Editorial: Stimulating education, technology
President Obama’s stimulus plan includes more than $150 billion in new federal money for education, with “infrastructure projects” like school modernization and repair, programs to make schools more energy efficient, and technology infrastructure upgrades being put forth as the most productive use of the money. So, with the prospect of an extra billion dollars in the budget that the stimulus plan dictates must be spent right away, where will it do the most good? asks Ed Bouryng of the Washington Times.
Facebook has removed 5,500 sex offenders since May
The AP reports that Facebook has removed more than 5,500 convicted sex offenders from its social networking Web site since May, Connecticut’s attorney general said Thursday.
Crisis survival tops agenda at AASA meeting
The tanking economy and its devastating effect on education budgets, as well as the freshly signed economic stimulus package that promises billions of dollars in new money for cash-strapped schools, dominated the conversations on Day One of the American Association of School Administrators’ annual conference in San Francisco.
Key words: education budgets, education budget cuts, school budgets, economic stimulus package
Saving school budgets in a recession
Buying from large group contracts, aligning budgets with school improvement plans, starting an educational foundation, and mastering the art of passing school bond issues were among the strategies for surviving the current fiscal crisis discussed at the American Association of School Administrators’ annual conference in San Francisco Feb. 19.
Key words: school budgets, school budget cuts, schools and recession
Colleges find new uses for open-source tech
Open-source learning management systems such as Moodle and Sakai have made great inroads in higher education, but LMS software isn’t the only area where colleges and universities are benefiting from open source. Higher-ed institutions also are saving money by using open-source software to chat with prospective students, improve library storage and research, and create web pages for alumni–whose donations could prove critical while campus budgets are being slashed in a down economy. Key words: open source content management, open source code, marist college, blackboard academic, albion college.
AASA 2009 will help guide administrators in a troubled economy
The American Association of School Administrators (AASA) 2009 Conference on Education, which runs Feb. 19-21 in San Francisco, promises to offer administrators a wealth of information and ideas for districts of any size.
AASA speakers will focus on district improvement
Speakers at AASA General Sessions are selected to build administrators’ vision of the future and to explore how global trends, advancements in science, corporate management techniques and even imagination can help to move districts forward. Click here to view all this year’s speakers.
Plan your AASA schedule
Find general and detailed program information, including sessions and speakers.
Explore San Francisco during AASA
San Francisco offers an abundance of restaurants, attractions, and activities. Click here for AASA-specific information about San Francisco. Check out OnlyInSanFrancisco.com for more information.
School computer deal gets state’s attention
Florida Gov. Charlie Crist’s legal counsel, Jason Gonzalez, has asked the inspector general of the state’s education department to investigate a Northeast Florida school computer system deal worth as much as $3 million, reports the St. Petersburg Times.