Holder exhorts BU grads to take on challenges Education news - Boston Globe - MCAS results - latest education news - Boston.com

Education news - Boston Globe - MCAS results - latest education news - Boston.com

2009 MCAS RESULTS

MCAS scores fall shy of target

For the first time since testing began, more than half of Massachusetts schools are out of compliance with federal achievement standards, education officials said yesterday, a finding that raises warning flags for local educators but also sparks questions about whether the national benchmarks are too high. (By James Vaznis, Globe Staff)

• Science MCAS stymies
• Complete 2009 MCAS results

SPECIAL SECTIONS

Last chance for
English High

A reach for redemption
English High made gains last year, but achieving its goals has been a challenge.

• PART 1 Long road back
• PART 2 Overwhelmed teachers
• PART 3 Student mothers
• VIDEO English High

Paying for college 101

Sally Donahue, Harvard University's director of financial aid, answered questions about how to pay for college.

• COVERAGE New aid for the middle
• LINK College board website

GLOBE EDUCATION NEWS

Holder exhorts BU grads to take on challenges

Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr., the first black leader of the US Department of Justice, urged 6,200 graduates of Boston University yesterday to follow the example of alumnus Martin Luther King Jr. and become “stars in the darkness,’’ fulfilling their obligation as educated Americans to confront the challenges facing the country. (By Jenna Russell, Globe Staff)

Michelle Obama tells GWU grads to give, engage

WASHINGTON — Michelle Obama challenged George Washington University graduates at their commencement yesterday to keep giving through community service work and to keep engaging with the world. (Associated Press)

Commencements around the region

Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering Speaker: Kathleen Stephens, US ambassador to South Korea Expected graduates: 85 Degrees: Bachelor of science in electrical and computer engineering; bachelor of science in engineering; bachelor of science in mechanical engineering (Boston Globe)

R.I. district, union reach deal to rehire teachers

CENTRAL FALLS, R.I. — A school district that gained the support of President Obama for promoting accountability after it fired all its teachers from a struggling school announced yesterday that it had reached an agreement with the union to return all the current employees to their jobs. (By Eric Tucker, Associated Press)

Patrick urges Framingham State graduates to avoid quick fix

Governor Deval Patrick told graduates of Framingham State College that the crises they face once they flip their graduation cap tassel from the right to the left would probably be more manageable if they apply more long-term thinking to the world they are entering. (By Emma Stickgold, Globe Correspondent)

LATEST EDUCATION NEWS WIRE UPDATES

• Christian leader faces questions about Muslim past (AP, 3:20 a.m.)
• Minn. Legislature needs extra time to fix budget (AP, 2:20 a.m.)
• $35M for Dartmouth health care delivery center (AP, 12:08 a.m.)
• RI school district agrees to rehire fired teachers (AP, 5/16/10)
• Central Falls, RI, agrees to rehire fired teachers (AP, 5/16/10)

LATEST K-12 EDUCATION NEWS

• NH high school to students: Turn in cell phones (AP, 5/15/10)
• Carcieri to receive honorary degree from PC (AP, 5/15/10)
• Report of 'rifles' at school; 9 youths detained (AP, 5/15/10)
• Teacher apologizes for recorded beating of student (AP, 5/15/10)
• US to raise standards for school beef (Boston Globe, 5/14/10)

Schools Matter: Imagine Report from Policy Matters Ohio

Schools Matter: Imagine Report from Policy Matters Ohio

Imagine Report from Policy Matters Ohio

by Kenneth Libby

From Policy Matters Ohio:

Public Good vs. Private Profit:
Imagine Schools, Inc. in Ohio

Imagine Schools, Inc., is the nation’s largest for-profit charter school management company, with 71 schools nationwide and 11 in Ohio.

This report found that Imagine, Inc. has a poor record of performance in Ohio and a business model that includes elaborate school real estate transactions, high management and operations fees, overlapping business relationships with its main authorizer, low spending on classroom instruction, and tight control of school finances and board relationships. These problems have led to Academic Emergency ratings for five of the company's six rated Ohio schools for the 2008-09 school year (the sixth was in Academic Watch). Because of the management company’s poor academic record in Ohio, it was barred from opening new

AM News: Central Falls Teachers Keep Their Jobs This Week In Education

This Week In Education

AM News: Central Falls Teachers Keep Their Jobs

by Alexander Russo

R.I. district, union reach deal to rehire teachers AP: A school district that gained the support of President Obama for promoting accountability after it fired all its teachers from a struggling school announced yesterday that it had reached an agreement with the union to return all the current employees to their jobs... Education" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/16/weekinreview/16steinberg.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187); ">Plan B: Skip College NYT: A group of economists argue that it’s time to develop alternatives for students unlikely to succeed in pursuing a higher degree, or who may not be ready to do so... Education" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/15/us/15student.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187); ">Student’s Arrest Tests Immigration Policy NYT: A college student who is an illegal immigrant has unwittingly provided the latest test of whether local officials should be enforcing federal immigration law... In India, Can Schools Offer Path Out Of Poverty? NPR: On the Grand Trunk Road that crosses South Asia, NPR explores the plight of young people in this series... 20 Ohio students arrested in high school prank AP: Twenty students in Ohio are accused of ransacking their high school in what police describe as an end-of-the-year prank that got out of hand.... Boston Globe reporter wins Hechinger Prize in Education Writers Contest EWA: The Boston Globe’s Bob Hohler won the top prize in the National Awards for Education Reporting for his seven – part series “Failing Our Athletes: The Sad State of Sports in Boston Public Schools.”

Diane Ravitch on testing, accountability, curriculum, charters and much more | THE EDUCATION FRONT Blog | dallasnews.com

Diane Ravitch on testing, accountability, curriculum, charters and much more | THE EDUCATION FRONT Blog | dallasnews.com

Diane Ravitch on testing, accountability, curriculum, charters and much more

by William McKenzie/Editorial Columnist

Points yesterday ran a 800-word excerpt from this Morning News interview with education historian Diane Ravitch. Her book, "The Death and Life of the Great American School System," is generating a lot of attention, including this review in the New York Times yesterday.
Here's a longer version of the interview she did with Morning News editors and writers a couple of weeks ago. As you will see, there was a lot of give-and-take:

What's the intent of your new book? After all, you once were on the side of many education reformers?
My hope is this book is the equivalent of Rachel Carson's "The Silent Spring" or Jane Jacobs' "Maiden Song." I have gotten got a response that makes me feel there is a groundswell for a movement that has no leader. I hope an elected official emerges who gives voice to this tremendous dismay, even betrayal, about why the same policies so ineffective under Bush are being pursued under Obama.
I define them as "measure and punish." My argument, which I think I document well, is that the No Child Left Behind Act has failed and that Obama is building upon that same foundation.
How would you measure progress or success?

Winters still in uproar over principal's ouster Education - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

Education - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

Winters still in uproar over principal's ouster

By Hudson Sangree - Published: 12:00 am

A controversy over the ouster of a successful high schoolprincipal in Winters refuses to die down. If anything, it has grown more heated in the past two months.

CSU fee hike hits summer students

By Laurel Rosenhall - Published: 12:00 am

California State University students registering for summer classes are finding an extra fee on their bill, raising the cost for a full course load by about $1,000.

Retiring CSUS professor Barbara O'Connor wins praise throughout Sacramento

By Stephen Magagnini - Published: Sunday, May 16 2010 - 12:00 am

As what could be called the Barbara O'Connor Tribute Tour rolls through the capital, it seems everyone has a story about how the retiring Sacramento State professor has changed their lives.

UC Davis vet school feels pain of budget cuts

By Mark Glover - Published: Sunday, May 16 2010 - 12:00 am

The wobbly economy has taken a bite out of the people who care for our animals and pets.

Summer classes set for elementary school students

By Diana Lambert - Updated: 10:17 am

The Elk Grove Unified School District will offer summer enrichment classes for elementary school students at five sites.

40 Years Later, a Proper Graduation Education News - The New York Times

Education News - The New York Times

40 Years Later, a Proper Graduation

By KATHARINE Q. SEELYE

Katherine Taylor for The New York Times

Boston University held a graduation ceremony for its class of 1970 on Sunday morning. The original commencement was canceled amid a tumultuous spring.

About 300 members of Boston University’s class of 1970 attended a graduation ceremony on Sunday, four decades after the original was canceled amid political unrest.

• Video: 1970 Revisited (bu.edu)

OUR TOWNS

Quick Exit by President of UConn

By PETER APPLEBOME

Michael J. Hogan gave notice to the head of the university trustees by cellphone at 5:30 p.m. the day before his announcement.

• Columnist Page

WEEK IN REVIEW

Plan B: Skip College

By JACQUES STEINBERG

A group of economists argue that it’s time to develop alternatives for students unlikely to succeed in pursuing a higher degree, or who may not be ready to do so.

• Join the Discussion on The Choice Blog

‘The Death and Life of the Great American School System’

By DIANE RAVITCH
Reviewed by ALAN WOLFE

An expert on schools changes her mind about testing and choice.

• Scholar’s School Reform U-Turn Shakes Up Debate

Student’s Arrest Tests Immigration Policy

By ROBBIE BROWN

A college student who is an illegal immigrant has unwittingly provided the latest test of whether local officials should be enforcing federal immigration law.

Citing Individualism, Arizona Tries to Rein in Ethnic Studies in School

By TAMAR LEWIN

Gov. Jan Brewer of Arizona has once again upset the state’s large Hispanic population, signing a bill aimed at ending ethnic studies in the Tucson schools.

Growth of CUNY Chancellor’s Salary Outpaces Rise in Faculty’s Pay

By LISA W. FODERARO

In his 11 years as chancellor, Matthew Goldstein’s base pay has grown to $490,000 from $250,000, bringing criticism from the professors’ union president.

• Times Topics: Matthew Goldstein

Nominee Scrutinized for Hiring on Race

By KATHARINE Q. SEELYE

Critics say that Elena Kagan did not create enough racial diversity at Harvard, and her supporters counter that she demonstrated a commitment to equality.

California: Attention, Parents of School Truants, State Senators Have Turned Their Eyes to You

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

The California Senate passed a bill on Thursday under which the State would hold parents responsible if their children regularly skipped school.

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES

WEEKEND QUOTABLES

by Mike Klonsky

Honor student's arrest will test Arizona law

I never thought that I’d be caught up in this messed-up system,” Ms. Colotl said Friday at a news conference after being released on $2,500 bail. “I was treated like a criminal, like a threat to the nation.” (NYT)

Kellogg Foundation V.P. on nation's racial wounds

The demographic mandate is clear, Christopher noted, because “by 2015, most of the children in America will be children of color,” who will continue to experience higher rates of interaction with

Today’s Oil Spill Resources | Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day...

Today’s Oil Spill Resources | Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day...

oday’s Oil Spill Resources

by Larry Ferlazzo

Here are today’s additions to The Best Sites To Learn About The Gulf Oil Spill:
Huge Oil Plumes Found Under Gulf as BP Struggles comes from ABC News.
New Tactics To Stem Oil Spill is a CNN video with helpful animations.
BP says tube successfully inserted back into Gulf leak is a CNN video with a good simulation.
After Spill, an Economy on Pause is a New York Times slideshow.

My Best Posts On “Motivating” Students

by Larry Ferlazzo

I’ve put the word “motivating” in quotation marks for this post because I hate the word. Here’s how I put it in a

“10 Websites to Convert Text to Speech Online for Free”

May’s Best Tweets — Part One

Santa Clara County: High school students say they're stressed, need help Education - San Jose Mercury News

Education - San Jose Mercury News

News > Education

Santa Clara County: High school students say they're stressed, need help Some 70 teenagers and a handful of parents from 15 high schools from Milpitas to Gilroy, all in Rep. Mike Honda's district, gathered Sunday at a Cupertino community hall to discuss the problem with a panel of experts. South Bay schools relieved, anxious over budget cuts Southern California school district investigating high school strippers

For-profit colleges have legacy of recruiter compensation | California Watch

For-profit colleges have legacy of recruiter compensation | California Watch

For-profit colleges have legacy of recruiter compensation

by Erica Perez

Erica Perez

Some for-profit education companies' practice of compensating recruitment officials based on the number of students they enroll has drawn increased scrutiny from the media and from the federal government.
The idea is that incentive compensation can result in high-pressure recruiting tactics, where enrollment counselors try to rope in as many students as possible into high-priced programs with scant regard for their chances of success.
Yet, as a recent Higher Ed Watch blog post illuminates, the practice is anything but new.
Congress banned colleges from providing incentive compensation to employees in 1992 after reports of abuse, including a 1991 report by the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations of the U.S. Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs.
The report sounds eerily similar to some of the cases making headlines today. "Dishonest elements" have