Education Program
This Week in Education
May 29 - June 4, 2008
Highlighted Bills of the Week
(Powered by State Net)
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Colorado (HB 1386)- Enacted
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This bill creates the school leadership academy program within the Department of Education to provide comprehensive leadership and professional training to qualified persons for leadership positions in public schools; provides that the department may accept gifts, grants, and donations to fund the program. |
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Oklahoma (SB 519)- To Govenor
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The State Department of Education and the State Department of Health shall facilitate the development of a physical fitness assessment software program customized for public school which has the capability to track the components of student health related physical fitness and create a confidential individual student report for parents that includes an explanation of data. |
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This Week in Education
May 29 - June 4, 2008
K-12
Educators told schools face a dropout crisis
High school educators have been told in Seattle that dropout rates for minority students, especially Native Americans, are at crisis levels in Alaska and five other Northwest states.
Ron Fairchild: Summer learning makes a big difference
High-quality summer learning opportunities provide kids with fun, engaging learning activities, physical activity, adult supervision and nutritious snacks or meals. Compared with many other states, Rhode Island is taking the right steps toward providing these opportunities, such as summer, after-school, extended-learning and extended year programs, for more students, especially those from disadvantaged families.
The resegregation of Seattle's schools
Nearly three decades after Seattle Public Schools integrated almost all its schools through busing, that racial balance is long gone.
More Than 900 Pr. George's Students Lack Vaccines
After Prince George's County schools opened in August, more than 2,600 students were banned from class because they lacked vaccinations for chickenpox and hepatitis B. As the academic year nears its close, more than 900 remain barred, a school system spokesman said yesterday.
UNH study: Parental involvement boosts student achievement
University of New Hampshire research shows that students do much better in school when their parents are actively involved in their education. Researchers Karen Smith Conway and Andrew Houtenville used information from around the country from more than 10,000 eighth-graders, their parents, teachers and school administrators.
K-12 Governance
Back to school for cities
Big city school boards and superintendents have generally failed to provide the accountability and leadership needed to educate the many disadvantaged children they serve. Mayors and the federal government must take stronger roles in improving urban schools.
Leadership
Ohio school overseer Zelman quits
Susan Tave Zelman, Ohio's top public education official, announced her resignation Wednesday while offering to serve as an adviser to the state Board of Education until Dec. 1.
Post-Secondary Education
More colleges move toward optional SATs
Today, about 30 percent, or nearly 760 colleges and universities out of the approximately 2,500 accredited four-year institutions across America have made at least some standardized tests optional for some applicants, according to the nonprofit advocacy group FairTest.
Many Adults Left Behind
A new analysis of state policies and enrollment patterns, especially as they relate to community colleges, is trying to put more focus on adult learners. The report suggests that many policies may discourage those older than traditional college age from obtaining higher education. This group of students, the report argues, is particularly in need of higher education to get good jobs, and these students' states depend on having more highly trained workers.
Tutoring rule proposed
Those seeking a bachelor's degree in the state's public and private colleges and universities would be required to spend 20 hours a semester tutoring or mentoring students in public elementary, middle or high schools if legislation introduced by Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand becomes law.
School Choice
School systems apply to be charter
Unbowed by criticism last month from some state school board members, two metro Atlanta school systems expect to meet a Thursday deadline affirming their desire to become Georgia's first charter school systems.
School Finance
DOE plans to limit pain of budget cuts
The state Department of Education plans to absorb a $10.2 million budget cut in the next academic year by slashing administrative spending so it will not have to raise the price of after-school programs, bus fares and lunch to cover the shortfall.
States grapple with fuel costs for school buses
The reality of rising fuel prices cost students in a Tennessee school district their bus ride to school this week on the last day of the year.
STEM
Panel to probe laptop spending
More lawmakers Thursday questioned spending on Gov. Mike Rounds' school laptop program as the Legislature's audit committee announced plans to put the issue on its agenda. Senate and House leaders of the Government Operations and Audit Committee said they're scheduling time at a July meeting to review spending and the use of the so-called Citibank money in the program.
Gender-based math gap missing in some countries
Boys outperform girls on a math test given to children worldwide, but the gender gap is less pronounced in countries where women and men have similar rights and opportunities, according to a study published Thursday.
State may give schools $1.4M for summer
The Georgia state Department of Education will ask the state school board to approve $1.4 million to ease the burden on local school systems, which are preparing for drastic increases in summer school enrollment because of dismal math scores on standardized tests.
School leaders get advice on 'green' computing
At a recent webinar on "green" computing, panelists discussed several ways school leaders can reduce the power consumption of their technology systems...and ways they can use technology to cut other energy expenditures, too.
State puts emphasis on science, math skills
Minnesota's latest efforts to bring its students up to speed in science and math are putting a sharper focus on teaching. State Department of Education officials announced Wednesday the opening of nine regional centers where teams of teachers from throughout the state will be schooled in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) topics.
Teacher
India teachers adapt to U.S. schools
Faced with a chronic shortage of math and science teachers, Bridgeport was the only urban district in the state to take the state up on an offer to accept teachers from India.
Program may help ease state's teacher shortage
The University of Southern Mississippi is hoping to help alleviate the state’s teacher shortage with an online course designed for assistant teachers already working in the state’s public schools.
10 states act to stop teacher sex abuse
Ten states have taken action in recent months to crack down on sexually abusive teachers following a stream of arrests and reports that have documented the problem of educators victimizing students. Governors, state education officials and lawmakers have led the push for new measures, which include tougher penalties for teachers who abuse students, punishment for administrators who fail to properly oversee their faculty, and an effort to train an entire state's corps of teachers to recognize potential abusers in their midst.
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