Research review says evidence on the effect of culture-based teaching is thin
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/01/09/17culture.h27.html

Panel pushes for better teacher evaluation systems
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/01/16/19evaluation.h27.html

School Funding Litigation/Policy

With budget cuts on the horizon, the AL Education Association will not seek teacher raises for 2009
http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/119995650820660.xml&coll=2

IL school funding measure advances; proposal boosts the minimum amount that schools must spend on each student from $5,334 to $5,734
http://www.qctimes.com/articles/2008/01/10/news/state/doc4785ae519da30093660072.txt

State Roundup

AZ ranks worst in the nation when it comes to education funding but ranks in the top 10 for education standards and accountability, according to report
http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/219900

D.C. parents and community activists call for a boycott of hearings on school closings
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/07/AR2008010703324.html?nav=rss_education

OH’s 7th place ranking is seen as a good sign
http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/01/10/edweek10.ART_ART_01-10-08_B4_2991292.html?sid=101

FL Senate committee approves a bill that allows but does not require the gender segregation in schools; opponents say proposal is unfair and unconstitutional
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/state/orl-schoolgender1008jan10,0,7356443.story

FL appears to be on the right track as it rises to 14th in national ranking, according to report
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/state/orl-schoolrank1008jan10,0,4714267.story

Report says NJ students have a high chance of success
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newjersey/ny-bc-nj--schoolquality0109jan09,0,1658154.story

State by state report card on public schools ranks OR as having the second-worst education policy and performance in the nation
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/119993371368700.xml&coll=7

SC School Building Authority hopes for consistent criteria for school construction by the time funding is allocated
http://www.dailymail.com/News/200801090219

Report praises TN for policies that prepare students for transitions in school and life after graduation
http://www.timesfreepress.com/absolutenm/templates/local.aspx?articleid=28098&zoneid=77

Achievement test shows an ethnic gap between UT students that concerns education officials
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_7929797

Federal/NCLB

U.S. Education Secretary praises FL public schools for improving student achievement, even though only a third of them met NCLB goals last year
http://www.sptimes.com/2008/01/09/State/State_lags_in_No_Chil.shtml

Report shows that teachers earn substantially less than peers in comparable professions
http://www.stateline.org/live/details/story?contentId=269704

The less publicized analyses of the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) shows how America’s schooling is different – what we can learn from it
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/01/09/17science.h27.html

Longitudinal-data systems that connect teacher and student data to better guide investments to improve student achievement are uncommon but necessary
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/01/10/18guidera_web.h27.html

How Cincinnati turned its schools around, and what others can learn to increase graduation rates and eliminate gaps between African American and white students
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/01/09/17nathan.h27.html

School Funding Litigation/Policy

Educators worry that governor Richardson's new tax plan will leave GA schools with inadequate funding
http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/stories/2008/01/08/taxes_0109.html

State senators offer KS public schools another locked-in year of funding, but education advocates say the proposed $65 million increase is not enough
http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2008/jan/09/attention_again_turns_school_finance

With vast implications for a variety of constituencies, Corzine's proposal will likely face court challenges
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/20080109_Whats_next_for_school_formula_.html

NV education officials may target new programs, including all-day kindergarten and school empowerment initiatives, in making budget cuts sought by governor Gibbons
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/N/NV_EDUCATION_CUTS_NVOL-?SITE=NVCAP&SECTION=STATE&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2008-01-08-14-49-48

State Supreme Court rules WY’s school funding system constitutional and ends years of court oversight
http://www.wyomingnews.com/articles/2008/01/09/news/19local_01-09-08.txt

State Roundup

AR lawyer tells legislative panel that states cannot deny free public education to children of illegal immigrants who have been deported or no longer reside in a school district
http://www.arkansasnews.com/archive/2008/01/09/News/344766.html

CA governor says his education priority will be to transform 98 school districts that have posted rock-bottom test scores for at least five years, but educators hoped to hear more about school funding
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/01/09/MNK4UBGH2.DTL&feed=rss.education

Report says MD and VA school systems are among the best in the nation, while DC’s school system is ranked as the worst
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/09/AR2008010901058.html?nav=rss_education

NJ reverses earlier plans to abolish the controversial alternative high school exam, and will instead tighten how the test is administered and scored
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/01/the_corzine_administration_has_1.html

Study says OR needs to improve quality teaching
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1199845512159640.xml&coll=7

SC preschool program is up in the air: Republicans say the state can't afford to expand the program while Democrats say the state can't afford not to
http://www.charleston.net/news/2008/jan/09/preschool_program_up_air26995/

Published Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2008