Schools News Around the Blogosphere

Despite 25 years of reform, US schools still fall short
Christian Science Monitor
New studies echo a key call from landmark 1983 report: boost teacher training and pay.
Chicago - The report that launched an education-reform movement - released 25 years ago Thursday - is causing some reform advocates to issue the same sort of dire warnings today.

Supreme Court of Canada rules random sniffer-dog searches are unlawful
By Conners(Conners)
Clair Catholic District School Board, told The Canadian Press prior to the ruling that allowing sniffer dogs into schools can be an important tool for ensuring student safety. "Parents send their children to school with the underlying ...


Studies: SAT writing portion good predictor of grades
USA Today
The controversial new writing portion of the SAT is actually a better predictor of grades for freshmen college students than the older, more-established, critical reading and mathematics portions, according to preliminary results of two new studies.

No Child Left Behind faces changes
Associated Press
Unable to push education fixes through Congress, the Bush administration is taking its own pen to the No Child Left Behind law. The Education Department plans to make a host of changes to the education law through regulations being unveiled Tuesday, according to administration sources who spoke on condition of anonymity because the new rules had not yet been published.

An American kid drops out of high school every 26 seconds.
Clueless in America
New York Times
By BOB HERBERT
Ignorance in the United States is not just bliss, it's widespread. That's more than a million every year, a sign of big trouble for these largely clueless youngsters in an era in which a college education is crucial to maintaining a middle-class quality of life - and for the country as a whole in a world that is becoming more hotly competitive every day.

New Report From KIPP Charters
Washington Post
Jay Mathews
Educators argue often whether their work should be judged by test scores. There are thoughtful people on both sides of the debate. We journalists tend to focus on exam results because so many of our readers say that is what they want, and such information is relatively easy to get from regular public schools.
The need for charter schools

Real Life Advice for graduating seniors
Christian Science Monitor