Education News: January 8, 2009

Following are some of the top headlines from the world of education for the week ending January 8, 2010.

President Obama Unveils “STEM” Campaign
(USA Today, January 6th) On Wednesday President Barrack Obama unveiled a new project to improve education in “STEM” related fields- science, technology, engineering and math. Funded through private investors, the $250 million initiative is meant to attract and train teachers.

Private School Enrollment Decreases
(USA Today, January 6th) A recent estimate by the U.S. Department of Education suggests a decrease in private school enrollment. The decrease, attributed to a struggling economy, has also resulted in a half million student increase in public schools. However in spite of economic troubles, the increases may provide a boost for school systems. New York University education professor Pedro Noguera states that parents of the newly enrolled students are more likely to push for school improvements.

Southern Schools’ Demographics Spark Change
(New York Times, January 7th) A report by the Southern Education Foundation has found that more than half of public school students in the southern part of the United States are impoverished and more than half are minorities. The numbers are being attributed to a combination of immigration and high minority birth rates. State officials have been quick to respond to the statistics, proposing new reforms to improve southern schools.

New York Changes Education Laws
(New York Times, January 8th) In an effort to secure federal grants, New York Governor David A. Paterson proposed several modifications to state education laws. The changes would include the removal of certain charter school restrictions and the repeal of a bill that prohibited the use of student test scores in tenure decisions. Paterson stated that such change will improve the state’s competitiveness for the Race to the Top grants.

Non-Profit Changes Chicago Schools
(Education Week, January 6th) In 2006 non-profit organization Strategic Learning Initiatives agreed to help 10 struggling Chicago schools “turn around.” A few years later, five of the ten schools’ test scores have improved at an alarming rate. However, the organization success story does not align with current education reform. Rather than a complete school overhaul, the organization invested in the schools preexisting structure and teachers.

New York City’s Large Class Sizes Spark Conflict
(New York Times, January 6th) Caught in a legal battle, New York City’s Department of Education takes heat for allowing class sizes to grow. In 2006 the state’s Department of Education had received millions in funding to reduce class size- a project that teachers’ unions say fell short. Education officials disagree with the charges, attributing class size growth to state budget cuts.

California Legislation to Increase Number of Charters
(Los Angeles Times, January 8th) On Thursday, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed legislation that will convert failing public schools into independently operated charters. The legislation is intended to improve California’s qualifications for federal grants. The bill is being said to be very beneficial to low-income minority students and will give parents legal right to provoke additional reform at underachieving schools.