Superintendent's Center Archives

Superintendents say they need resources, flexibility to transform schools

January 18, 2010January 14, 2010 by By Maya T. Prabhu, Assistant Editor

Finalists in the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) National Superintendent of the Year competition met to discuss ways that districts and the federal government can transform education.

District Management

Duncan: Schools ‘need to be more creative’

December 17, 2009December 16, 2009 by By Laura Devaney, Managing Editor

Education leaders in the United States must work to close the digital divide and ensure that all students have access to top-notch technology, while at the same time…

District Management

NSBA’s T+L 2009 explores school innovation

November 14, 2009 by By Maya T. Prabhu, Assistant Editor

"Innovation" was the watchword at the National School Boards Association's 2009 Technology + Learning (T+L) conference last month in Denver. Keynote speaker Frans Johansson, author of The Medici…

District Management

Gunman at upstate NY school surrenders to police

November 10, 2009 by From staff and wire reports

A former student held a New York school administrator hostage for more than an hour on Nov. 10, then surrendered to police without firing a shot, officials said.…

District Management

States lag on school innovation

November 10, 2009 by By Maya T. Prabhu, Assistant Editor

To reform the American education system, states and districts need more flexibility, better accountability, more capacity, and a stronger reform environment, according to a report card released by…

District Management

Protecting kids or free speech: Where to draw the line?

November 6, 2009 by By Maya T. Prabhu, Assistant Editor

Controlling what children see on TV, online, and in other electronic media requires a delicate balancing act between the First Amendment rights of content providers and the desire…

District Management

Free software could help IT departments

November 5, 2009 by From staff and wire reports

School and college IT departments have until the end of the calendar year to take advantage of a new offer from automated systems management software provider Kaseya, which…

District Management

‘Convergent education’ comes together

November 5, 2009 by By Gregg W. Downey, Editor

As I was saying last month, an avalanche of change is rumbling towards our field. I propose we call this cascading phenomenon "convergent education." Key words: convergent education,…

District Management

1,200 Ga. students getting Mac laptops

November 4, 2009 by ESchool News

Greater Atlanta Christian Schools has launched a massive Apple technology initiative that will put new laptops in the hands of more than 1,200 students--and higher tuition bills in…

District Management

SETDA forum illuminates key ed-tech trends

November 4, 2009 by By Meris Stansbury, Associate Editor

Attending this year's annual State Education Technology Directors Association (SETDA) Education Forum was like sitting through a timeline of technology integration in schools during the last few years:…

District Management

ED announces new tech chief

November 4, 2009 by By Maya T. Prabhu, Assistant Editor

Karen Cator, former director of education leadership and advocacy for Apple Inc. and a long-time education technology leader, will serve as the new director of the Office of…

District Management

Educators focus on dropout prevention

November 3, 2009 by By Laura Devaney, Senior Editor

As education leaders align their programs with the goals set forth by Education Secretary Arne Duncan under the Obama administration, a major point of emphasis is turning around…

District Management

Budget cuts threaten Missouri virtual school

November 3, 2009 by From staff and wire reports

Budget cuts could force Missouri's statewide virtual school to close midway through the academic year, leaving students with half-earned credits scrambling to complete their education. Key words: Missouri…

District Management

Duncan calls for overhaul of education schools

November 6, 2009October 23, 2009 by From staff and wire reports

The Obama administration is calling for an overhaul of college programs that prepare new teachers, saying they are cash cows that do a mediocre job of preparing teachers…

District Management

Students, schools turn to virtual college fairs

November 6, 2009October 20, 2009 by By Maya T. Prabhu, Assistant Editor

As college fair season kicks into high gear, a growing number of students, parents, and colleges will be turning to virtual college fairs as a way to save…

District Management

Latest NAEP math scores show mixed results

November 6, 2009October 14, 2009 by From staff and wire reports

After two decades of slow and steady progress in math, U.S. fourth-graders made no improvement over 2007, according to nationwide test scores released Oct. 14. Eighth-graders made headway,…

District Management

Plan calls for action on 21st-century skills

June 16, 2010October 12, 2009 by By Maya T. Prabhu, Assistant Editor

More than 200 schools, districts, universities, state education departments, businesses, and nonprofit organizations have expressed support for a "National Action Agenda" from the Partnership for 21st Century Skills…

District Management

Are netbooks right for education?

January 26, 2010October 8, 2009 by ESchool News

During a time of steep budget cuts, many school leaders have turned to netbooks as a less expensive way to get computers into the hands of every student.…

District Management

Educators share H1N1 preparedness plans

November 6, 2009October 8, 2009 by By Laura Devaney, Senior Editor

As H1N1 virus-related illnesses continue to increase, schools are hoping to keep students healthy and avoid closures--but many already have plans in place to sustain learning and keep…

District Management

Feds propose rules for $650M innovation fund

November 6, 2009October 7, 2009 by From staff and wire reports

Applications for $650 million in new federal grants that encourage school innovation will be available in early 2010 and due in the spring, the U.S. Department of Education…

District Management

Computer virus steals $325K from district

October 1, 2009 by By Maya T. Prabhu, Assistant Editor

The FBI is investigating what it is calling an online computer intrusion that siphoned several hundred thousands of dollars from at least one Chicago area school district's bank…

District Management

Congress weighs online privacy changes

September 30, 2009 by From staff and wire reports

The rise in online social networking, coupled with the evolution of advanced data-tracking techniques, has created a goldmine for internet marketers who now can target their advertising in…

District Management

How tech drives success in Title I schools

September 25, 2009 by By Laura Devaney, Senior Editor

A new report examines how districts can make the most of education technology funds, and an accompanying guide identifies effective school technology tools. Together, these resources are intended…

District Management

e-Rate wants to be user friendly

September 24, 2009 by By Laura Devaney, Senior Editor

When the filing window opens later this fall, applicants will find no major changes to next year's e-Rate, the $2.25 billion-a-year federal program that provides discounts on telecommunications…

District Management

Training is key to schools’ digital media use

November 6, 2009September 24, 2009 by By Maya T. Prabhu, Assistant Editor

Educators need to embrace Web 2.0 technologies in schools, but they should be given adequate professional development to ensure they learn the proper ways to engage their students…

District Management

Film holds Ariz. school as model for reform

September 21, 2009 by By Maya T. Prabhu, Assistant Editor

Leaders in education gathered Sept. 17 to discuss the future of American education and screen a documentary highlighting an exemplary charter school in Arizona, which filmmaker Bob Compton…

District Management

Experts: Prepare now for autism’s rising flood

December 15, 2009September 18, 2009 by By Laura Devaney, Senior Editor

As the number of school-age children diagnosed with autism continues to rise at an alarming rate, parents and special-education teachers are trying desperately to make school leaders aware…

District Management

Commentary: Hope and experience

September 18, 2009 by By Gregg W. Downey, Editor

Commentary: Sometime this week (before the end of the day, if you can), I urge you to read a watershed report from the National Commission on Teaching and…

District Management

Is personal eMail subject to open-records law?

September 14, 2009 by By Maya T. Prabhu, Assistant Editor

A case that will be argued before the Wisconsin Supreme Court in November could set a precedent that affects the way educators and other public employees use their…

District Management

New program teaches students about 9/11

September 10, 2009 by From staff and wire reports

Schools in seven states will be trying a new curriculum this week that uses online videos and interactive lessons to teach middle and high school students about the…

District Management

1-to-1 computing in the spotlight

April 7, 2010September 1, 2009 by By Laura Devaney, Senior Editor

South Dakota, Maine, and Wyoming top the list of states with the highest percentage of schools that have ubiquitous (one-to-one) computing programs for their students--while California ranks last…

District Management

Digital pens: Mightier than MSWord?

March 15, 2012August 31, 2009 by By Maya T. Prabhu, Assistant Editor

A significant key to students' academic success is their ability to take complete and accurate notes during class--and recent developments in digital-pen technology might help students do just…

District Management

Duncan floats school turnaround plan

September 29, 2009August 27, 2009 by From staff and wire reports

Education Secretary Arne Duncan has proposed new rules for distributing $3.5 billion in Title I School Improvement Grants to turn around the nation's lowest performing schools. The plan…

District Management

FCC probes iPhone-Google app dispute

September 29, 2009August 27, 2009 by From staff and wire reports

A federal probe of practices in the wireless industry could have significant implications for school leaders and others who use smart phones and other wireless devices to communicate.…

District Management

Judge: District’s visitor ID system is OK

March 29, 2010August 26, 2009 by By Maya T. Prabhu, Assistant Editor

A federal judge ruled Aug. 18 that a computerized background-check system made by Raptor Technologies does not violate the constitutional rights of parents and other school visitors who…

District Management

TPACK explores effective ed-tech integration

September 29, 2009August 26, 2009 by By Laura Devaney, Senior Editor

As technology becomes an increasingly important tool for teaching and learning, a relatively new concept--focusing on how educators can effectively and effortlessly tailor technology to their instructional practices--is…

District Management

Feds issue more guidance on swine flu

March 29, 2010August 25, 2009 by From staff and wire reports

Schools and colleges should be ready with hard-copy packets and online lessons to keep learning going even if swine flu sickens large numbers of students this year, U.S.…

District Management

Virtual 3-D lab aims to stimulate learning

August 24, 2009 by By Maya T. Prabhu, Assistant Editor

Students at a Baltimore County high school this fall will explore the area surrounding Mount St. Helens in a vehicle that can morph from an aircraft to a…

District Management

Schools gear up for swine flu shots

March 29, 2010August 21, 2009 by From staff and wire reports

Hundreds of schools are heeding the government's call to set up flu-shot clinics this fall, preparing for what could be the most widespread school vaccinations since the days…

District Management

$650M in new grants target innovation

September 8, 2009August 21, 2009 by By Laura Devaney, Senior Editor

U.S. schools will have a chance this fall to compete for part of $650 million in new "innovation" funds that are intended to reward districts that have designed…

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