February 20, 2013
Education Week, Vol. 32, Issue 21
Equity & Diversity
Mascot Imagery Civil Rights Target
Michigan asks the U.S. Department of Education to ban the use of such imagery for schools that get federal aid.
Curriculum
High School Debating Takes a Digital Turn
Students are teaming up to do quick online research to feed to debaters in real time for honing arguments and articulating rebuttals.
School & District Management
Wyoming Officials Feud Over Who Calls Shots on K-12
A new law empowering the governor and stripping the state schools chief of authority draws political pushback.
School & District Management
Surplus Schools Pose Problems for Districts
A 12-city study finds districts are struggling over what to do with all the schools they are closing down.
Education
State of the States: D.C., Ky., Ill., Maine, Mo., Mont., Pa., W.V.
Here are summaries of recent annual addresses by governors around the country. In this roundup: District of Columbia, Kentucky, Illinois, Maine, Missouri, Montana, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.
College & Workforce Readiness
Many Students Don't Need Remediation, Studies Say
New research suggests that a significant proportion of students placed in college remedial courses don't need them.
Education
Correction
Corrections
A summary of Maine Gov. Paul LePage's 2013 State of the State address in the Feb. 6, 2013, edition of Education Week was based instead on the text of the 2012 budget address. The correct summary of his State of the State speech appears on Page 26 of this edition.
Education
Clarification
Clarification
A story on student internships in the Jan. 30, 2013, issue provided an outdated title for Randy McPherson. He is the director of counseling services and college preparation for the Memphis, Tenn., school district and the American School Counselor Association's counselor of the year in 2011.
Federal
As Waivers Take Hold, ESEA Renewal Still Uncertain
Congress has yet to decide when or whether to start work on long-overdue reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
Law & Courts
Texas K-12 Funding Fight Seen Headed to State's High Court
A state district court judge ruled the Texas school financing system unconstitutional, cheering hundreds of local districts that had sued.
Education Funding
Watchdog Gnaws On Foundation With Jeb Bush Ties
In the Public Interest, a nonprofit, says Bush's Foundation for Excellence in Education is being used as a cover for companies seeking public money.
Early Childhood
Obama Push to Boost Early-Ed. Programs Still Short on Details
The president wants to dramatically expand preschool access for low- and middle-income children, but has yet to spell out the cost.
School & District Management
Leadership Changing for Science Groups
The head of the National Science Foundation plans to step down, while the National Science Teachers Association gets a new director.
School Climate & Safety
Discipline Data: Charters vs. Noncharters
This infographic compares out-of-school suspension and expulsion rates in charter schools with traditional public schools.
Student Well-Being
USDA Wants Healthy Fare in School Vending Machines
The agency's proposed rules would also limit junk food sold a la carte on school lunch lines.
Teacher Preparation
Accrediting Body Unveils Draft Standards for Teacher Prep
The proposal includes a 3.0 GPA for applicants and evidence that programs' graduates make an impact in their K-12 classrooms.
Teaching Profession
More Mergers for NEA, AFT Affiliates
North Dakota becomes the fifth state where the two unions have united, and Wisconsin is moving toward that goal.
College & Workforce Readiness
College 'E-Advisers' Show Promise for K-12 Schools
Systems like Tennessee's Degree Compass, which uses K-12 data to match students to courses, could be useful for high schools.
Accountability
Opinion
Making School Work for Mobile Students and Others
Personalized learning would improve schooling for all students, especially those who move a lot, Beth Rabbitt writes.
Special Education
Opinion
Why Job Training Matters for Students With Autism
Vocational training offers a sound path for students with autism and other challenges, Susan Senator writes.
Education Funding
Obituary
Veteran Superintendent Dies
A high-profile big-city schools chief and unwavering advocate for equity in public schooling, died Feb. 2 from pancreatic cancer at age 66.
School Climate & Safety
New Orleans Schools Unite on Expulsions
With dozens of charter schools, the Crescent City had dozens of different discipline policies.
Early Childhood
Report Roundup
Math Skills
A child's ability to understand and manipulate numbers in 1st grade predicts how well he or she will succeed in math later in life.
School Climate & Safety
Report Roundup
School Sports
Data from public high schools in Ohio show that a school's commitment to athletics is positively related to academic access.
School Climate & Safety
Report Roundup
Changing Mindsets
Helping teenagers understand how people change in different situations can reduce their own hostility, a new study suggests.
Assessment
Report Roundup
Researchers Want to Know: Are Good Grades Contagious?
Grades of friends can rise or fall toward the average of their social circle over time, a study suggests.
Assessment
Report Roundup
Cheating
A new report offers recommendations for preventing, detecting, and responding to cheating in computer-based and regular standardized tests.
Classroom Technology
Report Roundup
Social Media
A report found that aspiring teachers are using social media and online resources at higher rates to develop their skills as educators.