Can Schools Run Better without Implementing Educational Policies?
May 15th, 2012
It’s not only mandatory for the school districts to initiate educational policies into schools but also crucial for the federal government to ensure that the educational standard is same for each and every student. Although the policies usually relate to the learning standards, every school must develop and implement policies with the intention to safeguard students from ending up with poor results and also stop discrimination in every school. On the one hand, school districts should develop the majority of policies while policies meant only for a specific school should be created by the administrative staff.
All the school districts must come up with policies related to enforcement while the state and the federal government must create policies to be upheld by the school. Here are some of those policies that must be adopted in each and every school keeping in mind the betterment and future of the students:
- Policies for Attendance – The attendance policies will usually depend on the very state or the town where the school rests.
Tags: Educational Policies, Policies
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Officials consider proposed changes to JCPS student assignment plan
May 14th, 2012
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Jefferson County Public School officials considered proposed changes to the student assignment plan at a meeting on Monday.
“I think they’re finally starting to look at what the community wants. One of the things we heard with our six cluster configuration on the elementary side was long bus rides,” said Larry Hoja, board member.
One idea to eliminate the long bus rides included more than doubling the current six cluster system for elementary students.
“We’re also looking at a 13 cluster plan that has smaller geographic areas or smaller clusters. So, we’re studying that right now and doing an analysis of both cluster configurations,” said Jack Jacobs, executive director of Student Assignment.
Part of the proposed plan could also eliminate a big headache for cluster students and bus drivers.
“Transportation informs me that they might not have to use the depot arrangement if there are smaller clusters in the configuration,” said Jacobs.
In January, officials approved new diversity guidelines for the elementary schools based on education, race and median income.
Tags: Assignment Plan, Plan, Student Assignment, Student Assignment Plan
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Fla. Students Crash After State Raises Bar On Test
May 10th, 2012
The Florida Board of Education has voted to temporarily lower the passing grade for its state writing test after a dramatic drop in scores on this year’s exam. The state had made the test more difficult and raised the passing grade in an attempt to upgrade standards. But education officials were stunned when preliminary results showed the passing rate for 4th graders this year had plummeted from 80 percent to less than 30 percent.
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Those who want to raise standards on student achievement tests have suffered an embarrassing setback in Florida. The state made its writing exam harder and results plummeted. So the state is backtracking. It’s now lowering its passing score and admitting something went wrong.
Sarah Gonzalez of member station WLRN has that story.
SARAH GONZALEZ, BYLINE: About a dozen Florida school superintendents were at a conference in Orlando this week when the results of the state’s new writing scores came in.
Tags: Test
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Advocacy groups charge Wake schools discriminate against Spanish-speaking students
May 9th, 2012
Two advocacy groups are threatening to file a federal civil rights complaint against the Wake County school system over allegations that Spanish-speaking families are being discriminated against by not receiving information in their native language.
In a letter sent Tuesday to Wake County Superintendent Tony Tata, the Southern Poverty Law Center and Advocates for Childrens Services charge that the school system is violating the civil rights of students with Spanish-speaking parents by sending them important notices only in English. The letter cites examples of three limited English proficient parents who did not get information in Spanish about their childrens long-term suspension notices and special-education services.
This issue is not only about protecting the civil rights of students and parents, but also about the mission, vision, and core beliefs of Wake County schools, Jason Langberg, an attorney for Advocates for Childrens Services, a project of Legal Aid of N.C., said in a written statement.
Tags: Advocacy Groups, Wake
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DfE announces overhaul of head teacher qualification
May 4th, 2012
The Department for Education (DfE) announced a major overhaul of the head teachers qualification yesterday (December 6th) as it continues its major reforms of the national education system.
The existing qualification, the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) will be revised with the aim of opening it up to all prospective head teachers, allowing them to develop the best skills to lead their school.
Under the new proposals, the NPQH will become non mandatory with the intention of turning it into a more exclusive qualification while the standards for entry are to be raised.
Assuming the reforms get parliamentary approval, the amended qualification will be launched in spring next year, with the content of the course made more demanding with the introduction of core modules.
However, Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), said that the union is unconvinced by the need for the major overhaul.
“Headteachers should be focused on leading learning and teaching,” she said.
“We are concerned that making the qualification optional is a backward step.”
Currently, all new head teachers within the maintained sector must have passed the NPQH.
Having been introduced in 1997 as a qualification to train those eager to become heads, the NPQH became mandatory for all first-time heads of maintained schools in 2009.
According to DfE statistics, around 35,000 have attained the NPQH, with some 58 per cent of current head teachers holding the qualification.
Announcing the proposals yesterday, Secretary of State for Schools, Nick Gibb MP said: “We want to create a qualification for those about to become head teachers that will help them develop the key skills needed to take on this challenging and rewarding role.
“We also want to ensure the NPQH remains a highly regarded and sought-after qualification.”
The National College will now work with key stakeholders to revise the content of the new-look qualification.
Out of five modules, three will be made compulsory and they will focus on leading pupil behaviour, developing leadership skills and managing teacher performance.
Trainee heads will also have to take part in both a school-based and a placement related assignment.
Tags: Head Teacher, Teacher
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Is a community being unethical if it does not provide good schools?
May 4th, 2012
Mayor Mike Rawlings raised a provocative question during a speech at SMU yesterday. He was speaking to a forum put together by SMU’s Simmons School of Education and Human Development, its Cary M. Maguire Center for Ethics and Public Responsibility and its Center on Communities and Education. The focus of the meeting was the ethical responsibility of delivering a quality education.
After talking some about a community’s obligation to its students, the mayor turned the issue on its head and posed the question in a way I had not thought about. Is a community being unethical, the mayor asked, if it does not provide decent schools?
He did not answer the question, but I would say the answer is yes, if we as a community are not taking the steps to provide a decent education. If we believe we have a moral responsibility to students, it stands to reason that we are failing to act ethically if we fail to meet that responsibility.
So, what is a good education?
I served on a panel after the mayor’s speech, and David Chard, SMU’s education dean, asked each of us on it to say what we think constitutes a good education.
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Online Education – A Trap or Help?
April 30th, 2012
Do you have a wish to attain sheer success in the professional world? Do you want to make your name get highlighted in bold letters in front of the gate of your own office cabin? Then, you must start building up your base at best, so that in future it can reach you to the heights you want. Yes, having a strong base is very important, when you want to establish your career. In such a situation, receiving proper education is a must. If expense, distance, familial responsibilities and other such issues obstructing your way, you must go for online education.
Yes, e-learning is the latest mode of advanced learning, where without leaving your own place you get to learn at best. Read more…
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