Education News: January 12, 2007

Following are some of the top headlines from the world of education for the week ending January 12, 2007.

Wave of Support for HPV Vaccination of Girls
(Source: The Washington Post, 1/12/07): Schools around the country are beginning to pay more attention to Gardasil, the vaccine that guards women and girls against cervical cancer. The vaccine is successful in preventing 70% of the types of cervical cancer that women experience today. Schools are now considering whether to make the vaccine mandatory and whether they should subsidize the cost or not. Those in favor of mandating Gardasil believe that prevention of cancer, when possible, is morally incumbent. Those who do not want to mandate it feel so because HPV is contracted through intimate contact. Some people believe that mandating the vaccine would give children more of an impetus to be sexually active.

Bush-Democrat Alliance on Education Feared
(Source: The Washington Times, 1/12/07): Some Republican leaders on Capitol Hill are worried that Bush will make too many concessions for their taste to Democrats when his No Child Left Behind Act comes up for renewal this year. When the initial act was being drafted, Bush crossed party lines to work with Democrats such as Senator Kennedy to get the bill passed. At that time, some Republicans voted against the measure, believing it to be too involved in education on a state level.

State Sets Minimum for Graduation Rates
(Source: The Richmond-Times Dispatch, 1/11/07) The Virginia Board of Education is planning to set a goal for itself of graduating a minimum of 61% of high school students in four years starting in the 2007-2008 school year. Administrators want to boost the level of students graduating in four years, with board member Andrew Rotherham stating: "It's got nothing, nothing, to do with the kids. It's got everything to do with the system we put them in." In the lowest performing ten percent of schools in the state, less than 61% of students graduate in four years.

More Children Learn More Than One Language
(Source: USA Today, 1/10/07) Schools for students as young as six weeks old are springing up in the face of increasing parental demand for foreign language resources for young children. Francois Thibaut, the director of The Language Workshop for Children (an east coast language academy with nine branches) acknowledges increasing demand for spots from parents who want their children to learn languages early. Studies showing that people are better equipped to learn languages when they are younger have parents anxious to give their children a competitive edge.

Kansas Board of Education Moving Fast to Rewrite Anti-Evolution Curriculum
(Source: Fox News, 1/9/07): In the latest tug-of-war over evolution standards in Kansas state curriculum, the Kansas Board of Education has put rewriting the science curriculum on the table for discussion and a decision next month. In 1999, evolution standards were rewritten by conservatives, which was followed by a backlash. In 2001, standards once again became evolution-friendly. The current board wants to change the curriculum from 2005 so that evolution, rather than intelligent design, is the focus of the curriculum.

Vote Would Stall Year-Rounds
(Source: The News & Observer, 1/9/07): In a stand-off between Wake County (North Carolina) commissioners and school board members, the issue of year-round schooling is being argued over. School board members have decided to phase in year-round schooling to meet the growing number of students the district serves. The county commissioners, rather than meeting a routine funding request, altered the proposal and gave money for building new schools rather than for renovating schools as the school board had planned. School board officials said the money they are being provided with will not fit the needs of the district. On the other side of the argument are county parents who have strong feelings against year-round schooling. The county commissioner says he hopes the school board will look into alternate options.

City’s Master Teacher List Grows By 171
(Source: The Chicago Tribune, 1/9/07): 645 Chicago Public School teachers now have master teacher status as measured by National Board Certification. This includes the recent addition of 171 more teachers. The city of Chicago promotes National Board Certification, a rigorous process that includes self-evaluation and portfolio work. Teachers that successfully complete the program get a $2,500 one-time bonus and a $3,000 bonus for each of the ten years for which their certification is good. Private foundations in the Chicago area cover the test expenses for city teachers.

Calls Grow for Statewide Sales Tax to Benefit Schools
(Source: The Des Moines Register, 1/6/07): In Iowa, a significant number of school buildings date back to nearly 100 years ago. With many schools sorely in need of modernization, Iowa’s counties have become creative in finding funding to complete their projects. Many districts throughout the state have imposed a one-cent increase on sales taxes, with more than $1 billion worth of construction projects around the state being financed by this extra tax. State legislators are now looking at imposing the one-cent tax statewide.