestige by Re-Branding
Date CapturedWednesday May 03 2006, 12:11 AM
Persistent Challenge: Desegregating Urban Schools
Date CapturedWednesday May 03 2006, 12:09 AM
Shape of the Nation - - Status of Physical Education
Date CapturedTuesday May 02 2006, 8:03 PM
Read the Shape of the Nation Report -- information about the status of physical education in each state and the District of Columbia in the following areas: time requirements, exemptions/waivers and substitutions, class size, standards, curriculum and instruction, student assessment, teacher certification.
Charter Schools Making the Grade in Urban Areas
Date CapturedTuesday May 02 2006, 7:49 PM
Kansas House OKs Tuition Bill For Those Wanting To Teach
Date CapturedTuesday May 02 2006, 11:05 AM
Duke Reconsiders Approach to Student Behavior
Date CapturedTuesday May 02 2006, 10:37 AM
Work on Madison, Wisconsin education gap lauded
Date CapturedTuesday May 02 2006, 7:09 AM
Nevada children get homegrown education
Date CapturedTuesday May 02 2006, 6:59 AM
U.S. inquiry targets school for blind
Date CapturedTuesday May 02 2006, 6:45 AM
Other demands outmuscling PE instruction
Date CapturedTuesday May 02 2006, 6:25 AM
New York state needs to renew investment in higher education
Date CapturedTuesday May 02 2006, 6:10 AM
Technology No Longer Distances Deaf Culture
Date CapturedMonday May 01 2006, 6:33 PM
Research Offers Lessons for Improving Low-Performing High Schools; Studies Address Five Challenges Facing Educators
Date CapturedMonday May 01 2006, 11:36 AM
To read full report see education new york online EDUCATION POLICY page, SCHOOL REFORM folder.
Leaving home schooled
Date CapturedMonday May 01 2006, 9:51 AM
Another Federal Ed. Folly
Date CapturedMonday May 01 2006, 9:08 AM
Adult education makes strides
Date CapturedMonday May 01 2006, 7:59 AM
Chicago public schools may need improvement
Date CapturedSunday April 30 2006, 10:02 PM
At Gallaudet, a Turn Inward Opens New Worlds
Date CapturedSunday April 30 2006, 7:03 PM
College grads chase jobs to growing metro areas
Date CapturedSunday April 30 2006, 10:34 AM
More women than men seeking higher education
Date CapturedSunday April 30 2006, 8:28 AM
Lack of community colleges barrier to 4-year degrees
Date CapturedSunday April 30 2006, 8:23 AM
Getting Schooled
Date CapturedSunday April 30 2006, 8:03 AM
School Newspaper's Immigrant Editorial Sparks Controversy
Date CapturedSaturday April 29 2006, 9:01 AM
see slideshow
Arizona Regents add degree programs in education at two UA sites
Date CapturedSaturday April 29 2006, 7:25 AM
Hispanic students get lesson in college education
Date CapturedSaturday April 29 2006, 7:21 AM
Duke Showcases Advances in Classroom Technology
Date CapturedFriday April 28 2006, 9:50 PM
At West Point, the Meaning of 'Honor' and 'Riot'
Date CapturedFriday April 28 2006, 9:41 PM
NYS Legislature Saves Education Programs
Date CapturedFriday April 28 2006, 6:16 PM
NEW YORK STATE UNIVERSAL PREKINDERGARTEN PROGRAM
Date CapturedFriday April 28 2006, 4:14 PM
Parents get real education in cyberspace
Date CapturedFriday April 28 2006, 2:21 PM
Troy to reduce special education
Date CapturedFriday April 28 2006, 8:23 AM
Q&A: Internationalism on Binghamton U campus
Date CapturedThursday April 27 2006, 2:49 PM
Missouri State University tests new ‘digital literacy' exam
Date CapturedThursday April 27 2006, 2:22 PM
Edison Schools Rated Top Education Service Provider
Date CapturedThursday April 27 2006, 1:51 PM
University at Buffalo celebrating academic excellence
Date CapturedThursday April 27 2006, 1:39 PM
Education commissioner addresses bullying conference
Date CapturedThursday April 27 2006, 9:51 AM
School scenarios for Buffalo city are bleak
Date CapturedThursday April 27 2006, 9:32 AM
Diversity growing at Texas A&M
Date CapturedThursday April 27 2006, 8:30 AM
Higher education heads downtown in Massachusetts
Date CapturedThursday April 27 2006, 7:52 AM
Tennessee bill would expand rights for special education students
Date CapturedWednesday April 26 2006, 11:08 PM
Tennessee Department of Education Praised For No Child Left Behind
Date CapturedWednesday April 26 2006, 10:57 PM
Katrina-Rita recovery has shortchanged education
Date CapturedWednesday April 26 2006, 6:13 PM
North Idaho College might lift alcohol ban
Date CapturedWednesday April 26 2006, 6:00 PM
Nevada Sen. Ensign Encourages Innovation in Education
Date CapturedWednesday April 26 2006, 5:50 PM
Bilingual education standards questioned in Illinois
Date CapturedWednesday April 26 2006, 1:31 PM
Stingy immigration policy stifles U.S. innovation
Date CapturedWednesday April 26 2006, 9:27 AM
Half the lesson is missing if colleges lack conservatives
Date CapturedWednesday April 26 2006, 7:09 AM
Single-sex classes: Education’s future?
Date CapturedWednesday April 26 2006, 7:01 AM
Education outlook
Date CapturedWednesday April 26 2006, 6:56 AM
Inclusion in Tennessee, learning for everyone
Date CapturedTuesday April 25 2006, 4:09 PM
Regents canvass several Syracuse schools
Date CapturedTuesday April 25 2006, 8:59 AM
Pilot electronic education projects debut in Texas
Date CapturedTuesday April 25 2006, 8:38 AM
Bolstering homeless families with shelter, parent education
Date CapturedTuesday April 25 2006, 8:33 AM
Get-out-early education incentive makes sense
Date CapturedTuesday April 25 2006, 8:27 AM
Cost of education on the rise across Virginia
Date CapturedTuesday April 25 2006, 12:07 AM
NY State Education Commissioner Mills visits Syracuse schools
Date CapturedTuesday April 25 2006, 12:03 AM
Law school verdict's still out: Race vs. ranking
Date CapturedMonday April 24 2006, 11:51 PM
Fletcher won’t veto University of the Cumberlands’ funding
Date CapturedMonday April 24 2006, 10:53 PM
Harvard, MIT professor pay tops local peers
Date CapturedMonday April 24 2006, 9:24 PM
The Devaluing of Higher Education
Date CapturedMonday April 24 2006, 1:58 PM
The Annual Report on the Economic Status of the Profession 2005-06. Faculty compensation data were collected, compiled, and tabulated by the AAUP Research Office
Bentley College-Watchfire Survey of Online Privacy Practices in Higher Education Reveals Risk Management Issues
Date CapturedMonday April 24 2006, 1:17 PM
read full report on education new york online, EDUCATION POLICY link, INFORMATION POLICY folder.
Inequities Persist for Women and Non-Tenure-Track Faculty
Date CapturedMonday April 24 2006, 7:00 AM
read The Annual Report on the Economic Status of the Profession 2005-06 on education new york online, EDUCATION POLICY link, FACULTY folder.
SUNY professors rally to urge veto override
Date CapturedMonday April 24 2006, 6:51 AM
Welfare to shift focus away from education
Date CapturedMonday April 24 2006, 6:42 AM
Math, reading focus may cause civic education to slip
Date CapturedSunday April 23 2006, 9:21 AM
Cleanup effort unites city, university, neighborhood
Date CapturedSunday April 23 2006, 9:01 AM
Too few vote when education is at stake
Date CapturedSunday April 23 2006, 5:55 AM
Guidance on Locally Required Summer Reading Assignments
Date CapturedSaturday April 22 2006, 7:32 PM
SUNY Union Rallies Against Vetoes
Date CapturedSaturday April 22 2006, 8:39 AM
Superintendents back early education
Date CapturedSaturday April 22 2006, 8:17 AM
League of Women Voters to tackle education issues
Date CapturedSaturday April 22 2006, 7:54 AM
Seeking equity in the education of California's English learners
Date CapturedFriday April 21 2006, 7:17 PM
"Seeking equity in the education of California's English learners.” Rumberger, Russell, (with Patricia Gándara). Teachers College Record, 106(2004), 2032-2056
Education, health care lobbies say overrides needed
Date CapturedFriday April 21 2006, 6:58 PM
Funding and student retention top community college concerns
Date CapturedFriday April 21 2006, 12:40 PM
Early college classes go online in Maine
Date CapturedFriday April 21 2006, 9:40 AM
An economist's view of education reform
Date CapturedFriday April 21 2006, 8:30 AM
A Letter Regarding Bard College Alcohol Information Campaign
Date CapturedFriday April 21 2006, 7:31 AM
Indiana education lawsuit joins other states
Date CapturedFriday April 21 2006, 7:23 AM
Study: Welfare Clock Should Stop for College Moms
Date CapturedThursday April 20 2006, 3:55 PM
U at Buffalo developing civic responsibility
Date CapturedThursday April 20 2006, 3:12 PM
Special education case argued before US Supreme Court
Date CapturedWednesday April 19 2006, 3:06 PM
Stanford targets gifted high schoolers
Date CapturedWednesday April 19 2006, 10:23 AM
The ABC's of Financing a College Education
Date CapturedWednesday April 19 2006, 9:33 AM
Nation's suburbs gain respect in academia
Date CapturedWednesday April 19 2006, 8:47 AM
Tennessee Gov. Bredesen touts education efforts
Date CapturedWednesday April 19 2006, 8:33 AM
Center vital to SUNYIT
Date CapturedWednesday April 19 2006, 7:35 AM
Study says money does matter with education
Date CapturedWednesday April 19 2006, 7:09 AM
More California Early Education Groups Endorse Prop 82
Date CapturedWednesday April 19 2006, 6:59 AM
Prep course patterns draw NCAA scrutiny
Date CapturedWednesday April 19 2006, 6:47 AM
International education essential for modern life
Date CapturedTuesday April 18 2006, 11:20 AM
Project to vet education reports for bias
Date CapturedTuesday April 18 2006, 9:11 AM
Hispanics Are Opting for a Higher Education
Date CapturedMonday April 17 2006, 10:02 PM
Tennessee lottery transfers nearly $80 million to education
Date CapturedMonday April 17 2006, 3:25 PM
Student testing urged on Native American education efforts
Date CapturedMonday April 17 2006, 10:28 AM
2006 Statewide Summer Reading Program
Date CapturedMonday April 17 2006, 9:29 AM
Boston's most expensive schools keep pace -- with each other
Date CapturedMonday April 17 2006, 7:59 AM
Migrant Education, Health, Welfare
Date CapturedMonday April 17 2006, 7:31 AM
Early education confronts great divide
Date CapturedMonday April 17 2006, 7:25 AM
Mississippi Education: Managing on a promise
Date CapturedSunday April 16 2006, 8:13 AM
In dollars and cents, education's value huge
Date CapturedSunday April 16 2006, 8:11 AM
Education News Parents Can Use
Date CapturedFriday April 14 2006, 10:34 AM
Education News Parents Can Use
Date CapturedFriday April 14 2006, 10:34 AM
The Adult Lives of At-Risk Students: The Roles of Attainment and Engagement in High School
Date CapturedFriday April 14 2006, 10:03 AM
Jeremy D. Finn, State University of New York at Buffalo; Jeffrey Owings, Project Officer National Center for Education Statistics. This March 2006 NCES report examines heterogeneity in young adult outcomes among students at risk for school failure due to low socioeconomic status (SES). It addresses the question: “Among students at risk due to status characteristics, what are the relationships of high school engagement and attainments with post-high school outcomes?” Two sets of outcomes are considered: entry and persistence in postsecondary education, and employment and income as a young adult.
Can Pong Help Fill Tech Education Gap?
Date CapturedFriday April 14 2006, 8:58 AM
Congressman Sweeney wants MLB to fund steroid education program
Date CapturedFriday April 14 2006, 8:32 AM
Teacher, health-education center honored by BOCES for work
Date CapturedThursday April 13 2006, 11:40 AM
Gov. Pataki cuts higher education tuition assistance
Date CapturedThursday April 13 2006, 9:14 AM
'Boy crisis' in education is a myth
Date CapturedThursday April 13 2006, 8:56 AM
Ruling will affect education spending
Date CapturedThursday April 13 2006, 8:09 AM
Yale student election marked by campaign violations
Date CapturedWednesday April 12 2006, 2:05 PM
Delaware state to alter how it counts test results
Date CapturedWednesday April 12 2006, 9:20 AM
NC Education Lottery To Introduce Two New Games
Date CapturedTuesday April 11 2006, 1:35 PM
NC Education Lottery To Introduce Two New Games
Date CapturedTuesday April 11 2006, 1:35 PM
Stanford profs lead CA education inquiry
Date CapturedTuesday April 11 2006, 10:58 AM
Academics is 'Job One'
Date CapturedTuesday April 11 2006, 8:48 AM
Health Clubs for Older Brains? (NY Times registration)
Date CapturedMonday April 10 2006, 9:52 PM
‘Thousands More’ work to change education
Date CapturedMonday April 10 2006, 9:13 AM
CFE says Legislature’s education budget not adequate
Date CapturedMonday April 10 2006, 8:47 AM
More students getting help
Date CapturedMonday April 10 2006, 8:40 AM
Reforming education
Date CapturedMonday April 10 2006, 7:52 AM
Teens jumpstart college education
Date CapturedMonday April 10 2006, 7:41 AM
Keep higher education funds in budget
Date CapturedMonday April 10 2006, 7:37 AM
Vocational education booming
Date CapturedMonday April 10 2006, 7:31 AM
How Much Should Parents Help on College Applications?
Date CapturedSunday April 09 2006, 7:42 PM
How Much Should Parents Help on College Applications?
Date CapturedSunday April 09 2006, 7:42 PM
Top court gets Dutchess County education suit
Date CapturedSunday April 09 2006, 9:50 AM
Arkansas special session ends with education bill adopted
Date CapturedSaturday April 08 2006, 2:29 PM
Education Critic Honors Student Who Taped Teacher's Lecture
Date CapturedFriday April 07 2006, 11:26 PM
Summary of President Bush's Education Bill
Date CapturedFriday April 07 2006, 12:06 PM
Poughkeepsie students challenge immigration measure
Date CapturedFriday April 07 2006, 9:33 AM
Legislature neglects to OK cash for SUNY
Date CapturedFriday April 07 2006, 9:30 AM
Lower the cost of higher education
Date CapturedFriday April 07 2006, 9:08 AM
U at Buffalo unveils plan for undergraduate education
Date CapturedThursday April 06 2006, 2:11 PM
U at Buffalo unveils plan for undergraduate education
Date CapturedThursday April 06 2006, 2:11 PM
Struggling Students Want Vocational Education, Poll Shows
Date CapturedThursday April 06 2006, 8:27 AM
Education czar calls for more charter schools
Date CapturedThursday April 06 2006, 7:58 AM
Mississippi Higher Education Gets Largest Funding Increase Ever
Date CapturedWednesday April 05 2006, 11:10 PM
AZ early-education initiative backed
Date CapturedSunday April 02 2006, 2:29 PM
Tax increase needed to pay for education
Date CapturedSunday April 02 2006, 2:23 PM
Time to expose faculty corruption in college sports
Date CapturedSunday April 02 2006, 11:44 AM
Chester E. Finn: Don't undermine education gains
Date CapturedSunday April 02 2006, 10:59 AM
Arkansas legislators rally behind education funding plan
Date CapturedSunday April 02 2006, 10:40 AM
2006-07 Legislative Budget — Higher Education
Date CapturedFriday March 31 2006, 7:24 PM
Making education pay off
Date CapturedFriday March 31 2006, 1:19 PM
Real fixes for science, math education
Date CapturedFriday March 31 2006, 1:15 PM
Georgia school displays iPod ingenuity
Date CapturedMonday March 27 2006, 4:32 PM
Students Prevail in Lawsuit Against Department of Education
Date CapturedMonday March 27 2006, 12:42 PM
Lessons in Financial Aid (Wall St. Journal subscription)
Date CapturedMonday March 27 2006, 9:15 AM
AZ advocates push for better preschool education
Date CapturedMonday March 27 2006, 8:03 AM
College applications far exceed freshman spots
Date CapturedMonday March 27 2006, 7:13 AM
White House Refocuses on Drugs in Schools
Date CapturedSunday March 26 2006, 12:19 PM
PRIMARY PROGRESS, SECONDARY CHALLENGE: A STATE-BY-STATE LOOK AT STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT PATTERNS
Date CapturedThursday March 02 2006, 8:54 PM
Primary Progress, Secondary Challenge: A State-by-State Look at Student Achievement Patterns. Education Trust, March 2006. This report examines state assessment results in reading and math between 2003 and 2005.
Is There a “Qualified Teacher” Shortage?
Date CapturedTuesday February 21 2006, 5:07 PM
Is There a “Qualified Teacher” Shortage? What factors do affect the market for teachers, anyway? by MICHAEL PODGURSKY. Education Next, Spring 2006. Hoover Institution.
Policies Solving Problems
Date CapturedSaturday February 18 2006, 1:46 PM
Center for Innovative Policy. Best Practices, 2006: Policies Solving Problems Facing America’s Families. Best Practices, 2006 is a sampling of ideas, innovations, policies, and practices.
The incidence and impacts of student transiency in upstate New York’s rural school districts
Date CapturedThursday February 16 2006, 1:58 PM
Schafft, K. A. (2005, December 22). The incidence and impacts of student transiency in upstate New York’s rural school districts. Journal of Research in Rural Education, 20(15). Chronic student mobility, and in particular the mobility of students from low-income backgrounds, poses a serious yet underdocumented problem for rural schools. This article combines analyses of state-level school district data with survey and interview data to examine the patterns of low-income student mobility in upstate New York, and to assess the impacts on, and responses by, schools and other community institutions.
The Toolbox Revisited: Paths to Degree Completion from High School Through College
Date CapturedWednesday February 15 2006, 12:05 PM
Adelman, C., US Dept of Education, 2006. The Toolbox Revisited is a data essay that follows a nationally representative cohort of students from high school into postsecondary education, and asks what aspects of their formal schooling contribute to completing a bachelor's degree by their mid-20s.
Sexual harassment at U.S. colleges
Date CapturedTuesday January 24 2006, 12:44 PM
Ohio Community College Seeks to Further Raise Hispanic Enrollment
Date CapturedTuesday January 24 2006, 12:18 PM
'Stanford On ITunes' Is For Everybody
Date CapturedTuesday January 24 2006, 10:39 AM
Education official touts S.C. technical schools
Date CapturedTuesday January 24 2006, 10:03 AM
Kansas education system to include virtual schools
Date CapturedTuesday January 24 2006, 8:21 AM
Charter, Private, Public Schools and Academic Achievement: New Evidence from NAEP Mathematics Data
Date CapturedMonday January 23 2006, 8:18 PM
2006. Author: Chris Lubienski and Sarah Theule Lubienski. National Center for the Study of Privatization in Education, Teachers College, Columbia University.
The Funding Gap 2005: Low-Income and Minority Students Shortchanged by Most States
Date CapturedThursday December 22 2005, 9:08 AM
Education Trust's Funding Gap report shows that most states significantly shortchange low-income and minority children when it comes to funding the schools they attend.
Teacher Education at the Community College: Partnership and Collaboration
Date CapturedSunday December 18 2005, 3:36 PM
Allen, Robin. ERIC Identifier: ED467986. Publication Date: 2002-05-00. Community colleges are examining their role in helping to meet the need for teachers in their own communities.
Gateways to Democracy: Six Urban Community College Systems
Date CapturedSunday December 18 2005, 3:05 PM
Hirose-Wong, Shannon M. ERIC Identifier: ED438873. Urban community colleges play a key role in higher education by serving economically, educationally, and ethnically disadvantaged, and nationally diverse student populations.
Public Hearing on Early Childhood Education
Date CapturedSunday December 18 2005, 2:12 PM
December 8, 2005: submitted by Karen Schimke, President/CEO Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy.
Early Childhood Education: How Important are the Cost-Savings to the School System?
Date CapturedSunday December 18 2005, 1:51 PM
February 2004: cost-benefit analysis by economist Dr. Clive R. Belfield, of Teachers College, Columbia University
Education’s Information Could Help States Further Implement Teacher Qualification Requirements
Date CapturedMonday December 12 2005, 4:43 PM
GAO-06-25 NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND ACT Improved Accessibility to Education’s Information Could Help States Further Implement Teacher Qualification Requirements.
Are We Really A Nation Online? Ethnic and Racial Disparities in Access to Technology & Consequences
Date CapturedMonday December 12 2005, 12:27 PM
Report for the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights Education Fund: Robert W. Fairlie University of California, Santa Cruz and National Poverty Center, University of Michigan September 20, 2005.
A Transparent Approach to Higher Education Accountability
Date CapturedFriday December 09 2005, 6:59 PM
Developed and Implemented by The University of Texas System (presented at A National Dialogue:The Secretary of Education's Commission on the Future of Higher Education Second Meeting—Nashville, TN. December 8-9, 2005)
Teacher Attrition: A Costly Loss to the Nation, and to the States
Date CapturedWednesday December 07 2005, 9:57 AM
Alliance for Excellent Education: New teacher turnover rates can be cut in half through comprehensive induction, which helps to develop novice teachers into high-quality professionals who improve student achievement.
The Case for Reforming Staffing Rules in Urban Teachers Union Contracts
Date CapturedTuesday December 06 2005, 11:27 AM
(The New Teacher Project, 2005) by Jessica Levin, Jennifer Mulhern and Joan Schunck. Supporting the ability of urban schools to hire and staff effectively may be the remedy needed to put the education of urban students on par with their suburban counterparts.
Higher Education in PA: A Competitive Asset for Communities. Jennifer S. Very, Dec. 2005
Date CapturedMonday December 05 2005, 8:54 PM
The Brookings Institute: This paper surveys Pennsylvania's higher education landscape and its economic impact, proposing a number of policy approaches to boost collaboration—especially on community revitalization.
The Alchemy of 'Costing Out' an Adequate Education
Date CapturedSunday December 04 2005, 12:18 PM
October 2005. Published in: Conference on Adequacy Lawsuits, Harvard University. Author: Eric A. Hanushek. In response to the rapid rise in court cases related to the adequacy of school funding, a variety of alternative methods have been developed to provide an analytical base about the necessary expenditure on schools. This paper reviews and critiques the methodology as broadly applied across states.
"From Districts To Schools: The Distribution Of Resources Across Schools In Big City School District
Date CapturedSaturday December 03 2005, 6:17 PM
Symposium on Education Finance and Organization Structure in NYS Schools, Albany, NY, March 2004. Amy Schwartz (NYU), Leanna Stiefel (NYU) and Ross Rubenstein (Syracuse University).
Parents' Low Education Leads to Low Income, Despite Full-Time Employment
Date CapturedSaturday December 03 2005, 2:21 PM
National Center for Chidren in Poverty. Parents without some college education continue to lose economic ground despite full-time employment.
Children in Urban Areas are Increasingly Low Income
Date CapturedFriday November 25 2005, 10:03 PM
National Center for Children in Poverty. More than half the children living in urban areas are low income even though most have at least one parent who is employed.



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