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Teachers Train With Simulators
A new computer simulation program allows novice teachers to try out responses to difficult classroom situations in a safe environment. 12/29/06
Getting Creative With iPods
Language arts teacher Crystal Combast took the traditional book report a step further when she asked her seventh graders to write scripts and record them on audio podcasts with their own background music. 12/14/06
Celebrity Donates Money to High School
Actress Jada Pinkett Smith donated $1 million to her alma mater, the Baltimore School for the Arts, and asked that a new theater be dedicated to classmate Tupac Shakur.12/13/06
Schools Ban Purses
Educators in at least three states are banning purses from classrooms for security reasons, saying students can hide weapons or drugs inside. 12/12/06
More Students Opt for Free Breakfast
Students from low-income families are eating more free and reduced-price breakfasts at school, according to a report from an anti-hunger group. 12/11/06
Study: Students Should Take Tests in Metal-Lined Rooms
Students should take exams in metal-lined rooms to block mobile phone signals and thwart a rise in technology-enabled cheating, according to a United Kingdom government study. 12/08/06
Banking On Latin
In an effort to get their students reading and doing math at grade level or higher, staff members at the Bronx School of Latin are betting that instruction in Latin will give students a better understanding of language. 12/07/06
Actor Calls for Civics Curriculum
Calling the state of U.S. civics education "dismal and startling," actor Richard Dreyfuss is urging the adoption of a national civics curriculum. 12/06/06
High Court
Weighs School Integration Plans
The U.S. Supreme Court is deciding whether voluntary school integration plans are constitutional, even though some have been in place for years. 12/05/06
State Revamping Discipline Guidelines
New York State school officials are weighing new restrictions on the use of shock therapy and detention rooms for special-education students, in response to complaints from parents. 12/04/06
Come to School, Win a Car!
Some schools now are offering students with perfect or near-perfect attendance the chance to win a car or truck. The vehicles usually are donated to the district. 12/01/06
Schools, NEA Take NCLB to Court
The National Education Association and school districts in Michigan, Vermont, and Texas have asked a federal appeals court to revive a lawsuit challenging NCLB. 11/30/06
Tech-Savvy Teachers More Common
Teachers in many Florida schools are using technology extensively, from communicating with parents to integrating it into classroom lessons. 11/29/06
Students Enjoy “Paper-Less” Classroom
In a “paper-less” fifth-grade classroom at Flamingo Elementary School in the Miami-Dade County (Florida) school district, students study the American Civil War and other subjects by reading text on a computer screen built into their desks. 11/28/06
Parents Better Than Gadgets to Help Tots Learn
A British government-funded study found that high-tech devices, aimed at infants as young as nine months, are no more effective than traditional ways of introducing basic literacy and number skills to infants and toddlers.11/27/06
Language Immersion Proves Popular
The popularity of a dual-language immersion program in one Seattle, Washington, school has prompted school officials to propose adding eight more immersion programs over the next five years. 11/22/06
New Playgrounds Incorporate Nature
Designs for new playgrounds, such as one in New Boston, New Hampshire, feature input from students and more connections to nature, such as walking trails, gardens, and slides built into hillsides. 11/21/06
Sport Stacking New Rage
About 12,000 U.S. schools and youth groups -- and 1,500 more globally -- take part in sport stacking, in which players race to create pyramids with plastic cups. 11/20/06
Cutting School Costs Students
Some high schools in Utah are requiring students who cut school to buy tickets to pay for being absent. The tickets fund an "attendance school" held before or after school or on Saturdays. 11/17/06
Students Expose Poor School Conditions
Students in several rural South Carolina school districts and the Baltimore, Maryland, district photographed deplorable conditions in some of their schools, including mold, exposed wires, and collapsing ceilings. 11/16/06
Kids Raise Money for Sick Teacher
Students at the Cascade School in Great Falls, Montana, launched "penny wars" to raise money for an art teacher battling several rare illnesses. 11/15/06
Gates: Revamp Education System
Microsoft Corp. Chairman Bill Gates said the U.S. education system needs higher standards, clear accountability, flexible personnel practices, and innovation to better prepare students. 11/14/06
Students Allowed "Text-Speak" on Exams
New Zealand's high school students will be able to use "text-speak" -- the mobile phone text message language -- in national exams this year. Many educators are unhappy with the decision. 11/13/06
Students Create Veterans' Wall
Students at Haddam (Connecticut) Elementary School each interviewed a veteran and then posted their interviews on a "wall of honor" at the school. Several veterans also visited. 11/10/06
Security Focus of New School Designs
In an increasing number of schools, security drives decisions about everything from where to place the principal's office to what kinds of locks and windows are selected. 11/09/06
Students Tackle Achievement Gap
Students in the Ann Arbor, Michigan, school district are involved in the Leap the Gap project, an effort to reduce the achievement gap in their district. 11/08/06
Grants to Reward Effective Teaching, Leadership
The U.S. Department of Education is funding $42 million for 16 grants for educators who take on tough jobs and show results in high-need schools. 11/07/06
Report: Seatbelts Could Reduce School Bus Injuries
Researchers say safety belts on school buses could cut the number of injuries connected to school buses. New data shows that 17,000 children go to emergency rooms every year because of school-bus related accidents. 11/06/06
School Clinics Keep Kids Healthy, in School
Children who attend schools with health clinics tend to get regular checkups and comprehensive care while not missing as much class time as they would if they had to visit doctors off campus. The clinics particularly benefit children with no health insurance.11/03/06
Lawmakers to Crack Down on Cheating
Reacting to reports of cheating on state exams from around the country, some key lawmakers want to ensure certain test results remain credible. In some cases, teachers gave test answers to students and excluded from testing others who were low-performing. 11/02/06
Cosby Criticizes Teachers, Parents
Comedian Bill Cosby criticized teachers and parents at a Los Angeles-area education conference, saying they don't do enough to help kids.11/01/06
Fathers Recruited as School 'WatchDOGS'
More fathers are at schools as WatchDOGS (Dads of Great Students), a national program that puts fathers on school campuses daily to bolster security and act as role models. 10/31/06
Fifth Graders Petition for Longer Recess
A group of Melrose, Massachusetts, fifth graders plans to petition school officials to extend recess beyond the current 15 minutes. Students said they need more time to unwind. 10/30/06
Students Travel to China
Eight students from Lahser High School in Bloomfield, Michigan, expect to join two teachers on a scheduled trade mission to China. Students will write reports about the business opportunities in the cities they visit. 10/27/06
Restrictions Eased on Single-Sex Schools
The Bush administration is giving public schools wider latitude to teach boys and girls separately in what is considered the biggest change to coed classrooms in more than three decades. 10/26/06
Teachers Get Federal Bonuses
The first federal bonuses for teachers who raised student test scores have gone to four of Ohio’s biggest, poorest, and most academically challenged districts. 10/25/06
Debates Arise About Virtual Science Classes
As the number of lab science courses on the Internet grows, the College Board is questioning whether virtual lab courses measure up to the hands-on versions. 10/24/06
Breaking Kids' Code of Silence
Anonymous hotlines and e-mail systems that allow students to report threats, bullying, or students at risk are gaining popularity in some schools. 10/23/06
Scientists: Video Games Can Change Education
The Federation of American Scientists is calling for studies to determine how the appeal of video games can be connected to serious learning tools. 10/20/06
School Bans Tag
An Attleboro, Massachusetts, elementary school banned students from playing tag, touch football, and any other unsupervised chase game during recess out of fear they'll get hurt and hold the school responsible. 10/19/06
League Weighs Mandating Defibrillators
The University Interscholastic League in Texas is considering mandating that all Houston-area high schools have automated external defibrillators available after three student athletes died suddenly over a ten-day period.10/18/06
Cameras Deter Bullying, Vandalism
Security cameras installed at Wethersfield (Connecticut) High School have helped staff resolve student conflicts and deterred vandalism and bullying, school officials said. 10/17/06
Hispanics Bolster School Enrollment
Fueled by the growing Hispanic population, the number of public school children in the U.S. increased by 4.7 million from 1993 to 2003, the largest growth since the baby boomers started school. 10/16/06
Community Offers Teachers Incentives
TA Loudon County school employee convinced dozens of area businesses, banks, and apartment complexes to offer discounts for county educators. 10/13/06
Some Teachers Choose Mobility Over Desks
A small but growing number of U.S. teachers is abandoning the traditional classroom power center -- the desk at the front of the classroom. 10/12/06
Bush Holds Summit on School Violence
All school systems need a crisis response plan, Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings said in opening a summit on school violence called by President Bush. 10/10/06
Lawmaker: Give Teachers Guns
In the wake of recent school shootings, a Wisconsin state legislator plans to introduce a bill that would allow teachers and other school personnel to carry concealed weapons. 10/09/06
Bush: NCLB Priority Next Year
Renewing the No Child Left Behind Act will be a priority for President Bush next year, but Bush noted that the law isn't working as well for parents as it should. 10/06/06
Some Schools Reject Bonus Pay
More than two dozen Texas schools have rejected state grants to set up a merit pay program for their teachers, deciding it was unfair to pit teachers against each other in dividing up bonus money.10/05/06
Bush Plans Summit on School Violence
The Bush administration plans to bring education and law enforcement experts together to discuss school violence and federal action to help communities prevent violence and deal with its aftermath. 10/04/06
How Can We Stop School Shootings?
While school officials have focused more on school security over the past seven years, experts say there is no way to completely secure a school -- or any other building -- from those determined to do harm. 10/03/06
Study: Watching TV Weeknights Hurts Schoolwork
A study shows that middle-school students who watch TV or play video games during the week do worse in school than those who don't. Weekend TV viewing had no effect on schoolwork. 10/02/06
NCLB Lawsuit Still Alive
A federal judge dismissed Connecticut's argument for challenging the No Child Left Behind Act, but left open one avenue for the state's lawsuit to continue. 09/29/06
Gunman, Student Die in Hostage Crisis
A gunman fatally shot a student hostage and then killed himself during a standoff with police at Platte Canyon High School in Colorado. The gunman only took girls hostage, a witness said. 09/28/06
Most of NCLB "Here to Stay"
While the bulk of NCLB will remain, some changes are needed when it comes up for renewal in 2007 to make it more effective, said the cochairman of a bipartisan commission. 09/27/06
Going Online for Professional Development
The Arkansas Department of Education, Arkansas Educational Television Network, and PBS TeacherLine are collaborating on online professional development for the state's teachers.09/26/06
Testing Blamed for Primary School Truancy
An increase in the truancy rate among younger students in England is being blamed by some on the stress from high-stakes government testing. 09/26/06
Teachers Volunteer to Extend School Day
After low test scores put Sunnyslope Elementary School in Imperial Beach, California, on a federal watch list, 12 first and second grade teachers agreed to teach an extra 25 minutes per day. 09/22/06
Boston Named Top Urban District
The Boston Public Schools has won this year's Broad Prize, a $500,000 award to the urban school district making the greatest strides in student achievement. 09/21/06
Teachers Take to Blogging
More and more teachers are writing about the joys and frustrations of daily life in the classroom in blogs, and they are attracting a wide audience. 09/20/06
Study: Teacher Education "Chaotic"
New teachers graduate from college woefully unprepared for their jobs, according to a study that describes most teacher education programs as deeply flawed and chaotic. 09/19/06
Teachers Go Weightless to Study Gravity
Science teachers throughout the U.S. are participating in the "Weightless Flights of Discovery" program, experiencing zero gravity so they can pique students' interest in math and science. 09/18/06
More Flexibility in ESL Student Testing
The U.S. Department of Education has agreed to let states omit the test scores of newly-enrolled, limited-English students when grading schools. 09/16/06
Students Could Face Cell Phone Fines
Derby (Connecticut) High School principal Michael Novia is considering fining students who defy the school's ban on using cell phones during class. A first offense could cost $3. 09/14/06
Teacher Refuses to Shave Until Bin Laden Caught
Science teacher Gary Weddle followed the news so closely in the days after the 9/11 attacks that he forgot to shave. Then he decided not to shave until Osama bin Laden was captured or killed. 09/13/06
U.S. Dropouts Face Low Earnings
U.S. adults who don't finish high school earn 65 percent of what high school graduates make, the largest income gap in the world, according to a new report comparing industrialized nations. 09/12/06
Teachers Differ on What to Learn from 9/11
Five years after terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, educators still debate what students should know about the attacks and their aftermath. 09/11/06
Digital Divide Remains Wide
A new federal study reveals that while 67 percent of white students use the Internet, fewer than half of blacks and Hispanics do, showing the digital divide remains a factor in education. 09/08/06
Principal to Sleep on Roof, Go Bald
Hartford (Connecticut's) Batchelder School principal John Laverty is making good on a promise to his students to sleep on the school roof and have his head shaved if the school made AYP. 09/07/06
Fighting to Win Back Dropouts
As a new school year gets underway, states are working harder to bring back dropouts, if not to traditional public school, then to GED programs, alternative learning centers, or other types of programs. 09/06/06
District Weighs Extended Year
The head of the Philadelphia public schools is proposing extending the school year by a month and a half for 60 elementary schools that are low-performing. 09/05/06
Secretary: NCLB Close to Perfect
U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings said the No Child Left Behind Act is close to perfect and needs little change as the time for its first major update draws near. 09/01/06
Should Kids Experience Rejection?
While many teachers and parents strive to protect children from exclusion and failure, some critics say rejection is a reality of life that children need to learn how to handle. 08/31/06
Principal Suspends 128 for Dress Code Violations
Fed up with inappropriate outfits, the principal of Morton High School in Hammond, Indiana, suspended 128 students for one day on the first day of school. 08/30/06
Teacher's Gender Affects Learning
Boys learn more from men and girls learn more from women, so teachers of the opposite sex hurt students' academic progress,
a study by an associate professor at Swarthmore College says. 08/29/06
Graduates Tutor Student Teachers
Recent graduates of the Philadelphia public schools talked with rookie teachers about the challenges of urban school life and how to connect with their students. 08/28/06
Vouchers Lose Public Support
A recent poll by Gallup and Phi Delta Kappa International indicated that among the people surveyed, those who support vouchers dropped to 36 percent this year from 50 percent just four years ago. 08/25/06
FDA Calls for New Warnings on ADHD Drugs
U.S. health officials announced that several drugs to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) need new warning information about the risks of heart problems and psychotic behavior. 08/24/06
Charter Schools' Test Scores Lower
Fourth graders in traditional public schools score better in reading and math than students in charter schools, according to a government report. 08/23/06
Text Messages Alert Parents to Truancy
Three Tucson, Arizona, high schools are testing a system that allows school officials to send text messages to parents if their children are absent without permission. 08/22/06
Teachers Suggest Fewer Report Cards
Ontario, Canada's, elementary school teachers are proposing that the number of annual report cards be reduced from three to two. Teachers say it will give them more time to evaluate students. 08/21/06
Students Trade Bathroom Passes for Extra Credit
Some schools grant extra credit to students who do not use passes to go to the bathroom during class time. But some
educators and parents are critical of the practice. 08/18/06
School Uses Cash as Incentive
When a law firm offered cash rewards to eighth graders at a California middle school for high marks on an algebra exam, the number of high-scoring students soared. 08/17/06
Support Stalls for H.S. Graduation Tests
The push to require high school students to pass an exam in order to graduate has stalled, and is unlikely to start up again soon, according to a report. 08/16/06
"65 Percent Rule" Kicks In
School officials in Texas, Georgia, and Louisiana are grappling with applying the 65 Percent Rule, which requires districts to spend 65 percent of their budgets on in-classroom expenses. 08/15/06
Schools Lag in Distributing Qualified Teachers
Most states are dragging their feet on the No Child Left Behind Act mandate to ensure that poor and minority students get their fair share of qualified teachers, according to a recent analysis. 08/14/06
Using Robots to Teach Math, Science
About 50 Pennsylvania elementary schools will get robots this year to teach math and science. The program is sponsored by Carnegie Mellon University and LEGO Education. 08/11/06
District Provides Two Weeks of Lessons for Every Class
To get the school year off to a running start, Miami superintendent Rudy Crew instructed his staff to provide lesson plans for the first two weeks of school for every class, every subject, and every grade level. 08/10/06
Middle Schools Told to Shape Up
Indianapolis Public Schools Superintendent Eugene G. White has told his middle school principals that they can lose their jobs if test scores and discipline do not dramatically improve this year. 08/09/06
Raunchy Lyrics Can Lead to Early Teen Sex
Teenagers who listen to music with raunchy, sexually-explicit lyrics are more likely to engage in sexual activity at a younger age than those who choose other music, a study says. 08/08/06
More Double Periods of Math, English
More secondary students are taking double periods of English and mathematics, as schools focus on preparing them for their states' high stakes tests. 08/07/06
District Lures Kids to School With Prizes
A plan to boost attendance on opening day in the Chicago, Illinois, public schools will mean tickets to sporting events, appearances by pro athletes, and other prizes for schools with the biggest attendance gains. 08/04/06
Principals May Earn Bonuses
Principals in Denver (Colorado) Public Schools may soon be eligible for annual bonuses of $750 to $30,000 if they boost student achievement or work in tough schools. Denver has a performance pay system for teachers. 08/03/06
District Creates Haven for Homeless Kids
The Maplewood-Richmond Heights (Missouri) School District is buying and sponsoring a group home for homeless students. About 12 students have been identified as candidates for the home.08/02/06
Girls Sue High School Over Bullying
Five girls have filed a joint lawsuit against their former high school in Kentucky, charging that the Casey County High School administration ignored their reports of constant bullying. 08/01/06
Survey: Teaching is "Least Boring" Job
According to a British survey of workers between the ages of 21 and 45, teachers and healthcare workers were those least likely to be bored at work. Teachers said the challenges and variety of their work prevented boredom. 07/31/06
AP, IB Scores Allow Students to Skip Tests
Maryland education officials are expected to allow students to skip one or more statewide tests required for graduation if they post high scores on Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate exams in those subjects. 07/28/06
Troubles Loom for Girls With ADHD
A long-term study of girls diagnosed with ADHD while in elementary school found they are at higher risk for substance abuse, emotional problems, and academic difficulties in adolescence than other girls. 07/27/06
Study: Distractions Hurt Learning
While multitasking has become common for children and adults, new research shows that distractions affect the way people learn, making the knowledge they gain harder to use later on. 07/26/06
Sex Ed May Delay Sexual Activity
Students who participate in comprehensive sex education programs may delay sexual activity, according to recent study of middle-school students who took part in a two-week education program. 07/25/06
Impulsive Tots
May Abuse Alcohol Later
Preschoolers who have trouble controlling their impulses and behavior may be at a higher risk of abusing alcohol
and illegal drugs when they reach adolescence, according to a study. 07/24/06
Voucher Plan
Proposed
Republicans in the U.S. Congress have proposed a $100 million school voucher plan that would pay for poor students
in struggling schools to attend other public or private schools. 07/21/06
Student Drug-Testing
Expanding
As legal obstacles to drug-testing students have fallen, more schools are testing students, funding for it has
jumped, and schools have begun to expand the categories of students who can be screened. 07/20/06
More Schools Drop
Class Ranks
In an effort reduce stress and competition among students, many high schools are eliminating class ranks. But
some colleges say evaluating students without ranks is more difficult. 07/19/06
Older
Students Struggle to Read
Some educators are calling for renewed efforts to improve the reading skills of middle and high school students,
many of whom struggle to read and understand content. 07/18/06
Parents Sue Over Cellphone
Ban
A group of parent association leaders plans to sue the New York City Department of Education in an effort to
end the 18-year ban on students carrying cellphones in public schools. 07/17/06
School
Officials: Leave Portable Music Players Home
Several Michigan school districts are banning students from bringing portable music players and other electronic
music devices to school, saying they are a distraction and students sometimes can be overheard sharing songs
with inappropriate messages. 07/14/06
Columbine Shooters'
Diaries Released
Authorities released almost 1,000 pages of essays, diary entries, computer files, and other documents belonging
to Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, the two teens who killed 12 students and a teacher at Columbine High School
in 1999 before shooting themselves. 07/13/06
State Senator
Subpoenas College Board Records
A New York state senator has subpoenaed College Board officials after they refused to release a report on scoring
errors in the SAT. More than 4,000 students received incorrectly lower scores on the October exam. 07/12/06
High
School to Focus on Homeland Security
The first high-school program in the U.S. focused on homeland security issues, including disaster response,
high-level computer science, and law enforcement could open in the Harford County (Maryland) school system in
fall 2007. 07/11/06
Tests Fall
Short in Most States
Thirty-four states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico have problems with tests that were supposed to
be in place last school year, and could face sanctions from the U.S. Department of Education if the issues are
not corrected this year. 07/10/06
Study: Bullying's Effects Lasting
A new study suggests that children who are bullied during their early school years may experience behavior problems
as a result, and bullying could interfere with normal development. 07/07/06
Training
Tomorrow's Teachers
Prince William County (Virginia) school officials plan to launch a program in the fall to provide mentoring
and support to minority high school students interested in becoming teachers. 07/06/06
Teachers Using Forensics to
Spark Science Interest
More science teachers are capitalizing on the interest in forensic science generated by television shows, and
using lessons analyzing blood and DNA samples to interest students in science. 06/30/06
Interns
Fill In at Schools
Education majors from several Connecticut universities will be interning this school year in districts across
the state, gaining experience and helping schools faced with teacher and substitute shortages. 06/29/06
Schools:
Tag Is Not It
Some elementary schools are banning traditional games, such as tag, from recess, claiming it is too dangerous.
Some teachers say the games led to pushing, shoving and children getting hurt. 06/28/06
Study Disputes "Boy Crisis"
A new study examining long-term trends in test scores and academic success argues that widespread reports of
U.S. boys being in crisis are greatly overstated and that young males in school are in many ways doing better
than ever. 06/27/06
Court: Schools
Must Supervise Dismissal
A New Jersey appellate panel has ruled that schools are responsible for ensuring that young students have supervision
before they are dismissed. The ruling was prompted by the case of a 9-year-old boy who was hit by a car in 2001
near his school. 06/26/06
Classrooms
to Display Flag, Constitution
Arizona lawmakers approved a bill that would require the American flag and copies of the Bill of Rights and
the U.S. Constitution on display in every public school classroom in the state. 06/23/06
Schools
to Serve More Fruits, Vegetables
The Ontario (Canada) government plans to launch a pilot project this fall to offer apples, carrot sticks, and
other fresh fruit and vegetables to children in elementary schools in Northern Ontario. 06/22/06
Tracking Eye Movements
to Improve Reading
Dozens of Miami-Dade, Florida, schools are diagnosing students’ reading problems by using infrared goggles that
chart how students' eyes move when they read. 06/21/06
Web,
Print Reading Skills Under Study
A University of Connecticut professor is studying whether reading online material requires different reading
skills for students than reading printed text. He maintains that the skills for reading online material are
not being taught in most schools. 06/20/06
Teen Smoking
Levels Off
After years of decline, the percentage of teenagers who smoke has leveled off, according to a recent survey.
Between 2003 and 2005, smoking among high school students held steady at about one in four teenagers. 06/19/06
Young Kids Need Support to Keep
Reading
Reading for pleasure often declines among children 8 and older because they can't find books they like and parents
don't help as much as they did when the child was learning to read, a study says. 06/16/06
Play
Gives Courage to Immigrant Kids
Diana Senechal, a first-year teacher at at Brooklyn, New York, middle school, decided to build her immigrant
students' confidence by having them perform the musical The Wizard of Oz.06/15/06
Teacher Wins
$100K for Excellence
Colorado kindergarten teacher Linda Alston is the winner of the first $100,000 Kinder Excellence in Teaching
Award. It is the largest unrestricted award for a K-12 teacher in U.S. history. 06/14/06
Teens Use Ring
Tone Teachers Can't Hear
Some students are getting around their schools' ban on cell phone use by downloading a ring tone that is too
high-pitched for most adults to hear. Teens are able to receive text message alerts. 06/13/06
Art
Teacher Suspended for Murals
A Stafford Springs, Connecticut, high school art teacher was suspended after administrators say students painted
offensive murals on school walls in response to an assignment. 06/12/06
Trading
Bathroom Breaks for Grades
To discourage students from using the restroom during class time, some schools allow students to save unused
bathroom passes and turn them in for extra credit. 06/09/06
Many Teachers
Moonlighting
About 40 percent of Clark County (Nevada) School District teachers find it necessary to work a second job during
the academic year, a survey notes. A new teacher earns about $30,000. 06/08/06
Tougher
Attendance Policy Weighed
The Waterbury (Connecticut) board of education is weighing a tougher attendance policy that would no longer
consider routine illnesses excused absences, even with a doctor's note. 06/07/06
Top Court
to Review Race-Based Placements
The U.S. Supreme Court plans to make a decision on the extent to which public schools can use race in determining
how students are assigned to schools. 06/06/06
Province
Plans to Add Gay Issues to Curriculum
British Columbia, Canada, officials plan to add a high-school course in gay and lesbian issues to the provincial
curriculum by fall 2007. Educators from throughout the province will design the course. 06/05/06
Summer Schools Shift
Focus
Schools in Wichita, Kansas, are joining a national trend of shifting the focus of summer school from remediation
to enrichment, and mixing learning with recreation. 06/02/06
H.S. Dropouts Entering
College
Some two-and four-year colleges have begun accepting students who have not completed high school. Some states
may prevent students from enrolling in college without a high school diploma. 06/01/06
Graduates to Wear Eagle Feathers
Mesa, Arizona, school officials have agreed to allow Native American students to wear eagle feathers on their
caps at graduation. Initially, school officials banned the feathers. 05/31/06
Robots
Attend Class for Sick Kids
New robots are taking the place of hospitalized students in class, allowing children to view lessons, respond
to questions, and even receive assignments. The robots also move from class to class. 05/30/06
Students
Open Time Capsules
Just before graduation, seniors in the Forest Hills (Ohio) School District open "time capsules," manila envelopes
with memorabilia from eighth grade, and reflect on how much they've changed. 05/26/06
Non-English
Speakers Continue to Struggle
Four years after Massachusetts public schools were required to start teaching non-English speaking students
in English after a year of bilingual instruction, most of those students are not fluent enough to function in
a regular classroom, according to state test results. 05/25/06
District to Monitor Students' MySpace Pages
The board of Community High School District 128 (Illinois) voted to discipline students who might post "illegal
or inappropriate" content on the Internet during in- or out-of-school time. The new rule goes into effect at
the start of next school year. 05/24/06
Balancing
Internet, Book Research
As more students automatically turn to the Internet to do research, teachers and library media specialists are
working to teach students how to integrate printed material into their searches. 05/23/06
Teacher
Apologizes for "Killer" Assignment
A Missouri high-school teacher who assigned students to write an essay about how they would carry out a murder
has apologized and officials said he would likely keep his job. 05/22/06
Grappling With School Standards
With one of the lowest rates for college attendance in the U.S., Idaho lawmakers and educators are struggling
to find a way to raise education standards. 05/19/06
Student
Swearing Continues Despite Fines
Six months after police officers began issuing tickets to students at two Hartford, Connecticut, high schools
for swearing, school officials say the impact of the fines has been mixed. 05/18/06
Do
Anti-Drug Programs Work?
A growing number of researchers are saying that standard anti-drug education programs simplify issues and may
confuse students more than help them. 05/17/06
Teen Prescription
Drug Abuse Soaring
While fewer teens are smoking and drinking alcohol, the number who are abusing prescription drugs is soaring,
and the problem often goes undetected by adults. 05/16/06
Skateboarding
Rolls Into Gym Classes
To increase students' interest in physical activity, a Denver, Colorado, elementary school offers a physical-education
course about the fundamentals of skateboarding. 05/15/06
Half
of New Teachers Quit in Five Years
Half of all new teachers leave the profession within five years because of low salaries and poor working conditions,
according to a recent study the National Education Association. 05/12/06
Schools
Face Serious Sanctions
About 1,750 U.S. schools that have failed to show enough progress under NCLB are facing sanctions, including
restructuring, mass firings, closure, and state takeover. 05/11/06
Judge May Halt Exit Exam
A California judge said that he may put on hold the state's requirement for high school seniors to pass an exit
exam in order to graduate. The district plans to appeal any injunction. 05/10/06
Curing
Senioritis
With too many 12th graders simply killing time in their senior year, more high schools across the U.S. are starting
programs to keep students engaged and better prepare them for work or college. 05/09/06
More Children
Take Anti-Psychotic Drugs
The number of children taking antipsychotic medicines increased by 73 percent from 2001 to 2005, a study says.
The drugs are prescribed for people with serious psychosis. 05/08/06
Students Say E-Mail
Old News
Just as more teachers are starting to use e-mail to communicate with students, youths are reporting that they
find e-mail outdated, and prefer instant messaging. 05/05/06
Diesel-Electric School
Buses on the Horizon
As fuel costs take larger chunks out of school budgets, companies are developing hybrid school buses, which
would use diesel fuel and electricity. One company expects to have a prototype ready this spring. 05/04/06
Companies
Agree to End Soda Sales to Schools
The largest beverage distributors in the U.S. have agreed to end nearly all soda sales to public schools. The
companies only will sell water, unsweetened juice, and low-fat milks to elementary and middle schools. 05/03/06
Parents
Irate Over Cell Phone Crackdown
More New York City public schools are enforcing a ban on cell phones, infuriating parents. The cell phones have
been setting off metal detectors, which more schools are using. 05/02/06
Teachers Feed Students to Improve
Grades
When Texas teacher Kayla Brown noticed that some of her students were irritable and inattentive, she learned
they were hungry. Now she and other volunteers send children home with food every weekend. 05/01/06
Teaming Approach Helps ELL Kids
St. Paul, Minnesota, educators have shown remarkable success in closing the achievement gap for English language
learners (ELLs) by pairing-up ELL teachers and regular peers to teach coordinated lessons. 04/28/06
Police
Role in School Discipline Growing
Students who commit infractions in Texas schools more often are bypassing the principal's office and going straight
to a police cruiser. Police are called for incidents such as fighting, theft, or causing a disturbance. 04/27/06
Maryland
Teacher is Teacher of the Year
Kimberly Oliver, a kindergarten teacher in Silver Spring, Maryland, has been named the U.S. National Teacher
of the Year. Oliver was cited for the gains her students made and involving parents in their children's education. 04/26/06
School
Soda Ban Moves Forward
Ignoring strong opposition from the soda industry, Connecticut's state Senate voted to ban the sale of all soda
and sports drinks in schools. The bill now moves to the House. 04/25/06
City to Offer Teachers Housing
Subsidies
New York City plans to offer housing subsidies of up to $14,600 to entice new math, science, and special education
teachers to work in its toughest schools. Teachers would get $5,000 initially and then $400 a month for two
years. 04/24/06
Five Charged in School Shooting Plot
Five Riverton (Kansas) High School students were arrested in connection with a plot to go on a shooting spree
at school. Police were notified when one of the teens talked about the plot on MySpace.com. 04/21/06
Graduation Gender
Gap Growing
In 2003, about 72 percent of girls in U.S. high schools earned diplomas, compared with only 65 percent of the
boys, said a report from the Manhattan Institute. The gaps are wider within minority groups. 04/20/06
Districts
Grapple With Spending Caps
New Jersey school officials are struggling to craft budgets that meet a new state law limiting the annual budget
increase for school districts to 2.5 percent or the increase in inflation, whichever is more. 04/19/06
Finding
Suitable School Literature
Many schools are walking a fine line picking literature that appeals to students but does not offend parents
and community members with excessive profanity and adult themes. 04/18/06
Despite
All the Tests, Hard Comparing Schools
While the U.S. will spend about $517 million this school year to test children under the No Child Left Behind
Act, every state has its own test and the results cannot be compared, according to experts. 04/17/06
Quality
Teacher Deadline Looms
Two months before the NCLB deadline for schools to have highly qualified teachers in all major subjects, only
33 states report that most of their teachers meet the mandate. 04/14/06
Schools Work
to Expand PE
While recognizing the immediate and lifelong benefits of daily physical education, many schools are struggling
to find ways to fit more PE classes into the schedule. 04/13/06
Students
Get Credit for Immigration Protests
The Montgomery County, Maryland, school district's decision to award community service credit to students participating
in immigrant rights protests is drawing criticism. 04/12/06
One-Quarter
of Schools Fail NCLB Standards
Although about half of the states increased the number of schools making adequate yearly progress in improving
student test scores in math and reading last year, 27 percent of the schools failed to show adequate improvement. 04/11/06
Study: Tough for Slow Readers
to Catch Up
Improving the reading skills of older elementary students is harder than originally thought. Intensive instruction
was more effective for third graders than fifth graders, a study showed. 04/10/06
Schools
Must Tell Students NCLB Rights
States risk losing federal funds if they don't inform parents that under NCLB, their children are entitled to
free tutoring or to transfer out of struggling schools, federal officials said. 04/07/06
One-Third
of U.S. Kids Overweight
One-third of U.S. children and teens -- about 25 million kids -- are either overweight or on the brink of becoming
overweight, the highest number ever recorded, according to a recent government survey. 04/06/06
Students Lobby for More
Security
About 150 Kennedy High School students in Chicago recently stayed out of school to call attention to the need
for more security in the building. Some students said they would welcome police officers in classrooms. 04/05/06
Classroom
Encourages Kids to Move
An experimental classroom in Minnesota is designed to help kids be more active during the day by replacing chairs
and desks with podiums at which they can kneel or stand. Students also can sit on giant exercise balls. 04/04/06
Drug-Free School Zones Ineffective
Drug-free school zone laws fail to shield school children from drugs, and instead contribute to racial disparities
in prison and to higher prison costs, according to a recent national report. 04/03/06
Sharing the Hardships of Others
After learning about Mozambique's history and challenges, including a high rate of HIV infection, students in
Jeff VanKooten's Other Worlds class at Denver Christian High School founded an Africans Orphaned by AIDS Museum
in the school's basement. 03/31/06
Measuring
Instructional Time in Hours, Not Days
A bill passed by the Iowa House of Representatives sets a minimum number of instructional hours rather than
days for a school year, and no longer allows recess or pep rallies to be classified as instructional time. 03/30/06
Study:
Too Many Tired Teens
Only about 20 percent of teenagers get enough sleep, and they are paying the price by dozing off in school and
driving while drowsy, according to a recent study. 03/29/06
Longer
Year Possible for Low-Scoring Schools
School officials in New York State are considering extending the school year by four weeks in high schools with
the lowest graduation rates. More than 100 schools could be affected. 03/28/06
Math, Reading Edge Out
Other Subjects
Many schools are spending so much time on reading and math, subjects measured by NCLB, that they are spending
little or no time on subjects such as history, science, and art, studies show. 03/27/06
H.S. Students
May Pick Majors
Florida Governor Jeb Bush is proposing that high school students declare a major, so that their high school
programs can be more relevant to their future plans. 03/24/06
Schools Should
Prep for Bird Flu
Federal officials are urging school leaders to develop plans to deliver lessons and services to students in
the event a bird flu outbreak forces schools to close for weeks, or students are quarantined. 03/23/06
Preschool Push Growing
As evidence mounts that children who attend pre-school do better in school academically and socially, more states
are considering universal pre-school. 03/22/06
Energy Tax Fuels Education
Wyoming, flush with energy-tax money, soon could lead the nation in per-pupil spending. State officials plan
to pump $2.1 billion into their public elementary and secondary schools over the next two years. 03/21/06
Vo-Tech
Programs Opening Doors to College
While vocational programs used to be considered the place for students not going to college, many students now
are finding that the skills they learn in those programs can help them get into college. 03/20/06
More Teens Report
Hearing Loss
More than half of the high school students surveyed in a recent poll reported experiencing at least one sign
of hearing loss associated with the use of portable music and DVD players. 03/17/06
Teacher Disarms Student
A physical education teacher at a Reno, Nevada, middle school is being hailed as a hero for persuading a 14-year-old
student to drop his gun after he allegedly wounded two other pupils. 03/16/06
Schools Use Contests, Games for
Test Prep
Many schools are turning to contests, games, prizes, and before and after school and Saturday tutoring sessions
to prepare students for high stakes tests. 03/15/06
Teacher
Who Criticized Bush Reinstated
Colorado high school teacher Jay Bennish, who was suspended for comparing President Bush to Adolph Hitler during
a lecture February 1, has been reinstated. 03/14/06
Tutors Prepping Displaced
Students
Houston Independent School District faculty, aided by tutors, are working with children from New Orleans who
enrolled after Hurricane Katrina to prepare them for their first round of Texas achievement tests. 03/13/06
Mexican
Parents Read to Students
They are known as Los Dichos Moms, and they are the mothers who come weekly to elementary schools in the South
Bay area of California to read stories in Spanish to children. (Dichos are Mexican proverbs.) 03/10/06
TV, ADHD May Not Be Linked
A new, two-year study contradicts earlier findings that young children who watch a lot of television develop
attention disorders and often have behavior problems in school. 03/09/06
Study: Most Dropouts Have Passing
Grades
A new study shows that nine out of ten high school dropouts had passing grades when they left school, but they
dropped out because classes were boring. 03/08/06
Not Ranking Students Annoys
Colleges
While more high schools are eliminating class ranks for students, colleges say without ranks, they must weigh
other factors more heavily, such as test scores. 03/07/06
Gaps in
State, Federal Test Scores
U.S. students do much worse on a federal test than they do on state exams in reading and math, raising doubts
about how much kids actually are learning. Some suggest states are setting low standards. 03/06/06
Teens Call for
Mandatory Sex Education
More than 2,000 teenagers in the United Kingdom signed a petition calling for mandatory sex and relationships
education in schools, taught by teachers trained to discuss sexuality and relationships. 03/03/06
NEA,
AFL-CIO Form Partnership
The National Education Association (NEA), the largest teachers' union in the U.S., has agreed to let local affiliates
join the AFL-CIO. The NEA currently has about 2.8 million members. 03/02/06
Looking to Industry
for Math, Science Teachers
To bolster the math and science teacher ranks, Congress may approve the Adjunct Teacher Corps, which would allow
scientists and engineers to leave their jobs to teach for a few hours a week or during a leave of absence. 03/01/06
Some Question Separate Classes
for Multiples
More parents are questioning the practice of assigning twins or triplets to different classes, saying there
is no evidence that separating them is beneficial, and may even by harmful to the children. 02/28/06
Read Across America Is March 2
The ninth Read Across America, sponsored by the National Education Association, is scheduled for March 2. The
annual event, held on Dr. Seuss's birthday, is designed to celebrate and promote reading. 02/27/06
More Training,
Higher Pay for Teachers
Teachers in Charlotte County, Florida, will be able to earn salary increases for taking courses at a district
"academy" and demonstrating that they are using the skills they learned in the classroom. 02/24/06
Tax Break for Educators
Educators can deduct up to $250 on their 2005 tax returns for classroom supplies they bought with their own
money. The tax break is available to K-12 teachers, instructors, counselors, principals, and aides. 02/23/06
H.S.
Gun Course Draws Fire
A proposal to add a course on gun safety and marksmanship to Ohio's state curriculum for high schools is drawing
fire from educators and community groups. 02/22/06
Study: AP Not Same as College Course
Students who took Advanced Placement science courses in high school only did slightly better in college introductory
science courses than students who did not take AP courses, according to a study. 02/21/06
Course
Teaches Girls About Friendship
A counselor in a Virginia elementary school started a class called "Chicks and Cliques," designed to teach girls
how to choose good friends, how to cope with small slights, and how to think critically about what popularity
means. 02/17/06
H.S. Students
Sue Over Exit Exam
Twenty California high school seniors and their parents have sued the state's Department of Education and school
superintendent, claiming that the state's high school exit exam is illegal and discriminatory. 02/16/06
Few Using NCLB Tutoring
Only a small percentage of students from underperforming schools who are eligible for free tutoring under the
No Child Left Behind Act are receiving help, four years after the law was passed. 02/15/06
Schools Try
Snowshoeing for Winter PE
In an effort to entice kids to be outside and active in colder weather, some Northeastern schools are offering
snowshoeing in PE classes. An hour of snowshoeing can burn up to 1,000 calories. 02/14/06
School
Tries to Stop 'Dirty Dancing'
In an effort to end "freak" dancing, officials at one high school started the "freeze freak project." Student
council members discuss with students acceptable forms of dancing and say that freaking is degrading to women. 02/13/06
Parents, Teachers Disagree on School
Issues
Parents and teachers disagree on basic aspects of education, an AP-AOL Learning Services Poll finds. Parents
and teachers had different views on discipline, standardized tests, and the quality of high schools. 02/10/06
Ed Budget Faces $3 Billion
in Cuts
President Bush has proposed reducing the federal education budget for fiscal year 2007 by $3 billion. The plan
calls for cutting 42 existing education programs to cover the costs of new initiatives. 02/09/06
Districts Rethinking
Retiree Health Coverage
The soaring costs of health insurance are forcing many school districts to reconsider providing retired educators
with coverage for life. Some teachers are working longer than they planned because of health insurance costs. 02/08/06
Students Refuse to Sell Junk Food
About 12 students in a Florida elementary school class have refused to sell potato chips and chocolate bars
to raise money for trips, saying they learned in class that junk food is unhealthy. 02/07/06
Cars, Cash Rewards for
Perfect Attendance
To increase daily attendance, some schools are rewarding students with perfect attendance with money, trips,
DVD players, and even cars. Low attendance can affect a school's rating and federal funding. 02/06/06
More Public Schools Seek
Private Money
Many cash-strapped public schools are reaching out to private donors with deep pockets to fund buildings, classrooms,
and even events, and offering them naming rights in exchange for their contributions. 02/03/06
Report:
NCLB Hurts Tests' Quality
The testing requirements of No Child Left Behind are forcing standardized testing companies to hastily craft
lower-quality tests that may prompt teachers to focus only on the lower-level skills being tested, a study says. 02/02/06
Some
Schools Legalizing "Cheating"
Instead of battling high-tech cheating in the classroom, some schools are allowing students to use the Internet
during tests, saying research and analysis skills are more important than memorization. 02/01/06
NAACP Supports
NCLB
The NAACP in Connecticut is trying to block a lawsuit filed by the state that challenges the No Child Left Behind
Act. NAACP officials say NCLB helps minority children. 01/31/06
Principal Takes Down Gunman
A San Antonio, Texas, elementary school principal is being hailed as a hero for tackling a man who entered the
main office with a gun. The principal, Shannon Allen, said instinct kicked in when she saw the man reach for
a gun. 01/30/06
Marking
the 20th Anniversary of the Challenger Tragedy
NASA officials this week marked the 20th anniversary of the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger,
whose crew included Christa McAuliffe, the first teacher-astronaut. NASA also honored other astronauts killed
during missions. 01/27/06
Ed Secretary
More Flexible on NCLB
As U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings starts her second year in office, she is getting credit for
meeting her promise of showing more flexibility in administering the No Child Left Behind Act. 01/26/06
Schools
Use Video Game to Up Activity
West Virginia school officials plan to distribute to all middle schools a video game that requires players to
dance, in an effort to increase students' physical activity. 01/25/06
Organizing
High Schools by Credits
Florida is considering replacing traditional high school classifications such as freshman with a new system
that would classify students based on credits they have earned. 01/24/06
Teacher Becomes
Citizen at School
Patricia Buckley, a teacher at St. John Notre Dame School in Folsom, California, was a living civics lesson
when she became a U.S. citizen at a ceremony held at the school. Buckley was born in Great Britain. 01/23/06
Praise Can Tame Unruly
Classes
Teachers who spend more time praising their students' good behavior than criticizing their bad behavior have
more obedient pupils, according to a British study. 01/20/06
Educators, Private
Sector Providing Hurricane Relief
Concerned with the slow response of federal relief officials, Gulf Coast educators, corporations, and charitable
organizations have created their own hurricane relief programs to rebuild the area's schools. 01/19/06
Indonesian
Mayor Thanks U.S. Students
Students at Creighton Elementary School in Arizona got a personal "thank you" for their donations after last
year's tsunami from the mayor of Meulaboh, Indonesia, who recently visited the school. 01/18/06
Good
Students Skipping College
A surprising number of Connecticut's best-performing students, about one out of ten, never attend college, according
to a study of the public high school Class of 1998. 01/17/06
Forget Dodgeball:
Yoga Comes to PE
Lifestyle sports, designed to build exercise habits, are the new trend in physical education classes, so schools
in Arizona are offering activities such as dance, yoga, Pilates, and archery. 01/16/06
Linking Teacher Pay,
Test Scores
Houston, Texas, is poised to become the largest school district in the U.S. to link teacher pay and student
test scores. Teachers could earn as much as $3,000 more per year if students show gains on tests. 01/13/06
Bush: NCLB
Working
Citing higher student test scores, President Bush marked the fourth anniversary of the passage of the No Child
Left Behind Act by saying that the law is proving successful in improving student performance. 01/12/06
Creative Ways
to Battle Test Stress
Schools in New York City are offering students pictures of "Test Monsters" to color to help them relieve stress
before taking high-stakes tests. The testing has been expanded to more grades this year. 01/11/06
Teachers
Benefit from Sense of Community
When teachers have a strong sense of professional community and support for teaching practices, their morale
is better and their commitment to their job is higher, according to a study. 01/10/06
Business
Group to Rank Schools' Performance
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce plans to start ranking the performance of school systems, as part of efforts to
produce a workforce more competitive with workers from other countries. 01/09/06
Court Blocks School Vouchers
Florida's Supreme Court has overturned a voucher program for students attending failing public schools, saying
the state's constitution bars it from using public money to finance a private alternative to public schools. 01/06/06
Schools
Serving Mental Health Needs
According to a national survey, schools are becoming the leading providers of mental health services for children.
School nurses, for example, now spend a third of their time responding to children's emotional and family issues. 01/05/06
Too Much Computer Use Bad
for Young Eyes
Children who spend a lot of time looking at computer screens not only may be at risk for symptoms of eye strain,
but also for developing premature nearsightedness, some researchers say. 01/04/06
Student Challenges
Kilt Ban
Nathan Warmack, a Missouri high school student, and his parents, are seeking to change the district's dress
code after Warmack was told he could not wear a kilt to a school dance. Warmack said he wanted to honor his
Scottish heritage. 01/03/06
Bright Colors
Engage Students
After students in some New York City schools were allowed to paint over the drab colors of their schools' interiors
with brighter shades, dropout rates and discipline problems decreased and attendance increased. 01/02/06
