Education News: June 12, 2009

Following are some of the top headlines from the world of education for the week ending June 12, 2009.

All-Time High Number of Students Receive Free or Reduced-Price Lunch
(USA Today, June 10, 2009)  Federal data shows that nearly twenty million students now receive free or reduced-price lunch across the nation.  Through February, nationwide enrollment in free school lunch programs was up to 16.5 million students and reduced-price lunch programs rose to 3.2 million students.  States that saw the highest spike were California, which saw a 17% increase, and Arizona, New Jersey, Utah and Vermont, whose program enrollment all increased by more than 10%.  Many of the new enrollees are from families that have been hit hard by the recession.  Currently, the federal government pays schools $2.57 for each free lunch served (less for reduced-price lunches) and the average food and labor cost for each meal is about $2.92.  The difference is made up by the school systems, though often with state help.  Many districts, however, are struggling to pay for their share of the meals’ increasing costs.

Schwarzenegger Aims to Employ Digital Textbooks to Shrink Budget Gap
(Christian Science Monitor, June 11, 2009) By next fall, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger aims to make free, open-source digital textbooks available for high school math and science classes throughout California.  California currently faces a $24 billion budget gap, and Schwarzenegger claims the change would reduce the more than $350 million the state spends on educational materials annually.  If California does end up using open-source materials, a nationwide debate on print textbooks would likely follow.  The digital materials are already popular on many college campuses.  One tremendous advantage that digital texts have over print textbooks is that they give educators the ability to make immediate adjustments.  One major concern is that many students still don’t have regular access to computers. Another, is that the idea will not provide any immediate savings due to the investment in new technology and necessary teacher training, which could actually lead to an increase in spending.  One option could be to utilize a nonprofit group in Palo Alta, CA called CK-12, which aims to lower the cost of course materials by offering primary and secondary schools free web-based content.  The organization has already partnered with Virginia to provide physics texts. 

Muslim School in Virginia Sparks Debate
(New York Times, June 10, 2009)  The Islamic Saudi Academy in Fairfax County, Virginia recently proposed to erect a new building in order to accommodate the transfer of hundreds of students from a sister campus.  Doing so has ignited debate and exposed the school’s uneasy relationship with its neighbors.  The school, which is located about 20 miles west of Washington, D.C., is the only school financed by the Saudi Arabian government in the United States.  Many nearby residents fear the change would bring more cars, school buses and flooding of land that would be paved over for parking lots.  Others object to the curriculum being taught at the school, claiming that it is a fundamentalist interpretation of Islam known as Wahhabism.  A leaflet that was distributed in the spring referred to the school as “a hate training academy.”  School officials and parents are frustrated, as they say the school is similar to any other religious school.  They maintain that the school’s students go on to top schools, it teaches Arabic to American soldiers, and stopped using texts that had drawn criticism.  The school drew relatively little attention before September 11th, 2001, but after, several graduates have been accused, some convicted, of terrorist acts.

Efficiency Review in Cleveland Will Go From Top to Bottom
(Cleveland Plain Dealer, June 8, 2009)  In an upcoming efficiency study of the Cleveland School District, the school board wants the focus to be on size, pay and business practices of the district administration.  The District will seek grant money for the effort, but will use its own funds if necessary.  Cleveland board Chairman Robert Heard claims that salaries are based on credentials and responsibilities, and expects the study to find that Cleveland is not overloaded with administrators.  In fact, he thinks the study will find they have too few.  The study will be used in conjunction with three pending reports that could lead to school closings and program cuts.  The studies include strategies for reform of the District’s worst-performing schools, use of the District's buildings and possible consolidation of programs.

L.A. Board Passes Resolution to Suggest Expediting the Process of Firing Teachers
(Los Angeles Times, June 9, 2009)  On Tuesday, the L.A. school board passed a resolution to suggest changes to state laws that would expedite the firing of teachers who have been accused of serious crimes.  The resolution passed by a very narrow margin in a vote of 4-3.  The measure was fiercely debated, as union leaders and some board members demanded greater teacher input.  A task force on teacher quality and discipline will be convened to study the issue and make suggestions to state lawmakers.  The task force will be headed by former Occidental President Ted Mitchell, and also include union representatives, parents and administrators.  The issue is a very controversial one, and the board’s resolution only has to do with teachers who commit “unacceptable acts,” and then appeal the decision to the state board.

Students Benefit from N.J. Charter’s Extended School Year
(USA Today, June 9, 2009) Results from students at Robert Treat Academy in Newark, New Jersey are showing just how valuable increasing a school year can be.  The public charter school operates 205 to 210 days a year, compared with the state-required 180 says.  Some grade levels even devote time on Saturdays to prepare for state tests.  The Academy received the highest test scores among New Jersey urban public schools in 2008 on a test called the New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge.  It is also the one of only eight schools in the country to be labeled "high-poverty, high-achieving" by the U.S. Department of Education.  Success of schools such as the Robert Treat Academy have caused roughly 1,000 schools, comprised of 80% charter schools and 20% traditional public schools, to expand their schedules by more than one to two hours a day, which is equivalent to about 300 hours a year.  A report from Miami-Dade County in Florida on a three-year program in thirty-nine underperforming public schools that included an extended school day and a longer school year, however, provides evidence to the contrary.  According to the report, administrators and teachers experienced fatigue and burnout, and many students did not attend class in the beginning of the summer. 

Pressure on Parents Leads to Sharp Decline in Truancy in San Francisco
(San Francisco Chronicle, June 9, 2009)  San Francisco has witnessed a 23% drop over the past year in the number of elementary schoolchildren skipping classes.  This is attributed to citywide efforts to curb truancy, including parental prosecution.  This is in line with a three-year trend, as truancy rates have been cut in half since the 2005-06 school year.  While the greatest benefit of the decrease goes to the students who are attending class more regularly, the district has made an additional $372,862 this year due to increased attendance.  By the end of April, 1,330 elementary students were habitual or chronic truants this year, down from 1,730 last year, 2,517 two years ago and 2,856 three years back.  A habitually truant student had between ten and nineteen unexcused absences and a chronic truant had twenty or more such absences.  About 24,500 elementary students attend San Francisco schools.    The focus has been on elementary grades, where the family plays a greater role in student attendance.  The efforts include better identification of habitual and chronic truants, meetings with families, and, in certain cases, taking parents to court.  While the punitive approach may not always be popular, city officials see it as a necessary evil if they want to see real improvements.  Middle school truancy dropped about 4% this year, while high school truancy increased by 2%.