Analysis of a long-running early-childhood-education program for children of low-income families in suggests economic payoffs continue well into adulthood
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/06/11/41early.h27.html

School Funding Litigation/Policy

CO Republican leaders demand that the governor immediately start cutting the budget to cover the $118 million collected from an education tax that a district court ruled unconstitutional
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/jun/05/gop-leaders-demand-budget-cuts-in-light-of-of/

MD senator tells educators to not bet on slots for schools because the state has too many needs
http://gazette.net/stories/060608/polinew210644_32372.shtml

MD education is compared to Eisenhower’s concept of a “military industrial complex;” governor says education spending is the main contributor to the state’s $1.5 billion budget gap
http://gazette.net/stories/060608/polinew210642_32371.shtml

MI House starts voting on how much money to spend on education in the new budget year, but it's not yet clear if there will be enough tax revenue to pay for the proposals
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080606/NEWS06/806060449/1008/NEWS06

State Roundup

GA schools have a better chance of meeting NCLB testing goals because fewer students must pass math exams than previously expected, says State Superintendent of Schools
http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/stories/2008/06/05/math_waiver.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab

Parents of MI special-education students can request a modification to the state's new graduation requirements
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080606/NEWS06/806060336/1008/NEWS06

NC Board of Education approves changes to testing system used to measure students' skills, based on suggestions of teachers and school officials
http://www2.journalnow.com/content/2008/jun/06/states-student-skills-tests-be-revamped/?news-ncpolitics

NYC parents are frustrated by school admission process
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/06/education/06schools.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin

SC officially eliminates its standardized student testing system
http://www.thestate.com/local/story/426048.html

In the News on June 5, 2008

Diplomas Count 2008 Executive Summary
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/06/05/40execsum.h27.html

Teachers report that training programs did not prepare them adequately to teach ethnically diverse students and students with special needs
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/06/04/39report-5.h27.html

Education officials in states with large English-language-learner populations say U.S. Department of Education proposal for ELL guidelines is too rigid
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/06/11/41interpret.h27.html

Study suggests parental involvement in school pays off by about $1,000 per student
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/06/04/39report-1.h27.html

House commits more than $20 billion over the next five years to help states build and renovate schools to make them more energy-efficient and good for the environment
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/06/04/112348congressgreenschools_ap.html

School Funding Litigation/Policy

NH lawmakers vote to give more state-aid to charter schools struggling to stay open, bringing their total state aid to $5,000 per pupil
http://www.boston.com/news/education/k_12/articles/2008/06/04/lawmakers_approve_more_money_for_nh_charter_schools/?rss_id=Boston.com+--+Education+news

NH governor is pressed for a decision on school funding bill
http://www.cmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080605/NEWS01/806050309/1043/NEWS01

State Roundup

AK will now regulate in-district and statewide correspondence programs with the same criteria
http://newsminer.com/news/2008/jun/04/state-sets-equal-limits-district-statewide-corresp/

Poll says FL voters will likely spend public money on private and religious schools
http://www.miamiherald.com/458/story/557241.html

Despite complaints, LA legislators vote to preserve a state test that public school fourth- and eighth-graders have to pass for promotion
http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/politics/19554169.html

NC Board of Education considers tying teacher bonuses to high school graduation rates as part of an overhaul of the state’s school testing program
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/1096850.html

ND advances in the creation of a four-tier system for high school diplomas and an assessment system to determine if 9th- and 10th-graders are on track to graduate
http://www.in-forum.com/articles/index.cfm?id=203844&section=News&freebie_check&CFID=42749688&CFTOKEN=32830483&jsessionid=88305d775c4966203697

NJ schools lead in graduation rates, according to study
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/20080605_Study__N_J__schools_lead_in_graduation_rates.html

TN parents are notified that their children won't attend state-funded pre-kindergarten this fall because of an abrupt freeze on a planned $25 million program expansion
http://tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080605/NEWS04/806050357/1018

Federal/NCLB

Research offers no definitive answers for the effect of federal Reading First program
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/06/04/39read.h27.html

School Integration

Commentary – An emerging consensus on the black-white achievement gap: how racism is advancing under the guise of equity
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/06/04/39holzman.h27.html

After integrating its schools through busing, Seattle Public Schools, like many districts across the nation, have steadily re-segregated
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/06/01/110694bcwresegregatedschools_ap.html

Other News

Education officials nationwide seek a design to drive pre-collegiate and higher education toward a common goal
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/06/05/40overview.h27.html

School Funding Litigation/Policy

AR legislative committee develops a new funding mechanism for school transportation and recommends increased funding for salaries and instructional materials
http://www.arkansasnews.com/archive/2008/06/04/News/346407.html

“Going aggro on the state of schools:” CA fights back budget cuts
http://www.latimes.com/news/education/la-me-lopez4-2008jun04,0,1127969.column?track=rss

NV university system chancellor warns that the prospect of deep budget cuts would be "devastating" for the state’s K-12 and higher education systems
http://www.lvrj.com/news/19521564.html

NY Assembly Speaker says he will not support a school property tax cap unless the state commits to greater funding of education
http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080604/NEWS01/806040369/1003

State Roundup

GA lawmakers approve bills aimed at giving charter schools some financial help and easing some of the barriers to the approval of new charters
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/06/04/39recaps-1.h27.html

New Orleans has come a long way in rebuilding public schooling, but fundamental operational questions remain as the 2007-08 academic year comes to an end
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/06/04/39nola_ep.h27.html

School systems nationwide are tweaking their curricula to make students more college-ready, but one study shows fewer are actually moving on to higher education in MD
http://gazette.net/stories/060408/potonew195345_32368.shtml

ME’s school reform effort is flagging but could be revived through a new focus on incentives for consolidation, says report
http://bangornews.com/news/t/news.aspx?articleid=165190&zoneid=500

MS schools and districts will not get ratings based on test scores because of new tougher curriculum
http://www.sunherald.com/278/story/603370.html

Department of Education expects enrollment and diversity in public schools to reach a milestone in 2009-10
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/06/04/39condition.h27.html

School Funding Litigation/Policy

A $59.2 billion spending plan that boosts IL’s education funding without raising state taxes clears the General Assembly, but leaves few happy
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=201361&src=109
 

State Roundup

HI schools in areas with declining enrollment could face possible closure or merger with nearby schools
http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080602/NEWS07/806020353/1001
 

New Orleans voucher plan clears another hurdle
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/05/30/39nolavoucher_web.h27.html
 

OK teachers are frustrated over what they see as a pattern of protection of unqualified educators
http://newsok.com/teachers-fight-union-policies-over-retention/article/3251248/?tm=1212355937

Published Monday, Jun. 16, 2008