Fire the teachers? When schools fail, it may work

2010-03-04T17:16:23Z

<div id="subtitle">When schools fail, firing teachers may work; harsh method had mixed results in Chicago, LA</div><div><p>When all the teachers were fired from Central Falls High School last week in a sweeping effort at school reform, their superintendent gave them a taste of the accountability

US teachers more interested in reform than money

2010-03-02T21:15:14Z

<div id="subtitle">Survey: American teachers more interested in school reform and student achievement than raises</div><div><p>U.S. teachers are more interested in school reform and student achievement than their paychecks, according to a massive new survey.</p><p>The survey of 40,090 K-12 teachers — including 15,038 by telephone — was likely the largest national survey of teachers ever completed and includes the opinions of teachers in every grade, in every s...

Physically fit students do better academically too: study

2010-02-25T17:30:22Z

<div><p>NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Getting students to exercise more might not just address obesity issues but also improve their grades with a U.S. study finding physically fit students tend to score higher in tests than their less fit peers.</p><p>Test scores dropped more than one point for each extra minute it took middle and high school students...

Physical, academic fitness tied at the hip: study

2010-02-25T11:30:12Z

<div><p>NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Physically fit students tend to score higher on standardized tests than their less fit peers, hint findings from a new study.</p><p>Test scores dropped more than one point for each extra minute it took middle and high school students to complete a 1-mile run/walk fitness test, Dr. William J. McCarthy and coll...

Education and economics

2010-02-25T02:16:05Z

<div id="subtitle">ObamaÕs pitch to governors is correct: U.S. needs to improve its schools</div><div><p> In a meeting Monday with governors, President Barack Obama called for strengthening the nationÕs school system. He outlined several sound ideas to improve education, including raising standards and better supporting teachers. America, he said, had to do better to compete in the world.</p><p>Obama said...

Teacher contracts support reforms in worst schools

2010-02-23T14:30:38Z

<div id="subtitle">New teacher contracts in Minn., Conn., Philly support reforms in failing urban schools</div><div><p>Even in a school system known for its academic troubles, the numbers at Vaux High School are jaw-dropping: More than 90 percent of 11th-graders tested last year could not read or do math at...

Obama prods states to raise academic standards

2010-02-22T13:15:26Z

<div id="subtitle">Obama uses federal money to get states to adopt higher standards for high school grads</div><div><p>President Barack Obama wants to rewrite federal education law by sending aid for poor students only to states that adopt new standards to prepare high school graduates for college or a career.</p><p>States that fail to raise the bar could lose their share of federal funding, though it's u...

Obama: US cannot accept second best in education

2010-02-22T07:30:29Z

<div id="subtitle">Obama says US still lags others in math and science skills, urges states to do better</div><div><p>President Barack Obama says America's "primacy in the world" is at stake in the quest to substantially improve educational quality and global competitiveness.</p><p>Speaking to governors gathered at the White House Monday, Obama...

Special session politics might be at play in ÔRace to the TopÕ approach

2010-02-20T02:15:28Z

<div><p> Although qualifying Nevada for the ÒRace to the TopÓ education initiative doesnÕt appear on the governorÕs preliminary agenda for next weekÕs special session, a spokesman for Jim Gibbons said Tuesday that making Nevada eligible for as much as $175 million in federal education funding remains a priority.</p><p>To compete for a share of $4.35 billion in school improvem...

Obama would overhaul No Child Left Behind

2010-02-22T12:57:20Z

<div id="subtitle">Obama budget shows how he would overhaul No Child Left Behind education law</div><div><p>President Barack Obama is proposing to overhaul the No Child Left Behind education law, replacing the school accountability system that has slapped a failing label on more than a third of schools, inc...

Obama urges reforms in schools, colleges

2010-02-22T14:02:11Z

<div id="subtitle">Obama calls for more school reform, tax breaks for college</div><div><p>As he prepares to ask Congress for billions of dollars in new spending for education, President Barack Obama is urging the spread of school reforms across the country. He says a student's success can't depend on where he or she is growing up.</p><p>Obama says the natio...

Obama to seek $1.35 billion more for education

2010-02-22T18:13:37Z

<div id="subtitle">Obama to ask Congress for additional $1.35 billion next year for education reform program</div><div><p>President Barack Obama will ask Congress for $1.35 billion in his 2011 budget proposal to extend an education grant program for states, although the Education Department remains months away from announcing its first round of awards, senior administration officials s...

Washington gov's plan for school reform shared

2010-02-22T19:53:45Z

<div id="subtitle">Wash. gov's staff shares her plan for school reform to help state compete for federal dollars</div><div><p>Gov. Chris Gregoire has a long list of education reforms she wants the Legislature to approve to set Washington up to compete for federal Race to the Top dollars, including a plan to put experienced...

Perry: Texas won't seek federal education funding

2010-02-22T20:28:39Z

<div id="subtitle">Governor says Texas won't compete for up to $700M in federal stimulus funding for education</div><div><p>Texas won't compete for up to $700 million in federal stimulus money for education because the program "smacks of a federal takeover of our public schools," Republican Gov. Rick Perry said Wednesday.</p><p...

Teachers do a 180 for sake of grants

2010-02-24T00:20:37Z

<div id="subtitle">Union seeks to change law keeping test scores out of evaluations</div><div><p> CARSON CITY The state teachers union has done an about-face and is working with legislators to change a state law that prevents test scores from being used to evaluate teacher performance.</p><p>The Gates Foundation commits $335M for teacher quality experiments in 4 states, national research</div><div><p>Three school districts and a coalition of charter schools have agreed to be test kitchens for some radical ideas for improving teacher quality — from paying new teachers to spend another year practicing before getting ...

Obama uses school dollars to prod states to change

2010-02-24T06:40:22Z

<div id="subtitle">Obama uses stimulus money to prod states to embrace his school agenda</div><div><p>States are jockeying for a new $5 billion pot of education money even before the contest has begun.</p><p>The Obama administration was opening the competition Thursday for grants for ideas like charter schools or judging teachers based on student test scores...

Obama offers schools money for backing initiatives

2010-02-24T10:26:17Z

<div id="subtitle">Carrots and sticks: Obama uses stimulus money to prompt schools to undertake his initiatives</div><div><p>Pushing for a link between student test scores and teacher pay, President Barack Obama on Wednesday dangled $5 billion in federal grants to states willing to undertake a top-to-bottom overhaul of their schools in support of Education Secretary Arne Duncan announced a school improvement program called ÒRace for the TopÓ this ye...

Obama coaxes states to change with school dollars

2010-02-24T10:12:09Z

<div id="subtitle">Obama uses stimulus money to coax states to embrace his school agenda</div><div><p>One year after his election, President Barack Obama is coaxing states across the country to rewrite education laws and cut deals with unions as they pursue his vision for school reform.</p><p>Obama is visiting Wi...

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