Department of Education announces $5 million to turn around failing schoolsThis article in The Times-Picayune in New Orleans announces a new...
Department of Education announces $5 million to turn around failing schools
This article in The Times-Picayune in New Orleans announces a new investment in Louisiana schools, which targets the importance of leadership and shows the beginning steps toward improving the role of the principal for Louisiana’s students. “State Superintendent John White announced Wednesday that the state will use $5 million in federal professional development funds to train educators interested in turning around failing district-run schools.” “For the winning grant recipients, the state education department is recommending five principal training programs: Building Excellent Schools, Columbia Summer Principals Academy NOLA, Leading Educators, New Leaders and the New Teacher Project” Three of these programs – New Leaders, Columbia College and Building Excellent Schools – are also part of the Bush Institute’s Alliance to Reform Education Leadership network.
Helping Education Leaders Grow
This commentary by Elizabeth Neale and Jonas S. Chartock highlights the recent results of the MetLife Survey of the American Teacher, recently published in EdWeek. The Metlife report discusses the stressfulness and complexity of the principal role as well as declining principal job satisfaction. “The MetLife survey should serve as a reminder not only that we have much to do to strengthen our schools, but also that there are proven actions we can take to bolster the quality of principal and teacher leadership for our students.”
Energy Investment Can Revive the Economy
In this Reaction from The 4% Growth Project, Bernard Weinstein responds to this Op-Ed in The Wall Street Journal in which Mortimer Zuckerman, the chairman and editor-in-chief of U.S. News & World Report, argues persuasively that America’s “Great Recession” continues, at least in terms of employment. Weinstein argues that this is not inevitable nor irreversible and that “the oil and gas industry is poised to create tens of thousands of additional jobs over the next several years that, in turn, can push us closer to energy independence — a prospect that should be embraced by politicians and pundits of all persuasions. But this will only happen if public policies are accommodating.” Read more here.
Beijing Cautions New Pope on Meddling in China
The Freedom Collection recommends this New York Times article, reporting that China has congratulated Pope Francis on his election as leader of the Roman Catholic Church, but warned the new pontiff not to use religion as an excuse to meddle in China’s internal affairs. “The reaction underscored the tensions between the Vatican and China’s government, which has been accused of suppressing Catholicism under Communist rule.” According to the Freedom Collection “the Vatican and Beijing have clashed in recent years over the Holy See’s opposition to China’s state-controlled Catholic Church and diplomatic recognition of Taiwan.”
5 Questions About NCLB Waivers Answered
This article in Education Week answers some common questions about the No Child Left Behind waivers including: What is the No Child Left Behind Act, and why do some states have waivers from it?; Will all states get a waiver?; In states with a waiver, what happens if schools do not meet new academic goals that states set?; What are the arguments for and against the race-based academic goals that many states are using?; Historically, why are there such drastic differences in achievement among various groups of students, such as racial minorities, low-income populations, and those in special education?
