District Administration back issues from August 2007:
The power of parody: humor has a role in political, cultural and educational commentary.(Editor's Letter)
Aug 01, 2007; ... A BUMPER STICKER THAT RECENTLY CAUGHT MY EYE READ, "MY Norwegian Elkhound Is Smarter Than Your Honor Student!" While the intent was to promote a dog breed, the statement also satirized the "My child is better than your child" bumper stickers that are often overused. I loved it! In fact, ...
Reflecting on "let 'em cheat".(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
Aug 01, 2007; ... I enjoyed your article regarding the use of iPods for test taking ("Understanding the Times," June 2007). I'm happy to see that someone really gets it! You hit the issue head-on when you made the point, "The typical school testing environment is artificial and contrived, with no real-world ...
The benefits of walking.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
Aug 01, 2007; ... I read with great interest the News Update item on the renewed efforts schools are making to address the issue of childhood obesity ("Grant Awarded to Curb Obesity," March 2007). As a transportation consultant, I strongly support efforts to encourage walking-advocacy programs, based on ...
Seeking homework resources.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
Aug 01, 2007; ... Have you ever conducted a survey or analysis of Web sites or resources that provide homework assistance? I think that a link or information regarding homework assistance (even if there is a fee) would be of great benefit to students and parents alike. As a technologist and ...
Low pay leads to outsourcing.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
Aug 01, 2007; ... In David Thornburg's letter to the editor (Letters, July 2007) on the ISTE standards, he states that U.S. companies cannot find enough engineers. That is corporate America at its worst, and for DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION to buy into that line is really a disservice to your readers. Why don't ...
State standards are low and vary considerably, new report says.(BRIEFINGS: News Update)
Aug 01, 2007; ... THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION Statistics (NCES), the primary federal entity for collecting, analyzing and reporting education data in the United States and abroad, recently released the findings of a report, "Mapping 2005 State Proficiency Standards onto the NAEP Scales," that speak to ...
96% of principals.(STAT BLAST)
Aug 01, 2007; ... 96% of principals agree that participation in music education ...
PTA loses members to PTOs.(BRIEFINGS: News Update)(Brief article)
Aug 01, 2007; ... THE PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATION has shrunk significantly since its heyday of 12 million members in the 1950s, to a membership of less than six million today. An increasing number of schools nationwide are opting to have Parent Teacher Organizations, or PTOs, instead. Although ...
Longer days in Massachusetts.(BRIEFINGS: News Update)(Massachusetts schools experiment with eight hour school day)(Brief article)
Aug 01, 2007; ... TEN MASSACHUSETTS SCHOOLS ARE EXPERIMENTING with an eight-hour day as part of a $7.5 million +state initiative. Originally enacted as an effort both to raise student test scores on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System and incorporate extracurricular activities into the day, ...
Teacher turnover costs the nation over $7.3 billion.(FAST FACT)
Aug 01, 2007; ... Teacher turnover costs the nation over $7.3 billion annually, draining resources, diminishing teacher quality and ...
California is leader in teacher foreign language certification.(BRIEFINGS: News Update)(Brief article)
Aug 01, 2007; ... NATIONAL EVALUATION SYSTEMS, a business of Pearson Education, recently developed a new state exam for prospective teachers of the Filipino language as part of the California Subject Examinations for Teachers licensure testing program. The Filipino language exam will be followed by six ...
AASA releases DVD on importance of public schools.(BRIEFINGS: News Update)
Aug 01, 2007; ... THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF School Administrators recently released "The Public School Speaks," a new DVD that highlights the importance of public education and makes a case for increased financial and public sup port for our nation's public school system. The DVD serves as a component of ...
Secretary Spellings announces $237 million in grants for effective teaching.(BRIEFINGS: News Update)(Brief article)
Aug 01, 2007; ... SECRETARY OF EDUCATION MARGARET SPELLINGS RECENTLY ANNOUNCED $38.2 MILLION IN awards for 18 grants to provide financial incentives for teachers and administrators who improve student achievement and work to close the achievement gap in high- poverty schools. Through the Teacher Incentive ...
LAUSD partners with Hollywood to enhance performing arts programs.(BRIEFINGS: News Update)(Los Angeles Unified School District receives donation from International Creative Management)(Brief article)
Aug 01, 2007; ... INTERNATIONAL CREATIVE MANAGEMENT, one of the world's largest talent and literary agencies, is partnering with the Los Angeles Unified School District to renovate and upgrade eight high school auditoriums in an effort to enhance their performing arts programs. The charitable ...
70% of high school students.(STAT BLAST)
Aug 01, 2007; ... 70% of high school students don't complete courses ...
New York schools feed multitudes.(BRIEFINGS: News Update)(The New York city school system 's feeding program)
Aug 01, 2007; ... THE NEW YORK CITY SCHOOL system has effectively become one of the nation's largest summer soup kitchens, handing out breakfast and lunch in housing projects, libraries, day camps and church groups. Education Department officials say they expect to significantly exceed last ...
With VoIP technology, districts make the most of their phones.(BRIEFINGS: Technology Update)(Voice Over Internet Protocol)
Aug 01, 2007; ... MOST SCHOOL DISTRICTS CONVERT to a Voice Over Internet Protocol system--or VoIP--to save costs by routing calls through a data network rather than a phone company's network. But some districts that have already made the conversion don't plan to stop there. Instead, they are looking to add ...
Did you know?(BRIEFINGS: Technology Update)
Aug 01, 2007; ... 3LCD TECHNOLOGY, NAMED FOR ITS ADVANCED 3-CHIP LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY design, outsold all other projection technologies in the front projector market in 2006 and the first quarter of 2007, according to Decision Tree Consulting. Total shipments worldwide for projectors using ...
Governor Schwarzenegger: the rejuvenator.(BRIEFINGS: Curriculum Update)(new EnCorps Teachers Program)(Brief article)
Aug 01, 2007; ... GOVERNOR SCHWARZENEGGER HOPES THE NEW ENCORPS Teachers Program will help fill 33,000 math, science and career tech teacher vacancies in California schools by recruiting retired professionals from the private sector. The program will create a path for retirees from hi-tech, biotech, finance ...
Classroom safe space.(BRIEFINGS: Curriculum Update)(Website overview)(Brief article)
Aug 01, 2007; ... DISTRICTS LOOKING FOR WAYS to take advantage of new literacies, which include how to read and decipher information on the Internet, and at the same time provide safe environments for students using them, may want to check out imbee.com, a free social network, collaboration and publishing ...
Grants improve history teaching.(BRIEFINGS: Curriculum Update)(American history grants)(Brief article)
Aug 01, 2007; ... ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATIONAL Progress (NAEP), less than one quarter of America's fourth-, eighth-, and 12th-graders are proficient in American history. In June, Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings announced 122 American history grants for 2007, totaling $116 ...
Parental stereotyping.(BRIEFINGS: Curriculum Update)(Brief article)
Aug 01, 2007; ... RESEARCH BY PAMELA DAVIS-KEAN, UNIVERSITY of Michigan psychologist, and her colleagues has found that the reason females are underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and math--even though they test as well as their male counterparts in grades 1-6 in math ability--may stem from ...
"Bong Hits 4 Jesus" ruling underscores acute legal concerns.(BRIEFINGS: Inside the Law)
Aug 01, 2007; ... THE SUPREME COURT RECENTLY RULED AGAINST a former high school student in the "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" banner case, which might seem to be a move towards limiting students' free speech rights, although law experts say the legal boundaries are much more complicated than that when it comes to ...
U.S. 15-year-olds rank 24th out of 29 nations.(FAST FACT)
Aug 01, 2007; ... U.S. 15-year-olds rank 24th out of 29 nations in literacy and problem ...
Supreme Court issues ruling on school racial integration.(BRIEFINGS: Inside the Law)(Brief article)
Aug 01, 2007; ... AS REPORTED IN THE FEBRUARY ISSUE OF DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, "Supreme Court Reviews Race in Assigning Schools," the court has been considering on two school diversity cases, Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1 and Meredith ...
Reading and math scores are up, but does NCLB deserve credit?(BRIEFINGS: Inside the Law)(No Child Left Behind law)(Center on Education Policy)(Brief article)
Aug 01, 2007; ... A NEW REPORT FROM THE CENTER on Education Policy (CEP), "Answering the Question That Matters Most: Has Student Achievement Increased Since No Child Left Behind?" has found that student scores on state reading and math tests have improved since the federal No Child Left Behind law was ...
State Teachers of the Year to reform NCLB.(BRIEFINGS: Inside the Law)(No Child Left Behind Law)(Brief article)
Aug 01, 2007; ... WITH THE REAUTHORIZATION of the federal No Child Left Behind law looming ahead, the fifty teachers who were voted to be their respective state's teacher of the year for 2007 have united to establish a set of 10 recommendations for improving the controversial education initiative. ...
Graduation Promise Act to quell dropout crisis.(BRIEFINGS: Inside the Law)(Brief article)
Aug 01, 2007; ... REPRESENTATIVE RUBEN HINOJOSA (D-Texas) recently introduced the Graduation Promise Act (GPA), which would set aside $2.5 billion each year to transform the nation's lowest-performing high schools into effective centers of teaching and learning. The legislation's largest ...
Ability grouping and acceleration in gifted education.(Research Corner: ESSENTIALS ON EDUCATION DATA and RESEARCH ANALYSIS)
Aug 01, 2007; ... WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING statements about gifted education are true? (1) The term gifted means various things to various people. (2) K12 teachers generally express negative attitudes toward gifted students. (3) Among the high school dropouts in your district, some are likely to be gifted ....
Harvard Education Press: City Schools: How Districts and Communities Can Create Smart Education Systems.(Computer Literature: RESOURCES FOR DISTRICT LEADERS)(Brief article)
Aug 01, 2007; ... www.harvardeducationpress.org +$29.95 This book describes ways that urban districts around the country are becoming smarter. Drawing from dozens of examples, the authors show how districts can build relationships with cultural institutions, businesses, government agencies and ...
R&L Education: Human Resource Management: A Problem-Solving Approach Linked to ISLLC Standards.(Computer Literature: RESOURCES FOR DISTRICT LEADERS)(Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium)(Brief article)
Aug 01, 2007; ... www.rowmaneducation.com $29.95 Readers receive a nontraditional view of teaching and learn the basics of human resource management through 125 in-basket exercises and guided questions on the Interstate School Leaders Licensure ...
Harvard Education Press: It's Being Done: Academic Success in Unexpected Schools.(Computer Literature: RESOURCES FOR DISTRICT LEADERS)(Brief article)
Aug 01, 2007; ... www.harvardeducationpress.org $26.95 The author is a long-time education writer whose research carefully documents important examples of academic achievement among children in a variety of challenging circumstances. She identifies the many characteristics of successful schools, ...
National Educational Technology Standards for Students: Resources for Student Assessment.(Computer Literature: RESOURCES FOR DISTRICT LEADERS)(Brief article)
Aug 01, 2007 ... www.cnets.iste.org/students $38.95 Targeting K12 teachers, administrators and technology coordinators, this book explains how to integrate technology standards in the curriculum. It provides detailed guidelines for creating and choosing reliable tests of technology literacy for ...
Linworth Books: Integrating Multicultural Literature in Libraries and Classrooms in Secondary Schools.(Computer Literature: RESOURCES FOR DISTRICT LEADERS)(Brief article)
Aug 01, 2007; ... www.linworth.com $24.95 Aligned with national standards, these research-based instructional activities and strategies help teachers integrate multicultural literature in their lessons. Each chapter offers resources, services, information sources, sample lesson plans and ...
R&L Education: Learning to Lead: Ten Stories for Principals.(Computer Literature: RESOURCES FOR DISTRICT LEADERS)(Brief article)
Aug 01, 2007; ... www.rowmaneducation.com $29.95 The authors creatively use lessons from children's literature to help define what it means to be an effective and committed school leader. They present ten ideas essential to effective school leadership, which are illustrated in the ...
Harvard University Press: The Sandbox Investment: The Preschool Movement and Kids-First Politics.(Computer Literature: RESOURCES FOR DISTRICT LEADERS)(Brief article)(Book review)
Aug 01, 2007; ... www.hup.harvard.edu $26.95 This behind-the-scenes account of shrewd political campaigning introduces readers to key local and national figures in school systems, foundations, universities and legislatures who are trying to develop and run preschools. It also provides a clear and ...
Taming the data beast.(District Profile: MCKINNEY (TEXAS) INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT)(Regional, state, or local organization overview)
Aug 01, 2007; ... THE NO CHILD LEFT Behind act has forced school districts to collect a mind-boggling amount and variety of data, which is overwhelming administrators already compiling other internal statistics for management purposes. The McKinney (Texas) Independent Schools, located 30 miles north of ...
Private sector technology experience applied to a school district.(Administrator Profile: SUPERINTENDENT RAYMOND J. FASHANO)
Aug 01, 2007; ... AFTER TEACHING HIGH school biology for 13 years and being a principal in districts in and around Rochester, N.Y., a life change in 1993 moved Raymond J. Fashano from the comfort of a school to the thrill of the sales team of Dynacam, a company that helped clients implement technology into ...
Bus money: some district administrators allow advertising on buses to raise funds, but the practice draws strong criticism.(ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE)(Cover story)
Aug 01, 2007; ... A YEAR AGO WHEN THE CHERRY Creek School District in Colorado was considering ways to fund a GPS tracking system so dispatchers would know the location of buses, officials asked, Why not use the buses themselves to generate the needed cash? So the district, which serves five ...
DIBELS draws doers & doubters: Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills monitor K6 reading progress but raise questions.(STANDARDS AND ASSESSMENT)
Aug 01, 2007; ... WHEN KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS in Cincinnati-area schools were tested on their basic reading skills last fall, examiners found that 13.5 percent of the children needed intensive instructional support in phoneme segmentation fluency--dividing the different sounds, or phonemes, of a word. When ...
Report from EduComm 2007: educators offered the latest in AV, IT and Web 2.0 technologies.(PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT)
Aug 01, 2007; ... THE EDUCOMM 2007 CONFERENCE, held June 19-21 in Anaheim, Calif., provided outstanding opportunities for educators from school districts and higher education institutions across the world to come together to share best practices and learn more about what the digital future holds for ...
Ins and outs of outsourcing: here's what you need to know as you take the plunge.
Aug 01, 2007; ... PRIVATIZING. CONTRACTING OUT. Out-tasking. Outsourcing. No matter what it's called, one thing is certain: Attempts to cut costs or improve efficiencies by hiring private companies to manage and perform your district's support services, from custodial and food service to transportation and ...
Momma's Earth science kits.(Curriculum CLEARANCE)
Aug 01, 2007; ... These handy elementary teaching kits contain class quantities of rock, sand, soil and water for hands-on manipulative activities. Shipping charges not included. Vincent ...
Handouts in a Sack[TM].(Curriculum CLEARANCE)
Aug 01, 2007; ... Get random selections of school-reform papers written by nontenured teacher education professors in every state. Material sold conveniently by the pound, so order as big a load as you need. Distribute by hand or ...
Bare-naked basics.(Curriculum CLEARANCE)
Aug 01, 2007; ... Own the definitive work on the semisubversive proposal to remove all references to "society" from schools. Dealing with reality limits learners to the realm of the possible, and also takes too much time. Let students finish school and ...
Saccharine readers.(Curriculum CLEARANCE)
Aug 01, 2007; ... Children will love the cute and cuddly pretend-animals that skip, hop and cavort through each realistic tale. Pre-readers will beg for more adventures of their "num-num pals" Honey-Bun, Yummy-Pie and ...
Innovative fundraising.(Curriculum CLEARANCE)
Aug 01, 2007; ... Raise money for your district by selling greeting cards written in performance terms. Expected behaviors dearly identified for "happy birthday," "get well" and "sympathy." If you care enough to send a thought, it ...
Backtrackle!(Curriculum CLEARANCE)
Aug 01, 2007; ... Giant activity book shows how to turn real-world products into simple materials. Students will make birdfeeders inro bleach bottles, and flower vases into coffee cans and baby-food jars. Imagine the excitement when students bring home usable ice-cream ...
Crate of the Month Club.(Curriculum CLEARANCE)
Aug 01, 2007; ... Twelve times a year you will receive an advance-notice postcard on an item of school equipment. If you do not want the item, simply return the card with the notarized signatures of all senior administrators within 24 hours. Or do nothing, and the selection will be trucked and billed to ...
Aural punctuation.(Curriculum CLEARANCE)
Aug 01, 2007; ... Teach young people to correct unbearable pauses in speech by using "spoken commas." Replace embar it: "I walked into class--y'know?-sat down--right? --opened my book ...
Factual compendium.(Curriculum CLEARANCE)
Aug 01, 2007; ... By Gosh, N. and Golly, G. This is the exhaustive guide to littleknown facts in every curriculum area, including language arts (e.g., the derivation of "quick as a wink": the spotted wink is an Australian rodent that runs extraordinarily fast) and social studies (e.g., Storrs, Connecticut, ...
Aztec Charter Magnet Schools.(Curriculum CLEARANCE)
Aug 01, 2007; ... This educational movement sadly never got off the ground. As a result, back issues of the ACMS Update can be purchased at rock-bottom prices. Order the complete set and get the complimentary monograph Implications of Jungle Ruins ...
Greater issues of our times.(Curriculum CLEARANCE)
Aug 01, 2007; ... Discover the utility of newspapers in education through predated materials that come whole or in ripped-to-order strips. Applications include cleaning paint brushes, training puppies and making boat hats for ...
Charting new courses.(Curriculum CLEARANCE)
Aug 01, 2007; ... Send us your grade-level curriculum outline and we will prepare intricate scope and sequence charts guaranteed to bewilder. No school evaluation team would ever dare to question the complex boxes, lines, arrows and tables that define ...
Biodegradable art.(Curriculum CLEARANCE)
Aug 01, 2007; ... No longer burden families with art projects that last a lifetime. Instead, use creativity materials that start to disintegrate even before they leave the school. Composting ideas from soap to nuts are included in ...
Runaway inflation conversion tables.(Curriculum CLEARANCE)
Aug 01, 2007; ... Update your proverbial math curriculum. Did you know, for instance, that thoughts are now valued at two pennies, a bird in the hand is worth four in the bush, and a stitch in time saves less than five? Have a twoderful time ...
My-problem space.(Curriculum CLEARANCE)
Aug 01, 2007; ... Identify your most difficult students and three worst habits for each, and we will design Web pages that make antisocial behaviors known to all. The inhibiting guilt of online notoriety will minimize discipline ...
Critic confidential.(Curriculum CLEARANCE)
Aug 01, 2007; ... Here are never-before-told scandalous secrets on education critics who bring misery to our professional lives. Identify the troublesome people knocking on your district doors, and we'll supply innuendos that stop the ...
Industrial comics.(Curriculum CLEARANCE)
Aug 01, 2007; ... Publisher of the beloved instructional classics Story of Coal-tar and Strip-Mining for You announces its new illustrated titles: Choosing Brick and The Wonder of Meat-Packing. ...
Glenbard Township (Ill.) High School District 87: www.glenbard.net.(How Well Does This Web Site: LEARN WHAT OUR WEB ANALYST SAYS IS RIGHT AND WRONG WITH THIS DISTRICT SITE)(Website overview)
Aug 01, 2007; ... GLENBARD TOWNSHIP HIGH School District 87--with its four high schools--is the third-largest high school district in Illinois, encompassing 45 square miles within DuPage County, a suburban area 30 miles west of Chicago. DESIGN The home page could introduce the ...
Pearson Inform 4.1: Pearson School Systems.(New Products: THE LATEST OFFERINGS IN HARDWARE, SOFTWARE and THE INTERNET)(Brief article)
Aug 01, 2007 ... www.pearsonschoolsystems.com/products/inform Software, Starting at $3.75 per student/ASP version, and $5.65 per student/ local deployment The latest version of this K12 achievement data and analysis decision support tool includes additional reports and expanded ...
PowerLite 83c: Epson.(AS SEEN AT INFOCOMM)(Brief article)
Aug 01, 2007 ... www.epson.com Hardware, $899.99 The lightweight 83c uses 3LCD technology and 2,200 lumens with X6A resolution to deliver vibrant images to classroom presentations. It has a built-in 7W speaker and closed caption decoder to comply with ADA ...
In2Books: Epals.(New Products: THE LATEST OFFERINGS IN HARDWARE, SOFTWARE and THE INTERNET)(Brief article)
Aug 01, 2007 ... www.ln2Books.com Online program, $3,000/introductory, plus 5 cycles This online literacy program was designed to enhance academic achievement by pairing students with an adult pen pal and introducing them to selected books that lead to authentic reading, writing and ...
CPX2, CPX5: Hitachi.(AS SEEN AT INFOCOMM)(Brief article)
Aug 01, 2007 ... www.sharplcd.com Hardware, $1,995/CPX2, and $2,595/6PX5 The CPX2 and CPX5 3LCD projectors add networking functionality and wireless connectivity--upgrades to their CPX1 predecessor. Both have XGA resolution, wide-angle lenses, built-in 1W speaker, and low fan noise. ...
System Integrator SI 3: Extron Electronics.(AS SEEN AT INFOCOMM)(Brief article)
Aug 01, 2007 ... www.extron.com Speakers, $280 These speakers were designed with a compact footprint, making them perfect as a classroom choice. They feature wide frequency response of 75 Hz to 18 kHz, 16 watts contours pink noise or 32 watts of continuous program capacity, and a ...