Education News: October 19, 2007

Following are some of the top headlines from the world of education for the week ending October 19, 2007.

Schools in Several States Report Staph Infections, and Deaths Raise the Alarm
(Source: The New York Times, 10/19/07):  Schools in multiple states are reporting cases of MRSA, a dangerous type of bacteria that is resistant to penicillin and similar antibiotics.  Deaths from the illness, which has mostly affected student athletes, have been reported in Virginia, Maryland, and New Hampshire.  This week, many schools closed their doors while cleaning crews disinfected their premises.

Fewer Students Enrolled in L.A. Unified
(Source: The Los Angeles Times, 10/19/07):  For the fifth straight year, the L.A. Unified School District has seen a significant decline in enrollment due to lower birth rates, expensive real estate, and the transfer of many students to charter schools.  Enrollment and attendance are the main factors in determining school funding, and this year’s drop alone will reduce the district’s funding by about $100 million.

Middle School Adds Birth Control Option
(Source: The Portland Press Herald, 10/18/07):  The Portland School Committee has voted to make birth control pills available to students at the health center of a local middle school.  Students need parental permission to visit the health center but can then receive the contraceptives on a confidential basis.  The decision has ignited a national debate.

Arabic School Ex-Principal Fights to Get Job Back
(Source: The New York Times, 10/17/07):  After resigning from her position as founding principal of Khalil Gibran International Academy, a new Arabic-language-themed public school in Brooklyn, Debbie Almontaser is publicly calling to be reinstated in her job.  Ms. Almontaser initially resigned under pressure after making controversial comments about the phrase “intifada” on t-shirts, but she now says she was the victim of anti-Arab prejudice.

Failing Schools Strain to Meet U.S. Standard
(Source: The New York Times, 10/16/07): Currently, California is one of several states overwhelmed by the number of schools that are struggling to meet the growing demands of No Child Left Behind.  Over 1,000 of the state’s schools have been deemed chronic failures, and given the magnitude of the problem, education officials are at a loss as to how they will get the schools up to speed by the 2014 deadline. 

Score High, Receive Cash
(Source: The Chicago Tribune, 10/16/07): To encourage student achievement and boost test scores, 31 New York City schools that serve low-income students are offering a new incentive to those who achieve academic distinction on their Advanced Placements exams.   For most AP exams, students can earn $500 for a 3, $750 for a 4, and $1000 for a 5, which is the top score.

A Course to Keep New Teachers in the Classroom
(Source:  The Minneapolis Star Tribune, 10/15/07):   Minnesota 2020, a public policy think tank, has recommended that the state’s school districts provide better support to new teachers in order to reduce the rate of teacher attrition.  Despite already having several teacher recruitment and retention measures in effect, including merit pay and assistance to those who wish to make a mid-career switch into teaching, Minnesota’s teacher shortage is a growing problem.

After News Article on Test, Michigan Orders Retesting
(Source: The New York Times, 10/13/07):  Thousands of Michigan’s fifth and sixth-graders will retake a portion of a standardized writing test after a newspaper published the questions when some students had not yet taken the test.  The retesting will cost hundreds of thousands, and while the newspaper’s editor did say she felt bad about the problems caused by the article, she also questioned why schools would give the test on different days in an era when young people are so connected via cell phones and the Internet.