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Edscoops 2005

• Judge: No Intelligent Design in Science Classes
  A federal judge has ruled that the Dover, Pennsylvania, school district cannot teach the theory of intelligent design in science classes, saying that would violate the Constitutional separation of church and state. 12/30/05



• More Schools Serving Breakfast
  More children than ever are getting free and reduced-price breakfast at school, but the national School Breakfast Program still is reaching only two out of five children who need breakfast, a study says. 12/15/05



• Schools Face Tough Choices on Blogs
  Chicago, Illinois, school officials find they are walking a fine line when deciding whether content on a student or faculty Web log, or blog, should be censored or prompt sanctions. 12/14/05



• Report: Science Standards Low
  Nearly half of U.S. states are doing a poor job of setting high academic standards for science in public schools, according to a new report. NCLB requires that students be tested in science as of 2007. 12/13/05



• Scrabble Club Builds Vocabulary
  Students at Western Sky Middle School in Arizona are warring over words after school in the Scrabble Club. Teachers say the club helps students improve their spelling and vocabulary skills. 12/12/05



• School Soda Sales Drop
  The American Beverage Association recently released a report indicating that the amount of non-diet soft drinks sold in U.S. schools dropped more than 24 percent between 2002 and 2004. The industry is trying to deflect claims that soda is a key contributor to childhood obesity. 12/09/05
  
  
• Mayor Elected School Board Chairman
  Saying leadership from within is key to school reform, Hartford, Connecticut, Mayor Eddie A. Perez appointed himself to the city's school board, and then participated in the election that made him chairman. 12/08/05



• Department of Ed Wants Suit Dropped
  The U.S. Department of Education has moved to dismiss Connecticut's lawsuit against the No Child Left Behind Act, arguing that the state has no basis to sue for more money to pay for the reforms. 12/07/05



• Should Classroom Journals Be Private?
  Two California high school students suspended after their English teacher read graphic descriptions about killing her in their class journals are arguing that the journal content is private. 12/06/2005



• Police Fine Students for Swearing
  Cursing has become expensive in Hartford, Connecticut's, two high schools. Police are fining students $103 each time they are caught swearing. Parents must pay the fines if students can't. 12/05/05



• Urban Schools Show Gains in Math
  Students in some of the largest U.S. cities are making gains in math, but showing little progress in reading, reflecting a national trend in public education. 12/02/05



• Does Suspending Students Really Punish Them?
  Too often when students receive an out-of-school suspension, it's more like a vacation than a punishment, since students lounge at home. More school officials are questioning the effectiveness of the approach. 12/01/05



• A Teacher's Tips for Surviving Parent Night
  One teacher provides her guide for surviving parent conferences, including having students write short parent reports, being truthful, and warning parents ahead of time of bad news. 11/30/05



• First New Orleans School Reopens
  On Monday, Ben Franklin Elementary School became the first regular public school in New Orleans to reopen since Hurricane Katrina devastated the area three months ago. 11/29/05



• Judge Rejects NCLB Challenge
  A federal judge in Michigan dismissed the first lawsuit challenging the No Child Left Behind Act, saying the federal government could require states to spend their own money to comply with the law. 11/28/05



• Schools Cutting Back on Parties
  As part of the effort to fight childhood obesity, some schools are banning parties and asking parents not to send in treats for students' birthdays. But some parents and educators say the bans go too far. 11/23/05



• School Crime Drops 50 Percent in Ten Years
  A U.S. government report indicates that school crime rates in 2003 were about were half what they were in 1993. The study also notes that school crime rates have changed very little since 2000. 11/22/05



• New Definitions of Student Progress
  The U.S. Department of Education plans to allow some states to measure not just how students are performing, but how that performance is changing over time to meet No Child Left Behind Act requirements. 11/21/05



• Financial Literacy Course Approved
  Texas students will be required to study personal financial literacy starting next fall, under a state law signed this spring. By 2008-2009, high school students will need to pass a financial literacy course in order to graduate. 11/18/05



• Activities Open to Home-Schoolers
  Pennsylvania's governor recently signed a bill to allow home-schooled students to participate in any extracurricular activities in their home district as long as they follow the rules that apply to everyone else. 11/17/05



• Parents Must Disprove Special Ed Plans
  The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that it is up to parents to prove that a child's special education plan is inadequate if they think a school is not providing the "appropriate" education required by federal law. 11/16/05



• NCLB Issue in Contract Talks
  The No Child Left Behind Act is becoming an issue in contract talks, as some teachers seek protection from the act's sanctions. But administrators say they can't word contracts to violate the law. 11/15/05



• Sleep Critical to School Performance
  Healthy children who stay up an hour or two past their bedtimes have trouble concentrating and a much harder time learning in school than those who are well-rested, according to a new study. 11/14/05



• Student Sex in Schools Increasing
  According to some educators and students, the number of students having sex at school is increasing, and many students don't view it as a big deal. Some educators think teens are having sex at school because they have nowhere else to go. 11/11/05



• Science Program Questions Evolution
  The Kansas Board of Education approved new public school science standards that cast doubt on the theory of evolution and open the door for instruction on intelligent design. 11/10/05



• Ways to Beat High-Tech Cheating
  The Internet and high-tech cell phones with text messaging can make cheating easier and more tempting for students, but there are many ways teachers can thwart would-be cheaters. 11/09/05



• Wounded Principal Called Hero
  Gary Seale, the principal of Campbell County (Tennessee) Comprehensive High School, who was shot while struggling with a student who opened fire in school and killed an administrator, is being called a hero. 11/08/05



• Group Pushes for More "In-Class" Spending
  A new advocacy group wants to force school districts nationwide to boost spending in the classroom, not by raising taxes, but by trimming administrative and support services such as busing and counseling. 11/07/05



• Study: Mixed Results on Child Care
  Two new assessments of child care support research indicating that long hours in group child care are linked to better reading and math skills, but poorer social skills and more behavioral problems. 11/03/05



• Helping New Students Adjust
  By having desks and supplies ready in advance, pairing new students with outgoing children, and involving the class, Arizona teacher Shayna Llamas helps new students ease into her class. 11/02/05



• District Cancels All Religious Holidays
  Instead of adding a Muslim holiday to the school calendar as some parents requested, the Hillsborough County (Florida) school board voted to no longer close schools for any religious holidays. 11/01/05



• Kids: School Is Top Stressor
  Thirty-six percent of 9-to-13-year-olds recently polled listed homework, grades, and school as the primary sources of stress in their lives. School ranked above family and friends or peers as a source of stress. 10/31/05



• Culling Out Bad Teachers
  A proposed California law to extend the probationary period for new teachers from two to five years could make it easier to dismiss poor teachers before they become locked into their jobs. 10/28/05



• College Gender-Gap Grows
  A study shows that 57 percent of U.S. college students are women, even though men outnumber women in the 18-to-25 age group. The study raises concerns that schools are not meeting the needs of boys. 10/27/05



• A New Look at Promotion Policies
  Chicago Public Schools officials want to toughen the district's promotion policy, reinstating math test scores as a criteria for passage to the next grade and making it more difficult for students who cut class to advance. 10/26/05



• Helping Traumatized Children
  Staff in the Framingham, Massachusetts, public schools have been trained to identify and help children who have been affected by trauma at home. Often trouble at home is a reason children don't perform well in school. 10/25/05



• Fewer Early Childhood Teachers Attend College
  The number of teachers in day care centers and preschools with college degrees has dropped dramatically over the past 20 years. Studies show a teacher's education can affect a child's long-term learning. 10/24/05



• Schools Confront Verbal, Online Bullying
  More school staff members are trying to address the problem of verbal and online bullying, especially prevalent in middle schools. Teachers and volunteers discuss the impact teasing can have on children. 10/21/05



• Students Teach Educators About Islam
  Educators from the Howard County (Maryland) public schools joined some of their Muslim students and their families at a Ramadan meal. Students explained their faith to the teachers and talked about the significance of Ramadan. 10/20/05



• NAEP Scores: Math Up, Reading Mixed
  The scores from the 2005 National Assessment of Educational Progress show improvement in math, but mixed results in reading, with slight gains among fourth graders and eighth graders losing ground. 10/19/05



• More Schools Teach Chinese
  With China continuing to grow as an economic power, more schools are offering courses in Chinese, aided by funding from the federal government and China. Chinese is the world's most widely spoken language. 10/18/05



• Citing Excesses, Principal Cancels Prom
  The principal of Kellenberg Memorial High School, a Roman Catholic school in Uniondale, N.Y., cancelled this year's prom, citing concerns about excessive spending and "decadence." 10/17/05



• School Reaches Out to Gulf Kids
  Students at the Goodwin School in Old Saybrook, Connecticut, bought backpacks and loaded them with school supplies and a note of encouragement for 170 children from a school in Port Sulphur, Louisiana. 10/14/05



• Hurricanes Show Need for Data Back-Up
  The recent Gulf Coast hurricanes destroyed not only school buildings, but also wiped out billions of bits of data stored on school computers, highlighting the need for districts to have plans to back-up important data. 10/13/05



• H.S. Separates Boys, Girls
  Cheyenne High School in Nevada hopes to boost its test scores this year by separating ninth and tenth grade classes by gender. School officials think the plan will improve students' concentration. 10/12/05



• Mentors for 'Rookie' Teachers
  The Ontario, Canada, government plans to spend $15 million on a mandatory new system of mentors, monitors, and moral support for all of the province's 10,000 new teachers in their first year. 10/11/05



• Schools Warned About 'Choking Game'
  School teachers in Seattle, Washington, and other parts of the country are talking to students about the dangers of the 'choking game,' in which kids cut off oxygen to their brains to get tipsy. 10/10/05



• Reading First Under Scrutiny
  Members of Congress from both parties and both chambers are meeting with the Government Accountability Office to begin a study of Reading First, a program endorsed by the Department of Education. 10/07/05



• New Orleans Students 'Open' New School
  Families of about a dozen children from the same closed New Orleans school have "opened" a temporary school called Sugar Cane Academy in an accountant's office in New Iberia, Louisiana. 10/06/05



• Ten-Year Effort to Boost Arts Education
  The Los Angeles County Arts Commission is working with area districts to help them develop long-range polices for arts education. Sponsors think it will help restore the arts at all education levels. 10/05/05



• Hurricane-Hit Schools Get NCLB Reprieve
  Schools affected by the recent hurricanes can get a one-year reprieve on NCLB penalties if they can show the storms interfered with their efforts to make adequate yearly progress. 10/04/05



• Teens Ride Horses to School to Save Gas
  High gas prices "drove" two Rush City, Utah, teens to ride horses 15 miles to school rather than drive. They "parked" their rides in a stall at their high school, until officials said no horses were allowed on school grounds. 10/03/05



• Integrating Schools by Income
  Since school officials in the Wake County, North Carolina, district began assigning students to schools based on family income five years ago, African-American and Hispanic students' reading and math scores have soared. 09/30/05



• England to Ban Junk Food in Schools
  Within a year, junk food high in fat, salt, or sugar is to be banned from schools across England, said the country's education secretary. Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver raised awareness about school lunch menus. 09/29/05



• Evolution Issue Goes to Court
  The issue of what students should learn about the origins of life has moved to a Pennsylvania court; some parents are suing because their district is teaching intelligent design theory as well as evolution. 09/28/05



• "Snow Days" in September
  Most schools in Georgia were closed Monday and Tuesday for early "snow days" to help conserve fuel as the U.S. struggles to recover from two hurricanes in a month. 09/27/05



• Fewer Students Learn Cursive
  With more students using computers to communicate and fewer schools teaching handwriting, many students are graduating from high school unable to write or read cursive writing. 09/26/05



• Metal Detectors Spur Student Walk Out
  Students at DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx, N.Y., walked out of classes this week to protest the installation of metal detectors at the school. Administrators agreed to meet with students. 09/23/05



• School Coffee Bars Attract Sleepy Students
  Several Dallas-area high schools have opened coffee bars for students in libraries and other spots, in part to entice students to sit and read. Students like the coffee fix, but critics fear schools are making teens caffeine-dependent. 09/22/05



• Va. District Tops in U.S.
  The Norfolk (Virginia) Public Schools won the nation's top prize in public education, earning the $500,000 Broad Prize for Public Education, for the consistent improvement shown by its students. 09/21/05



• State Screens Students for Obesity
  Starting this year, parents of K-4 students in Pennsylvania will get a report about their children's body-mass index along with report cards, so parents will know if their children are overweight. 09/20/05



• IBM Urges Staff to Become Teachers
  Concerned that the U.S. is losing ground in a global marketplace, IBM is urging employees to leave the company and become math and science teachers. IBM will provide funding to those who make the switch. 09/19/05



• Student Film Flunks Zero Tolerance
  Student activists in New Haven, Connecticut, produced a documentary showing how zero tolerance policies can hurt rather than help struggling students. Teens removed from school can get in more trouble, the film says. 09/16/05



• Study: Children Born With Ability To Do Math
  Children's ability to solve math problems exists long before they begin school, says a Harvard University study. If preschoolers do have these inborn skills, teachers can develop ways to make it easier for them to learn arithmetic. 09/15/05



• Katrina Displaces 372,000 Students
  At least 372,000 students have been displaced by Hurricane Katrina, and it remains unclear who will pay to educate them, according to U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings. 09/14/05



• Schools Ban Backpacks
  Some schools in the Clark County (Nevada) School District have banned students from carrying backpacks to class, saying they take up too much room in classroom aisles, creating hazards. 09/13/05



• Focus Shifts to "Disciplinary Literacy"
  Seventh graders at Washington Middle School in St. Paul, Minnesota, will be approaching subjects more as practitioners than students this year through an approach called "disciplinary literacy." 09/12/05



• More Kindergartners in School All Day
  Almost two out of three U.S. kindergarten students now are in school for a full day. The number of students in full-day kindergarten has almost doubled since the early 1980s. 09/09/05



• Evacuees Start Enrolling in Schools Across U.S
  In what could be the largest resettlement of students in U.S. history, thousands of children from Louisiana displaced by Hurricane Katrina have begun enrolling in schools in other parts of the country. 09/08/05



• Walking to School Good for Teen Health
  Teens who walk to and from school may get more exercise throughout the day — including during school hours — than those who travel by car or bus, a study says. 09/07/05



• District Mulls $1 School Bus Fare
  A Palisades (Pennsylvania)School District board of education member has proposed charging students $1 a day to ride the school bus to help cover the cost of gasoline. 09/06/05



• 'Virtual Cafeteria' Teaches Good Nutrition
  The Carrollton-Farmers Branch (Texas)school district launched a “Virtual Cafeteria” site to show what’s being served each day at each school. It can tally nutritional information for items on a lunch tray. 09/02/05



• High Teacher Turnover Forecasted
  Forty percent of public school teachers plan to leave teaching within five years, the highest rate since at least 1990, according to a national study. Half of all high school teachers plan to leave teaching by 2010. 09/01/05



• Bracelets ID Kids on Buses
  All kindergarteners and first graders in New Haven, Connecticut, this year who ride the school bus have yellow bracelets identifying their bus number and bus stop. An adult also must meet the child at the stop. 08/31/05



• Jogging for School Repairs
  David Heiber, an assistant principal in Thurgood Marshall Middle School in Northeast Baltimore, Maryland, spent a day jogging among district schools to call attention to the need for repairs at his school. 08/30/05



• Tougher Teacher Licensing Rules
  Starting in 2006, new teachers in Arizona will have to produce a videotape of their teaching, analyze it, and submit it to a national teaching panel before they can get permanent certification. 08/29/05



• Students Find Expert Help on the Web
  Many current and retired teachers, professors, and other professionals have set up Web sites where they field homework questions from students (and some teachers' questions as well). 08/26/05



• Proposal for National School Plan
  Arizona's governor Janet Napolitano has proposed a national plan for education reform that includes universal preschool, a standardized curriculum for all 50 states, full-day kindergarten, and year-round schools. 08/25/05



• State Sues Over NCLB
  Connecticut became the first state to file suit challenging the No Child Left Behind Act, calling it an unfunded mandate that will cost the state millions to revamp its current testing program. 08/24/05



• Rising Fuel Costs Squeeze Districts
  Rising fuel costs are forcing some school districts to trim school bus routes, limit field trips, and cut money from classroom budgets. Diesel fuel is up about a dollar per gallon since last year. 08/23/05



• Laptops Replace Books at High School
  Empire High School in Vail, Arizona, became one of the first high schools in the U.S.to trade in books for laptops. All 340 students received an Apple iBook. 08/22/05



• Teachers Turn to Wacky Ways to Recruit Parents
  Florida teachers are turning to in-school pajama parties, refreshments, free baby sitting, and home visits in an effort to lure parents into getting more involved at their children’s schools. 08/19/05



• AP Course Standards Tightening
  The College Board wants to exert more control over its Advanced Placement program by requiring schools and teachers to submit to a lengthy review of their lesson plans before they can label courses as AP. 08/18/05



• Teacher's Classroom Transformed
  Mark Rush, an English teacher at Bushwick High School for Social Justice in Brooklyn, N.Y., won a classroom "makeover" from the television show Trading Spaces. His classroom was painted, cabinets repaired, and new bulletin boards and a white board installed. 08/17/05



• More Schools Adopt Uniforms
  More students are returning to school this year in the latest styles -- of uniforms. School officials say uniforms improve behavior and help students focus on their studies. 08/16/05



• School Buses Are Safest Mode of School Travel
  Despite some publicity about a recent string of school bus accidents, school buses remain the safest form of transportation for school travel, according to the Transportation Research Board. 08/15/05



• Cash Draws Teachers to Struggling Schools
  Hillsborough, Florida, school officials are paying experienced teachers an additional $7,000 to $9,000 this year to teach in high-poverty schools with low-achieving students. 08/12/05
  
  
• Online Degrees Questioned
  Officials from the Huron School District in Michigan are saying two teachers who earned doctorates from an online school do not deserve pay raises because the university is not accredited. 08/11/05
  
  
• Inactivity Leads to Weight Gain in Teen Girls
  Girls in the U.S. tend to gain weight when they start adolescence because their exercise level drops off significantly, according to a study. Just two to five hours of brisk walking a week could prevent the weight gain. 08/10/05
  
  
• It's Orientation Time -- For Teachers
  First-day jitters are not just for new students. To help new teachers feel ready for school, the Northside district in San Antonio, Texas, held an orientation for the more than 500 new teachers starting this year. 08/09/05
  
  
• Spellings Defends NCLB
  U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings called the No Child Left Behind Act "good policy and good politics" during a recent speech, and the law is a partnership between states and the federal government. 08/08/05



• Bush: Teach Intelligent Design
  President Bush said this week that schools should teach both the theory of evolution and intelligent design so students understand both sides of the debate about how life formed on Earth. 08/05/05



• Portrait of the Average Teacher
  Despite districts' efforts to recruit and retain a diversified workforce, the vast majority of new teachers still are white, female, and likely to move on to other fields, according to a recent study. 08/04/05



• Terrorism Training for School Bus Drivers
  The Connecticut School Transportation Association began free training this month for school bus drivers on how to evaluate potential terrorist threats. About 200 safety instructors will be trained to teach other drivers. 08/03/05



• Teachers Attend Ethics Camp
  Teachers attending an ethics camp for educators in California learn how to integrate ethical issues into their lessons and discuss the analysis needed to make fair and just decisions. 08/02/05



• More Warnings on ADHD Drugs
  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration plans to strengthen its warnings on Concerta and possibly other ADHD drugs because of an increase in reports of psychiatric side effects. 08/01/05



• Pesticides sickening kids, teachers.
  Pesticide use in or around U.S. schools sickened more than 2,500 students and school employees over a five-year period, according to a recent national report. Most of the illnesses were minor. 07/29/05



• Celebrate PC Turnoff Week
  A parents' group, PCTurnoff Organization, is urging parents worldwide to celebrate PC Turnoff Week August 1-7 by shutting off their children's and their own computers and engaging in other activities. 07/28/05



• Governor OKs NCLB Suit
  Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell signed a law authorizing a legal challenge to the federal No Child Left Behind Act. State officials want to file a lawsuit against NCLB, saying implementing it will unfairly cost taxpayers millions. 07/27/05



• Should Schools Ban Word 'Failure'?
  The leading teachers' union in Scotland is calling for the word "fail" to be deleted from educators' vocabularies and replaced with the phrase "deferred success." 07/26/05



• Students: High Schools Let Them Down
  A large number of U.S. high school students say their classwork is not very demanding, and they would work harder if their courses were more interesting or rigorous, according to a survey. 07/25/05



• More Flexibility for Diabetic Students
  A new Texas state law gives diabetic students more flexibility to manage their disease in school. Students now will be able to test their blood and administer insulin in class. 07/22/05



• National Guard to Sign On as Subs
  Members of the South Carolina Air National Guard may be recruited to serve as substitute teachers in the Richland 1 school district. Guard members will participate in training before being assigned to schools. 07/21/05



• Taking PE Over the Internet
  Numerous students from the Miami-Dade (Florida) Virtual School are fulfilling their physical education requirement online, with visits to the virtual town Wellville.07/20/05



• Formula for Graduation Rates Adopted
  Governors from 45 U.S. states adopted a formula to calculate high school graduation rates, in an effort to help policy makers accurately measure student success and identify academic programs that need improving. 07/19/05



• Student Gives Teacher Gift of Hearing
  For a senior project, student Kristina Coleman raised money to buy teacher Shellee Carrick a cochlear implant to restore Carrick's hearing. Coleman was moved by Carrick's dedication to her students. 07/18/05



• U.S. 9-Year-Olds Show Gains
  Nine-year-olds in the U.S. are doing better in math and reading and the achievement gap is narrowing, but older students' progress remains stalled, according to the latest NAEP results. 07/15/05



• NEA Calls for Higher Starting Salaries
  The president of the National Education Association, the largest teachers' union in the U.S., is calling on districts to increase the salary for starting teachers to at least $40,000. 07/14/05



• U.S. Schools on "Manhunt"
  With the proportion of men in the U.S. teaching ranks the lowest in 40 years, school districts, education groups, and universities are searching for ways to get more men into classrooms. 07/13/05



• Concern Grows Over Taser Use
  More police officers called to schools to subdue unruly students are using Tasers, weapons that deliver a low-level electrical shock. Their use is raising concern among educators and parents.
07/12/2005


• Kids Need at Least an Hour of Daily Exercise
  A panel of U.S. obesity experts has determined that children need a minimum of one hour of exercise per day to maintain good health. The hour can be spread across a variety of activities throughout the day.
07/11/05


• Effort Aims to Boost Math, Science Teachers' Numbers
  California state universities and business leaders are collaborating to increase the state's supply of math and science teachers. Students can earn a bachelor's degree in science, mathematics, or engineering, and be qualified to teach.
07/08/05


• Teacher Protests Fast-Food Coupons
  An elementary school teacher from Vancouver, British Columbia, wants the school board to prohibit the distribution of fast-food coupons as rewards for students. The teacher, Steven Coffin, thinks coupons should have some educational value.
07/07/05


• Airport Noise Impairs Learning
  Children who live near a major airport may have a harder time learning to read, have difficulty memorizing material, and be more stressed because of the almost constant noise, according to a British study.
07/06/05


• Lawmakers Clear Way for NCLB Suit
  The Connecticut state legislature has authorized a potential lawsuit against the federal No Child Left Behind Act. Connecticut officials claim meeting all of the law's requirements will cost hundreds of millions of dollars. 07/05/05



• FDA Probing ADHD Drugs' Side Effects
  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration plans to strengthen its warnings about the possibility of psychiatric side effects in children who take Concerta or other medication for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. 07/01/05



• No Uniform? No Recess
  Elementary school students in New London, Connecticut, who fail to wear their uniforms to school starting this fall may have to miss recess. Uniforms are mandatory for K-5 students. 06/30/05



• School District Closing for a Year
  The Wilmer-Hutchins School District in Texas will have to close for the 2005-06 school year because it can no longer afford to operate. The closing displaces 2,700 students and 300 employees. 06/29/05



• Inspiring Asian-American Students
  The Asian Leadership Enrichment Assertiveness Development Academy offered at Arizona State University is helping Asian-American students understand their culture and develop leadership skills.06/28/05



• Average U.S. Teachers' Salary is $46,752
  U.S. teachers earned an average salary of $46,752 in 2003-2004, a slight increase that did not keep pace with the rate of inflation, according to a study by the National Education Association. 06/27/05



• Pentagon Creating Student Database
  To help the U.S. military identify potential recruits, the Department of Defense is working with a private firm to create a database of high school students between 16 and 18 years old and all college students. 06/24/05



• Plans for Fifth Year of High School
  Beginning in fall 2006, the Washington, D.C., school system plans to offer the option of a fifth year at its high schools for students who need more time to complete graduation requirements. 06/23/05



• Frugal Teacher Leaves School $2.1 Million
  Whitlowe R. Green, a retired Texas high school economics teacher so frugal he bought second-hand clothes, left $2.1 million to alma mater Prairie View A&M University when he died. 06/22/05



• Teachers Attend Summer School
  More than 350 teachers in the Miami-Dade County (Florida) school district went to summer school this year, taking courses in areas such as math, health, nutrition, fitness, reading, and the Holocaust. 06/21/05



• Literacy Investment Pays Off
  A literacy program financed by former Netscape CEO Jim Barksdale is helping some of Mississippi's poorest young students develop a love for books and reading. 06/20/05



• Paraprofessional Deadline Extended
  The deadline for paraprofessionals in Title I schools to demonstrate that they are highly qualified under NCLB has been extended from January 2006 to the end of the 2005-2006 school year. 06/17/05



• Junk Food Bill Vetoed
  Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell vetoed a bill that would have required all schools in the state to ban sales of high-calorie snacks and soda. The bill also called for at least 20 minutes a day of recess for all elementary students. 06/16/05



• More Schools Teaching Relationship Skills
  Concerned about the rising rates of divorce and domestic violence in the U.S., more states are encouraging public schools to teach students relationship skills.06/15/05



• Taking a New Approach to Discipline
  As discipline problems and suspensions soar in U.S. schools, educators like those in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg (North Carolina) schools are focusing more on preventing bad behavior. 06/14/05



• District to Require African History Course
  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, public school officials plan to require all high school students to take a course in African and African-American history in order to graduate. 06/13/05



• Keeping Students Safe on Overnight Trips
  After a U.S. student on a school trip to Aruba disappeared, some schools began reviewing their procedures for student overnight trips. Planning and precautions are key to successful trips, educators say. 06/10/05



• Contracts Help Preschoolers Behave
  Some preschools are drawing up contracts for student behavior to help 3-to-5-year-olds learn self-control and avoid expulsion from preschool. Children agree to the contract with their teacher and a parent as witnesses. 06/09/05



• On Brown Days, Watch for Bears
  Brown bear sightings near Thompson Brook School in Avon, Connecticut, have led to "brown alerts," which mean school doors and windows are closed and everyone stays inside until the bear leaves. 06/08/05



• Education Students Taste City Life
  Prospective teachers from all over Pennsylvania can get a taste of teaching in the Philadelphia schools through the Urban Seminar program. Education students spend time in classrooms and working on community projects. 06/07/05



• Stop Overprotecting Students
  Today’s children are tougher than many adults think, and can survive playing tag, tug of war, and having their papers graded in red ink, writes author Christina Hoff Sommers. Too many educators are trying to protect children from even the smallest disappointments. 06/06/05



• U.S. Student Population Peaks
  The student population in the U.S. soared to its highest level in history in 2003, reaching 49.6 million. Most of these students are children of the baby boom generation. 06/03/05



• Children Develop Cynicism Early
  Children learn to be cynical by as young as 8 years old, according to a recent study. Another study shows that understanding sarcasm requires complex processing by the brain. 06/02/05



• Study: Caffeine Worsens Kids' Concentration
  A recent study showed that first graders who drank just a few ounces of a caffeinated cola during the school day became rowdy and inattentive. Young children should have little or no caffeine, the study says. 06/01/05



• Changes Coming to AP Courses
  The College Board, which administers the SAT and Advancement Placement courses, has charged researchers with reviewing AP course content amid concerns that the courses are too broad and don't allow for in-depth study. 05/31/05



• Reading Czar Resigns
  G. Reid Lyon, head of the U.S. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development branch that sponsors studies on reading and who consults on the federal Reading First initiative is resigning July 1. 05/27/05



• Student Reporters Sue District
  Members of the East Bakersfield (California) High School newspaper staff are suing their district to prevent the principal from censoring student newspaper articles on homosexuality. 05/26/05



• Teaching Tops With Teens
  Teaching is among the top ten career choices for U.S. teenagers, ranked as high as doctor and just above lawyer, according to a Gallup survey. Teaching also was the top pick for girls. 05/25/05



• Changes to Ninth Grade Math Program
  Ontario, Canada, school officials have revamped the ninth grade math curriculum in an effort to decrease the number of students failing math and eventually dropping out of school. 05/24/05



• Preschool Pays Off for Needy Kids
  Kindergarteners today in some of New Jersey's poorest towns are better prepared than a few years ago, due in large part to solid preschool programs, educators say. 05/23/05



• Parents to Blame for Lack of H.S. Rigor
  Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack said at least in his state, parents are the obstacles to a more demanding high school program, because they don't insist their children take more rigorous courses. 05/20/05



• Teacher Inspires Students
  Tamika R. Black, a teacher at Forest Manor Middle School in Indianapolis, Indiana, who has muscular dystropy, models perseverance for her special education students every day. 05/19/05



• The Season of Goodbyes
  As the school year winds down, some teachers wonder if their students realize how deeply they care about them. But teachers with that much passion for their students and teaching surely are ingrained in students' memories. 05/18/05



• School Budgets for Dummies
  A New York City councilman prepared a 45-page school budget guide to help parents and school officials understand the city's $20 billion education budget. One aim of the guide is to bring more accountability to the budget process. 05/17/05



• Training for Reading Volunteers
  A volunteer at Navajo Elementary School in Scottsdale, Arizona, helped develop training for volunteer tutors. Now tutors know how to assess and instruct students in the basic principles of how to read. 05/16/05



• Teachers Give Low Score to SAT Essay
  The National Council of Teachers of English has given low marks to the new essay requirement on the SAT's, saying the test rewards students for quantity, not quality, and could encourage mediocre, formulaic writing. 05/13/05



• New NCLB Policy for Special Ed Students
  U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings announced a new No Child Left Behind policy for special education students. Now special education students will be allowed to take tests specifically geared toward their abilities. 05/12/05



• Banning Soda, Junk Food from Schools
  The Connecticut legislature has proposed a bill that would ban the sale of soda and many snacks in all public schools. The bill also mandates 20 minutes of recess a day for K-5 students. 05/11/05



• More Students to Learn Chinese
  The U.S. government plans to launch a comprehensive Chinese language program that would begin in kindergarten and continue through college. Chinese is considered a critical language in the area of U.S. security.05/10/05



• "Mismanaged" Schools Could Face Takeover
  A bill that would allow the state to take over any Arizona school district that "grossly mismanages" its finances was approved by the Arizona legislature. State officials already have their eyes on a district. 05/09/05



• Standards for Cheerleaders
  The Texas state legislature has proposed a bill that would prohibit high school cheerleaders from presenting sexually suggestive routines, and give the state authority to punish schools not in compliance. 05/06/05



• Teachers "Taped" for Fundraiser
  Some Lancaster (Pennsylvania) Catholic High School teachers spent their lunch hour taped to the cafeteria walls to raise money for the American Cancer Society. Ninth graders sold tape, and teachers volunteered to be stuck to the walls.05/05/05



• Need Grows for Financial Education
  Too many children are growing up without the knowledge to keep them out of financial trouble, studies show, and schools need to step in. Young adults in the U.S. have a high rate of bankruptcy. 05/04/05



• School Trouble, Low Cholesterol Link
  Children and teens with overall low cholesterol levels appear to be more likely to be suspended from school, according to a study. The low cholesterol could be a marker for aggressive behavior.05/03/05



• Wanted: Teaching Stars
  The U.S. Department of Education is seeking nominations for American Stars of Teaching, which recognizes teachers using innovative strategies to raise student achievement. Nomination forms are available at American Stars of Teaching.05/02/05



• Girls Abusing Steroids
  A growing number of U.S. girls are using body-building steroids in an effort to look more toned. Up to about 5 percent of high school girls and 7 percent of middle school girls acknowledge trying anabolic steroids at least once.04/28/05



• Texas Fined for Defying NCLB
  U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings, a former Texas resident, fined Texas $444,282 for exempting more special education children from regular testing than allowed by the federal law. 04/27/05



• Teacher Donates Personal Library
  Joanne Parizek, a K-5 teacher from Jupiter, Florida, recently donated 500 books to the Orange County (Florida) school district. Parizek will be switching from teaching reading to being a K-5 math/science lab teacher in September. 04/26/05



• More Schools Test for Alcohol
  With prom season starting, more high schools in the U.S. are testing students entering school events with Breathalyzers to determine if they have been drinking alcohol. 04/25/05



• Utah Turns Back on Parts of NCLB
  The Utah state legislature Wednesday approved a bill requiring state officials to ignore provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act that conflict with Utah's education goals or that require state financing. 04/22/05



• NEA Files Suit Against NCLB
  The National Education Association and school districts in three states have filed a lawsuit against the No Child Left Behind Act. The suit argues that schools should not have to meet provisions of the law that are not funded. 04/21/05



• When School Buses Are Scary
  School buses are becoming the focus of anti-bullying advocates, who say the lack of adult supervision on buses means they can be places for intense, constant bullying. 04/20/05



• Eyes On NCLB Challenge
  Officials in other U.S. states are closely watching Connecticut's challenge to NCLB. Connecticut wants to be exempt from testing students in grades 2, 5, and 7, because of the cost and the quality of the current tests. 04/19/05



• Sixty-Five Percent Rule Piques Interest
  Arizona is the first U.S. state to vote on a measure requiring that 65 percent of every school district's education operational budget be spent on classroom instruction. About 61.5 percent of education budgets reach classrooms. 04/18/05



• School Seeks Informants
  Administrators at Model High School in Rome, Georgia, plan to offer students up to $100 for anonymous tips about thefts, threats, and drug or gun possession on campus. 04/15/05



• Students Use More Profanity
  Profanity is increasingly part of children's everyday speech, and many educators are unsure of how to curb it. In some schools, swearing no longer is reported because other discipline problems take precedence. 04/14/05



• Too Much Television Can Spawn Bullies
  Preschoolers who spend a lot of time watching television are more likely to become bullies, according to a recent study, and the risk increases with every hour of television a young child watches. 04/13/05



• "Cooperative" States Will Get Help With NCLB
  State officials who show they are committed to the No Child Left Behind Act will find that federal officials are more flexible in how they enforce it, according to Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings. 04/12/05



• Teens Engaging in Less Risky Behavior
  Today's teens are having fewer babies, committing fewer crimes, and engaging in less drug use than those in 1993, according to a recent U.S. study. On the negative side, more teens are obese, live in poverty, or live in single-parent homes. 04/11/05



• Teacher-to-Teacher Workshops
  The U.S. Department of Education again is sponsoring six summer workshops for teachers and principals conducted by their peers. Presenters will be discussing strategies they used to help students succeed. 04/08/05



• Catholic School Enrollment Down
  Enrollment in U.S. Roman Catholic schools decreased again this year, dropping 2.6 percent from last school year. Rising tuition costs and the closing or consolidation of 173 schools contributed to the enrollment decline. 04/07/05



• Title IX Strengthened
  The U.S. Supreme Court toughened Title IX, a federal law prohibiting sex discrimination in federally funded education programs, by extending the law's protection to those who report unequal treatment. 04/06/05



• Debating Internationally Without Leaving School
  Students in North Port High School in Florida have debated with students in New Zealand and Russia, among other places, thanks to video teleconferencing. North Port is one of only a few high schools in the U.S. using video teleconferencing to practice debating. 04/05/05



• School May Eliminate Grade Levels
  District officials are considering eliminating grade levels at Carman Park Elementary School in Michigan and having students learn according to their abilities in multi-age groups. The earliest any changes would take place is place is 2006-07. 04/04/05



• Kids Write Book on Starting School
  Youngsters at Mildura South Primary School in Australia recently completed writing a book to ease the fears of children starting school. The full-color book, Millie Starts School, looks at school life through the eyes of a young student. 04/01/05



• Title IX Strengthened
  The U.S. Supreme Court toughened a federal law prohibiting sex discrimination in federally funded education programs by extending the law's protection to those who report unequal treatment. 03/31/05



• First Lady Backs Education for Afghan Women
  U.S. First Lady Laura Bush visited Afghanistan to promote education for the country's women. Under Afghanistan's former government, the Taliban, women were forbidden to attend school. 03/30/05



• U.S. Schools Are Safer
  While the school shootings in Minnesota have raised concerns about school safety, interventions by students and teachers have made U.S. schools safer than they were a few years ago, experts say. 03/29/05



• Kids Want Yanks, Sox to Shake Hands
  Students from the Merriam School in Acton, Massachusetts, want the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox players to shake hands before their first 2005 game April 11. The idea stemmed from lessons on sportsmanship.03/28/05



• No Consensus on Paddling
  While spanking students in school is banned in 27 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, some educators and parents still defend the practice as an effective form of discipline. 03/25/05



• Mixed Feelings on NCLB
  While most states are doing a better job of helping struggling students and using data to improve performance under NCLB, they need more funding to help schools labeled as failing. 03/24/05



• Minnesota Educators Reach Out to Students
  Educators from Red Lake High School and surrounding communities in Minnesota are reaching out to students and staff members reeling from a shooting that left seven dead at the school. The student shooter killed himself. 03/23/05



• School Shooter Kills 9, Self
  A high school student on a Minnesota Indian reservation killed his grandparents and then opened fire in his school, killing seven people and wounding 13 before killing himself. 03/22/05



• At-Risk Tendencies Seen by Sixth Grade
  As early as the sixth grade, up to 40 percent of students who ultimately will not graduate from high school can be identified, according to a study. Researchers say the study shows the importance of early intervention. 03/21/05



• State Mulls ID to Pick Up Students
  A bill in the Florida legislature would require parents or guardians to show identification to school personnel before they can pick up their children. 03/18/05



• Study Criticizes School Administrators' Programs
  A study by Arthur Levine, president of Teachers College at Columbia University, released this week said many graduate programs for administrators are "inadequate to appalling" with irrelevant curriculum.. 03/17/05



• Male Teachers' Numbers Fall
  The number of male teachers in the U.S. is at a 40-year low, according to recent figures. Low status, poor pay, and fear of lawsuits keep many men out of classrooms. 03/16/05



• Students: New SAT Is Long
  Students around the U.S. took the new version of the SAT for the first time this weekend. The revised exam includes a timed essay that extends the testing period to four hours. 03/15/05



• Mercury Fading from Science Labs
  As awareness grows about the health risks of mercury, and the potential costs of cleaning up mercury spills, more schools are removing the metal from science labs and school fixtures and tools. 03/14/05



• State Challenges NCLB
  The Texas education commissioner plans to continue challenging an NCLB limit on the number of students with disabilities who can take an alternative assessment test, even if it means risking federal funds. 03/11/05



• Reading Leads to Feeding
  Students at Edna C. Stevens School in Cromwell, Connecticut, raised $15,000 for Heifer International by collecting pledges for every hour of non-required reading they did. A special education teacher proposed the effort. 03/10/05



• Test Prep, Paperwork Taking Teachers' Time
  Teachers' mandatory paperwork and test preparation take up the equivalent of two class days every week, according to a poll conducted by the United Federation of Teachers. 03/09/05



• Schools Test Healthier Lunches
  Six schools in Orlando, Florida, are part of a study by a research center founded by The South Beach Diet author. Researchers want to know if school cafeterias can serve more nutritious food, if kids will eat it, and if their health will improve. 03/08/05



• Flat Stanley Turns 10
  Flat Stanley, the paper globe-travelling storybook character, is celebrating his tenth birthday this year. Mailing Stanley around the world has helped thousands of students learn about different people and places. 03/07/05



• Teachers Refuse to Give Homework
  Teachers in the Berkeley, California, school district are refusing to assign written homework or grade assignments on their own time because they have not had a pay raise in two years. 03/04/05



• Targeting H.S. Literacy
  As state and federal officials look at ways to improve high school students' performance, one issue that needs addressing is literacy, experts agree. In many cases, students don't read well enough to understand their textbooks. 03/03/05



• Schools Mull Charging for Field Use
  Citing increasing maintenance costs and growing number of community groups using school athletic fields, some Long Island, N.Y., school districts are considering charging community groups a fee to use the fields. 03/02/05



• Governors of 13 States to Raise H.S. Standards
  The governors of 13 U.S. states plan to form a coalition to upgrade high schools by implementing higher standards and more rigorous courses and examinations. The 13 states enroll one-third of all U.S. students. 03/01/05



• State Lawmakers Call for NCLB Changes
  After a ten-month-long study, a bipartisan group representing all 50 U.S. state legislatures called for major changes in the No Child Left Behind Act, calling the law unconstitutional and impractical.02/28/05



• Closing Schools Can Hurt Communities
  Dozens of U.S. cities are weighing whether to close schools in an effort to save money. But studies show that closing schools can damage communities in the long run. 02/25/05



• Educators Defend Upward Bound
  The Bush administration's plans to eliminate the Upward Bound program, which helps low-income, first-generation teens enroll in college and succeed once they get there, is drawing criticism from educators. 02/24/05



• Students Trace African Heritage
  A Philadelphia African history teacher has offered to pay for one student to take a DNA-based genealogy test that could help the student trace his or her African ancestry. 02/23/05



• Getting Dads Involved at School
  Dad's Clubs, likes the ones in San Diego, California, schools, get fathers involved in classroom and afterschool activities, re-enforcing to students the importance of school. 02/22/05



• Shielding Teachers from Field Trip Suits
  Britain's education secretary proposed regulations that would protect teachers from being sued if an accident occurred on a school field trip, provided the teachers had followed all the required procedures. 02/21/05



• No Change In H.S. Graduation Rates
  A study by the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research shows that the U.S. high school graduation rate changed little from 1991 to 2002, going from 71 percent to 72 percent. 02/18/05



• Why New Teachers Quit
  Claudia Graziano, a journalist who became a high school English teacher, quit midway through her first year. Her research shows that lack of administrative support and workplace conditions are the top reasons for teachers' quitting. 02/17/05



• High Schools Could Get Laptops
  Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell is proposing that the state allocate $15.5 million to buy laptop computer for high school English classes. The laptops would be stored in the schools. 02/16/05



• Spellings May Be Flexible on NCLB
  New U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings has indicated she is willing to be flexible with state and local education officials on some of the more stringent requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act. 02/15/05



• Teen Charged With Rigging Teacher's Computer
  A student at Clements High School in Sugar Land, Texas, was charged with rigging a keystroke-recording device onto a teacher's computer in order to steal test answers. The teen could face jail time if convicted. 02/14/05



• Pluses of National Certification
  Teachers in some states who earn certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards can look forward to more money, more prestige, and the chance to stay in the classroom. 02/11/05



• Teachers Rebel Against New Model
  A teaching model that limits lessons to ten minutes and calls for using most of the 40-minute period for student group work with minimal adult participation is sparking a rebellion among some New York City teachers. 02/10/05



• Spellings to Continue Stress on Testing
  New U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings is making it clear that testing is going to continue to be a critical part of the No Child Left Behind Act, and wants to expand testing to the high school level. 02/09/05



• U.S. Budget Cuts Funds for Schools
  President Bush is proposing a 1 percent reduction in federal education funding for 2006, for a total of $56 billion, and shifting $4.7 billion to different education programs. 02/08/05



• Fingerprint System Praised
  A cafeteria payment system installed in middle schools in Akron, Ohio, that identifies students from their fingerprints has led to more students who qualify for free and reduced-price lunches eating lunch. 02/07/05



• Job Fitness Test for H.S. Students
  New York is expected to become the first state in the U.S. to issue a "work readiness" certificate to high school students who pass a voluntary test measuring their ability to succeed in entry-level jobs. 02/04/05



• State Weighs Obesity Report Cards
  A Texas state senator is proposing a state law requiring schools to weigh students, compute their body mass index, and send that information home to parents on student report cards. 02/03/05



• Students: First Amendment Goes "Too Far."
  More than one in three U.S. high school students in a study said the First Amendment "goes too far" in the freedoms it guarantees, and almost half said government censorship of news is not necessarily bad. 02/02/05



• Spellings Vows to "Stay Course"
  Margaret Spellings, the new U.S. secretary of education, said during her swearing-in Monday that she plans to "stay the course" on President Bush's education reform plan. 02/01/05



• K-12 Lit Unappealing for Boys
  Among the reasons boys read fewer books than girls could be that textbooks and literature assigned in the elementary grades do not reflect boys' interests. Studies show boys prefer adventure tales, war, sports, and historical nonfiction. 01/31/05
  
  
• More Taking, Passing AP Exams
  More students in every U.S. state are passing at least one Advanced Placement exam, according to a study. A score of 3 or better on a 5-point scale is considered the mastery level. 01/28/05



• Loss of Playtime Worries Educators
  The increased emphasis on academics in pre-school and kindergarten is squeezing out playtime, which is a necessary part of young children's learning, some educators say. 01/27/05



• New Ed Secretary Confirmed
  The appointment of Margaret Spellings, the new U.S. secretary of education, was confirmed last week. Spellings, a long-time advisor to President George W. Bush, replaces Rod Paige, who resigned. 01/26/05



• Schools Hold "No Name-Calling Week"
  Middle schools across the U.S. this week are participating in "No Name-Calling Week." The program is centered around the novel, The Misfits, about four middle school students who are constantly taunted. 01/25/05



• Student Sues to End Summer Homework
  A Wisconsin high school student has filed suit to end summer homework assignments in the state. The student and his family say summer assignments cause unnecessary stress.01/24/05



• School Considers Breathalyzers
  The Vernon, Connecticut, board of education is considering using Breathalyzers at school events, after reports that some students were intoxicated at school functions. 01/21/05



• Can Delaying First Grade Be Beneficial?
  Enrolling children in first grade later rather than sooner may help build self-esteem, according to a new study. Parents should consider deferring school entry if their child will be among the youngest in first grade. 01/20/05



• Educators Create New Look for P.E.
  Creative teachers in Wisconsin and Connecticut have developed physical education programs that keep all kids active and are fun. 01/19/05



• School for Immigrants Opens
  The recently opened Newcomers Charter School in Houston offers flexible scheduling and intensive instruction in English to help immigrants earn high school diplomas while they continue working. 01/18/05



• Evolution Stickers Have to Go
  A federal judge ordered the Cobb County, Georgia, school board to remove stickers from biology textbooks that warn readers that evolution "is a theory, not a fact." The board also cannot distribute any more of the stickers. 01/17/05



• Teachers Blast Merit Pay Plan
  A proposal by California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to tie teacher pay raises to performance rather than tenure has spurred criticism from the state's teacher unions. The governor also is seeking to trim the education budget. 01/14/05



• Bush Outlines Plans for High Schools
  President Bush has begun a push to require high school students to take annual mathematics and reading tests, just as elementary and middle school students are mandated to do by the federal No Child Left Behind Act. 01/13/05



• School Reopens in Some Tsunami-Hit Areas
  Two weeks after a devastating tsunami, schools in Indonesia and Sri Lanka reopened Monday, and tried to give children some sense of normalcy. Only about 25 percent of students showed up for school. 01/12/05



• Truants Face School or Jail
  An Orange County, California, court truancy program gives chronic truants the choice of attending school or spending time in jail. The court monitors the progress of students who return to school. 01/11/05



• Schools Try to Keep Pace With Technology
  While schools still are behind most segments of society in using technology, students are benefiting from technology use and want more exposure, according to a U.S. report. 01/10/05



• School Lesson Helps Girl Save Tourists
  A 10-year-old British girl vacationing with her parents in Thailand was able to save 100 other tourists on a beach because she told her mother she recognized the warning signs of a tsunami from a lesson at school. 01/07/05



• Top Students Get More Days Off
  A revised Texas state bill allows school districts to cut the number of school days for students who score well,