Education News: November 16, 2007

Following are some of the top headlines from the world of education for the week ending November 16, 2007.

Florida School Districts Collect Data on Bullying
(Source: The Miami Herald, 11/16/07):  Some students are now tormenting their peers using the Internet and cell phones in addition to the more traditional means of physical violence and verbal taunts.  In response to the increased incidence and new forms of bullying in schools, Florida school districts are now collecting data on the phenomenon. 

Schools Seeking Teachers Overseas
(Source: The Baltimore Sun, 11/16/07):  In response to a growing teacher shortage in certain subject areas, Maryland’s Anne Arundel County school system has drafted a policy that would create a streamlined process for recruiting international teachers and sponsoring their green cards as an incentive.  The alternative, according to one area principal, would be to hire teachers without appropriate educational backgrounds to teach subjects like science.

Silence on Hold for Now
(Source:  The Chicago Tribune, 11/16/07):  A federal judge has ordered the Illinois state superintendent not to give any instruction to schools as to how or whether they should comply with a new state law requiring each school day to begin with a silent moment for prayer or reflection.  One school district is currently involved in a lawsuit concerning the law, and the results of the case will likely have bearing on how the law is implemented.

A New Effort to Remove Bad Teachers
(Source: The New York Times, 11/15/07): New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg is bringing in a wave of lawyers and consultants, dubbed the Teacher Performance Unit, to assist principals in firing teachers whom they believe are not capable of the role. In light of recent school report cards that bluntly grade schools A through F, the president of the United Federation of Teachers called the move “disgusting”.

City Schools Make Gains But Still Behind Nation in Test Scores
(Source: The Boston Globe, 11/15/07): School administrators and government officials are seeing lower test scores in urban schools.  Officials hope to reduce the achievement gap in urban schools by devoting resources to professional development for teachers, recruiting strong principals, and dedicating more time to student instruction in reading and math.

Building a Nation of Polyglots, Starting with the Very Young
(Source: The New York Times, 11/14/07): Unlike students in many other countries where foreign languages are taught in elementary school, most American students do not receive foreign language instruction until middle or high school. This leaves Americans at a distinct disadvantage in an increasingly global economy.  But US schools are starting to recognize the importance of teaching foreign languages to young students.  A growing number of elementary schools are adding foreign language instruction to their curricula.

Bad Behavior Does Not Doom Pupils, Studies Say
(Source: The New York Times, 11/13/07): Two new studies suggest that students with behavioral issues may not be at greater risk for poor academic performance. Both studies found little correlation between behavioral problems in kindergarten and later academic success. However, researchers did find that scores on math tests at ages 5 or 6 were highly correlated with academic success in fifth grade. Study recommendations include the development of better math training for preschoolers.

Single-Sex Schools Make Comeback
(Source: The Detroit News, 11/13/07):  The number of single-sex public schools is on the rise nationwide, but educators and experts are divided as to whether such schools actually improve student achievement.  As of yet, research has not shown that the schools make students more successful, but anecdotal evidence suggests otherwise.