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EDUCATION NEWS
Below, please find education news from sources around the state and nation. You can also read our Weekly News Update here.
Draft Common Standards Elicit Kudos and Criticism Education Week - March 10, 2010 The first public draft of grade-by-grade common standards, released this
morning, is being greeted with a mix of praise and skepticism,
illustrating both the mounting consensus that the country needs to set
higher expectations for all students and the many problems that
complicate their adoption. Read more...
Many Nations Passing U.S. in
Education, Expert Says New York Times - March 9, 2010 In another sign that the static
performance of U.S. schools is no longer good enough, one of the world’s
foremost experts on comparing national school systems told U.S. lawmakers that
many other countries were surpassing the United States in educational
attainment, including Canada, where he said 15-year-old students were, on
average, more than one school year ahead of American 15-year-olds. Andreas Schleicher, a senior education official at the
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development Poland, he said is
improving its education system most rapidly. In less than a decade, it raised
the literacy skills of its 15-year-olds by the equivalent of almost a school
year. “If the U.S. would raise the performance of schools by a similar
amount,” he said, “that could translate into a long-term economic
value of over 40 trillion dollars.” Read more...
Bad
Teachers: Reform Them or Retire Them? Newsweek - March 10, 2010 On Sunday, The New York Times
Magazine
published a cover story called "Building a Better Teacher." Written by
Elizabeth Green, the article detailed how teachers could be retrained to
increase classroom performance. On Monday, NEWSWEEK published a
cover package labeled "The Key to Fixing American Education." In that
series of articles, authors Evan Thomas and Pat Wingert argued that the
only way to increase classroom performance was to fire the teachers who
didn't get results. So which
is it? Can bad teachers be reformed, or should they be kicked to the
curb? We asked Green and Thomas to debate the issue via e-mail, and will
publish their discussion, as it unfolds, below. Read more...
Treating Different Teachers Differently Center for American Progress - March 10, 2010 Historically, state and local policies have tended to treat all teachers
as if they were equally effective in promoting student learning,1 but a
good deal of evidence amassed over the past decade documents enormous
variation in teacher effectiveness.2 The effectiveness of a teacher is
indeed the most important school-based factor determining students’
levels of academic achievement, yet few state and district policies
reflect this finding. Read more...
Removing Chronically Ineffective Teachers Center for American Progress - March 10, 2010 The importance of effective teaching in the nation’s public schools is
receiving unprecedented attention. As President Barack Obama so aptly
stated in his remarks to the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce last year,
“From the moment students enter a school, the most important factor in
their success is not the color of their skin or the income of their
parents, it’s the person standing at the front of the classroom.” The
president expresses what a great deal of research has documented—that
teachers have a tremendous impact on student achievement and that
teachers vary greatly in their effectiveness. Read more...
Latest School Worry: Categorical Cash Illinois Statehouse News - March 9, 2010 Principals across Illinois already know they will likely have to lay off
teachers this spring. They also already know that any checks from the
state are going to be late. But now school officials in Springfield are
raising questions about money for special education, transportation,
and early childhood education. Read more...
What Would Diane Do? Huffington Post - March 9, 2010 Diane Ravitch is an inspired writer, one of the few education analysts
with a historical perspective, and a professional skeptic and
contrarian. These admirable traits are in short supply these days but
in full display in her new book The Death and Life of the Great
American School System. Read more...
Districts
Struggle Amid State’s Budget Woes Several stories from the week on
how districts are coping with late payments from the state, as it
struggles
with an historic budget deficit. A special thanks to Catalyst-Chicago
for their "In the News" digest.
District 300 cuts 100 teachers (Daily
Herald)
West Richland cuts teaching positions (Olney Daily Mail)
Springfield D186 may cut classroom teachers (State Journal Register)
Geneva schools cut $1.4 million (Daily
Herald)
Delavan superintendent, facing budget cuts, skips
own pay raise (Pantagraph)
Ravitch, unpredictable, still likes NCLB basics The Washington Post, Class Struggle by Jay Mathews - March 9, 2010 Everybody (okay, everybody among the few thousand education obsessives
who might read this) is talking about Diane Ravitch's new book, "The
Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and
Choice Are Undermining Education." Read more...
Two D204 schools could enter new program Naperville Sun - March 9, 2010 Changing demographics around Indian Prairie District 204 means changing
the way some of its schools receive and use federal funding. Read more...
On to college… Chicago Tribune - March 8, 2010 If nothing else made you feel good last week, you had to smile at the
news out of Urban Prep Academy for Young Men, a charter school in
Englewood. Read more...
Final Rules Unveiled for 'i3' Innovation Fund Education Week - March 8, 2010 The U.S. Department of Education today unveiled the final rules for its
$650 million Investing
in Innovation, or i3, grant program, standing fast in the face of
criticism that its proposed guidelines demanded too much from applicants
in the way of private-sector match and evidence to back up their
proposals. Read more...
Chicago group set to take parent education
campaign statewide Catalyst Chicago - March 8, 2010 To outsiders, the fact that a school is performing poorly might seem
obvious from the numbers readily available on state school report cards.
Read more...
Pre-med student switches gears to teach in Chicago school Chicago Tribune - March 8, 2010 Throughout Joseph Lee's childhood, his parents believed they were
grooming a future doctor. But last year when Lee was a senior and
pre-med major at Northwestern
University, something was gnawing at him. Read more...
All of charter school's senior class accepted
to college
Chicago Sun-Times - March 6, 2010 Four years ago, every freshman at Urban Prep Academy Charter High
School-Englewood was given a watch and told they now had no excuse to be
late for class at a school dedicated to putting black males into
college. Read more...
Students' Civil Rights to Get Scrutiny
The Wall Street Journal - March 8, 2010 The Obama administration plans to crack down on civil-rights infractions
in school districts and university systems, including alleged
disparities in the disciplining of white and black students. Read more...
Students in race for state's college
financial aid funds Chicago Sun-Times - March 8, 2010 Applications for state financial aid grants are being filed at a record
pace. Students who don't complete applications soon could risk being
shut out from state aid. Read more...
Building a Better Teacher The New York Times - March 2, 2010 On a winter day five years ago, Doug Lemov
realized he had a problem. After a successful career as a teacher, a
principal and a charter-school founder, he was working as a consultant,
hired by troubled schools eager — desperate, in some cases — for Lemov
to tell them what to do to get better. Read more...
Illinois named a Race to the Top Finalist Congratulations to Illinois for being named one of the 16 Race to the
Top finalists. State leaders and lawmakers should be proud of their
hard work and smart leadership over the past year. Good luck to the
team going to do the finalist interview in Washington. Here is the
statement from Advance Illinois Executive Director Robin Steans. Here is the Governor's press release. Here
is the Dept of Ed page on the Race to the Top. From Education Week, here is a summary of the national picture. Catalyst Chicago and Chicago Tribune both note Illinois’
strong collaboration and its evaluation legislation. Illinois Statehouse News notes that it’s an
endorsement of the momentum behind reform in the state. Daily Herald talks to local superintendents who note the devil
is in the details.
U.S. Teachers More Interested in Reform Than Money Associated Press - March 3, 2010 U.S. teachers are more interested in school reform and student
achievement than their paychecks, according to a massive new survey. Read more...
More Funding for Principal Training Deemed Vital Education Week - March 2, 2010 As principals come under more pressure than ever to improve
underperforming schools, leadership experts say it’s time for the nation
to emphasize recruiting and training the next generation of school
leaders. Read more...
Scholar’s School Reform U-Turn Shakes Up
Debate The New York Times - March 2, 2010 Diane Ravitch, the
education historian who built her intellectual reputation battling
progressive educators and served in the first Bush administration’s Education
Department, is in the final stages of an astonishing, slow-motion
about-face on almost every stand she once took on American schooling. Read more...
Ravitch on the Road to Damascus National Alliance for Public Charter Schools - March 2, 2010 Diane Ravitch is probably the only person in America who would begin
re-evaluating her entire belief system while sitting in a research
seminar at the American Enterprise Institute.
Read more...
School
board unanimously approves college-prep academy The State Journal-Register - March 2, 2010 The Springfield School Board on Tuesday approved plans to open a small
college preparatory academy next fall, after concluding that it’s worth
the extra $120,000 to run the program. Read more...
Morton East students stage walkout The Chicago Tribune - March 2, 2010 Angered over a budget reduction plan to eliminate classes and lay off
teachers, more than 100 students from Morton East High School in Cicero
walked out of school Tuesday morning and staged a brief protest in the
streets. Read more...
Illinois schools chiefs’ growing salaries The Chicago Tribune - March 2, 2010 The state's school superintendents are cutting costs in a gruesome
budget cycle, but they can take some consolation: Their own paychecks
are growing comfortably. Read more...
Meeks’ School Voucher Plan Moves Ahead Illinois Statehouse News - March 1, 2010 A new school voucher program proposed by Democratic
state Sen. James Meeks of Chicago has cleared its first test, but murky
waters loom ahead. Read more...
'A Decent Education' The Chicago Tribune - March 2, 2010 When state Sen. James Meeks asks fellow Democrats to give
education vouchers to kids who attend some of the worst schools in
Chicago, the legislators often tell him they don't want to divert
dollars from public education. Meeks' response: "If the public schools are not doing their job, why do
you want to continue to reward them with money?" Read more...
Local lawmakers warn of deep school cuts The Daily Herald - March 1, 2010 State lawmakers who help oversee school funding discussions at the
Capitol say local districts should plan for the worst as education
funding is likely to lose its sacred cow status with the state trying to
erase a nearly $13 billion budget deficit. Read more...
Today Is Publication
Day Education Week Blog, Bridging Differences - March 2, 2010 Today is publication day for The
Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and
Choice Are Undermining Education by Diane Ravitch. As former U.S. Dept of Education, Ravitch supported
No Child Left Behind, but has had a change of heart and written a book critical of
many components of the modern reform movement. She blogged about it
this morning. Advance Illinois supports
many of the reforms Ravitch criticizes, but, as is our custom, we encourage a
healthy debate about them. Read more...
Former 'No Child Left Behind' Advocate Turns Critic NPR - March 2, 2010 In 2005, former Assistant Secretary of Education Diane Ravitch wrote,
"We should thank President George W. Bush and Congress for passing the
No Child Left Behind Act ... All this attention and focus is paying off
for younger students, who are reading and solving mathematics problems
better than their parents' generation." Four years later, Ravitch
has changed her mind. Read more or listen here...
Obama unveils 'turnaround' grants for schools The Los Angeles Times - March 2, 2010 $900 million in grants will be available next year for
low-performing schools that opt for one of four reform models, which
include firing the principal and even closing the campus. Read more...
Obama Backs Rewarding Districts That Police
Failing Schools The New York Times - March 1, 2010 President Obama said
Monday that he favored federal rewards for local school districts that
fire underperforming teachers and close failing schools, saying
educators needed to be held accountable when they failed to fix
chronically troubled classrooms and curb the student dropout rate. Read more...
Obama
Seeks Money, Interventions to Stem Dropouts Education Week -
March 1, 2010 President Barack Obama took aim Monday at the nation's
school dropout
epidemic, proposing $900 million to states and education districts that
agree to drastically change or even shutter their worst performing
schools. Read
more...
Conn. lawmakers
may beef up "Race to the Top" plan The Boston Globe - February 28,
2010 Connecticut lawmakers are considering ways to fortify the
state's application for millions of dollars in education funding under
the president's "Race to the Top" initiative, concerned the state won't
receive funding in the first round. Read
more...
In Middle School,
Charting Their Course to College and Beyond The New York
Times - February 28, 2010 Public schools have long offered their
students the same basic academic program, with little real choice aside
from foreign languages or an occasional elective in what was a
one-size-fits-all approach that drove many families to seek private and
charter schools. Read
more...
Protests and Promises of Improvements at
Schools The News York Times - February 26, 2010 Josephine Norwood, a Bronzeville mother of three Chicago public school
students, has rebounded from two rounds of school closings that
displaced her children from their schools. As she watched the Board of
Education approve another set of schools for closing or turnaround last
week, Mrs. Norwood had a simple question: Can Chicago Public Schools
officials promise that the new schools will be better? Read more...
State's red ink likely to mean cuts for schools JG-TC Online - February 26, 2010 Gov. Pat Quinn’s initial budget scenario revealed
this week shows the potential for big cuts in school funding next year
because federal stimulus money is drying up. Read more...
Central
Illinois school superintendents expect more cuts ahead Peoria Journal Star - February 25, 2010 Area school superintendents say possible drastic cuts in state funding
for education, while expected and becoming more tangible, will be hard
to swallow. Read more...
County
may lend $1 million to education office Peoria Journal Star - February 25, 2010 Peoria County could temporarily pick up slack for the state of Illinois
after preliminary approval to issue a $1 million line of credit to the
Peoria Regional Office of Education to meet payroll. Read more...
Turnarounds can work: Here's Howe Chicago Sun-Times - February 25, 2010 To an outsider, Howe School of Excellence rises from the landscape like a decaying fortress. But to the people who work there every day -- the principal, administrators, teachers and students -- Howe is a haven in a sea of chaos. Read more...
State Superintendent Says Schools Face Funding Cliff Illinois Statehouse News - February 25, 2010 The state’s superintendent of education says he sympathizes with local school administrators’ dilemma of dealing with late payments from the state. But with the state mired in a deep budget crisis, Chris Koch said there’s not much he or the state can do. Read more...
Schools to take wallop in 2011 state budget Chicago Sun-Times - February 25, 2010 Without an infusion of cash, Gov. Quinn plans to slash more than $2 billion from next year's state budget and make already cash-strapped public school systems across Illinois bear the brunt of that cutting, his budget director confirmed Wednesday. Read more...
A Fiscal Rehabilitation Plan for the State of Illinois Institute for Illinois' Fiscal Stability at the Civic Federation The Fiscal Rehabilitation Plan for the State of Illinois describes the basis of Illinois’ current fiscal crisis and presents the Civic Federation’s plan to salvage the State’s finances. This plan calls for a comprehensive package of budget cuts, pension reforms, and revenue increases to put Illinois on solid financial footing and address its nationally-recognized fiscal crisis. Read more...
Quinn Administration Launches First-Ever Interactive Budget Web Site BudgetIllinois.Gov - February 24, 2010 Officials from Governor Pat Quinn’s Administration today announced that, for the first time in Illinois’ history, the public can actively participate in the state’s budgeting process. The Governor’s Office of Management and Budget (GOMB) today launched www.budget.illinois.gov, a Web site that allows Illinois residents to provide feedback that will be used to shape the state’s fiscal year 2011 budget. Read more...
Schools big loser in early Quinn budget Chicago Business - February 24, 2010 Gov. Pat Quinn's administration Wednesday gave taxpayers the first peek at what will happen to spending if the General Assembly doesn't give him a tax hike this spring, and it ain't pretty. Read more...
Quinn releases budget numbers Illinois Issues Blog - February 24, 2010 Gov. Pat Quinn’s office spelled out today the shortfall and cuts that could come with next year’s budget. Read more...
'Doomsday is here for the state of Illinois' Chicago Sun-Times - February 22, 2010 To become solvent, the state must enact the largest tax-increase package in Illinois history, whack another $2 billion from already starved government programs and wrest major financial concessions from the state's unionized work force, a nonpartisan government watchdog contends. Read more...
Many
Authorized STEM Projects Fail to Get Funding Education Week - February 23, 2010 With
considerable fanfare and bipartisan support, Congress in 2007 approved a
bill to strengthen the nation’s economic competitiveness that features a
strong emphasis on bolstering education in the STEM fields of science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics. And yet, many of the new
education-related programs spelled out under the federal law, called the
America COMPETES ActRequires Adobe Acrobat Reader, have so far amounted
to unfulfilled promises. Read
more...
Illinois stuck in a ‘historic, epic’ budget crisis The Chicago Tribune - February 23, 2010 Illinois government is staring down the barrel of an explosive financial
mess, and perhaps nothing frames the danger better than two big
numbers. Read more...
Per-Pupil Cash from Springfield Could Shrink Illinois Statehouse News - February 23, 2010 Illinois schools are struggling with late state aid payments for this
school year. But lawmakers in Springfield are warning local districts
that those payments may be more than just late next year. Read more...
Nearly 1,000 schools recognized for academic excellence on 2009
Illinois Honor Roll Press Release, Illinois State Board of Education - February 23, 2010 The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and Northern Illinois
University (NIU) announced today that 975 schools made the Illinois
Honor Roll for their continued academic progress. The 2009 honor
roll includes more than 90 schoolsthat are being
recognized for the sixth or seventh consecutive year. All of these
outstanding schools are being honored for their accomplishments in
making progress toward or maintaining academic excellence. Read more...
Senator seeks open school enrollment statewide Daily Herald - February 23, 2010 State government will have to be more flexible on where
residents send their kids to school if a Democrat from Chicago gets his
way.
State Sen. James Meeks has introduced legislation that
would require schools to enroll students from any part of the state,
regardless of whether they live inside the school district. Read more...
Preaching Choice in Obama's Hometown
The Wall Street Journal - February 23, 2010 'The voucher movement seems to have been born, or seems to have been
started as a Republican idea. That's the way Democrats look at it.
That's the way black lawmakers look at it. This is a Republican idea.
This is what the Republicans want to push on us. . . . We don't seem to
see public schools not working in your area." Read more...
Early education another victim of Illinois budget crisis Catalyst Chicago - February 18, 2010 In Early Childhood Education Preschool for All, still reeling from a 10 percent funding cut this fall, is now facing even more uncertainty. As the state teeters on the edge of insolvency – with at least $5 billion in unpaid bills this year and a projected deficit for next year large enough to wipe out several state departments – no one is sure how many children the program will be able to serve, or have to turn away, next year. Read
more...
Rookie Chicago Public Schools teachers get full-time coaches The Chicago Tribune - February 24, 2010 Halfway through Mandy Nelson's first year of teaching struggling fifth-graders, she has a different reaction than many newbie teachers: She loves it. A high percentage of teachers in the Chicago school system — as many as 39 percent, by one study — leave after their first year, frustrated by difficult conditions, lack of resources and indifference from higher-ups. Nelson believes the difference for her was a mentor from the New Teacher Center to help her navigate the many rough patches and occasionally act as her advocate. Read
more...
How Federal Education Policy Can Reverse the Widget Effect Policy Brief, The New Teacher Project - February, 2010 Transforming ESEA Title II to Improve Teacher Effectiveness and Student Outcomes. Read more...
Experts Lay Out Vision for Future Assessments Education Week - February 23, 2010 A group of high-powered policymakers and educators gathered here yesterday to build support for a new vision of educational assessment that is less a snapshot of students’ one-time performance and more like good instruction itself. Read more...
Computerized state assessments to save time, money The Wichita Eagle - February 22, 2010 All students statewide will have to take her math,
reading and writing tests on the computer this year. Read more...
Math Wiz
Adds Web Tools to Take Education to New Limits PBS - February 22, 2010 From a bedroom in
the San Francisco Bay area, Salman Khan is using
the Web to teach math and science to millions. Spencer Michels reports
on how the non-profit Kahn Academy is providing educational materials
through its free YouTube video library. Watch
here...
Colorado
could be stuck in a race to the middle Denver Post - February 23, 2010 At first
glance, Colorado's wimpy entry
in the national "Race for Big Education Bucks" wouldn't seem to stand
much chance in the first round of the competition. But don't bet that
we'll get shut out when the feds get ready to dole
out the grants. Other states aren't exactly racing toward the top,
either. Read
more...
SAT Prep Gone Wild Good Is - February 25, 2010 Only wealthy kids are lucky enough to get primed for their SATs with a
formal prep course, right? Not anymore. The online social enterprise I Need A Pencil (INAP) is leveling the playing
field for students from all economic backgrounds. Read more...
Where the Bar Ought to Be The New York Times - February 22, 2010 Deborah Kenny talks a lot about passion — the passion for teaching,
for reading and for learning. She has it. She wants all of her teachers
to have it. Above all, she wants her students to have it. Read more...
Districts
Struggle Amid State’s Budget Woes Several stories from the week on
how districts are coping with late payments from the state, as it
struggles
with an historic budget deficit. A special thanks to Catalyst-Chicago
for their "In the News" digest.
School districts ax teachers, blame state for financial meltdown (The Chicago Tribune)
Schools being squeezed by late state payments (The State Journal-Register)
State Superintendent Koch announces Illinois' federal award from Phase 2 of State Fiscal Stabilization Fund (Illinois State Board of Education Weekly Message)
Elgin Area School District U-46 details cuts: Early childhood center, teacher layoffs on list (Daily Herald)
Oswego school
district OKs $5.5M in budget cuts (Chicago Breaking News Center)
District 300 slashes budget $4.6 million, even more cuts are coming next month (Daily Herald)
Indian Prairie School District Official: Dist. 204 cuts may be 'unprecedented' (Daily Herald)
Chatham
schools may cut pre-kindergarten, increase fees (The State Journal-Register)
Cuts
wouldn't hit classroom teachers, Springfield Superintendent Milton says (The State Journal-Register)
Obama to Propose New Reading and Math Standards The New York Times - February 21, 2010 In a proposed change to the No Child Left
Behind law, the Obama administration would require states to adopt
new academic standards to qualify for federal money from a $14 billion
program that concentrates on impoverished students, the White House said
Sunday. Read more...
Obama wants students prepared for
college, careers The Washington Post - February 21, 2010 President Barack Obama will urge states to better prepare high
school students for college and careers when he meets Monday with the
nation's governors. Read more...
Next-Generation Assessment Systems Education Week - February 22, 2010 An unprecedented confluence of factors—economic, political, and
educational—is causing many states to rethink their student-assessment
programs. But careful thought and expert guidance will be needed if they
are to avoid the problems of the past and take advantage of promising
new developments. Read more...
U.S. ed chief calls teacher prep programs
outdated Atlanta Journal-Constitution - February 19, 2010 U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan on Friday said teacher
preparation programs offered by colleges are outdated, but pledged
additional federal money to help leaders overhaul their programs. Read more...
Districts
Struggle Amid State’s Budget Woes Several stories from the week on
how districts are coping with late payments from the state, as it
struggles
with an historic budget deficit. A special thanks to Catalyst-Chicago
for their "In the News" digest.
Springfield District
186 has high number of officials; Administrator-to-pupil ratio expected to
come up during budget debate (The State Journal-Register)
Frustrated schools advertising how much
they're owed (Chicago Sun-Times)
A new site, www.illinoisisbroke.com, put together by the
Civic Federation, takes a look at the state’s broader budget challenges.
Early education another victim of Illinois
budget crisis Catalyst Chicago - February 18, 2010 In Early
Childhood Education
Preschool for All, still reeling from a 10 percent funding cut this
fall, is now facing even more uncertainty. As the state teeters on the
edge of insolvency – with at least $5 billion in unpaid bills this year
and a projected deficit for next year large enough to wipe out several
state departments – no one is sure how many children the program will be
able to serve, or have to turn away, next year. Read more...
District
214 not anticipating layoffs, big cuts Daily Herald - February 19,
2010 Unlike many other school districts, District 214 officials are
not
preparing for massive layoffs and program cut backs in 2010-2011. Read
more...
Forced placement of teachers is hot topic Education News Colorado - February 19, 2010 A plan to limit the “forced placement” of veteran teachers in Denver’s
lowest-performing and highest-poverty schools drew applause Thursday,
and some opposition. Read more...
Teacher Seniority Rules Challenged
Wall Street Journal - February 19, 2010 Teacher seniority rules are meeting resistance from government officials
and parents as a wave of layoffs is hitting public schools and driving
newer teachers out of classrooms. Read more...
Education reform, one classroom at a
time The Washington Post - February 19, 2010 Sitting on the desk of the secretary of education are dozens of ideas
bold enough to finally start solving our country's education crisis.
They are contained in applications by 40 states and the District of Columbia
for grants from the Race
to the Top fund, a $4.35 billion piece of the stimulus package
designed to dramatically improve student achievement. Read more...
QPS to close alternative school, site for teen parent and adult
education programs; district needs $3.8 million in cuts overall Quincy Herald-Whig - February 19, 2010 Quincy Public Schools announced that it plans to
cut $1.8 million from its budget, a move that includes closing Irving
Alternative School and discontinuing the Teen Parent Services/Adult
Education Program school housed at 1416 Maine. Read more...
U-46 files to be Cook County school district Daily Herald - February 19, 2010 Elgin Area School District U-46 officials Thursday formally asked the
state board of education to be reclassified as a Cook County district. Read more...
Race to the Top High School Commencement
Challenge The White House - February 19, 2010 The White House and the Department of Education have announced a new
Race to the Top High School Commencement Challenge and are inviting
public schools across the country to compete to have President Obama
speak at their graduation. Read more...
Lawmakers to launch bipartisan effort
to rewrite No Child Left Behind The Washington Post - February 18, 2010 Senior House Republicans and Democrats plan to announce Thursday that
they will team up to rewrite the No Child Left Behind education law, a
rare show of bipartisanship in the polarized Congress. Read more...
Peoria District
150 introduces new superintendent Peoria Journal Star - February 16, 2010 At a brief event billed as a "meet and greet" between Peoria School
District 150's finalist for school superintendent and members of the
media, Grenita Lathan called on the community to get behind the city's
schools. Read more...
Student Data Systems, Unite! Inside Higher Ed - February 16, 2010 Step by step, an infrastructure is emerging that would make it possible
for dozens of states to share data about the students in their K-12 and
postsecondary education systems, creating the equivalent of a national
system of data on students' educational progress. Read more...
Districts
Struggle Amid State’s Budget Woes Several stories from the week on
how districts are coping with late payments from the state, as it
struggles
with an historic budget deficit. A special thanks to Catalyst-Chicago
for their "In the News" digest.
Springfield Superintendent proposes $5.3 million in cuts. (The State Journal-Register)
Educators in Danville huddle on state funding freeze. (Commercial News)
$2 million in cuts proposed for Urbana. (The News-Gazette)
News Analysis: School Vouchers WTTW - February 15, 2010 State Senator James Meeks wants to reform education in Illinois, in the form of more vouchers and less power for local school councils. Meeks will discuss his controversial education plan with Carol Marin. Watch here...
ISU programs prepare teachers for urban schools The Chicago Tribune - February 17, 2010 A student-led organization at Illinois State University hopes to change
the way education is taught for urban schools, thereby having a greater
impact on issues such as high dropout rates. Read more...
Plan Would Allow for Early College
The Chicago Tribune - February 17, 2010 Dozens of public high schools in eight states will introduce a program
next year allowing 10th graders who pass a battery of tests to get a
diploma two years early and immediately enroll in community college. Read more...
State behind in school payments ABC News 7 - February 17, 2010 The state of Illinois is more than $650 million behind in payments to
schools. Some schools are posting messages on their outdoor signs,
hoping to persuade state lawmakers to make sure districts get money
they've been owed for months. Read more...
Byrne and Zorn discuss school vouchers in the
Rhubarb Patch
The Chicago Tribune - February 15, 2006 Veteran Chicago commentator Dennis Byrne is a weekly contributor to
the Tribune's commentary pages and the proprietor of The
Barbershop, a ChicagoNow blog. In Tuesday's Tribune he joins
me in The Rhubarb Patch to discuss school voucher programs. Read more...
Recession affecting child poverty rate The Benton Evening News - February 12, 2010 The first comprehensive study of how the recession is affecting
Illinois' children and families shows that child poverty is increasing
and will get worse in years to come - even after the economy improves.
The findings in Illinois Kids Count 2010, a report released Thursday by
Voices for Illinois Children, underscore the need to maintain strong
public policy investments to help kids and families through the
recession and beyond. Read more...
College prep academy could be lifeline for Feitshans The State Journal-Register - February 15, 2010 When the Springfield School District’s Capital College Preparatory
Academy opens next fall, it will operate alongside an older, floundering
district experiment — Feitshans Academy. Read more...
Experts Say Schools Need to Screen for Cheating The New York Times - February 12, 2010 This week, Georgia officials said they had found evidence that cheating might have
occurred on standardized tests at one in five public elementary and
middle schools around the state. What was extraordinary, however, was
not so much the extent of the problem, but the decision of the state to
screen for cheating at all. Read more...
Districts
Struggle Amid State’s Budget Woes Several stories from the week on
how districts are coping with late payments from the state, as it
struggles
with an historic budget deficit. A special thanks to Catalyst-Chicago
for their "In the News" digest.
State’s issues causing budget crunch at Dieterich (Effingham Daily News)
One way Elgin Area U-46 can raise funds: Move HQ (Daily Herald)
Waukegan Schools Budget workshops eye $9M shortfall (Lake County News-Sun)
Across the country: Schools face big budget holes as stimulus
runs out (Chicago Sun-Times)
Innovation is key to policy reform, ISBE chairman says Daily Herald - February 14, 2010 The chairman of the Illinois State Board of Education plans to use his
new position on a federal policy committee to advocate for practical
changes to education legislation, including allowing states more
resources and flexibility under No Child Left Behind. Read more...
Basic skill test for teachers still fails
state's students
Chicago Sun-Times - February 13, 2010 Starting in September, future educators will find it much tougher to
pass the Illinois Test of Basic Skills for would-be teachers, but until
then, they can squeak under a bar some call shockingly low. Read more...
Districts
Struggle Amid State’s Budget Woes Several stories from the week on
how districts are coping with late payments from the state, as it
struggles
with an historic budget deficit. A special thanks to Catalyst-Chicago
for their "In the News" digest.
Lake Zurich District
95 may hike fees to pay for projector bulbs (Daily Herald)
Grayslake District 46
debates what to cut (Daily Herald)
Barrington
District 220 gets specific about budget cuts (Daily Herald)
Teacher
jobs in jeopardy in Wheaton Warrenville
District 200 (Daily Herald)
Disadvantaged
Students Continue AP Climb Education
Week - February 10, 2010 Continuing a pattern from recent years,
more students from low-income
families are taking—and earning what is considered a passing score on—at
least one Advanced Placement exam, a new analysis of results for the
public high school graduating class of 2009 shows. Read
more...
Pass rate falls for
Illinois Advanced Placement test takers Chicago Breaking News Center - February 10,
2010 A record number of Illinois high school students took Advanced
Placement
tests last year, but the proportion of them who passed the rigorous
end-of-course exams continued to decline, according to data released
Wednesday. Read
more...
Expansion of A.P. Tests Also Brings More Failures The New York Times - February 10, 2010 The
College Board’s Advanced
Placement program is expanding in American high schools, but as it moves
from being a program primarily for elite students, the number of
test-takers who fail A.P. exams
is growing — although not as much as the number of those who pass. Read
more...
Doubt about
learning styles The Washington
Post - February 11, 2010 Washington Post Education Columnist Jay
Mathews offers a provocative read of a study which casts some doubt on
Learning Styles. Read
the column here...
Preckwinkle: Educational issues threaten economic development Chicago Current - February 10, 2010 Low high school graduation rates could threaten Chicago's economic
future, said a panel of government and civic leaders yesterday. Read more...
Study Gives Charters
an Edge Education Week's Inside School Research Blog - February 10, 2010 A
new study, featuring charters in Chicago and Florida, tries to address
criticisms of previous research by focusing closely on which students
are in the sample. The findings show charter students are more likely
to graduate and go on to college. Read more...
It’s All About Schools The New York Times - February 9, 2010 Not
just in Illinois, or even the United States, but education is key to
economic growth around the world. Columnist Thomas Friedman argues
education also plays a role in geopolitics. Read the column here...
State rolls out new way to track student
achievement Post-Tribune - February 11, 2010 The Indiana Department of Education announced Wednesday the state will
roll out a new way to track student achievement, one that will emphasize
growth in academic knowledge. Read more...
Bill would strip local school councils of
principal selection, budget powers Catalyst Chicago - February 10, 2010 Grassroots education advocacy groups are reeling from the news that
state Sen. James Meeks filed a bill Monday that would strip local school
councils of their most important powers, including selecting principals
and controlling their school’s discretionary funds. Read more...
Meeks Open to School Vouchers Illinois Statehouse News - February 8, 2010 A key legislative proponent of improving Illinois’ public schools is reversing his usual course by pushing school vouchers. Read more...
Districts Struggle Amid State’s Budget Woes Several stories from the week on
how districts are coping with late payments from the state, as it struggles
with an historic budget deficit. A special thanks to Catalyst-Chicago for their "In the News" digest.
Carterville early childhood
program prepares
for worst (WSIL)
Can fees save Mokena SD 159 extracurriculars (Southtown Star)
Carpentersville District 300 considers more cuts (Daily Herald)
Fundraisers in St. Charles offer help
in lean times (My Suburban Life)
Blue Island schools look at layoffs, program cuts over state aid delays (South Town Star)
Oswego schools plan for $5.5M deficit (Beacon-News)
Budget woes force school cuts in Effingham (Daily News)
The New York Times reports that with federal stimulus money gone, many schools face budget gaps. Read more...
"Race to the Top" Update - Across the U.S. The
Race to the Top competition has spurred reforms in states across the
country, including Illinois. But, the progress isn't consistent. Here's a recent roundup of how states are doing.
Massachusetts Unions balk at school aid program (Boston Globe)
Union opposition dogs Florida application for education Race to the Top funds (Jacksonville News)
South Carolina's Sanford seeks federal grant money for schools (Herald Online)
Virginia's effort for Race to the Top funds modest so far (Washington Post)
As a reminder, Illinois passed legislation called “groundbreaking”
and has filed a strong Phase 1 application, which one expert called a “standout.” Read more...
Spared Cuts, Education Gets Special Attention NPR - February 6, 2010 U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan discussed education reform and federal efforts to spur state action with guest host Audie Cornish. Listen here...
Decatur School District, Union team up for Race to the Top
Decatur Herald-Review - February 6, 2010 A new federal initiative to reform schools and increase student achievement might soon come to Decatur schools. Illinois has submitted a $400 million grant application to be one of the participating states, and Decatur schools have signed a document called a Memorandum of Understanding, which promises the district's support and cooperation. Eisenhower and MacArthur high schools have been designated "priority schools" in need of improvement. Read more...
Making "No Child" Better
The New York Times - February 4, 2010 Like most ambitious federal reforms, the No Child Left Behind Education
Act of 2002 will need to be revised, perhaps several times, before it
reaches maximum effectiveness. Without formally announcing them, the
Obama administration has made clear that it wants changes in the law,
which could be reauthorized this year. For starters, it would like more
effective mechanisms for intervening in failing schools and ways to
reward schools that make rapid improvements. Read more...
No Child Left Behind: Mend it, don't reauthorize it The Education Gadfly - February 4, 2010 This week saw the release of President Obama's annual budget request, which outlines
a proposal for overhauling the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
(ESEA), a.k.a. No Child Left Behind. The ideas floated therein have
promise, but no matter what Secretary Duncan and his boss would like to
accomplish this year in education policy, the odds of completing a
full-dress reauthorization of ESEA between now and the November
election are vanishingly small. Read more...
Key Questions on the Obama Administration's 2011 Education Budget Request Ed Money Watch - February 1, 2010 In an effort to heighten the quality of debate on federal education
policy, the New America Foundation's Federal Education Budget Project
has reviewed the president's proposals and generated a list of key
questions policymakers, the media, stakeholder groups, and the public
should ask about the proposals. Read more...
Charter schools' growth promoting segregation, studies say Los Angeles Times - February 5, 2010 A UCLA study is one of two finding that the increasingly popular
campuses skew toward racially separate student bodies. Charter
advocates criticize the reports. Read more...
Playing the race card The Economist - February 4, 2010 A new study
concludes that charter schools are a "civil rights failure" because
they are "more racially isolated than traditional public schools in
virtually every state and large metropolitan area in the country." Read more...
D300, U46 could get funds to help struggling schools The Courier-News - February 4, 2010 Hundreds of thousands of dollars could flow into Elgin School District
U46 and Carpentersville-based Community Unit School District 300 to
help their lowest-performing schools, according to the Illinois State
Board of Education. Read more...
Money Well Spent The New Republic - February 4, 2010 Forget the spending freeze. Obama's Department of Education announced
on Monday that it is asking Congress for more money in the 2011 budget.
The department wants $49.7 billion in discretionary funds, roughly $3.5
billion more than it got in 2010. (That's on top of the $173 billion
that would go to student loans, grants, tax credits, and work-study
programs.) And, if Congress finally reauthorizes No Child Left Behind
(NCLB)--it's already three years overdue--to include the president's
reforms, the administration says it would allot another billion to the
discretionary pot. Read more...
Illinois lands major grant for school turnarounds Catalyst Chicago - February 2, 2010 Illinois and five other states today secured nearly $75 million in
funding for school turnarounds, a controversial approach to school
improvement that calls for wholesale staffing changes at chronically
failing schools. Read more...
District 150 could race to reform Peoria Journal Star - February 2, 2010 A longer school day, performance-based merit pay for teachers, even
charter-like qualities could move to the front of Peoria classrooms in
exchange for public and private dollars. Read more...
Illinois Joins Six-State Turnaround Effort Illinois was one of six states chosen for a new multi-state initiative
to "clear hurdles that have hindered previous attempts to improve
underperforming schools." Read more in EdWeek (article access compliments of edweek.org) or read the press release from MassInsight, which is leading the project.
Illinois State Superintendent honored for collaborative efforts to build student data system Copy Line - January 30, 2010 State Superintendent Chris Koch and three other Illinois education leaders named `State Policymakers of the Year�. Read more...
Obama to Seek Sweeping Change in �No Child� Law The New York Times - January 31, 2010 The Obama administration is proposing a sweeping overhaul of President Bush�s signature education law, No Child Left Behind,
and will call for broad changes in how schools are judged to be
succeeding or failing, as well as for the elimination of the law�s 2014
deadline for bringing every American child to academic proficiency. Read more...
President's Education Budget Signals Bold Changes for ESEA US Department of Education, Press Release - February 1, 2010 Budget Proposes More Competition, Flexibility and Accountability. Read more...
President's FY 2011 Budget Request for the U.S. Department of Education US Department of Education - February 1, 2010 On February 1, 2010, President Obama released his Fiscal Year 2011
Budget. The following materials are available showing what this budget
provides for the programs and activities of the Department of Education. Read more...
Education Budget Signals Sea Change For NCLB National Journal Online- February 1, 2010 Specifics of the Obama administration's plan for reauthorizing No Child
Left Behind, the landmark education bill enacted by the Bush
administration in 2002, were laid out for the first time in the budget proposal unveiled today. Read more...
Local control back at Round Lake schools The Daily Herald - January 29, 2010 Local officials elected by taxpayers once again will have a say on all
issues from the budget to hiring top administrators at Round Lake Area
Unit District 116. Read more...
Community Schools: Reform's Lesser-Known Frontier Education Week - February 1, 2010 (article access compliments of EdWeek.org) When it comes to the battle of ideas that has dominated the school
reform stage for the past decade, 2010 may be opening on a hopeful note. Read more...
Congratulations 2009 Award Recipients Data Quality Campaign Each year the Data Quality Campaign Recognition Program highlights the
critical role of leadership in changing the culture around data use for
continuous improvement. Below are the award recipients for the State Policymaker of the Year award. Read more...
National Review: Who Will Judge The Race? NPR - January 29, 2010 Late last week, word leaked out that the Obama administration has
selected the 58 reviewers for state applications to its $4.35 billion
Race to the Top (RTT) fund � and has no intention of revealing their
names. Read more...
Race to the Top: Unions Asked to Play Ball for Education Dollars Labor Notes - January 28, 2010 With all eyes on Obama�s fraught health care push, his plans to
overhaul public education have sped along with relative ease. The first
leg of the federal "Race to the Top" competition finished January 19 when 40 states sent applications for a piece of the $4.35 billion in stimulus funds. Read more...
Education system overhaul outlined The Chicago Tribune - January 28, 2010 While Illinois residents are focused on election season and budget
woes, the state's top education officials have quietly pushed through a
sweeping agenda that will transform how students are tested, teachers
are rated and failing schools are fixed. The most provocative reforms will replace the elementary school ISAT
with a tougher exam, mandate testing at every grade and rate teachers
and principals based on students' test results. Read more...
Obama to Seek Up to $4 Billion Boost for Education Education Week - January 28, 2010 (article access compliments of EdWeek.org) Despite a pledge to hold down spending on most domestic programs,
President Barack Obama tonight called for greater investment in public
schools in his State of the Union address as part of a push to renew
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Read more...
Administration pushes to rework No Child Left Behind law The Washington Post - January 28, 2010 The Obama administration launched an effort Wednesday to rewrite the No
Child Left Behind law, with a proposed increase in federal spending, a
pledge to make the Bush-era school reform program more flexible and an
appeal to Republicans for bipartisan cooperation.
Read more...
Next Bunch of Obama Education Reforms to Offer More Carrots Newsweek - January 27, 2010 When the Obama administration first
proposed having states duke it out for a share of a $4 billion
education-reform fund, critics expected the whole enterprise to either
be largely ignored or dissolve into political infighting. But instead,
the Race to the Top competition has proved so successful in motivating
states to accelerate their education-reform efforts that the
administration has new plans to offer such competitions on an annual
basis. Read more...
Sec. Duncan on Obama's Plan to Increase Education Spending ABC News - January 27, 2010 Education Secretary Arne Duncan offered details this afternoon on
Obama�s plan to increase education spending by six percent in the 2011
budget. Read more...
More minority teachers will help bridge gap Daily Herald - January 28, 2010 If local school districts are to connect with minority students to help
them achieve, the students need to see more faculty that look like them
in the halls. Read more...
Chicago to measure kindergarten readiness Catalyst Chicago - January 27, 2010 Preparing students for kindergarten is the paramount goal of preschool
programs.This Spring, the district will roll out the most ambitious
initiative yet to gauge whether preschools are succeeding at that task.
Read more...
Race to the Top Applications Scrutinized Education Week - January 26, 2010 (article access compliments of EdWeek.org) In
an article examining how each state prioritizing key aspects of its
Race to the Top application, EdWeek notes Illinois' strong teacher
evaluation legislation, which passed just before the Phase 1 Race to
the Top application was due. Read more...
Obama to promote more education spending in State of the Union speech The Washington Post - January 27, 2010 President Obama will propose a major increase in funding for elementary
and secondary education for the coming year in Wednesday's State of the Union address, one of the few areas that would grow in an otherwise austere federal budget, officials said. Read more...
Class Struggle by Jay Matthews: Fix schools with ideas, not money The Washington Post - January 27, 2010 President Obama is apparently about to tell the nation he
wants to freeze federal spending for three years in several areas,
including education. I like the idea. I would also support cutting back
entitlement payments for financially secure geezers like me, and find
ways for everyone to make some sacrifices for our country. Read more...
Charter school plan causes stir in District 227 The Chicago Tribune - January 27, 2010 Supporters say higher standards at south suburbs' first charter
school would lift students; critics say current high schools would
suffer. Read more...
District 220 prepares for second year of budget cuts The Daily Herald - January 27, 2010 The lingering unstable economy, especially as it relates to the state
of Illinois' cashflow problems, is causing Barrington Unit District 220
officials to look for $1.25 million in budget cuts for the year ahead. Read more...
Rockford school leaders brace for big budget cuts Rockford Register Star - January 27, 2010 School District leaders are grappling with how they�ll manage the next budget cycle with expected cuts of at least 20 percent. Read more...
Staff cuts proposed at Plainfield schools Pantagraph - January 26, 2010 Board members at Plainfield Community Consolidated School
District 202 are scheduled to vote on a budget plan that could cut
222 jobs to help eliminate a projected $16 million deficit. Read more...
Tardy state payments may cut classes at West Chicago's schools The Chicago Tribune - January 27, 2010 School districts in West Chicago are facing tough decisions as they
consider budget reductions in light of rising costs and flat revenues. Read more...
Illinois teen employment at new low Chicago Tribune - January 26, 2010 Decline puts jobless youths at risk of falling further behind economically for years to come, says new report. Read more...
Female teachers may pass on math anxiety to girls, study finds The Los Angeles Times - January 26, 2010 After a year in the classroom with female teachers who say they are
anxious about math, girls are more likely to share that attitude -- and
score lower on tests, researchers say. Read more...
'We've ridden those waves before' The Fox Valley Villages Sun - January 26, 2010 Effort goes on: Despite uncertainty with needed state funding, special school is still serving tots with special needs. Read more...
5-year charter school contract approved Peoria Journal Star - January 25, 2010 Peoria School District 150 approved a five-year contract with Peoria
Charter School Initiative Inc., establishing the new math, science and
technology academy at Loucks School. Read more...
Is the Hype on Waiting for Superman Getting Heavy? Good - January 25, 2010 "Waiting for Superman," is the new documentary by Davis Guggenheim, director of An Inconvenient Truth. The film which involves interviews with Harlem Children's Zone founder Geoffrey Canada, D.C. public school chancellor Michelle Rhee, and education advocate and philanthropist Bill Gates is supposedly going to do for public education what Guggenheim's collaboration with Al Gore did for climate change. Read more...
State funding for education not likely to change; 'It's about all we could ask for,' Quincy official says Quincy Herald-Whig - January 22, 2010 First the good news: The Illinois State Board of Education has recommended no change in the level of funding for the next budget year. Then the bad news: ISBE also recognizes that a cut to education is a very real possibility. Read more...
Local superintendents react to 'Race' proposal with skepticism, questions Daily Herald - January 22, 2010 This week's announcement that President Obama is requesting another
$1.35 billion to expand the Race to the Top federal education
competition might, on the surface, seem like major news for
cash-strapped suburban school districts. Read more...
More (Steve) Jobs, Jobs, Jobs, Jobs The New York Times - January 23, 2010 The most striking feature of Barack Obama�s campaign for the presidency
was the amazing, young, Internet-enabled, grass-roots movement he
mobilized to get elected. The most striking feature of Obama�s
presidency a year later is how thoroughly that movement has disappeared. Read more...
After 10 Years, Federal Money for Technology in Education
The New York Times - January 24, 2010 More than a decade ago, Lawrence K. Grossman, former president of both NBC News and PBS, and Newton N. Minow, the former chairman of the Federal Communications Commission,
were asked by several foundations to explore how nonprofits like
schools, libraries and museums could tap into emerging digital
technologies. Read more...
Concerns About Race To The Top National Journal - January 25, 2010 While Advance Illinois strongly supports Illinois� efforts
to win the �Race to the Top,� we are eager to hear all views on education
reform.
To that end, first, a discussion of Race to the Top at the
National Journal�s Experts Blog (including a contribution from Education Secy.
Arne Duncan). Read more...
Race to the Top fund puts cart before the horse The Daily Caller - January 25, 2010 Last Tuesday was the due date for first-round applications for
President Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan�s Race to the Top
Fund. It was also the day Obama announced he�d ask for another $1.35
billion in the FY2011 budget to continue the program a third year.
Coincidence? No. A good idea? Doubtful. Read more...
A better way to grade teachers Denver Post - January 25, 2010 Legislators must overhaul tenure laws to give districts a more advanced system to evaluate teachers and weed out bad ones. Read more...
Why the Love/Hate Relationship with TFA? Public School Insights - January 25, 2010 These days, you either love Teach for America and its teachers, or
you hate them. The love, it seems to me, stems from an obvious source.
Young, often privileged, kids are choosing the hard, hard work of
teaching in some of our most struggling schools. (There are easier
resume stuffers out there.)
The hatred is more complex, but I think it's instructive, even if it is unfair. Read more...
Study Links Rise in Test Scores to Nations' Output Education Week - January 25, 2010 (article access compliments of EdWeek.org) Relatively small improvements in the skills of a nation�s workforce can
have a big effect on its future economic well-being, concludes a new
international study that seeks to quantify those benefits. Read more...
A closer look at Illinois' Race to the Top plan Catalyst Chicago - January 21, 2010 In Government and Policy
Illinois and more than 20 other states have posted their entire Race to
the Top (RT3) applications online�thousands of pages of school reform
blueprints that are competing for a slice of $4.3 billion in federal
stimulus grants.
Read more...
Staying the Course on the Race to the Top Huffington Post - January 21, 2010 President Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan's Race to the Top
grant program is the most promising education initiative in decades,
giving the nation an opportunity to take a hard look at raising
standards and closing achievement gaps in public education. Read more...
"Race to the Top" Update - Across the U.S. The
Race to the Top competition has spurred reforms in states across the
country, including Illinois. But, the progress isn't consistent. Here's a recent roundup of how states are doing.
Tennessee Race to the Top Proposal Has Support of All Gubernatorial Candidates (Nashville Public Radio)
Many Minnesota school groups gather at starting line for Race to the Top, but loophole lets unhappy ones drop out (MinnPost)
Colorado hopes to Race to the Top for grants (Colorado Statesman)
Race to the Middle?
The Wall Street Journal - January 21, 2010 The big education story these days is the state competition for some
$4.35 billion in Race to the Top grants to be passed out by Education
Secretary Arne Duncan. President Obama said this week he'll seek an
additional $1.35 billion for the program for next year, but more
important than the amount is whether Mr. Duncan really wants to race to
the top, or just the mediocre middle. Read more...
RTTT: 24 States Post Applications Online This Week in Education - January 21, 2010 Here's an entirely unverified and completely ad hoc collection of the
nearly 20 state RTTT applications that have been located online thanks
to blog readers, Twitter friends, and education writers on the EWA listserv. Read more...
Quality of Questions on Common Tests at Issue Education Week - Jan. 21, 2010 (article access compliments of edweek.org) Most experts in the testing community have presumed that the $350 million promised by the U.S. Department of Education to support common assessments would promote those that made greater use of open-ended items capable of measuring higher-order critical-thinking skills.But as measurement experts consider the multitude of possibilities for an assessment system based more heavily on such questions, they also are beginning to reflect on practical obstacles to doing so. Read more...
Foreign Languages Fade in Class � Except Chinese The New York Times - January 20, 2010 Thousands of public schools stopped teaching foreign languages in the
last decade, according to a government-financed survey � dismal news
for a nation that needs more linguists to conduct its global business
and diplomacy. Read more...
D-26 to cut staff Northwest Herald - January 20, 2010 In a move that could dramatically alter classroom instruction in the
coming years, the District 26 Board voted to cut $5.4 million from its
next budget. Read more...
District 94 identifies possible budget cuts Daily Herald - January 20, 2010 The winter play, intramural sports and SADD chapter are on the list of
student activities that could be eliminated in West Chicago Community
High School District 94. Read more...
Massive school-spending cuts may loom Peoria Journal Star - January 20, 2010 A draft budget for education spending in Illinois for 2010-11
recommends maintaining current levels in general state aid for school
districts and near-similar spending in special education and
transportation. Read more...
Southwestern to hold public forum on budget The Telegraph - January 20, 2010 A looming financial crisis has the Southwestern School Board looking for answers. Read more...
District 205 Budget Concerns WIFR.com - January 19, 2010 Entire schools could close in the stateline if Illinois continues to cut its education funds. Rockford school board members spoke about what's being done to ensure that doesn't happen. Read more...
Duncan Carves Deep Mark on Policy in First Year Education Week - Jan. 20, 2010 (article access compliments of edweek.org) A year ago,
Arne Duncan was known as a long-serving urban district chief who had used his
collegial management style to push innovation and close failing schools in
Chicago. This week,
he enters his second year as U.S. secretary of education pursuing a similar
national policy agenda that could place him among the most influential leaders
in his department�s 30-year history. Read more...
Time in School Catalyst In Depth - January, 2010 Research supports the benefits of more classroom time for low-income
children, especially when the time is used wisely. But Chicago has one
of the shortest school days and years in the country. Now, leaders are
looking to Washington to help extend the school day. Read more...
40 States, D.C., Submit Applications in Phase 1 Race to the Top Competition Press Release, U.S. Department of Education - January 19, 2010 Today the Department of Education announced that 40 states and the
District of Columbia submitted applications to be considered for Phase
1 of the Race to the Top competition. Race to the Top is the
department's $4.35 billion fund to dramatically re-shape America's
educational system to better engage and prepare our students for
success in a competitive 21st century economy and workplace. Read more...
Springfield School District to use bonds to buy security camera systems The State Journal-Register - January 19, 2010 The Springfield School District will use state health and life-safety
bonds to purchase security camera systems for Springfield and Lanphier
high schools. Read more...
If Your Kids Are Awake, They�re Probably Online The New York Times - January 20, 2010 The average young American now spends practically every waking minute �
except for the time in school � using a smart phone, computer,
television or other electronic device, according to a new study from the Kaiser Family Foundation. Read more...
Student learning plans, improving school culture will be part of this year's school turnarounds Catalyst Chicago - January 19, 2010 As he announced the list of 14 schools to be closed and turned around
next year, CEO Ron Huberman took pains Tuesday to stress that he was
incorporating lessons learned from the mistakes of past administrations
and reform efforts. Read more...
Illinois joins 40 States Applying in the "Race to the Top" *Advance Illinois in the News* Illinois is keeping its
fingers crossed today as it submits an application for millions in
competitive federal education dollars. You can download the 187-page application here, or read State Supt's Chris Koch's message here. Coverage includes a helpful Q-and-A in the State Journal-Register and this piece from WBEZ. You can also read the ed.gov news release.
Obama to seek $1.35 billion more for Race to the Top program The Washington Post - January 19, 2010 President Obama
is slated to visit a Fairfax County school Tuesday to announce plans to
seek $1.35 billion in his next budget to expand his signature education
initiative to improve schools. Read more... Update: Read the White House.gov release, including video.
Education Grant Effort Faces Late Opposition The New York Times - January 18, 2010 The Obama administration�s main school improvement initiative has
spurred education policy changes in states across the nation, but it is
meeting with some last-minute resistance as the first deadline for
applications arrives Tuesday. Read more...
State aid funds may not arrive for schools until summer Officials "cautiously optimistic" money will arrive in time to avoid budget deficit Ledger-Sentinel - January 14, 2010 The
Oswego School District, like all other public school districts in the
state, is having money problems because the state legislature has not
been making its categorical grant payments. Read more...
Can state deliver on cash for schools? The Beacon-News - January 14, 2010 West Aurora School District spokesman Mike Chapin is calling the
proposed Illinois State Board of Education budget round one for the
state's cash-strapped schools. Read more...
Schools try to make pupils feel welcome amid change Chicago Tribune - January 15, 2010 In 1990, minorities made up less than 5 percent of the students at Plainfield Community Unit District 202. Today, nearly two out of five students are nonwhite. Consider that some
69 languages are now spoken by students and a picture of the district's
transformation becomes clear. Read more...
Moms: Enough Already With The Volunteer Spirit National Public Radio - January 5, 2010 Parents have long been expected to spend their free time helping out in
their kids� school�from chaperoning field trips to decorating the
teachers' lounge, to organizing fundraising events. But some parents,
like mother and writer Helaine Olen, have had enough. Olen recently
wrote a piece for the online publication Double X titled "Why I'm Sick
of Volunteering at My Kid's Wealthy School." She talks about it with
Host Michel Martin, along with regular parenting contributors Dani
Tucker, Jolene Ivey, and Leslie Morgan Steiner. Listen here...
Gov. Quinn Signs "Groundbreaking" Reforms Press Release, Office of Governor Pat Quinn - January 15, 2010 Governor Pat Quinn today signed into law the Performance Evaluation Reform Act of 2010, a bill to implement new, rigorous evaluations for teachers and principals across the state. The new law boosts Illinois� �Race to the Top� application by addressing one of the four priority areas outlined by the U.S. Department of Education. Read more... Read the Press Release here...
Schools file for federal funds Peoria Journal Star - January 14, 2010 About a dozen area school districts filed paperwork to at least save
their place in line for a potential piece of the more than $500 million
Illinois is applying for to initiate education reform. Read more...
Race to the Top Illinois Public Radio - January 14, 2010 The
Illinois legislature is one step closer to snatching nearly 500-hundred
million dollars in Race to the Top federal money for education. Whitney Jones has more. Listen here (PC, Mac)...
Spending by Education Philanthropies Drops in 2009 Education Week - January 13, 2010 Amid the country's economic downturn, planned giving levels by many
education grantmakers declined last year. A new analysis of trends in
education philanthropy finds, however, that a sizable minority of those
surveyed said they expected the grants paid out to hold steady or even
increase compared with 2008. Read more...
Legislature acts on pressing issues, leaves town The State Journal-Register - January 13, 2010 State lawmakers approved measures to strengthen requirements for schools and cemeteries Wednesday, then left town again. Read more...
Illinois House approves changes in teacher evaluation Quad-City Times - January 13, 2010 Illinois might have improved its chances of
winning hundreds of millions of dollars for its schools when the
House Tuesday changed how some teachers would be evaluated. Read more...
New Trier set to compete in "Race to the Top" Wilmette Life - January 14, 2010 The New Trier High School Board of Education voted at a special board
meeting Monday to participate in Illinois' application for federal
dollars in the Race to the Top competition.
Read more...
8 local school districts apply for Race to the Top funding Rockford Register Star - January 13, 2010 The Rockford School District is among eight local districts to have
applied for a share of some $500 million in federal Race to the Top
funding that would ignite education reform in Illinois. Read more...
Report Card Grades States on Education Performance, Policy; Nation Scores High on Standards Policies, But Struggles to Provide Opportunities to Succeed Quality Counts Press Release - January 14, 2010 The nation and many states face a continuing struggle to deliver a high-quality education to all students, according to Education Weeks annual education report card. The nation received a C when graded across the six distinct areas of policy and performance tracked by Quality Counts, the most comprehensive ongoing assessment of the state of American education. Maryland topped the nation with a B-plus overall, followed closely by Massachusetts and New York, both of which earned a B. The majority of states received grades of C or lower. Read more...
Union Chief Seeks to Overhaul Teacher Evaluation Process
The New York Times - January 12, 2010 Facing criticism that her union makes it too hard to get rid of bad teachers, Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers,
on Tuesday announced a union-backed effort to develop a new model for
how public school teachers should be evaluated, promoted and removed. Read more...
"Race to the Top" Update - Across the U.S. The
Race to the Top competition has spurred reforms in states across the
country, including Illinois. But, the progress isn't consistent. Here's a recent roundup of how states are doing.
Thanks to Catalyst-Chicago for their daily updates on Race to the Top and other education news. From there, you can find updates on Tennessee, New York, Texas, Colorado, Ohio and Indiana.
Massachusetts Education reform bill gets final clearance (Sentinel and Enterprise)
Tennessee Governor's K-12 plan headed to full Senate (The Leaf Chronicle)
House advances higher school standards for money State Journal-Register - January 12, 2010 State lawmakers are moving ahead with their race to the top of the list for a new pot of federal education money. Read more...
Bill would add student test results to teacher evaluations Herald Review - January 13, 2010 Illinois might have improved its chances of
winning hundreds of millions of dollars for its schools when the
state House on Tuesday changed how some teachers would be
evaluated. Read more...
State might earn millions with teacher-evaluation changes Pantagraph - January 12, 2010 Illinois might have improved its chances of
winning hundreds of millions of dollars for its schools when the
House on Tuesday changed how some teachers would be evaluated. Read more...
Evanston teachers not ready to back Race to the Top Evanston Review - January 12, 2010 Evanston-Skokie School District 65 and its teachers' union have been
ahead of the curve in agreeing to a teacher rating system that judges
performance in part on student achievement. Read more...
Union president makes new proposals for teacher evaluations, discipline The Washington Post - January 12, 2010 The president of the nation's second-largest teachers union on Tuesday
proposed a new way to incorporate student test scores into teacher
evaluations and said she has asked a well-known mediator to develop
methods of expediting disciplinary cases against teachers. Read more...
Children's Zone program advocated for Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - January 13, 2010 An entrepreneur and social activist who's received national attention
for successfully educating children from the poorest parts of New York
City said Tuesday that the effort can be replicated in Milwaukee, as
long as the city can engage its neighborhoods and find a strong leader
willing to demand accountability. Read more...
"Race to the Top" Update - Across the U.S. The
Race to the Top competition has spurred reforms in states across the
country, including Illinois. But, the progress isn't consistent. Here's a recent roundup of how states are doing. For more, please see the great
roundup at Catalyst�s Chicago�s website.
Race is on in Iowa to pass package of school changes (DesMoines Register)
Bid for Race to the Top school funds may go down to the wire in Michigan (Detroit Free Press)
Perry won't let Texas compete for federal school money (Houston Chronicle)
Evaluation Changes Limp Forward, FOIA Worries Linger At Statehouse Illinois Statehouse News - January 11, 2010 Illinois lawmakers have agreed to give the biggest piece of the state�s
application for hundreds of millions of dollars in money for schools a
chance. Read more...
Union head to propose tying test scores, teacher evaluations The Washington Post - January 12, 2010 The president of the nation's second-largest teachers union is
proposing a new way to incorporate student test scores into teacher
evaluations and has asked a well-known mediator to develop methods of
expediting disciplinary cases against teachers, according to the text
of a speech made public Monday night. Read more...
New ideas from Weingarten The Washington Post - January 11, 2010 Jay Mathews comments on Weingarten's speech. Read more...
A Serious Proposal The New York Times - January 11, 2010 Bob Herbert comments on Weingarten's speech. Read more...
A matter of principals The Courier-News - January 12, 2010 D300 looks back on Year One of nationwide program to refocus principals from being the managerial leaders of their
buildings to their instructional leaders. Read more...
Partnership will provide a model of education that begins at birth Catalyst Chicago - January 11, 2010 With a $1.5 million W.K. Kellogg Foundation grant, the University of
Chicago Charter School is forging a collaboration with the Ounce of
Prevention Fund�s Educare Center to offer preschoolers a seamless path
into regular schooling.
Read more...
Maine Twp. District 207 to cut 137 jobs next year Daily Herald - January 12, 2010 Roughly 137 Maine Township High School District 207 employees,
including 75 full-time teachers, will receive termination letters
Tuesday morning. Read more...
District 303 seeks $5.5 million in cuts of jobs, programs Daily Herald - January 12, 2010 Almost 22 teachers in St. Charles Unit District 303 would be laid off
and experimental changes put in place under a plan to address a $5.5
million budget deficit. Read more...
$6.4 million Dist. 300 proposal includes 40 layoffs Daily Herald - January 12, 2010 For the second time in as many years, Community Unit District 300
administrators on Monday unveiled millions of dollars in proposed
reductions to cope with delayed state payments they fear may never
arrive. Read more...
As School Exit Tests Prove Tough, States Ease Standards The New York Times - January 11, 2010 A law adopting statewide high school exams for graduation took effect
in Pennsylvania on Saturday, with the goal of ensuring that students
leaving high school are prepared for college and the workplace. But
critics say the requirement has been so watered down that it is
unlikely to have major impact. Read more...
Lawmakers to boost bid for U.S. school funds Chicago Sun-Times - January 11, 2010 When lawmakers return to Springfield this week, the General Assembly is
expected to act swiftly on a bid to improve Illinois' chances of
getting up to $400 million in federal funds that could prop up the
state's cash-strapped education budget. Read more...
How's your teacher? Chicago Tribune - January 11, 2010 A lot of folks in education have been working for weeks on a broad and
rigorous plan to more thoroughly evaluate the performance of public
school teachers and principals in Illinois. At first blush, it looks
pretty good. Read more...
Schools move forward on Race to the Top Journal Star - January 7, 2010 Even though they're not quite sure what they're getting into,
administrators and school board members from District 50 and District
308 have taken the first step toward applying for federal Race to the
Top funds. Read more...
Illinois gubernatorial candidates tackle education Chicago Tribune - January 11, 2010 Politicians who declare education to be a top priority are nothing new, but the field of Republicans
running for next month's nomination for governor promises to shake up
the state's schools system and demand greater accountability from
students and their teachers. Read more...
Promises and Facts on Charter Schools The New York Times - January 10, 2010 Charter schools � which are run with public money but subject to fewer
state regulations � have a lot of supporters in Washington. Education
Secretary Arne Duncan wants states to close some chronically failing
schools and turn them into charters. Congress is so enthusiastic that
it has created a $50 million fund and given Mr. Duncan the authority to
directly finance charter school operators who want to replicate or
expand successful programs. Read more...
Pending law could allow certain children to start first grade at 5 Daily Herald - January 10, 2010 A law awaiting Gov. Pat Quinn's signature could lower the first-grade
age requirement to 5 from 6 years old for a select group of students
next fall. Read more...
"Race to the Top" Update - Across the U.S. The
Race to the Top competition has spurred reforms in states across the
country, including Illinois. But, the progress isn't consistent. Here's a recent roundup of how states are doing:
Tennessee's hot pursuit of school reform dollars (Memphis Daily News)
Milwaukee reform out of Wisconsin application for money (Chicago Tribune)
700 Michigan districts back state's bid for fed grant (The Detroit News)
Massachusetts renewing push for longer school days (The Boston Globe)
North Florida school districts, unions question federal grant (The Florida Times-Union) and Teachers unions must not walk (The Miami Herald)
Pennsylvania Teachers are wary of grants program (The Patriot-News)
Minnesota Districts rushed into Race for the Top (Mankato Free Press)
Seeking Grants, New York's Gov. Paterson Urges Education Changes (The New York Times)
School bills are due, but state won't pay The Beacon-News - January 4, 2010 Say the words out loud to get a feel for the size of it: Forty-five
million, two hundred and six thousand, six hundred and fifty-four
dollars, and sixty-one cents. Read more...
Racing to National Tests? National Review Online - January 6, 2010 Any national tests and standards need to be strong, substantive, and well administered. Read more...
"Race to the Top" Update - Across the U.S. The
Race to the Top competition has spurred reforms in states across the
country, including Illinois. But, the progress isn't consistent. Here's a recent roundup of how states are doing:
New Jersey education commissioner unveils system tying student performance to teacher evaluations (The Star Ledger)
Tennessee's Gov. Bredesen: Session to Focus on Education (MyFox Memphis)
$250 million initiative for science, math teachers planned The Washington Post - January 6, 2010 President Obama will announce a $250 million public-private effort
Wednesday to improve science and mathematics instruction, aiming to
help the nation compete in key fields with global economic rivals.
Read more...
New Orleans Casts A Wide Net For Teachers NPR - January 5, 2010 Walk into a New Orleans charter or public school, and you're likely to
meet teachers from all over the country working in the classrooms. It's
not like that in many school districts in the nation, where teachers
often work not far from where they went to school themselves. In fact, one study found that more than half of all New York City teachers were teaching just 15 miles from where they grew up. Read more...
Focus on Instruction Turns Around Chicago Schools Education Week - January 5, 2010 Talk of �turning around� troubled schools has become synonymous with
firing educators, but a nonprofit organization here with a successful
track record takes a different approach. Read more...
What Makes a Great Teacher? The Atlantic - January/February, 2010 For years, the secrets to great teaching have seemed
more like alchemy than science, a mix of motivational mumbo jumbo and
misty-eyed tales of inspiration and dedication. But for more than a
decade, one organization has been tracking hundreds of thousands of
kids, and looking at why some teachers can move them three grade levels
ahead in a year and others can�t. Now, as the Obama administration
offers states more than $4 billion to identify and cultivate effective
teachers, Teach for America is ready to release its data. Read more...
Second Study Gives Thumbs Up to N.Y.C. Charters Education Week - January 5, 2010 Students in New York City�s charter elementary and middle schools make
bigger learning gains than their regular public school counterparts in
math and reading, according to a new study, the second in five months to find good results for the independently run public schools in the nation�s largest school system. Read more...
"Race to the Top" Update - Across the U.S. The
Race to the Top competition has spurred reforms in states across the
country, including Illinois. But, the progress isn't consistent. Here's a recent roundup of how states are doing:
Race to the Top for Indiana? School districts ponder playing a role in seeking money (South Bend Tribune)
Tennessee teachers oppose Gov. Bredesen plan to use student test scores in evaluations as state vies for education federal stimulus funds (The Commercial Appeal)
California set to pass education overhaul plan (San Francisco Chronicle) and Local districts helping with Race to the Top (KMJNOW News Talk Radio)
Obama to honor teachers from across the country USA Today - January 4, 2010 President Obama is recognizing teachers from across the country for excellence in math and science. Read more...
School Board to discuss overhaul The State Journal-Register - January 4, 2010 The Springfield School Board will hold a special meeting at 6 p.m. Jan.
20 to discuss how to move forward on overhauling the city�s three high
schools. Read more...
Study Tries To Track Louisiana Teachers' Success NPR - January 4, 2010 ow do you train the best teachers? Leaders at the nation's teacher
education programs still don't really know, but it's something
educators are trying to figure out. Read more...
Chicago schools revamp career programs SouthTown Star - January 5, 2010 Chicago wants to improve career and technical programs for high school students. Read more...
Vocational education upgrade: Chicago schools roll out 7-year makeover Chicago Tribune - January 5, 2010 The Chicago Public Schools
system is overhauling its Career and Technical Education program to
provide about 25,000 teens the skills they'll need to land well-paying
jobs -- such as those in the medical or electrical fields -- right out
of high school. Read more...
Making Teaching a Profession Inside Higher Ed - January 5, 2010 After spending much of the fall calling for major reforms to the nation�s teacher preparation programs,
Secretary of Education Arne Duncan�s pleas appear to have begun to
encourage action, as a major accreditor begins an effort this week
aimed at bringing major changes to colleges of education and school
districts alike. Read more...
"Race to the Top" Update - Across the U.S. The
Race to the Top competition has spurred reforms in states across the
country, including Illinois. But, the progress isn't consistent. Here's a recent roundup of how states are doing:
Wisconsin tries to pass critical �Race to the Top�
legislation (Journal-Sentinel)
Michigan Gov. Signs new �Race to the Top�
Legislation (Bay City News)
State Teacher�s Unions in Florida and Minnesota Balking at �Race to
the Top� Plans (Education Week)
Michigan Teaching School Tries Something New NPR - January 4, 2010 At the University of Michigan School of Education, Dean
Deborah Ball and her faculty have taken apart their training program and
reassembled it, trying to figure out what skills teachers really need. Read more...
Gauging the Dedication of Teacher Corps Grads New York Times - January 3, 2010 Teach for America, a corps of
recent college graduates who sign up to teach in some of the nation�s
most troubled schools, has become a campus phenomenon, drawing huge numbers of
applicants willing to commit two years of their lives. But a new study has
found that their dedication to improving society at large does not necessarily
extend beyond their Teach for America service. Read more...
'Race to Top' Viewed as Template for a New ESEA Education Week - January 4, 2010 Educators hoping for a glimpse at the next rendition of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act may want to take a close look at the rules
for the Race to the Top program, which pushes states to adopt education
redesign principles that federal officials say are likely to be the
cornerstone of the Obama administration�s plans for a new ESEA. Read more...
Springfield Schools Could Benefit from "Race to the Top" State Journal-Register - Dec. 30 Lanphier and Southeast high schools in Springfield are ranked in the
lowest 5 percent of schools in the state, according to a list recently
compiled by the Illinois State Board of Education. Though disappointing, the two schools� designation could help the
Springfield School District apply for federal stimulus funds to boost
student performance. Read more...
Race to the Top Contest Ties Cash to Changes Chicago Tribune - Dec. 26 **Advance Illinois in the News** Enticed by the prize of $4.35 billion in federal money for schools,
Illinois and other states are polishing their academic credentials,
legislating away obstacles to reform and turning on the charm. Read more...
New State School Board Members The Governor announced three new members of the State Board of Education and a new member of the P-20 Council. You can read about all of them in the Governor's press release here. The State Journal-Register profiled one of those new members, former
Springfield School Board member and retired educator Melinda LaBarre. Read more...
"Race to the Top" Update - Across the U.S. The
Race to the Top competition has spurred reforms in states across the
country, including Illinois. But, the progress isn't consistent. Here's a recent roundup of how states are doing:
An editorial in Michigan praises work done by the legislature on "Race to the Top" A second Michigan editorial agrees, but argues it should just be the beginning,
not the end.
EdWeek reports that the competition has spurred reforms across the country, even before the applications have been filed and awards granted.
Georgia's Governor is taking charge of the �Race to Top� application, calling
it a �almost a Nixon-goes-to-China opportunity.� (Journal-Constitution)
Michigan's State Supt of public instruction thinks the reforms aimed at winning the "Race to the Top" are the right things to do, regardless of the federal opportunity. (Free Press)
The Washington Post focuses on the various strategies used to turn around a struggling school, a key component of any state's "Race to the Top" application.
Extra Homework for States Applying for "Race to the Top" New York Times - Dec. 26 The Department
of Education, preparing to dole out hundreds of millions of dollars to
winning states in a $4 billion grant competition, has estimated how
long it should take each state to prepare its grant proposal: 681 hours. Not 680, not 700, but 681 hours. States
have until Jan. 19 to submit applications for the competition�s first
round and until June for the second, and officials describe it as a
challenging task. States must outline their long-term agenda for
improving public education and bolster their case with a history of
progress already made on raising student achievement. Read more...
Central Illinois School Joins in Push for State Money State House News - December 21, 2009 The sign outside LeRoy High School has a seemingly simple message. It says Illinois� IOU: $253,000. But the public statement is more than just a reminder that the state is late with school aid payments. The sign is a sign that schools are fed up with waiting for what they�re owed. Read more...
Dundee-Crown HS to benefit if Illinois wins "Race to the Top" District 300 has received notification from the Illinois State Board of Education that Dundee-Crown High School is one of several dozen schools across the state considered �high priority� in needing further improvement. Read more...
Springfield School Benefits from Federal Stimulus Funds Few Springfield schools have as many challenges as Matheny-Withrow Elementary, where nearly all students come from low-income families and a quarter qualify for special education services.It�s a school perfectly suited for a portion of the $8.4 million in federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (aka economic stimulus) funds allocated to the Springfield School District for special education and low-income students. Read more...
Race to the Top Roundup The
Race to the Top competition has spurred reforms in states across the
country, including Illinois. But, the progress isn't consistent. Here's a recent roundup of how states are doing.
Week of Dec. 21st
Rhode Island sets an aggressive agenda ahead of "Race to the Top" (Providence Journal)
Maryland's Governor wants to apply in Phase 1.
Indiana rolls out its "Race to the Top" Plan
Michigan passes legislation aimed at "Race to the Top" but some in the state aren't so sure.
Illinois is #4 for New National Board Certified Teachers National Board for Professional Teaching Standards - December 16, 2009 Read the news releases about the top 25 states with the largest number of new 2009 National Board Certified Teachers. Read more...
Federal Bucks Would Help Education, Budget Decatur Herald-Review - December 15, 2009 In the Illinois state budget for education, $400 million is a lot of money. The state has a chance to secure that amount from the federal government, but there is some work to do. Read more...
Freshman Year Reports Reveal Crucial Information for Tackling Chicago Public Schools Dropout Problem Press Release - December 14, 2009 The
Consortium on Chicago School Research at the University of Chicago has
released nearly 100 individualized school reports that reveal which
Chicago public high schools have made progress towards getting freshmen
on track to graduate. Read more...
Louisiana serves as model in teacher assessment The Washington Post - December 13, 2009 In the fluorescent glow of Room 46 at J.W. Faulk Elementary School,
second-year teacher Shannon Bower saw big challenges ahead for her
fourth-graders who are struggling in reading and math. "I do what I
can," she said during a recent class. "I move them up a little, but I
can't do two years in one."
Read more...
California's neediest high school students have the least prepared teachers, study says The Los Angeles Times - December 14, 2009 The
neediest students in California high schools are being taught by the
least prepared teachers, a new study shows. Read more... Race to the Top Roundup The
Race to the Top competition has spurred reforms in states across the
country, including Illinois. But, the progress isn't consistent. Here's a recent roundup of how states are doing.
Week of December 14, 2009
New York Improves its chances in the big Race (Huffington Post)
Want Race to the Top funds? Prepare to make big changes, DOE tells districts in Florida (Orlando Sentinel)
New York Regents to push Race to the Top school turnaround strategy today (Gotham Schools)
Federal grant may give Florida schools up to $700 million (Miami Herald)
California Local school districts wary of 'Race to the Top' initiative (Contra Costa Times)
Louisiana School Board Association opposes Race to the Top program (Shreveport Times)
Michigan Rules on teachers, schools could change to snare aid (Detroit Free Press)
Arkansas Preparing New Teacher Evaluations (Associated Press)
In Nevada, Gibbons� failure to lead (Las Vegas Sun)
In Florida, More class time is the key to better results, educators say (Miami Herald)
Politics dominate California education reform effort (AP)
Week of December 7, 2009
Advance Illinois Urges State to "Act Boldly" and Win "Race to the Top Funds (Catalyst-Chicago)
Districts in Illinois Watching "Race to the Top" competition carefully (Illinois StateHouse News)
States race for education dollars (Effingham Daily News)
Illinois Urged to Make Bold School Reform (Evanston Roundtable)
Louisiana revamps "Race to Top" application, including a change in teacher evaluation. (Baton Rouge Advocate)
Pennsylvania Educators Join Preparations for 'Race to the Top' Competition (PR Newswire)
O'Brien seeks input about bettering schools for grant competition in Colorado (The Coloradoan)
Schwarzenegger pushes lawmakers to reform schools in California (The Mercury News)New Jersey to seek first round of U.S. school stimulus (Philadelphia Inquirer)Detroit schools' test results could fuel reform push in Michigan (The Detroit News)Illinois prepares application for 'unprecedented' money (Chicago Current)
California Legislation would give parents new power to trigger change at a school (Los Angeles Times)
Ohio striving for more federal education money (Zanesville Times Recorder)
Analysis: Many fed education reforms don't fit Michigan (The Chicago Tribune)
Connecticut Considers Shifting Charter-School Tuition Costs To Local School Systems (The Hartford Courant)
Decatur Sees Success on Kindergarten Readiness
Aggressive work by community members in Decatur, led by the Decatur
Area Education Coalition, increased kindergarten readiness
dramatically. Read a report from Education Coalition here.
Finally some sense about 21st century skills--part two, the Wagner book The Washington Post - December 11, 2009 Commentary on the latest book by school improvement activist Tony Wagner: "The Global
Achievement Gap: Why Even Our Best Schools Don't Teach the New Survival
Skills Our Children Need." Read more...
County educators attend training session with leader in reform The State Journal-Register - December 10, 2009 A leader in education reform whose research is shaping changes in the
Springfield School District spent a couple of days training Sangamon
County educators on how to improve area middle and high schools. Read more...
Urban school reform is about helping boys� WhyBoysFail.com - December 9, 2009 �which is why Arne Duncan�s Race to the Top initiative matters so much. Read more...
Plans Set for National Certification of Principals After years of talk and stalled efforts, the creation of a national
certification program for principals is finally under way, with plans
to launch the initiative formally sometime in 2011. Read more...
Regional schools head warns of program closings The Peoria Journal Star - December 8, 2009 Peoria County's regional superintendent of schools warns his
organization will be forced to borrow by month's end and possibly
shutter education programs by February, including the state's Illinois
Virtual School, without the release of money by the state. Read more...
Do Charter Schools Deserve The Spotlight? National Journal - December 7, 2009 President Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan have made it clear
that expanding charter schools is a critical part of successful
education reform. But two major studies on charter schools released this year had dramatically different findings. Read more...
Educators take first steps toward opening Chicago's first public boarding school Catalyst Chicago - December 7, 2009 Leah Marshall feared the worst when one of her students, Jermaine,
became homeless his senior year. As a teacher on the South Side,
Marshall had seen even the best and brightest of students fail classes
or drop out when faced with difficulties outside of school. Read more...
Rockford schools forecast $30M shortfall Rockford Register Star - December 7, 2009 Rockford School District
officials expect a $30 million revenue shortfall in next year�s budget
and say a plan to deal with it needs to be done by the end of January. Read more...
Dist. 186 broaches how to finance overhaul State Journal-Register - December 8, 2009 Among funding scenarios being considered for the Springfield�s School
District�s $231 million plan to overhaul its three high schools is
holding property- and sales-tax referendums on the same ballot next
November. Read more...
Many in U-46 protest school calendar decision Daily Herald - December 8, 2009 The Elgin Area School District U-46 board got an earful Monday night
from parents, teachers and students angered at being left out of the
decision to end three schools' year-round calendars. Read more...
We Know How to Turn Schools Around�We Just Haven't Done It Education Week - December 7, 2009 School turnarounds are not a new phenomenon, despite their increased
visibility as part of the Obama administration�s education agenda. For
decades, America has been trying to turn around its low-performing
schools and school districts. Read more...
In Search of Education Leaders
The New York Times - December 4, 2009 For me, the greatest national security crisis in the United States is
the crisis in education. We are turning out new generations of
Americans who are whizzes at video games and may be capable of tweeting
24 hours a day but are nowhere near ready to cope with the great
challenges of the 21st century. Read more...
Plan to raise standards for new teachers proceeds The Providence Journal - December 7, 2009 As promised, Education Commissioner Deborah A. Gist,
who has made improving teacher quality the cornerstone of her
five-month-old administration, is moving forward with her plan to raise
the standards for prospective teachers. Read more...
Calling Out America's Worst Schools: A $3.5 Billion Plan Time Magazine - December 4, 2009 Like a family that has finally hit the lottery after years of hard living,
the Department of Education is dropping money all over the place. Following
two decades of relative poverty, its latest stimulus-supplemented gambit is
to devote billions to try to fix the nation's very worst schools. Read more...
The Harlem Children's Zone 60 Minutes - December 6, 2009 Geoffrey Canada's Harlem Children's Zone has helped put historically
low-achieving students in New York on academic par with their
grammar-school peers. CNN's Anderson Cooper reports. Watch the report...
Race to the Top Roundup The
Race to the Top competition has spurred reforms in states across the
country, including Illinois. But, the progress isn't consistent. Here's a recent roundup of how states are doing.
Week of November 30, 2009
Nevada Reid, teachers group urge Gibbons to call special session on education grant (Las Vegas Review Journal)
Georgia to seek Race to the Top funds (Times-Herald)
Delaware to change education policy as state competes for federal grant (Delaware Online)
New Jersey will hold off applying for $200M to $400M in federal education funds (NorthJersey.com)
Michigan Senate ready to OK bills in hopes of qualifying for fed aid (Detroit News)
Connecticut may OK lifting limits on charter schools (New Haven Register)
Massachusetts Patrick, DeLeo reach deal on recessArizona may have leg up in race for education grant. (The Arizona Republic)
Education grant a 'very good start' for California. (The Desert Sun)Finally, PBS' Newshour provides an overview, and puts the competition in historical context.Our Opinion: District 186 should alter how teachers evaluated, graded The State Journal-Register - December 4, 2009 Apparently, teacher evaluations in the Springfield School District are
much like Garrison Keillor�s Lake Wobegon: All the women are strong,
all the men are good looking, and all the children are above average. Read more...
Race To The Top Will Link Teacher Evaluation, Student Performance Illinois Statehouse News - December 3, 2009 Illinois� rush to get its share of Race to the Top dollars could end
with �framework� for a merit pay system for public school teachers and
principals. Read more...
One 18-year-old -- and the state that educates her -- are in a race to succeed Medill Reports - December 3, 2009 Shandreeka Lewis has constructed a life with a single goal in mind: starting college next fall. Lewis is a senior at Chicago Public Schools' Uplift Community High School, which features a college preparatory curriculum. Read more...
P-20 Council Announced Illinois Statehouse News - December 2, 2009 Governor Quinn Creates Race to the Top Panel. Read more...
WBBM 780 News Radio - December 2, 2009 Quinns sets 25 to work to get federal school aid. Read more...
Chicago Current - December 2, 2009 Governor creates group to address education issues. Read more...
Catalyst Chicago - December 1, 2009 Governor names council for Illinois bid to win Race to the Top funds. Read more...
Chicago Breaking News Center - December 1, 2009 Quinn appoints panel to improve education. Read more...
Illinois Government News Network - December 1, 2009 Governor Quinn Names Key Education Council �Race to the Top� for Federal Funds Starts With New P-20 Panel. Read more...
Champaign schools pilot new teacher-evaluation system The News Gazette - November 30, 2009 Angela Shargo went through her first evaluations as a new
teacher last year, in which her principal watched her teach several
times during the course of the school year. Read more...
Meeks returns to familiar ground in school-funding fight
Winnetka Talk - December 1, 2009 The last time State Sen. James Meeks spent much time in New Trier
territory, it was Sept. 2 of 2008, and he arrived with more than 1,000
Chicago children and parents to register for school in protest over the
inequalities of school funding. Read more...
IEA President responds to Tribune editorial Illinois Education Association - November 25, 2009 The editorial �Too high a price,�
implies that education employee unions, because they do not represent
students, provide no benefit to students. The editorial also suggests
unions are not supportive of Sen. James Meeks� fight to give a quality
education to every student in Illinois. These misconceptions possibly
stem from a lack of understanding of the work of education employee
unions. Read more...
To pay for longer school days, some parents try raising money The New York Times - November 26, 2009 After raising $35,000 for gym mats, musical instruments and other
extras last year, parents at Disney II Magnet School in Chicago now
face a more daunting price tag � $100,000 � to keep their children in
class an extra hour each day. Read more...
Parents want bigger say in next SD 227 superintendent Southtown Star - November 29, 2009 The failure of Rich Township High School District 227 is chipping away
at the fabric of the seven communities it is meant to unite. Read more...
Two charter school studies, two findings on effectiveness The Washington Post - November 30, 2009 As President Obama pushes for more charter schools, the education world
craves a report card on an experiment nearly two decades old. How are
these independent public schools doing? The safest and perhaps most
accurate reply -- it depends -- leaves many unsatisfied.
Read more...
Race to the Top Roundup The
Race to the Top competition has spurred reforms in states across the
country, including Illinois. But, the progress isn't consistent. Here's a recent roundup of how states are doing. Special thanks to Catalyst Chicago for their reporting on Race to the Top.
Week of November 23, 2009
Stimulus rules on turnarounds softened in 11th hour. (Ed Week)
Idaho will submit
Race to the Top proposal that calls for lifting charter cap and�with
union input�paying teachers based on performance. (AP)
Gov. Jennifer Granholm says Michigan must
win RttT bid. (Gov Monitor)
White House Pushes Science and Math Education
New York Times - November 23, 2009
To improve science and mathematics education for American children, the
White House is recruiting Elmo and Big Bird, video game programmers and
thousands of scientists. Read more...
Obama Remarks on Math, Science and Technology Education Washington Post - November 23, 2009 President Obama�s full remarks from yesterday�s Educate to Innovate kick off. Read more...
It's time to evaluate the evaluation Washington Post - November 23, 2009Jay Mathews reports one teacher�s unfavorable review under DC�s new evaluation system. Read more...
What the Gubernatorial Candidates are saying
about education Illinois Review - November 23, 2009 Meeks Provides Model for ILGOP on K-12. Read more...
Illinois Review - November 19, 2009 Brady Unveils Education Reform Package. Read more... Study Finds NCLB Lifted Math Scores EdWeek - Nov. 20, 2009 The No Child Left Behind Act has significantly boosted mathematics
achievement, but no evidence exists that it has done the same for
reading, according to a new study. Read more...
An Educated Work Force If an educated work force is the nation's human capital, business is seeing a lot of subprime these days. Read more...
Will Illinois Education 'Race to the Top'? There's Hope on the Horizon For some reason, the State of Illinois thinks I'm qualified to teach history. I didn't major in history, or even political science. Though I did take
a couple history courses in college, they had titles like, "The History
of International Institutions" and "The Hindu Novel in the 20th
Century" -- not exactly the surveys of American or European history
that would qualify me to teach high school. Read more...
Race to the Top Roundup The
Race to the Top competition has spurred reforms in states across the
country, including Illinois. But, the progress isn't consistent. Here's a recent roundup of how states are doing.
Delaware � Starting to get the legislative ball
rolling
Alabama - Union chief opposes charter schoolsA decade after Decatur fracas, racial gap in school discipline widens In the decade since mass protests over the punishment of six black
students in Decatur, the state's racial gap in discipline has split
wide open. It's such a gaping hole that now more than half of all
Illinois children suspended from public schools are black, even though
they represent less than one-fifth of the enrollment, according to an
Associated Press analysis. Read more... Gates Foundation gives $335 million to raise teacher effectivenessThe Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced Thursday a $335
million investment in teacher effectiveness, funding experiments in
tenure, evaluation, compensation, training and mentoring in three large
school systems and a cluster of charter schools. Read more...More On Sen. Meeks and the CTU A Chicago Tribune editorial updates the dispute between State Sen. James Meeks and the Chicago Teachers Union. The latest episode makes an analogy to a video of a top official with the National Education Association. Read more...
Race to the Top Roundup The
Race to the Top competition has spurred reforms in states across the
country, including Illinois. But, the progress isn't consistent. Here's a recent roundup of how states are doing. Massachusetts governor suggests legislators stay put and pass major education bill, but House snubs his plea. (Boston Herald)
Florida may ask for $1 billion
in Race to the Top bid�nearly a quarter of the entire pot of money and
well over the suggested $700 million cap for similarly sized states.
(Miami Herald)
Alabama governor to press for establishment of charter schools in RttT bid. (Alabama Live)
Seeking RttT funds, the California State Assembly will reconvene early. (Mercury News) Related: Economists and education experts say California�s school funding system is broken. (LA Times)
Missouri, slowed by former education commissioner�s death, will apply in first round of RttT. (KC Star)
Connecticut legislators from the Black and Puerto Rican caucuses will launch a major initiative to close the nation�s highest achievement gaps. (Hartford Courant)
And more information on Colorado, Indiana, Maryland, New York, Hawaii and Alabama. Gubernatorial
candidates weigh in on education in Illinois Galesburg Register-Mail - Adriana Colindres -
‎17 hours ago‎ GateHouse News Service asked candidates for
governor to respond to a series of questions about education. Seven
Republicans and two Democrats were included. "Hynes said insufficient funding is "the
root of most inadequacies" in the Illinois education system, and his proposed
budget plan would provide more revenue. Read more... Update: GOP Candidate Sen. Bill Brady proposed eliminating the charter cap. Read more...
North
Shore education advocacy group aims to educate its own Medill Reports: Chicago - Melissa Tussing -
‎13 hours ago‎ The group meets with experts in education funding
to learn about the issues behind Illinois' education funding gap, in
which some schools receive a lot more. Read more...
Education Week a chance to
honor those who change lives Aurora Beacon News - ‎3 hours ago‎ This week is American Education Week, which
provides an opportunity to recognize the men and women who have chosen the
education of our children as their passion and profession.
Education is crucial to the foundation of our democracy and the teachers,
support staff and administrators who ensure that every child in our
community is provided that right deserve a huge pat on the
back. Educators truly touch students' lives every day. Read more...
John Kass: Proft's past in Cicero not the usual
path to revolution Chicago Tribune - ‎8 hours ago‎ "And middle-class families are finding it
increasingly difficult to get their kids into public universities without
clout and a second mortgage. In Chicago, Proft said, only half of all public
school students will graduate. "Only six out of every 100 freshmen
in the Chicago public schools today will get a bachelor's degree. It's
not just unacceptable, it's child abuse." Read more...
The Bipartisan Approach to Reform - National Edition Much like Advance Illinois' bipartisan approach to reform, Newt Gingrich and Al Sharpton have joined forces with Secretary Arne Duncan on a national tour to advocate for transformative of our schools. They appeared on Meet the Press Sunday and it's a strong segment that shows what can happen when those eager for reform reach across the traditional divide. See the clip here...
Board OKs $231M high school rebuild plan The Springfield School Board on Monday approved a $231 million plan to
reconstruct the city�s high schools, but did not determine how to pay
for it. Read more...
Don't save bad schools--terminate them This year's hot education topic is fixing what is broken. The first sentence of U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan's
July 22 speech was: "Today, I want to focus on the challenge of turning
around our chronically low-achieving schools." It is a noble quest I
have long supported. But I have come to wonder if it might be a big
waste of time and money. Most efforts to save such places have been
failures. Read more...
"Race to the Top" Application Released The U.S. Dept of Ed. released the application for the $4.35 billion Race to the Top fund. The full details are here at ed.gov, including an executive summary. You can also read coverage in the New York Times, the Washington Post, Medill Reports and EdWeek (subscription site). The most significant change from the draft guidelines is a stronger emphasis on a broad range of support from the stakeholder community, including superintendents. The final application makes it clear that states can use 'innovative public schools other than charter schools' when discussing charter school innovation. The executive summary
includes how many points each criteria area is worth (Effective Educators are worth 138 points; Standards 70; Data Systems 47
and Struggling Schools 50). As many had expected, the deadline for
Phase 1 has been moved to mid-January (the 19th), and phase 2 is in April.
"Race to the Top" Speeds School Reform in Illinois Medill Reports Like a nervous high school senior, the state of Illinois is going to great lengths to fill out an application this winter. At
stake is a share of $4.35 billion dollars in stimulus money designed to
reward and support states making major strides in education reform. Read more...
Closing a school option in Morton Twelve of 14 architects' options for renovating District 709 facilities
suggest closing Jefferson Elementary School. Eight of 14 advocate
closing Morton Junior High School. Read more... Time for School? Education Next - Winter 2010 Students in the United States spend much less time in school than do
students in most other industrialized nations, and the school year has
been essentially unchanged for more than a century. This is not to say
that there is no interest in extending the school year. While there has
been little solid evidence that doing so will improve learning
outcomes, the idea is often endorsed. Read more...
Illinois Moving Ahead on Race to the Top, But Governor Has Yet to Name Key Oversight Council Catalyst - November 9, 2009 Even among its emerging strengths, Illinois has loose ends to tie off
before the US Department of Education closes the door on applications
for incentive grants under the Race to the Top initiative. Read more...
Williamsville Schools Climb Out of Budget Hole State Journal-Register - November 9, 2009 When Dave Root became Williamsville school superintendent in July 2007,
the district had an $800,000-plus deficit and was being scrutinized by
the Illinois State Board of Education. Read more...
IMSA Named Intel's Top School Nationally for Science Excellence Chicago Tribune - November 9, 2009 It's not all serious science experiments and knotty math problems at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy. The state-funded public school for gifted students got downright rowdy
with cheers and laughter last week during a celebration of the school's
selection as Intel's top school nationally for science excellence. Read more...
North Carolina Launches New Race to the Top Web Site The Gov Monitor - November 9, 2009 Gov. Bev Perdue today launched racetothetop.nc.gov
and called upon North Carolinians to participate in the federal �Race
to the Top� initiative. As part of the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act, Race to the Top is a federal $4.5 billion competitive
grant fund that rewards states for educational innovation and achieving
significant improvements in how students perform. Read more...
The New/Improved ESEA NCLB signaled the commitment of leadership to measurement, school
accountability, public school choice, teacher effectiveness, and most
importantly, equitable outcomes. These aims are more important than
ever and should undergird reauthorization of ESEA. Read more...
School Districts Retooling How They Evaluate Teachers Chicago Tribune - November 9, 2009 Teachers in Evanston- Skokie
School District 65 used to be judged on what they did in the classroom.
Now their evaluations -- and their pay -- will also depend on what
their students do. Read more...
School Districts' Salary Gaps Don't Always Affect Test Scores Chicago Tribune - November 9, 2009 Teachers at the highest-paying grade school district in the Chicago
area make twice as much as their colleagues at the local elementary
school paying the lowest wages, according to the 2009 Illinois School
Report Card. Read more...
School Board Candidates Line Up in New North Mac District State Journal-Register - November 9, 2009 Fourteen school board candidates have filed to represent the new North Mac School District. Voters in the Virden and Girard school districts last spring approved merging and forming the new district. Read more...
Ratings Have Little to Do with Teaching Washington Post - November 9, 2009 Those unfortunate people in the District might worry about the quality
of their teachers and wait anxiously for the results of the school
system's controversial new evaluation of classroom techniques and test
score improvement. But those of us in the Washington area suburbs don't
have to worry because we already know that close to 100 percent of our
teachers are entirely satisfactory. How? Our school districts say so. Read more...
More Oregon Students are Getting Math The Oregonian - November 7, 2009 Oregon math teachers have moved middle schoolers far enough ahead in
math that the typical eighth-grader now can do math at nearly the same
level as many high school sophomores. Read more...
Charter School Group Sees Roadblock Peoria Journal-Star - Nov.
5, 2009 An effort by a group of
prominent business and education officials to get Peoria's first modern-day
charter school off the ground may be in jeopardy. Read more...
Talking Tough on What's Needed in Schools Sen. James Meeks and the Chicago Tribune have each written tough pieces on schools in the past few weeks. In an op-ed entitled "Their Blood is on our Hands," Meeks makes a link between the recent violence at Fenger High School and reforms he'd like to see implemented. The Tribune editorial page reinforces the message with a stinging editorial.
Obama Touts "Race to the Top" in Anniversary of Election President Obama focused on education reform and the historic "Race to the Top" competition in an address in Wisconsin on the anniversary of his election. Read more in the Washington Post, Christian Science Monitor or Chicago Tribune. You can also read the text of his address here.
Summit Ties High School Dropout Rate to Economy Pantagraph - Nov. 4, 2009 To encourage more students to see education that way, about 500 students, educators, community leaders, parents and business people gathered Tuesday at the Illinois Dropout Prevention Summit at Illinois State University's Bone Student Center. The event was part of a nationwide effort to increase the graduation rate of students. Keynote speaker Alma Powell, chairwoman of America's Promise Alliance, stressed that helping teens graduate from high school is vital to the nation's economic future. Read more...
Obama to Spotlight Education Reform Efforts November 4, 2009 President Obama will highlight education reform efforts in
10 states where governors and lawmakers are maneuvering for a piece of
the $4.35 billion to be awarded in the "Race to the Top" competition
that will begin in the next several weeks. Read more in the Washington Post, USA Today and New York Times.
Program Based on Harlem Initiative Shows Promise Chicago Tribune - November 4, 2009 Former first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton
famously drew on an African proverb, "It takes a village to raise a
child," to explain her vision for American children more than decade
ago. Now the Obama
administration is looking to another village -- local urban communities
-- to serve the educational and social needs of children in poverty
with its Promise Neighborhoods, an initiative modeled on the
transformative and widely touted Harlem Children's Zone. Read more...
Illinois Data on Stimulus-Related Jobs Don't Add Up Chicago Tribune - November 4, 2009 More than $4.7 million in federal stimulus aid so far has been funneled to schools in North Chicago, and state and federal officials say that money has saved the jobs of 473 teachers. Problem is, the district employs only 290 teachers. Read more...
Teach Your Teachers Well New York Times - Nov. 1, 2009 Op-Ed Contributor Susan Engel argues for more rigorous teacher training: "If we really want good schools, we need to create a critical mass of
great teachers. And if we want smart, passionate people to become these
great educators, we have to attract them with excellent programs and
train them properly in the substance and practice of teaching." Read more...
The Question of Turnarounds
National Journal - Nov. 2, 2009
The National Journal's panel of experts tackle the question: Are Turnarounds a Losing Strategy?
Read more...
A Short Term Fix, "Hold Harmless" Remains Years Later
BND.com- Nov. 2, 2009 What was supposed to last three or four years has now been in place
for about 10. But with the state in financial chaos, many thought this
would be the year the temporary program finally was shelved. Instead,
the General Assembly has shelled out $20.2 million in hold-harmless
money for 2010 to schools across the state. Nearly $1.2 million of that
is going to schools in the metro-east.Local school leaders say
not only do they deserve hold harmless funds, it's their faulty school
funding program that makes them necessary in the first place. Read more...
Case of the Missing Juniors Chicago Tribune - Nov. 1, 2009 School districts statewide are using a loophole that allows them to
define what constitutes a "junior." By ratcheting up the credit hour
requirements, schools are disqualifying thousands of third-year high
school students from taking the 11th-grade exam that is the primary
tool to hold the schools accountable for student achievement. Many
then take the test as seniors, but their scores are not used for state
and federal No Child Left Behind accountability purposes. In fact, the
state does not even track how well seniors perform on the test. Read more..
Stimulus Saves Classroom Jobs Chicago Tribune - Nov. 1, 2009 A quick drive around Chicago -- on an interstate or neighborhood
streets -- and a driver quickly sees signs advertising the $787 billion
federal stimulus at work on roads. But it is in the classroom
where the impact might be felt most. Of the 24,448 jobs created or
retained in Illinois from the historic spending package, the state
reported that 14,330 jobs were in the education sector. Read more...
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