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 Education secretary tells Congress: Change No Child Left Behind — or I will The Christian Science Monitor Share    
The Obama administration is raising the stakes for Congress to act on reforming No Child Left Behind. If Congress won't move to reauthorize and amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act — then the administration will start addressing some of the act's flaws itself, Education Secretary Arne Duncan warned. The law, which was up for reauthorization more than three years ago, expects all students to be proficient in reading and math by 2014, among other things. More Advertisement
Pomp as students finish elementary school. But is it a real graduation? The Washington Post Share
Each year at this time, thousands of younger-than-high-school students enjoy full-fledged processional ceremonies to mark the end of elementary school. Though many principals say they try to avoid the overt trappings of high school and college ceremonies, graduation vendors say grade schools are increasingly a growth market. More  Report: Only 20 percent of 4th-graders proficient in US history USA Today Share
The Nation's Report Card, which makes periodic assessments of American students on a wide range of subjects, finds that only 20 percent of fourth-graders, 17 percent of eighth-graders and 12 percent of 12th-graders performed at or above the "proficient level" on the 2010 United States history assessment. The tests measure students' knowledge of U.S. history in the context of democracy, culture, technological and economic changes. More
Roots of standardized testing movement lie in 1960s, Ronald Reagan and private sector The Gazette Share
Though a hallmark of education debates today, the push for standardized testing is nothing new. With the advent of the "War on Poverty," in the mid-1960s, the federal government began to mandate testing in schools. Since then, the call for more rigorous testing has increased, amplified by business leaders and culminating in policies like No Child Left Behind. More  New recruit in homework revolt: The principal The New York Times Share
After Donna Cushlanis's son kept bursting into tears midway through his second-grade math problems, which one night took over an hour, she told him not to do all of his homework. Cushlanis, a secretary for the Galloway school district, complained to her boss, Annette C. Giaquinto, the superintendent. It turned out that the district, which serves 3,500 kindergarten through eighth-grade students, was already re-evaluating its homework practices. More In teaching, pink slips are a way of life National Public Radio Share
For many teachers, job uncertainty is one of the biggest downsides of their profession. Recent estimates show that about a quarter-million educators could face layoffs in the coming year as states cut education spending in an effort to balance their budgets. That has left many teachers wondering where their next paycheck will come from. More Advertisement
Slowing the summer slide to lower academic achievement: Making summer school cool The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Share
Children's camps in Atlanta have gone well beyond roasting marshmallows and making potholders; young campers now make robots, documentary films and gourmet meals. Using a combination of funding sources, school districts are recasting summer school to provide equal amounts of summer and school because they understand that programs will not succeed if children don't show up. More Experts call for early focus on black boys' nonacademic skills Education Week Share
Schools should increase their attention to social and emotional development in the early grades as one way to prevent black boys from falling behind their peers, researchers said at a symposium on closing the achievement gap between African-American males and other student groups. Panelists at the meeting also said that a significant portion of the dollars spent on incarcerating black males in this country would be better spent on high-quality early-childhood education. More Advertisement
Brain exercise video games can improve kids' school performance Medical News Today Share
Video puzzle games which exercise a child's working memory were found to enhance abstract reasoning and problem solving skills significantly, researchers from the University of Michigan reported. They added that the improvements persisted for at least three months after they stopped playing the games. More  Leaders: Obama must leave education law changes to congress Bloomberg via Bloomberg Businessweek Share
Congressional leaders of both parties said lawmakers, not the Education Department, should fix the main United States public-education law. President Barack Obama's administration said it would offer states relief from the No Child Left Behind law if Congress fails to enact changes by the start of the school year. States may avoid requirements that, for example, more students pass standardized tests each year if they agree to "reforms" backed by the administration, U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan said. More
Frustrated educators aim to build grassroots movement Education Week Share
Thousands of educators, parent activists and others are expected to convene in the heat and humidity of Washington in July for a march protesting the current thrust of education policy in the United States, especially the strong emphasis on test-based accountability. Organizers say the effort aims to galvanize and give voice to those who believe policymakers, including U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and state governors, have gone astray in their remedies for improving American schools. More Showdown looms in House over public school lunches The Hill Share
Two legislators are gathering support for a clash over an agricultural spending bill that could affect what millions of public school children eat every day for breakfast and lunch. Rep. Lynn Woolsey, D-Calif., has introduced an amendment to repeal language in the bill that would require the Agriculture Department to revisit proposed nutrition regulations. More  Oregon Senate passes bill to create statewide teaching standards The Oregonian Share
The Oregon Senate unanimously approved a bill this afternoon that will establish clear standards for Oregon teachers and administrators. Senate Bill 290 requires the Oregon Department of Education and the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission to create core teacher and administrative standards by Jan. 1 and directs school districts to adopt those standards — which can be customized through negotiation with local employees — by 2013. More Advertisement
Wisconsin Assembly passes budget The Associated Press via Chicago Tribune Share
The Republican-controlled state Assembly passed Gov. Scott Walker's state budget early over objections from Democrats who derided it as an assault on the middle class that will hurt public education, weaken programs for the poor and make it harder to get health care services. Republicans who voted for the $66 billion plan after more than 13 hours of debate called it a responsible approach to solving a $3 billion budget shortfall without raising taxes while still providing tax breaks for manufacturers, multistate corporations and investors. More Los Angeles school district votes to ban flavored milk The Associated Press via ABC News Share
Los Angeles Unified School District became the nation's largest school district to stop serving flavored milk in a move to combat child obesity. The school board voted to eliminate chocolate and strawberry milk from schools as of July 1. More Advertisement
Chicago blocks 4 percent teacher raises The Wall Street Journal Share
The Chicago Board of Education voted unanimously to rescind 4 percent raises that teachers were scheduled to get in the next school year, setting the stage for a fight between Chicago and the teachers' union. David Vitale, president of the newly seated Chicago Board of Education appointed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel, said the board valued teachers but with the city's budget troubles, "we cannot reasonably expect to pay" the raises. More Pennsylvania school districts are scrambling to pare budgets in response to the proposed billion-dollar cut in state funding Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Share
There will be larger class sizes and fewer middle and elementary school foreign language classes, high school business and consumer science courses and elementary music programs throughout the region if the preliminary budgets approved by school boards in the wake of proposed Pennsylvania budget cuts become final. More  NAESP Career Center — your resource for a new job NAESP Share
Looking for a new job? The NAESP Career Center has listings around the nation for positions just for elementary and middle-level principals. Check it out today. More Advertisement
Start planning now for NAESP's 2012 Conference and Expo! NAESP Share
With featured speakers including Diane Ravitch, Rick and Becky DuFour, and many more, NAESP's conference on March 22-24 in Seattle is an event you won't want to miss! More |
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