Education News: March 10, 2006

Following are some of the top headlines from the world of education for the week ending March 10, 2006.

Vote on textbooks upsets some Hindus
(Source: The San Jose Mercury News , 03/09/06) The California State Board of Education has voted to reject multiple proposed changes to the way Hinduism is taught in the state’s sixth-grade textbooks. The board approved many changes on which there was a general consensus but decided to keep descriptions of the caste system, descriptions of women’s roles, and other controversial details that portray the imperfections of the religion’s histories. The decisions were in line with scholars’ opinions, but disappointing to many Hindu parents and advocacy groups.

Bible study bill clears Georgia House Committee
(Source: Atlanta Journal Consortium, 03/08/06) Georgia passed a bill that will allow public high schools to teach the Bible as a primary text in an objective and non-devotional course entitled, “History and Literature of the Old Testament Era” and “History and Literature of the New Testament Era.” The bill passed amidst discussion that it unfairly favored Christianity over other religions by stating that the Bible is the founding block of western civilization.

Tutors easing the transition
(Source: Houston Chronicle , 03/08/06) Supplied with a million-dollar federal grant, Houston public schools have hired over 100 tutors to prepare New Orleans students displaced in Houston for the Texas Achievement Test. Houston teachers are worried that students from New Orleans are not ready for the exam because the school district was struggling with discipline problems, low-test scores, and high dropout rate before Hurricane Katrina. Educators are quick to say that the students from New Orleans are capable of achieving of the same standards of their Houston peers but are struggling with coping with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and ingrained inferiority complexes.

Kentucky awarded reading grant
(Source: Lexington Herald-Leader , 03/07/06) Kentucky is one of six states across the country to receive a federal grant aimed at improving reading skills of 6th to 9th graders. The Striving Readers program assigns a literacy coach to students who are reading below grade level.

Politicians take aim at FCAT
(Source: Miami Herald , 03/07/06) Florida’s Democrats hope to win the gubernatorial elections by ending the state’s dependency on the Florida Comprehension Assessment Test. Currently the test is used to hold back students, decide who gets vouchers, award schools, and rate schools. While one Democrat wants to modify FCAT usage, another wants to end the test entirely, citing that the schools focus too much on teaching for the test as opposed to inspiring students to learn. Republicans claim that Florida’s Democratic Party is financially associated with teacher unions and that their opinions are thus dictated by politics rather than concern for students.

Demand High for Mechanics Classes
(Source: Richmond Times-Dispatch , 03/07/06) Courses sponsored by the Automotive Youth Educational Systems have become a motivating force for students to achieve academically in 46 states. Students who enjoy the program realize that they have to become better readers to understand the manuals and that they need to excel at math to understand the advanced computer systems that cars run on. The program mixes classes at high schools with an apprenticeship at local dealerships. Proponents of the program see its main selling points as guaranteeing high-performing students with a job after graduation, and the possibility of making $70,000 on a job that cannot be outsourced.

School reduces test stress through relaxation techniques
(Source: USA Today , 03/07/06) In light of the increased standardized testing of students, beginning in the third grade, schools are taking stress management seriously. Schools across the country are installing computer programs that teach students relaxing breathing technique and monitor students’ heart rate. Studies have shown that relaxed students perform better because it allows more blood to flow to the brain.

Small school successes come in small steps
(Source: The Cleveland Plain-Dealer , 03/05/06) Assisted largely by a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Cleveland was able to break nine of its district high schools into smaller schools within the same building. The small school initiative is based on the idea that students can learn more if they establish a relationship with teachers and if the community has a strong connection to the school. Concrete results of higher achievement rates in students in small schools have not been reached, but students, parents and administrators all see increased performance.