Schools News Around the Blogosphere

Bidding for Dollars: Online Auctions Help Schools Earn Cash
As budgets stretch to the breaking point, many schools are discovering the powerful fundraising possibilities of the auction with a technological twist. Schools and their parent-teacher organizations are capitalizing on the flexibility, convenience, and popularity of online auctions to tap a limitless base of supporters nearby and far away.

My book is called "Betrayed."
by Laurie Rogers
Curiosity, questions and a tape recorder: That's what I had in January 2007 when I met with the superintendent and the curriculum director of Spokane Public Schools. I thought I'd write an article about why my daughter's 4th-grade class wasn't working. I brought my recorder because I'm a former journalist, and that's what journalists do.

Can't Anybody Here Run a School?
Washington Post
Michael Casserly
The failure of the D.C. public school system has been a team effort. In 1962, after the New York Mets had lost a record 120 games in the franchise's first year, Casey Stengel, the team's legendary manager, walked into the locker room and reportedly said, "I don't want you boys to feel bad about this. It's been a team effort. No one or two of you guys could have done all this by yourselves."

Taking the gifted down
Washington Times
Charles Murray
College is usually pretty easy for the gifted who go into the humanities or social sciences. Those who major in mathematics, engineering and the hard sciences have to pass a tough curriculum, but all the other gifted can readily find undemanding courses in today's colleges that allow them to get a degree without approaching their intellectual limits.

Data highlight achievement gap in Phila. schools
Philadelphia Inquirer
Philadelphia School District officials have known they had an achievement gap on their hands for years. Yesterday, they saw the raw data, and were collectively horrified.