EDUCATION & EQUITY NEWS    

NATIONAL

Education Reform Controversy Lingers
The Washington Post, April 7, 2002

Secretary of Education Roderick R. Paige is setting out this week to sell President Bush's landmark reform plan to grass-roots groups around the country, but he leaves behind a trail of complaints from organizations claiming they were barred from the table when the new program's regulations were written last month.

Kennedy: Bush Not Living Up to Education Promises
CNN.com, April 8, 2002

Senator Edward Kennedy, delivering the Democrats weekly radio address, said the bipartisan education legislation passed last year could be compromised under Bush's budget proposal.

Teachers Salaries Remain 'Stagnant'
The Arizona Republic, April 8, 2002

In its annual report on state spending in education, the National Education Association said teacher salaries rose 0.5 percent between 1990 and 2000 when inflation is taken into account. In many states, the union said, teachers lost ground to inflation. (See also: Teachers' Salaries Barely Match Living Costs, NEA Says, The Washington Post, April 8, 2002.)

In Schools, No Points for Styles
The Washington Post, April 9, 2002

Some educators say teaching methods should reflect students' skills; others worry about race and class bias.

On Crime, Youth Serves Up Some Good News
The Washington Post, April 9, 2002

According to data just released by the the FBI, the rate of juvenile violent crime in 2000 was lower than at any time in the previous two decades. This decline occurred at the same time that the number of juveniles was increasing from about 27 million to 31 million.

Failures Raise Questions for Charter Schools
The New York Times, April 5, 2002

A decade after helping pioneer the charter school concept -- publicly financed, tuition-free schools that operate independently of existing schools and school districts --Texas, California and Arizona are leading efforts to rein in their experimental schools.

MARYLAND

Never Let Them See You Sleep
The Washington Post, April 7, 2002

A profile and interview of Freeman A. Hrabowski III, the president of the University of Maryland Baltimore County who has built a national reputation for promoting high achievement among African American students, through high standards, high expectations and a lot of social support.

Pr. George's School Board Voted Out
The Washington Post, April 9, 2002

The Maryland General Assembly has approved legislation to abolish the Prince George's County Board of Education and could force the ouster of Superintendent Iris T. Metts.

Md. Finds A Bit Extra In Year of Shortfalls
The Washington Post, April 9, 2002

The Maryland General Assembly ended its annual session after preserving an income tax cut, boosting spending for state programs and approving millions in fresh aid to public schools at a time when many states are slashing services and contemplating tax increases.

Grading More Than ABCs in Kindergarten
The Washington Post, April 4, 2002

The new kindergarten report card being distributed by Montgomery County public schools, developed through four years of piloting and refining, contains more complex, in-depth information than the county's public school parents have ever received about their children.

PENNSYLVANIA

Secrets to Success May Be in This Philadelphia School
The Philadelphia Inquirer, April 8, 2002

The Laboratory Charter School of Communication and Languages has seen tremendous gains on state standardized tests over the past three years.

VIRGINIA

Domenech Lists What Schools Could Lose
The Washington Post, April 6, 2002

Fairfax School Superintendent Daniel A. Domenech issued a list of programs yesterday that could be curtailed or eliminated if county supervisors follow through on a plan to decrease the real estate tax rate.

For Niņos, Learning En Espaņol Is a Treat
The Washington Post, April 7, 2002

Loudoun County's Foreign Language in the Elementary School (FLES) program is an ambitious plan to teach Spanish to every child in kindergarten through fifth grade by 2006.

Jefferson High Triples Its Black, Latino Admissions
The Washington Post, April 9, 2002

The number of African American and Hispanic students being offered admission to Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in September has more than tripled from a year ago, from nine students to thirty.

Board Pressed for Tax Relief, Dollars
The Washington Post, April 9, 2002

Fairfax County supervisors heard pleas from homeowners demanding tax relief, teachers clamoring for more support for schools and advocates pleading for money for human service programs, as the board began three days of hearings on its proposed spending plan for next year.

WASHINGTON, DC METRO AREA

And Now for the Good News
The Washington Post, April 7, 2002

According to recent statistics on student achievement and graduation rates, compared with other large metropolitan areas, the schools in the Washington, D.C. metro region rank among the best in the nation.

D.C. Superintendent Plans Return After Heart Surgery
The Washington Post, April 5, 2002

District School Superintendent Paul L. Vance said yesterday that his doctors have cleared him to return to work next week, more than eight weeks after he underwent double-bypass heart surgery.

SPECIAL ARTICLES & REPORTS

Child-Care Quality Matters
American Prospect, April 8, 2002

Educating Homeless Kids
From National Public Radio's "Morning Edition,"
April 2, 2002. (Audio file: requires RealPlayer)

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