New password-stealing virus targets Facebook
http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-general/20100318/NEWS-US-FACEBOOK-VIRUS/
Thursday, March 18, 2010
In 1991 the Texas State Board of Education Staged an Adoption of American-history Books and Ten Years Later It is Happening Again
Editor's Introduction -- Once in a great while, the corruption that pervades the schoolbook business is displayed so vividly that it draws the attention of the national media. That is what happened in 1991, when the Texas State Board of Education staged an adoption of American-history books.
from The Textbook Letter, May-June 1992
Deep in the Heart of Folly
William J. Bennetta
When the Board met in February, the error-count for the Glencoe book stood at 881. And the four other publishers now reported that they had found some 600 errors that nobody had noticed before. (Not all of these were errors of fact. During most of the error-clearing effort, the announced error-counts did not distinguish factual errors from technical errors, such as mistakes in punctuation or typography.)
By now the antics in Texas had attracted the attention of the national press. Here are excerpts from Gary Putka's story in the Wall Street Journal for 12 February 1992:
"These are the worst errors I've seen in my career as an educator," says William Hudson, a retired school superintendent who is a member of the Texas Board of Education. "Horrifying," adds Jane Nelson, another board member, who says the publishing industry is inept and adds: "Maybe we need the Japanese to produce our textbooks." . . . Gilbert Sewall, who reviews many schoolbooks as editor of Social Studies Review says the errors are indicative of deeper problems in the way such books are made. He says the books generally aren't written or reviewed by top university scholars, who prefer more prestigious work.
By the time of the Board's March meeting, the error-count for the Glencoe book was about 1,200. The combined count for all ten books was 5,552, with the three Scott, Foresman books accounting for more than 2,400 of them. The Board was contemplating fines totaling $647,100, including $271,900 to be paid by Glencoe and $192,900 to be paid by Scott, Foresman.
Click on the link below to read the entire article.
http://www.textbookleague.org/32tex.htm
from The Textbook Letter, May-June 1992
Deep in the Heart of Folly
William J. Bennetta
When the Board met in February, the error-count for the Glencoe book stood at 881. And the four other publishers now reported that they had found some 600 errors that nobody had noticed before. (Not all of these were errors of fact. During most of the error-clearing effort, the announced error-counts did not distinguish factual errors from technical errors, such as mistakes in punctuation or typography.)
By now the antics in Texas had attracted the attention of the national press. Here are excerpts from Gary Putka's story in the Wall Street Journal for 12 February 1992:
"These are the worst errors I've seen in my career as an educator," says William Hudson, a retired school superintendent who is a member of the Texas Board of Education. "Horrifying," adds Jane Nelson, another board member, who says the publishing industry is inept and adds: "Maybe we need the Japanese to produce our textbooks." . . . Gilbert Sewall, who reviews many schoolbooks as editor of Social Studies Review says the errors are indicative of deeper problems in the way such books are made. He says the books generally aren't written or reviewed by top university scholars, who prefer more prestigious work.
By the time of the Board's March meeting, the error-count for the Glencoe book was about 1,200. The combined count for all ten books was 5,552, with the three Scott, Foresman books accounting for more than 2,400 of them. The Board was contemplating fines totaling $647,100, including $271,900 to be paid by Glencoe and $192,900 to be paid by Scott, Foresman.
Click on the link below to read the entire article.
http://www.textbookleague.org/32tex.htm
Historians on Tuesday Criticized Proposed Revisions to the Texas Social Studies Curriculum
Information provided by The Washington Post by Michael Birnbaum
Historians on Tuesday criticized proposed revisions to the Texas social studies curriculum, saying that many of the changes are historically inaccurate and that they would affect textbooks and classrooms far beyond the state's borders.
The changes, which were preliminarily approved last week by the Texas board of education and are expected to be given final approval in May, will reach deeply into Texas history classrooms, defining what textbooks must include and what teachers must cover. The curriculum plays down the role of Thomas Jefferson among the founding fathers, questions the separation of church and state, and claims that the U.S. government was infiltrated by Communists during the Cold War.
To read the entire article, click on the link below.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/17/AR2010031700560.html
Historians on Tuesday criticized proposed revisions to the Texas social studies curriculum, saying that many of the changes are historically inaccurate and that they would affect textbooks and classrooms far beyond the state's borders.
The changes, which were preliminarily approved last week by the Texas board of education and are expected to be given final approval in May, will reach deeply into Texas history classrooms, defining what textbooks must include and what teachers must cover. The curriculum plays down the role of Thomas Jefferson among the founding fathers, questions the separation of church and state, and claims that the U.S. government was infiltrated by Communists during the Cold War.
To read the entire article, click on the link below.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/17/AR2010031700560.html
Christina School Board Will Hold Two Meetings to Review Proposed State Budget and to Discuss a Possible Referendum
Information provided by DelawareOnline.
The meetings will include discussion about options that might be taken to deal with the financial impact, including the possibility of a referendum.
March 20, 2010 meeting will be held at the Eden Support Services Center at 9:00 am. (Workshop)
March 23, 2010 meeting will be held at Sarah Pyle Academy at 7:30. (Special Session)
The meetings will include discussion about options that might be taken to deal with the financial impact, including the possibility of a referendum.
March 20, 2010 meeting will be held at the Eden Support Services Center at 9:00 am. (Workshop)
March 23, 2010 meeting will be held at Sarah Pyle Academy at 7:30. (Special Session)
Highland Elementary School Principal Mixes Reading, Basketball
Information provided by DelawareOnline by Edward Kenney
Many people know about the National Basketball Association, where the big boys play. But the Reading Basketball Association at Highlands Elementary School in Wilmington aims at the smaller set, using the well-loved sport to get students there to run their eyes over the pages of a book as readily as they would run up and down the court.
To read more, click on the link below.
http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20100318/NEWS03/3180342/1008/Hardbacks-and-hardwood-at-Highlands
Many people know about the National Basketball Association, where the big boys play. But the Reading Basketball Association at Highlands Elementary School in Wilmington aims at the smaller set, using the well-loved sport to get students there to run their eyes over the pages of a book as readily as they would run up and down the court.
To read more, click on the link below.
http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20100318/NEWS03/3180342/1008/Hardbacks-and-hardwood-at-Highlands
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Duncan Would Like Teams with Graduation Rates of Less Than 40% be Banned from Postseason Play
Information provided by Erik Brady, USA TODAY
If U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan had his way, a dozen of the teams in the men's NCAA basketball tournament would not be eligible to play in it, including top-seeded Kentucky.
The schools that have men's basketball teams with graduation rates of less than 40% are Arkansas-Pine Bluff (29%), Baylor (36%), California (20%), Clemson (37%), Georgia Tech (38%), Kentucky (31%), Louisville (38%), Maryland (8%), Missouri (36%), New Mexico State (36%), Tennessee (30%) and Washington (29%).
To read the entire article, click on the link below.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/mensbasketball/2010-03-16-grad-rate-proposal_N.htm
If U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan had his way, a dozen of the teams in the men's NCAA basketball tournament would not be eligible to play in it, including top-seeded Kentucky.
The schools that have men's basketball teams with graduation rates of less than 40% are Arkansas-Pine Bluff (29%), Baylor (36%), California (20%), Clemson (37%), Georgia Tech (38%), Kentucky (31%), Louisville (38%), Maryland (8%), Missouri (36%), New Mexico State (36%), Tennessee (30%) and Washington (29%).
To read the entire article, click on the link below.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/mensbasketball/2010-03-16-grad-rate-proposal_N.htm
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Five Proposed Changes to No Child Left Behind
Information provided by EducationNews.org.
Beyond the likely name revision, here are five key changes that the Obama administration is proposing:
• The goal of student proficiency in reading and math by 2014 would change to a standard of “college and career readiness” for students by 2020. As 2014 has approached, it’s become clear that the proficiency goal won’t be reached in that time frame. With the new goal, administration officials are focusing less on grade-level attainment and more on the skills that students will need for school or work after high school.
• Although reading and math tests would remain in the administration’s proposal, schools could also include student performance in other subjects as part of overall measurements of progress. Critics say that the current education law has narrowed the curriculum for students: Many teachers zero in on math and reading at the expense of other subjects to help students prepare for the required tests.
• Evaluations of schools would shift, being less punitive and offering more rewards. A common complaint of No Child Left Behind is that it labels too many schools as simply failing. The new proposal sets forth a multi tiered system: One tier would identify the 5 percent of schools struggling the most in each state, while other tiers would apply to schools facing less-severe challenges. Different remedies are outlined for different tiers in the blueprint.
• More federal funding would be switched from formula-based allocations to competitive grants. The new system would build on the Obama administration’s Race to the Top program, which has offered stimulus money to states that both apply for the education funds in a competition and demonstrate a reform-oriented approach. That setup has encouraged states to adopt more reforms promoted by the US Education Department.
• Schools that miss certain targets would not be required by the federal government to provide students with tutoring or with the option to transfer. Education Secretary Arne Duncan has objected to such requirements in No Child Left Behind, according to Education Week.
One thing that would remain; annual tests in reading and math.
Beyond the likely name revision, here are five key changes that the Obama administration is proposing:
• The goal of student proficiency in reading and math by 2014 would change to a standard of “college and career readiness” for students by 2020. As 2014 has approached, it’s become clear that the proficiency goal won’t be reached in that time frame. With the new goal, administration officials are focusing less on grade-level attainment and more on the skills that students will need for school or work after high school.
• Although reading and math tests would remain in the administration’s proposal, schools could also include student performance in other subjects as part of overall measurements of progress. Critics say that the current education law has narrowed the curriculum for students: Many teachers zero in on math and reading at the expense of other subjects to help students prepare for the required tests.
• Evaluations of schools would shift, being less punitive and offering more rewards. A common complaint of No Child Left Behind is that it labels too many schools as simply failing. The new proposal sets forth a multi tiered system: One tier would identify the 5 percent of schools struggling the most in each state, while other tiers would apply to schools facing less-severe challenges. Different remedies are outlined for different tiers in the blueprint.
• More federal funding would be switched from formula-based allocations to competitive grants. The new system would build on the Obama administration’s Race to the Top program, which has offered stimulus money to states that both apply for the education funds in a competition and demonstrate a reform-oriented approach. That setup has encouraged states to adopt more reforms promoted by the US Education Department.
• Schools that miss certain targets would not be required by the federal government to provide students with tutoring or with the option to transfer. Education Secretary Arne Duncan has objected to such requirements in No Child Left Behind, according to Education Week.
One thing that would remain; annual tests in reading and math.
Is the 1983 Report, A Nation at Risk (AVAR) Still an Accurate Description of Our Educational System Today?
Information provided by The Death and Life of the Great American School System by Diane Ravitch and the 1983 Report, A Nation at Risk.
A Report to the Nation and the Secretary of Education United States Department of Education by the National Commission on Excellence in Education April 1983 warned that the United States would be harmed economically and socially unless education was improved for all children.
The 1983 report addressed problems that were essential to schooling such as curriculum, stronger high school graduation requirements, quality of textbooks, high standards for academic performance and student conduct, more time devoted to instruction and homework, and high standards for entry into the teaching profession and better salaries for teachers.
The report did not refer to market-based competition and choic, did not suggest restructuring schools or school systems, did not say to close schools, privatization, state takeover of districts, or heavy handed accountability. The report briefly mentioned testing.
The SAT scores declined between 1963 and 1980 - decline in the numbers of high scoring students on the SAT, lowered scores on standardized achievement test, large numbers of illiterate adults, approximately 23 million American adults were illiterate by the simplest tests of everyday reading, writing, and comprehension, 13 percent of all 17-year-olds in the United States were considered to be functionally illiterate and functional illiteracy among minority youth ran as high as 40 percent.
The primary cause of this was the steady erosion of the content of the curriculum.
Does this report still reflect our educational concerns that we have today?
A Report to the Nation and the Secretary of Education United States Department of Education by the National Commission on Excellence in Education April 1983 warned that the United States would be harmed economically and socially unless education was improved for all children.
The 1983 report addressed problems that were essential to schooling such as curriculum, stronger high school graduation requirements, quality of textbooks, high standards for academic performance and student conduct, more time devoted to instruction and homework, and high standards for entry into the teaching profession and better salaries for teachers.
The report did not refer to market-based competition and choic, did not suggest restructuring schools or school systems, did not say to close schools, privatization, state takeover of districts, or heavy handed accountability. The report briefly mentioned testing.
The SAT scores declined between 1963 and 1980 - decline in the numbers of high scoring students on the SAT, lowered scores on standardized achievement test, large numbers of illiterate adults, approximately 23 million American adults were illiterate by the simplest tests of everyday reading, writing, and comprehension, 13 percent of all 17-year-olds in the United States were considered to be functionally illiterate and functional illiteracy among minority youth ran as high as 40 percent.
The primary cause of this was the steady erosion of the content of the curriculum.
Does this report still reflect our educational concerns that we have today?
Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondar Education Act
Information provided by ED.gov
On March 13, 2010, the Obama Administration released its blueprint for revising the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) to help states raise expectations of students and reward schools for producing dramatic gains in student achievement.
The blueprint provides incentives for states to adopt academic standards that prepare students to succeed in college and the workplace and create accountability systems that measure student growth toward meeting the goal that all children graduate and succeed in college.
Read the blueprint [PDF, 1.9M].
Watch the President discuss the blueprint.
On March 13, 2010, the Obama Administration released its blueprint for revising the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) to help states raise expectations of students and reward schools for producing dramatic gains in student achievement.
The blueprint provides incentives for states to adopt academic standards that prepare students to succeed in college and the workplace and create accountability systems that measure student growth toward meeting the goal that all children graduate and succeed in college.
Read the blueprint [PDF, 1.9M].
Watch the President discuss the blueprint.
Obama Promise: Focus On Getting Kids To College
Click on the link below, to read the article.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100313/ap_on_re_us/us_obama_education
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100313/ap_on_re_us/us_obama_education
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