Wednesday, March 17

Civics Education
More Civics Education Needed, Advocates Say
Florida's "Justice Sandra Day O'Connor Civics Education Act" bills (SB 1096, HB 105) would make civics a required 7th-grade course and civics the subject of a new high-stakes, middle school test. The Senate bill also would make "civics-related content" a required part of language-arts materials for all grade levels. Eventually, Florida students would have to pass the new statewide civics test to be promoted out of middle school, and schools' annual A-to-F grades would be based in part on those civic test scores. (Orlando Sentinel, 03/15/10)

College Remediation
Number of Remedial Math Students Adds Up
The recession has sent thousands of Alabamians back to college, and many of them are finding they've lost their math skills in the intervening years. A record 9.7% of undergraduates took remedial math classes, up from 8.4% the year before, according to the Alabama Commission on Higher Education. The jump in demand for remedial math is a direct result of older students returning to the classroom, said one state official. In all, the number of Alabama students taking remedial classes increased by more than 4,000 in one year. See ECS' project on remedial education, Getting Past Go. (Birmingham News, 03/13/10)

Gender Gaps
Boys Trail Girls in Reading Across States
A new Center on Education Policy study finds that, overall, male students in every state where data were available lag behind females in reading, based on an analysis of recent state test results. At the same time, in mathematics, the percentages of both genders scoring "proficient" or higher were roughly the same, with boys edging out girls slightly in some states and girls posting somewhat stronger scores in others. In certain states, the gender gap for reading proficiency was 10 percentage points or higher. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 03/17/10)

High School Exams
Bill Changes Rules for Minn. Graduation Test
Minnesota lawmakers might change the rules surrounding tests that measure skills students are expected to know before graduation. A Senate bill would force high school seniors who don't pass the test to get at least four weeks of remedial help before a retake. Currently, students who don't get a passing score have the chance to try again up to three times. The highest score is recorded on their transcript. (Minneapolis Star Tribune, 03/16/10)

School Vouchers
Senate Votes Against Reopening D.C. Voucher Program
The D.C. voucher program's future appeared limited after the Senate voted down a measure that would have reopened the initiative to new students. The voucher program provides low-income students with as much as $7,500 in scholarships to attend private schools. Funding will continue for current students until they graduate high school, but has been cut off to new students for a year. (Washington Post, 03/16/10)

Student Truancy
Truancy Bill Advances
A bill would revamp how Nebraska deals with juveniles who are skipping school and those who are headed to court for minor crimes, primarily through quicker intervention. Under L.B. 800, schools would be required to report truancy cases monthly to the state and to collaborate with county attorneys on how to deal with truants. It sets a clear threshold — 20 days of absences, excused or not, during a school year — after which a student would be reported to the county attorney. The bill would create a Truancy Intervention Task Force that would recommend ways to reduce excessive truancy. (Omaha World Herald, 03/16/10)

Tuesday, March 16

AP Courses
Program To Boost Enrollment, Scores in AP Classes Expands
Eight Arkansas high schools have been chosen to join a program that seeks to increase participation and scores in Advanced Placement classes, Governor Mike Beebe announced. The $13.2 million program is sponsored by the National Math and Science Initiative and based at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. The new schools will bring the number of participating schools to 31. The program began in 2008-09, and Arkansas was one of six states initially chosen to participate. (Arkansas News Bureau, 03/15/10)

Common Standards
State Firm on School Quality
The Patrick administration will not adopt national academic standards if they are lower than those established in Massachusetts, long championed as having among the most rigorous expectations, according to state Education Secretary Paul Reville. While adopting the standards would be voluntary, the Obama administration has said that it intends to withhold millions of dollars in grants for low-income students in states that refuse to join the effort. Further, states that embrace the standards may have a better chance of receiving Race to the Top funds. (Boston Globe, 03/15/10)

Innovative Schools
Panel Endorses ‘Innovative Schools,’ Nixes Charter Facilities
A Maine legislative committee endorsed a bill authorizing local education officials to create special "innovative schools" but not charter schools as the state competes for Race to the Top funding. The Baldacci administration had introduced the bill, LD 1801, as a way to enable the formation of autonomous public schools with more flexibility in terms of curriculum, scheduling and staffing decisions. The bill specifically prohibits the formation of charter schools. (Bangor Daily News, 03/16/10)

Low-performing Schools
State, District Leaders Press School Transformations
Spurred both by fiscal realities and momentum from the Department of Education's school improvement agenda, local and state education leaders are moving to make big changes to districts and schools that have long struggled with low test scores and graduation rates. In Kansas City, Missouri, the school board voted to close 26 of the system's 61 schools. Cleveland and Detroit also have proposed closing several schools. And Massachusetts announced that it may use a new state law to take over 35 low-performing schools if they do not improve. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 03/16/10)

Teacher Exams
Iowa Teachers Face Little Testing
Iowa sets a low bar for the tests that new teachers must pass to get a job, reflecting a philosophy that exams are a poor predictor of talent. Iowa is one of two states that do not require tests for would-be middle and high school teachers, and sets the nation's lowest cutoff test score for elementary teachers. State officials don't track test scores, despite a federal law that says states must report results of licensing exams to the Department of Education. State education officials claim the tests are tied to teacher preparation programs instead of licensing, so they believe the federal reporting rule does not apply. (Des Moines Register, 03/14/10)

Teaching Quality
L.A. Unified Panel Recommends Changes in Teacher Evaluations
High-performing teachers should earn more pay, tenure should be more difficult to achieve and teacher reviews should be tied to student test scores, a Los Angeles school district panel is expected to recommend. The proposals would be the most far-reaching change in years in how the district decides which teachers to promote and retain. If approved by the city's board of education, the recommendations would be among the most aggressive in the state, if not the nation. (Los Angeles Times, 03/15/10)

Monday, March 15

Career Services
From Training to a Job
A sweeping blueprint for updating and coordinating the myriad federal, state and local resources individuals use to find employment is outlined in new Center for American Progress policy paper. The author suggests that the federal government create a "career navigation service" that compiles all of the education, training and placement resources for job-seekers in one place, and place it online. The model is similar to the Virginia Community College System's Education Wizard, an "interactive, career-planning tool" for state community college students. (Inside Higher Ed, 03/12/10)

College Scholarships
Bright Students Will Get To Test-in To Qualify for Opportunity Money
Legislators negotiated a compromise that would make the South Dakota Opportunity scholarship available to any student in the state who scores at least 28 on the ACT college-readiness exam. The goal of H.B. 1160 is to broaden the eligibility criteria so that home-schooled students could qualify. Currently students must successfully complete a rigorous high school curriculum, have a grade point average of at least 3.0 and post at least a 24 ACT score. The scholarship pays $5,000 over four years to undergraduate college students who stay eligible. (Pierre Capital Journal, 03/12/10)

ESEA Overhaul
Obama Calls for Major Change in Education Law
The Obama administration released a blueprint to overhaul the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The plan would retain annual reading and math tests, but would measure individual students' academic growth and judge schools based test scores and factors such as graduation rates, learning climate and achievement gaps. The proposal calls for interventions in failing schools, but would reward top performers and lessen interference in reasonably well-run schools. The plan also would require states to adopt new college- and career-ready standards and develop better teacher evaluation procedures. (New York Times, 03/14/10)

Race to the Top
Bills Intended To Help R.I. Win ‘Race to Top’ Funds
Companion charter school bills advanced through their respective committees — with teacher union support — and are scheduled for House and Senate floor votes, the day before Education Commissioner Deborah A. Gist goes to Washington to make her case for Race to the Top funds . The bills would raise the ceiling on the number of charter schools from 20 to 35. The legislation would also give Gist the authority to revoke a charter if a school failed to demonstrate success after three consecutive years. (Providence Journal, 03/12/10)

Social Studies Standards
Texas Ed Board Vote Reflects Far-right Influences
A far-right faction of the Texas State Board of Education succeeded in injecting conservative ideals into social studies, history and economics lessons that will be taught to students for the next decade. For example, teachers will be required to cover the Judeo-Christian influences of the nation's Founding Fathers, but not highlight the philosophical rationale for the separation of church and state. The board gave preliminary approval to the new standards, with a final vote expected in May. The decisions can affect textbook content nationwide because Texas is one of publishers' biggest clients. (Dallas Morning News, 03/12/10)

Student Bullying
Mass. Senate Approves Anti-bullying Legislation
The Massachusetts Senate backed a bill would prohibit bullying at schools and clamp down on cyber-bullying that create a hostile school environment. Principals would be required to report bullies to police if criminal charges could be pursued. And administrators would be required to create an anti-bullying curriculum. Principals would be required to take disciplinary action against bullies and notify the parents of both the bully and the victims of bullying. The bill includes stepped-up protections for children with special needs by helping them better handle and respond to bullying. (Boston Globe, 03/12/10)

Friday, March 12

Charter Schools
Utah Legislature: Districts To Help Fund Charter Schools?
To the chagrin of Utah districts, the Senate approved an education funding bill that will require them to share their property tax revenue with charter schools. District schools get more than one-third of their money from local property tax revenue. Because charter schools cannot levy taxes, they are financed from a separate pot of money called the "local replacement fund." The bill, S.B. 2, would do away with local replacement, requiring districts to instead pay charter schools a per-student portion of their property taxes. (Deseret News, 03/10/10)

College Degrees
Express Lane to a B.A.
What was a year ago an emerging idea about how to reduce college costs and better serve students has begun to take hold at colleges across the United States, as more institutions introduce three-year bachelor's degrees. Despite the surge of interest in and introduction of these programs, some experts are critical, arguing that students may miss out on key experiences, and wondering whether many students will be able to finish their degrees in three years. (Inside Higher Ed, 03/11/10)

Education Governance
Mo. Higher Ed Commissioner Endorses Agency Merger
Missouri's higher education commissioner is endorsing Governor Jay Nixon's proposal to merge the state Department of Higher Education and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The proposal is in response to a likely $500 million budget shortfall next year. Higher Education Commissioner Robert Stein says a combined agency could help the state develop an education system that starts before kindergarten and continues past high school. He also says the merger would save money on equipment and administration. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 03/12/10)

Education Overhaul
Wash. Lawmakers Settle on K-12 Reforms
Washington lawmakers passed major education reforms, including a plan that should help the state compete for Race to the Top. The bill allows the state to intervene in schools that are failing, changes the way principals and teachers are evaluated, bumps automatic tenure rights to three instead of two years and paves the way for nonprofit organizations to issue teacher certifications. A second bill includes a new financing model for "prototypical" schools. A third bill creates a voluntary early learning program for 3- and 4-year-olds, which eventually will become an entitlement for all eligible children. (Seattle Times, 03/11/10)

Education Partnerships
Centers Stir High Hopes
Educators in several Massachusetts communities are helping to launch a statewide initiative intended to sharpen teaching skills in classrooms. Last year, the governor selected six regional partnerships to create Readiness Centers, collaborative hubs that will work to enhance the quality of instruction from early childhood through higher education. Budget constraints have prevented necessary funds for the centers "to become robust," but officials hope that the state will secure Race to the Top funding to support the centers, and also will look at other funding sources. (Boston Globe, 03/11/10)

Online Courses
Lawmaker Seeking System for Assessing Online Classes
An Arizona lawmaker wants to create an institute that would recommend whether online courses offered by private companies meet state standards before schools decide whether to use them. House Bill 2720 would modify IDEAL, an existing partnership between the state department of education and Arizona State University that provides online services for teachers. The institute would evaluate courses based on whether they increase academic performance, are grade-level appropriate, are easy to use and are transferable for credit, among other criteria. (Arizona Republic, 03/12/10)

School Turnarounds
State Gets Nearly $22 Million To Turn Around Bad Schools
West Virginia is the first state to be awarded money to turn around the lowest performing schools under the federal School Improvement Grant program. County school leaders must choose one of four possible models for improvement. The turnaround and transformation models seem most likely for West Virginia. The two other models call for converting schools into charter schools or closing the school and sending students to a higher-achieving school. State law currently does not allow charters, but the topic is expected to be part of a special legislative session on education. (Charleston Gazette, 03/11/10)

Thursday, March 11

Charter/Innovative Schools
Charter — or Innovative — Schools Bills Likely Headed for Compromise
House and Senate leaders likely will negotiate their differences over legislation that would bring charter schools — or "innovative schools" — to Mississippi. The House passed its own version of a Senate bill that would allow parents to restructure operations of a dozen schools that are either failing or at risk of failing for three consecutive years. An innovative school is a type of charter school but does not divert dollars or students. (Jackson Clarion-Ledger, 03/10/10)

Higher Education
Continental Perspectives
The failure of American academics to embrace a common agenda for cooperation of colleges and universities in Canada, Mexico and the United States may be preventing those countries' higher education systems from realizing some of the gains European universities are experiencing through the "Bologna process." The European University Association released a major analysis of just how much the process — under which European nations agreed to "harmonize" their higher education systems with common degree times and expectations — has transformed postsecondary education. (Inside Higher Ed, 03/10/10)

Race to the Top
Finalists Cram for Race to Top Presentations
Representatives of the 16 state finalists for Race to the Top will go to Washington next week to make final pitches to the Department of Education. How a state's delegation performs in the presentation and question-and-answer session could make or break its chances. Some states are preparing by reading the other finalists' applications. Others are focused on how to whittle down hundreds of pages of a detailed proposal into a pithy, powerful pitch. A select group of states — Colorado, Illinois, Rhode Island and Tennessee — have been invited by the Aspen Institute to do a dry run of their presentations. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 03/10/10)

Race to the Top
Gibbons Clears Roadblock to Education Grants
Governor Jim Gibbons approved legislation intended to remove a barrier that kept Nevada from competing for Race to the Top funding. The legislation lifts a state restriction on using student performance data for the evaluation of teachers. The governor also approved legislation giving districts flexibility in adjusting class sizes in 1st through 3rd grades and in using state funds allocated for textbooks for other purposes. (Las Vegas Review Journal, 03/10/10)

Textbooks
Texas' Influence on Textbooks Could Wane
As a giant in the textbook market, decisions by the Texas State Board of Education have left fingerprints on the classroom readers used far beyond state boarders. The long reach of the board has attracted national attention for years as members engaged in pitched battles over textbook content from evolution to the Founding Fathers. But changes in Texas' purchasing practices, a looming budget shortfall and legislators' efforts to wean schools off hardbound textbooks could mean that Texas will no longer be the arbiter of content it has been in the past. (Austin American-Statesman, 03/09/10)

Wednesday, March 10

Common Standards
Draft Common Standards Elicit Kudos and Criticism
The first public draft of grade-by-grade common standards is being greeted by a mix of praise and skepticism, illustrating the mounting consensus that the country needs to set higher expectations for all students and the many problems that complicate their adoption. An earlier document by the Common Core State Standards Initiative outlined a set of "college and career readiness" skills that students should master by graduation. The revised document specifies the competencies students must have in each grade if they are to reach those goals. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 03/10/10)

Higher Ed Financing
Taking the State Out of State Colleges
As legislatures face their toughest budget year since the recession began, the idea of giving a few universities autonomy to control their own finances has some appeal. So-called privatization proposals have come up in recent recessions, and a few states have loosened the reins on their top universities. The result is that a handful of the nation's top-ranked state universities gradually have become more like private institutions — with less state support, more out-of-state students and tuitions that exceed the average price tag for private colleges. But opposition remains to this approach. (Stateline.org, 03/10/10)

International Comparisons
Many Nations Passing U.S. in Education, Expert Says
One of the world's foremost experts on comparing national school systems told Senators that many other countries were surpassing the United States in educational attainment, including Canada, where he said 15-year-old students were, on average, more than one school year ahead of American 15-year-olds. Further, a greater proportion of students in more and more countries graduate from high school and college and score higher on achievement tests than students in the United States, said Andreas Schleicher, with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (New York Times, 03/10/10)

NAEP Exams
NAEP Board Curbs Special Ed. and ELL Exclusions
Over the objection of Department of Education officials, the National Assessment Governing Board, which sets policy for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), approved a policy that will limit school officials' ability to exclude students with disabilities and English-language learners from the national exams. The board also will highlight states and districts that don't meet testing-participation targets for those populations. Exclusion and accommodation decisions for these students has been patchwork of different policies, with some exclusion rates in the double digits. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 03/09/10)

School Boards
Governor’s BOE Bill Clears House
Legislation that would allow Georgia governors to remove problem school board members has passed the House. Senate Bill 84, which Governor Sonny Perdue proposed, also contains new ethics requirements for school board members. The bill must go back to the Senate for final approval. The bill allows the governor to remove school board members in systems in danger of losing accreditation. Before the governor can remove anyone, though, the state school board would have to hold a hearing and recommend the removal. (Macon Telegraph, 03/09/10)

Student Nutrition
Soft-Drink Sales Drop in Schools, Group Says
An American Beverage Association report shows that sales of soda and other drinks in secondary schools have dropped sharply since 2004. Sales volume of beverages shipped to schools from bottlers fell 72% between the first semester of 2004-05 and the first semester of the current academic year. The report shows a 95% decline in sales volume of full-calorie soft drinks, and a 94% decline in juice drinks. Full-calorie soft drinks accounted for just 6.8% of beverage volume shipped to schools last semester, while they made up 40% of the product mix in 2004. (Wall Street Journal, 03/08/10)

Tuesday, March 9

High School Exams
Minnesota Bill Would Scrap Graduation Tests for 'End-of-course Exams'
A proposed bill would replace Minnesota's current graduation tests with a hybrid system that includes "end-of-course exams." Students would take a combined reading and writing test at the end of 10th grade. They also would take end-of-course exams in advanced algebra and biology. Scores on those exams would count toward 25% of a student's grade in that particular class. If approved, the changes would kick in for students entering 8th grade next year. The proposal is based on recommendations from a task force. (St. Paul Pioneer Press, 03/08/10)

Online Assessments
Hawaii Officials Tout Online School Testing
Hawai'i schools have begun testing a new online version of the state's annual assessment exam. Compared to paper-pencil tests, the online exams are being touted as a tool that will better gauge of student progress, reduce scoring errors, save money — potentially 40% — and give teachers immediate feedback on student subject knowledge. Students will be given three opportunities to take the exam over eight months, with only the best of the three scores counting toward a school's progress under No Child Left Behind. (Honolulu Advertiser, 03/08/10)

School Calendar
Schools' New Math: The Four-Day Week
A small but growing number of districts are moving to a four-day week, in a shift they hope will help close gaping budget holes and stave off teacher layoffs. Legislators and school boards are giving administrators greater flexibility to set their academic calendars, making the change possible. But experts say little research exists to show the impact of shortened weeks on learning. The missed hours are typically made up by lengthening remaining school days. More than 100 districts in at least 17 states currently use the four-day system, according to an ECS summary. (Wall Street Journal, 03/08/10)

School Turnarounds
Tough Choices for 12 S.F. Schools in Bottom 5%
Across California, 188 schools got the news that they were the lowest of the low-performing schools — a designation that will require them to be closed, converted to a charter school or be subject to a complete overhaul of instruction and staff, starting with the principal. Each school on the list will be eligible for up to $2 million in federal funding annually for the next three years to help them improve. The grant money is separate from Title I funding. Schools must initiate one of four major reform strategies: turnaround model, restart model, school closure or a transformation model. (San Francisco Chronicle, 03/09/10)

School Vouchers
Few Students Give Up State School Vouchers
Once Ohio students begin using a voucher to attend private schools, they aren't likely to return to a public school, a Dispatch review of data shows. Now in its fourth year, the Educational Choice Scholarship Program has attracted about 11,600 students who attend one of 279 private schools at no cost. About 875 students stopped using the vouchers they had been awarded this year. There is a 14,000-student cap on available vouchers and about 4,000 new applicants for this year. (Columbus Dispatch, 03/07/10)

Student Health and Learning
Health Problems Fuel Achievement Gaps, Study Says
If educators and federal officials are serious about closing academic-achievement gaps, they need to better coordinate efforts to address the health disparities that impede learning for students from disadvantaged groups, according to new study. The six "educationally relevant health disparities" studied were: vision problems, asthma, teenage pregnancy, aggression and violence, physical inactivity, lack of breakfast, and inattention and hyperactivity. The report offers recommendations for educators and policymakers at local, state and federal levels. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 03/09/10)

Monday, March 8

Career Track Option
Bill Would Allow Career-track Curriculum
High school students who don't want to go to college would have an option to pursue career-track studies under a bill being considered in the Mississippi legislature. House Bill 1210 outlines 20 course unit requirements for the so-called career track curriculum. Students who choose to go that route still would have to earn four units of English and at least three in math and three in science. Some districts already offer such curricula under the state department of education's high school redesign program, which is being expanded. (Jackson Clarion-Ledger, 03/08/10)

Equal Opportunity
Officials Step Up Enforcement of Rights Laws in Education
Seeking to step up enforcement of civil rights laws, the Department of Education will send letters to thousands of districts and colleges, outlining their responsibilities on issues of fairness and equal opportunity. As part of that effort, the department will open investigations in about 32 districts, seeking to verify that students of both sexes and all races are getting equal access to college preparatory curriculums and to advanced placement courses. The department plans to open similar investigations at half a dozen colleges. Education Secretary Arne Duncan will announce the initiatives today. (New York Times, 03/07/10)

Higher Ed Reforms
Gibbons Outlines Six-step Plan for Higher Education
Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons proposed sweeping reforms of how the state's public colleges and universities operate. Among the proposed changes: let individual campuses keep control of future increases in fees and out-of-state tuition; give the Regents greater flexibility in spending state dollars, provided additional accountability measures are met; allow the higher education system to keep 25% of its unspent general funds each year; and create a policy where the higher education system is guaranteed a minimum appropriation. (Las Vegas Sun, 03/04/10)

Federal Innovation Fund
Final Rules Unveiled for 'i3' Innovation Fund
The Department of Education unveiled the final rules for its $650 million Investing in Innovation, or i3, grant program, standing fast in the face of criticism that proposed guidelines demanded too much of a private-sector match and evidence to back up applicants' proposals. Department officials left intact a demand that applicants secure 20% in matching funds from the private sector. But the department relaxed the timing so that prospective grant recipients don't need to find those dollars until they’ve been notified that they will win as long as they secure the private funding. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 03/08/10)

School Turnarounds
Aftershocks from R.I. Mass-Firing Plan Persist
The recent decision to fire the entire professional staff of a Rhode Island high school has placed intense national focus on the implications of such radical efforts to turn around low-performing schools. Deborah A. Gist, the state education commissioner, initiated the action when she selected the high school and five others as candidates for turnaround under the federal school improvement guidelines and ordered school leaders to choose one of the models. Gist said the controversy shows the challenges involved in making needed — and often politically volatile — changes at lagging schools. (Education Week, premium article access compliments of edweek.org, 03/05/10)

Urban Schools
$2b Later, Kansas City, Mo., May Close Half Its Schools
Kansas City was viewed as a national example of bold thinking when it tried to integrate its schools by making them better than the suburban districts where many children were moving. Now it's on the brink of bankruptcy and considering another bold move: closing nearly half its 61 schools to stay afloat. Officials say the cuts are necessary to keep the district from plowing through what little is left of the $2 billion it received as part of a groundbreaking desegregation case. The superintendent also has said he wants to cut about 700 of the district’s 3,000 jobs, including 285 teachers. (Boston Globe, 03/08/10)