District Administration articles from November 2003

District Administration archives from November 2003

Just say no?(Editor's Letter)
November 1, 2003... If it seems as if every page you turn to in this month's magazine contains some reference to No Child Left Behind, you may not be far off. In our 96 pages, there are six news stories that reference NCLB, four features, two columns and one new...

Double duty, indeed.(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2003... I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR the informative article "Double Duty" (Oct. 2003, p. 30) regarding the complex job of a small rural district administrator. The administrators that fill this role truly understand the phrase "as needed." However, I...

Bringing home the bacon, again and again.(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2003... I JUST FINISHED "BRINGING HOME THE BACON" (September 2003, p. 28). It was an enlightening article. I was impressed with the Dobbs Ferry approach to salary [to] put all the percs in [the base] salary and let the superintendent buy what he/she...

High schools plug into online writing program: MY Access! boosts end-of-year scores.(Web-based essay-scoring technology from Vantage Learning)
November 1, 2003... Dramatically improved high school writing scores are being collected at a range of schools--including inner city and suburban--thanks in part to online access and sophisticated assessment and testing programs. Just in time, too. The...

Rallies speak for struggling schools.(Inside the law: analyzing, debating and explaining No Child Left Behind)(funding shortfall)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... We need more. That simple plea was the message in 11 major cities across the nation when some members of Congress, teachers, parents, and ACORN members rallied to protest a shortfall of funding for No Child Left Behind. ACORN, the...

Web site will compare and contrast schools.(Inside the law: analyzing, debating and explaining No Child Left Behind)(Standard and Poor's School Evaluation Services)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... For the first time, school district leaders and parents can compare their schools' test successes and failures with other schools thanks to a new Web site. The new $55 million public/private partnership sponsored by the Broad Foundation...

Mapping a curriculum.(Hamilton (Ohio) City Schools)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Even in a place like Hamilton (Ohio) City Schools, where many students are improving in academics, pockets of weakness need attention. In the past year, an instructional team of administrators and master teachers devised curriculum...

D.C. voucher issue sparks national debate.(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)
November 1, 2003... A debate in the U.S. Congress about creating a voucher program in the Washington, D.C., school district has focused unprecedented national attention on the issue. That attention--and President Bush's support for vouchers--has added a new...

Aspiring teachers admit to cheating.(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)
November 1, 2003... Nearly 60 percent of education majors in America's colleges cheat, according to a national survey. Those surveyed admitted cheating at least once in the last year--on tests or by copying material without citing the source, reports Rutgers...

Lights, camera ... oh, do you have a license?(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)(movie licensing)
November 1, 2003... In an age when teachers can go to the nearest movie rental store or rent a flick online to show their students the following day, whether it's an acceptable lesson or not, movie licensing is catching on. A Movie Copyright Compliant Public...

California District earns top urban prize.(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)(Long Beach Unified School District)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Long Beach Unified School District is the top urban district in the nation--showing the best overall improvement in student achievement and reducing achievement gaps across ethnic groups and between high- and low-income students, according to...

$40 fee for skipping class.(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)( Los Alamitos (Calif.) Unified School District )(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Students in the Los Alamitos (Calif.) Unified School District who miss class need an excuse from home and, maybe, a $40 check. The district sent a letter to parents early this fall discussing the value, both academic and financial, of a...

Latte tax rejected.(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Seattle's Initiative 77--to put a 10-cent-a-cup tax on espresso drinks sold in Seattle to pay for day care and preschool--was recently rejected by voters. By more than 2-to-1, voters rejected the idea in September. Supporters said the tax...

Sign of other cultures.(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)(sign language instruction)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Arlington (Texas) High School teacher Shane Hensley grew up with a deaf sister and deaf parents, grandparents and great-grandparents. So it is only logical that Hensley, who can hear, grew up with American Sign Language as his first language....

Study: genes influence intelligence.(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... A new study of the interaction of genes, environment and IQ finds that the influence of genes on intelligence depends on class, according to a study conducted by a psychologist at the University of Virginia. The results, which are to be...

Memory could link to attention span.(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)
November 1, 2003... Researchers at the University of Missouri-Columbia are trying to quantify what was previously believed to be immeasurable--exactly how much information a human mind can retain at any given moment. Nelson Cowan, professor of psychological...

California system gauges student learning.(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)(Cal-PASS)
November 1, 2003... A K-16 information-sharing initiative heralded as a powerful new tool for improving classroom instruction is expanding statewide in California, where it was launched. More than 500 schools in up to 100 districts have joined Cal-PASS, "and...

Florida asked to stop tests.(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)(statewide assessment)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... The NAACP is seeking to stop the use of statewide assessment tests in Florida until achievement gaps between minority and white students is squashed in the state's schools. The NAACP filed a federal complaint against Florida's education...

Lonely star state.(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)(performance standards not met in Texas)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... About one in eight public schools in Texas failed to meet minimum federal performance standards, meaning many could lose students next year unless they improve, according to state education officials. Officials say that 98 school districts...

Are graduates ready for college?(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... While 70 percent of all students in public high schools graduate, only 32 percent of the nation's public high school graduates are qualified to attend four-year colleges, according to a recent national study based on the class of 2001. ...

Urban schools losing out.(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)(Missed Opportunities: How We Keep High-Quality Teachers Out of Urban Classrooms)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Urban schools are losing highly qualified teacher candidates due to dysfunctional personnel departments and sluggish hiring timelines, according the nationwide report Missed Opportunities: How We Keep High-Quality Teachers Out of Urban...

U.S. not getting bang for its buck.(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)(test scores don't reflect spending)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Out of more than 25 industrialized nations, the U.S. spends more public and private money to educate each student, but American test scores in math, reading and science lag and the nation's graduation rate was below the world average in 2001,...

Obesity grades in Arkansas.(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Arkansas is going where no state has gone before--testing all of its 447,000 school children to identify severely overweight children and to raise parents' awareness that their children's lifestyles may need change. The program is the...

The highest calling: the trenches of education beckoned, even after retirement, for this school leader.(Administrator profile: Jack Moreland, Superintendent, Covington (Ky.) Public Schools)
November 1, 2003... CHAPTER ONE When Jack Moreland retired in 1998, he certainly could look back on his career in Kentucky with pride and satisfaction. Except he's been too busy. The ascent was quick for a man raised on a tobacco farm by parents without...

Technology fireworks: digital video production has an unexpected effect on both teaching and learning for this technology-infused district.(District profile: Poway (Calif.) Unified School District)
November 1, 2003... "Years ago, we wanted to be able to broadcast to our parents through our own [TV] channel," explains Charlie Garten, discussing the initial interest of his district in video-production technology. "But once we saw Web streaming we decided not...

Hot-button handling: social studies and hot-button issues go hand in hand. Here's how to prevent inevitable sparks from flaming out of control.(Cover Story)
November 1, 2003... Curriculum director Jerry Foucher says nobody paid much attention to the development of course content for social studies and civics classes in his district. Until last school year. Then there was uproar. The controversy started in March,...

The cost of care: districts are scrambling to contain skyrocketing health-care costs before they crush classroom budgets.
November 1, 2003... If Superintendent Dave Gordon had a crystal ball, he might gaze into it and see himself with a shovel in one hand and scissors in the other, kicking off an important groundbreaking for his district. The vision might not sound all that out of...

Drop out: experts share key strategies for improving urban education and reducing dropout rates.
November 1, 2003... The joke among the mostly African-American students and even some teachers at Chicago Vocational High School in the 1980s had been that CVS was an acronym for crime, violence and sex. CVS was a place where many teenagers carried guns and...

Choice is good: in Milwaukee, school choice isn't about public vs. private. It's about success vs. failure.
November 1, 2003... Anthony Johnson is a senior on academic scholarship at Milwaukee's competitive Messmer Catholic High School. Anthony is a good student, but he might not have made it to Messmer without the Parental Choice Program, an initiative that allows...

Making paperwork fulfilling: student information systems may sound dull, but picking the right one and using it the right way can save time and improve teaching.(Special focus: administration & finance)(Buyers Guide)
November 1, 2003... Anticipated benefits aside, headaches created by the reporting requirements of No Child Left Behind can't be understimated, especially when it comes to wrangling the necessary data from an old or underutelized student information system....

Fighting danger: a federal law to make schools safer finds districts setting the bar too high.(Special focus: security)(transfers away from unsafe schools)
November 1, 2003... It's meant to curb crime and keep the peace. But a new federal law allowing students to transfer from schools that are labeled violent and disruptive could be causing more discord than harmony. Under the Unsafe School Choice Option, a...

Are script kiddies hacking your system? How to fight the onslaught of cyber attacks.(Special focus: security)
November 1, 2003... In the time its takes you to read this article, your network will have been scanned by someone who means to manipulate, damage or outright destroy your school's data. Your adversary may be out in the parking lot right now--a student...

Strengthening the first line of defense: here's how administrators can combat threats to their networks.(Special focus: security)
November 1, 2003... There's a good reason school networks are so hard to protect. They are remarkably diverse. A typical K-12-network could easily include laptops, desktops, a lab, Apple and Intel platforms, wireless and wired components, and on-site and remote...

Self-defense in Texas.(News)(school fights)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... For years, a fight was a fight in schools, and every student involved was guilty. But a new Texas law requires school districts to determine if students can claim self-defense and to include that policy in student conduct guidelines for this...

Atlantic City bets on transparent backpacks and ID cards.(News)(school safety)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... When Atlantic City High School in Hew Jersey was recently labeled "persistently dangerous" under No Child Left Behind, two new policies were born: see-through backpacks and student ID cards with magnetic strips. According to published news...

Slowing down speeders.(News)(traffic safety in school zones)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Stone Lake Elementary School, as well as three other schools, in the Elk Grove Unified School District in California, has launched a student valet program this fall to slow down motorists around schools and in school parking lots, according to...

Total traffic control version 4.0: Lightspeed Systems.(Products)
November 1, 2003... www.lightspeedsystems.com, Software $6,995 This updated version of network traffic management solution software includes traffic monitoring, content filtering; bandwidth management; firewall security. The newest version, with extensive...

Managing shame, preventing violence: a call to our teachers: Silvan S. Tomkins Institute.(Products)
November 1, 2003... www.tomkins.org, Video $29.95 This video empowers teachers of any grade to understand and reduce student rudeness, incivility, sexual misbehavior and explosive violence. The video uses two decades of research at the Silvan S. Tomkins...

CARE child and adolescent risk evaluation: a measure of the risk for violent behavior: Research Press.(Products)
November 1, 2003... www.researchpress.com, Test kit $75 Developed as a prevention tool to identify youths at risk of committing violence, the CARE Kit test includes 25 assessment forms, 25 case management forms and a manual. The assessment form measures risk...

MGT school safety and security audit: MGT of America.(Products)
November 1, 2003... www.MGTofAmerica.com, Data analysis From $5,000 to $10,000/school based on number of schools and enrollment This national consulting firm for K-12 discovered that an effective data collection process can help districts and schools...

School security UP2: Data Management.(Products)
November 1, 2003... www.visitorpass2.com, Visitor sign-in system Prices vary depending on size and numbers of badges, ranging from $69 for 400 large badges to $129 for 1,400 small badges. Volume discounts are available This new Visitor Pass2 is a visitor...

Bully prevention: tips and strategies for school leaders and classroom teachers: Pearson SkyLight.(Products)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
November 1, 2003... www.skylightedu.com, Book $27.95 Author Elizabeth Barton creates a guide for school leaders and educators that defines the bully-victim-witness relationship and offers tips to pinpoint bullying behaviors in class. She shows intervention...

Avoiding special ed referral leaps.(Curriculum update: the latest developments in math, science, language arts and social studies)(focus on reading before recommending special education)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... When there's a complex problem to tackle, it usually helps to break it into manageable pieces. Looking at the overrepresentation of minority children in U.S. special education programs, the International Reading Association found an area in...

Students ride the brain waves.(Curriculum update: the latest developments in math, science, language arts and social studies)(brain imaging)
November 1, 2003... It's cutting-edge. It's covered frequently in the media. It's pretty cool, too. Now that brain imaging techniques are widely used in research, why should adults be having all the fun? The answer, of course, is that they shouldn't. One...

Beyond Anne Frank and Schindler's List.(Curriculum update: the latest developments in math, science, language arts and social studies)(Holocaust education)
November 1, 2003... Flashback just a few decades, and the Holocaust was absent in schools and really only covered within the Jewish community. Then came the Holocaust television mini-series in 1978, which "seared the American mind and was part of the public...

New Google tool = more math cheaters?(Curriculum update: the latest developments in math, science, language arts and social studies)(calculator feature)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Solving a math word problem means having to translate that problem into an equation. With the new calculator feature introduced by the search engine Google, hurried or lazy students might skip that step. The regular search box at Google.com...

Lessons from worm week: new Internet attacks require constant vigilance.(The Online Edge)
November 1, 2003... In August, students, teachers and administrators in Florida's Duval County Public Schools were told not to use their school computers because a devastating new Internet-borne worm called Blaster struck the network. Blaster-infested...

The case for basket weaving: teacher preparation is too important to be discarded.(Speaking Out)
November 1, 2003... I hear a lot of talk these days about teacher quality. However, them doesn't seem to be much agreement on what good teaching is or how to develop excellent educators. Secretary of Education Rod Paige derides graduates of the nation's teacher...

Remember the academics: are paperwork and meetings consuming your day? How to make teaching and learning a priority.(Public Opinion)
November 1, 2003... With the new school year well underway, it is now more important than ever for educational leaders to have their priorities straight. With the new pressures created by NCLB, the need to be sure that conditions are in place to support higher...

Reading: it should be elementary.(Research corner: essentials on education data and analysis from research authority AEL)
November 1, 2003... In the game of reading, third-grade graduation is the 50-yard line, the place where children cross over from learning to read to reading to learn. More than a third aren't ready. Their chances for reaching the end zone (high school graduation)...

Macromedia Studio MX 2004: Macromedia.(New Products)
November 1, 2003... www.macromedia.com, Software, Site license $2,500 (for use on up to 500 computers) or $3,500 (for up to 750 computers) This integrated suite of multimedia and Web development products allows students, teachers and administrators to build...

MicroWorlds EX: Logo Computer Systems.(New Products)
November 1, 2003... www.microworlds.com, Software, $99/single-user pack; $449/six-user pack; $1,250/site license Students can express and explore their ideas using the latest version of this cross-curricular, problem-solving and project-building software....

Education Solutions: Polycom.(New Products)
November 1, 2003... www.polycom.com, Hardware, $29,999 (small system) or $64,000 (large system) This integrated audio, video and instructional multimedia system for presentations is comprised of Polycom's ViewStation ClassStation and iPower ClassStation. It...

PocketClassroom: eLearning Dynamics.(New Products)
November 1, 2003... www.elearningdynamics.com, Software, About $16.95/student or $25,000 (for a school of 1,500 students) Educators and students can now connect in the classroom using this two way classroom, communication and management application that works...

School of Dreams: Making the Grade at a Top American High School: Harcourt Trade Publishers.(New Products)
November 1, 2003... www.harcourt.com, Book, $25 Pulitzer Prize winner Edward Humes spent one year immersed in the world of a top public high school, gaining insight into the personal lives of driven students who aim to maintain a 4.0. This book covers the...

Ethernet SmartCard: Philips Electronics.(New Products)
November 1, 2003... www.philips.com, Hardware, $200-$700 Ethernet SmartCards are comprised of three products, the NET-EC, NET-SC and NET-WC. The cards offer users a new method of television command, control and system reporting. The system can be broken into...

DriveSheild: Centurion Technology.(New Products)
November 1, 2003... www.centuriontech.com, Software $3.64-$17. 05 per license (depending on quantity ordered), plus annual maintenance fee of 20 percent of purchase price Mac users can now turn to this drive and data protection software. The software helps...

K-12 Masters of Education Degree Specializations: Jones International University.(New Products)
November 1, 2003... www.jonesintemational.edu, Internet, $900 per 3-credit course (for admitted students who are K-12 educators or administrators) The fully online, accredited Jones International University now offers three Masters of Education degree...

ACTIVprimary: Promethean.(New Products)
November 1, 2003... www.activboard.com, Software, $199/six-site licenses (software use requires the ACTIVboard) This curriculum software is designed to facilitate use of ACTIVboard interactive whiteboards in elementary school classrooms. The system is...

The backup book: Independent Publishers Group.(New Products)
November 1, 2003... www.ipgbook.com, Book, $49.95 Technology directors can turn to this guide for protecting networks and the applications that run on them The book was written by tech experts Dorian J. Cougias, E.L. Heiberger and Karstan Koop, who explore...

The Monroe Doctrine: an ABC Guide to What Great Bosses Do: PublicAffairs.(New Products)
November 1, 2003... www.public affairsbooks.com, Book, $13 This 240-page book offers A-Z advice on leadership from the perspective of an educator. Lessons and anecdotes aim to inspire readers to be more organized, feel refreshed in their work, stay true to the...

Analytics: Sagebrush.(New Products)
November 1, 2003... www.sagebrushcorp.com, Internet, $2/student per year and up This Web-based query, data analysis and reporting system is now available through SwiftKnowledge and can be deployed at the school district, regional or state level to support...

Retrospect 5.1: Dantz Development.(New Products)
November 1, 2003... www.dantz. com, Software, $129 (desktop), $499 (workgroup), $799 (server), $59 and up for upgrades The latest version of this backup software for Macintosh includes bootable Mac OS X disaster recovery, support for the latest CD/DVD backup...

Education as enforcement: the militarization and corporatization of schools: Routledge.(New Products)
November 1, 2003... www.routledge-ny.com, Book, $24.95 (paperback); $85 (cloth) This book aims to show how schooling has become the means through which the expansion of global corporate power is enforced. Editors Kenneth J. Saltman and David A. Gabbard compare...

Calendar of events.(education conferences)(Illustration)(Calendar)
November 1, 2003... NOVEMBER 2003 National Council for the Social Studies Annual Conference NCSS www.ncss.org November 14-16 Chicago, Ill. JANUARY 2004 Florida Educational Technology Conference FETC...

Key Curriculum Press[R]--innovators in mathematics education.(Information Showcase)(Advertisement)
November 1, 2003... 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...

Special needs software!(Information Showcase)
November 1, 2003... For over 20 years, Laureate Learning Systems has been dedicated to publishing software for students with special needs. Our award-winning, research-based programs have consistently been honored for their integrity and proven effectiveness. We...

NEA Professional Library.(Information Showcase)
November 1, 2003... 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...

NetSupport School.(Information Showcase)
November 1, 2003... NetSupport School is the innovative classroom management software solution that empowers teachers by enabling centralized PC instruction. With NetSupport School, a teacher can remotely control PCs in their classroom, allowing them to show their...

Micrograms.(Information Showcase)
November 1, 2003... Micrograms offers the best in educational software for grades K-6. See our latest award winners, the NEW Mathosaurus, and the NEW Super Science Show! Request a FREE Showcase CD and explore each Micrograms program with features such as our new...

Teacher's interactive whiteboard.(Information Showcase)
November 1, 2003... Interactive Presentation Manager[TM] (IPM) brings your multimedia classroom presentations to life with powerful and easy to use "Softkeys" that link to computer files for "on command launch." Using your PC and an LCD projector, the IPM provides...

Join more than 10,000 schools nationwide.(Information Showcase)
November 1, 2003... Join more than 10,000 schools nationwide. In just one minute a day, you can enhance your school climate while building character, confidence and a more caring community of learners. It's a simple program that gets results. Call us at (800)...

The Performance Series from Scantron.(Information Showcase)
November 1, 2003... 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...

A field trip to the stars without leaving your school!(Information Showcase)
November 1, 2003... 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...

"I'm not struggling to read like I was before.".(Information Showcase)
November 1, 2003... The scientific proof is in! With "Listen and Read" and Recorded Books, you're using a research-proved strategy that nearly doubles comprehension, improves fluency, and motivates your students. For more information on this new research, or for a...

The Wall Street Journal Classroom Edition.(Information Showcase)
November 1, 2003... Classroom Edition is written and produced especially for teens. It supports what you're teaching and puts the world of business into context for your students. Subscription includes thirty copies of the monthly student newspaper, teacher guide,...

Get to know your United Nations.(Information Showcase)
November 1, 2003... This catalogue lists a multitude of attractive and easy to read publications that will assist you in teaching children about the United Nations, human rights and environment. Call (800) 253-9646 or visit us at www.un.org/publications ...

By the numbers: a data bank on education trends for district leaders.(Illustration)
November 1, 2003... Public Funding Central Regional Local CANADA 5 62 73 FRANCE 73 11 16 GERMANY 5 77 18 ITALY ...

New handhelds for fall: Zire 21, Tungsten E and Tungsten T3 offer affordability and power.(New Models)
November 1, 2003... Three new Palm handhelds were introduced this fall, offering educators and students more choices than ever. The Palm Zire 21 is an entry-level model that appeals to students who want all of the basic functions at a great price. Students,...

Winning big: how one tech person and his principal have led the handheld revolution in the country's sixth-largest school district.(Clark County School District, Nevada)(Cover Story)
November 1, 2003... Even in a large school district, it can be individual staff members who move ideas and innovations forward. Charles Sinicki, the educational computing strategist at Bob Miller Middle School in Clark County, Nev., saw Palm handhelds demonstrated...

Making marine science personal and portable: Florida elementary and high school students work together in aquatic-study projects. Their tools of choice? Palm handhelds with cameras and probes.(In The Classroom)
November 1, 2003... It seems only natural that marine science should be important in Manatee County, which encompasses Bradenton, Fla., and its surrounding areas on the state's west coast. The abundance of ocean and waterways has a big impact on all manner of life...

Inquiring minds: the UC Berkeley School of Education is helping K-12 school districts integrate Palm handhelds into an innovative Web-based science program.(In the Field)(related article: Integrating Formal and Informal Learning Contexts)
November 1, 2003... If you visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium last year, you might have encountered a group of high school students staring into the 90-foot-long, 326,000-gallon Monterey Bay Habitats exhibit. Or looking into the Outer Bay exhibit where sunfish,...

Profiles in solutions: glimpse how easy it can be to print, do a presentation, read e-mail, connect to the Internet and perform assessments with your handheld.(Solutions)(Directory)
November 1, 2003... Administering the Texas Primary Reading Inventory to her 80 kindergartners twice each year was a time-consuming chore, admits teacher Kristi Bush of Norton Elementary in Mien, Texas. It involved reams of paperwork and all the associated...

Assessa.(Assessment Solutions)
November 1, 2003... EyeCues Systems www.cassessa.com Assessa gives teachers the ability to instantaneously score tests that students have taken on their Palm handhelds. Teachers create their own tests on a computer, or can use one of the pre-existing tests on...