Education News: March 5, 2010

Teachers Weigh In On Reform
(Education Week, March 3rd) According to a national survey of K-12 educators, U.S. teachers prefer education reform to salary increases. The survey of over 40,000 educators was conducted in order to keep teachers’ involved in the debates surrounding school reform. The results highlighted the pressures of standardized testing, with the majority of teachers preferring to vary the ways that students are assessed.

Protecting Students from Schools
(New York Times,March 3rd) In order to protect students from disciplinary abuse, the House of Representatives have approved legislation that will provide additional restrictions to schools’ disciplinary protocol. The bill prohibits the use of forcible restraint, which includes student isolation as methods of behavioral control. If passed into law, the bill would apply to any school receiving federal funding.

Poor Evaluation for School Counselors
(USA Today,March 3rd) Approximately sixty percent of recent high school graduates who completed at least some college coursework say that their high school counselors were poor to fair at best. The statistics, featured in a report that surveyed more than 600 young adults, also found that poorly counseled students were less likely to obtain financial support or postpone attending college. The report reflects an increasing counselor to student ratio that makes it difficult for counselors to focus their efforts. In 2009 the average counselor to student ration was 1-to-265.

School Bullying in Decline
(Education Weekly, March 4th) A recent study funded by the U.S. Department of Justice found that the number school bully victims have substantially declined in recent years. With anti-bullying programs receiving better funding students are more likely to seek help from adults, the study says. The anti-bullying effort has been most effective among students from low-income communities.

New York Still Eligible for Federal Dollars
(New York Times, March 4) Amidst a race for federal funding, New York is one of sixteen finalists for Race to the Top education grants. With the grant winners announced April 1st, New York is in a position to win upwards of 700 million dollars. But according to the chancellor of the state Board of Regents Meryl Tisch, the race is not over. The state still needs to improve charter school legislation to qualify for the grant, adds Tisch.

New Jersey Students to Develop Own Curriculum
(New York Times, February 28th) A new program will permit New Jersey middle school students to develop individualized curriculum. By taking students’ interests and abilities into account educators hope to better prepare students for college level work. Sixteen New Jersey schools will receive $15,000 in grants to develop the program.