Education News: April 21, 2006

Following are some of the top headlines from the world of education for the week ending April 21, 2006.

Mixing schools economically: Idea of region-wide integration pitched at meeting by nonprofit
(Source: The (Richmond) Times Dispatch, 04/20/06) A meeting organized by the non-profit, Hope in the Cities, suggested that Richmond area schools should consolidate across District lines in order to ensure quality education to all students. The suggestion was made at a Richmond meeting, but it follows a nationwide study that shows students succeed more in mixed environments. Leaders of the initiative are aware that this measure would be controversial and are hoping to further study its implementation.

‘No Child’ law raises segregation fear
(Source: The Washington Post, 04/19/06) Connecticut state school commissioner, anxious to relieve a civil rights law suit against its racially and economically contrasting school systems, is stating that No Child Left Behind has become a hurdle to integration. The law provides funding based on improvement of students. Thus, better ranking public schools are less likely to admit academically struggling students for fear that they will lower the schools rankings.

Boys are no match for girls competing in high school
(Source: The New York Times, 04/19/06) The Manhattan Institute found that nationwide 72 percent of girls gradate high school as compared to 65 percent of boys. Researchers are unsure of what causes the disparities and if they exist at all. Different researchers use different data when calculating graduation rates. If one were to look at graduation based on census results or late graduates the rate would be higher, and the gender gap might be narrower.

Gates Foundation gives 21 million to Chicago schools
(Source: The Chicago Sun Times, 04/18/06) The Gates Foundation has awarded its largest grant ever to a single school district to impel high school curriculum changes. The school plans to use the money slowly so that it has long-lasting effects. The grant will be put to use to develop curricula that will be used in the fall for ninth graders in 14 schools. With each year the schools will add a grade and more schools will join the new program.

AP: States omit minority test results
(Source: USA Today, 04/18/06) One of the fundamental principles of No Child Left Behind is exposing the achievement gap in order to fix it. The Act does not grade based on the entire school’s progress, but the improvement of groups, divided by race and economic status, within that school. Since a failing status could mean loss of funds, states can legally choose not to count minority groups’ students test results if their percentage of the student body is not statistically significant based on the states’ standards. Schools with as many as 50 students have not included their results as separate groups, creating two million uncounted students nationwide. The law’s loophole allows schools to mask the achievement gap and not fix it.