May 11, 2011
Education Week, Vol. 30, Issue 30
Education Funding
Education Community Rethinks 'Pennies for Peace' Support
Allegations have surfaced that the author of Three Cups of Tea may have misused funds meant for Afghan and Pakistani schools.
Equity & Diversity
Studies Shed Light on Teaching Immigrant Preschoolers
A growing number of studies offer guidance for educators on strategies for preparing the children of the nation’s growing immigrant population for kindergarten.
Standards
Schools May Be Asked to Report on Progress of Military Children
Growing concern about the academic welfare of students from highly mobile military families is prompting some advocates to call on schools to break out the data on them.
States
State Lawmakers Make Curricular Demands of Schools
Legislation sets mandates for schools to cover topics in civics and science, financial literacy, arts, sex education, and more.
Assessment
Most Students Don't Meet 'Proficient' Bar on NAEP in Civics
High school seniors' scores fell, 4th graders' rose, and 8th graders' remained the same.
School Choice & Charters
Ambitious Voucher Program Signed Into Law in Indiana
Indiana has passed an ambitious voucher program that gives middle-income families access to taxpayer funds for private school tuition.
School & District Management
Report Roundup
Education Pipeline
The U.S. Census Bureau has released detailed information about how far Americans get in the education pipeline—and where it begins to leak.
Accountability
Report Roundup
School Improvement Grants
More than 70 percent of schools participating in the federal School Improvement Grant program are using the relatively flexible option known as "transformation" to make academic upgrades.
School & District Management
Report Roundup
Education Spending
The United States has the largest share of children being raised by a single parent of any nation in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, a new analysis shows.
School & District Management
Report Roundup
Math Curricula
U.S. students typically encounter easier math curricula than those in many other nations, a new study finds, with wide differences also seen across states and school districts.
Education Funding
Report Roundup
School Lunch Applications
A new study suggests that nearly one-third of students may lose their free or reduced-price meals because their parents refuse to document their income and prove eligibility.
Federal
Report Roundup
No Child Left Behind
An analysis of 1,400 school improvement plans from Title I schools in several states found that more than 90 percent included at least one "potentially effective" parent-involvement activity
Early Childhood
Report Roundup
State Preschool Funding Declined in 2010
Last year, total state funding for preschool declined by nearly $30 million, according to the annual yearbook recently released by the National Institute for Early Education Research, or NIEER.
Data
News in Brief
Pearson Buying SchoolNet
Education publisher Pearson announced last week that it will purchase education software maker SchoolNet.
Education
News in Brief
Computer Glitch Kicks Ind. Students Off State Test
The company that runs Indiana's standardized achievement test, ISTEP, will review whether students' scores across the state are valid.
School & District Management
News in Brief
Miss. Superintendent Who Led Post-Katrina Recovery Dies
Kim Stasny, one of the many superintendents on the front lines in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, died last week of braintumor-related complications.
Education Funding
News in Brief
Companies Pledge $13 Million to Minneapolis Schools
The Minneapolis-based Target Corp., Cargill Inc., General Mills Inc., and Medtronic Inc. are together providing more than $13 million in grants to help support the city's public schools through 2014.
Teaching Profession
News in Brief
2011 Teacher of the Year Sees 'Abilities, Not Disabilities'
As Michelle Shearer tours the country over the next 12 months, she will be encouraging teachers to make the STEM fields accessible to all students, including those with special needs.
School & District Management
News in Brief
Former GM Executive Named Detroit Emergency Manager
Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder appointed a former General Motors Corp. executive last week to take over the job of emergency manager for the Detroit public schools.
Law & Courts
News in Brief
U.S. Supreme Court Refuses Appeal of 'Silent' Cheerleader
A Texas high school cheerleader was dismissed from the squad after she refused to cheer for a basketball player she accused of sexually assaulting her.
School & District Management
News in Brief
Tornadoes Rip Apart Southern Schools
As state leaders assess the damage from a string of deadly tornadoes that swept across the South on April 27, school administrators are figuring out what happens next for students who have been displaced.
Education Funding
Wavering District Back on RTT Track
A scolding from the U.S. Secretary of Education and the resulting public pressure were apparently enough to persuade a Delaware school board to reaffirm its commitment to the state's reform plans.
Education
Letter to the Editor
Voters Would Derail States' Voucher Plans
To the Editor:
The four states discussed in the article “GOP Lawmakers Press Voucher Expansion in States” (April 27, 2011) are among the 39 states whose constitutions prohibit tax aid to religious institutions, but, tellingly, are not among the 14 states (including the District of Columbia) where voters decisively rejected vouchers or their variants by landslide margins in over two dozen statewide referendums.
The four states discussed in the article “GOP Lawmakers Press Voucher Expansion in States” (April 27, 2011) are among the 39 states whose constitutions prohibit tax aid to religious institutions, but, tellingly, are not among the 14 states (including the District of Columbia) where voters decisively rejected vouchers or their variants by landslide margins in over two dozen statewide referendums.
Education
Letter to the Editor
Latino Children Need Equal Access to Preschool
To the Editor:
Thank you for your coverage of the recent University of California, Berkeley, study showing a nationwide decrease in Latino preschool enrollment and your thoughtful discussion of possible reasons for this unfortunate trend (“Study Finds a Drop in Percentage of Latinos in Preschools,” April 20, 2011).
Thank you for your coverage of the recent University of California, Berkeley, study showing a nationwide decrease in Latino preschool enrollment and your thoughtful discussion of possible reasons for this unfortunate trend (“Study Finds a Drop in Percentage of Latinos in Preschools,” April 20, 2011).
Education
News in Brief
Idaho Union Launches Petition
The Idaho Education Association has launched a petition drive to try to overturn controversial education laws approved by lawmakers this year.
Education
News in Brief
Governor Proposes Removing School Boundaries in Mich.
The Republican governor also is calling for implementing performance pay for teachers and changing the state's funding formula to reward schools for making academic gains.
Teaching Profession
News in Brief
Model Standards For Teachers Ready
The Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium has finalized a revision of the Model Core Teaching Standards.
Assessment
Opinion
Testing the Test
It is crucial that state and federal officials take careful steps to make sure that standardized tests are valid, writes Marcia Kastner.