School Funding Litigation/Policy

CT lawmakers say that if the legislature fails to restore $20 million in state funding for early reading programs, over 300 school employees could lose their jobs on July 1
http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-ctbudget0522.artmay22,0,5088958.story

DE keeps pledge to avoid teacher layoffs but cutting money for everything from bus replacement funds to the student testing program
http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080522/NEWS02/805220371/1006/NEWS

NJ lawmakers begin pushing for an additional $2.5 billion to replenish the state’s school construction program
http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1211431109318780.xml&coll=1

State Roundup

More CA schools are reaching the desirable mark of 800 points on the state's Academic Performance Index
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/22/MN1E10QD12.DTL&feed=rss.education

FL third-graders post higher reading scores this year on FCAT exam that determines whether or not students will pass to the fourth grade
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/state/orl-fcat2208may22,0,4980822.story

GA will throw out the results of social studies tests because only 20 or 30 percent of sixth- and seventh-graders passed
http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/052208/news_20080522020.shtml

RI educators attend a daylong mathematics summit to discuss how to improve math curriculum and instruction
http://www.projo.com/news/content/MATH_SUMMIT_05-22-08_OMA7N66_v34.33c0ea6.html

Report commends TN for its pre-K efforts, saying it could become nationally known for its programs
http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/22/annual-child-wellness-report-commends-tennessees-p/

In the News on May 21, 2008

CT Attorney General files an appeal in a federal court to block the federal government from imposing un-reimbursed costs for NLCB
http://www.nhregister.com/WebApp/appmanager/JRC/BigDaily?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pg_article&r21.pgpath=%2FNHR%2FNews%2FConnecticut&r21.content=%2FNHR%2FNews%2FConnecticut%2FTopStoryList_Story_2050063

According to report, GA is one 23 states that likely will be hard-pressed to make needed improvements under the NCLB deadline
http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/052108/news_20080521059.shtml

Commentary – How to fix the flaw in the “growth models” that measure students’ progress toward standards, and help schools, states, and NCLB
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/05/21/38sokola.h27.html

Southern Regional Education Board calls for states and schools to increase substantially the quality of their career and technical education
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/05/21/38report-1.h27.html

Commentary – Meeting the challenges of NCLB with collaborative teaching
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/05/21/38wild_ep.h27.html

Commentary – How to improve education on the cheap? School choice
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/05/21/38warner_web.h27.html

School Funding Litigation/Policy

Report says federal, state, and local systems for distributing public funds to schools often systematically favor wealthier schools and students over those with fewer resources
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/05/21/38report-4.h27.html

AL Senate fails to approve an education budget in the 2008 legislative session
http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2008/05/session_adjorns_without_educat.html

Cuts for CA schools won’t be as deep as the $4.8 billion originally projected for K-12 schools, under a revised plan
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/05/21/38calif.h27.html

OR Appeals Court sides with state in funding lawsuit
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/05/21/38brief-9.h27.html

State Roundup

CO moves ahead with ambitious K-12 package
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/05/21/38colorado.h27.html

Almost one in five third graders in South FL might have to repeat third grade because they failed the reading FCAT exam
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking_news/story/541398.html

GA releases dismal scores on state math and social studies tests
http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/stories/2008/05/19/georgia_failing_crct_scores.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab

Federal/NCLB

Report finds that 23 states that called for modest gains in the early years of NCLB have “back-loaded”  student trajectories and need to make nearly impossible improvements in student performance to reach proficiency goals
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/05/19/38cep_web.h27.html

Schools increasingly look at stark consequences for failing to raise math and reading scores
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/20/AR2008052000293.html

New study concludes that the "boys crisis" in schools is a myth and that both sexes have stayed the same or improved on standardized tests in the past decade
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/19/AR2008051902798.html?nav=rss_education

School Funding Litigation/Policy

U.S. District Judge rejects a lawsuit brought by ID public schools against the state Supreme Court, saying the federal court doesn't have the jurisdiction to tell a state court how to run
http://www.idahostatesman.com/531/story/386113.html

State Roundup

HI is identified as a “slow state” with decreased chances of meeting NCLB proficiency goals
http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080520/NEWS07/805200336/1012/LOCALNEWSFRONT

Restoring $14 million to improve reading and writing skills is LA’s top public school goal in this year’s budget
http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/19089759.html

MN analysis finds racial gap in student suspensions
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/05/19/102162mntopicschoolsuspensions_ap.html

Federal study says class reductions show signs of success, but the evaluation found “no significant trends” in achievement on state tests or college-entrance exams
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/05/21/38community.h27.html

NAEP generates more data about charter schools for researchers and advocates to scrutinize
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/05/21/38charter_ep.h27.html

School Funding Litigation/Policy

Even without an amendment, NH lawmakers progress on the court's school funding mandate
http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080516/FRONTPAGE/805160364/1043/NEWS01

NH governor might face a new set of challenges in handling school funding in the event of an amendment failure
http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080519/FRONTPAGE/805190350/1043/NEWS01

PA school districts worry that proposed formula won’t give local schools their fair share
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/20080519_Struggle_over_Pa__s_school_aid_split.html

RI might soon become the first state with no predictable education financing formula
http://www.projo.com/news/content/EDUCATION_FORMULA_05-18-08_PKA5V8R_v23.3052176.html

State Roundup

AZ bill gives schools more time to unify
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0519redistrict0519.html

MS educators are determined to cut the dropout rate while making school more rigorous
http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080518/NEWS01/805180314/1001/NEWS

TX moves forward in revisions to the state curriculum for English-language arts and reading
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/05/21/38texas.h27.html

Published Tuesday, May. 27, 2008