In the News Nov. 22 - 27, 2007
Federal/NCLB
Experts say that NCLB may slight the gifted
Sen. Alexander proposes giving up to 12 states greater flexibility in meeting academic requirements in exchange for setting higher achievement standards
Editorial – More candidates should follow Romney's lead and talk about ways to improve NCLB
Other News
High-quality after-school programs are tied to test-score gains, according to a new study
Editorial – Unanimity surrounding the reauthorization of Head Start shows the worth of the program, and it should fuel the movement for states to expand preschool education
NYC’s grading system sparks debate over how to judge schools
Editorial – Test and switch: The problem with national tests and standards
Poverty in the South is a 'first-order crisis' for schools
MD’s prototype language immersion program stumbles; parents and students say there are problems with how the classes are taught
Commentary – Why we need district-based reform: Supporting system-wide instructional improvement
School Funding Litigation/Policy
Congress is still battling over education budget
Education panel says CA’s “K-12 education system is broken” and proposes $6.1 billion in new spending as well as some controversial changes, but the school plan comes in the midst of fiscal crisis
Questions still face school funding task force appointed three years ago to hammer out a new way to fund schools in GA
MD schools struggle tot keep the quality of instruction, despite projected budget cuts
Proposal to eliminate financial issues that communities face under ME's school district consolidation law gets a lukewarm response from affected communities
MI schools will have to make do with a bare increase in state funding this year after lawmakers sacrificed a larger boost to settling a protracted budget battle
NJ governor is expected to unveil a new public school-funding plan that bases state aid for schools by the needs of children in each community, and not by whether a school is in a poor community – as the state has done for decades
Poor NJ school districts stand to lose massive amounts of state aid once the state adopts a new funding formula, according to one Assemblywoman
WV lawmakers may recalculate school aid formula and give greater weight to how closely a county's students live together
State Roundup
AK wants to require all state teachers to take a special course in how to teach reading, but the proposal has triggered an outpouring of protests from teachers, principals and others
Little-known rule of NCLB helps
AZ plans to implement more math and science courses as part of a larger initiative to align the state education system from pre-kinder to higher education
OH will add a new indicator to its annual report cards to highlight individual student progress based on state achievement test scores
Gifted students in PA rely on the state Department of Education to make sure public schools challenge them intellectually, but parents and groups say regulations don't go far enough
Report says South Carolinians are less likely to have a high school diploma, but those who graduate are more likely to attend college than most Americans
Published Thursday, Nov. 29, 2007