Pride in public schools fuels positive involvement
Boston Globe
According to her job description, West Roxbury's Kathleen Colby is the YMCA's liaison to the classrooms of this city, charged with assuring parents that Boston public schools offer "good and valid options" for their children.
Many Mass. graduates unprepared in college
Boston Globe
Thousands of Massachusetts public high school graduates arrive at college unprepared for even the most basic math and English classes, forcing them to take remedial courses that discourage many from staying in school, according to a statewide study released yesterday.
At a McLean Elementary School, Tag Is Banned
Washington Post
In a letter to parents, principal calls activity a game "of intense aggression," touching off debate among those who call ban an example of overzealous rules and others who say caution is best.
Math report recommends teachers focus on basic skills
Salt Lake Tribune
Al Hartmann/The Salt Lake Tribune
In a small room deep within the Salt Palace Convention Center, about 70 teachers from across the nation spent Friday morning learning how to better teach fractions.
Fla. Schools Fear Gains May Vanish
The Ledger
With budget cuts upcoming, educators are afraid national ranking may drop. TALLAHASSEE | Just as Florida's public school system - long ranked among the worst in the nation - has begun to show marked improvement, a series of state budget cuts threatens to derail that progress, particularly for students and schools already struggling to keep pace. The lack of an income tax meant less money for schools. And the large retired population seemed uncommitted to funding schools.
Students deficient at being proficient
San Diego Union-Trubune
Cal State schools are a long way from their goal of seeing 90 percent of entering freshmen ready for college-level work. Instead, 37 percent of freshmen entered a California State University campus last fall needing remedial math, while 46 percent were unprepared for college-level English, according to new data.
Special-ed costs taxing town budgets
Boston Globe
Special-education costs are due to rise by $1 million or more in some local school districts next year, further straining budgets at a time when many face a gloomy financial outlook.
No Reform Left Behind
Washington Post
The Education Department lets states try more flexible ways to meet 'No Child' requirements. FEDERAL education officials are holding out a promise of flexibility to states that have chafed under the "one size fits all" aspects of the No Child Left Behind law. There's no question that individual schools need different strategies. States should be encouraged to innovate.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
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1 comment:
Interesting articles, thanks. The problems are clearly not unique to Morrisville.
I see great parallels between us and the Tallahassee school article. We are a school district that is beginning to see some gains (with much more to go) and I am afraid that deep cuts will harm the progress in the long run. This is not a criticism of the new board, it is also true at the state level. Financially, I still believe that an Earned Income Tax, or perhaps a blend of EIT and a small amount of real estate tax, would be the most fair for all involved. The problem with the current system is that it is all or none. If we must take an exception and exceed the state's maximum, then perhaps we should protect the seniors from this, thus enforcing the maximum for the retired, and putting the excess into an EIT. Or maybe introduce something like an 80/20 blend of EIT/RET (80% of the revenue come from EIT, the remainder from RET -- the percentages could be tweaked). The trouble is, the town is afraid of an EIT because it was once tried and failed. The other problem is that the state failed to give reliable information when it went on the ballot last year. But, maybe we could use the 2000 census to determine feasibility of the idea.
As far as test scores are concerned, No Child Left Behind is one area of education that the upcoming presidential candidates differ. McCain wants NCLB to continue as is. Clinton wants to end NCLB. Obama wants to reform NCLB. Honestly, this is one issue that helped to solidify my choice.
Where do you stand on this issue, Morrisville?
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