August 27 2004 Edition

Picks of the Week:

Republicans Fully Fund NCLB: Though the likelihood of it happening seems less even than a Presidential denunciation of the Swift Boat ads, what if the Republicans in New York City at the convention next week actually called the Democratic bluff and moved towards fully funding NCLB? No Dollar Left Behind National Review Online. See NCLB below for more.

Ed School Accountability in Louisiana: Linking publicly funded education schools to how well their graduates teach children is a complicated, controversial business that nonetheless seems to be drawing increased attention as the Higher Education Act reauthorizes approaches and policymakers wonder how to make ed schools more accountable: La. may be first to draw link The Advocate

"Ren-Ten" Riot: Renaissance 2010 (aka "ren-ten"), Mayor Daley's much-ballyhooed effort to take the Chicago school system to the next level (i.e., one in which most parents who have alternatives actually send their children to Chicago schools), ran into predictable and vociferous opposition at this week's school board meeting during which community activists rightly exposed the plan's unclear and highly suspect process for closing roughly 10 percent of the schools in Chicago over the next six years: School reform in flux? Chicago Daily Southtown. See Chicago Illinois below for more.

NCLB: More rhetoric and more mixed news as states and districts release AYP data and sanctions start to kick in. Is it good or bad news that there are finally a few more "persistently dangerous" schools in the US? Is it any surprise that criticism of the NCLB rating system is on the rise again now that some low-performing schools will soon be closed and reopened as charter, contract, or state-run schools?
Public conflicted about No Child Left Behind rules Houston Chronicle
AYP Veterans For Truth? Eduwonk.com
Children left behind San Francisco Examiner
School reform elusive without ample resources Miami Herald
Public Schools Struggle to Meet 'No Child Left Behind' Transfer ... Civilrights.org
No Child Left Behind loophole Palm Beach Post
Group urges city parents to take power in children's education Baltimore Sun
Rule Changes Benefit Schools; But if Progress Is Made, Who Gets Credit? SEATTLE TIMES
District receives warning from state phillyburbs.com
Special ed scores trip up some districts Lancaster Newspapers
Transfer Requirement Frustrates Suburban School Districts Chicago Sun-Times
Special ed factor leaving schools behind Washington Observer Reporter
District program allows aides to comply with law Windsor-Heights Herald
Many Ohio Charter Schools Struggling  PlainDealer
16 Schools Warned To Reduce Violence BALTIMORE SUN
Federal Requirements Not Met by 49 in Cincinnati Public Schools Alone CINCINNATI INQUIRER
Union warns against data on underperforming schools Star Tribune
School Progress above Adequate PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER
Baltimore Schools Placed On Watch List Washington Post
Big Increase In Number Of Schools Missing No Child Goals Minneapolis Star Tribune
Student test scores improve Cincinnati Inquirer
Minnesota's Ailing-schools List Grows MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE

Campaign 2004: Not that it happens that much these days, but there's actually something sort of disturbing about watching most candidates for public office try and discuss education issues -- as anyone who's seen a mayoral candidate trying to explain literacy strategies or a senator trying to discuss AYP already knows.
School spending is center stage in gov's races Stateline
Daschle Calls For Strength At Home Yankton Daily Press
Candidates slam No Child Left Behind program Provo Daily Herald
Bush Lauds 'No Child Left Behind' Law in Weekly Radio Address Voice of America

New & Notable:
Public's Views On Schools A Moving Target, Poll Finds USAToday
U.S. Opinions on Schools Contradictory CNN.COM
Report Offers No Clear Victory For Charter School Opponents New York Times
AFT Report Is the Best News Ever for Education Reform EIA Online
A Windfall for a Student Loan Program New York Times
Big threat on campus: credit cards Christian Science Monitor
More states offer single-sex schools USA Today
School of Hard Choices Washington Post
The New Activism CSM
Lesson Plans (Vallas Update) Philadelphia City Paper
Voices On The Right CSM
Don't Know Much About Much WSJ
Danger: Smart Parents With Data Washington Post
Demand on special ed is growing Christian Science Monitor

Chicago Illinois:
300 protest Renaissance plan Chicago Sun Times
Foes Of School Plan Camping Out CST
School proposal backed by former Hales chief Chicago Sun Times
Chicago schools revamp stirs protest during board meeting Chicago Tribune
It's tight, but CPS is hanging tough Chicago Sun Times
City Schools Slash Construction Plans Tribune
Chicago schools looking for community input Chicago Daily Southtown
$5 Bil. Budget Gets OK Today With No New Schools  Chicago Sun-Times
School Scores A In Ecology Chicago Sun-Times
New School's Users Give It High Marks Tribune
Opinion: School Success Should Be Based On Many Factors Tribune
Opinion: Charter Schools Tribune
Daley Calls Income Ceiling For Head Start Families Outdated Sun-Times
Chance To Transfer Can't Rival School Ties Tribune
Catholic High School Opens In Waukegan Tribune
Rising Costs Force Schools To Milk The Lunch Money CST
Northside Prep Whiz Kids Stay Ahead Of Their Class CST
Catholic school test scores top national averages Chicago Sun Times
Career Education grand jury reported Chicago Tribune

School Life:
Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Teacher US News
Feeling the Heat Washington Post
Internet Gives Teenage Bullies Weapons to Wound From Afar NYT