Education News: November 24, 2006

Following are some of the top headlines from the world of education for the week ending November 24, 2006.

New York Court Cuts Aid Sought By City Schools
(Source: The New York Times, 11/22/06) On Monday, New York state’s highest court ruled that the state must give the New York City school district an additional $1.93 billion dollars to keep the schools up to standards. This case in particular has held the attention of the nation over the past several years. In a lower court ruling, the city had been awarded $4.7 billion dollars in aid, but state Republicans had spoken out against this sum, condemning the courts for making decisions about the amount of money to be awarded. This case will not proceed to the United States Supreme Court because it is a state issue. Providing funding over the mandated $1.93 billion now becomes an issue for the newly elected New York Governor Spitzer.

Those Who Pass Classes But Fail Tests Cry Foul
(Source: The Washington Post, 11/21/06) High schools in the Washington, D. C. metropolitan area are beginning to see significant numbers of students who pass classes fail the state assessment tests. The assessments, part of the No Child Left Behind Act, are in place ostensibly to gauge the quality of teaching and learning at schools across the country. Therefore, when students pass a class but then fail the state exam dealing with the class material, parents and students are left confused. Teachers support the grades that they have given students in their classes, but some teachers acknowledge the need to align what they are teaching more closely with exactly what the tests measure.

Many of State’s Kids Flunk Test for Fitness
(Source: The San Diego Union-Tribune, 11/18/06) While 6 out of 10 students in the 5th and 7th grades in California meet the state requirements to run the mile, that number drops in 9th grade. In 9th grade, about half of the students met the requirements. Additionally, less than a third of the students tested met benchmark requirements in areas such as body fat and abdominal strength. California requires students in elementary school to get 200 minutes of physical education every 10 days; that number doubles for students in 7th-12th grade. State officials said that students who do well on fitness tests tend to do well in other classes, too.