March 12, 2008
Education Week, Vol. 27, Issue 27
Federal
Benchmarks Momentum on Increase
Governors and state schools chiefs are eyeing international yardsticks as a way to better prepare students for a competitive global economy.
Reading & Literacy
Directors of ‘Reading First’ Plagued by Anxiety Over Budget Cuts
The federal initiative is not likely to survive if big funding cuts are not reversed, several state directors told federal officials at a meeting last week.
Recruitment & Retention
Performance-Pay Setup in Texas Shows Promise
Independent studies of the nation's largest performance-pay system suggest that the state-backed plans could be having positive effects on teacher attitudes.
Curriculum
Insights Gained Into Arts and Smarts
Training in the arts might contribute to improving the general thinking skills of children and adults, a study concludes.
School Choice & Charters
Study Finds Lower Math Scores in Catholic Schools
Researchers found that by the time Catholic school pupils reached 3rd grade, they trailed their public school counterparts in math by an average of three to four months.
Budget & Finance
Washington Schools Reap Ballot Success in Tax Levy Voting
A constitutional amendment in Washington state aimed at making it easier to approve school levies already appears to be having the effect supporters intended.
Assessment
Home-Schoolers, Under New Scrutiny, Pushing Back
Lawmakers in a number of states want to more closely regulate families who opt to teach their own children.
Teaching Profession
Performance-Pay Studies Show Few Achievement Gains
A handful of new studies on performance-pay initiatives have found mixed results on how they affect student achievement.