Education Week: Jobs Money Flowing, but Not Smoothly

Education Week: Jobs Money Flowing, but Not Smoothly

Jobs Money Flowing, but Not Smoothly

Texas saw its $830 million request rejected by the Department of Education, and charter school advocates are dismayed that some may have trouble tapping the $10 billion layoff-prevention fund.(September 10, 2010)

'i3' Winners Pin Down Last-Minute Matches

Federal innovation grant winners met the challenge through donations of cash, equipment and services, and by rechanneling previous grant funds. (September 10, 2010)

Suit Alleges Calif. Schools Charging Illegal Fees

(September 13, 2010)

Despite Race to Top Win, N.C.'s Charter School Limits Remain

(September 13, 2010)

Pa. Districts Consider Longer School Day, Year

(September 13, 2010)

FROM THE WIRES

• • Free's Many Fees: School Unaffordable in Tanzania
• • A 2nd chance for struggling students
• • D.C. releases details of teacher bonuses

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Free's Many Fees: School Unaffordable in Tanzania

Like many primary school systems in East Africa, Tanzania's is supposed to be free. But in practice, schools have replaced tuition with fees for everything from textbooks to toilets, making education unaffordable to many.(September 13, 2010)

Iowa Programs Work to Combat Rising Child Obesity

(September 13, 2010)

FEATURED BLOGS

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NCLB Foe Releases Slew of Bills

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Obama's Back-to-School Speech Coming Tuesday

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Importance of Social Networking for Educators

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FREE! Many educators are learning that it's not just young children who need help with literacy skills. This FREE Spotlight explores unique strategies and programs for working on literacy with middle and high school students.

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OPINIONS

COMMENTARY OF THE DAY

Where's the Smart Money in a Great Recession?

Overhauling school finance systems offers a way to cut budgets without losing sight of student learning, writes Jacob E. Adams, Jr. (September 10, 2010) | Comments (2)

BRIDGING DIFFERENCES BLOG

Why the RTT Consensus Has Led Us Nowhere

Deborah Meier gives reason why she thinks those who agree Race to the Top is a good thing for school reform may be wrong. (September 9, 2010)

RICK HESS STRAIGHT UP BLOG

Grim Tea Leaves for the Vaunted Tradition of Edu-Bipartisanship

The secretary of education may be relying too heavily on a legacy of bipartisanship in education to make implementing his reforms easier, says Rick Hess.(September 9, 2010)

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YEARLY SPECIAL REPORTS

• NEW REPORT: DIPLOMAS COUNT 2010 >

Graduation by the Numbers

This year's Diplomas Count explores the graduation-rate challenges facing many students and districts and looks at how schools are using data to help students finish high school and earn diplomas. Read the full report.

• QUALITY COUNTS 2010 >
• • Resurgent Debate, Familiar Themes
• TECHNOLOGY COUNTS 2009 >
• • Breaking Away From Tradition

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• • Christie signs NJ school choice measure
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The Mission After Katrina

New Orleans Charter Science and Math Academy teacher Kaycee Eckhart talks about the challenges that she and other educators face in post-Katrina New Orleans.

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• • A Public Proving Ground for Standards-Based Practice
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• • NYC Study Gives K-8 Schools an Edge Over Middle Schools

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DIGITAL DIRECTIONS

Principals See Potential in Social Networking

A recent report finds that principals are unsatisfied with their school or district's social-networking policies. (September 9, 2010)

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TEACHER

My First Student Teacher

The prospect of hosting a student teacher has middle school language arts teacher Sarah Henchey contemplating her own practice. (September 8, 2010) | Comments (7)

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JOHN MERROW'S LEARNING MATTERS

New Orleans: Paul Vallas' Report Card

This final report in a 3-year series looks at Vallas' legacy in New Orleans. What has he done, how is it working, and will it last? Report includes podcasts, videos, and news features. (July 26, 2010) | Comments (5)

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OUR COMMUNITY

COMMENT OF THE DAY Education today is filled with unfunded mandates, written by politicians with no idea what it means to educate young people today. —smurphMORE COMMENTS	FEATURED DISCUSSION Is Firing Bad Teachers the Answer? Is firing bad teachers the key to improving schools? Would it ultimately bolster the teaching profession? Why shouldn't ineffective teachers be fired—or why aren't they more often? Join the discussion!

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Strategies for Online Elementary EducationCHAT SEPT. 14, 1:00 P.M. EASTERNSIGN UP FOR E-MAIL REMINDER.

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Unleashing Technology to Personalize LearningLIVE EVENT OCT. 5, 8:30 A.M. EASTERN Washington, DCREGISTER NOW.

Starting kindergarten: later is better

Starting kindergarten: later is better

Starting kindergarten: later is better

Fourteen studies reviewed by the Public Policy Institute of California in 2008 led it to conclude that...

Misguided use of microchip technology

Officials with Contra Costa County's Head Start program were frustrated. In order to meet federal...

Latest AP Education Headlines

• White House hopes GOP will accept tax cuts 5:54 AM
• One-day recess in US beating trial 4:30 AM
• Free's many fees: School unaffordable in Tanzania 3:33 AM
• Stafford leaves with shoulder injury 3:28 PM
• Hatton 'distraught' after newspaper allegations 1:39 PM

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Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Hey, Arne Duncan!

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Hey, Arne Duncan!

Hey, Arne Duncan!

by Mike Klonsky

Where's your pal

This Week In Education: Obama: Late Announcement Of President's Back To School Speech

This Week In Education: Obama: Late Announcement Of President's Back To School Speech

Obama: Late Announcement Of President's Back To School Speech

by Alexander Russo

With very late notice this year, districts find themselves with an even shorter window to prepare and make accommodations. Arlene Ackerman, Philadelphia's superintendent, told the Inquirer she got the call just yesterday

ED Gets It Right: The Right Way to Promote Obama's Back-to-School Speech :: Frederick M. Hess

ED Gets It Right: The Right Way to Promote Obama's Back-to-School Speech :: Frederick M. Hess

ED Gets It Right: The Right Way to Promote Obama's Back-to-School Speech

by Frederick M. Hess • Sep 13, 2010 at 9:29 am
Cross-posted from Education Week

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A year ago, President Obama's plan to give a back-to-school talk to the nation's students erupted into a tempest when the accompanying materials, issued by the Department of Education, seemed pregnant with politics and hagiography. This year, happily, the Department seems to have learned its lesson--its press release for tomorrow's speech is admirably succinct and on-point, announcing: "The President's Back-to-School Speech is an opportunity to speak directly to students across the country. Last year, President Obama encouraged students to study hard, stay in school, and take responsibility for their education."

A bit dry? Perhaps, but a welcome shift from last year, when Duncan's letter announcing the speech went out of its way to laud the president for "repeatedly focus[ing] on education, even as the country faces two wars, the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression and major challenges on issues like energy and healthcare."

This Week In Education: AM News: LAUSD Proposes New Teacher Evaluations

This Week In Education: AM News: LAUSD Proposes New Teacher Evaluations

AM News: LAUSD Proposes New Teacher Evaluations

by Alexander Russo

Black Male Grad Rates: Despair, And A Ray Of Hope NPR: A new study reports that only 47 percent of black male students entering high school in the fall of 2003 graduated in 2008. For white males, the graduation rate was 78 percent. But one state, New Jersey, managed to raise its black male graduation rate by nearly 30 points... Education" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187); ">Testing, the Chinese Way NYT: American education’s “no test” philosophy for young children has come under assault as government programs strongly promote the practice, which is widespread in Asia... Los Angeles Unveils Teacher Evaluation PlanEdWeek: The proposal also would mandate that teachers work longer than two years before becoming permanent employees and that evaluations be used to guide all hiring and firing decisions.

Indo-Americans urge US President & Congress to declare August as “Indo-American Heritage Month”

Indo-Americans urge US President & Congress to declare August as “Indo-American Heritage Month”

Indo-Americans have urged US President Barack Obama and US Congress to declare August as “Indo-American Heritage Month” to celebrate and commemorate the extraordinary contributions of Americans of India origin.

Indo-American statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that it would be an appropriate honor for the contributions made by many Americans who traced their heritage to India and who brought its vibrant culture to USA.

Zed, who is Chairperson of Indo-American Leadership Confederation, further says that Indo-Americans have become leaders in every facet of American life and their hard work has helped to make the country a better place.

During this month, communities can celebrate and recognize the contributions and achievements of Americans of India descent with festivals, ceremonies, programs, educational activities, and government-sponsored events and celebrate their heritage and culture, Rajan Zed adds.

Teacher in troubled school likes Rhee's impatience - EducationNews.org

Web's #1 Source for K12 and Higher Education News and Commentary - EducationNews.org

High-tech gadget transforming college teaching - and learning 9.13.10 - Freshman Sarah Speicher stared down at her syllabus in the bookstore at Temple University, considering her next purchase. "Clicker?" she asked out loud. "What's a clicker?" 'The lecture is dead' 9.13.10 - The problem with college, mused Harvard's Eric Mazur, is the architecture of the classroom. All those desks facing the front encourage a medieval approach to teaching. ... Colleges and universities turn a page, allow students to rent textbooks 9.13.10 - Around the country, about 1,500 four-year college and university bookstores offer students the option of renting textbooks, up from 500 in just a year. This semester, the University of Kansas, Kansas State University, the University of Missouri-Kansas City and the University of Missouri joined the trend. ... Teacher in troubled school likes Rhee's impatience 9.13.10 - Anthony Priest decided teaching math would be more interesting than his big business career, so he accepted an assignment at one of the most chaotic public schools in the region, Spingarn High in Northeast Washington. Since then, he says, he has had many adventures, including a first-hand look at the inspiring and results-oriented (at least to him) management practices of D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee. ... Concerned about rising tuition? Look at the coaches' salaries 9.13.10 - Colleges and universities must do more to reduce costs and thereby relieve tuition burdens on parents. The first place to look should be excessive salaries to sports coaches....

Commentaries

Texans Care About Our School Children 9.13.10 - Donna Garner - I am compelled to turn to the moms and pops of Texas and to all of those who care that our Texas public school children must master English proficiency to be successful students and employees. Austan Who? 9.13.10 - Peter Meyer - The headline in the Washington Post was "Austan Goolsbee: triathlete, improv comedian, economist." Given the state of the economy, Obama's new Chairman of the Council on Economic Advisers might need the improv comedian talents more than anything.

Charter schools in R.I. face higher standards | Rhode Island news | projo.com | The Providence Journal

Charter schools in R.I. face higher standards | Rhode Island news | projo.com | The Providence Journal

Charter schools in R.I. face higher standards

01:00 AM EDT on Monday, September 13, 2010

By Jennifer D. Jordan

Journal Staff Writer

PROVIDENCE –– Big changes are coming to Rhode Island’s charter schools.

First, there are going to be more of them.

Education Commissioner Deborah A. Gist says she plans to invite high-quality charter operators to the state, which recently received a multimillion-dollar federal grant to expand and improve charter schools. Changes last spring to state law lifted a cap on the number of charter schools, paving the way for growth of these alternative public schools.

Second, tougher expectations are being developed by the state Department of Education that insist charter schools be “models of excellent public schools,” in Gist’s words.

Put simply, charter schools will be held to a higher standard than

Teachers union's website slams Penn Hills School Board - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Teachers union's website slams Penn Hills School Board - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Teachers union's website slams Penn Hills School Board

About the writer Tony LaRussa is a Pittsburgh Tribune-Review staff writer and can be reached at 412-320-7987 or via e-mail. Ways to get us Be a Facebook fan Follow us on Twitter E-mail Newsletters On your mobile

By Tony LaRussa
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Monday, September 13, 2010

The Penn Hills teachers union began the school year with a public service segment on its website, offering video of school board workshops and meetings. But pennhillsteachers.org still contains postings highly critical of school board members and administrators with whom the union disagrees.

Penn Hills Education Association started the website last year, after school officials used the district's website and news interviews to reveal the union's demand for a five-year contract with 15 percent yearly raises and better health insurance coverage. The union approved a contract wit

CPS-teacher talks stall | cincinnati.com | Cincinnati.Com

CPS-teacher talks stall | cincinnati.com | Cincinnati.Com

CPS-teacher talks stall

BY JESSICA BROWN • JLBROWN@ENQUIRER.COM • SEPTEMBER 12, 2010

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More than eight months after their contract expired, the Cincinnati Public School District and its 2,300 teachers continue to butt heads on key issues at the bargaining table.

Public pressure is mounting for talks to continue. And while both sides say they are making slow progress, CPS board member Eve Bolton late last week said, "It could still go either way."

An impasse could lead to a third party hashing out the final agreement.

According to those in the negotiating room, the district and the Cincinnati Federation of Teachers can find few issues to agree on. They are making progress in some areas like discipline and special

Education Dept. releases preliminary Annual Performance Report scores, MAP and SAT numbers

Education Dept. releases preliminary Annual Performance Report scores, MAP and SAT numbers

by JESSICA MACHETTA on SEPTEMBER 12, 2010

in EDUCATION

The Department of Education is looking at the Annual Performance Report Scores for school districts statewide. Commissioner Chris NiCastro says failing schools will get extra attention.

NiCastro says LAST year’s annual performance report shows two schools are Unaccredited — St. Louis Public Schools and Riverview Gardens. She says nine more are provisional: Caruthersville, Charleston, Gilliam, Hayti, Jennings, Kansas City, Morgan County R-1, Normandy, and Sheldon R-8.

She says the state board of education will consider several of those, and — based on the 2010 numbers — will see if they should be accredited. Schools

"Financial Aid eBay" winners Set Off Scholarship Bidding Wars - College Cash 101 (usnews.com)

"Financial Aid eBay" winners Set Off Scholarship Bidding Wars - College Cash 101 (usnews.com)

"Financial Aid eBay" winners Set Off Scholarship Bidding Wars

September 13, 2010 06:45 AM ET | Kim Clark | Permanent Link | Print

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A recent announcement by Cornell University may be the just what is needed to get students and parents to understand one of the worst-kept secrets in the college financial aid world: Students who get into several competing colleges usually get more scholarships than those who focus on just one "dream" college.

Cornell announced this summer that it would match the aid offers of admitted students who also got into other Ivy League colleges. In addition, it says it will "strive to also match the parenta

National Journal Online -- Education Experts -- Is Education Research Not Measuring Up?

National Journal Online -- Education Experts -- Is Education Research Not Measuring Up?

Is Education Research Not Measuring Up?

Is there a crisis of quality in education research?

With an infinite amount of research on education available, the Economic Policy Institute and the National Education Policy Center are taking on the gargantuan task of separating the dirt from the diamonds. In a forum Sept. 29, a team of education experts will discuss their new book, Think Tank Research Quality: Lessons for Policy Makers, the Media and the Public, in an attempt to distinguish between the junk and the science.

In effect, the two organizations posit that too much shoddy research ends up in the hands of policy makers and the media. Are they right? Or are they part of the problem? Is there an area of education research -- charters, teacher evaluation and teacher pay, among others -- that isn't sufficiently rigorous?

-- Eliza Krigman and Fawn Johnson, NationalJournal.com

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RESPONDED ON SEPTEMBER 13, 2010 8:29 AM

Beware of Wolves Wearing Wool

Chester E. Finn, Jr.

President, Thomas B. Fordham Institute

Rick is right, overall. But he neglects to emphasize an integrally related problem, which is that essentially all would-be ARBITERS of research and research quality, including the two outfits that are bringing out this new book, are nobody's idea of impartial or unbiased. They have a long history of doing --and promoting--research that advances their favored policy agendas (in this case, policies favored mostly by labor and the left) and of trashing research, however credible, that tends to validate or advance other policy directions.

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RESPONDED ON SEPTEMBER 13, 2010 7:53 AM

Breaking Ed School Monopoly Is A Plus

Frederick M. Hess

Director of Education Policy Studies, American Enterprise Institute

There’s long been a dearth of significant, high-quality research in education. But there’s no new “crisis”. Indeed, matters are improving. The ability of think tanks and others to bypass conventional education journals and forums is only problematic if they are providing meaningful and unbiased

Web's #1 Source for K12 and Higher Education News and Commentary - EducationNews.org - SAISD launches $515 million bond drive

Web's #1 Source for K12 and Higher Education News and Commentary - EducationNews.org - SAISD launches $515 million bond drive

SAISD launches $515 million bond drive 9.13.10 - With Henry Cisneros and state Rep. Mike Villarreal leading the charge, the city's oldest school district launched a drive Sunday to persuade voters to approve a $515 million bond issue on Nov. 2.

Charter schools in R.I. face higher standards PROVIDENCE –– Big changes are coming to Rhode Island’s charter schools. First, there are going to be more of them.

District prepared for expected increase in free-meal applications 9.13.10 - Each school day, 300,000 high-spirited children and voracious teenagers converge on the public schools to eat. Of these, about 156,000 qualify for free meals.