United Way's 10-year goals include aiding education
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/05/15/100129mdunitedway_ap.html

School Funding Litigation/Policy

CA school districts are deciding how to cope with state budget cuts
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-schools16-2008may16,0,5805089.story

State Roundup

D.C. Schools Chancellor plans to replace principals and teachers, hire private education-management firms and install instructional programs to boost student achievement in academically troubled schools
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/15/AR2008051502354.html?nav=rss_education

D.C. school system will try a new approach to special education
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/05/21/38dc.h27.html

27,000 FL seniors may not earn a diploma because they failed to pass sophomore-level reading and math tests
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/state/content/local_news/epaper/2008/05/15/0515fcat.html

SC is a step closer to revamping its education accountability system and eliminating the standardized Palmetto Achievement Challenge Test given to public school students
http://www.charleston.net/news/2008/may/16/pact_edges_toward_demise41067/

Twenty percent of UT’s high school seniors failed the state exit exam, but achievement gaps between some groups narrowed
http://www.sltrib.com/ci_9270206

UT's graduation test could see some changes in the near future, lawmakers want failure to equal loss of diploma
http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,700226454,00.html

Attorney General appeals judge's dismissal of CT's lawsuit challenging NCLB, and pledges to take the case to the U.S. Supreme Court if necessary
http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-ctnochild0515.artmay15,0,850994.story

Study suggests that relationship between preschool teachers and students might be more important to learning than class size
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/05/21/38early.h27.html

School Funding Litigation/Policy

CA governor may have backed off a worst-case scenario for public education in a new budget proposal, but administrators say his plan still could leave classrooms shorthanded
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/state/20080515-9999-1n15react.html

LA house votes to spend $10 million in taxpayer money to get New Orleans children out of failing schools and into private schools
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/05/14/99845souxgrschoolmoney_ap.html

NH school funding amendment is voted down
http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080515/FRONTPAGE/805150382/1043/NEWS01

State Roundup

FL teachers union will sue to keep off the ballot two proposals designed to expand vouchers that let students attend private schools at public expense
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/05/14/99811fltaxcommissionvouchers_ap.html

ID task force hopes to improve middle schools
http://www.idahostatesman.com/531/story/381047.html

PA senators are skeptical about spending millions of dollars on proposed state graduation testing program
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/state/s_567594.html

Commentary – “Accountability that works:” an accurate and fair school accountability system remains elusive
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/05/14/37weingarten.h27.html

School Funding Litigation/Policy

MO approves an additional $130 million for K-12 education in fiscal budget, an increase of 2.5 percent
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/05/14/37brief-7.h27.html

In order to pass, proposal for NH school funding amendment has to clear a high bar
http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080514/FRONTPAGE/805140303/1043/NEWS01

State Roundup

Salary increase for AR teachers in the 2004-05 school year, a result of the state’s landmark school funding case, appears to be paying off in terms of teacher retention
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/05/14/37brief-b1.h27.html

AZ senators vote to extend the ability of high school seniors to use their grades to supplement their AIMS scores and graduate with their classmates
http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/238911

FL teachers union gears up to campaign against amendment that would authorize school vouchers
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/state/orl-tbrc1408may14,0,1694835.story

MS tells superintendents “fix your low-performing school districts within a two-year period, or you’re out”
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/05/13/38miss.h27.html

PA plan to require high school students to pass graduation competency exams sparks debate
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08135/881530-298.stm

Critics have often accused NCLB of being too harsh, but when it comes to the worst-performing schools, “the 2001 law hasn't shown much bite”
http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB121063138674386483-lMyQjAxMDI4MTEwMzYxMzMxWj.html

FL gets a C+ for difficulty on NCLB reading and math tests
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/story/530734.html

School Funding Litigation/Policy

TX school officials say school funding system does not provide money to cover rising costs and the plan’s tax revenue straightjacket will allow inflation to push school districts into bankruptcy
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5771565.html

State Roundup

AR State Department of Education will pay millions of dollars to several school districts in the coming months to align with a 2007 school-funding law
http://www.nwarktimes.com/adg/News/225597/

Former mayor says D.C. school system has become one of the nation's worst in terms of educating children, and supports a school voucher program
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/12/AR2008051202331.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns

SC senator says education experts, not lawmakers, should be responsible for what kind of test public school students take to hold schools accountable
http://www.greenvilleonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080512/NEWS03/80512048

SC develops pilot program to give low-income students laptops
http://www.greenvilleonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080512/NEWS04/80512065

TX educators say students should be measured on progress and not punitive measures
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/5774485.html

In the News on May 12, 2008

Pay-for-performance programs for school leaders should look beyond high-stakes exams to award bonuses, says the National Association of Secondary School Principals
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/05/14/37nassp.h27.html

U.S. Department of Education calls for consistent ELL measures
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/05/14/37interpret.h27.html

School Funding Litigation/Policy

New documents justifying the hundreds of earmarks in the proposed $2.3 billion state capital budget describe AK school grounds fraught with peril for children
http://www.adn.com/education/story/402559.html

NC governor will propose increasing state government spending by less than half as much as last year, as he tries to provide for his signature education programs
http://www2.journalnow.com/content/2008/may/11/easley-budget-halves-spending-increase/?news-ncpolitics

Audits of NJ's most troubled school systems question over $83 million in spending by the heavily state-subsidized districts
http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/index.ssf?/base/news-13/1210480577292020.xml&coll=1

State Roundup

Advocates say some of CA’s most gifted students are being ignored
http://www.latimes.com/news/education/la-me-gifted12-2008may12,0,108121.story?track=rss

Study says helping students in poor and urban schools should be MA’s top priority
http://www.boston.com/news/education/k_12/articles/2008/05/11/a_model_in_business_and_education/?rss_id=Boston.com+--+Education+news

Published Monday, May. 19, 2008