Thursday, October 8^th

Chairman Exclaims, Referring to Drop-Out Crisis

Although senior officials at the U.S. Department of Education don't expect the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) to occur until 2010 at the earliest, a House Education and Labor Committee hearing highlighted what is sure to be a major topic of consideration for the law's renewal-high school reform.

Citing the average graduation rate at 70% and the fact that 12% of the lowest–performing high schools produce more than half of the nation's dropouts, Chairman George Miller (D–CA) said in his opening remarks, "Some may think twice about using the word 'crisis' to define what's happening in our high schools. But the truth is, we aren't just facing a crisis-the house is on fire." Read More (PDF File)

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Math Group Issues New High School Guidelines

Three years after calling for a reordering of elementary and middle level math curricula, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) is urging a new approach to high school instruction, one that aims to build students' ability to choose and apply the most effective problem–solving techniques in the classroom and in life. Cultivating those skills will make math more useful and meaningful to students, the group argues in a document scheduled for release this week. The framework attempts to show how skills that the NCTM considers essential-reasoning and sense–making-can be promoted across high school math. Read More

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Educating for Sustainability Webinar

The U.S. Partnership for Educating for Sustainability, cosponsored by NASSP and several other education organizations, is hosting a presentation and discussion on education for sustainability in K-12 schools on November 5, 2009, from 3:00-4:30 pm EST. Educators will present case studies and share resources on how they are successfully using sustainability as an integrative theme in diverse elementary, middle level, and high schools across the country. To request registration information, e-mail green.and.sustainability.leaders@gmail.com.

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Juveniles: Coming full circle?

Debate Over Youthful Offenders Continues 100 Years Later

I recently read an article published in the Oklahoma Bar Journal titled: "Maybe We Should Just Do Away with Juvenile Court." The author argued that because current legal procedures for juvenile and adult offenders are similar, the need for a youth specialty court was no longer needed.

The irony of this assertion is that 100 years ago, the Oklahoma Legislature rejected the concept that juvenile offenders be treated as criminals, saying that "as far as practicable, any delinquent child shall be treated, not as a criminal, but as misdirected and misguided, and needing aid, encouragement, help and assistance." Read More

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