District Administration articles from February 2004

District Administration archives from February 2004

Announcing EduComm.(Editor's Letter)
February 1, 2004... The main goal of this magazine is to help school leaders do their jobs, whether they are superintendents, curriculum leaders or IT directors. So, when we saw a chance to extend our influence past the printed page, we didn't hesitate. ...

Edison buyout draws Ire in Florida.(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)
February 1, 2004... This past fall, Florida teachers found themselves in a strange alliance. Sunshine State teachers, via their state pension plan, became the new owners of Edison Schools. The Florida Retirement System purchased the Edison business, which includes...

Kids taking over WWW.(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)
February 1, 2004... Online games and music files that kids play and download are helping to create a gap between students and their schools. But it's not a distraction from schoolwork. Digital-age students are becoming so tech-savvy that their teachers and schools...

Hurting for cash? Loans to go.(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)
February 1, 2004... Numerous Pennsylvania school districts are living the American way, taking out loans to pay for expenses, according to www.goerie.com. The Erie School Board most recently approved applying for a $12 million loan, staving off the need to...

Internet rules for kids.(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)
February 1, 2004... Youths shouldn't be limited in using computers, but rather learn responsible habits so they don't fall into the hands of someone who wants to do harm. The Technology Student Association in West Virginia warns youths to be highly protective...

Student's death triggers Title IX test.(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)
February 1, 2004... A first-of-its-kind lawsuit in Texas is testing the responsibilities of school districts to protect students against sexual harassment under Title IX, the federal law that bans sexual discrimination in public schools. Unlike most Title IX...

Gay comment starts flap in Louisiana district.(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)
February 1, 2004... The Lafayette Parish School District in Louisiana allegedly encroached on the free speech of a 7-year-old boy recently by punishing him for telling another student that his mother is gay. Last November, the then 6-year-old Marcus McLaurin...

Gambling for classes.(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)
February 1, 2004... In dozens of states across the nation, lottery proceeds have been billed as cash cows that would enhance education. But has that really happened? Some watchdogs say budget-strapped states are increasingly relying on gambling proceeds to fund...

Slower growth of students.(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)
February 1, 2004... In the next decade, national student enrollment is expected to grow 5 percent, for a total of 56.4 million students. But the growth has slowed since the late 1980s through 2001, when student growth increased 19 percent, according to the...

Houston officials aren't cooperating.(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)
February 1, 2004... Some principals and superintendents were still not taking responsibility in December for potentially bad record keeping at Houston Independent School District, three months into a six-month review, a state auditor told the Houston Chronicle....

Coaching of a different kind.(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)
February 1, 2004... Forget coaches on the field. Recent reports show that literacy coaches can improve adolescent literacy in middle and high school students nationwide. The Alliance for Excellent Education, a non-profit organization aimed to help at-risk...

Giving back in Detroit.(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)
February 1, 2004... An up close and personal look into teaching at urban schools is what future teachers will receive thanks to a new $6 million partnership between the Broad Foundation, Michigan State University and Detroit Public Schools. The partnership will...

States giving false grad rates and teacher quality stats.(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)
February 1, 2004... Many states, particularly North Carolina, overestimate their high school graduation rates, which undermines chances to address struggling student needs, according to a recent study by an education advocacy group. Not only are graduation...

Superintendents have pick of litter.(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)
February 1, 2004... Superintendents are in a good spot. Competition is growing for school superintendents as colleagues retire, and there are fewer qualified candidates, according to a recent story in The Boston Globe. This year, the Massachusetts Association of...

Wisconsin school gets certified.(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)
February 1, 2004... Malcolm Shabazz City High School in the Madison Metropolitan School District recently received full certification from the National At-Risk Education Network--the first school to receive this nationwide notice. NAREN, a private, non-profit...

A piece of the reform puzzle helps principals.(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)
February 1, 2004... This fall, Paul Vallas, CEO of the School District of Philadelphia, gave the principals of some of the area's most challenged high schools help to meet the standards he and the School Reform Commission have set for the district. The public...

Lawsuit against drug raids.(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)
February 1, 2004... The American Civil Liberties Union recently filed a lawsuit on behalf of 20 students who were allegedly terrorized by a SWAT team-style drug raid at Stratford High School ha Columbia, S.C., last November. A video from school surveillance...

Student religious groups must get equal access.(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)
February 1, 2004... The U.S. Supreme Court recently decided not to take a Washington state case that a federal appeals court had previously ruled that student religious groups must have equal access on school grounds. The American Center for Law and Justice,...

Charter schools likely to grow.(Inside the law: analyzing, debating and explaining no child left behind)
February 1, 2004... Is it a better option? Will students learn more, test better? These questions continue to linger around charter schools and charter districts. While there is no definitive answer, what is certain is that charter schools help answer a...

Feds relax rules.(Inside the law: analyzing, debating and explaining no child left behind)
February 1, 2004... In a turnaround, the federal government will allow students with significant cognitive disabilities to take an alternative achievement test in reading and math to calculate adequate yearly progress under NCLB. The change means that certain...

NAEP results: urban students left behind.(Inside the law: analyzing, debating and explaining no child left behind)
February 1, 2004... Students in some of the country's largest urban districts are scoring below the national average on math and reading tests, according to National Assessment of Educational Progress. The nation's report card looked at 10 urban districts to...

Mexican-born student prepares for test.(Inside the law: analyzing, debating and explaining no child left behind)
February 1, 2004... Jose Manuel Lopez just came to America from his homeland of Mexico last August and is supposed to take the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills test in April--a requirement under the No Child Left Behind Act. While the 13-year-old...

Mentoring's biggest fan: one-on-one work helps this superintendent focus on his students--all 5,700 of them.(Administrator profile: Tony Marchio, Appoquinimink (Del.) School District)
February 1, 2004... It is not enough to visit the schools. It is not enough to walk the halls and wave. It is not enough to watch at the back of the classroom. Tony Marchio' superintendent of the fast growing, 5,700-plus student district in Appoquinimink,...

The gift that keeps on giving: this district proves that a digital divide effort can be stretched to accomplish so much more.(District profile: Kent (Wash.) School District)
February 1, 2004... They say when you look at fine sculpture, the work can be viewed from any angle without disappointment. The artist considers every side. Kent School District in Washington has created its own version of sculptural perfection. Its computer...

Do these Web sites work? Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't. Learn what our panel of online experts (Odvard Egil Dyrli, Charles Shields and Gary Stager) say is right, and wrong, with these district Web sites.
February 1, 2004... NAVIGATION The site is very deep; there are lots of places to go and things to see--even listen to. The district has included a number of narrated slide shows about the school system that open in the middle of the home page, and close...

Construction interruption: in the real world, renovation problems happen. Here are tips for dodging and, if necessary, dealing with them.(Cover Story)
February 1, 2004... What happened to B.J. Gatten smacks of an absurd sitcom episode: The Ridgefield (Conn.) High School sophomore struggled through a semester of geometry while construction workers built a new wing onto the school on the other side of the wall....

Efficiency: worth the energy? Whether you're starting from scratch or shaping up, options abound for energy savings in schools.
February 1, 2004... The Answer: $1.5 billion for America's schools. The Question: If the costs of unnecessary energy use in schools were subtracted from the $6 billion schools spend on energy every year, what would be saved? That alarming equation is...

Paper chase: NCLB comes with a lot of requirements, from student tests to teacher qualifications, and districts are finding out it takes a team to track all data and fill out the corresponding paperwork.
February 1, 2004... Iowa is not known for its mountains, but don't tell that to Juli Kwikkel. Kwikkel is an elementary principal in the rural district of Storm Lake, in the northwestern part of the state. And she is spending more time than she'd like facing the...

If at first ... if you don't offer new teachers the right kind of professional development, you may not get a second chance.
February 1, 2004... In a new millennium with a new federal mandate to leave no child behind, there's one constant for teachers: The need for new teachers to be nurtured, trained and treated with the respect a professional deserves. The New Teacher Center at...

Cyber security: why CoSN wants to help districts protect their technology assets.
February 1, 2004... The mission of a school is to facilitate learning. Learning ends on teachers, buildings, curriculum, materials, increasingly, security. In fact, schools are safer than ever before. We don't allow sharp-edged climbing structures in the gym,...

Brave new world: districts are beefing up their databases and using them for more tasks than ever. But are they keeping their confidential information safe?
February 1, 2004... As school leaders can attest, they're always being asked to do more. New requirements, new tests and new demands from parents are just some of the daily issues they face. Consider a school district's overworked database. With the specific...

How to "use" students: students can be a great IT resource for school districts. Just make sure you set a program to train and monitor them.
February 1, 2004... What's an administrator to do? On the one and, you have a rowing need for adequate tech support. On the other hand, there have been so many cuts and deletions in recent years your budget is beginning to resemble Swiss cheese. On the third hand,...

Lights, camera, algebra action.(Curriculum update: the latest developments in math, science, language arts and social studies)
February 1, 2004... It's the next generation of math homework helplines. And students in and around Houston Independent School District are tuning in. The district's After School Algebra Show, which airs live on its educational access television channel twice...

AP: the great bridge to China.(Curriculum update: the latest developments in math, science, language arts and social studies)
February 1, 2004... With 1.3 billion inhabitants of China and their language being the predominant one for 31 million Chinese living elsewhere, the numbers are certainly in favor of increasing educational access to the language here in the U.S. The Class of 2007...

Literary celebration gets Seuss-ed up.(Curriculum update: the latest developments in math, science, language arts and social studies)
February 1, 2004... If ever there was a time for school cafeterias to be serving green eggs and ham it. The National Education Association's seventh annual Read Across America celebration, which is always held on or around the birth date of Ted Geisel, will...

D's and F's the norm for graded U.S. history standards.(Curriculum update: the latest developments in math, science, language arts and social studies)
February 1, 2004... They can be done right and done well. But they rarely are. That's what a new report from the Thomas B. Fordham Institute on the state of state U.S. history standards has found. State standards were rated on comprehensive historical content,...

U.S. history standards' highs and lows.(Curriculum update: the latest developments in math, science, language arts and social studies)
February 1, 2004... The Strongest Standards tend to... * Identify and discuss real people * Have a clear chronology and coherent sequence * Revisit topics from early grades in later grades, in a more thorough way * Emphasize America's European...

Arts and foreign languages: lost curriculum?(Curriculum update: the latest developments in math, science, language arts and social studies)
February 1, 2004... Despite the proven benefits of arts and foreign language instruction, these subjects have been marginalized and are increasingly at risk of being eliminated from the core curriculum in public schools. That's the latest word from the National...

Escalating spam wars: districts need multiple tools to fight the rising tide of junk.(The Online Edge)
February 1, 2004... Imagine that every time you went to grab an item at the supermarket, someone ran up to you and forced you to consider what they were selling. Chances are you'd be shopping at a different supermarket soon. Well, that's the state of e-mail these...

The lying curriculum: insincere letters and pointless worksheets.(Speaking Out)
February 1, 2004... It is wrong to lie to children. Adults entrusted with educating children must abide by this simple principle. Schools, however, routinely shade the truth in the name of policy or curriculum. Lies come in all shapes and sizes from, "You'll need...

Taking a closer look at homework.(Research corner: essentials on education data and analysis from research authority AEL)
February 1, 2004... After-school programs and summer sessions are not the only ways to extend time for student learning, nor are they the least expensive. Some researchers are urging schools to take a fresh look at homework and its potential for engaging...

NetOp School v3.0: CrossTec.(New products: the latest offerings in books, hardware, Internet and software)
February 1, 2004... www.crossteccorp.com, Software, $650 and up per classroom The latest version of this PC classroom monitoring software offers new features such as screen recording and program and URL blocking. Teachers call set classroom policies to disable...

Pinpoint: Sagebrush/Gemteq Software.(New products: the latest offerings in books, hardware, Internet and software)
February 1, 2004... www.sagebrushcorp.com/tech/ pinpoint, Software, $1.65 per student for the first year; $.33 per student each year thereafter Sagebrush's Pinpoint research tool, which allows students to search libraries, information databases, online...

Heartwood Ethics Program: Pre-K or Kindergarten Kit: Heartwood Institute.(New products: the latest offerings in books, hardware, Internet and software)
February 1, 2004... www.heartwoodethies.org, Books, $395 This literature-based, read-aloud program uses stories to help teach positive values. The kit contains 15 stories from a variety of cultures and genres, as well as a loose-leaf manual with ideas,...

SchoolTools@Work Staff Leave: Digital Controls.(New products: the latest offerings in books, hardware, Internet and software)
February 1, 2004... www.digitalcontrols.com, Internet, $40,000, plus $1,000 annual fee for support, license and application hosting This Web-based application lets K-12 personnel electronically submit leave requests, including substitute requirements. Requests...

FSLogic Protect: FSLogic.(New products: the latest offerings in books, hardware, Internet and software)
February 1, 2004... www.fslogic.com, Software, $80 per workstation (volume and educational discounts available) This software protects and manages shared access and public access Windows PCs in education environments. It helps reduce administrative expenses...

Outpost Persona Firewall Pro 2.0: Agnitum.(New products: the latest offerings in books, hardware, Internet and software)
February 1, 2004... www.agnitum.com, Software, $39.95 This updated, full-featured firewall for Windows helps protects computers from hackers, detects and blocks intrusions and quarantines Internet worms and viruses that enter a computer. The program can now...

Leverage Your Library Program to Raise Test Scores: Linworth Publishing.(New products: the latest offerings in books, hardware, Internet and software)
February 1, 2004... www.linworthpublishing.com, Book, $39.95 Author Audrey P. Church, an instructor of a graduate program of school library media, argues that support for a library program helps to raise test scores. The book shows that student test scores in...

Professional Development Workshops: Learning.com.(New products: the latest offerings in books, hardware, Internet and software)
February 1, 2004... www.learning.com, Service, $2,500 for up to 30 people per district in a full-day session Teachers can attend one or more of the 13 full-day professional development workshops to be offered in cities throughout the nation. Topics include...

Classroom Suite: IntelliTools.(New products: the latest offerings in books, hardware, Internet and software)
February 1, 2004... www.intellitools.com, Software, $299.95 (through June) Targeting pre-K-8 educators, this suite includes three teaching and learning tools: IntelliPics Studio 3 for creating multimedia presentations; IntelliMathics 3, a virtual math...

Connected Tech: Classroom Connect.(New products: the latest offerings in books, hardware, Internet and software)
February 1, 2004... www.classroom.com, Internet, Up to $10 per student/year (volume discounts available) This Web-based program for K-8 helps incorporate technology applications into the core curricullum. The program uses applications such as Microsoft...

Barnes & Noble Classics: Barnes & Noble.(New products: the latest offerings in books, hardware, Internet and software)
February 1, 2004... www.bn.com, Books, $3.95-$9.95 Each book in this literature series includes new introductions, study materials, footnotes, endnotes and discussion questions, as well as an index, a glossary and illustrations when appropriate. The books...

Expression 101: Smart Technologies.(New products: the latest offerings in books, hardware, Internet and software)
February 1, 2004... www.smarttech.com, Hardware, $2,259 This new mobile multimedia cabinet was designed to simplify the implementation and use of multimedia equipment in schools. The cabinet's workspace is at standard countertop height for those who stand...

MY Access! 4.0: Vantage Learning.(New products: the latest offerings in books, hardware, Internet and software)
February 1, 2004... www.vantagelearning.com, Software, $36 per student per year for unlimited usage The latest version of this online writing instructional program offers rapid, accurate scoring and immediate diagnostic feedback. New customization features...

LW40U and LW25U: Christie.(New products: the latest offerings in books, hardware, Internet and software)
February 1, 2004... www.christiedigital.com, Hardware, LW4OU, $13,995; LW25U, $89.95 The LW40U and LW25U are superbright 16:9 LCD projectors designed for a variety of learning environments. The LW40U offers 4,000 ANSI lumens and is suitable for screens up to...

Agility Presenter: Anystream.(New products: the latest offerings in books, hardware, Internet and software)
February 1, 2004... www.anystream.com, Software, $99 for audio version, $149 for audio/video version The upgraded version of this media presentation tool for PowerPoint enables users to capture presentations and events using professional quality video...

Corel Creative Pack, Corel Graphics Pack and Corel Photo Enhancement Pack: Corel.(New products: the latest offerings in books, hardware, Internet and software)
February 1, 2004... www.corel.com/education, Software, Creative $109; Graphics $179; Photo $85 These software bundles for students and educators feature graphics tools at a packaged price. The Creative pack is a graphics toolkit that includes five different...

CrossGen Entertainment: Bridges.(New products: the latest offerings in books, hardware, Internet and software)
February 1, 2004... www.crossgen.com/education, Software/Books, $299.95 for each classroom pack; $45.00 for each 5-pack; and $19.95 for each teacher's guide Tiffs supplemental reading program uses two of the publisher's graphic novel series, Meridian and...

Key Curriculum Press[R]--innovators in Mathematics Education.(Information showcase: free catalogs and literature)(Advertisement)
February 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...

A field trip to the stars without leaving your school!(Information showcase: free catalogs and literature)(Advertisement)
February 1, 2004... The STARLAB Portable Planetarium, "the universe in a bag," lets the stars come to you saving the expense, hassle and worry of field trips. In the exciting environment of STARLAB, treat students to interactive, interdisciplinary lessons and...

NEA Professional Library.(Information showcase: free catalogs and literature)(Advertisement)
February 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: free catalogs and literature)(Advertisement)
February 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...

Teen Ink Magazine--written entirely by teens for teens.(Information showcase: free catalogs and literature)(Advertisement)
February 1, 2004... Let your students be published. Now in its 15th year, this monthly magazine is used by 5,500 teachers. More than 25,000 works of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art and photos already published for free. Teen Ink encourages reading, writing,...

KELVIN[R]'s.(Information showcase: free catalogs and literature)(Advertisement)
February 1, 2004... KELVIN[R]'s innovative and affordable products for technology education, science, electronics and engineering include: modular labs, trainers, data acquisition, robotics, kits, consumable materials, instructional videos and books. KELVIN[R]'s...

Lower your discipline referrals proven results.(Information showcase: free catalogs and literature)(Advertisement)
February 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...

The performance series from Scantron.(Information showcase: free catalogs and literature)(Advertisement)
February 1, 2004... Responding to sweeping education reforms, Scantron delivers the new standard in diagnostic assessment technology. The Performance Series is a standards-based, testing and assessment tool that empowers educators with critical data to impact...

2004 Big Book of Ideas and Solutions catalog.(Information showcase: free catalogs and literature)(Advertisement)
February 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: free catalogs and literature)(Advertisement)
February 1, 2004... 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 Rooks. It's the easiest and most...

By the numbers: a data bank on education trends for district leaders: this month: energy.
February 1, 2004... In 2001, energy expenditures for school districs were nearly $8 Billion Energy Actions During FY 2002, districts took various measures to improve energy efficiency Renovated or retrofitted existing facilities ...