Google gives $40 million to various causes
In its biggest single-day contribution ever, Google on Wednesday announced it has handed out $40 million to battle slavery, promote education and make technology more accessible worldwide, with…
Month: December 2011
Class assignment: Reinvent the high school
This article is no longer available.
Report busts myth that U.S. class time is much lower than that of high-performing nations
A new report concludes that contrary to popular perception—including that of Education Secretary Arne Duncan’s — most U.S. public schools require at least as much or even more…
YouTube grants schools special access to 400,000 educational videos
YouTube has an enormous collection of educational clips that could be used by teachers, but many schools choose to block the site so that kids won't be able…
Safety violations found at Head Start centers
It's the kind of stuff that gives moms nightmares: a machete near a play area, household chemicals accessible to preschoolers, and instructors teaching without a criminal background check,…
Opinion: Quality teachers have nothing to fear from performance-based pay
Ohio Gov. John Kasich's administration on Dec. 13 will release a report detailing teacher perceptions on performance based pay, says a columnist for Yahoo! News.
Watch: Pledge of Allegiance in Spanish sparks controversy
For elementary schoolers in California's Lamont School District, reciting the Pledge of Allegiance everyday is a bilingual task, KGET-TV reports.
Facebook aims to help prevent suicide
Facebook is making it easier for people who express suicidal thoughts on the social networking site to get help.
Principals share secrets to positive school culture
Turning around low-performing schools and improving educator morale might seem daunting as school leaders are being asked to do more with less, but some leaders have made marked…
Judge declares Colorado public school funding unconstitutional
According to the Denver Post, a court ruling against Colorado over its funding of public schools could have multibillion-dollar consequences for the state's budget, Yahoo! News reports.
Opinion: America’s internet–now as good as Angola’s
A recent letter to the editor of the New York Times from Verizon Chairman Ivan Seidenberg had me scratching my head, says Timothy Karr, campaign director of Free…
States move away from exit exams, shift toward college-readiness
Fewer states are requiring students to pass high school exit exams to graduate, but more states are increasing standardized testing in college- and career-readiness assessment efforts, according to…
Students suspended for using ‘gun’ to rob peers of candy and chips
Police say two Detroit-area youngsters used a toy gun to rob five of their schoolmates of candy and chips, the Associated Press reports.
State lawmaker proposes axing gym class requirement
Florida lawmakers are considering a bill to eliminate a requirement that the state's 6th through 8th graders must take one semester of physical education each year, the Huffington…
How to start a successful virtual learning program
Virtual learning can help districts address many needs, such as filling a gap between courses a school offers and courses students might want to take but aren't currently…
Parents hold teachers hostage, demand firing of ‘tyrant’ educator
While people all over the world are "occupying" their local governments, police have refused to intervene after a group of parents have occupied the Notre-Dame de Caderot school…
Ex-school chief defends unemployment application
The ousted former head of Philadelphia's public schools says she's only taking what's rightfully hers by applying for unemployment benefits after receiving a $900,000 contract buyout, the Associated…
District faces civil rights claims after allegedly ‘outing’ lesbian student
After facing lawsuits from Barbara Wyatt, who claimed the Kilgore Independent School District in Tyler, Texas "aggressively confronted" her 16-year-old daughter about her sexual orientation after hearing a…
Illinois study cites cost of high school dropouts
High school dropouts on average receive $1,500 a year more from government than they pay in taxes because they are more likely to get benefits or to be…
Twitter simplifies in bid to engage more users
Twitter is changing to address a paradox about a service that revolves around messages limited to just 140 characters. As simple as it sounds, the concept remains too…
Five tips for digital communication in the new year
With a new year approaching, it's a great opportunity to re-evaluate what’s working—and what’s not—in your classroom, school, or district communications program. Here are five tips to power…
Opinion: Top five ways to fix the American education system
The American education system is broken. Politicians, educators and parents have debated how to reform public schools in the U.S. for the nearly 20 years, yet little to…
Do teachers really come from the ‘bottom third’ of college graduates?
The conventional wisdom among many education commentators is that U.S. public school teachers “come from the bottom third” of their classes, says Matthew Di Carlo, senior fellow at…
Alabama law limits students’ gifts to teachers
An Alabama teacher who accepts a Christmas ham or a $25 gift card from a student is breaking Alabama's ethics law. The possible penalty? Up to a year…
Is unequal opportunity created by students themselves?
Disparities in success among students from varying socioeconomic backgrounds and communities have long been attributed to the resources available to them from schools and their families, the Huffington…
Schools pepper sprayed students ‘repeatedly and regularly’
After a lawsuit was filed last year on behalf of eight high school students against the Birmingham Board of Education over the use of pepper spray against them…
New guidelines for ed-tech research could help educators, vendors
To produce a stimulating 21st-century learning environment, school leaders see educational technology as a no-brainer. But using research to distinguish a truly effective ed-tech product from a less-than-effective…
How Lone Star College Uses Telepresence to Enhance Its Reputation—and Recruit More Students
This case study provides an excellent overview of Lone Star College System and its use of technology, including high-definition video conferencing, to expand corporate workforce development partnerships and…
As budgets get stretched, schools turn to free digital tools
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Facebook helps, hinders high school reunions
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High school principal under fire for Facebook picture
A high school principal is facing harsh criticism after a revealing picture found on her Facebook page surfaced, the Huffington Post reports.
Student innovators hack Kinect & Cancer to win $100,000 prizes
Science fair projects have become much cooler since the days of growing lima beans under different-colored light filters, LiveScience reports.
iPads become child’s play
This holiday season, toy makers have turned Apple Inc.'s pricey tablet and smartphone into playthings for kids, the Associated Press reports.
Mother of fallen teen athlete wants defibrillators in schools
Tiny Fennville, Mich., is getting ready to host a basketball game for the first time since Wes Leonard made a game-winning shot and collapsed seconds later, the Associated…
Watch: Celebrities perform at anti-bullying benefit, ‘Trevor’s Project’
Celebrities were out in full force at Sunday night's annual Trevor's Project anti-bullying event, the Los Angeles Times' "Ministry of Gossip" blog reports. However, It wasn't just about…
Free MIT simulation has students compete as video game moguls
Anyone with a web connection now can engage in the marketplace maneuvering, pressure-packed decision making, and inevitable price wars that break out among business students at the Massachusetts…
NCLB waivers require big changes, fast
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5 best practices for educators on Facebook
Facebook's roots may be planted in college campuses, but classrooms have not welcomed the social network as eagerly as their students have, Mashable reports.
Viewpoint: Think first, tweet later
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When an adult took standardized tests forced on kids
A longtime friend on the school board of one of the largest school systems in America did something that few public servants are willing to do. He took…