June 5, 2013
Education Week, Vol. 32, Issue 33
Teaching Profession
Pension-System Woes Put Legislators on Hot Seat
State lawmakers continue grappling with major changes to their teacher-retirement systems.
Teaching Profession
Teacher-Pension Costs Could Put Squeeze on More Districts
Rising expenses and falling enrollment have hit St. Louis' retirement system. The district's problem resonates nationally as states struggle to deal with about $325 billion in unfunded pension liabilities.
Curriculum
Museums Open Doors to Informal Math Learning
A new museum in New York City, along with math exhibits in other museums, are designed to infuse fun into learning.
College & Workforce Readiness
Report Roundup
Poverty, Preschools Seen Rising
The newest edition of 'The Condition of Education' highlights some of the statistical trends occurring throughout the country's schools.
Equity & Diversity
Report Roundup
Research Report: Special Education
The rates of autism for students of all races is on the increase, but students who are black, Hispanic or American Indian are less likely to be identified with the disability, says a study.
Ed-Tech Policy
Report Roundup
Data Interoperability
The systems for collecting, storing, and analyzing student data don't mesh with each other, making it difficult for educators to use them, according to a new report.
School Climate & Safety
Report Roundup
Physical Education
Increasing the amount of physical education time for 5th graders appears to reduce the likelihood of childhood obesity, concludes a study.
College & Workforce Readiness
Report Roundup
21st-Century Learning
Exposure to so-called 21st-century skills correlates positively with students' perceived quality of work later in life, says a Gallup Inc., study.
Education Funding
Obituary
Plaintiff in Landmark Lemon Case Dies
The lead plaintiff in a landmark U.S. Supreme Court case setting a key test for evaluating the constitutionality of government aid to religious schools, has died at 84.
Standards
Opinion
Postponing 'Stakes' for Common Core Won't Work
Postponing high stakes for the common-core assessments would delay important progress, writes Alice Johnson Cain of Teach Plus.
Education Funding
Opinion
An Open Letter to Pearson
Classroom teacher Jacob Tanenbaum writes that his school's resources are being drained for testing.
Education
Correction
Correction
A map that accompanied an article about two groups creating Common Core State Standards assessments for students with severe disabilities miscategorized Missouri, which is part of the Dynamic Learning Maps consortium, and Delaware, Maryland, and Montana, which are members of the National Center and State Collaborative. In addition, after the newspaper's print deadline, Illinois joined the DLM consortium, and North Dakota left the NCSC group.
Federal
'i3' Winners on Track to Meet Key Goal in Research Arena
Recipients of federal innovation grants are largely living up to the What Works Clearinghouse research standards.
Standards
Leeway Urged in Putting Common Core Into Effect
Five groups representing state and district school leaders call for flexibility in implementing the common standards.
Equity & Diversity
Home Language an Asset for ELLs, Duncan Says
Schools should capitalize on English-learners' strengths in their home languages, the U.S. Secretary of Education says.
School & District Management
Large Urban School Districts Creating Their Own Virtual Schools
Philadelphia will soon join a number of other big-city school districts that have founded virtual schools as a way to expand school choices for parents and lure students back to their school systems.
School & District Management
Crunch Time Ahead on Calif. School Finance Overhaul
Gov. Jerry Brown is looking to remake the state’s school funding system, against a June 15 state budget deadline.
Law & Courts
News in Brief
Texas School District Appeals Banner Ruling
A southeast Texas school district is appealing a court ruling that allowed high school cheerleaders to display at football games banners emblazoned with Bible verses.
Law & Courts
News in Brief
Student Vehicle Search Negated by Neb. Court
A search by school officials of a student's vehicle while it was parked just off campus was unreasonable under the Fourth Amendment, Nebraska's highest court has ruled.
Education Funding
News in Brief
Colorado Court Upholds K-12 Funding System
Colorado is not constitutionally required to increase education funding, the state supreme court ruled last week.
Assessment
News in Brief
Federal Grants Offered for Kindergarten Tests
States will have a chance to vie for $9.2 million in federal grant aid to help them create kindergarten-entry assessments.
Science
News in Brief
R.I. is First to Adopt Science Standards
Rhode Island has become the first state to adopt the Next Generation Science Standards.
Federal
News in Brief
AERA Set to Launch Open-Access Journal
The American Educational Research Association is joining the ranks of outlets offering open-access research with a new journal expected to begin publishing early next year.
Assessment
News in Brief
Texas Cuts Back Testing for Grad. Requirements
Texas lawmakers have taken final action on a measure that would overhaul state graduation requirements.
Curriculum
News in Brief
Settlement is Reached in E-Book-Price Case
A division of Pearson has agreed to pay $75 million as part of a settlement of a lawsuit in which a group of companies was accused of fixing the price of e-books.
Federal
News in Brief
Calif. CORE Districts Adjust Waiver Proposal
The nine California districts seeking a first-of-its-kind waiver under the No Child Left Behind Act have made key changes to their proposed accountability system in an effort to win approval from U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.
Teaching Profession
News in Brief
Iowa Measure Creates Teacher Career Ladder
Iowa teachers will have the opportunity to assume new roles, along with additional pay, under a bill passed by the state legislature and awaiting the signature of the governor.
Federal
Opinion
Seize the Moment to Design Schools That Close Gaps
Paul Reville writes that it's time for a learning system that isn't about mass-produced education, but instead one that speaks to the needs of the individual child.