Eye on Curriculum

• NCLB science tests worry some educators
  For five years, U.S. elementary and middle schools' fate hinged on reading and math, which often left educators zealously stressing those subjects while time for others was greatly reduced. Now, with science tests being phased in during the 2007-08 school year, some educators fear those choices will come back to haunt them. The Washington Post (5/6)

• Georgia anti-obesity class a big hit among students, educators
  The success of a Georgia anti-obesity class introduced in 2005 has drawn some 200 students hoping to lose weight or increase strength, but now the "We Can!" program is garnering national attention from educators who are considering the program in their own schools. Journal and Constitution (Atlanta) (free registration) (5/4)

Wow! Responsive Classroom Week-Long Summer Institutes, K-6. Good strategies, good instructors, and good conversations. Research shows RC practice raises test scores while building a positive classroom climate. Feel good about teaching. Click here for details.

Professional Leadership

• Philadelphia superintendent to lead New Orleans schools
  Louisiana officials have confirmed what has been rumored for almost a month: Outgoing Philadelphia schools chief Paul Vallas will head the New Orleans school system, which now has fewer than 10,000 students compared to Philadelphia's 174,000. "This is creating a school system from the ground up," said Vallas, who was praised as being among the "top tier" of U.S. superintendents. "No one has ever had quite that opportunity, and I want to be a part of it." The Times-Picayune (New Orleans) (5/5), Philadelphia Daily News (5/5), The Washington Post/Associated Press (5/4), NYTimes.com (5/5), USA TODAY (5/7)

• Kentucky state commissioner candidate faces questions about resume
  Questions over the resume and leadership of Kentucky's leading candidate for state education commissioner have led one state board member to ask St. Charles, Ill., superintendent Barbara Erwin to withdraw, just as her contract is being drawn up. Erwin's resume says she won two Texas superintendent of the year awards although one of the awards she listed does not exist; her leadership in St. Charles and in Scottsdale, Ariz., has also been criticized by teachers union officials as divisive and authoritarian. The Courier-Journal (Louisville, Ky.) (5/5)

• Florida officials craft merit pay based on teamwork
  Broward County district and union officials have crafted a plan that rewards groups of teachers instead of individuals: elementary teachers will be grouped by grade level and middle and high school teachers by department. Improved achievement scores would bring each teacher on a team a $2,000 bonus. Teachers with perfect attendance will be eligible for a $1,000 bonus. The Miami Herald (free registration) (5/4)

Recognize the bullying culture in your school. Bullied Teacher, Bullied Student explores bullying in all its forms, involving students, teachers, principals, and parents. This practical guide provides an anti-bullying blueprint that school leaders can use to create and enforce a policy that works. Click here to browse the entire book online!

Hot Topics

Top five news stories selected by ASCD SmartBrief readers in the past week.

• Texas principal resigns over "Bachelor" demotion (Houston Chronicle)

• Handheld tracking program transforms teaching (Education Week (premium article access compliments of EdWeek.org))

• Texas principal demoted over "Bachelor" controversy (Houston Chronicle)

• Study: Harry Potter casts lasting spell on young readers (The Christian Science Monitor)

• Teacher candidate whose MySpace page cost her degree sues (CNN)

• Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.

The IEEE, IBM and NY Hall of Science have partnered to launch a website combining information on engineering as a program of study and career choice with interactive activities. Designed for a range of audiences, TryEngineering.org offers valuable information for school counselors, teachers, parents, and students. Visit www.tryengineering.org.

Technology Solutions

• Unclaimed Microsoft lawsuit rebates to benefit Florida schools
  Florida's neediest schools received $93 million in vouchers after few consumers redeemed $5 to $12 rebates from a $202 million Microsoft class-action lawsuit settlement. As part of the settlement, 50 percent of unclaimed funds were to be distributed to poor public schools. Some 1,790 Florida schools will be able to use their portions for hardware and software. The Miami Herald (free registration) (5/6)

• Technology, NCLB lead to decline in cursive handwriting
  Computers have made many children more comfortable wielding BlackBerrys than Bics, and NCLB requirements mean many teachers spend less time on penmanship and more on reading. The result: a nation with increasingly illegible handwriting. Educators are divided on whether the decline in cursive handwriting is a serious problem, and, if it is, what should be done to remedy it. The Boston Globe (free registration) (5/6)

• U.S. Supreme Court ruling could improve educational technology
  More competition may soon develop in education technology as a new U.S. Supreme Court ruling makes it easier for companies to challenge patents that are obvious combinations of existing technologies. The ruling is expected to especially relate to an ongoing dispute between online education service providers Blackboard and rival Desire2Learn. eSchool News (free registration) (5/4)

New All-in-one interactive whiteboard system from SMART Technologies Inc. With the SMART BoardTM 600i interactive whiteboard system, the simple push of a button gives you control of a powerful media environment. The all-in-one design brings together an interactive whiteboard, projector and audio system that helps save you time and focus on what really matters - your students. Learn more or view a demo.

Policy Watch

• Schools continue struggle with racial imbalances
  As schools nationwide await a U.S. Supreme Court ruling expected soon that will tell districts how far they can go to diversify schools, many are still struggling to balance race and fend off critics. In a suburban Dallas district with a high proportion of Latino students in some of its schools, an alumnus on the City Council is rallying residents to vote this week to ban illegal immigrants from renting apartments. In Florida's Pinellas County, district officials last year gave up on trying to racially balance schools and although students mostly stayed put this year, some fear the district will soon resegregate. The Dallas Morning News (free registration) (5/5), St. Petersburg Times (Fla.) (5/5)

• Report: Charters improve more rapidly but still trail in achievement
  California charter schools may be improving at a faster pace than traditional public schools, but they continue to trail regular public schools in academic achievement and ELL programs, according to a new University of Southern California report. The report aimed to gauge "academic momentum" and "school productivity," not just test scores. Los Angeles Times (5/4)

• Other News

• British father sues to prevent climate-change documentary from being sent to schools
  The Guardian (London) (5/4)

• Florida to randomly test some high school athletes for steroids
  San Francisco Chronicle/Associated Press (5/4)

	The Buzz(CORPORATE ANNOUNCEMENTS) Two great Singapore Math collections from Crystal Springs now available at fantastic savings! Singapore Math Master Bundle features the acclaimed 8-Step Model Drawing book and a supporting full-color poster, plus three different sets of place-value manipulatives. Singapore Math Master-Plus Bundle provides valuable one-on-one instruction with top Singapore Math trainer Bob Hogan via CD-ROM, plus everything offered in the master bundle. Order today and save up to 15%! New Books with Buzz: "It's Being Done": Academic Success in Unexpected Schools by Karin Chenoweth and Collateral Damage: How High-Stakes Testing Corrupts America's Schools by Sharon L. Nichols and David C. Berliner are two new releases from Harvard Education Press. Click here for free excerpts, reviews, and more! Do you want students in your school(s) to be well-managed or well-educated? If well-educated students are your goal click here for information on the book Why Didn't I Learn This in College? by Paula Rutherford, based on the tenet that the best management system is a strong instructional program. Interested in learning more about advertising in ASCD SmartBrief? Contact Joe Riddle at (202) 407-7857 or jriddle@smartbrief.com.

In the Field

• Studies: 13% of Australian children obese
  Some 13% of young Australians are extremely overweight, according to a landmark obesity study published in the Medical Journal of Australia. Another Australian study presented at the Pediatric Academic Society in Toronto found children with disengaged or permissive fathers were more likely to be too heavy. The Age (Melbourne, Australia) (5/6), The Sydney Morning Herald (Australia) (5/6)

• Majority of formerly obese would rather lose sight, limb than regain weight: Some 89% of those who've lost a significant amount of weight would rather lose their sight, and 91% would rather lose a limb than regain weight, according to a new book about obesity. NYTimes.com (5/6)

Association News

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SmartQuote

There are two types of people -- those who come into a room and say, 'Well, here I am!' and those who come in and say, 'Ah, there you are.'" --Frederick Collin, lawyer and judge