N.J. schools to require students to learn about personal finance: Eight New Jersey school districts are launching a pilot program this fall to teach high-school students about investing, credit cards and other aspects of personal finance. A course in financial literacy will be among the state's graduation requirement for students entering high school this fall, making New Jersey one of 13 states that now require such a course -- up from just seven in 2007. "This really came out of the financial collapse in the country," one district curriculum official said. (The Star-Ledger)
More schools are choosing to recognize multiple valedictorians: Some suburban high schools nationwide are changing their policies for recognizing top students, naming multiple valedictorians instead of singling out just one. Some educators and administrators say the trend allows schools to more equitably honor students, whose high grades are often separated by small margins. Others say the change is an example of "honor inflation" and does not prepare students for competition in college and career. (The New York Times)
5,000 education supporters demand better funding of schools in Mich: Reduced state aid and declining student enrollment have led to layoffs and program cuts at many Michigan districts. However, for at least the next several months, schools appear safe from further cuts because of better-than-expected revenue coming into the school aid fund. On the sunny, breezy summer day, attendees - many wearing red shirts and MEA stickers - carried signs that read, "Invest in Education" and "Stop the Attacks." (Lansing State Journal)Single-gender schools: Good or bad for education?: As educators study ways to improve achievement among the country's male students, there is renewed interest in separating students by gender. However, some critics say that such a plan would harm education, saying it reminds them of a new type of segregation or the days when female students had access to sub-par schools. The American Civil Liberties Union opposes single-gender schools, saying they reinforce gender stereotypes. Supporters such as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have said that all students, not only the wealthy students who can afford private school, should have access to single-gender education. (Newsweek)
Proposed law to protect N.Y. students from bullying heads to governor: An anti-bullying measure has advanced through both houses of New York's state Legislature and is headed to Gov. David Paterson for signature. The law would protect students against mistreatment based on factors including race, ethnicity, religion, disability, weight and gender identity. If approved, the Dignity for All Students Act would apply to all schools in New York, and the state would become the 43rd to adopt an anti-bullying law. (The New York Times)
31 Ohio charter schools risk closure in 2011: It is improbable, but not impossible: At the same time that 31 Ohio charter schools could be ordered to close, another 41 could be gearing up to open. To avoid the hammer, the at-risk schools can't get another F on the school report cards due out this August. Likewise, the schools hoping to open this fall must prove they would be academically sound to enroll students. (Columbus Dispatch)
Can School of One model be used to close the achievement gap?: New York City's School of One program aims to make the student -- rather than the classroom -- the focus of its educational mission, using technology to tailor instruction to the learning pace and style of each individual student. Journalist Ta-Nehisi Coates considers in this article whether the School of One model -- now being tested as an approach to closing the achievement gap at an economically disadvantaged school with large percentages of black and Hispanic students -- could have helped him fare better during his own troubled educational history. (The Atlantic Monthly)
Educators develop lessons about oil spill: The Gulf of Mexico oil spill has enabled a "teachable moment" for science teachers that could continue into the fall. Teachers are using the spill as the basis for experiments, talking to students about how the native wildlife is being treated and even allowing students to come up with solutions for cleaning up the spill. Some students in Florida also are play-acting as government officials and scientists who are responding to the crisis, while in Connecticut, fifth-graders researched the disaster and made presentations at a schoolwide assembly. (ABC News)
Teachers question staff shakeup amid school's program switch: Teachers at a Nashville, Tenn., school were asked to reapply for their jobs because of plans to convert the school next fall from a literature-based magnet to a Paideia school -- which blends traditional teaching with focuses on critical thinking and student-driven discussion. The changes are not part of a traditional "fresh start," and therefore the school is not required to adhere to guidelines mandating that only 40% of the school's staff can be retained, which has left some teachers concerned about the school's reorganization process. (The Tennessean)
Minnesota law could discourage districts from opening charters: New oversight rules governing charter schools in Minnesota -- where such schools got their start in the U.S. in 1991 -- have some districts questioning whether to open new charters. Under the changes, the state will no longer be responsible for the success of charters. Instead, districts or other entities will be approved as charter-school authorizers and held accountable for the schools' performance. (Education Week)
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