April 30, 2008
Education Week, Vol. 27, Issue 35
Law & Courts
Cultural Adjustment an Issue for Texas Sect’s Children
The 437 children taken from the Yearning for Zion Ranch compound in Eldorado, Texas, are being scattered to group homes and boys’ and girls’ ranches across the state.
Law & Courts
Texas Panel Kills Proposed Bible-Based Science Degree
The state's Higher Education Coordinating Board unanimously rejected a proposal by the Dallas-based Institute for Creation Research that it be allowed to offer a Bible-based online master’s degree program to science teachers.
Law & Courts
Alaska Legislators Overhaul Funding
Gov. Sarah Palin and state lawmakers have gone ahead with an overhaul of Alaska’s school funding system that supporters predict will provide much-needed financial help to rural schools.
Federal
Risk Report’s Anniversary Prompts Reflection
The 25th anniversary of A Nation At Risk should give federal policymakers the opportunity to reconsider the current federal approach, one influential lawmaker said last week.
Teaching Profession
Teacher Pay, Support Seen Common Issues Facing Rural States
State policymakers could help alleviate some of the challenges facing rural educators by equalizing the teacher-salary structures of their urban, suburban, and rural districts, advocates for rural education say.
Equity & Diversity
More Funding Urged For ‘Education for All’
For more than 72 million children around the globe, school is not yet an option.
Families & the Community
Parents’ Role in Schools Earns Fresh Respect
The Maryland Department of Education has launched an awards program to recognize parents who have made significant contributions to the schools in their community.
IT Infrastructure & Management
Federal File
Federal Game Aims to Curb Youth Conflicts
A computer game created by a federal agency aims to teach children conflict-resolution skills and offer an alternative to violent computer and video games that have become popular with young people.
Education
Letter to the Editor
Blue-Ribbon Schools Program: Why We Should Bring It Back
School culture and test scores are both important in giving schools the "Blue Ribbon" designation, the authors argue.
Special Education
Gifted Advocates Say Rules Protect Federal Money
Advocates for gifted education say changes to a U.S. Department of Education grant notification have allayed their fears that money designated for high-achieving students was being diverted to other needs.
Curriculum
Letter to the Editor
Clearing Up Possible Confusion About Urban Debate Leagues
The author contends that a recent Education Week article mischaracterizes urban debate leagues' work.
Education
Video Interviews: Principals at the Center - Mark Roosevelt
The Pittsburgh school district believes cultivating effective instructional leaders is the key to school improvement. Their system is geared toward supporting principals in all stages oftheir careers and includes clear standards for evaluation and possible bonus pay for meeting those criteria.
Education
Video Interviews: Principals at the Center - Wayne Walters
The Pittsburgh school district believes cultivating effective instructional leaders is the key to school improvement. Their system is geared toward supporting principals in all stages oftheir careers and includes clear standards for evaluation and possible bonus pay for meeting those criteria.
Ed-Tech Policy
Letter to the Editor
A ‘Wave of Misinformation’ on Idaho’s Virtual Charters
Misconceptions about Idaho’s virtual schools spread quickly when news outlets picked up information from one another.
Ed-Tech Policy
Letter to the Editor
Why Do K-12 Educators Still Debate Technology?
The author asks: Would anyone in his or her right mind question the importance of technology in American business, in our health-care system, or in the military-industrial complex?
Education
Video Interviews: Principals at the Center: Tamara Allen
The Pittsburgh school district believes cultivating effective instructional leaders is the key to school improvement. Their system is geared toward supporting principals in all stages oftheir careers and includes clear standards for evaluation and possible bonus pay for meeting those criteria.
School & District Management
Principals at the Center
The Pittsburgh school district believes cultivating effective instructional leaders is the key to school improvement.
Education
Letter to the Editor
Tracing Math’s Teaching Woes to ‘Over-the-Hill Academics’
Part of America’s mathematics education malaise is math professors' 'symbiotic' relationship with education research funding, the author argues.
Federal
Playing Games in Classroom Helping Pupils Grasp Math
A growing body of research is revealing the potential benefits of using board games in the classroom to strengthen the mathematics skills of children, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Recruitment & Retention
Mass. Urban Teachers Being Groomed to Help Sway Policy
The Teaching Policy Fellowship aims to promote ways to retain teachers who have made it successfully through the first years of teaching but may not stay a lifetime.
Science
Opinion
The Ultimate Reality Show
The reality is that a major push for science education won’t happen unless voters, and specifically parents, demand it, argues Ellen V. Futter.
Federal
Opinion
The Teaching Penalty
Public school teachers earn much less than comparably educated and experienced people.
Education Funding
Opinion
The End of School Finance as We Know It
How do legislators know how much to spend on public education? And how do educators know how best to spend the money they get? Our school finance system has made it impossible to find those answers.
Reading & Literacy
Report Roundup
Writing Skills
Teens generally discount the writing skills they use to compose text messages, e-mail, report finds.
Education
Report Roundup
New Orleans Schools
Most parents, teachers, and citizens believe that public schools in Recovery District have improved over last year, survey finds.
Early Childhood
Report Roundup
Child Well-Being
Children feel safer at school, perform better on national tests, and are healthier by some measures, says a report.
School Climate & Safety
Report Roundup
Bullies' Relationships
Students who bully their classmates also tend to have lots of conflicts with parents and peers, study finds.
Science
News in Brief
School Science Funder Gives Small Colleges Aid for K-12 Projects
The Howard Hughes Medical Institute has awarded $60 million in grants.
Assessment
Report Roundup
Test Scores in Big-City Schools Seen to Be on Upswing
The nation’s urban students posted gains on their reading and mathematics exams in 2007 to continue a trend of improving achievement.