More students master the ‘basics’ on national writing assessment, but achievement gaps remain
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/04/09/32naep.h27.html

US students show mixed results in writing assessment: Proportion of proficient students remains stagnant and lower-performing students show modest improvement
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/04/education/04writing.html?_r=1&ref=us&oref=slogin

National campaign of dropout prevention summits will feature meetings in all 50 states and in 50 key cities over the next two years
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/04/09/32dropout_ep.h27.html

Report concludes that improvement in student achievement is linked to the rising effectiveness of teachers who had been at the school when their students’ performance was dismal
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/04/09/32chatanooga.h27.html

School Funding Litigation/Policy

CA Republicans unveil a package of education bills they say will free up existing funds for schools
http://www.sacbee.com/111/story/836416.html

FL legislative committee considers receiving less money from corporations - diverting dollars away from public schools and toward school vouchers for private secular and religious schools for low-income families
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/state/content/state/epaper/2008/04/03/a4a_xgr_voucher_0403.html

LA lawmakers want to reshuffle the state budget and spend $60 million per year to repair and replace public school buildings statewide
http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/17285754.html

NV judge endorses revised petition from teachers' union to raise state gambling taxes to provide about $250 million a year for public education
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/N/NV_CASINO_TAX_NVOL-?SITE=NVCAP&SECTION=STATE&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2008-04-03-21-05-26

State Roundup

CA schools remain near the bottom of the latest national assessment of writing; educators say it’s largely because of the large number of English language learners
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-writing4apr04,0,7115852.story

KY Board of Education discusses ways to assist schools that have failed to meet goals for several years in a row under the state's standardized testing system
http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080404/NEWS01/804040930/1008/NEWS01

In the News on April 3, 2008

Report says 8^th and 12^th graders show improved writing skills, but achievement gaps persist
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/03/AR2008040301655.html?nav=rss_education

Charter schools, traditional teacher-credentialing requirements, and Teach For America can make a positive differences in high school achievement levels, according to studies
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/04/09/32aera.h27.html

School Funding Litigation/Policy

AZ spends less on education than almost any other state, says Census Bureau report
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/04/03/20080403spending0403.html

Mayor threatens to increase property-taxes unless state leaders triple the amount of new money IL governor wants to set aside for Chicago's public schools
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-daley-03apr03,1,4736929.story

NE governor approves changes to school-funding formula
http://www.journalstar.com/articles/2008/04/03/news/politics/doc47f3b74a380a0083699966.txt

NE schools dismiss school funding lawsuit after state approves new bill, but some rural senators and officials are still not content
http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2798&u_sid=10300153

State Roundup

IN State Board of Education intensive efforts to overhaul 39 schools at the bottom of the state's accountability system
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080403/LOCAL/804030451/1304/frontpagecities

Sweeping changes in LA public high schools will be hampered by a shortage of math and other teachers, say officials
http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/17251679.html

MO House defeats legislation that would require school districts to use state criteria when deciding to accept or reject transfer students from unaccredited school districts
http://www.newstribune.com/articles/2008/04/03/politics_and_elections/news/272news17transfer.txt

MO House committee scraps proposal to boost minimum teacher salary in favor of bonuses for teachers based on student performance, longevity and a willingness to work in poor districts
http://www.newstribune.com/articles/2008/04/03/politics_and_elections/news/272news14teacher.txt

In the News on April 2, 2008

Federal/NCLB

AZ House approves a bill to opt out of NCLB, but only if the state itself makes up for school funding that would be lost
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/local/81368.php

HI students will start taking state assessments to determine if their schools are making significant progress under the NCLB
http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080401/NEWS07/804010338/1012/LOCALNEWSFRONT

Other News

The Bush administration will require states to use a uniform formula and publish data on graduation rates of students of various racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic categories
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/04/09/32nclb.h27.html

Research says students in urban public school districts are less likely to graduate from high school than students in suburban districts
http://www.latimes.com/news/education/la-na-schools2apr02,1,6567617.story?track=rss

School Funding Litigation/Policy

AZ plaintiff attorney in English-language learner case, asks judge to consider imposing personal fines on the governor if the state doesn't meet the deadline to fund the program
http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/232493

Schools fear IN’s new property-tax-restructuring plan could cost them millions, threaten programs, and widen the gap between poor and rich districts
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/04/02/31brief-b1.h27.html

KY K-12 educators are “very disappointed” with budget cuts, but higher education disenchantment was muted
http://www.kentucky.com/news/state/story/363911.html

MT governor says spending on public education should be sold as an "investment" in the future - and that more investment is needed
http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2008/04/02/news/state/28-education.txt

NE school funding formula is scheduled for revamping, and five-year legal battle over state aid might be settled
http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2798&u_sid=10299127

Regardless of the fate of a proposed school funding amendment, lawmakers must pass a bill that establishes the cost of an adequate education, says NH House speaker
http://www.cmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080402/NEWS01/804020310

Donor town problem comes up again in discussions of NH education funding plan
http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Donor+towns+at+issue+again+in+education+funding+plan&articleId=7b3eea5c-4049-4daa-a496-34c463b5722d

OH remains generous in paying for K-12 education, but schools continue to increase their dependence on taxpayers, says report
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080402/NEWS0102/804020361/1058/NEWS01

WI appears to be well on its way to becoming a middle-of-the-pack state when it comes to the amount of money put into K-12 education
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=734534

State Roundup

LA House and Senate education committees will review over 100 pieces of legislation dealing with education at all levels
http://www.thenewsstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080402/NEWS01/804020308

OK once again ranks near the bottom in education report
http://newsok.com/article/3224173/1207114500

Published Tuesday, Apr. 8, 2008