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Michelle Snow

“I’m amazed and honored that she chose me,” said John Alemany, Michelle Snow’s 12th grade Spanish teacher.“She's a star basketball player. I would have thought for sure she’d pick one of her coaches.” “Sports came easy to me,” explains Michelle. “Spanish was a challenge, and Mr. Alemany didn’t give up on me. “He has this amazing positive energy. And he genuinely cares. You can’t imagine what a difference that makes.” Behind every famous person is
a fabulous teacher

Education News: November 25, 2005

Following are some of the top headlines from the world of education for the week ending November 25, 2005.

Students ace state tests, but earn D's from U.S.
(Source: The New York Times, 11/25/05) A growing discrepancy has been observed between state and federal proficiency tests. Tennessee, for example, was prepared to boast an 87 percent proficiency rate that it achieved on the state exam in mathematics only to score a glaringly different 21 percent proficiency on the national exam. This difference has been seen in a number of states, leading officials to question the difficulty of the state exams. States are allowed to set the standard for their tests as they see fit. Each state must show an increase in proficiency each year under No Child Left Behind and demonstrate 100 percent proficiency in all subjects by 2014.

Parents' effect on achievement shaky
(Source: washingtonpost.com, 11/24/05) Studies in low-income California schools have shown that parental effect is not the only deciding factor in student achievement. While parental influence has a positive effect on students' development, other factors such as experienced teachers and a rigorous curriculum can have a similar effect on a students' success rate. One California principal stated that, “We cannot teach parents, we don't blame the home, we don't worry about whose responsibility it should be. We consider it ours.”

Judge rejects challenge to Bush education law
(Source: The New York Times, 11/23/05) In a federal court in Michigan, Justice Bernard A. Friedman ruled that the federal government is not responsible for expenses resulting from state testing. While states claim that the law is requiring them to spend money that they do not have, officials say that there is no evidence that Congress intended for the national government to account for all expenditures related to testing. Appeals from Texas, Michigan, Connecticut and Vermont are pending.

Closing the gap between city and suburban students
(Source: The New York Times, 11/23/05) St. George Independent has been serving affluent students in the suburbs of Memphis for that last forty years. An effort to expand its effectiveness to a middle and high school campus was met with a 6 million dollar challenge from a group of area donors concerned about the city's racial divide. The challenge is being called St. George Memphis. The school will emulate the suburban model in the city and will attempt to close the racial gap that is so glaring. Rick Ferguson, St. George's president, believes that success with this school in a city like Memphis could set a tone of cultural diversity that could resonate throughout the country.

Violence at games means trouble for all
(Source: USA Today, 11/23/05) Incidents of violence are becoming a factor in high school athletics. Injuries and deaths at school-sponsored events have risen since 2003 causing school officials to take serious action. Security and police officials are pressing local police forces as well as school budgets for action. Changes in scheduling to Saturday games and earlier starting times are meant to decrease violence but may, at the same time, limit community support of school activities.