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July 30, 2008 Sign up Forward Archive Advertise News for the Education Profession   Eye on Curriculum    Virginia considers minimum graduation rates for accreditation Virginia schools may soon be required to attain a certain graduation rate or risk their accreditation under a plan being reviewed by Gov. Timothy M. Kaine and to be considered by the state board of education. Under the proposal, schools would earn 100 points for students who graduate on time and fewer for those who earn a GED. A school's graduating class would need to earn at least 80 points to merit full accreditation; those that earn less would receive provisional accreditation and would be required to meet certain benchmarks for improvement every year. Education Week (premium article access compliments of EdWeek.org)/Associated Press (7/28) Zebra fish help get inner-city students hooked on science Biologist Steven A. Farber and his teacher partner use the easily maintained zebra fish, which have transparent embryos, to get inner-city children excited about studying the science behind anatomy and genetics. "The kids could see organs forming," Farber said of the first time he showed off his specimens to students. "I took the children to my high-powered microscope and showed them a fish's heart pumping out red blood cells. Afterward, the children said it was the best part of their day." The New York Times (7/29) Other News Film documents urban youth choir's journey Los Angeles Times (7/27) Reading improves when parents are involved. America's premier reading software now gives parents instant updates on how their children are progressing toward reading goals. Accelerated Reader's new Home Connect feature promotes parental involvement in children's reading activities via the Internet. Learn more.   Professional Leadership    Va. schools experiment with transforming teaching into year-round job Extending teacher contracts through the summertime as part of a pilot program in three Virginia counties is giving some teachers a chance to take on more responsibility for coaching others, developing curriculum, analyzing test data and other projects. The Washington Post (7/28) Tensions swirl around Miami superintendent Miami-Dade superintendent Rudy Crew was warmly welcomed into the district four years ago, but he has drawn some major criticism over his handling of a financial crisis and community relations in the diverse district. Firing Crew -- who earns $310,000 annually -- would cost the system $700,000, but three school board members want him gone, while three solidly support his staying on board and three others are on the fence. The Miami Herald (7/29) American Public University, a member of the regionally accredited American Public University System, offers over 100 undergraduate and graduate degree and certificate programs, many tailored to the needs of educators and counselors. All courses are online, affordable, and conveniently scheduled for the working professional. www.apu.apus.edu/education   Technology Solutions  Baltimore schools to offer building-wide WiFi This fall, Baltimore County is slated to become the first in the region to launch building-wide wireless Internet access in every school. As schools become more reliant on laptops, the wireless-school model may slowly replace the wireless carts used by many schools, education technology experts say. The Sun (Baltimore) (7/28)   SmartBlogs  Bloggers speculate about potential VP influences on education issues With speculation mounting about who presumptive presidential candidates Sen. John McCain and Sen. Barack Obama might chose as running mates, bloggers are musing about how their possible VP picks might shape the contenders' education slates. The Quick and the Ed (7/28) , BoardBuzz blog (7/29) Teacher's summer reading selections draw curious glances Blogspot/It's Not All Flowers and Sausages (7/24)   Read more from the top education blogs here   Policy Watch  One option left for failing Texas schools? Texas schools facing restructuring due to five straight years of poor tests scores legally have two options: closure or takeover by outside management. But because not a single company or nonprofit submitted bids to manage these campuses, failing schools have no option other than closure, according to Texas education commissioner Robert Scott. The Dallas Morning News (7/28) Chicago reformers ask students to skip the first day of class Local leaders are urging Chicago families in poverty-stricken neighborhoods to skip the first day of school on Sept. 2, using that time to instead try and enroll their children in schools in affluent suburban districts as a way to draw attention to funding discrepancies at Illinois schools. "Today we are back to two-tiered schools -- white and affluent on one side, and black, brown and poor on the other," said State Sen. James Meeks, who also is a local minister. "That's an injustice and it's immoral." Education Week (premium article access compliments of EdWeek.org)/Associated Press (7/28) More Swedish families turn to independent schools Schools paid for by the government but run by private enterprises are attracting a larger portion of Swedish students, especially high schoolers. "I think most people, parents and children, appreciate the choice," said Bertil Ostberg of the Swedish Education Ministry. The Boston Globe/Associated Press (7/27) Other News Texas state officials probably will appeal ELL ruling The Dallas Morning News (7/29)   In the Field  FTC: $1.6 billion spent marketing food to children, teens A new Federal Trade Commission report found 44 major marketers spent $1.6 billion in 2006 on media directed at 2- to 17-year-olds. The FTC report included several specific recommendations, including the suggestion that popular children's characters be licensed only to promote "healthy" products as well as encouraging schools to set nutritional guidelines governing what sorts of products are sold on school grounds. The New York Times (7/30) , Google/Associated Press (7/29) , Advertising Age (7/29) U.S. infant mortality rate rises for first time in decade The almost decade-long decline in U.S. infant mortality has hit a snag, with CDC data showing the rate increased from 6.78 per 1,000 children in 2004 to 6.86 in 2005. Black babies were 2.4 times as likely to die as white babies before their first birthday. Researchers say low birth weight, shorter gestations and premature births account for the increase in mortality. The Wall Street Journal (free content) (7/30) , United Press International (7/29)   Association News  Most-Clicked: Double-Digit Gains After Year of Reforms Newton Street School, a K-8 school in Newark, N.J., caught the attention of SmartBrief readers last week for posting double-digit gains on 4th grade state assessments. An ASCD blog post highlights the school's road to improvement, which includes reforms such as adding an hour to the school day, reducing paperwork and bureaucracy, and training and coaching from Seton Hall education professors. The post also seeks feedback from readers about what we can learn from Newton Street School when considering NCLB reauthorization. View the post ASCD Seeks Outstanding Young Educators Do you know any young education leaders who exemplify excellence in teaching and learning, have a positive impact on student achievement, and ensure each child is healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged? If so, nominate an educator today for ASCD's Outstanding Young Educator Award (OYEA) Program. OYEA winners will receive $10,000 and an all-expenses-paid trip to the 2009 ASCD Annual Conference in Orlando, Fla. In addition, OYEA winners and honorees are invited to share best practices and participate in leadership-building activities throughout the year. Nominations close in just three days (Friday, Aug. 1, 2008). 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