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| ASCD SmartBrief |
| June 8, 2007 |
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Study: Some top states set standards low
Many states that claim large shares of their students can read and do math proficiently have set less stringent standards than lower-performing states, according to a National Center for Education Statistics study released Thursday. Education Week (premium article access compliments of EdWeek.org) (6/7) The New York Times (6/8)
Controversial sex-ed curriculum deemed a success
A controversial Maryland sex-education pilot program has been so successful that Montgomery County Superintendent Jerry D. Weast recommended it be expanded this fall to all the district's middle and high schools with only minor revisions. The only problems reported by educators were the publicity the program received and misinformation spread by those who opposed it. The Washington Post (6/8)
Study: Children make strides with dialect-based phonics
A new linguistic phonics method, which builds on a child's existing language, boosts reading skills, a study of 900 children found. Researchers at a Belfast university said pupils advanced several months more than expected. BBC (6/8)
Educators turn to school endowments for special projects
Educators are increasingly using school endowments to fund special projects as operating budgets are squeezed. The Plain Dealer (Cleveland) (6/7)
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San Francisco superintendent finalist would never be dull
The sole finalist in San Francisco's search for its next superintendent is currently head of Las Vegas' Clark County schools, the fifth-largest U.S. district. Carlos Garcia, a former San Francisco principal, is said to tackle problems quickly, creatively and sometimes in a blunt or controversial manner. San Francisco Chronicle (6/7)
Hartford superintendent exempt from basic-skills test
Although Connecticut law requires all new educators to pass a test in basic reading, writing and math skills, legislators amended the law to exempt Hartford's new school superintendent. "[He] has spent most of his adult life leading school systems," said one state representative. "It seems evident he's well qualified to be superintendent." The Hartford Courant (Conn.) (6/7)
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States aim to improve oversight of online schools
Some states are considering new ways to patrol virtual schools as audits find insufficient state oversight of online institutions. "A lot of states are wrestling with these issues," said John F. Watson, a national expert on virtual schooling. Education Week (premium article access compliments of EdWeek.org) (6/7)
Substitute teacher granted new trial in computer-porn case
Connecticut substitute teacher Julie Amero will get a new trial after being convicted in January of exposing her students to pornography on a classroom computer. Amero blamed pop-up porn generated by spyware and adware on an unprotected machine; testing of the computer after the trial contradicted evidence presented by the state computer expert. eSchool News (6/7)
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Miami schools ask court to uphold ban on book about Cuba
The Miami-Dade district has asked the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for permission to uphold a school board decision to remove 49 copies of a children's book about Cuba from its libraries, because it doesn't mention the lack of civil liberties under communist leader Fidel Castro. American Civil Liberties Union attorney JoNel Newman on Wednesday said such political discussions shouldn't be required for books for elementary school students. Education Week (premium article access compliments of EdWeek.org)/Associated Press (6/7)
San Mateo district imperiled by fiscal mismanagement, grand jury says
Numerous instances of financial mismanagement within the California district were outlined this week by a civil grand jury, which said San Mateo's board of trustees "neglected its duties, was fiscally irresponsible, and allowed hundreds of thousands of dollars of public money to be squandered." San Francisco Chronicle (6/7)
Local Maryland PTA Council has charter dissolved
For the second time in seven years, the charter of the Council of Prince George's County PTAs was revoked by the Maryland PTA, which asserts the organization committed "serious bylaw violations." But the president of the county PTAs said he doesn't know what those violations are, and the state PTA's president declined to discuss the matter. The Washington Post (6/8)
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Sleepy teens seek to put insomnia to bed
With a recent survey by the National Sleep Foundation finding only a fifth of teens get the minimum nine hours of sleep recommended by doctors, sleep centers are booming as many teens and their parents seek answers. Physical and chemical changes require more sleep, doctors say, but new pressures combined with new freedoms can sometimes make it tough for teens to set healthy sleep habits. The Arizona Republic (Phoenix) (6/6)
Principals Who Learn: Asking the Right Questions, Seeking the Best Solutions
The way a principal thinks influences every decision he or she makes, and new literature on leadership, learning communities, and systems thinking is helping principals continually develop their thinking skills. This new book from ASCD describes how a number of practicing principals are using these ideas to enrich their thinking and positively transform their schools. Read Sample Chapters
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