Quick Hits

Some Calif. high schools to be first to teach stem cell curriculum: A number of high schools in the San Francisco Bay area will be the first in the country to teach students a curriculum in stem cell science. The idea behind the curriculum -- developed by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine for all levels of high-school students -- is to both interest students in pursuing careers in the field and to give others basic knowledge to help them evaluate stem cell-research policy, its creators say. "We are not there to force an idea or a belief on anybody. We're allowing students to have a discourse," one researcher said. (San Francisco Chronicle)

Many NYC charters outperformed public schools on tests: Students in charter schools across New York state performed worse than their public-school counterparts when the state applied tougher proficiency standards to the most recent tests in English and math. In New York City, however, the charters still largely outperformed traditional public schools within their districts -- with 81% outscoring public schools in math and 70% doing better in English, an analysis shows. (The Wall Street Journal)

Is the digital age to blame for student plagiarism?: Educators are concerned that the Internet may be contributing to a growing prevalence of plagiarism and a changing view among students about what constitutes authorship. "Now we have a whole generation of students who've grown up with information that just seems to be hanging out there in cyberspace and doesn't seem to have an author," one researcher said. "It's possible to believe this information is just out there for anyone to take." (The New York Times)

Staff shake-ups may extend to 5 more low-performing Boston schools: Teachers and aides at five poorly performing schools in Boston may have to reapply for their positions as part of the city's efforts to improve the schools. Staff shake-ups were carried out in the spring at seven other area schools, where some 125 employees did not receive job offers but were often hired by other schools in the district. Critics of the proposal say enacting staffing changes so close to the start of school could be disruptive to students. District officials say they have not decided whether employees at the five schools will have to reapply. (The Boston Globe)

Top Web 2.0 tools for teachers and students: Three leading consultants in educational technology offer their opinions on the best Web 2.0 tools for encouraging collaboration in learning and teaching. Blogs, Google Docs, and Twitter are among the standouts -- for reasons including their ease of use and their ability to reach many users instantaneously -- that can be used by students and teachers in both online and traditional classrooms. (T.H.E. Journal)

Chicago schools adopt new policies aimed at cyberbullies: The Chicago Board of Education passed a new Student Code of Conduct on Wednesday that will automatically suspend -- and possibly expel -- students who are cyberbullies. The rules regulate behavior on and off campus. However, one teacher says the changes are not likely to lead to bullying prevention but would be used in the aftermath of an incident. "I don't imagine any teacher has time to be screening students' Facebook pages," she said. (Chicago Sun-Times)

Program offers college experience to top middle-school students: A group of "exceptional" middle-school students spent three weeks attending classes and living on the campus of Endicott College in Massachusetts. The eighth- and ninth-graders from six middle schools were selected to participate in the Learning and Leadership Program, which was aimed at allowing students a pre-college experience and introducing them to possible careers in environmental science, biotechnology, and other fields they may not otherwise be exposed to. (The Boston Globe)

Test results show N.Y. students struggle under tougher scoring: New York education officials released results of state tests that were graded according to new, stricter scoring standards designed to offer a better measurement of students' abilities. Scores in English and math dropped significantly in New York City and across the state when compared with those from 2009, and the decline was also pronounced at the city's charter schools. "This doesn't mean the kids did any worse -- quite the contrary," New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said. "What this is simply saying is that we've redefined what our objectives are for the kids." (The New York Times) (Daily News)

Researchers - Workload of TFA teachers contributes to retention rate: A study of Teach for America educators has found that those who are assigned to more challenging workloads in their first year are more likely to leave their placements or the teaching profession, Education Week blogger Stephen Sawchuk writes in this blog post. Among other conclusions, the researchers found that TFA teachers who were given positions outside their field at the secondary level or asked to teach multiple grades at the elementary level were less likely to stay in the profession. (Teacher Beat blog)

Funds target teacher compensation at D.C. charter schools: Charter schools in Washington, D.C., will receive almost $10 million in federal funding this year to support "innovative compensation strategies" for teachers. The money -- designed to help charters compete with the city's traditional schools in recruiting and retaining top teachers -- could pay for bonuses or compensation for those willing to work extra hours. "We want the best teachers in every classroom, and this funding proposal helps charters reach that goal," D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty said. (The Examiner)

Is Obama's education agenda facing an uphill battle in Congress?: A number of President Barack Obama's key education-reform strategies are facing legislative hurdles amid divided election-year support in Congress. Plans to revise the 2002 No Child Left Behind Act this year have failed to advance, as have the administration's efforts to secure funding to prevent teacher layoffs. Other reforms, such as the push to establish national academic standards and the Race to the Top grant competition, have been more successful. However, the competition-based elements of the administration's reform efforts have faced recent criticism from civil rights groups. (The Washington Post)

Obama, Duncan defend policies, pledge to promote equity in education: President Barack Obama defended his education agenda today at a meeting of the National Urban League, saying minority students have been hurt the most by the resistance to change in education. The organization is one of eight civil rights groups that wrote a recent report criticizing his policies -- particularly the Race to the Top grant competition -- as failing minority students. Education Secretary Arne Duncan addressed the group Wednesday and pledged to establish an "Equity and Excellence Commission" to prevent fiscal inequities from contributing to the achievement gap. (Boston Herald) (The Associated Press) (School Law blog)

Are students more engaged when academics are linked to careers?: A high-school reform effort in California known as Linked Learning is helping students achieve more by linking academic courses to careers. At one academy, an average student said she became more engaged in lessons that combined rigorous academic courses with field trips that were focused on careers in education. Educators say the program is successful because students can see their academic lessons at work in the real world. (San Francisco Chronicle)

Buffalo, N.Y., to launch new system for evaluating teachers: School officials and teachers union representatives in Buffalo, N.Y., are rolling out a new system for evaluating and supporting teachers. The evaluations will rate teachers on such areas as preparation, delivery of instruction and student assessment, and will include improvement strategies for teachers who receive a negative rating. "It's really important we be able to help teachers see what they need to be doing," one district official said. "Too often, we are criticizing individuals in education without giving them the supports they need to do a better job." (The Buffalo News)

Students in Florida district get a jump start on school: Most schools in Florida's Brevard County have launched a summer program known as Jump Start to help prepare students to return to school in the fall. The two-week program targets students in select grades and helps them improve their skills through small-group lessons intended to be fun and enriching. "Jump Start is not meant to be remediation for failure, but intervention for future success," one educator said. "It definitely, definitely should give them a leg up." (Florida Today)

Why a good kindergarten teacher could be worth $320,000 a year: A study found that students who had the most effective kindergarten teachers went on to attend college in higher numbers and earned more money as adults. Previous studies based on test scores have shown that the effects of good kindergarten teachers fade eventually, but this study showed that students who had the best teachers had better adult outcomes. The researchers calculated that, based on additional earnings for one class full of students, the worth of a good kindergarten teacher could be $320,000 a year. (The New York Times)

Kids Count report ranks well-being of children by state: New Hampshire ranked first and Mississippi was last in the annual Kids Count Data Book on child health, wealth and well-being by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. The report, which included data from 2007 and 2008, found 18% of children were living in poverty but showed improvements in the infant mortality rate, child death rate and teen death rate. (The Answer Sheet blog)

Critics question value of Texas test predictions: Some critics of the Texas Projection Measure -- which provides information about whether students are on track to pass tests and be ready for college -- say concerns that the predictions could be off by as much as 20% add to the evidence that the measure should be eliminated. "If you don't have confidence that the measures you're getting from the state are accurate, then even the legitimate successes are subject to question. And that's not fair to the educators and the parents who work so hard," one state legislator said. (The Dallas Morning News)

D.C. fires 241 teachers and puts 737 educators on notice: Washington, D.C., schools chief Michelle Rhee ordered the dismissal Friday of 241 teachers -- including 165 who received poor ratings under the district's newly implemented IMPACT evaluation system. Seventy-six were let go for not being properly licensed. Rhee also gave warning notices to 737 teachers who received "minimally effective" ratings and must improve their showing or face dismissal next year. Some teachers said the evaluation system is unfair, and the teachers union said it will contest the firings. (The Washington Post)

National standards are receiving widespread support among states: Massachusetts, Washington, D.C., and New York have joined more than two dozen states that have endorsed national academic standards for math and English instruction in schools. The standards are being promoted as a way to ensure a similar education for all students and prevent states from expending valuable resources developing and implementing their own guidelines. Support was weak for previous efforts to standardize what is taught in U.S. schools, but the current push is being buoyed by the Obama administration's federal Race to the Top grant competition, which considers states' adoption of the standards among its criteria. (The Washington Post)

What is the best way to determine entrance into gifted programs?: Parents and educators say New York City's process for identifying students for gifted-kindergarten programs offers an advantage to families that can afford test preparation. The city in 2008 adopted a standardized test as its sole admissions criterion, which has led to lower minority enrollment and a thriving test-preparation business. Outreach efforts have increased the number of Hispanics and blacks in the city's gifted-kindergarten classes, and a new test is being developed to level the playing field. But some experts say multiple criteria should be considered for entrance into gifted programs. (The New York Times)