Schools News Around the Blogosphere

Blackman v. District of Columbia
D.C. to Aid Students With Special Needs
Washington Post
Pilot programs aim to make the school system a more welcoming place for children with learning disabilities or behavioral challenges. District officials, under mounting pressure from a federal judge to overhaul special education services in public schools, promised significant improvements over the next year, including the return of some children now in private schools because the city could not meet their needs.

Well-Paid Teachers? I'm on Board
New York Times
By Christine Gralow
When I recently saw an ad for a $125,000-a-year teaching job at a New York City charter school, my first thought was that it must be some sort of phishing scam. Everyone knows teachers don't make $125,000. My second thought was, "Why shouldn't we?"

Students Are No Longer Surpassing Parents' Educational Achievement
Diverse Magazine
by Robin Chen Delos
The American tradition of generational upward mobility is at a standstill, and for some minority groups the younger generation is obtaining postsecondary education at lower levels than older adults, according to a new report released Thursday by the American Council on Education (ACE).

7 proposed Philadelphia charter schools in limbo
Philadelphia Inquirer
Five months after winning conditional approval, seven charter schools are still in limbo, unsure whether they'll get the green light to start school next year, and unable to access grant money awarded them, secure buildings or hire teachers.

financial crisis will cause a huge influx of private school kid
Meltdown may burn public schools
New York Daily News
Public school parents fear the financial crisis will cause a huge influx of private school kids into the already overcrowded public system. Many of the city's 35,000-plus private school students are concentrated in Manhattan's overstuffed Districts 2 and 3.
Layoffs, trims in education, services coming