NewsTrust - Primary School - Most Recent Stories: News (Mainstream)

FBI probes white powder in letters sent to DC schools

Fri, 06 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Reuters - May. 06 (News) - The FBI on Friday is investigating more than three dozen suspicious letters containing a white powdery substance sent to schools in the capital area, leading authorities to race across the city to check for possible threats.

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Wellesley schools chief apologizes for students' role in Muslim prayer service

Thu, 16 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0700

Boston Globe - By Erica Noonan, Katrina Ballard - Sep. 16 (News) - Wellesley’s school superintendent apologized today for allowing middle school students to participate in a prayer service during a field trip to a Roxbury mosque last spring. The apology to parents came after a group that has been critical of the Islamic Society of Boston Community Center — New England’s largest mosque and Muslim cultural center — released a 10-minute long video featuring footage of Wellesley students bowing their heads during a prayer service.

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Teacher Chides Girl, 12, for Wearing Mexico Shirt in School, Activist Says

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0700

Fox News - By Ed Barnes - Jun. 28 (News Report) - When Coral Avilez went to school on June 11, the seventh-grader knew two things: She would get to watch Mexico play South Africa on TV that day, and she would get to wear the Mexico shirt she had bought while on vacation earlier in the year. What the 12

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A Radical Fix for Schools?

Fri, 01 May 2009 00:00:00 -0700

NOW on PBS - By David Brancaccio - May. 01 (Special Report) - How is Secretary of Education Arne Duncan going to spend $100 billion in stimulus money—almost twice the education budget—to fix our nation's schools? During his seven years running Chicago's public schools, Duncan went head to head with the teacher's union and skeptical parents by closing down low-performing schools, getting rid of all the teachers, principals, even the janitors, and reopening them with new staffs as "turnaround schools." It's a drastic step, but the results have been promising. This week, NOW travels to Chicago to investigate the collateral damage of a top-to-bottom school makeover, and to get a glimpse of what the future of education might look like for the rest of the country. "We have to be willing to experience a little bit of pain and discomfort, but our children desperately need it and deserve it," Secretary Duncan tells NOW. "Just as we have to do it, unions have to change, principals have to change, teachers have to change, parents have to step up... business as usual is not going to get us there."

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Classrooms Where Odds and Ends Are the Textbook

Fri, 06 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Washington Post - By Jennifer Buske - Feb. 06 (Special Report) - Spaghetti, crumpled cereal boxes and other household goods have become teaching tools in some Manassas classrooms as educators deviate from traditional methods and seek innovative ways to challenge students in the 21st century. "In the 20th century, it was all about memorizing content, but today it's not just about that. It's about being able to integrate other skills like critical thinking, communication and technology skills," Ken Kay, president of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, said in an interview. "Parents, educators and policymakers all know things have changed over the last 50 years, and we need a new model in education to match those changes."

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New African-American history course stretches student minds

Fri, 06 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - By Joe Smydo - Feb. 06 (News Report) - Pittsburgh Oliver High School teacher Ken Smith doesn't want students to take history; he wants them "doing history." And so the Pittsburgh Public Schools' new African-American history course is designed to stretch students' research, writing and thinking skills while taking them far behind the scenes of a people's struggle for freedom. The district yesterday kicked off Black History Month by gathering civic leaders and school supporters at the Senator John Heinz History Center to introduce the course and a program bringing black artists into three schools. The initiatives are intended to promote achievement among black students who, as a group, trail white students academically. "We have to connect with the kids. We have to be relevant to them," history center President and Chief Executive Officer Andy Masich said.

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Miami-Dade schools chief unveils budget plans

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Miami Herald - By Kathleen McGrory - Feb. 05 (News Report) - Miami-Dade Schools Chief Alberto Carvalho on Wednesday unveiled a plan to save the district $56 million -- and balance the budget -- before the fiscal year ends in June. The proposal, discussed at a meeting with The Miami Herald's editorial board, includes $21 million in cuts to nonschool spending and $8 million in cuts to schools. Carvalho also said he would ask employees to defer payment for an unspecified number of work days until the new fiscal year, which begins July 1. The overall savings to this year's budget from the deferred payments would be $27 million. ''We believe we've found a solution that protects educational programs and the workforce and provides financial viability for the school system,'' Carvalho said. But the plan may meet resistance from the teachers union, United Teachers of Dade President Karen Aronowitz said.

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The Associated Press: Free kindergarten eludes the children of a NH town

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Associated Press - By Travis Andersen - Feb. 05 (Special Report) - Walk into a public school in Hudson, and you'll see no kindergartners finger-painting, pushing around building blocks or practicing their ABCs. This city of 25,000 is apparently the only place in the lower 48 states where public kindergarten isn't a given, and school district officials are demanding more money from the state before offering it. It's believed to be the nation's first lawsuit by a district seeking to block public kindergarten in its schools, and its critics say Hudson is denying the town's children a foundation for success. "It's a well-established principle that kindergarten is an essential part of an adequate education," said state Rep. Emma Rous, chairwoman of the House Education Committee. A 2007 state law requires free kindergarten statewide by this fall, and the nine other districts without it plan to begin programs soon. Hudson remains the sole holdout, with its school board voting Monday to affirm its opposition to starting kindergarten without more state money.

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HISD plan could pay best teachers $100,000 a year | Houston & Texas News | Chron.com

Tue, 03 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Houston Chronicle - By Erica Mellon - Feb. 03 (News Report) - “It all sounds great, but it all hinges on the accuracy of the value-added data,” Fuller said. “I really like the part about trying to lure teachers into the lowest-performing schools. I think that’s necessary.”

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To Close a School - A Decision Rooted in Data, but Colored by Nuance

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0800

New York Times - By Javier C. Hernandez - Feb. 02 (News Report) - On a recent December morning, a trio of education higher-ups arrived unannounced in the principal’s office at Public School 90 in the Bronx. The school would be gradually shut down, they told the principal, Patricia West. Incredulous, Ms. West, who has been at P.S. 90’s helm for six years, asked them to repeat themselves. “I knew we had to improve, but I was shocked,” she said. “It’s like being told you are arrested and you go to jail. Everybody says, ‘But I didn’t do it!’ ” Parents and community members immediately questioned the decision. While P.S. 90 got an F this year on its report card from the city, 11 other schools had worse scores overall, and many of them were staying open.

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More States Considering Tax Breaks to Woo Jobs

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Wall Street Journal - By Stephanie Simon - Feb. 02 (News Report) - Mr. Ritter's most recent corporate courtship ended with Charles Schwab Corp. agreeing to bring 500 jobs to suburban Douglas County in exchange for up to $1 million in state incentives. The deal left child-welfare advocate Megan Ferland with mixed feelings. Stable jobs are essential for stable families, she said. But she worries that those families will falter if the state does not adequately fund education, health and child care. The Douglas County school district is grappling with a budget shortfall and considering raising class size and cutting teacher training, sports and music programs. "Bringing in jobs absolutely makes sense," but if education and child-care funds are sacrificed in the process, "that's like putting families in a neighborhood that doesn't have a road from the house to the job," said Ms. Ferland, president of the nonprofit Colorado Children's Campaign advocacy group.

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Bid for flexibility in use of class-size reduction funds criticized

Sat, 31 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Los Angeles Times - By Seema Mehta - Jan. 31 (News Analysis) - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's budget proposal to allow school districts to use state class-size reduction funding any way they choose is alarming teachers unions and community activists, who say it will inevitably lead to ballooning classrooms in the state's neediest communities. "What's most offensive is that eliminating class-size reduction won't save the state one dime," said David A. Sanchez, president of the California Teachers Assn., which is launching a television ad blitz this weekend urging Californians to call Schwarzenegger and their legislators to oppose the proposal. "Districts will continue to receive that funding from the state, but won't have to spend that money on class-size reduction, or frankly, even in the classroom."

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Lawmaker wants to change kindergarten age - Salt Lake Tribune

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Salt Lake Tribune - By Lisa Schenker, Kirsten Stewart - Jan. 30 (News Report) - Before his teacher finished explaining a reading lesson Tuesday, kindergartner Jaydon Arslanian read the word "fox" aloud. "Jaydon, you read it before I put it up!" Christina Stout, a student teacher in the kindergarten class, said with a smile. Jaydon, who turned 6 in November, is one of the older students in his class at Hayden Peak Elementary School. Freshman Rep. Laura Black, D-Sandy, believes older students such as Jaydon enjoy developmental advantages over their younger peers. That's why Black is sponsoring a bill this session that would require children to be older before starting kindergarten. Now, Utah children must be 5 years old before Sept. 2 to start kindergarten. Black's bill would move the deadline to July 1. If the bill passes, the new dates would go into effect July 1, 2010.

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Teach for America comes back to Compton

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Los Angeles Times - By Seema Mehta - Jan. 27 (Special Report) - LaShawnda Henderson graduated from college last spring, and this winter she's right back where she started -- sleeping in her childhood home in Compton, eating her mother's cooking every night and returning every day to her elementary school, three blocks away. Henderson, 22, is a new teacher at her old school, Dickison Elementary, one of 13 Teach For America members in Compton, the first new contingent in the city since the district stopped hiring them five years ago. She abandoned her initial plans to become a pharmacist or a lawyer and decided her life's ambition is to improve education in her hometown. "I really wanted to go back to my community," she said. "I'm making a difference in someone else's life." Teach For America, a highly selective program that assigns recent college graduates for two years to low-income, underperforming schools across the country, had a long history in the Compton Unified School District. But after the 2003-04 school year, the district ended its relationship with the organizationreportedly because of declining enrollment.

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Schools cultivate green living - USATODAY.com

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0800

USA Today - By G. Jeffrey MacDonald - Jan. 26 (Special Report) - Environmental education is pushing into new territory next week as educators urge children and families to lead more eco-friendly lives outside school. Starting Monday, 700 elementary and secondary schools will take part in the first National Green Week as teachers infuse "green" living lessons into their classes. Students at most of the schools will shun disposable snack containers for the week and opt for reusable ones to reduce waste. Organizers of National Green Week tout the project as a free way to forge environmentally sustainable habits in a rising generation. They say the immediate steps children take to relieve pressure on the planet's resources are apt to influence how others live. "We're trying to teach the kids that parents' behaviors can change to be more green," says Victoria Waters, president of the Green Education Foundation, which is organizing National Green Week.

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No Child Left Behind Act: At a glance

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Associated Press - Jan. 26 (News Analysis) - No Child Left Behind Act: At a glanceTucson Citizen?- Jan 25, 2009The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 passed with widespread support but is immensely unpopular today. The Associated Press One year after taking office, former President George W. Bush signed into law the No Child Left Behind Act, which aimed to close ...

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Justices to Hear 2 Cases Brought Against Schools

Sat, 17 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0800

New York Times - By Adam Liptak - Jan. 17 (News Report) - The Supreme Court agreed Friday to decide two cases pitting parents against public schools.

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Language immersion programs gain fans

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Arizona Republic - By Alex Bloom - Jan. 02 (Special Report) - Parents throughout the Valley are embracing language-immersion programs. Three Valley elementary schools have seen increased enrollment because of the popularity of their Spanish-immersion programs, which help students learn a foreign language and help districts earn extra income. Pueblo Elementary School in the Scottsdale Unified School District saw enrollment in its program jump from 50 to 150 students in its second year. "I have parents with a 1-year-old wanting to sign up for it in five more years," said Pueblo Principal Terri Kellen.

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Chicago School Reform Could Be a U.S. Model

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Washington Post - By Maria Glod - Dec. 30 (Special Report) - CHICAGO -- At Cameron Elementary School west of downtown, most kids don't know the alphabet when they start kindergarten, nearly all are poor, and one was jumped by a gang recently, just off campus. But the school this year posted its highest reading and math scores ever -- a feat that earned cash bonuses for teachers, administrators, even janitors. City schools chief executive Arne Duncan, President-elect Barack Obama's choice for education secretary, pushed that performance-pay plan and a host of other innovations to transform a school system once regarded as one of the country's worst. As Duncan heads to Washington, the lessons of Chicago could provide a model for fixing America's schools.

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The Next Kind of Integration

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

New York Times - By Emily Bazelon - Jul. 20 (Special Report) - "This is a decision that the court and the nation will come to regret,".... Breyer's warning, along with even more dire predictions from civil rights groups, helped place the court's ruling at the center of the liberal indictment of the Roberts court. In Louisville, too, the court's verdict met with resentment. Last fall, I asked Pat Todd, the assignment director for the school district of Jefferson County, which encompasses Louisville and its suburbs, whether any good could come of the ruling. She shook her head so hard that strands of blond hair loosened from her bun.

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Why giving poor kids computers doesn't improve scholastic performance

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Slate - By Ray Fisman - Jun. 12 (Special Report) - More than three decades ago, Commodore introduced the PET, the world's first personal computer, apparently so-named to take advantage of the '70s craze for pet rocks. My ever-doting and education-obsessed parents brought home a PET for me and my siblings, hoping to put us at the vanguard of the digital revolution-to-be. The results were mixed at best. Though the machine was entirely unsuited to mindless fun--it had 4 kilobytes of memory and a tiny green display of monochrome ASCII characters--my friends and I found a way to turn this supposedly educational device into a toy. We spent endless hours watching a little green cursor race around the screen in a rudimentary, freestyle version of Pac-Man. Once an early edition of Space Invaders appeared, I think my parents came to regret their attempt to prepare us for the computer age.

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California public schools seek private money just to cover the basics

Sun, 20 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Los Angeles Times - By Seema Mehta - Apr. 20 (News Report) - A free public school education is guaranteed by the state Constitution to every California child. But as districts grapple with proposed state funding cuts that could cause the layoffs of thousands of teachers and inflate class sizes, parents are being asked to dig deeper into their pocketbooks to help. "Public education is free, but an excellent public education is not free at this point," said Janet Berry, president of the Davis Schools Foundation, which recently launched the Dollar-a-Day campaign, urging citizens of the city near Sacramento to donate $365 per child, grandchild or student acquaintance.

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Now schools told to teach happiness lessons alongside the three Rs

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Daily Mail - By Laura Clark - Mar. 22 (News Report) - Schools in Birmingham are being urged to give happiness the same prominence in the curriculum as the three Rs, it emerged today. The city council has told its 440 schools they must give equal priority to children's emotional well-being, literacy and numeracy.

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Plan gives federal No Child law more flexibility

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Minneapolis Star Tribune - By James Walsh - Mar. 20 (News Report) - "It certainly smells that no Democrats were invited to this event, when we already know that this administration has politicized Cabinet agencies," said Matthew Miller, a spokesman for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. "It looks like a stunt to help Norm Coleman's campaign."

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Girl Talk: Are Women Really Better at Language?

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Scientific American - By Nikhil Swaminathan - Mar. 05 (News Report) - Girls completing a linguistic abilities task showed greater activity in brain areas implicated specifically in language encoding, which decipher information abstractly. Boys, on the other hand, showed a lot of activity in regions tied to visual and auditory functions, depending on the way the words were presented during the exercise.

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