Headlines/Best of the Week

Budget Cuts, High School Stumble, Higher Ed Accountability (Washington DC/National)
Amid ongoing concerns about the President's proposed education budget, the Administration's high schools initiative seems to be stumbling, even as Secty Spellings outlines a new vision for more accountability in the HEA reauthorization.

Soft on HQT/Hard on AYP (NCLB News)
Hmmm. Having just caved on HQT in North Dakota, the USDE's next challenge comes in Utah, where opposition to NCLB (substantial or strategic, it's hard to tell) is on the rise. At the same time, the USDE seems to be taking a hard line on AYP definitions in California and elsewhere.

Struggling Schools Get Fewer Resources (Urban Education)
A new report highlights how better-off schools get more resources for paying teachers than worse-off schools -- all in the same district.

Union-Run Charters, Billions More, Gifted and Elite (NYC)
Union efforts to get on the charter bandwagon don't always turn out well, says EIA. And more.

Meddlesome Boards, Top-Notch Teachers, and Clueless Teens (New & Notable)
Some districts take steps to try and keep their boards out of the way. And more.

Cigarettes vs. Lottery Tickets (Chicago IL)
The Governor's proposed budget dominated education news this week, in what is turning out to be a slightly different (though no less contentious) budget development process than in the past.

Wacky Wiki, TFA Satire, Blah Blogs, and Slacker Moms (School Life)
Another week in the strange world of kids, teachers, parents, and technology.