Curriculum changes reflect fewer teachers on the job in N.Y. district: Schools in Yonkers, N.Y., are increasing class sizes and offering fewer Advanced Placement and elective courses this year after budget cuts forced the layoffs of more than 10% of their teachers and staff. "Here you are trying to send students to all these good colleges," one school's principal said, "But if you don't present them with a solid transcript, it's not going to happen." (The New York Times)

Principal helps turnaround school win recognition for achievement: New principal Jill Pendleton set out last year to remove decades' worth of chewing gum from the sidewalks around Nevada's Ed W. Clark High School as a demonstration of her determination to improve the struggling school. The "War on Gum" was just one in a series of initiatives Pendleton implemented at the school, which was honored Thursday as a "high-achieving turnaround" school. (Las Vegas Sun)

Teacher website combines social networking and lesson planning: A former teacher has developed a website that allows teachers to form networks and share ideas and lesson plans. Alex Grodd, a Teach for America graduate, created BetterLesson.com -- which is accessible to teachers all over the world -- as a resource for those looking for new ideas on specific curriculum topics. (GothamSchools.org)

West Virginia has new data system for tracking school progress: West Virginia schools are implementing a system for recording and monitoring student data to help determine how well a school is performing. The system tracks information on student attendance, disciplinary actions, occurrences of dropping out, Advanced Placement scores and other factors to provide a comprehensive picture of a school's progress and identify areas for improvement. (Charleston Daily Mail)

Philadelphia charters establish new coalition: An organization has formed to represent and promote the growing number of charter schools in the Philadelphia school district. Officials with the nonprofit Philadelphia Charters for Excellence say they will establish high ethical standards for member schools and create a website for tracking how well area charters perform. The move comes as a number of Philadelphia charters are under investigation for alleged corruption. (The Philadelphia Inquirer)

Education Department convenes national summit on school bullying: The U.S. Education Department is hosting its first national conference on school bullying, and it is aimed at developing consensus on how to best provide a safe educational environment for students. In opening the two-day summit Wednesday, Education Secretary Arne Duncan said preventing bullying from undermining students' education and school experience should be made a key component of national education policy. (The Christian Science Monitor)

Officials to scrap penalty for incorrect guessing on AP exams: The College Board is changing its grading system for Advanced Placement exams to eliminate the penalty for guessing incorrectly. Beginning with upcoming exams in May, students will receive credit for correct answers but not have points deducted for incorrect ones. The change coincides with curriculum revisions to some AP courses that will put more "emphasis on conceptual understanding and discipline-specific skills," a spokeswoman said. (InsideHigherEd.com)

Should students be held back at parents' request?: More parents are requesting that their children be held back a grade, saying the extra year could later put them at the head of their class. For students who are performing at average or basic levels, some parents believe the additional year could enable students to catch up to their peers socially and academically. Critics, including the National Association of School Psychologists, say that it actually benefits students to be promoted to the next grade while given extra support if they need it. (The Wall Street Journal)

Students at Hawaii charter school to test mobile Wi-Fi devices: Students in eighth grade at one online charter school in Hawaii are participating in a pilot program to use mobile, wireless Internet hot spot devices this year. The devices will enable students to access the Internet from nearly any location and are designed to increase students' access to educational content and materials. (T.H.E. Journal)

Miss. educators employ new methods to reach today's students: Some Mississippi teachers say they have modified their instructional methods to meet the needs of students, who are learning faster and differently as they grow up in an environment that is saturated with technology. Listening and reading centers in classrooms help teachers address students' individual learning styles, and some teachers are using peer tutoring, where students help each other understand concepts. (The Natchez Democrat)

What does the future look like for the teaching profession?: Some experts say the traditional view of teaching as a stable profession is changing. Widespread budget cuts and policy changes -- including an increased emphasis on high-stakes testing -- have resulted in a revolving door of fewer available positions and a high attrition rate among new teachers. Yet despite these trends, education is still a popular career choice among new college graduates. (Chicago Tribune)

Charter school employs family-style support for chronic dropouts: A Pasadena, Calif., charter school is keeping students in school and on track for graduation by employing former school dropouts as "chasers" to find chronically absent students and bring them to class. The method is among a number of strategies employed by educators at the Learning Works! school, which provides comprehensive "family-style support" for its students, many of whom are in crisis situations. (Google)

Teaching teams aim to help turn around some Boston schools: Officials in Boston are partnering with a nonprofit organization called Teach Plus to help staff at designated turnaround schools that have had to replace a majority of teachers. The idea is that a team of teachers -- rather than individuals -- will enter the schools designated for improvement. "It's like jump-starting a culture at these schools," Boston schools Superintendent Carol Johnson said. "In turnaround schools, you often wind up with a high portion of first- and second-year teachers, so you need some experience, a team of teachers who are enthusiastic and idealistic." (The New York Times)

Program helps students understand complex foreign-policy issues: A group of "highly engaged" New York City students participated recently in the nonprofit group Global Kids' summer program to learn about diplomacy and U.S. foreign policy. The students participated in lectures and workshops on such issues as global warming, international law and global trade that were designed to give the teens "an appreciation for the complexity" of foreign policy, one of the program's speakers said. (The New York Times)