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| May 4, 2007 |
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Maryland to expand use of comics in schools
Maryland's top education official wants to expand the use of illustrated novels and comic strips to middle schools throughout the state, following a well-received yearlong pilot project in eight elementary schools. The program would give teachers another way to entice reluctant readers, said Maryland superintendent Nancy S. Grasmick. The Sun (Baltimore) (5/3)
Arizona lawmakers offer $1,500 to seniors who finish early
Arizona lawmakers this week signed off on giving $1,500 scholarships to students who complete necessary high school course work by the middle of their senior year. Lawmakers hope the measure will encourage high school students to buckle down; schools will continue to receive student funding for the whole year less the $1,500 advanced to the student. Arizona Daily Star (Tucson)/Capitol Media Services (5/3)
Column: Dropping language requirement the wrong choice
In a world where a knowledge of languages is increasingly critical, a North Carolina State Board of Education committee's decision to drop a foreign-language graduation requirement for high schoolers is the wrong move, writes columnist Ruth Sheehan. The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.) (5/3)
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Louisiana, West Virginia educators rally for better pay
Thousands of New Orleans educators crowded the Capitol in Baton Rouge and hundreds of West Virginia teachers marched on the Capitol in Charleston to demand pay on par with that of surrounding states. At least seven Louisiana districts canceled classes because so many teachers attended the rally. Enterprise-Journal (McComb, Miss.)/Associated Press (5/3) The Gazette (Charleston, W.Va.)/Associated Press (free registration) (5/4)
Retirement didn't stick for champion Colorado chemistry teacher
A 30-year chemistry teacher came out of retirement this spring to coach his five-member Science Bowl team to a national championship. Jack Lundt graduated from the Poudre School District and Colorado State University, married his high school sweetheart and both eventually settled down to teach at their alma matter. His wife is now principal at Poudre High School. Fort Collins Coloradoan (Colo.) (5/3)
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Some schools phasing out student laptop programs
As students show limited academic improvement and schools struggle to fix laptop technology and prevent student abuse, increasing numbers of districts nationally are ending experiments in providing students with leased laptops. "After seven years, there was literally no evidence it had any impact on student achievement -- none," said Mark Lawson, the school board president in Liverpool, N.Y., one of the first districts to experiment with laptops. "Teachers were telling us ... it's a distraction to the educational process." NYTimes.com (5/4)
Korean teens "addicted" to text messaging
South Korean teens send an average 60.1 text messages per day, according to figures released Wednesday by Korea's National Statistical Office. Some 46% of middle and high school students send text messages in class, according to the Korea Agency for Digital Opportunity & Promotion. The Chosun Ilbo (5/3)
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Fla. results mean no promotion for many third-graders, seniors
After reading scores on Florida's high-stakes third-grade test dropped, nearly one in five students -- 4,200 children -- in Florida's Broward County district may be held back. Some 2,300, or 13%, of Broward seniors and 4,300, or 19%, of Miami-Dade seniors won't be allowed to graduate after repeatedly failing the reading or math exit exams; few high school students who repeat the exams pass. The Miami Herald (free registration) (5/3) The Miami Herald (free registration) (5/3)
Utah voucher program delayed, legal challenge expected
The broadest school voucher program in the country probably won't start this fall as expected, after the Utah Board of Education opted to seek legal counsel before adopting program rules. Voucher supporters suggested a lawsuit over the delay could be imminent. The Salt Lake Tribune (Utah) (5/4)
L.A. mayor backs school board candidates
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is pouring money into the city's school board election, backing two candidates who support major district reform. Los Angeles Times (5/4) Los Angeles Daily News (5/3) Los Angeles Times (5/4)
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Study: One in four children don't receive regular health care
Some 9 million children are completely uninsured, another 11.5 million go without medical care for at least part of the year, and another 3 million have no way to secure a ride to the doctor. Although Medicaid and mobile health care units help many uninsured children, the gap found by the Children's Health Fund is twice as big as experts believed. CBS News (5/2)
Florida approves daily physical education for elementary students
Florida Gov. Charlie Crist's personal campaign to require elementary students to take a half-hour physical-education class daily is headed to his desk for final approval. Florida elementary and middle schools are not currently required to offer physical education, and some concerns have been raised about finding time in the crowded school day for the new requirement. St. Petersburg Times (Fla.) (5/4)
Understanding by Design, Expanded 2nd Edition
Since 1998, thousands of educators have used Understanding by Design to create more rigorous and engaging curriculums. This expanded second edition provides more tools and strategies for results-oriented teaching, more specific guidelines on how to frame primary concepts for better student comprehension, and more examples across all grade levels and subjects of how schools have used the UbD framework to maximize student understanding. See sample chapters.
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