District Administration articles from April 2004

District Administration archives from April 2004

NCLB [right arrow] ACRTP.(Editor's Letter)
April 1, 2004... When I first heard John Goodlad's speech at February's AASA conference, I was too surprised to really consider it. Goodlad, a longtime education advocate, told the crowd of about 1,000 district leaders not to concentrate on No Child Left...

Educators find little to like in Bush budget.(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)
April 1, 2004... President George W. Bush says increased funding for education is among the highlights of his proposed budget for fiscal year 2005. But educators aren't buying it. Major organizations of teachers and principals point to elimination of...

Evolution of evolution: the debate could end.(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)
April 1, 2004... Ohio is teaching "Critical Analysis of Evolution" and Georgia is keeping evolution after getting flak for wanting to change it to "biological changes over time." Missouri legislators are considering a bill that would teach both evolution and...

Religion wins in school.(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)
April 1, 2004... Religious speech is strong and healthy in public schools after the U.S. Supreme Court let an appeals court decision stand. The case started when an Arizona district refused to distribute an organization s brochures that included religious...

Single-sex boom?(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)
April 1, 2004... In the last three years, the number of public schools offering single-sex education has quadrupled to 90. Leonard Sax, executive director of National Association for Single Sex Public Education, says two factors account for the boom....

Report urges parents to be more involved.(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)
April 1, 2004... In Louisville, Kentucky, some Noe Middle School parents felt that sixth graders coming to the school would adjust better if they had some help. The parents, using money they raised themselves, created Transition Night, an evening of...

Laptops at work.(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)
April 1, 2004... A recent report shows that Maine students who use laptops are more engaged in learning and produce better-quality work. Most of Maine's middle schools have implemented the program, which started with seventh-graders in 2002 and expanded to...

8 steps to open communication.(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)
April 1, 2004... Here are several ways educators can improve the lines of communication. 1. Share power, such as expanding decision making, so families have a voice. 2. Communicate expectations to parents and staff. 3. Open doers, or give families...

Achievement punished in Tennessee?(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)
April 1, 2004... When is recognizing achievement a violation of student privacy? One Tennessee school district came face-to-face with this issue when an elementary student's desire to remain off the school honor roll prompted a second look into the practice of...

Ins and outs of computers.(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)
April 1, 2004... Middle school students in Kentucky are learning the ins and outs of computers--literally. At-risk students in Fayette County Public Schools in Lexington are participating in a 40-hota" after-school pilot program where they take computers...

Teen pregnancy drops.(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)
April 1, 2004... The national teenage pregnancy rate declined by 2 percent from 1999 to 2000 and fell by 28 percent from its 1990 peak, according to the Alan Guttmacher Institute. The pregnancy rate among black teenagers dropped by 32 percent in the same...

Meditation lowers blood pressure.(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)
April 1, 2004... A first major school study shows Transcendental Meditation helps lower blood pressure. A study of 100 high school students, aged 14 to 18, showed that the group who used TM regularly showed greater decreases in daytime blood pressure compared...

Weak grades for Chicago schools on finances, special ed.(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)
April 1, 2004... In separate reports by the Illinois State Board of Education, the Chicago Public Schools system has garnered less than stellar grades for its fiscal management and for allegedly segregating some of its special education students from mainstream...

Soda ousted in Philadelphia.(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)
April 1, 2004... Soda, iced tea and sweeted drinks are banned in Philadelphia public schools: The Philadelphia School Reform Commission allows only water, milk and 100 percent fruit juice to be sold in the district's roughly 260 schools, effective July 1....

Pick a school, any school.(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)
April 1, 2004... Click on www.SchoolResults.org and find access to information on public school performance. While it is still compiling data for every district in every state, the Web site, launched by federal, state and private education leaders, will...

Paige's slip of tongue leaves bad taste.(Inside the law: analyzing, debating and explaining No Child Left Behind)
April 1, 2004... When U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige called the National Education Association a "terrorist organization" in late February, it prompted the NEA leader to ask for Paige's resignation. NEA President Reg Weaver called on President Bush...

States jump ship.(Inside the law: analyzing, debating and explaining No Child Left Behind)
April 1, 2004... Enough is enough. That's what more than a dozen states are saying to No Child Left Behind. Some state legislatures are requesting waivers or additional funding, while some refuse to spend their own money and some won't bother with the law at...

Struggling English language learner might be at advantage.(Inside the law: analyzing, debating and explaining No Child Left Behind)
April 1, 2004... Robert Garcia, 10, is a persistent student who likes school, but he struggles with the English language. Having grown up in a home where Spanish is the dominant language, the fifth grader at California's Keyes Elementary struggles with...

More breathing room for highly qualified teachers.(Inside the law: analyzing, debating and explaining No Child Left Behind)
April 1, 2004... The federal Department of Education proved it is listening to the increasing criticism of No Child Left Behind when it announced in March more flexibility in how a teacher could be considered highly qualified. Since the law was passed two years...

NCLB hotline help.(Inside the law: analyzing, debating and explaining No Child Left Behind)
April 1, 2004... A new toll-free information resource line will give superintendents key information about the No Child Left Behind act. The line, 1-888-NCLB-SUP, offers information about the law, including accountability, measuring school progress, Reading...

An eagle eye: this financial whiz with an educational heart of gold has earned the respect of colleagues near and far.(Administrator profile: Donna B. Smith, Superintendent, Clint (Texas) independent School District)
April 1, 2004... According to her husband, Donna Smith can squeeze 10 pennies out of one. Sound like a tall tale? It's not that tall. It is more like a 5'1" tale of a born-and-brad Texan who has an eagle eye for spotting problems in spreadsheets. And while her...

Local progress grabs national attention: the secret to success at this district's top elementary school starts with respect.(District profile: Mount Vernon (N.Y.) City School District)
April 1, 2004... There are many things Principal George Albano can't do. He can't walk through the brightly colored halls of Lincoln Elementary in Mount Vernon, N.Y., without virtually talking to every other teacher, lightly touch a shoulder in a warm gesture...

Columbine revisited: what we've learned in the five years after the tragedy.
April 1, 2004... Columbine. The word once brought visions of a beautiful white and lavender flower. Now it is synonymous with tragedy and cold-blooded killing. On April 20, 1999, at 11:19 a.m., exploding bombs signaled the start of a violent rampage on the...

Open season: for two years, No Child Left Behind has ruled K-12 education. Now, behind a phalanx of criticism from superintendents, politicians and even some members of the public, the future of the law is in doubt.(Cover Story)
April 1, 2004... Forget for a moment several parts of No Child Left Behind. Forget whether you think the federal government has the right to hold states accountable for how they educate students. Forget whether you think a series of tests is the best way to...

Testing: uno, dos, tres! In most subject areas, teachers view testing in a negative light. In the foreign language field, excitement over assessment is the norm. And with good reason.
April 1, 2004... Spanish teacher Sandy Gutierrez knows the path to a student's mind can be through the stomach. Turn in work that's like a yummy two-scoop ice cream cone, she'll say, and you've met expectations. A small, single-scoop cone would be OK and almost...

Lost in translation ... at a cost: with the pressure to measure the abilities of all students--including English language learners--how do districts fare in making assessments fair?
April 1, 2004... Each year, thousands of immigrant students stream into schools across the country, barely knowing enough English to patch a sentence together. But within months, many of these students are faced with the challenge of taking a district or state...

Trailblazers: bland and boring. That's how most teens rate their district's online efforts. What can you learn from student web sites?
April 1, 2004... Kendrick Kidd, a tenth-grade Rural Trust student at Packers Bend in Alabama, organized and directed the wiring of the school for computer networking. His work, which now involves many other students, resulted in Packers Bend being the first...

Dark shadows: three trends in school safety that affect every district: gay bashing, high-tech equipment and arrests.(Security focus)
April 1, 2004... Most schools are safe places. But pockets of violence continue to cast a dark shadow over some buildings. So far this school year, as of mid-March, 40 people died in school-associated deaths, exceeding the number of school deaths for the past...

Locking it down, cheaply: balancing security needs with tight budgets.(Security focus)
April 1, 2004... Trying to keep up with technology while managing limited funds can be a challenging trick for any company. For school districts, it can be even more daunting, as educators, students and parents clamor for computers and networks, and...

Making a tech plan: checking it twice.(Security News)
April 1, 2004... With more than 6,000 computers attached to the New Haven. Conn., Public Schools' network, technology coordinator Ralph Valenzisi knows he has his hands full keeping the network safe for teachers and students. Valenzisi takes a common sense...

Protecting the piecemeal server.(Security News)
April 1, 2004... A resourceful student is unhappy with his grade. Rather than ask for help or extra credit assignments, he puts his burgeoning intellect to use in another, more nefarious way, hacking his way into the district's network and changing his grade....

Q&A with Beth McGrath: real-time math and science.(Curriculum update: the latest developments in math, science, language arts and social studies)
April 1, 2004... Q: What forces are working for and against K-12 technology integration in math and science? A: No Child Left Behind. Administrators who understand the value of effective [classroom] technology use appreciate its role in helping students...

If these walls could talk ...(Curriculum update: the latest developments in math, science, language arts and social studies)
April 1, 2004... The walls of every school have a story to tell. That's the thinking behind the first annual Historic School Day, on April 20 this year. It's part of the Council of Education Facility Planners International's second annual School Building Week....

Study: low marks for direct instruction.(Curriculum update: the latest developments in math, science, language arts and social studies)
April 1, 2004... Despite the common perception of the direct instruction concept's success in reading education, results from a University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee professor's three-year study may make administrators reconsider that belief. Yet, the study itself...

Survey: Latinos on language.(Curriculum update: the latest developments in math, science, language arts and social studies)
April 1, 2004... Should teaching English to the children of immigrant families be an important goal in U.S. schools? Of course, say the vast majority of Latinos, whites and African-Americans in a recent survey. But the importance of schools helping these...

Phishing lures: bogus e-mail and copycat Web sites threaten school users.(The Online Edge)
April 1, 2004... When an unsuspecting Chicago-area teacher recently got a surprise call from a merchant in New York about an online purchase he had never made, he discovered someone else was using his credit card number. It turned out the teacher had...

When pigs fly, Part two: time to let go of the afterschool workshop.(Speaking Out)
April 1, 2004... Last month's column featured my hardware and R&D related recommendations for the National Educational Technology Plan. Here are some additional recommendations for imaginative school leaders and members of President Nader's cabinet. Action...

School libraries: quietly making a difference.(Research corner: essentials on education data and analysis from research authority AEL)
April 1, 2004... A growling body of research links high-quality school library programs to higher reading scores for students. The most convincing studies are careful to account for the impact of community conditions such as school affluence or parents'...

Kidspiration 2: Inspiration Software.(New products: the latest offerings in books, hardware, internet and software)
April 1, 2004... www.inspiration.com, Software, $69/single copy, Licenses available This K-5 visual learning software now includes Symbol Maker for drawing, unlimited SuperGrouper images, Venn diagram capabilities, the option to see symbols displayed next...

Siedle MULTI system: Siedle Communications Systems.(New products: the latest offerings in books, hardware, internet and software)
April 1, 2004... www.siedleusa.com, Software/Hardware $2,500 and up This video/telecommunications system was designed for multiple and simultaneous video monitoring of video cameras. Features include caller ID, call differentiation (distress/alarm),...

Mac OS X: the Missing Manual, Panther Edition: O'Reilly/Pogue Press.(New products: the latest offerings in books, hardware, internet and software)
April 1, 2004... www.oreilly.com, Books, $29.95 In the new version of this book, The New York Times computer columnist David Pogue features details on the changes in Apple's Mac OS X 10.3, a.k.a. "Panther." The book covers the all-new Finder and iChat AV,...

Dana wireless: AlphaSmart.(New products: the latest offerings in books, hardware, internet and software)
April 1, 2004... www.alphasmart.com, Hardware, $429 This two-pound laptop alternative is powered by Palm OS with a large screen and integrated full-size keyboard, which users can use to access e-mail and the Internet wirelessly. The product now incorporates...

Mediasite live: Sonic Foundry.(New products: the latest offerings in books, hardware, internet and software)
April 1, 2004... www.sonicfoundry.com, Software, $25,000 This real-time rich media presentation system's new capabilities include: high-resolution graphics; auto-indexing of images; Web catalogs that build and transfer content to Web pages; and a...

Gateway security 5400 series: Symantec.(New products: the latest offerings in books, hardware, internet and software)
April 1, 2004... www.symantec.com, Hardware, $3,200 and up This appliance integrates firewall technology, an intrusion prevention and detection engine, URL-based content filtering, antivirus protection and virtual networking technology with encryption....

The funding connection grant workshops: Curriculum Associates.(New products: the latest offerings in books, hardware, internet and software)
April 1, 2004... www.curriculumassociates.com, Workshops, Free This series of seminars is designed to help schools and districts identify available, but not widely known, sources of school funding. Led by grants specialist Parisa Tahouri, the seminars will...

WPS1: H. Wilson Company.(New products: the latest offerings in books, hardware, internet and software)
April 1, 2004... www.hwi/son.com, Hardware, $152 This presentation station features a 17x17-inch shelf with a 2-inch tall metal retaining bar to help keep equipment secure. The shelf has a 15 degree tilt, and the model is adjustable in height from 27 to 37...

Online grade management solution: The GradeNetwork.(New products: the latest offerings in books, hardware, internet and software)
April 1, 2004... www.gradenetwork.com, internet, $59.99 per year professional membership (single instructor) This Web application ,allows teachers to manage all classes, students, assignments and scores from one Web interface. The application features...

Understanding standards-based assessment: Educational Testing Service.(New products: the latest offerings in books, hardware, internet and software)
April 1, 2004... www.ets.org, Workshops, Facilitator kit $295, Participant guide $29 This series of professional workshops and related materials can help teachers understand how to monitor each student's level of achievement and capture feedback needed to...

Holt elements of literature: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.(New products: the latest offerings in books, hardware, internet and software)
April 1, 2004... www.hrw.com, Program, Student editions $58.95-$62.70 each This middle and high school program is claimed to be the first literature program for secondary schools developed by a major textbook publisher since No Child Left Behind was...

SpectorSoft professional edition: SpectorSoft.(New products: the latest offerings in books, hardware, internet and software)
April 1, 2004... www.spectorsoft.com, Software, Approximately $14.95/license, depending on quantity This filtering alternative can identify everything done on a particular PC. It captures and records e-mails, chat conversations, instant messages and...

Dukane mobile presentation system: Dukane.(New products: the latest offerings in books, hardware, internet and software)
April 1, 2004... www.dukane.com, Hardware, $5,355 This presentation system can be shared among multiple rooms for individual presentations. In addition to other features, it includes a data/video projector, document camera, speakers, DVD/VCR player,...

American history online: Facts On File.(New products: the latest offerings in books, hardware, internet and software)
April 1, 2004... www.factsonfile.com, Software, $650 and up, depending on enrollment This database spanning more than 500 years includes both Facts On File's 11-volume Encyclopedia of American History and the Landmark Documents in American History database...

LV-S3: Canon.(New products: the latest offerings in books, hardware, internet and software)
April 1, 2004... www.usa.canon.com, Hardware, $1,299 This microportable projector weighs 4.9 pounds and features SVGA native resolution. Users can opt for the quiet-operation in Silent Mode, which decreases the unit's noise level to 32dB. The projector also...

National association of state boards of education: Charter Schools Resource Kit.(New products: the latest offerings in books, hardware, internet and software)
April 1, 2004... www.nasbe.org, Software, $12.50 This resource kit for state and local decision-makers includes the latest information on charter school policies related to school goals, accountability, authorization and oversight, equity and access,...

Unitedstreaming network manager: United Learning.(New products: the latest offerings in books, hardware, internet and software)
April 1, 2004... www.unitedlearning.com, Software, $299 per school building This application aims to help system administrators better manage the Unitedstreaming digital video-on-demand service by scheduling specific video download times and eliminating...

powerOne graph 4.0: Infinity Softworks.(New products: the latest offerings in books, hardware, internet and software)
April 1, 2004... www.infinitysw.com, Software, $59.99 This Palm OS-based application lets users convert their handheld computers into graphing scientific calculators. The software presents users with a touch screen to enhance interactive learning, and...

e-STUDIO3511: Toshiba American Business Solutions.(New products: the latest offerings in books, hardware, internet and software)
April 1, 2004... www.tabs.toshiba.com, Hardware, $11,895 This fully featured monochrome copier, printer, scanner and fax also copies and prints in color. It produces a rate of 35 monochrome printed or copied pages-per-minute with a black-and-white...

What Does It Mean to Be Well Educated? Beacon Press.(New products: the latest offerings in books, hardware, internet and software)
April 1, 2004... www.beacon.org, Books, $16 This collection of essays from former teacher Alfie Kohn looks at issues facing modern education, such as the "accountability fad," which Kohn argues is part of a large effort by conservatives to dismantle public...

The New SAT SparkNote: SparkNotes.(New products: the latest offerings in books, hardware, internet and software)
April 1, 2004... www.sparknotes.com, Book, Free This guide aims to clear up confusion that students, parents or teachers may have about the new SAT. The booklet breaks down all the changes in the exam, including the new essay section, and it details each...

StandardsBuilder: Jackson Software.(New products: the latest offerings in books, hardware, internet and software)
April 1, 2004... www.jacksoncorp.com, Software, Approximately $500 per school This software enables administrators to assign state standards and skills to teachers in their district by subject and grade level. It's designed to be used with the GradeQuick...

Click to meet express 2.1: First Virtual Communications.(New products: the latest offerings in books, hardware, internet and software)
April 1, 2004... www.fvc.com, Software, $7,400 and up The updated version of this software-based web conferencing system enables audio, video and data communication within a single, browser-based user interface. The system provides support in its...

Sidewalk Strategies: Seven Winning Steps for Candidates, Causes and Communities: Phenix & Phenix.(New products: the latest offerings in books, hardware, internet and software)
April 1, 2004... www.bookpros.com, Book, $16.95 Author Larry Tramutola shares strategies for educational leaders in winning elections and campaigns and in making a difference in their communities. Tramutola, who is responsible for 34 percent of the...

Calendar of events.(Brief Article)(Calendar)
April 1, 2004... June 9-11, 2004 * Atlanta, Georgia Join us as DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION magazine presents The EduComm Conference at InfoComm2004--an exciting now conference specifically designed for district-level: * IT administrators * AV...

Key Curriculum Press[R]--innovators in mathematics education.(Information Showcase)
April 1, 2004... Supporting innovative educators for over 30 years, Key Curriculum Press publishes award-winning software, textbooks, and supplementary materials for secondary school mathematics. The Geometer's Sketchpad[R] is the world's leading software tool...

"Teach Me Writing".(Information Showcase)
April 1, 2004... A school wide sequential writing program for kindergarten through fifth grade. Writing is a process and must be taught as a process. Each teacher must have grade level appropriate curriculum in order for a school to be successful on the state...

NEA Professional Library.(Information Showcase)
April 1, 2004... Whether you're a superintendent, curriculum director or classroom teacher, the NEA Professional Library offers books and other resources that speak directly to the challenges you face every day. Each title research based and designed for...

RFB&D's[R] learning through listening[TM].(Information Showcase)
April 1, 2004... RFB&D's[R] Learning Through Listening[TM] memberships are a proven reading accommodation for students with learning disabilities, visual impairments or other physical disabilities. RFB&D memberships offer access to more than 90,000 recorded...

TIP (Textbook Inventory Program).(Information Showcase)
April 1, 2004... TIP (Textbook Inventory Program) is designed to be the most comprehensive textbook inventory system available. It is a tool for recording the transactions of textbooks (as well as components, test booklets, calculators etc.), at both the...

Lower your discipline referrals proven results.(Information Showcase)
April 1, 2004... Since 1992, Project Wisdom has been producing a school-wide character education program that helps students make wiser choices. Join more than 10,000 licensed schools across America. It's simple. It's affordable. It works. Visit our Website for...

Career assessment software.(Information Showcase)
April 1, 2004... Now career planning is easy, accurate and affordable with CareerScope[R] career assessment software. An aptitude battery and interest inventory in one, CareerScope provides a self-administered personal career assessment within 60 minutes....

2004 Big Book of Ideas and Solutions catalog.(Information Showcase)
April 1, 2004... With more than 250 new products spread throughout our 2004 Big Book of Ideas and Solutions catalog, we guarantee the best selection of math, science, and technology education products. Explore 392 pages of relevant activities, kits, and...

Are your students making gains like these?(Information Showcase)
April 1, 2004... Are Your Students Making Gains Like These? New research shows a 65% increase in fluency gains when students add Recorded Books to their practice. To maximize the effectiveness of your program, try the "listen and read" strategy with Recorded...

By the numbers: a data bank on education trends for district leaders.
April 1, 2004... THIS MONTH: The year 2013 Enrollment Swings: 2001-2013 High School Graduates Between 2000-01 and 2012-13, the projected number of high school graduates will increase by 11 percent. Nevada will see the highest increase at 72 percent,...