Education News: May 29, 2009

Following are some of the top headlines from the world of education for the week ending May 29, 2009.

Obama Presses States to End Need for Remediation
(New York Times, May 27, 2009)  One large reason that students fail to finish college is that they arrive unprepared and require remediation.  In an effort to solve this problem, President Barack Obama is pressing states to ensure that public school and higher education officials work together.  The goal is to align expectations for what it takes to graduate high school with what it takes to succeed in college.  To make sure that states get on board, the stimulus law signed in February includes a requirement for them to work to improve courses and tests so that high school graduates can succeed in college without remediation.  One estimate is that currently more than 60% of students in two-year colleges and 20-30% of students in four-year colleges require remedial courses.

D.C. Schools Chancellor Accused of Inflating School Population Numbers
(Washington Post, May 25, 2009)  Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee and the D.C. Council have are butting heads over the enrollment figures for the coming school year.  While Rhee estimates an increase of 373 students to a total of 45,054, the board projects enrollment at 41,541 based on a downward trend seen over the past three years.  While both sides agree on growth of enrollment in charter schools, the council thinks that the growth will come at the expense of traditional public school enrollment.  Rhee claims her estimates are based on demographic analysis, which takes into account changes in the District's population and in the size and configuration of the school system.  The dispute arose after the council voted May 12 to hold back $27 million of the system's $760 million budget for 2010, claiming that Rhee had inflated the enrollment forecast to receive more money.  The council plans to release the funds in October, if the annual enrollment census conducted that month verifies Rhee's projection.  Rhee claims that the money won’t mean much at that point in terms of recruiting and hiring staff.  Until now, Rhee has enjoyed a virtual blank check, so the fact that her estimate is being called into question at all may be a sign of Rhee’s declining ability to get what she wants from the council.  She has already begun a public and private campaign to roll back the council’s decision.

Recession Damages Loan Forgiveness Programs
(New York Times, May 26, 2009)  All across the country, loan forgiveness programs are on the chopping block.  The programs are typically founded by states to help students pay for college, but the this year the federal government is giving less money to the state agencies and nonprofit organizations who generally sponsor these programs.  One of the main causes behind the troubles is the federal government’s reduction of subsidies to lenders, part of Congress’ broader effort to deal with the high cost of the federal student loan program.  Without strong loan forgiveness programs, many suspect it will be much harder to lure graduates to high-value, low-paying jobs such as education.  This could lead to teacher shortages in the future.  While most of the loan forgiveness companies are scaling back their offers to prospective teachers, some are also cutting back on payments to those who have already completed their education and are currently paying back loans. 

NYC Principals are Young and Powerful But Possibly Ineffective
(New York Times, May 25, 2009)  One of the largest transformations in New York City’s public schools since Mayor Michael Bloomberg took charge in 2002 has been the role of the principals.  Principals tend to be younger, are higher paid, have less classroom experience and are responsible for fewer students as compared to their predecessors.  While principals used to be middle-aged teachers promoted through the ranks, now they are often young graduates from top colleges.  Schools Chancellor Joel Klein’s goal has been to lure top candidates to the toughest schools by offering extra autonomy in exchange for accountability.  A recent analysis of the city’s signature report-card system by the New York Times, however, shows that schools run by graduates of the New York City Leadership Academy have not done as well as those led by experienced principals or those who came through traditional routes.  Schools across the country are keeping an eye on the new breed of school leadership in NYC, as cities are faced with waves of principal retirements.  Despite the focus on school leadership, city surveys last spring showed that nearly a quarter of all teachers did not trust their principals or consider them effective managers, and that quality of school leadership was one of the main reasons for over a third of teachers leaving the system.  The first independent analysis of the NYC Leadership Academy is being done at New York University and is due in June. 

Oberlin School Board Opts Not to Say Pledge
(Cleveland Plain Dealer, May 28, 2009) Oberlin public schools haven’t said the pledge for thirty years, and a recent decision by the school board decided that they weren’t going to start.  After a parent’s recent suggestion that the pledge return to the schools, the board agreed to alter its policy only if both supporters and opponents of the change could be satisfied.  Superintendent Geoffrey Andrews created a compromise where recitation of the pledge would be optional or done only several times a month.  He also suggested removing the words “under God,” as it was added by congress sixty years after the pledge’s composition.  Neither side was happy.  Three of the five board members voted to throw out the proposal. 

Home-Schooling Increases in Popularity and Shift in Demographics
(USA Today, May 28, 2009)  A new federal report claims that over the past decade home-schoolers are increasingly white, wealthy and well educated.  Additionally, the number of home-schooled children has nearly doubled over that span.  As of the spring of 2007, about 2.9% (1.5 million) of all school-age children in the USA were home-schooled, up from 1.7% in 1999.  The two main reasons given by parents for home-schooling were to provide "religious or moral instruction" (36%) and concerns about school environment (21%).  Perhaps most significant is the increase in girls who are being home-schooled.  This could be due to “mean girl behavior” prevalent in schools.

L.A. Unified Cuts Bulk of Summer Programs
(Los Angeles Times, May 29, 2009)  As part of a wave of statewide cutbacks, Los Angeles Unified School District announced Thursday a plan to cancel the majority of its summer school programs.  Community colleges have also announced plans to cut summer programs.  The cuts, which will press parents to figure out childcare, are the most tangible effects of the state’s multibillion dollar budget crisis to date.  The state Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell pointed out that the district warned the cuts would be felt, and now students in need of courses to graduate will not be able to take them.  Officials from the district said that all summer school classes and most non-academic offerings such as playground and pool programs are being canceled at elementary and middle schools.  About 225,000 students enroll in summer courses every year.   Only credit-recovery courses in core requirements will be offered at high schools.  While the move will save the district $34 million, an additional $63 million will need to be cut before July.  The cuts come in response to voters overwhelmingly rejecting a package of state ballot measures to bridge a $21.3 billion state deficit.