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In the News on November 21, 2007
Research shows that teacher retirement is more influenced by the early-retirement incentives * Obama calls for $18 billion boost in education * CA schools make Herculean efforts to close the achievement gap * More power to schools: NYC's new accountability system is freeing schools to run their own affairs
Research shows that teacher retirement is more influenced by the early-retirement incentives built into state pension plans than by educational considerations
Obama calls for $18-billion boost in education spending and outlines his broad education agenda
School Funding Litigation/Policy
Education advocates are expected to file suit today against the state of CA for shortchanging school districts $1 billion; they seek reimbursement for programs they say the state required and should have paid for
D.C. officials explain how they plan to spend the $81 million requested
State Roundup
AL Gov. Bob Riley announces plans to "significantly expand" voluntary pre-kindergarten for 4-year-olds
CA schools make Herculean efforts to close the achievement gap
ME’s school consolidation law raises questions and concerns about increased costs
More power to schools: NYC’s new accountability system is freeing schools to run their own affairs
NY dual enrollment program meant to reach out to kids in high-poverty situations faces fiscal hurdle
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TN Gov. plans to funnel more money into pre-kindergarten programs despite a "tight" budget year
In the News on November 20, 2007
PA’s school experiment, the Penn Alexander School, a public school run in partnership with the University of Pennsylvania, becomes a success story in its neighborhood and a model for school reform in other cities
Editorial – What the rest of the country can learn from
Core subjects might be axed from the National Assessment of Educational Progress if funding remains flat, as is projected
U.S. Secretary of Transportation proposes new rules to improve school bus safety, but she promises no new money to cover costs
Commentary – Time to think global in testing
School Funding Litigation/Policy
Task force works to overhaul the way GA public schools are funded, but the state Department of Education feels it hasn't been involved enough in the crafting of the standards for agreements between the state and the local districts
NY Gov. Spitzer provides more money to school systems that need it, but with guidance and a higher level of accountability to ensure the money isn't wasted
State Roundup
D.C. charter leaders seek a 'gold standard designation' to identify which charters are doing the most to raise teaching quality and academic achievement for low-income students
Every D.C. classroom will have a desktop computer by February under a $4 million technology initiative
ID state officials examine the dual credit system, which allows high school students to earn college and high school credit at the same time, to make sure that it is applied fairly and consistently across the state
Group of NC educators recommends dropping several tests and not counting others in the state testing program, as they argue that “testing isn't aligning with excellence”
Countdown in the works: Public kindergarten would be in place in every NH school district by September 2009 under a plan that wins committee endorsement
Opinion – NJ’s easy diploma deprives kids of skills
NYC Department of Education yields to state officials by agreeing to shift more money to reduce class sizes and to spend more on low-performing schools
In the News on November 19, 2007
Chinese parents are expected to file a federal lawsuit today challenging a popular NYC tutoring program on the grounds it discriminates against Asians
Study says that English proficiency is the biggest predictor of the academic achievement of immigrant students
Audits find that the NCLB provision requiring states to identify "persistently dangerous schools" is hampered by widespread underreporting of violent incidents and by major differences among the states in defining unsafe campuses
New report says that Americans are reading less and their reading proficiency is declining at troubling rates and it also predicts the trend will have a profound negative effect on the nation's economic and civic future
School Funding Litigation/Policy
CO democratic leaders propose a $1 billion plan to bail out districts that can't afford to replace decrepit and unsafe buildings
State Roundup
Education panel suggests reforms for CO schools
D.C. Schools Chancellor Rhee considers turning over the management of failing public schools to nonprofit charter education firms, but experts and school advocates are uncertain about her idea
GA’s 2005 initiative to increase both the number of teachers graduating from state colleges and the number of minority students getting those degrees has proved successful, but the state needs to step up some more to meet its original goals
Several KS school districts rely on overseas educators as it becomes increasingly difficult to find certified teachers in the state, but school board members say they are not yet comfortable with the policy
Education official warns that a new state law could lead to a mass exodus of NV’s most experienced teachers and administrators
American Indians demonstrate at the state capitol to urge OK educators to do a better job of teaching tribal histories
Federal teacher quality measure doesn't tell all, but TN schools try hard to reach it
Published Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2007