Education News: October 26, 2007

Following are some of the top headlines from the world of education for the week ending October 26, 2007.

Stiff Sentence Urged in Theft of Charter Funds
(Source: The Washington Post, 10/26/07):  D.C. charter school executive Brenda Belton is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to stealing or misappropriating $800,000 in school funding.  Prosecutors used low test scores to argue that Belton should receive a significant prison sentence because her misdeeds endangered the future of the 3500 students who attend the 17 charter schools she oversaw.

Bill for Immigrant Students Fails Test Vote in the Senate
(Source:  The New York Times, 10/25/07):  A bill that would have granted citizenship to illegal immigrants who graduate from high school and then complete two years of college or military service was defeated in a test vote in the Senate, meaning that it will not proceed to a debate on the Senate floor.  Some who voted against the bill did so because they opposed giving legal status to illegal immigrants while others did so because they felt it would compromise efforts to pass more comprehensive immigration legislation.

Law Punishes Truancy by Taking Away Teens’ Keys
(Source:  The Washington Post, 10/25/07):  A new Maryland state law will block teens under 16 from obtaining a learner’s permit if they have more than 10 unexcused school absences during the previous semester.  Truancy is a problem in several of the state’s school districts, particularly Baltimore, where 10% of students habitually miss school.

High Schools Defend Use of Tribal-Themed Mascots
(Source:  The Oregonian, 10/24/07):  Principals and superintendents from rural Oregon journeyed to the state capital to defend their use of Native-American-themed team names (such as the Indians and the Braves) before the state Department of Education, which is considering a ban on such names.  The group maintained that their use of the names was respectful and that they had consulted with tribe leaders to be sure that their names, logos, and practices were inoffensive.   

Des Moines Will Offer ACT Exam Free
(Source:  The Des Moines Register, 10/23/07):  Des Moines education officials have announced that the district will pay the test fees for students wishing to take the ACT college entrance exam.  They are also considering a move to administer the test during school hours and require all juniors to take it.  Most colleges require either an ACT or SAT score, and most Midwestern college hopefuls take the ACT.  Currently, ACT scores and participation rates for Des Moines students are among the area’s lowest. 

NOLA Principals to Get More Power
(Source: The (New Orleans) Times-Picayune, 10/22/07):  Paul Vallas, the new superintendent of the Recovery School District in New Orleans, has announced that next year city principals will have much more autonomy in making hiring and spending decisions.  The change is modeled on similar shifts in New York, San Francisco and Oakland, where increased authority for principals has yielded positive results in schools.

Schools Found Improving on Nutrition and Fitness
(Source: The New York Times, 10/20/07): A new government survey found that schools have made “significant improvements” in nutrition and fitness in response to the childhood obesity epidemic.  The survey, which is conducted every six years, found that schools are selling less junk food in cafeterias and vending machines and providing more physical education.  The study’s author cautioned, however, that schools still have a lot of room for improvement in these areas.